Signs of Pride in common Conl>eife. 239 4 notber, and would exhort another to do that.which they themfelves refufe! The. Phyfick feemeth fo Joathlom to them which Chrill bath ptcfcnbed them, that they hate htm that bn~geth It, and will die and be damned befOre they will take it :, but perhaps will turn again and all to rent you ( unlefs where they are reflrained by the fecular arm.) But if you proceed to rejtll rhero, for their obftinate im enittncie in heyno:# fin, from the vifiblc communion of the C~urch, you ~all then fe~ yet mo.re h!w contrary Pride is to the Church-order and Government ordamed by Chnfl. How bttccrly will th<y hate thof< that put them to fuch. ( neceffary) difgrace? How will they llorm a.nd rage and rurn their fury againf1 the Church; as tt Chnfis remedy were the greateft tOJUry to them m the world? You may read their Character in the fecond Pfalm. Therefore Chrifi calleth men to come as littk Chil· J,.n into his fchool: or elfe they wtll be unteachable and mcomgtble, Mat. 1B. 3• 9. 5 ,, Sig 11 9 • A Proud man hath an Heretical difpofition, even when he cryeth out againll He· Sign 11• reticks. He is apt to look mofi aHer matters of difpute and contention in Religion ; Obfcure 'prophecies Gods decrees, controverfies which trouble the Church. more thnn cdifie, circurnfiances, cercmo~ies forms, outwards, orders and words: And for his opinion in thefe he mufi be fomebody. ~· 5 ~. Sign w. A Proud man is unlatisfied with h!s jfandinr; in c.ommunion with the ~urch ofSit,n 10• Chrif\ and is either arnhltlOufly afpmng to a donumon over n, or IS mclmed to a [epartJtum from it : They are too go.d m Hand on even grOHnd with their brerh.re~:.If they may be Teachers or Rulers they can approve rhe conHitution of the C~urch: But other~tfe IllS too bad for them to have cotnmu.. nion with ; They rnufi be offeme more rehned or elevated foc1ety: Thoy are. not content to come out and be fep.lratt from the i~tjidet.and idolatrolu world, but th:y mufi aHo come. out and b~ fep~rate fro~ t~e Chnrcbt, of Chrifi, confilhng of men that make a credsble profejfioll offasth andgodllhe.ji. They thmk 1t not enough w forbear fin tbemftlvu, and to have no. feUowjhip with the work.! of darltne(t, .but reprol-e tbem, nor to feparate from men as they fcpa.rate from Chrift, but the_y will alfo tC:parate from , them in their dzet)•, and odio~~y aggrav~te every i_mperrctbon, and. fill the Church with dam?rs ~~·t~~~r: 1 ,. and contendons, and break n mto fraCb~n~ by th~1~ ~chtfrns, and th1s not for any true reformatiOn M:ath. 9 . 11 • or edifying of the body (for how can dtvtfion edtfie 1t), but to tell the world that they account Matb. J!. ,, 3 • themfe!ves more holy than the Church : Thus Chrill himrelf was qumel!ed with as unholy by the llharHees) for eating with,publicans and finners : And his difciples for not walhing before meat, and obferving the traditions of the Elders ; and for rubbing out corn to eat on the fabbath day : And they that wiU not be jlri[l in their conformity ltJ Chrijf, will be rigbteom overmuch and flricter than Chrit1 would have ihem be, where Pride commandeth it: They will be of the llrictefi party and opinions, and make opinions and parties that are firicter, than Gods commands ; and- run into er· rors and fchifms that they may be fingular, from the general .communion of the Church; and will b'e of a leffir than Chrills liule flock.: Signs.of Pride in common converfi. 9· 5 3. Sign I• Pridecaufeth Jubjeflt to be too quick in ccnfuring the actions of their Governorr, Sign,. and roo impatient of what they fuffer fro;n them, an~ apt to murmur at them) and rebel againll them. · It makes inferiors think themfelves competent Judges of thofe commands and actions of their fuperiors, the Reafons of which they nevet: heard, nor can be fit to judge of, unlcfs they were of their council. It makes them forget all the benefits of Governmcnr, and mind only the burdens and fuffering part, and fay as Cor3h, Ye ta'<.e too much upun JbU ) feeing aU the Congregation are holy every one Numb. ••· J• of tbem a1td tbe Lord i1 among them ~ Tt'herefore then lift )t up your felvu above tbt Congregation of the Lordl---Is it a fmaU thing that thou h4}t br~ught IH up out of ISland. that flowtth with mill{. verfe IJ· I<f·· and bony, to kjU IH in the wilderneji, txccpt thou mak.g thy felf alltogethtr a Prince over M ? --Wilt thou put out the eyes ofthefe men? Proud men are impatient) and aggravate thdr difappoincrnents, and think they ha'.le reafon and jufHcc on their fide. , 9· 54· Sign 2· A Proud man is more difpofed tocommand than to obey,. and cannot ferve God con~ Sign ae tcntemtdly in a mean and low condition: He is never a good fuhjed:, or fc:rvant, or child ; for fuhjection feems a fbvery to him: He thinks it a bafenefs to be governed by another: He hath a Reafon of his own, which Hill contrad.icteth the Reafon of his Rulers, and a will of his own that mull needs be fulfilled, and cannot fubmit or yield to Government : He is fiill ready to llep out of his rank; and prepare for fuffering by diforder, that he may tall the fweetnefs of prcfent liberty!. As if your horfc or cattle (bould break out from you to be free, and f3.mi{h in the wintt:r, when fnow depriveth them of grafs. Whereas the humble know it is much eafier to obey than Govern; and chat the val~ leys are the inofi fruitful grounds, and that it is the Cedars and mountain trees that arc blown down, and not the fhrubs: And that a low condition affordeth not only more fafecy, but more quietnefs and leafure to convcrre with God : And rhat it is a mercy that others may be employed in his prefervation, and keeping the walls, and watching the houfe, while he may follow his work in quietnefs and peace; And therefore willingly payeth henour and uibure to whom it is due. . ~· 55. Si~u 3. If a Proud man be a Ruler, he is apt to be lifted up in mind; and ro defpife his in- Sign 3·· fer10rs, as 1t [hey were 1ZiJt men, or he were more: He JS apt to d1fdam the coun{els of the wife, and to korn admonition from the minifi.ers of Chritl, and to hate every Micbca that prophdieth not good of. him, and to valHe none but flatterers,, and difcountcnance faithful dealers, and not endure to hear of his faults : He is apt to fall out with the power of Godlinefs, and the Gofpel of Chrill, as that wh~ch feerneth to crots his interdl :, and to forget his own fubjedion to God, and the danger of his fubjects : He is more defirous to be obeyed by his inferiors, than himfelf to obey his ablolutc Lord 1 . . 1 I i He
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