·Sign of felf~idoli~ng P.ride. their own conceics·; and venturous upon any new opinion; and ready to quarrel with the word of God before they underlland it: when any thing feems hard to them, they prefently [ufpecr the tmtb of the matter, when they fl10uld iulpetr their darlt tmf«rnijhed mind1: Mark thofe thar are Proud in any Town, or any company of profeffors ofpiety, and if any infedion of herefie or infidelity come Jam. 4· 6. into that place, tbrfe are the men that will fooneft catch it. Mark t..hofe that have turned from 1 !'er. 5-S· Trdth or Godlinefs, and fee whether . they be not fuch as were proud and fuperticial in ReliSion be- ~;0:71:~9. fore. But God giveth Grace, and more Grace to thehumble: He dwelleth with them,an_d delighteth Prov. 29 ,.~. in them~ . . . . . Va·n g.onuu· :2• .A proud man _Js a tQrmenter nf b,mfl!f. Setttng his mmd on the 1hnughtJ of men, and dcfiring men arerh~ more ot their ell c. em than he can att3.in, and that which is unfatisfying vanity when he hath obrainel{t !corn ~f ":'re it : Be:is flill under frui~lefs vexa,tious defircs, .and frequent difappointmcnts : Every thing that he ~~~{:;11 ~/f;':~~ feetb, and c~ery word a,llmofi.th~t he hearcth, or every complement omi~ted can difmrb his peace, the J,lols of and break his flecp, apd c:afi h1m mto a feaver of paffion or rt.vengc : This wind that fwelleth him, is flatterers, and running up and dgwn, and difquieting him in every part : Who would have fuch a firt;! in his breafi, the J1:ave~ of that will not fuffer ·him to be quiet? ~~~~ 0~~rd 3· Pride brin$etb_[u.Jfcr~n.gr, ~~~d then _maketh them fee'.'t im?llera~lt .: It makes the finn~r more JJac911.E.ff.1J·H· vex and gall his mmd With finvmg and Impatient aggravaung h1s afthd10ns, than the fuffermg of it [elf would ever do. 4· ·Pride is a dap·roottd and a[tlf pre[trving fin : And therefore harder to be killed and rooted up than other fins. In hindereth the difcovery of it felf. It driveth away the light : It hateth reproof: le will not give the finnt:r leave to fee his pride when it if re"prOved ; Nor to confefs it if he: fee it; nor to be IJi<mbled for " if he do confefs it; nor to loatb bim[tlf and forfak._e it, though conviction and terror feems to bumble him. Even while he heareth all the figos of pride, he will not fee it irr hirnfelf: '\Vhen he feeletb his hatred of rtprOBf, and knowcth that this is a fign ofpride in others, yef he will not know it in himfelf : If yvu would go about to cure him of this or any 1er faulr, you. !hall feel that you are handling a wafp or an adder: Yet when he is fpining tb nom of pride againfi th~ n:prove~, he perceiveth nor that he is proud : This venom is his oat , and therefore i,s not felt nor ,tr.oub1efom: If all rhc.Town or Congregation lhould note him as notorioufly proud, yet he himfelf, thai fhould bell know himfelf, will not ob~ erve · •. It is a wonder to fee how this fin ke~geth fin::11grh, in perfons that bav~ long taken pain r ctr fouls, and fcem to be in all other refpeds the mofi fcrious mortyticd Chrifiians! Ytt 1 t but be touched in their imerefi or reputation, or fecrn to be ilighted, or fee another preferred bc_t9te them while they are .negleCted: and they boyl with envy, malice or difcontent, and fhew you ti!JJ-,xhe Heart of Gn, even SELf.. ISH NESS and PRIDE is yet alive, unbroken and too,-lhong. Efpecially if they are notper– fons,of .a natural. gentlenefs and mildnefs, but of a more patfionace temper; thm Pride harh, more oyl and fewel to kindle it into thefe difcernable flames. He is a Chrillian indeed that hath cpnquered Pride~ • •. . c- . 5· Pride is the ckfence not only of Jt .fetf, bu~ Ol. every orher fin tn the heart or life. For it hateth reproof and kccpeth off the rcmed1e; le h1deth, and cxtenuateth, and excufeth the fin, and thinketh well of th;a which fhou!d be hated. 6.""Pride hindereth. t:.very means and duty, from doing }'O.u good; and oft-times corrupteth them and turneth them-into fi1,1. Somecirnes it k:eepeth men from the duty, and fometime it keepeth them from the benefit of the duty. It makes men think that they are fo whole and well 1 as to have little need of all this phyfick,yea or of their daily necelfary food. Th<y think all this ismore ado than needs: Wha~ ne.ed of all t.h~s preaching, aud praying, and reading, and ~oly conference, and meditation, and heavenly mindednefs ? One is afbamed of ir, and another wants H not, and another is above it; and. they a,:;k you, wher~ arc we commanded to pray in our family, and to pray {o ofr, and to hear fo ofr, 'Tbef. ;. '7· and re~d any book but the Holy ScripiUres, &c. for rhcy feel no obligation from General com– luke 18 · 1 • mands, (as to pray continually, and allways, and not wax faint, nor be weary of well doing, to ~P~: ~: ~6. redeem the time, and do ~ll to edification, and be fervent in fpirit ferving the Lord, &c. ) Bcco1ufe 1. Cor. 14. 16. they feel not that ;~eed or [wectnefr wbich lhould help them to perceive that frequency is good or ne– Rom. "· 11· celfary for them. If the Phylicion bid !WO men [ eat often, J and one of them hath a firong •ppe– tite, and the Q(her hath none:, he that is hungry \~Ill Interpret the word [ ofteJt J to fignifie tbricc a day at !call, and. he that harh no appetite will thmk that once a day is [often]. Healthful mm do not ufe to ask, How prove you tha~ 1am bound to eat twice or thrice a day ? Feeling the need and benefit, they will be farstied with an aUowance wirhout a command: They will rather ask, How prolfe )'OU that I may not do it? For they ft.el reaIOn in thernfe!ves ~~ m~ve them to it, if God relirain rhem not. So it is wich an humble foul about the mean1 of Jus edificatiOn and falvation: It fedeth a need of preaching, and prayer, and holy fpending tht Lords day, and family duties, &c. Yea it feeleth the needand benefit of {reque1tcy in duties, and is g~ad of leave to draw neer to God, and feels the bond of Love conHrain: \Vhtreas the Proud arc full and fenflt:fs, and could eafily be conrent wich little in Rdigion, if the Laws of God or man confirained thcrr m t; and will do no more than needs they mull. Yea fame of late have been advanced by Pride, above all Ordinances; ihar is, above ob.edicncc wGod, in th~.(.~is app?inted means; but no! above.: Lhe 1tr~d of meaJtr, nor above the P,l~t:~" prepared for the ~<&,and dJ{obedicnf. Humility lccuteth men from many fuch pernicious opm10ns. , · _ ".l . 9· ~6. Dircd-.4. Totlu.conquering of!'ride itr mcelfary that you perceive that indtcd it i1inyour felveJ; ajt~ Htlie r;;dical fi!'? and tbe vtr)'..i.Jifon of)~UT "lmutJ .;. and that )'Olt fit your {elver watclifzrU)' to m,$:k· -,. 1;.11
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