Sign of felf-idoli;ting Pride. a · in·our affimblieJ, that were wife in their own eyes , defpifing, and fcorniog, ~nd reviling their · Sigmo: Pride. Teachers; fuch as underllalued' and cenfured others, that were not for their opinions and interefi. ' that overloved the refpect and honour that is from men ; and could not endnre to be difefi:cemed 0 ; little fet by ; that could not bear an injury or a foul word, but were prone to anger, if not revenge, that oould not feek peace, nor fioop to others; nor bt:ar plain-dealing in reproof; nor forgive a wrong without much fubmiaion; that had high expeClations from others ; aud loved theft: belt that molt etlcemed them ; that counted it bafenefs to Hoop to the meaneH places or Cervices for ochers good ; yea that quarrelled with God, his word and providcnce:s, and vJ.Incd no other mercies bur thote that exalted thtmfelves or pleafed thdr flelh (which proved judgemcn<S ) : And yet while they thus by pride <xcomrl?unicatcd t~ernfelves f~orn the face of God) and made thernfclves abhorred by him, they ft parartd trorn the holtefi affembhes and fc:rvJnts of God in the land, as unworthy of commu– nion with fuch ao;; tb~y, unldS they would tirfi become of their opinion or li.ct. We little confider hu,. great a hand tb~ Pride hath had in our defolations. God harh been fcamring the proud of all l uke r. S1 • forts in rhe im1ginations of their own hearts. Dirc{l. 7 . §. 88 Direct. 7• Looi(. to a humbled Chrijl to humble Y••· Can you be proud while you believe that your S<lviour was cloathed with fldh, and lived in meannefs, and made himtelf of no reputation and was dcfpifcd and fcorned and fpit upon by /inners, and lhamefully ufed and nailed as a malefaCl:o; M:llh. 9 14 , tJ a crofs? The very incarnation of Cbrifi IS a condefcenfion and humiliation enough to pofe both Mu. 5- 40. men and Angels, nanfcending all belief but fuch as God himfelf producerh by his fupernarural refiimo– ny and fpirir. And can Pride look a crucified Chrill in the face, or !land btfore him? Did God ~~\n ·~·~o. take upon him the form of a r,rvanr, and muft thou domineer and have the highefi place? Had J · s. 7 ' ;~~not Chrifi a place to lay his head on '? and mull thou ncedfi have rhy adorned wcll-furnilhed rooms? Mull thou needs brave it out in the mofi fantaUick faChion, infiead of thy S.1viours feamlefs coat? Doth he pray for his murderers? And mufi: thou be revenged for a word or petty wrong? Is he patiently f1Jit upon and buffeted? And art thou ready through proud irnpatitncie, to fpit upon or buff<.t others? Surely he that condemnedfin in the flejh, condemticd no tin more t Pride. Dirta. 8. 9· 8.9. Direct. 8. Loolt to the examples of the mojt eminent faints 1 and y. :' fee thty rvere aU mojf eminent in humility. The Apofiles before the coming down of the Holy oli on them, contended which of them lhould be rhe greatell ( which Chrill permitted that he imght moll O~arply re– Pf:~lm 12 , 7 . buke it, and leave his warning· to all his Minifiers and Difci lt.'S.Jo the end of the world, that they ('fJ~m 44· z;. that would be greatdl mull be the fe1vants of aU, and t y mull by converfion become as little children, or never emer into the Kingdom of God ). · ur fterward ln whar humility did thefe rCor.4. u, JJ, 14, 15· AtlS14· ~. Apofiles labour, and Jive and futfer in the world? Paul made himfelf, a fervaJtt unto aU, that he might j!.ain the more, 1h~ugh be wa-r free from aU men, 1 Cor. 9· I9· They (ubmined themftlves to all the in_. juries and affronts of men; to be accounted the plagues and troublcrs of the world, and as the [corn and off.fcouring of all thing.:;, and a gazing flock to Angds and ro men. And are you beucr than . they? If you are 1 you are more humble, and not more proud. ])ift{l, 9• §• 90· D irect. 9• Looi(. tothe ho!J Angels th"' condefitJ:d to minifttr for man; a11d think,_ on the blrj]itl foul! with Gud, how for ~hey are from being proud; (111d. ,·emember if tvtr tbou co~e to Heavm how far tbou wilt be frsm pr:de thy filf. Such a fight.as Jf..aiJJ would rake dow,n pnJr, Ifa. 6, z, 2, 3· I Jaw the Lord fitting upm a T'hrom, higb and l~fted up, iiJtd hit train fiUed the 1emple : Above it jlood the Ser.tphims: Eacb one had fix wings : witb twlJ he covered hM f,;ce, and with two he covered bi1 feet , and with two he fled ( fignifymg, Humility, Purity and obedience) A nd vne cryed unto ano– ther and [aid, Holy, H.ty, Ho!JI it the Lord of Hoj!r: Hit Glory it the fi'lnefi of t!x wbele earth J So Rtv. 4· S. and verf. IO· 1he Etdtrs f oJ.U down, and caft dogn their Crow;u bifore bim tbat fuutb uH the '[brone. Louk up to Heaven and you'l abhor your pride. §· $11· Direct. JO, Lo·•/z Hpon thegreat imp.,Jemon of thy grace, and .iutiet. Should that man be Dirtll. 10 ' proud that hath fo little of the fpirit and imJge of Jefus Chrifi? That believeth no more, and(• .r– tth God tto more? And lrrvetb him no more? And can no better tmff in h1rn, nor rfji upon hi:; word and love? Nor no more deligb1.in him nor in his holy laws and fervice? One would think that ~he lamentable weoknefs of any one of all thefe graces , thould take down pride and abaf< you in your own eyes? Is he a Chriflian that doth not even abhor himfelf, when he perc~.:ivcth how linle he hwcth his God, and how little all his meditations on the Love and blood of Chrifi, and of the inhnite Goodnefs of God, and'of the heovenly Glory, do kendle the fire, and wmn his hem? Cm we obferve the darknefs of our minds , 1nd ignorance of God) and llrangnefs to the life: to comt\ and the woful weakncfs of our faith, and not be abafed to a loathing of our felvc:s ? Can we choofe but even abhorthofe hearts that can love a friend, and love the wys and vanities of rh is life, and yet can love theit God no more? That take no more pleafurr; in his name, and praifc, and word, and fervice when they can tind pleafure in the accomodations of their fl...01 ~ Can we choote but loath thoft hea;ts that are fo averfe to God, fo loth to think of him, fo loth to pray eo him, fo weary of prayer or holy meditation or any duty, and yet fo forward ro the bufinef:; and recreatious of the flefh? Can we feel how coldly and unbelievingly we pray, how ignorandy or carmliy we difcourfe, howconfuft:dly and vainly we think, and how flothfully we work, and how unprotirab!y. we livt,and yet be proud, and not be covered with lhame? 0 for a fcrious ChriHian to feel horvlit~h or God,of Chril1:,of Heaven is upon his heart,and how little appearerh in any eminent holinefs and fruit~ fullnefs and heavenlinefs of life, is fo humbling a confidcration, rhat we have: much ado to own our felves, and not lie down as utterly defolate : Should that foul adrgir a thought of pride, that_ hat~ fo little Gra'e as w be W1CCttain whether he have any at all in finceriry or not? That Cl_nnot w1ch a{- • fL)rance
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=