The Ctlre of Pride. fave you, you may expect you p1ould fed more ; and th~ loa~ tl1o~\d _be increafed, rill it mJ.ke yn 1 floop. 0 miferable obHinate lmners! that can groan wu h hcknds, and yet be proud ! and mur~ rnu1 under want, and yet be proud.' ar.d daily croffed by one or oth~r, and yet be proud f na, and rormenttd "'ith fears of Gods d1fpkafure, and yet be proud ! H1ve not all the WJrs, a1~tl blood and r~ines that have befallen us in thtf~ Kingdor~s, be_en yet enough to take down pride? MJ.nY humbling fights we have !ten; and many humb!mg Hnpes we havt: felt; :md ytt arc we not hllm~ bled? We have leen houfes robbed, and Towns tired, and the Cnuntrey pillaged, and the bfcod of many thoui3.nds 01ed, and r_heir Clrkaffi.i.:fcattcrtd abnur the lidds: and y(( ~re we not humbled? If we: were proud _ot our .Riches, they~~e been taken from us: If proud of our building,J, rhty have been turued nltO rumous heaps : It we have been proud of ou~ Governmtnr, and rLt Fame and Glory of our Countrey, we have {Ccn how our fins hav<.: pulled down om GovtrnnH.nt, diihonoured our Rulers, and>blemifhed our Glory, and turned ir into fhamc; and yet arc we net humbled? If you livtd in ahouft: infeCted with the Plcigue, arid had buried Father, and Mod1tr, a:nd BrotiJers, and Sillers, and but a very few were left aliw, expcding whw their turn came nexr, if tht:fe few were not huf!!bled, w~uld you not thin~ them blind and fottifh pcr!Ons? D~ you yer look high, and conrend for prehemmence, and look for honour, and envy others, and ddne ro domineer, and have your will and way, and fet om your [elves in the neaten drtfs? MnH you have fl1arptr Hripes before you will be humbled? Mull greater injuries, and violcnces, and lolfts, and ftars, and reproache~ be the means? Why will you 1.hoofc fo painful a remedy, by frullracing the cafier? If ir muji b~ fo, the judgement flu.\ I {horrly come yet nearer to thee : le Oull either llrip th(e of the reH, or cover thte with fl1ame, or lay thee in pain upon thy Couch, where thy head flull ake, and rhy he::trt be fick, and thy body weary, and rhou flu.\r plnt and gaff> for breath: Wilt thou rhen be: proud, and contcli for honour? Wh~1 thou expcdeH hourly when thy proud and guilty [l)ul, l11l11 be rurned out of thy body~ and appear before Lhe Holy God? When thL: BdJ is ready to toll tor thte, and thy Winding-fheet tO be fetcht out, and thy Coffin prepared, and the Bier w be fcrchr to c1rry thee ro thy Grave, ami leave thee in the dark with worms and rottennt:fs, Wilt thou then be proud! V\"hen: then arc yom: high looks, and ,lofty minds, and fplendid ornarnems, and honours ! Then will you . be climbing into higher rooms, :md reeking to be revenged on rhofc that did cdip[e }mlr honour? Saith David even of Pri1rce1 and ali the {rm1nf mw, \1 (al. 146. 3, 4· fliJ btcatb gortb furtb: be retum· eth to hi! earJh; i11 that very day hi1 thought! perijh. Dire{/. 19· 9· Ioo. Dhed.r9. Lt~ok on.1he lamentable effirts rf Pri.de aboH.tyou ilz ~he world,.mdth,a wi!Jhclp you lo fie tile odioufnefs and pernicious uature: (If it. Do you not it.:t.: how IC fctrcth t.bc whole work! on fire? how it raifcth Wars, and ruiueth Kingdoms, and draw~.:th out mens blood, and tilltth the world with malice, and hatred, and cruelty? and injuf\ice, ::tnd treaf?us, and rc:bcllions, and detiroy· eth, mercy, truth and honc:fiy, and all that ts left of God upon the mmd of ffilll! Whence is all the confulion, and calamity, all rhc cenforioufT1efs, revilings and cruel! it~, which we luvc fetn, or fdr)or heard of, but from Pride? What is it that hath trampled upon the lnrtrtll of Chrili' and h 1 s Gofj:>tl through the world, but pride:? \Vhat elfc is it that hath burnt his M..~rryrs, and m::~de luvockof histi:rvants, and dJfhacteJ and divided hjs Church with Schitms, and lfc ttp {0 tnJny St.tl-ma.fkrs and Sdls, and eaufed them almoH: all ro fer againli: others, hut this curfed unmorriticd Pride: l He that hq.th fct:n bur whit Pride hath been doing in E11glaHd in rh is age, and yet dilCernerh nor i~s lurefn!– nefs and pernicioufndS, is Hrangely blind. Evtry prm:d' n:an is a plague or burden to the p!Jce ht liverh in: If he get high, he is a Nabal ,. a m.m c.m J~·tuce: fpr:aJt to him: He thinks all under him are made but to ierve his will and honour, as infcriour creatures are made for man. If he be an infniour, he fcorneth at the honour and governmem of his Supcriours, and thinks tht'y t<>ke too much upon till m, and that it is below him to obty. It he be rich, .he thinks the poor muli all bow to him, as to the Golden Calf, or Nebucbadnczzar! Golden Image: If he poor, he cnvir:th rbe rich, and is impatient of t~e fiatc that God hath fet him in : If he be ltarncd, he thinks him(elf an Or::~.· de; If unlearned, he defpifeth the knewledge which he Wa11tcth, and fcornerh to be taught. What fiate !Oever he is in, he is a very Salamander, tha~ liveth in the tire; he troubh tn HOLlfc-, aud Town, and Countrey, if his power be anfwerable to his heart: he is an unpolifhLd 1\one, that will never Jy~ even in a.ny building; he is a natural enemy to quietnefs and pe<~ce. IJirc:ll. 20• 9· JOI· Direct. 20 Confider well b()ro God batb defigne:d the: bumbling of aU tbt he: wiU f.;ve, iJt his whole cumriv.mce: of the:_wor~ of our Redemption. He could have favcd man by keeping him in his primitive innoctncy, it he had pleafed. Though be caufeth not fin,, he knowc:th why he permitwb it. He thought it not enough that man fhould have the thought of creation to hun1ble him, as be~ ing taken ftom the dull, and made of nothing; but he will aHo have the £enfe of his mu:ol m– lbingntJi and jinfulneJi to humble him; He will have him beholdm to his Redunm and SanBifier for his new life and his {afv.,tinn, as much as to his C-tator for his 1ta11lr.;l/ife. He is permiw.:d firfi to undo himfdf, and bri ·mfelf under condtmnation, robe a child of death, and neJr to Hell, before he is ranfo 1v..er,cd: that he may tJke to himfdf the{hame of his miiery, and afcribe all his hopes a CfJ "to God• . No flclh {hJII be jui\itied by the work' of th<e Llw, or by a rightcoufnefs Otpeiforman·ce; but by the f3tistaction and merits of his Rcdl.'tmcr ; that fo all boaHing eluded, and that no fldh might ~lory m h1s fight, and rha.r man, R{lm 319,:.o, rrughr be humbled, anq puL4.\.tfdc:c:mer have the pra1fe ro all eru111ty. And rh'-rcfor~ God prt· ;~~;.'1~:9~· parcth mtn for fa.ah anC:~don, by humbling works, and forccth finmrs ro condemn thcm[dves b:.. Ephcf. '· 9 , tor< he wtll )Uf\Jnc them, .~ -~ . ~: ~:-· ,. 9• roi. Direct. 21.
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