The Life ofFaith. 453. another; when;yet you may damnably love it in your jelves. It were well for Preachers, ifit were as eafie or common to con- quer fin, as to preach againft it : But alas it is not fo. 6. Another cloak of Pride is, Ile pretence of a real partial humility, together with an outwardbumble garb. A man may be really humble in fonre, yea in many refpeds, and yet be ex- ceeding proud in otbers : He may be vile in his own eyes, be- caufe he is confcious of manygreat and odious fins, and be- caufc he knowcth that fin is a thing odious to God,and all that will be favcd, mutt behumbled for it; and becaufe he know- eth that his body is earth, and mutt return by death to filth and duet : And he may go in fordid poor apparel ; and fuch may have a humble tone and manner of fpecch and perhaps (peak fo felt- abafingly, as if there were none fo lowly as they : And yet they may be exceedingproud of their fuppofed ,wif- dem, or jpiritual underffanding, andof a fiappofed extraordi- nary meafure ofbolneji, or revelations, or intereft inGod, or of this humility it (elf : Yea their common natural pride maynot be takendown, though there be frequent exprcilionsofgreat humiliation. And if the proudcft Gallants can, with their bar at your foot, profits themfelves your humble fervants, why may not Religious Pride go as far ? And note here, that this Religions Pride, is of a higher and more aggravated fircin than the other : a. Becaufe it is com- mitted againtt more humbling means. 2. Becaufe it is a fin againft more knowledge. 3. Bccaufe it is accompanied with the profeffson of Humility,and fo is aggravated by more hypo- aifie. 4. Becaufe it is an abufe of more excellent things : It is more odious to turn the pretence of wifdom, revelations, humility, godlinefs, good works, &c. intopride, than tobe proud as children are of their fine cloatbs; or asaddle- brained women are oftheir pre.cedencies. g. Becaufe it molt odioufly fathcreth it fell on God, as if it were but the grateful magnify- ingof his graces : To put Gods Name into the beans of Pride, andfay, Ithank thee, Lord, that I am not as ether men, nor as this Publican (Luke r8. a a.) To fay, God bath revealed more to me than toyou ; or hash made me more holy and fpirítual than you, Ifa, 65.5. Standby tby felf ; come_ not veer L.Il me
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