HEAVENLY LIFE UPON EARTH. 225 Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godli- ness ; he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness : from such withdraw thyself. "(u) § 6. (5) Take heed of a proud and lofty spirit. There is such an antipathy between this sin and God, that thou wilt never get thy heart near him, nor get him near thy heart, as long as this prevaileth in it. If it cast the angels out of heaven, it must needs keep thy heart from heaven. If it cast our first parents out of paradise, and separated between the Lord and us, and brought his curse on all the creatures here below ; it will certainly keep our hearts from paradise, and in- crease the cursed separation from our God. Intercourse with God will keep men low, and that lowliness will promote their intercourse. When a man is used to be much with God, and taken up in the study of his glori- ous attributes, he abhors himself in dust and ashes; and that self-abhorrence is his best preparative to obtain admittance to God again. - -- Therefore, after a soul - humbling day, or in times of trouble, when the soul is lowest, it useth to have freest access to God, and savour most of the life above. The delight of God is in " him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at his word ; "(w)' and the delight of such a soul is in God ; and where there is mutual delight, there will be freest ad- mittance, heartiest welcome, and most frequent con- verse. But God is so far from dwelling in the soul that is proud, that he will not admit it to any near access. 'P'he proud he knoweth afro. Oj:(W) " God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. "(x) A proud man is high in conceit, self- esteem, and carnal aspiring; a humble mind is high indeed in God's esteem, and in holy aspiring. These two sorts of high mindedness are most of all opposite to each other, as we see most wars are between princes and princes, and not between (u) 2 Tim. vi. 3, 5. (v) Isa. lxvi, 2. (w) Psalm cxxxviii. 6. (x) i Peter v. 5. 8 Ff
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