23o Honor andPride, And Climbing high, Sec. in Kingdoms and Corporations, and all Societies ofmen,what Chrift obferved at their fealls,that [they choofe out the chief 'rooms, and fit with the higheft] Luke 14.7, 8. What eager defires have they to be above other men ? If any office or feat of Honour bevoid, there is few that apprehend any poffibili- ty of attaining it, that want a will to it ; Yea few that will not feek and firive for it, and envy thofe that carry it before 'them; and hate, or bear a grudge.to thofe that were againft their riling : yea few but venture ou the moll unlawful means to accomplifh their defires, and yet will fcarce believe that they are unlawful , becaufe they think:them necef- fary to their ends. There is. few, if they had 'the choice ofa man to any vacant place of honour, that would chufe any other but themfelves ; unlefs theinunfitnefs were likely more to difhonour them, or foine way to make their honours too burdenfom to them. No man in their eyes is fo fit as them.- felves, or fo worthy as themfelves : Or ifit be their Children or Kinfmen that Eland for it, or any thatfe/fbath fpecial inte- reit in, they feem the worthieft for the place, becaufe they are related to them. Efpecially if it be any eminent Dignity or Command, that teems to them a prey thats worth the hunting after. 0 the blinding, bewitching, befooling power of Prideand IfiAneft! How commonly doth it vile I How few are thofe holy, happy men, that have efcaped and over- come it I How few Societies be there in the world; whe- ther Corporations, Colledges or the but Pride and Selfifhnefs makes their Governors ? How few Nations on the Earth , where Pride and Selfiihnefs maketh not their Kings or Soveraigns ? And is any it wonder if they be all ill-governed then, where the Devil doth fo much to choofe the Governors ? I know that God over-ruleth all, and reflraineth the lulls of men, and croffeth their defigns but yet their lulls and theDevil may Rule to their deftrutli- on for all that. Object. BM is knot lawful to leek fordiptity and foperi- ority ? Anbv. No : not for felt; but for God it is. You have warnings enough, and plainenough fromChrift, if warnings would r.
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