Chap. 3 3. An Expofiti9n upon the Book...of J o B, Verf. r7. 3o9 Fifthly , Many are proud of their natural' part, proud of their gifts, proud of their wit., proud of their memory, proud of their eloquence and abilities of fpeaking. As knowledge itfelfe puffeth tip (r Corr 8. r.) fo doe all thole endowments which ferve. ei- ther for the getting or expre1 ing of our knowledge. Gifts and abilities, whether natural' or improved and acquired, doe not more fit us for fervice, then tempt us to and ( tnlefie grace worke mightily) taint us withpride. Sixthly , As many are proud of what\ they have, fo others are proud of what they have done , they are proudof their aeions,. their fpirits fwell with the thoughts of their owne workes. Some are fo wicked, that They are proud of their evils workes. The A- pof}le faith, They glory in their fhame (Phil: 3. 19.) Davidcom- plain'd of many ( Pfal: 4. ) who turnedhisglory intofhame; but thefe turne their fharne into glory, that is, they are proud of that for which they ought to be ashamed. Now if fotne are proud of the eviii, of the mifchief which they have done, how eafily may . we grow proud of the good which we have done ? proud of our duties, proudof our righteous deeds, proud of our charitable deeds tomen, proud of our prayers to God, proud of our zeale for God , as Jehu was who fayd , Comeand fee my zeale for the Lord. The heart of a good man may Toone have toomuch to doe with what he bath done, his thoughts may quickly worke too much towards and upon his owne workes. But as for hypocrites and felfe- feekers, whodoe good rob.: feene ofmen, they cannot forbeare feeing,it themfeives,and finelythat fight ofthe eye can- not but aifea the heart with pride. Seventhly, Pride rifeth often from the fucceffe of what is at- tempted and done, men are proud of vi6ories. The Affyr'ian is defcribed (Ifa: io.13,14.) triumphing and inflating, be- caufe hehad put dowre the nntians 414. a valiant man. And (Hab: r. ) we have the Chaldeanfacrificing to their net, and burning i.ieenfe to their drage, becaufe by them their portion is fat, and their meat pleuteootr ; that is, they boafled of and gloried in their great atchievements in ware fo it feeníes to be explained in the next words (v. 17. ) Shall they therefore empty their net, andnot-fpare continually toflay thenation ? Eighthly , Pride fpringerh out of the very mercies and falva -, Lion of God. Thus ris fayd of Hezek ah. (.2 Chronr 3 2. 2 s. ) after:
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