PART III, of ` gracious Aiedlions. 203 not ; yet natural Men can come much nearer to the Former than the Latter. Many Anchorites and Reclufes have abandon'd (tho' without any true Mortification ) the Wealth, and Pleafures, and common En- joyments of the World, who were far from renouncing their own Dignity and Righteoufnefs ; they never denied themfelves for Chriff, but only fold one Lull to feed another, fold a beaffly Luff to pamper a devilifh One ; and fo were never the better, but their latter End was worfe than their Beginning ; they turn'd out one black Devil, to let in feven white ones, that were worfe than the firff, tho' of a fairer Countenance. 'Tis inexpreflible, and almoft inconceivable, how firong a felt- righteous, felf- exalting Difpofition is naturally in Man ; and what he will not do and Puffer, to feed and gratify it ; and what Lengths have been gone in a Teeming Self-denial in other Re- fpegls, by E f nes and Pharifees among the 'Jews, and by Paps, ma- ny Sets of Hereticks, and Enthufrafls, among profeffing Chrifiians ; and by many 1Vehometans ; and by Phythagorean Philofophers, and others, among the Heathen : And all to do Sacrifice to this Moloch of fpiritual Pride or Self - righteoufnefs ; and that they may have Some- thing wherein to exalt themfelves before God, and above their Fel- low-creatures. That Humiliation which has been fpoken of, is what ali the moff glorious Hypocrites, who make the moll fpiendid Shew of Mortifica- tion to the World, and high religious Afe&ion, do grofly fail in. Were it not that this is fo much infiffed on in Scripture, as a mofff. effential Thing in true Grace ; one would be tempted to think that ma.r,y` of the Heathen Philofophers were truly gracious, in whom was fo bright an Appearance of many Vertues, and allo great Illumi- nations, and inward Fervaurs and Elevations of Mind, as tho' they were truly the Subjedfs of divine Illapfes and heavenly Communi- cations. 'Tis * Albeit the Pythagoreans were thus famous for 'Judaic myfferious. " Wifdom, and many moral, as well as natural Accompiih- " ments ; yet were they not exempted from Boaffing and Pride. " Which was indeed a Vice moff epidemick, and as it were " congenial, among all the Philofophers ; but in a more parti- cular Manner, among the Pythagoreans. So .Elornius Hilt. Philofoph. L. 3. Chap. r r. The ,Vanners of thePythagoreans " were not freefromBoafling. They were all h3Ei3IAUTOAOF0I fuch as abounded in the Senfe and Commendation of their own Ex- " cellencies, and hafting even alm ft to theDegree of Immodefly and Impudence, as great Heinfius ad Horat. has rightly obferved.. " Thus indeed does proud Nature delight to walk in the Sparks of
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