every proud person hath all these signs: for every one hath not the same temptations or occasion to shew them: but every one hath some, and many of these: and he that hath any one of them, hath a sign of pride. And again I say, that for all this, our reputation, as it subserveth the honour of God and our religion, and our brethren's good, must be carefully by all just means preserved, and by necessary defences vindicated from calumniators: though we must quietly bear whatever infamy or slander we are tried with.

Direct. 111. Having understood the nature and the signs or effects of Pride, consider next of the dreadful consequents and tendency of it, both as it leadeth to farther sin, and unto misery.' Which I shall briefly open to you in some particulars.

1. At the present it is the heart of the old man, and the root and life of all corruption, and of dreadful signification, if it be predominant. If any man's "heart be lifted up, the Lord will have no pleasure in him, or it is not upright in him." I had rather have my soul in the case of an obscure humble Christian, that is taken notice of by few, or none but God, and is content to approve himself to him, than in the case of the highest and most eminent and honourable in church or state, that looks for the observation and praise of men. God judgeth not of men by their great parts, and profession, and name; but justifieth the humbled soul that is ashamed to lift up his face to heaven, and thinketh himself unworthy to speak to God, or to have communion with his church, or to come among his servants; but standing afar off, smiteth upon his breast, and saith (in true repentance) O "God be merciful to me, a sinneri." Pride is as a plague-mark on the soul.

2. There is scarce a sin to be thought on that is not a spawn in the bowels of pride. To instance in some few (besides all that are expressed in the signs), (1.) It maketh men

Hab. ii. 4.

b Æneas Sylvius in Boem. c. 65. speaking of the boasting of the monk Capis. trinus, saith, Superaverat seculi pompas, calcaverat avaritiam, libidinem sub egerat, gloriam contemnere non potuit: nemo est tam sanctus qui dulcedine gloriæ non capiatur. Facilius regna viri excellentes, quam gloriam contemnunt. Inter omnia vitia tu semper es prima, semper es ultima: nam omne peccatum te accedente committitur, et te recedente dimittitur. Innocent. de Contemp. Mundi. l. 2. c. 31. i Luke xviii. 13.

hypocrites, and seem what they are not, for the praise of men. (2.) It makes men liars. Most of the lies that are told in the world, are to avoid some disgrace and shame, or to get men to think highly of them. When a sin is committed against God or your superiors, instead of humble confession, pride would cover it with a lie. (3.) It causeth covetousness, that they may not want provision for their pride. (4.) It maketh men flatterers and timeservers, and manpleasers, that they may win the good esteem of others. (5.) It makes men run into profaneness and riotousness, to do as others do to avoid the shame of their reproach and scorn, that else would account them singular and precise. (6.) It can take men off from any duty to God that the company is against: they dare not pray, nor speak a serious word of God, for fear of a jeer from a scorner's mouth. (7.) It is so contentious a sin, that it makes men firebrands in the societies where they live: there is no quiet living with them longer than they can have their own saying, will and way: they must bear the sway, and not be crossed. And when all is done, there is no pleasing them; for the missing of a word, or a look, or a compliment, will catch on their hearts, as a spark on gunpowder. (8.) It tears in pieces church and state. Where was ever civil war raised, or kingdom endangered or ruined, or church divided, oppressed or persecuted, but pride was the great and evident cause? (9.) It devoureth the mercies and good creatures of God, and sacrificeth them to the devil. It is a chargeable sin. What a deal doth it consume in clothes, and buildings, and attendance, and entertainments, and unnecessary things. (10.) It is an odious thief and prodigal of precious time. How many hours that should be better employed, and must onė day be accounted for, are cast away upon the foresaid works of pride? Especially in the needless compliments and visits of gallants, and the dressings of some vain, lightheaded women, in which they spend almost half the day, and can. scarce find an hour in a morning for prayer or meditation, or reading the Scriptures, because they cannot be ready: forgetting how they disgrace their wretched bodies, by telling men that they are so filthy or deformed, that they cannot be kept sweet and cleanly and seemly, without so long and much ado. (11.) It is odiously unjust. A proud man makes

no bones of any falsehood, slander, deceit or cruelty, if it seem but necessary to his greatness, or honour, or preferment, or ambitious ends. He careth not who he wrongeth' or betrayeth, that he may rise to his desired height, or keep his greatness. Never trust a proud man further than his own interest bids you trust him. (12.) Pride is the pander of whoredom and uncleanness: it is an incentive to lust in themselves, and draws the proud to adorn and set forth themselves in the most enticing manner, as tends to provoke the lust of others. Fain they would be thought comely, that others may admire them, and be taken with their comeliness. If they thought that none would see them, they would spare their ornaments. And if a common decency were all that they affected, they would spare their curiosities and fashionable superfluities: even they that would not be unclean in gross fornication with any, yet would be esteemed beautiful and desirable, and do that which tendeth to corrupt the minds of fools that see them. These, and indeed almost all sin, are the natural progeny of pride.

3. As to the misery which they bring on themselves and others, (1.) The greatest is, that they forsake God, and are in danger to be forsaken by him: for God abhorreth the proud, and beholdeth them as afar off. So far as you are proud you are hated by him, and have no acceptance or communion with him. Pride is the highway to utter apostacy. It blindeth the mind: it maketh men confident in their own conceits; and venturous upon any new opinion;' and ready to quarrel with the word of God before they understand it. When any thing seems hard to them, they presently suspect the truth of the matter, when they should suspect their dark unfurnished minds: Mark those that are proud in any town, or any company of professors of piety;" and if any infection' of heresy or infidelity come into that place, these are the men that will soonest catch it. Mark those that have turned from truth or godliness, and see whether they be not such as were proud and superficial in religion before. But God giveth grace, and more grace to the humble he dwelleth with them, and' delighteth in them.

(2.) A proud man is a tormentor of himself. Setting his mind on the thoughts of men, and desiring more of their esteem than he can attain, and that which is unsatisfying

vanity when he hath obtained it: he is still under fruitless vexatious desires, and frequent disappointments: every thing that he seeth, and every word almost that he heareth, and every compliment omitted, can disturb his peace, and break his sleep, and cast him into a fever of passion or revenge. This wind that swelleth him, is running up and down, and disquieting him in every part. Who would have such a fire in his breast, that will not suffer him to be quiet?

(3.) Pride bringeth sufferings, and then maketh them seem intolerable. It makes the sinner more vex and gall his mind, with striving and impatient aggravating his afflictions, than the suffering of itself would ever do..

4. Pride is a deep-rooted and a self-preserving sin: and therefore harder to be killed and rooted up than other sins. It hindereth the discovery of itself. It driveth away the light. It hateth reproof. It will not give the sinner leave to see his pride, when it is reproved; nor to confess it if he see it; nor to be humbled for if it he do confess it; nor to loathe himself and forsake it, though conviction and terror seem to humble him. Even while he heareth all the signs of pride, he will not see it in himself. When he feeleth his hatred of reproof, and knoweth that this is a sign of pride in others, yet he will not know it in himself. If you would go about to cure him of this or any other fault, you shall feel that you are handling a wasp or an adder: yet when he is spitting the venom of pride against the reprover, he perceiveth not that he is proud: this venom is his nature, and therefore is not felt nor troublesome. If all the town or congregation should note him as notoriously proud, yet he himself, that should best know himself, will not observe it. It is a wonder to see how this sin keepeth strength, in persons that have long taken pains for their souls, and seem to be in all other respects the most serious, mortified Christians! Yet, let them but be touched in their interest or reputation, or seem to be slighted, or see another preferred before them, while they are neglected, and they boil with envy, malice, or discontent, and shew you that the heart of sin, even Selfishness and Pride is yet alive, unbroken and too strong. Especially if they are not persons of a natural

* Vainglorious men are the scorn of wise men, the admiration of fools, the idols of flatterers, and the slaves of their own pride. Lord Bacon, Essay 54.

gentleness and mildness, but of a more passionate temper; then pride hath more oil and fuel to kindle it into these discernible flames. He is a Christian indeed that hath conquered pride.

5. Pride is the defence not only of itself, but of every other sin in the heart or life. For it hateth reproof and keepeth off the remedy; it hideth, and extenuateth, and excuseth the sin, and thinketh well of that which should be hated.

6. Pride hindereth every means and duty, from doing you good, and ofttimes corrupteth them, and turneth them into sin. Sometimes it keepeth men from the duty, and sometimes it keepeth them from the benefit of the duty. It makes men think that they are so whole and well, as to have little need of all this physic, yea, or of their daily, necessary food. They think all this is more ado than needs: what need of all this preaching, and praying, and reading, and holy conference, and meditation, and heavenlymindedness? One is ashamed of it, and another wants it not, and another is above it, and they ask you, Where are we commanded to pray in our family, and to pray so oft, and to hear so oft, and read any book but the Holy Scriptures? &c. For they feel no obligation from general commands; (as to " pray continually," and "always," and "not wax faint," nor be weary of well-doing," to "redeem the time," and " do all to edification," and be "fervent in spirit, serving the Lord," &c.) Because they feel not that need or sweetness which should help them to perceive, that frequency is good or necessary for them. If the physician bid two men 'eat often,' and one of them hath a strong appetite, and the other hath none; he that is hungry will interpret the word often,' to mean thrice a day, at least, and he that hath no appetite will think that once a day is often.' Healthful men do not use to ask, How prove you that I am bound to eat twice or thrice a-day? Feeling the need and benefit, they will be satisfied with an allowance without a command. They will rather ask, How prove you that I may not do it? for they feel reason in themselves to move them to it, if God restrain them not. So it is with an humble soul, about the means of his edification and salvation: it feeleth a need of preaching, and prayer, and holy spending the Lord's day, and family duties, &c. Yea,