think such loathsome lumps of flesh should never have been proud. When once death hath deprived thy body of its soul, thy best friends will quickly be weary of the remainder, and glad to rid thee out of sight and smell. Go to the churchyard, and look on the dust and bones that are there cast up and scattered, and bethink thee whether those that must come to this have reason to be proud? See whether there be any differing mark of honour upon the dust of the rich, or strong, or beautiful? and whether the bones there strive for principality and dominion? Therefore the desire of adorned monuments upon men's graves, is one of the most odious sorts of pride; when the neighbourhood of rottenness and dust doth shame it. As our serious poet Herbert saith,

When the hair grows sweet with pride and lust,

The powder doth forget the dust.

And though thy soul be far nobler than thy body, yet here how ignorant, and weak, and distempered is it? How full of false ideas are men's minds? How little know they of that which they might know, or are confident they do know? How dark are we about all the works of God, and about his Word: much more about himself? The greatest doctors are strongly tempted to be sceptics; and the ignorant that this year are confident to a contempt and censoriousness of all that differ from them, perhaps the next year do change their judgments, and recant themselves.

And are our hearts and lives any happier than our understandings? While we are imprisoned in the flesh, and its interest is ours, and its appetites and passions have so much advantage, to corrupt, seduce, or disturb the soul? Know thyself, and pride will die.

Direct. xvI. If thou have any thing to be proud of, remember what it is, and that it is not thine own, but given or lent thee by that God who chiefly hateth pride.' 1. Art thou tempted to be proud of riches? Remember that they are in themselves but dross, which will leave thee at the grave as poor as any. And as to their usefulness, they are but thy Master's talents; and the more thou hast, the greater will be thine account. And very few rich men escape the snare, and come to heaven: thy charge and danger therefore

should rather humble thee, and make thee exceedingly to fear. Read James v. 1-4. and Luke xii. 19, 20.

2. Is it greatness, and dominion, or human applause, or honour that you are proud of? Remember, that this also is in itself a dream, that maketh thee really neither better nor safer than other men. Thou standest upon higher ground, where thou hast more than others of the storms and dangers, and shalt be levelled with the lowest in thy fall. And as to the use of thy power and greatness, it is for God, and not thyself! And so great will be thy reckoning, according to the trust reposed in thee, as would affright a considerate believer to foresee.

3. Is it youthful strength that you are proud of? How little can it do for thee, of that which thou most needest! And how soon will it be turned to weakness! How many are cut off" in youth, and their life is among the unclean," as Elihu speaks, Job xxxvi. 14. "Their bones are full of the sins of their youth, which shall lie down with them in the dust"."

4. Is it beauty that you are proud of? I have told you what sickness and death will do to that before. "When God rebuketh man for sin, he makes his beauty to consume as a moth: surely every man is vanity." And if your beauty would continue, how little good will it do you? and who but fools do look at the skin of a rational creature, when they would discern their worth? a fool, and a slave of lust and satan, may be beautiful. A sepulchre may be gilded that hath rottenness within. Will you choose the finest purse, or the fullest? Who but a child or fool will value his book by the fineness of the cover, or gilding of the leaves, and not by the worth of the matter within? Absalom was beautiful, and what the better was he?" Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised."

5. If it be fine clothes and gaudy ornaments that you are proud of, it is a sin so foolish, and worse than childish, that I shall give it no other confutation, than to tell you, that it contradicteth itself, by making the person a scorn and laughing-stock to others, when their design was to be more

t

Job xx. 11.

* Prov. xxxi. 30.

Psal. xxxix. 11. Read Psal. xlix. 12-14.

admired; and that an ass or a post may have as fine and costly attire as you; and that shortly you shall change it for a winding-sheet.

6. Is it your birth, and progenitors, and great friends that you are proud of? Personal merits are incomparably more excellent than this relation to the most meritorious parents; much more than a relation to their empty titles. Cain was the son of Adam the father of mankind, and Ham of Noah, and Esau of Isaac, and Absalom of David; when a godly son of a wicked father is more honourable than they. Your ancestors are but of the common stock of sinful Adam: and your great friends may possibly become your enemies and it is little that the greatest of them can do for you, if God be not your friend.

7. Is it your learning, or wisdom, or ability for speech or action, that you are proud of? Remember that the devils, and many that are now in hell, have far exceeded you in these: and that the wiser you are indeed, the humbler you will be; and by pride you confute your ostentation of your wisdom. Ahithophel's wisdom, which saveth not the owner from perdition, is little cause of glorying. There were men that boasted of their wisdom, even in the law of God, who yet were ashamed and dismayed; for they rejected the word of the Lord: and then what wisdom could there be in them? Therefore," thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches, but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord, which exercise lovingkindness, judgment and righteousness in the earth: for in these do I delight, saith the Lord"." Those were not unlearned, of whom Paul speaketh; "Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world*?

8. Is it success in wars, or great undertakings, that you are proud of? But by whose strength did you perform it? and how unhappy a success is that which hindereth your success in the work of your salvation? and how many have been brought down again to shame, that have been lifted up in pride of their successes?

9. Is it the applause of men that proclaim your excellency that you are proud of? Alas, how poor a portion is the breath of man! and how mutable are your applauders! that perhaps the next day will turn their tunes, and as much reproach you. Will you be proud of praise, when it is the devil's whistle, purposely to entice you into this pernicious snare, that he may destroy you? It is a danger to be feared; for it destroyeth many: but not a benefit much to be rejoiced in, much less to be proud of; for few are the better for it. Titles and applause increase not real worth and virtue, but puff up many with a mortal tympany.

10. Is it your grace and goodness, or eminency in religion, that you are proud of? This is most absurd; when predominant pride is a certain sign that you have no saving grace at all; and so are proud of what you have not: and if you have it, so far as you are proud of it you abuse it, contradict it, and destroy it: for pride is to grace, what the plague or consumption is to health. It is novices that have least grace and knowledge, that are aptest to be puffed up with pride, and thereby to fall into the condemnation of the devil'; that is, into the like punishment for the like sin. When the pot boileth over, that which was in it is lost in the fire. Rise not too high in the esteem of your grace, lest you rise to the loss of it." Be not highminded, but fear"." When you "think you stand, take heed lest you fall a.”

Direct. XVII. Look to the nature and tendency of every grace and ordinance and duty, and use them diligently; for they all tend to the destruction of pride.' Knowledge discerneth the folly and pernicious tendency of pride, and abundant matter for humiliation. Faith, is the casting off our pride, and going with empty hungry souls to Christ for mercy and supply. It sheweth us the most powerful sight in the world for the humbling of a soul, even a crucified Christ, and a most holy God, and a glorified society of humble souls, and a dreadful judgment and damnation for the proud. I might shew you the same of every grace and duty, but for being tedious.

Direct. XVIII. Look to the humbling judgments of God on yourselves and others, and turn them all against your pride.' You will sure think it an unsuitable and unseasonable thing a 1 Cor. x. 12.

y 1 Tim. iii. 6.

* Rom. xi. 20.

for the calamitous to be proud. Are you not oft complaining of one thing or other, upon your consciences, your bodies, your estates, your names, your relations or friends? and yet will you be proud while you complain? If the judgments that have already befallen you, humble you not, if God love you, and will save you, you may expect you should feel more; and the load should be increased, till it make you stoop. O miserable, obstinate sinners! that can groan with sickness, and yet be proud! and murmur under want, and yet be proud! and daily crossed by one or other, and yet be proud! yea, and tormented with fears of God's displeasure, and yet be proud! Have not all the wars, and blood, and ruins that have befallen us in these kingdoms, been yet enough to take down pride? Many humbling sights we have seen, and many humbling stripes we have felt, and yet are we not humbled! We have seen houses robbed, and towns fired, and the country pillaged, and the blood of many thousands shed, and their carcases scattered about the fields, and yet are we not humbled! If we were proud of our riches, they have been taken from us: if proud of our buildings, they have been turned into ruinous heaps: if we have been proud of our government, and the fame and glory of our country, we have seen how our sins have pulled down our government, dishonoured our rulers, and blemished our glory, and turned it into shame; and yet are we not humbled! If you lived in a house infected with the plague, and had buried father and mother, and brothers and sisters, and but a very few were left alive, expecting when their turn came next; if these few were not humbled, would you not think them blind and sottish persons? Do you yet look high, and contend for pre-eminence, and look for honour, and envy others, and desire to domineer, and have your will and way, and set out yourselves in the neatest dress? Must you have sharper stripes, before you will be humbled? Must greater injuries, and violences, and losses, and fears and reproaches be the means? Why will you choose so painful a remedy, by frustrating the easier? If it must be so, the judgment shall shortly come yet nearer to thee: it shall either strip thee of the rest, or cover thee with shame, or lay thee in pain upon thy couch, where thy head shall ache, and thy heart be sick, and thy body weary, and thou shalt pant