Chapter XXXVI: Part V: Directions against Pride, and for Humility.196 (1)

Pride, being reputed the great sin of the devil, by which he fell, is, in the name and general notion of it, infamous and odious with almost all; but the nature of it is so much unknown, and the sin so undiscerned by the most, that it is commonly cherished while it is commonly spoke against. Therefore the chief directions for the conquering of it, are those that are for the full discovery of it; for when it is seen it is shamed, and to shame it is to destroy it.

_Direct._ I. Understand aright the nature of pride, that you may neither ignorantly retain it, nor oppose your duty as supposed to be pride. Here I shall tell you, 1. What pride is, and what commandment it is against; and what humility is, which is its contrary. 2. Some seemings or appearances like pride, which may make men censured as proud for that which is not pride. 3. The counterfeits of humility, which may make a proud man seem to himself or others to be humble.

[Sidenote: Pride what.]

I. Pride is an inordinate self-exalting, or a lifting up ourselves above the state or degree appointed us. It is called ὑπερηφανια, because it is an appearing to ourselves, and a desire to appear to others, above what we are, or above others of our quality. It is a branch of selfishness, and containeth man-pleasing as before described, and produceth hypocrisy, and is its original and life. It containeth in it these following acts or parts: 1. A will to be higher or greater than God would have us be. 2. An overvaluing of ourselves, or esteeming ourselves to be greater, wiser, or better than indeed we are. 3. A desire that others should think of us, and speak of us, and use us, as greater, or wiser, or better than we are. 4. An endeavour or seeking to rise above our appointed place, or to be overvalued by others. 5. An ostentation of our inordinate self-esteem in outward signs of speech or action. Every one of these is an act of pride. The three first are the inward acts of it in the mind and will, and the two last are its external acts.

[Sidenote: Against what commandment.]

As the love of God and man are the comprehensive duties of the decalogue, expressed most in the first and last commandment, but yet extending themselves to all the rest; so selfishness and pride (which is a principal part of it) are the opposite sins, forbidden principally in the first and last commandment, as contrary to the love of God and man, but so as it is contrary to the rest. They are sins against the very relation itself, that God and man do stand in to us, and not only against a particular law: they are against the very constitution of the kingdom of God, and not only against the administration: it is treason or idolatry against God, and a setting up ourselves in some part of his prerogative: and it is a monstrous exuberancy in the body, and a rising of one member above and so against the rest, either superiors (and so against the fifth command) or equals (against the rest).

[Sidenote: Humility what.]

Humility is contrary to pride; and therefore consisteth, 1. In a contentedness with that degree and state which God hath assigned us. 2. In mean thoughts of ourselves, esteeming ourselves no greater, wiser, or better than we are. 3. In a willingness and desire that others should not think of us, or speak of us, or use us, as greater, or wiser, or better than we are; that they should give us no more honour, praise, or love than is our due; the redundancy being but a deceit or lie, and an abuse of us and them. 4. In the avoiding of all inordinate aspiring endeavours, and a contented exercise of our assigned offices, and doing the meanest works of our own places. 5. In the avoiding of all ostentation or appearance of that greatness, wisdom, or goodness which we have not; and fitting our speeches, apparel, provisions, furniture, and all our deportment and behaviour to the meanness of our parts, and place, and worth. This is the very nature of humility. The more particular signs I shall open afterwards.

[Sidenote: The inward seemings of pride that are not it.]

II. Pride, lying in the heart, is oft misjudged of by others, that see but the outward appearances, and sometimes by the person himself, that understandeth not the nature of it. The inward appearances that are mistaken for pride, and are not it, are such as these: 1. When a man in power and government hath a spirit suitable to his place and work: this is not pride, but virtue. 2. When natural strength and vigour of spirits expelleth pusillanimity; especially when faith, beholding God, expelleth all inordinate respect to men, and fear of all that they can do, this is not pride, but christian magnanimity and fortitude; and the contrary is not humility, but weakness, and pusillanimity, and cowardice. 3. When a wise man knoweth in what measure he is wise, and in what measure other men are ignorant, or erroneous; and when he is conscious of his knowledge, and delighted and pleased in it through the love of truth, and thankful to God for revealing it to him, and blessing so far his studies and endeavours; all this is mercy and duty, and not pride. For truth is amiable and delectable in itself. And he that knoweth must needs know that he knoweth; as he that seeth doth perceive by seeing that he seeth. And if it be a fault to know that I know, it must be a fault to know at all. But some knowledge is necessary and unresistible, and we cannot avoid it: and that which is good must be valued, and we must be thankful for it. Humility doth no more require that a wise man think his knowledge equal with a fool's, or ignorant man's, than that a sound man take himself to be sick. 4. When a wise man valueth the useful knowledge which God hath given him, above all the glory and vanities of the world, which are indeed of lower worth, this is not pride, but a due estimation of things.[197] 5. When a wise man desireth that others were of his mind, for their own good, and the propagating of the truth, this is not pride, but charity and love of truth: else preachers were the proudest men, and Paul had done ill in labouring so much for men's conversion, and saying to Agrippa, Acts xxvi. 29, "I would to God that not only thou, but also all they that hear me this day, were both almost and altogether such as I am, except these bonds." 6. When an innocent man is conscious of his innocency, and a holy person is conscious of his holiness, and assured of his state in grace, and rejoiceth in it, and is thankful for it, this is not pride, but an excellent privilege and duty. If angels rejoice at the conversion of a sinner, (Luke xv.) the sinner hath reason to rejoice himself: and if it be a sin to be unthankful for our daily bread, much more for grace and the hope of glory. 7. When we value our good name, and the honour that is indeed our due, as we do other outward common mercies, not for themselves, but so far as they honour God, or tend to the good of others, or the promoting of truth or piety among men, desiring no more than is indeed our due, nor overvaluing it as that which we cannot spare, but submitting it to the will of God, as that which we can be without; this is not pride, but a right estimation of the thing.

[Sidenote: The outward appearances of pride that are not it.]

The outward seemings which are oft mistaken for the signs and fruits of pride by others, are such as these: 1. When a magistrate or other governor doth maintain the honour of his place, which is necessary to his successful government, and liveth according to his degree. When princes, and rulers, and masters, and parents, do keep that distance from their subjects, and servants, and scholars, and children, which is meet and needful to their good, it is usually misjudged to be their pride.

2. When a sinner is convinced of the necessity of holiness in a time and place where it is rare, and infidelity or profaneness and ungodliness is the common road, the necessary singularity of such a one in giving up himself to the will of God, is commonly charged on him as his pride; as if he were proud that cannot be contented to be damned in hell for company with the most; or to despise salvation if most despise it, and to forsake his God when most forsake him, and to serve the devil when most men serve him. If you will not swear, and be drunk, and game, and spend your time, even the Lord's day, in vanity and sensuality, as if you were afraid of being saved, and as if it were your business to work out your damnation, the world will call you proud and singular, and "think it strange that you run not with them to excess of riot, speaking evil of you," 1 Pet. iv. 4.[198] You shall quickly hear them say, What! will you be wiser than all the town? What a saint, what a holy precisian is this! When Lot was grieved for the filthiness of Sodom, they scorn him as a proud controller: Gen. xix. 9, "This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge." And what thought they of Noah that walked with God in so great singularity, when all the world was drowned in (and for) their wickedness? When David "humbled his soul with fasting," they turned it to his "reproach," Psal lxix. 10; xxxv. 13. Especially when any of the servants of Christ do press towards the highest degree of holiness, they shall be sure to be accounted proud and hypocrites. And yet they accuse not that child or servant of pride who excelleth all the rest in pleasing them, and doing their work; nor do they take a sick man to be proud, if he be carefuller than others to recover his health. But he that will do most for heaven, and most carefully avoideth sin and hell, and is most serious in his religion, and most industrious to please his God, this man shall be accounted proud.

3. He that will not forsake his God and betray the truth, and wound his conscience by wilful sin, but will do as Daniel and the three confessors did, Dan. vi. 3, and answer as they answered, will be accounted proud. But it is no pride to prefer God before men, and to fear damnation more than imprisonment or death. The army of martyrs did not in pride prefer their own judgments before their superiors that condemned them; but they did it in obedience to God and truth, when that was revealed to babes, which was hid from the wise, and prudent, and great, and noble of the world.

4. When those that are faithful to the honour of Christ's sovereignty, dare not approve of papal usurpations, against his laws, and over his church, and the consciences of his subjects, they shall by the popish usurpers be called proud and despisers of government; as if a usurper of the kingly power should call us proud, because we dare not consent to his pride; or call us traitors, for not being traitors as he is himself.

5. When a man that hath the sense of the matters of God and men's salvation upon his heart, is zealous and diligent to teach them to others, and if he be a minister, be fervent and laborious in his ministry, he is called proud, as one that must needs have all men of his mind: though compassion to souls, and aptness to teach, and preaching instantly in season and out of season, be his necessary duty required of God. And what is the ministry for, but to change men's minds, and bring them to the full obedience of the truth?

6. If a man understand the truth, in any point of divinity better than most others, and holdeth any truth which is there in credit, or commonly received, he shall be accounted proud, for presuming to be so singular, and seeming wiser than those that think they are wiser than he. But humility teacheth us not to err for company, nor to grow no wiser when once we arrive at the common stature; nor to forsake the truth which others understand not, nor to forbear to teach it because it is not known already. If some of the pastors in Abassia, Syria, Armenia, Russia, Greece, or Italy, or Spain, were as wise as the ministers in England are, it were no evidence of their pride.

7. If a man that understandeth any thing contrary to the judgment of another, cannot forsake it, and think or say as another would have him; especially if you contradict him in disputation; he will take it to be your pride, and overvaluing your own understanding, and being too tenacious of your own conceits.[199] Erroneous men that in their pride are over eager to have others of their mind, will call you proud because you yield not to their pride. They think that the evidence is so clear on their side, that if you were not proud you could not choose but think as they do.

8. Some humble men are naturally of a warm and earnest manner of discourse; and their natural heat and eagerness of speech is frequently misjudged to come from pride, till fuller acquaintance with their humble lives do rectify the mistake.[200] It is written of Bishop Hooper the martyr, that "those that visited him once, condemned him of over-austerity; they that repaired to him twice, only suspected him of the same; those that conversed with him constantly, not only acquitted him of all morosity, but commended him for sweetness of manners: so that his ill nature consisted in other men's little acquaintance with him." Tho. Fuller's Church Hist. lib. 7, p. 402, and Godwin in Glocest. Bishops. The same is true of very many worthy men.[201]

9. If we zealously contend for the faith or the peace of the church against heretical or dividing persons, and their dangerous ways, they will call us proud, though God command it us; Jude 3, especially if we "avoid them, and bid them not God speed," Tit. iii. 10; 2 John 10.

10. When a man of understanding openeth the ignorance of another, and speaketh words of pity concerning him, though it be no more than truth and charity command, they will be taken to be the words of supercilious pride.

11. That plain dealing in reproof which God commandeth, especially to his ministers, towards high and low, great and small, and which the prophets and servants of God have used, will be misjudged as arrogancy and pride, Amos vii. 12, 13; 2 Chron. xxv. 16; Acts xxiii. 4. As if it were pride to be true to God, and to pity souls, and seek to save them, and tell them in time of that which conscience will more closely and terribly tell them of, when it is too late.

12. Self-idolizing papists accuse their inferiors for pride, if they do but modestly exercise a judgment of discretion about the matters that their salvation is concerned in, and do not implicitly believe as they believe, and forbear to prove or try their sayings, and swallow not all without any chewing, and offer to object the commands of God against any unlawful commands of men.[202] As if God were contented to suspend his laws, whenever man's commands do contradict them; or humility required us to please and obey men at the price of the loss of our salvation.[203] They think that we should not busy ourselves to inquire into such matters, but trust them with our souls, and that the Scriptures are not for the laity to read, but they must wholly rely upon the clergy: and if a layman inquire into their doctrines or commands, they say as David's brother to him, 1 Sam. xvii. 28, "With whom hast thou left the sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thy heart."

13. If a zealous, humble preacher of the gospel, that preacheth not himself but Christ, be highly esteemed and honoured for his work's sake, 1 Thess. v. 12, 13, and crowded after, and greatly followed by those that are edified by him, it is ordinary for the envious, and the enemies of godliness, to say that he is proud, and preacheth to draw disciples after him, and to be admired by men; for they judge of the hearts of others by their own: as if they knew not that Christ and his most excellent servants have been crowded after without being thereby lifted up, or chargeable with pride. As the sun is not accusable for being beheld and admired by all the world; nor fire and water, earth and air, food and rest, for being valued by all. Little do they know how deep a sense of their own unworthiness is renewed in the hearts of the most applauded preachers, by the occasion of men's estimation and applause, and how much they desire that none may overvalue them, and turn their eye from the doctrine upon the person: and how oft they cry out with the laborious apostle, "Who is sufficient for these things?" And how oft they are tempted to cast off all through fear and sense of their unfitness, when the envious dullards fearlessly utter a dry discourse, and think that they are wronged because they are not commended and followed as much as others. They think the common sense of all the faithful, and the love of truth, and care of their salvation, must be called pride, because it carrieth men to prefer the means which is fitted best to their edification and salvation.

14. If an humble christian have, after much temptation and a holy life, attained to well-grounded persuasions of his salvation, and be thankful to God for sanctifying him, and numbering him with his little flock, when the world lieth in wickedness, he will be taken for proud by ungodly men, that cannot endure to hear beforehand of the difference which the judgment of God will declare between the righteous and the wicked: as if it were pride to be happy or to be thankful.

15. If a man that is falsely accused or slandered, shall modestly deny the charge, and use that lawful means which he oweth to his own vindication, he will be accused of pride because he contradicteth proud accusers, and consenteth not to belie himself; yea, though the dishonour of religion, and the hinderance of men's salvation, be the consequent of his dishonour.

16. Many of the poor do mistake their superiors to be proud, if their apparel be not in fashion and value almost like their own, though it be sober and agreeable to their rank.

17. Some are of a more rustic or careless disposition, unfit for compliment; and some are taken up with serious studies and employments, so contrary to compliment, that they have neither time nor mind for the observance of the humours of complimental persons, who, because they expect it, and think they are neglected, do usually accuse such men of pride.[204]

18. Some are of a silent temper, and are accused for pride, because they speak not to others as oft as they expect it.

19. Some are naturally unapt to be familiar till they have much acquaintance, and are so far from impudent that they are not bold enough to speak much to strangers and take acquaintance with them, no, though it be with their inferiors; and therefore are ordinarily misjudged to be proud.

20. Some have contracted some unhandsome customs in their speech or gestures, which, to rash censurers, seem to come from pride, though it be not so. By all these seemings the humble are judged by many to be proud.[205]

III. There are also many counterfeits of humility, by which the proud are taken to be humble: as, 1. An accusing of themselves and bewailing their vileness, through mere terror of conscience, as Judas, or the constraint of affliction, as Pharaoh, or of the face of death. 2. A customary confessing of such sins in prayer, or in speech with others, which the best are used to confess, and the confessing of them is taken rather to be an honour than a disgrace. 3. A religious observance of those commandments and doctrines of men, which the apostle speaketh of, Col. ii. 18-23, which have a "show of wisdom in will-worship and humility, and neglecting of the body, not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh." 4. A holding of those tenets, which doctrinally are most to man's abasement; but yet never humbled themselves at the heart. 5. A discreet restraint of boasting, and such a discommending of themselves, as tendeth to procure them the reputation of modesty and humility. 6. An affected condescension and familiarity with others, even of the lower sort, which may seem humility, when the poorest have their smiles and courtesy; and yet may be but the humility of Absalom, 2 Sam. xv. 3-6, the fruit of pride, designed to procure the commendations of the world. 7. A choosing to converse with their inferiors, because they would bear sway, and be always the greatest themselves in the company: like Dionysius the tyrant, that when he was dethroned, turned schoolmaster, that he might domineer among the boys. 8. A constrained meanness of apparel, provisions, and deportment; when poverty forceth men to speak and live as if they were humble; whereas if they had but wealth and honours, they would live as high as the proudest of them all. How quiet is the bear when he is chained up! and how little doth serve a dog or a fox when he can get no more! 9. An affected meanness and plainness in apparel, while pride runs out some other way. He that is odiously proud of his supposed wisdom, or learning, or holiness, or birth, or great reputation, may in his very pride be above the womanish and childish way of pride, in apparel, and such other little toys. 10. A loathing and speaking against the pride of others, while he overlooks his own, perhaps because the pride of others cloudeth him; as the covetous hate others that are covetous, because they are the greatest hinderers of their gain; as dogs fight for the bone which both would have. Many more counterfeits of humility may be gathered, from what is said before of the seemings of pride, whereto it is contrary.

_Direct._ II. Observe the motions and discoveries of pride, towards God and man, that it may not, like the devil, prevail by keeping out of sight. Because this is the chief part of my work, I shall here distinctly show you the signs and motions of it, in its several ways against God and man.

_Signs of the worst part of Pride against God._

_Sign_ I. Self-idolizing pride doth cause men to glory in their supposed greatness, when the greatness of God should show them their contemptible vileness; and to magnify themselves, when they should magnify their Maker. It makes the strong man glory in his strength, and the rich man in his wealth, and the conqueror in his victories;[206] and princes, and rulers, and lords of the earth, in their dominions, and dignities, and power to do hurt or good to others; and say as Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. iv. 30, "Is not this great Babylon that I have built, for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power, for the honour of my majesty?" How hard is it to be great and truly humble, and not to swell, and be lifted up in heart, as they rise in power! This God abhorreth as unsuitable to worms, and dust, and injurious to his honour, and will make them know that "power, and riches, and strength are his, and that the Most High doth rule in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whom he will," Dan. iv. 32.

_Sign_ II. Pride causeth men to set up their supposed worth and goodness above or against the Lord: so that they make themselves their principal end, and practise that which some of late presume to teach, that it is not God that can or ought to be man's end, but himself alone: as if we were made only for ourselves, and not for our Creator. Pride makes men so considerable in their own esteem, that they live wholly to themselves, as if the world were to stand or fall with them: if they be well, all is well with them; if they are to die, they take it as if the world were at an end. They value God, but as they do their food, or health, or pleasure, even as a means to their own felicity; not as preferring him before themselves, nor making him the chiefest in their end.[207] They love themselves much better than God: and so far is man fallen from God to himself, that he feeleth himself disposed to this as strongly, as that he taketh it to be his primitive nature, and therefore warrantable, and that it is impossible to go higher.

[Sidenote: How God is man's end.]

God is to be man's end, though we can add nothing to him. The highest love supposeth no want in him that we love, but an excellency of glory, wisdom, and goodness, to which all our faculties offer up themselves in admiration, love, and praise: not only for the delights of these, nor only that our persons may herein be happy; but chiefly that God may have his due, and his will may be pleased and fulfilled; and because his excellencies deserve all this from men and angels. When we love a man of wonderful learning, and wisdom, and meekness, and charity, and holiness, and other goodness, it is not chiefly for ourselves that we love him, that we may receive something from him; for we feel his excellency command our love, though we were sure that we should never receive any thing from him: nor is the delight of loving him our chief end, but a consequent, or the lesser part of our end; for we feel that we love him before we think of the delight.[208] The admiration, love, and praise of God our ultimate end, hath no end beside their proper object; for it is itself the final act, even man's perfection. Amiableness magnetically attracteth love: if you ask an angel why he loveth God, he will say, because he is infinitely amiable: and though in such motions nature secretly aimeth at its own perfection and felicity, and lawfully interesteth itself in this final motion, yet the union being of such as are infinitely unequal, oh how little do the glorified spirits respect themselves in comparison of the blessed, glorious God! See what I said of this before, chap. iii. direct. xi. and xv.

_Sign_ III. Pride maketh men more desirous to be over-loved themselves, than that God be loved by themselves or others. They would fain have the eyes and hearts of all men turned upon them, as if they were as the sun, to be admired and loved by all that see them.

_Sign_ IV. Pride causeth men to depend upon themselves, and contrive inordinately for themselves, and trust in themselves; as if they lived by their own wit, and power, and industry, more than by the favour and providence of God. Isa. ix. 9; Obad. 3.

_Sign_ V. Pride makes men return the thanks to themselves which is due to God for the mercies which they have received. God is thanked by them but in compliment; but they seriously ascribe it to their care, or skill, or industry, or power, Dan. iv. 30; they sacrifice to their net, Hab. i. 16, and say, Our hand, our contrivance, our power, our good husbandry hath done all this.[209]

_Sign_ VI. Pride setteth up the wisdom of a foolish man against the infinite wisdom of God; it makes men presume to judge their Judge, and judge his laws, before they understand them; and to quarrel with all that they find unsuitable to their own conceits; and say, How improbable is this or that! and how can these things be? He that cannot undo a pair of tarrying irons, or unriddle a riddle till it be taught him, which afterwards appeareth plain, will question the truth of the word of God about the most high, unsearchable mysteries. Proud men think they could mend God's word, and they could better have ordered matters in the world, and for the church, and for themselves, and for their friends, than the providence of God hath done.[210]

_Sign_ VII. Pride maketh men set up their own love and mercy above the love and mercy of God. Augustine mentioneth a sort of heretics called Misericordes, merciful men; and Origen was led hereby into his errors. When they think of hell fire, and the number of the miserable, and the fewness of the saved, they consult with their ignorant compassion, and think that this is below the love and mercy which is in themselves, and that they would not thus use an enemy of their own; and therefore they censure the holy Scriptures, and pride inclineth them strongly to unbelief; while they forget the narrowness and darkness of their souls, and how unfit they are to censure God, and how many truths may be unseen of them, which would fully satisfy them if they knew them; and how quickly God will show them that which shall justify his word and all his works, and convince them of the folly and arrogancy of their unbelief and censures.

_Sign_ VIII. Pride makes men pretend to be more just than God; and to think that they could more justly govern the world; and to censure God's threatenings, and the sufferings of the good, and the prosperity of the wicked, as things so unjust, as that they thereby incline to atheism. So James and John would be more just than Christ, and call down fire on the rejecters of the gospel; and the prodigal's brother, Luke xv. repined at his father's lenity.

_Sign_ IX. Pride maketh men slight the authority and commands of God, and despise his messengers, and choose to be ruled by their own conceits, and lusts, and interest, Jer. xiii. 15, 17; xliii. 2, 3; when the humble tremble at his word, and readily obey it, Isa. lvii. 15; Neh. ix. 16, 29; Isa. ix. 9.

_Sign_ X. A proud man in power will expect that his will be obeyed before the will of God; and that the subjects of God displease their Master rather than him: he will think it a crime for a man to inquire first what God would have him do; or to plead conscience and the commands of the God of heaven, against the obeying of his unjust commands. If he offer you preferment, as Balak did Balaam, he looketh you should be more taken with it, than with God's offer of eternal life: if he threaten you, as Nebuchadnezzar did the three witnesses, he looks that you should be more afraid of him than of God, who threateneth your damnation; and is angry if you be not.

_Sign_ XI. A proud man is more offended with one that would question his authority, or speak diminutively of his power, or displease his will, or cross his interest, than with one that sinneth against the authority, and will, and interest of God. He is much more zealous for himself and his own honour, than for God's; and grieved more for his own dishonour, and hateth his own enemies more than God's; and can tread down the interest of God and souls, if it seem but necessary to his honour or revenge: he is much more pleased and delighted with his own applause, and honour, and greatness, than with the glory of God, or the fulfilling of his will.

_Sign_ XII. Proud men would fain steal from God himself the honour of many of his most excellent works.[211] If they are rulers, they are more desirous that the thanks for the order and peace of societies, be given by the people to them, than unto God. If they are preachers, they would fain have more than their due, of the honour of men's conversion and edification: if they are pastors, they would encroach upon Christ's part of the government of his church. If they be bountiful to the poor, and do any good works, they would have more of the praise than belongeth to a steward, or messenger that delivereth the gifts of God. If they be physicians, they would have the real honour of the cure, and have God to be but a barren compliment: like the atheistical physician, that reviled and beat his patient for thanking God that he was well, When, saith he, it was I that cured you, and do you thank God for it?

_Sign_ XIII. A proud man will give more to his honour than to God: his estate is more at the command of his pride, than of God. He giveth more in the view or knowledge of others, than he could persuade himself to do in secret. He is more bountiful in gifts that tend to keep up the credit of his liberality, than he is to truly indigent persons: it is not the good that is done, but the honour which he expecteth by it, which is his principal motive. He had rather be scant in works of greatest secret charity, than in apparel, and a comely port, and the entertaining of friends, or any thing that is for ostentation, and for himself.

_Sign_ XIV. A proud man would have as great a dependence of others upon him as he can. He would have the estates, and lives, and welfare of all others at his will and power; that he might be much feared, and loved, and thanked, and that many may be beholden to him as the god or great benefactor of the world. He is not contented that good is done, and men's wants supplied, unless he have the doing of it, that so he may have the praise. If he save his enemy, it is but to make him beholden to him, and be said to have given him his life. Fain he would be taken to be as the sun to the world, which mankind cannot be without.

_Sign_ XV. A proud man is very patient when men ascribe to him that which he knoweth to be above his due, though it be to the injury of God. He can easily forgive those that value and love him more than he deserveth, though they sin in doing it. He is seldom offended with any for over-praising him; nor for reverencing or honouring him too much; nor for setting him too high, or for giving or ascribing too much power to him; nor for obeying him before God himself. He careth not how much love, and honour, and praises, and thanks he hath; when an humble soul saith, as Psal. cxv. 1, "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give the glory:" and as the angel to John, that would have worshipped him, "See thou do it not, for I am thy fellow-servant." They know God will not give "his glory to another," Isa. xlii. 8. "In his temple every one speaketh of his glory," Psal. xxix. 9. But of themselves they say, "I am a worm and no man," Psal. xxii. 6. I am less "than the least of all thy mercies," Gen. xxxii. 10; "less than the least of all saints," Eph. iii. 8; the chiefest of sinners, 1 Tim. i. 15: how unfit am I for so much love, and praise, and honour!

_Sign_ XVI. A proud man would have his reason to be the rule of all the world, or at least, of all that he hath to do with. If there were laws or canons to be made, he would have the making of them: he would have all men take his counsel, as an oracle: he would have all the world of his opinion; and sets more by those that thus esteem him and are of his opinion, and yield to all that he saith and doth, than by those that most earnestly desire to conform their minds to the word of God, and differ from him in the understanding of any part of it. He loveth them better that inquire of him and take his word, than them that inquire of the word of God. Though he cannot deny but it is God's prerogative to be infallible, and the rule of the world.

_Sign_ XVII. A proud man affecteth the reputation of God's immutability as well as his infallibility. He will stand to an error when once he hath vented it, and resist the truth when once he hath appeared against it, to avoid the dishonour of being accounted mutable, or one that formerly was deceived. His pride keepeth him from repenting of any fault or error that he can but find a cloak for. If he have done wrong to God and mischief to the church, he will do as much more to make it good, and justify it by any cruelty or violence. If he have once done you wrong, he will do more for fear of seeming to have wronged you. If he have slandered you, he will stab or hang you if he can, to justify his slander, rather than seem so mutable as to retract it.

_Sign_ XVIII. A proud man affecteth a participation of God's omniscience, and is eager to know more than God revealeth (if he be an inquiring man whose pride runneth this way). Thus our first parents sinned, by desiring to be as God in knowledge. This hath filled the world with proud contentions, and the church with divisions; while proud wits heretically make things unrevealed the matter of their ostentation, imposition, censures, or furious disputes; while humble souls are taken up in studying and practising things revealed, and keep themselves within God's bounds, as knowing that God best knoweth the measure fittest for them, and that knowledge is to be desired and sought, but so far as it is useful to our serving or enjoying God, and the good which truth revealeth to us; and that knowledge may else become our sorrow, Eccl. i. 1, 8, and truth the instrument to torment us, as it doth the miserable souls in hell.

_Sign_ XIX. A proud man is discontented with his degree, especially if it be low. He would be higher in power, and honour, and wealth; yea, he is never so high but he would fain be one step higher. If he had a kingdom, he would have another: and if he had the dominions of the Turkish or Tartarian emperor, he would desire to enlarge them, and to have more; and would not be satisfied till he had all the world. Men feel not this in their low condition; they think, If I had but so much or so much, I would be content: but this is their ignorance of the insatiable pride that dwelleth in them. Do you not see the greatest emperors on earth still seeking to be greater. Every man naturally would be a pope, the universal monarch of the world. And every such pope would have both swords, and have princes and people wholly at their will: and when they have no mind to hurt, they would have power to hurt; that all the world might hold their estates, and liberties, and lives, as by their clemency and gift, and they might be as God to other men. And if they had attained this, pride would not stop, till it had caused them to aspire to all the prerogatives of God, and to depose him, and dethrone him of his Godhead and majesty, that they might have his place.

_Sign_ XX. A proud man would fain have God's independency. Though need make him stoop, yet he would willingly be beholden to none. Not only because in prudence he would keep his liberty, and not be unnecessarily the servant of men, nor under obligations to serve them in any evil way (for so the humblest would fain be independent); but because he would be so great, and high, as to scorn to lean on any other. Thus you see how pride is that great idolatry that sets up man as in the place of God.

_Signs of the next Degrees of Pride as against God._

_Sign_ I. A proud heart is very hardly brought to see the greatness of its sins, or to know its emptiness of grace, or to be convinced of its unpardoned, miserable state, or of the justice of God if he should damn it to everlasting torments.[212] Concerning others it may confess all this; but hardly of itself. Its own unbelief and averseness from God and holiness, seemeth to it a small and tolerable fault; its own pride, and lust, and worldliness, and sensuality, seem not to be so bad as to deserve damnation; much less the smallest sin which it committeth. Though customarily they may say that God were just, if he did condemn them, yet they believe it not at the heart. The most convincing preacher shall have much ado to bring a proud man heartily to confess that he is an enemy to God, a child of wrath, and under the guilt of all his sins, and sure to be condemned unless he be converted. He will confess that he is a sinner, or any thing else which the most godly must confess, or which doth not conclude him to be in a damnable, unrenewed state. But to make an ungodly man know that he is ungodly, and an impenitent person know that he is impenitent, and an unsanctified person know that he is unsanctified, is wonderful hard, because that pride hath dominion in them. "Are we blind also?" say the proud, incorrigible Pharisees to Christ, John ix. 40.

_Sign_ II. A proud heart doth so much overvalue all that is in itself, that every common grace or duty doth seem to it to be a state of godliness. Their common knowledge seemeth to them to be saving illumination: every little sorrow for their sin, or wish that they had done better, when they have had all the sweetness of it, doth go with them for true repentance; their heartless lip-labour goes for acceptable prayer; their image of religion seemeth to them to be the life of godliness; they take their own presumption for true faith, and their false expectation for christian hope, and their carnal security and blockish stupidity for spiritual peace of conscience, and their desperate venturing their souls upon deceit they take for a trusting them with God. If they forbear but such sins as their flesh can spare, as unnecessary to its ease, provision, or content, yea, or such sins as the flesh commandeth them to forbear, as tending to their dishonour in the world, they take this for true obedience to God. Because they had rather have heaven than hell, when they must leave the earth, whether they will or no, they think that they are heavenly-minded, and lay up their treasure there, and take it for their portion: because conscience sometimes troubleth them for their sin, they think they renew a sincere repentance, and think all is pardoned, because they daily ask for pardon. Their forced submission to the hand of God they take for patience; and a "Lord, have mercy on us, and forgive us, and save us," they take for a true preparation for death. Thus pride deceiveth sinners, by making them believe that they have what they have not, and do what they do not, and are something when they are nothing, Gal. vi. 3, and by multiplying and magnifying the little common good that is in them.

_Sign_ III. A proud heart hath very little sense of the necessity of a Saviour, to die for his sins, and satisfy God's justice, and reconcile him to God: notionally he is sick of sin; and notionally he thinks he needeth a physician; but practically, at the heart he feeleth little of his disease, and therefore little sets by Christ. He feeleth not that which should thoroughly acquaint him with the reasons of this blessed work of our redemption; and therefore indeed is a stranger to the mystery, and an unbeliever at the heart, and would turn apostate if the trial were strong enough. He never felt himself a condemned man, under the curse and wrath of God, and liable to hell; and therefore never lay in tears with Mary at his Saviour's feet, nor melted over his bleeding Lord; nor feelingly said with Paul, "He came to save sinners, of whom I am chief;" nor "esteemed all things as loss and dung for the knowledge of Christ, that he might be found in him," Phil. iii. 7, 8. He is a christian but as a Turk is a Mahometan, because it is the religion of the king, and the country in which he was bred.

_Sign_ IV. A proud heart perceiveth not his own necessity of so great a change as a new birth, and of the Holy Ghost to give him a new nature, and plant the image of God upon him. He findeth perhaps some breaches in his soul; but he thinks there needs no breaking of the heart for them, nor pulling all down and building up his hopes anew. Amending his heart, he thinks may serve the turn, without making it and all things new, 2 Cor. v. 17. The new creature he taketh to be but baptism, or some patching up of the former state, and amending some grosser things that were amiss. He will confess that without Christ and grace we can do nothing, but he thinketh this grace is an ordinary help. Whereas an humble soul is so emptied of itself, and perceiveth its deadness and insufficiency to good, that it magnifieth grace, and is wondrous thankful for it, as for a new and spiritual life.

_Sign_ V. A proud heart hath so little experimental sense of the great accusations which Scripture bringeth against the corrupted heart of man, that it is easily drawn into any heresy which denieth them: as about our original sin, and misery, and need of a Saviour; about the desperate wickedness of the heart, and man's insufficiency and impotency to good, yea, averseness from it: whereas humble men are better acquainted with the sin within them, that beareth witness to all these truths.[213]

_Sign_ VI. The proud are insensible of the need and reason of all that diligence to mortify the flesh, and subdue corruptions, and watch the heart, and walk with God in holiness of life, which God requireth. He saith, what need all this ado? he feeleth not the need of it, and therefore thinks it is more ado than needs. But the humble soul is sensible of that within him that requireth it, and justifieth the strictest ways of God. The rich think they have no need to labour, but labour is a poor man's life and maintenance; if he miss it a day, he feeleth the want of it the next.

_Sign_ VII. Proud men are much insensible of the want of frequent and fervent prayer unto God. Begging is the poor man's trade: the humble soul perceives the need of it: he finds as constant need of God, as of air, or bread, or life itself. And he knoweth that the exercise of our desires and faith, and the expression by prayer of our dependence upon God, is the way appointed for our supply. But the proud are full-stomached, and think this earnest, frequent praying is but hypocritical, needless work, and they cannot make a trade of begging, and therefore they are sent empty away.

_Sign_ VIII. A proud man is a great undervaluer of all mercies, and unthankful for them; but especially for spiritual mercy. He receiveth it customarily, as if it were his due; and customarily gives God thanks. But though he may rejoice in the prosperity of his flesh, yet he is a stranger to holy thankfulness to God; and thinks diminutively of mercy; yea, he is discontent, and murmureth if God give him not as much as he desireth. Whereas the humble confess themselves unworthy of the least, Gen. xxx. 10; 2 Chron. xxxii. 24-26. Hezekiah's lifting up and unthankfulness go together. A poor man will be very thankful for a penny or a piece of bread, which the rich would reject as a great indignity.

_Sign_ IX. Proud men are always impatient in their afflictions. If they have a stoutness or stupidity, yet they have not christian patience: they take it as if God used them hardly, or did them wrong. But the humble know that they deserve much worse, and that the mercy that is left them is contrary to their desert; and therefore say with the humbled church, Micah vii. 9, "I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him." Lam. iii. 22, "It is because his compassions fail not, that we are not consumed."

_Sign_ X. Proud men are fearless of temptations, and confident of their strength and the goodness of their hearts. They dare live among snares, in pomp and pleasure, faring deliciously every day; among plays, and gaming, and lascivious company and discourse, and fear no hurt; their pride making them insensible of their danger, and what tinder and gunpowder is in their natures, for every spark of temptations to catch fire in. But the humble are always suspicious of themselves, and know their danger, and avoid the snare. Prov. xiv. 16, "A wise man feareth and departeth from evil; but the fool rageth and is confident." Prov. xxii. 3, "A prudent man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself: but the simple pass on and are punished."

_Sign_ XI. Pride maketh men murmur if the work of God be never so well done, if they had not the doing of it; and sometimes by contending to have the honour of doing it, they destroy the work. If they are officers of Christ, they look more at the power than their obligation; at the dignity than at the duty; and at what the people owe to them, than what they owe to God and to the people. They are like dogs that snarl at any other that would partake with them, or come into the house. They say not as Moses, "Would all the Lord's people were prophets." Yea, the peace and unity of church and state is often sacrificed to this cursed pride.

_Sign_ XII. Pride makes men ashamed of the service of God, in a time and place where it is disgraced by the world; and if it have dominion, Christ and holiness shall be denied or forsaken by them, rather than their honour with men shall be forsaken. If they come to Jesus, it is as Nicodemus did, by night: they are ashamed to own a reproached truth, or scorned cause, or servant of Christ. If men will but mock them with the nick-names or calumnies hatched in hell, they will do as others, or forbear their duty: a scorn will do more to make them forbear praying in their families to God, than the lion's den would do with Daniel, or the fiery furnace with the three confessors, Dan. iii. and vi. Especially if they be persons of honour and greatness in the world, then God must be merciful to them while they bow down in the house of Rimmon. As the rich man, Luke xviii. 23, when he heard Christ's terms, "was very sorrowful, for he was very rich;" so these, because their honours and dignities are so great, do think them too good to let go for the sake of Christ. Had they but the proportion of the obscure vulgar to lay down, they could forsake it; but they cannot forsake so fair a portion, nor endure the reproach of so honourable a name. But oh what contemptible things are these to a humble soul! He marvelleth what dreaming worldlings find, in the doting thoughts and breath of fools, which men call honour, that they should prefer it before the honour of God, and their real honour; when Christ hath told them, Mark viii. 31, that "whosoever shall be ashamed of him and his words, in an adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with his holy angels." I now proceed to the signs of pride in particular duties.