SERM. conduct himself, he refused to be in fubX. jection to his maker, and obey his laws.

2dly, The pride of mens hearts is difcovered by affecting a pre-eminence above their fellows, and a fond prefumptuous opinion of their own excellency upon a comparison with them, which really is a rebellion against the established order God hath appointed in the world; for he hath linked us together in fociety, and made humble condefcending love the firm cement of it. I hinted already what I take to be the juft foundation for explaining this, that is, the natural defire of approbation and esteem. All fin is the perverting that which is right, and to have a true notion of the present difeases of our own finful state, we ought to look back to the primitive order of nature. Now, I fay, the defire of honour, that is, of approbation and efteem founded in good offices and the things which are indeed praife worthy, is wifely planted in our minds by the author of nature, as a fecurity of our duty, and to engage us to mutual benevolence; but in our degeneracy it is become a selfish defire, and honour is fought independently on the true grounds of it, which is the very evil of this branch of pride: Still, however, there is a relation had

to

X.

to moral excellence, which we find ourselves SERM. obliged to acknowledge as the only true excellence; and the proudest man, in his most prefumptuous thoughts of himself, valueth himself on what he imagineth to import a capacity, or the appearance of a disposition, to do good of fome kind or other.

Not to mention any farther the occafions of pride, or the apprehended good things, whereupon men value themselves, which are more remote from the present subject, you may especially take notice of these two, which are directly to the purpose, as tending to unfit men for attaining wisdom. First, there are fome who value themselves much, and claim a great deal of honour on account of their understanding, that is, either their actual knowledge, or capacity of investigating and difcerning truth; though, indeed, this ground of glorying, or of claiming respect, if it be thoroughly examined, will appear a very infufficient one; for it is certain that the most enlarged human understandings are but weak, and labour under many defects; the wifeft man must be fenfible that his knowledge is very fcanty, and befides the difficulty which attendeth the acquifition of it, as Solomon faith, be that increafeth knowledge increafeth forrow; it is R 4 liable

SERM. liable to many accidents; a distemper of X. body, or a stroke on the head, may make a man of the happiest memory and the clearest judgment, forget his own name; fo narrow, as well as pecarious, is that understanding of which men boaft, and affect a diftinction by it above others; though after all, their fuperiority will not be always fo heartily acknowledged as they imagine; as it is not confiftent that a man fhould particularly know the points wherein another is wiser than himself, the generality of people, however envious on other accounts, are pretty well fatisfied with their own fhare of this talent. And,

2dly, Religion itself is to fome the subject of glorying and vain elation of mind; not the reality of it, for that excludeth boasting, but the appearance. There were people zealously profeffing religion among the ancient Jews, whom the prophet thus defcribeth, and methinks the defcription very naturally marketh them out as scorners; Isaiah lxv. 5. They fay, ftand by thyself, come not near me, for I am holier than thou. The Pharifees, in our Saviour's time, were their true fucceffors, a generation whom our Lord representeth as far from the kingdom of heaven, farther than even publicans and

harlots;

harlots, and this was a principal part of SERM. their character, they preteeded to a peculiar X. reputation for fanctity, and would have great acknowledgment made to them, as the ftricteft devotees of their time and their nation, not on account of true fubftantial piety and goodness, which would have given them quite other fentiments and difpofitions; they neglected judgment, mercy, faith, and the love of God, these weightiest matters of the law; but they had a fiery zeal for the ritual parts of religion, ceremonies of little importance, and the traditions of the elders; they fafted often, paid tithes of all they poffeffed, took care to wash their hands, and their cups, and pots, and tables, and to make broad their philacteries; on this foundation they pretended to eminent piety. When yet our bleffed Saviour representeth them as the worft of men, which must be the cafe of all fuch hypocrites as make a religious profeffion fubfervient to ambitious views, which fincere religion utterly abhorreth.

As pride, on whatever pretence it is founded, is an evil difpofition, it must be judged of especially by what paffeth in the heart; prevailing affections do first and most naturally discover themselves in the thoughts; that which is most in their esteem, men incline

4

SERM. cline moft to meditate upon with pleafure, X. and if their ownfelves, or fome imagined

excellency of theirs, affordeth the most agreeable entertainment to their minds, and they dwell upon it with an inward exultation, without taking into the account, and confidering at the fame time, what in reafon ought to abate it, this evidently fheweth, if they would attend to it, a fond and prefumptuous conceit. Thus Nebuchadnez zar, whose pride was fo outrageous, infulting God himself, who punished him by degrading him into the condition of a beast, exulted in his power and greatness, when he beheld the magnificence of his works, and the fplendor of his royal feat. Dan. iv. 30. Is not this great Babylon that I have built, for the boufe of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honour of my Majesty.

Again, There are outward figns which too plainly indicate the pride of the heart; the very geftures and looks of men difcover the vanity and elation of their minds; Solomon, and other of the facred writers, speak of lofty eyes, and haughty looks, and pride of countenance. It is not poffible for the most careless obferver not to distinguish this disease by fome obvious fymptoms, thofe airs of fuperiority which fome affume, their

affec