The Notion of Pride stated, and the ROMANS XII. 3. Not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think foberly. I T is a common Observation, that SERM. I. however forward Men may be to repine at the unequal Portion, which God has allotted them of worldly Blessings; yet they are generally well fatisfied with their Share of inward Endowments: it being as hard to meet with a Person, who humbly thinks he has too little Sense and Merit, as it is to find one, who fancies he has too great Riches and Honours. What makes Men uneasy in their Circumstances, is that they are continually setting to View the bright Side of themselves, and the dark Side of their Condition in Life; VOL. II. B the SERM. I. the first to find out their own Grievances, and the last to difcern their own Faults and Follies. Whereas if they took a contrary Method, they would perceive, that God had been kinder to the Worst of Men, than the very Best of Men could deserve. Self-Love is a Passion interwoven in our Frame and Constitution; and if it be not kept under due Regulations, Self-Conceit will be the neceffary Effect of it. For fince we are apt to believe, what we wish to be true; is it a Wonder, if we over-rate those Perfections, which we have, and imagine ourselves possest of those, which we have no Title to? In our Youth Pleasure has often the Afcendant, in the Middle of our Age Ambition; and Avarice brings up the Rear at the Clofe of Life. But this Vice, of which I am speaking, attends too many of us from the Cradle to the Grave: we being equally vain, whether we purfue Pleasure, Honour or Wealth: The Master Paffion of the Soul is the same, though it's Servants are often changed according to the different Stages of Life. For this Reafon the Apostle ushers in the Words of my Text with a peculiar Em phasis phafis and Force. For I fay, according to SERM. I. the Grace given unto me to every one among you, not to think of himself more highly than be ought to think, but to think foberly. In which Words St. Paul adviseth us, that instead of viewing ourselves in that engaging Light, which the servile Flattery of others, or our own assuming Vanity (our greatest Flatterer of all) might place us in, we should endeavour to form a true Estimate of our Worth, or in the Words of the Text, think foberly. Among the many Imputations, which we are willing to fasten upon those whom we have an Averfion to, that of Pride is, I think, one of the most common. Now, if we would examine the innermost Recesses of the Mind, I doubt we should often find, that our own Pride is the Cause, why we tax others with it. Men elate with the Thoughts of their own Sufficiency are ever imagining, that others are wanting in their Regard to them, and therefore very apt to conclude, that Pride must be the Cause, why they with-hold from them that Respect, which they have an unquestioned Right to in their own Opinion. Of this we have a pregnant Instance in Scripture: You take B 2 SERM. I. take too much upon you, said Corah and his Accomplices, when they themselves were taking too much upon them, and invading the Province of Aaron. Hence it is, that their Character seldom escapes the Brand of Vanity, who have the Fortune to be possest of those Accomplishments, which would make their Detractors vain. But before we asperse others with this Censure, let us confider what Pride is, and correct our Mistakes about the Nature of it. In the following Discourse I shall therefore Ist state the Notion of Pride. IIdly, Confider the Unreasonableness of this Vice. Ist then, I am to state the Notion of Pride. Our Happiness, as well as Knowledge, arises from Sensation and Reflection; and may be reduced to these two Articles, viz. that of pleasing Sensations, and that of agreeable Thoughts. Now as to a Defire of indulging the former without Check or Control, are owing Lust, Drunkenness and Intemperance; so from a Defire of indulging the latter beyond Measure, Pride takes it's Original. And it is very remarkable, 3 able, that those, who most deny them-SERM. I. selves pleasing Sensations, will be, except they are very much upon their Guard, apt overmuch to indulge agreeable Reflections upon themselves. In Proportion as they refift the coarfer Self-Indulgences, the more refined and spiritual Vices will gain an eafier Entrance. Just as fubtle and thin Matter finds Admittance and fills up the Vacancy, where Bodies of a groffer Contexture cannot penetrate. Pride springs from a partial View of ourselves, a View of the bright Side of ourselves, without balancing against it our numerous Imperfections and Defects, how little Good we can perform without the Grace of God, and how little we actually do perform even with it. It does not consist in the bare Consciousness, that we have some Accomplishments, as for Instance, good Sense, Beauty, great Abilities; but in that Exultation of Mind, which is confequent upon that Confciousness, unallayed by any Self-Dissatisfaction arifing from a Survey of our Sins and Frailties. If our Virtues and Perfections (fuppofing them our own Acquisitions) were unallayed; then an unallayed Self-Complacency might justly be the Result of a Knowledge of them: But as B 3 human |