Why doft thou triumph? I am still alive, and I live because thou triumpheft. 'Tis this which appropriates to it felf all Virtues and all Good Works, that fnatches them from God, to make it self the Cause and Principle of them, and by this means to empoyfon them. Pride, faith St. Auguftine, lays Snares against Good works, to render them unprofitable. 'Tis this Pride that would have all things depend on it felf, and that will depend on nothing; that would rob God, if it were poffible, of the Sovereign Power which he has over all Beings; that demands the Sacrifices of all the Creatures, and which is so subtile, fo delicate and fo imperceptible in a Great Man that it is the Soul of all his Actions and of all his Motions without his perceiving it. 'Tis this that kindles the moft bloody Wars, and that under Specious Pretences, facrifices the Lives of Millions to the leaft of its Interefts. 'Tis this that impoverishes Provinces and Kingdoms to gratify it felf, that is pleas'd to fee Mankind at its feet; 'tis this in fine which refers all to it felf, and thinks all the Creatures put to their most proper ufe, when they are deftroy'd for it its Honour and Glory; Eftablishing as were, to it felf a Worship, of which it believes it felf worthy, and requiring of those whom it fubjects, Refpects that come little fhort of Religion. 'Twas this Pride that ruin'd the Chief Angel, 'twas this Defire of Independance which ruin'd the whole Human Nature, with our firft Parent; and 'tis the fame which ftill exercises a Tyrannick Empire over the Great, and which daily makes use of their Greatest Qualities to undo them. There is nothing but a Knowledge of the Truth that is capable of Stifling this Monster, for Chriftian Humility is no other thing but a juft and reasonable Sentiment which follows upon a Knowledge of the Truth: Man, when illumi nated with this holy Light, perceiving the Greatness of God, and feeing at the fame time his own Nothingness, defires to keep himself in the place which belongs to him, and very far from affecting Independance, he could wish to be subjected to all the Creatures, that he might in fome manner avenge God for that Rebellion against him, to which his Pride has carried him; He confiders himself, even in the most confummate confummate Sanctity, as a Scource of Evil which would ruine all the Work of God, if Grace did not triumph over his Corruption. He looks on all Human Grandeurs, when they no longer ferve the Ends for which God has eftablifhed them, as Trophies of Vanity, which vanish with it, and can never fecure themselves against Time, Misfor tune, or Death. So that Humility is nothing but a fincere and reafonable Aquiefcence in the known Truth, a Juftice which one renders himself, in taking the Place which belongs to him, and a Revenge which one exercises against himself in abafing ones felf even below all the other Creatures, to repair äs much as may be the Injury done to God by affecting Independance. These Sentiments ought to be fincere, folid, and durable in the Heart of a Great Man, if he would not have his Greatnefs draw him into Eternal Mifery; and what ever Virtue he may otherwife have acquir'd, 'tis a Treafure which he poffefses in Earthen Veffels, which he will never preferve but by acknowledging with a profound Humility, that 'tis God alone who can be the Guardian and Preferver of his own Gifts. We have this TreaSure fure in Earthen Veffels (faith St. Paul) that the Excellency of the Power may be of God, and not of us. But if Exterior Abasements are not always fit for a Great Man, because the Service he ought to render God in his station does not permit it; he ought however when he does not make use of them by his own Choice, to be prepared for receiving with Joy,all thofe which may happen to him by the Choice of God; to frame himfelf to the fame Difpofition with Holy Job, abandoning himself entirely into the hands of God, that he may difpofe of his Honour as well as of his Fortune and Dignities; joining to this a Spirit of true Religion, and of Interior and Exterior Worship, not only in himself, but with respect to all who are fubject to him; defpifing this Earth which is but a place of Exile for Chriftians, longing for the Coming of the Kingdom of Jefus Chrift; and deeply Engraving in his Heart these Words, which alone ought to regulate all the Actions of his Life; Fear God and keep his Commandments, for this is the whole of Man, because all things pafs away, and nothing but God and his Truth endure for Ever. Inftructions |