of kin. It is thus posited by God himself, that best knows how to apportion things with an equal and just hand. He neither likes, nor dislikes by descent; nor does he regard what people were, but are. He remembers not the righteousness of any man that leaves his righteousness; much less any unrighteous man for the righteousness of his ancestor. Sect. 5. But if these men of blood please to think themselves concerned to believe and reverence God, in his holy scriptures, they may learn, that in the beginning he made of one blood all nations of men, to dwell upon all the face of the earth; and, that we all descended of one father and mother. A more certain original than the best of us can assign. From thence go down to Noah, who was the second planter of human race, and we are upon some certainty for our fore-fathers. What violence has raped, or virtue merited since, and how far we that are alive are concerned in either, will be hard for us to determine but a very few ages off us. Sect. 6. But, methinks, it should suffice to say, our own eyes see that men of blood, out of their gears and trappings, without their feathers and finery, have no more marks of honour by nature stampt upon them, than their inferior neighbours. Nay, themselves being judges, they will frankly tell us, they feel all those passions in their blood, that make them like other men, if not farther from the virtue that truly dignifies. The lamentable ignorance and debauchery that now rages among too many of our greater sort of folks, is too clear and casting an evidence in the point: and pray tell me, of what blood are they come ? Sect. 7. Howbeit, when I have said all this, I intend not, by debasing one false quality, to make insolent another that is not true. I would not be thought to set the churl upon the present gentleman's shoulder; by no means: his rudeness will not mend the matter. But what I have written is, to give aim to all where true nobility dwells, that every one may arrive at it by the ways of virtue and goodness. But for all this, I must allow a great advantage to the gentleman; and therefore prefer his station, just as the apostle Paul, who, after he had humbled the Jews, that insulted upon the Christians with their law and rites, gave them the advantage upon all other nations in statutes and judgments. I must grant, that the condition of our great men is much to be preferred to the ranks of inferior people. For, first, they have more power to do good: and, if their hearts be equal to their ability, they are blessings to the people of any country. Secondly, the eyes of the people are usually directed to them; and if they will be kind, just, and helpful, they shall have their affections and services. Thirdly, they are not under equal straits with the inferior sort, and consequently, they have more help, leisure, and occasion, to polish their passions and tempers with books and conversation. Fourthly, they have more time to observe the actions of other nations; to travel, and view the laws, customs and interests of other countries, and bring home whatever is worthy or imitable. And so an easier way is open for great men to get honour; and suchaslove true reputation, will embrace the best means to it. But because it too often happens, that great men do little mind to give God the glory of their prosperity, and to live answerable to his mercies; but on the contrary " live without God in the world," fulfilling the lusts thereof, his hand is often seen, either in impoverishing or extinguishing them, and raising up men of more virtue and humility to their estates and dignity. However, I must allow, that among people of this rank, there have been some of them of more than ordinary virtue, whose examples have given light to their fami. lies. And it has been something natural for some of their descendants to endeavour to keep up the credit of their houses, in proportion to the merit of their found b Ezek. xviii. • Acts xvii. 26, er. And, to say true, if there be any advantage in such descent, it is not from blood, but education: for blood has no intelligence in it, and is often spurious and uncertain; but education has a mighty influence, and strong bias upon the affections and actions of men. In this, the ancient nobles and gentry of this kingdom did excel: and it were much to be wished, that our great people would set about to recover the ancient economy of their houses, the strict and virtuous discipline of their ancestors, when men were honoured for their achievements, and when nothing more exposed a man to shame, than his being born to a nobility that he had not a virtue to support. Sect. 8. O but I have an higher motive! the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, which having taught this northern isle, and all ranks professing to believe in it, let me prevail upon you to seek the honour that it has brought from heaven to all the true disciples of it, who are indeed the followers of God's Lamb, that "takes away the sins of the world."d Receive with meekness his gracious word into your hearts, that subdues the world's lusts, and leads in the holy way to blessedness. Here are charms no carnal eye hath seen, nor ear heard, nor heart perceived, but they are revealed to such humble converts by his Spirit. Remember you are but creatures, and that you must die, and after all be judged. Sect. 9. But personal pride ends not in nobility of blood; it leads folks to a fond value of their persons, be they noble or ignoble; especially if they have any pretence to shape or beauty. It is admirable to see, how much it is possible for some to be taken with themselves, as if nothing else deserved their regard, or the good opinion of others. It would abate their folly, if they could find in their hearts to spare but half the time to think of God, and their latter end, which they most prodigally spend in washing, perfuming, painting, patching, attiring and dressing. In these things they are precise, and very artificial; and for cost they spare not. But that which aggravates the evil is, the pride of one might comfortably supply the need of ten. "Gross impiety that it is, that a nation's pride should not be spared to a nation's poor!" But what is this for at last? only to be admired, to have reverence, draw love, and command the eyes and affections of beholders. And so fantastic are they in it, as hardly to be pleased too. Nothing is good, or fine, or fashionable enough for them; the sun itself, the blessing of heaven and comfort of the earth, must not shine upon them, lest it tan them; nor the wind blow, for fear it should disorder them. Ο impious nicety! yet while they value themselves above all else, they make themselves the vassals of their own pride: worshipping their shape, feature, or complexion, whichsoever is their excellency. The end of all which is, but too often, to excite unlawful love, which I call lust, and draw one another into as miserable as evil circumstances. In single persons it is of ill consequence; for if it does not awaken unchaste desires, it lays no foundation for solid and lasting union: want of which helps to make so many unhappy marriages in the world : but in married people, the sin is aggravated; for they have none of right to please, but one another; and to affect the gaiety and vanity of youth, is an ill sign of loving and living well at home: it looks rather like dressing for a market. It has sad effects in families; discontents, partings, duels, poisonings, and other infamous murders. No age can better tell us the sad effects of this sort of pride, than this we live in; as, how excessive wanton, so how fatal it has been to the sobriety, virtue, peace, and health of families in this kingdom. d John i. 29. T Sect. 10. But I must needs say, that of all creatures this sort of pride does least become the old and homely, if I may call the ill-favoured and deformed so; for the old are proud only of what they had; which shews to their reproach, their pride has out-lived their beauty, and when they should be a repenting, they are making work for repentance. But the homely are yet worse, they are proud of what they never had, nor ever can have. Nay, their persons seem as if they were given for a perpetual humiliation to their minds; and to be proud of them, is loving pride for pride's sake, and to be proud without a temptation to be proud. And yet in my whole life I have observed nothing more doating on itself: a strange infatuation and enchantment of pride ! what! not to see right with their eyes, because of the partiality of their minds? This self-love is blind indeed. But to add expense to the vanity, and to be costly upon that which cannot be mended, one would think they should be downright mad; especially if they consider that they look the homelier for the things that are thought handsome, and do but thereby draw their deformity more into notice, by that which does so little become them. But in such persons follies we have a specimen of man ; what a creature he is in his lapse from his primitive image. All this (as Jesus said of sin of old) comes from within ; d that is the disregard that man and woman have to the Word of their Creator in their hearts, which shews pride, and teaches humility and self-abasement, and directs the mind to the true object of honour and worship; and that with an awe and reverence suitable to his sovereignty and majesty. Poor mortals! but living dirt; made of what they tread on; who, with all their pride, cannot secure themselves from the spoil of sickness, much less from the stroke of death. O! did people consider the inconstancy of all visible things, the cross and adverse occurrences of man's life, the cer. tainty of his departure, and eternal judgment, it is to be hoped, they would bring their deeds to Christ's light in their hearts, and they would see if they were wrought in God or no, as the beloved disciple tells us from his dear Master's mouth. Art thou shapely, comely, beautiful; the exact draught of an human creature? admire that power that made thee so. Live an harmonious life to the curious make and frame of thy creation; and let the beauty of thy body teach thee to beautify thy mind with holiness, the ornament of the beloved of God. Art thou homely or deformed? magnify that goodness which d Matt. xv. 11, 18, 19, 20. f John iii. 20, 21. • Deut. xxx. 14. Rom. x. 8. |