for, and the evidence of things not seen, and therefore by a kind of anticipation gives a prefence to the foul of thofe future joys) renders the beft happiness this world below can yield, but languid, and poor, like the light of a candle in the presence of the fun. On the other fide, the mifery that after death attends the mispent prefent life, over-balanceth all the good that this life can yield, both in its degree and duration; and therefore with the pre-apprehenfion of it, it fours and allays all the good that is in the greatest happiness of this life. 4. Faith doth affure every believing foul that as fure as he now liveth, and enjoyeth that worldly felicity it hath, fo furely, if he, in belief and obedience to the will of God, revealed in and through Chrift, fhall ufe his stewardship thereof foberly, faithfully and obediently, he fhall enjoy that everlasting happiness that thus outweighed the beft temporal felicity: and on the other fide, if he fhall ufe his profperous condition vainly, proudly, infolently, unfaithfully, intemperately, this fhort felicity that he hath here, fhall be attended with an endless and exceffive mifery unto all eternity. And now thus upon thefe accounts and methods, faith overcometh this world of external profperity. The corruption in the heart, and the temptations of the evil one, and of evil men, would prefently improve this condition to make the man proud, infolent, intemperate, luxurious, fecure, trufting in uncertain riches, forgetful of God and of religion: but by the means before-mentioned, faith conquers the world herein, disappoints the corruption of the heart, the fubtilty of the devil, the temptation of evil men, and brings the man into a low efteem of his own external happiness; keeps him in a high and juft valuation of heaven; keeps him temperate, fober, watchful, humble, faithful, juft; makes him mindful of his account, and ftudious and induftrious for the attaining and fe curing of an everlasting state of happiness, and that when death fhall render all his wealth, and honour,

and

and applaufe, and fucceffes, and glory, to be poor, empty, infipid things, yet he may have and enjoy a fixed, permanent, everlasting state of bleffedness and glory with the ever glorious God, the bleffed Redeemer, the holy angels, and the fpirit of just men made perfect.

OF

OF

HUMILITY:

ITS OPPOSITE VICES, BENEFITS, AND MEANS TO ACQUIRE IT.

PROV. III. 34. JAM. IV. 6. 1 PET. V. 5.

GOD RESISTETH THE PROUD, AND GIVETH
TO THE HUMBLE.

GRACE

PRIDE and Humility are two oppofite habits or difpofitions of the mind: and therefore the difcuffion and examination of the latter, will of itself give us a difcovery of the former; and the difcovery of the benefit and advantage of the virtue of Humility, will give us also an account of the mifchiefs and inconveniences of pride, that is, its oppofite vice.

În the examination of the true nature of Humility, we must take notice that there are two extremes, and between these the virtue of Humility is placed.

The two extremes are in the excefs, which is pride, and in the defect, baseness of mind.

Pride arifeth from an over-valuation of a man's felf, or a want of a due fenfe of his dependency upon Almighty God. And though all pride be an extreme foolish diftemper of the mind, yet some kind of pride is far more unreasonable and vain than other: namely, that kind of pride that arifeth from fuch objects that are lefs valuable in themselves, or lefs his own that grows proud of them.

It is a foolish thing for a man to be proud of the endowments

dowments of his mind: as wit, memory, judgment, prudence, policy, learning; nay, of a man's goodness, virtue, juftice, temperance, integrity: for though these be most a man's own, yet he hath them by the bounty and goodness of that God, to whom he owes his being; What baft thou which thou hast not received? These are matters indeed to ftir up the gratitude to the giver of them, but not fufficient grounds to make thee. proud. Again, though the things themselves be excellent, and more thine own than any other outward thing, yet thou art but a temporary owner of them; a violent fever, or a fit of palfy, or apoplexy, may rob thee of all these endowments, and thou mayeft poffibly over live thy wit, thy parts, thy learning; and if thou escapest these concuffions, yet if thou live to old age! a thing that naturally all men defire, that will abate, if not wholly antiquate, thy wit, learning, parts; and it is a foolish thing for a man to be proud of that which he is not fure to keep while he lives, and must lose at last in a great measure when he dies, even by reason of that very pride which accompanies them here. Again, that very pride, which accompanies thofe excellent parts and habits, is the very thing that either spoils, or very much debafeth, and difparageth them both in the fight of God and man; it is like the dead fly in the confection, the worm at the bottom of the gourd, that taints and withers thefe excellencies, and renders them either contemptible or at leaft much lefs valuable. The more a man values himself for those things, the lefs he is valued by others; and it is a thousand to one that this foolish vain humour of pride mingles fome odd, fanciful, ridiculous, or unfavory ingredient in the actions or deportments of fuch men, though of eminent parts and abilities; fo that they receive more reproach or cenfure by their pride, than they receive applaufe by their parts for as God refifts the proud, fo doth mankind alfo; and their very pride give their adverfaries advantage.

And

And as pride of parts, and habits of the mind, is a foolish thing; fo pride of bodily endowments is yet more foolish and vain; becaufe it is raifed upon a thing of a baser allay than the former; fuch as are beauty, stature, strength, agility; for though these are a man's own, yet they are things that are not only fubject to more cafualties than the former, but they are but of an inferior nature.

Again; yet more vain and foolish is that pride that is raised upon things that are either purely adventi. tious or foreign, or in the mere power of other men, as pride of wealth, of honour, of applaufe, of fucceffes in actions, of titles, gay clothes, many attendants, great equipage, precedency, and fuch little acceffions: and yet it is admirable to obferve the vanity of the generality of mankind, in this refpect: there is fcarce a man to be found abroad in the world, who hath not fome elation of mind, upon the account of thefe and the like petty, vain, inconsiderable advantages; in all profeffions, as well ecclefiaftical as fecular; in all ranks and degrees of men, from the courtier to the page and footboy; in all ages, as well old as young, almoft every perfon hath fome hobbyhorfe or other wherein he prides himself.

And this humour of pride doth rarely contain itself within the breaft of that perfon wherein it lodgeth, (though it went no farther it is foolish enough) but fpreads itself into numerous branches; fuch as are contempt and fcorn of others; contention and animofity against those that in any degree crofs them ; ambition, envy, against any that are above them; vain-glory and oftentation, hunting after applaufe; defire and delight in flattery and adulation of them; impatience of controul, or contradiction, or disappointment of what they effect; detraction from the worth or value of others.

And, befides the disturbance that it makes abroad, it is and intolerable difeafe of the foul that is poffeffed therewith, renders his life miferable, and puts him in

the