The Height of Israels Heathenish Idolatry, Section 2 · Chapter 7

The Height of Israels Heathenish Idolatry · Section 2 · Chapter 7

p. 63CHAP. VII. Satans Pride againſt God in his owne perſon, and in his inſtruments.

VVE may from our former diſcourſe take notice of another eſſentiall and inſeparable quality of Satan, which both diſcouers his nature vntounto vsus,2 Satans pride againſt God. and alſo giues vsus to iudge of ſuch as reſemble him in it; and it is his notorious pride againſt God,In himſelfe in …. whereby he vſurped among the Heathen, the honour and glory, title and name of God himſelfe.

Now this Pride he ſhewed in theſe particulars: firſt, in p. 643his deſire, whereby being but a creature, yea a wicked Fiend, yet he deſired not onelyonly an equality with God, but a ſuperiority ouer him, namely, that he might be worſhipped for God, and not God himſelfe. This made him require diuine honour and ſeruice to be done vntounto him.

2Secondly, in abuſing ſuch gifts of God as he had, to the open diſhonour of God, and deifying of himſelfe. Theſe gifts were eſpecially his power and his knowledge.

3Thirdly, in that being often imployed as an inſtrument onelyonly of God, and vnderunder God, yet he referred all to his owne honour, and not to Gods, doing all as of himſelfe, and in his owne name.

4Fourthly and laſtly, in accepting diuine honour of ſacrifice and other religious worſhip when it was giuen.

Now it skils not that this honour was often done to images of men both liuing and dead, and not vntounto Satan alwaies immediately; for whatſoeuer honour was giuen, none receiued it properly but Satan, who abuſed the names of men deceaſed,Auguſt. de Ciuit. Dei, lib. 18. cap. 18. qui nec cùm viuerent verè vixerunt: who were but dead while they liued, perſwading men that they were gods; hereupon getting them once conſecrated, he alſo got their names to be changed,Lactant. inſtit. lib. 1. cap. 21. Credo, ſaith Lactantius, ne quis putet eos homines fuiſſe; quem enim Serapin & Serapidem vulgus appellat, Oſyris dicitur: Romulus poſt mortem Quirinus dictus eſt, & Leda, Nemeſis: To wit, as I deeme, ſaith that Father, leſt any ſhould thinke they were men: for he whom the vulgar cals Serapis and Serapides, is indeed called Oſyris: Romulus after his death is called Quirinus, and Leda is now named Nemeſis. Satan thus abuſed not onelyonly the names of the deceaſed, but the affections of the liuing, who for louelove to their priuate friends, were more eaſily drawne to honour their memorie and images, eſpecially when by Satans falſe miracles and apparitions they were eſteemed gods: here Satan was the god, not they.

Now this pride in Satan is ſo naturall, that though for his ſinne in aſpiring againſt God he was throwne downe headlong from heauen to hell, yet it ſtill puffes him vp euen now as much as euer; and he breathes the like ſpirit p. 65of pride into the ſoules of ſuch, as in whoſe hearts hee ſits and rules as God. Satan hath ſaid it in his heart, and hath inſtilled into the hearts of his inſtruments, to thinke and ſay, I will aſcend into heauen, Iſa. 14.13.…Isa 14:13I will exalt my throne aboue the ſtarres of God: I will ſit alſo vponupon the mount of the congregation in the ſides of the North, I will aſcend aboue the heights of the clouds, I will be like the moſt High. This was his firſt temptation whereby he made our firſt parents in Paradiſe ſinne, by making them beleeue they ſhould be as gods. This ambitious deſire of being like vntounto God, hath made both them and vsus now like vntounto the Deuill. This leſſon thus learned in Paradiſe, ſhall neuer wholly be vnlearned, till we enter into Paradiſe againe. If Satan then preuailed by it with our firſt parents in that eſtate of innocency, how much more with vsus? he thus by pride brought …hem downe, and by like pride he makes vsus lift our ſelues ſo high, that at the length we fall as low as hell it ſelfe. Pride in vsus is that by which he workes his malice on vsus, and procures our deſtruction.

Let vsus then looke about if wee cannot finde out by his footſteps where this proud Lucifer haunts, walkes and reignes. Where we finde any of the forenamed ſpecialties to reigne, there we may ſay, Behold a deuill incarnate, or behold one (at the leaſt for the time) puffed vp with the ſpirit of Satan.

We may finde him walking and ruling in the hearts of proud, ambitious, aſpiring men and women,2. In his inſtrument, proud men. whom wee conſider either as without the limits of the Church, or as within: both which as they extoll themſelues into the place of God, inueſting themſelues with his titles, ſo they challenge to themſelues the priuileges of God.

Firſt, without the Church,1. Without the Church. how many ambitious Kings hauehave wee read of, that neuer thought they were high enough till both aliue and dead they were worſhipped and adored as gods. Wee hauehave ſeene it in Caius Caligula, S…pr pag. ….and may ſee it in the King of Tyrus, Ezek. 28.2 So Alexander the Great after his conqueſts muſt needs be honoured and eſteemed as a god, till faintneſſe in bleeding of a p. 66wound, and the neceſſitie of ſleepe and eating, did otherwiſe conuict him, or he by theſe did conuict his flatterers who would needs ſo perſwade him. But indeed ſuch is the nature of mans ambitious deſires, that (as one ſaith) the whole round world cannot content and fill his heart, for ſtill the corners of it would remaine empty.

Others imitating their father the deuill, being vſed of God either as his inſtruments only, or as his ſtewards, ſacrifice all to their owne nets: and therefore you ſhall hauehave them ſpeaking of themſelues, in the firſt perſon, vſing alwayes that pronounce.… Thus Eſay 10. though the King of e…ſ…ur was only the rod of Gods wrath, and his inſtrument to puniſh the Iſraelites, yet thus he brags: By the power of my hand hauehave I done it, and by my wiſdome, for I am prudent: and I hauehave remoued the bounds of the people: — and my hand hath found as a neſt the riches of the people. — Thus Nebuchadnezzar crowes on the top of his royall Palace,… Is not this great Babel, that I hauehave built for the houſe of the kingdome, by the might of my power, and for the honour of my Maieſtie? By which examples we ſee the nature of pride, which is, firſt, to attribute the good things we hauehave receiued from God, vntounto our ſelues, our owne wits, power and policie: and ſecondly, to vſe them for our owne credit, eſtimation and glory.

…But I would this pride were onelyonly found among the Heathen, whom it beſt beſeemes. But this horrible and deuilliſh pride hath beene found, and may be ſeene in the viſible Church of God both Iewiſh and Chriſtian.

…For firſt, we reade that about the time when Chriſt our Meſſias was expected to come into the world, many roſe vp and made themſelues Chriſt:… as Thewdas and Iudas of Galilee. So a certaine Egyptian, and one Barcozba in the …e of Agrippa, and another of that name about fortie yeares after the deſtruction of the Temple. All theſe tooke vponupon them to be the promiſed Meſſias, which if truly they …ad beene, they muſt hauehave beene gods, though they intended only to hauehave become temporall Princes, according to the common errour of the Iewes. Thus alſo Herod was p. 67made beleeue by ſome courtiour-Rabbines that hee was the promiſed Meſſias,Ma… … …6. Ma… …3.6. and …3. of whom proceeded (as is thought) the Herodians, who ſo often came to intrap our Sauiour in his talke. But of all other Simon Magus his example is notable, of whom Saint Auguſtine writeth,Aug…ſt … that he affirmed of himſelfe that he was Chriſt: he would alſo hauehave men beleeue he was Iupiter, Simon M…and that he gaue the Law in mount Sina in the perſon of God the Father: and that in the reigne of Tiberius he appeared in the perſon of the Sonne, but putatiuè: and after that, he came vponupon the Apoſtles in the perſon of the holy Ghoſt in fiery tongues. This man had his queane and harlot with him, whoſe name was Selene or Helena, for whoſe ſake he deſcended downe from heauen to ſeeke and finde her being a loſt ſheepe, whom yet he called a goddeſſe and the holy Ghoſt, of whom he begot Angels. He cauſed both their images to be made, and got them afterward by publike authority to be ſet vp and worſhipped in Rome as the images of the gods.Tertul …n A… g…. cap. 13 Tertullian tels vsus that this ſorcerer liuing at Rome, had an image dedicated to him with this inſcription, Simoni ſancto deo, to Simon the holy god. After him ſucceeded his chiefe ſcholler Menander a Samaritane, and baptized as was Simon, Menand…who after the death of Simon, affirmed of himſelfe whatſoeuer Simon had formerly affirmed concerning himſelfe. Hee gaue himſelfe forth to be the Sauiour of the whole world, (and not of Helena onelyonly) affirming that none could be ſaued, vnleſſe they were baptized in his name, which if they were, their dignity and power was aboue that of the Angels, and that they ſhould liue immortally here on earth. Thus we ſee no ſooner came our Sauiour into the world, but the Deuill ſtirred vp ambitious ſpirits to ſtaine his glory; in which regard it was neceſſary our Sauiour ſhould ſo timely admoniſh his diſciples not to beleeue ſuch as ſhould make themſelues chriſts.Matth … … and …. &c.

But this height of pride hath alſo ouertaken ſuch as in word at the leaſt profeſſe themſelues ſeruants of Chriſt▪ yea ſeruants of the ſeruants of Christ, 2. Chriſtian.being indeed meere Antichriſts, and enemies vntounto him: I meane eſpecially that man p. 68of ſinne,The Pope … who is an aduerſary to God exalting himſelfe againſt all that is called God, ſo that he doth ſit as God, in the Temple of God, ſhewing himſelfe that he is God. This Antichriſt of Rome patien…ly heares and ſuffers his clawbackes to call him by the name of Semi god, and of Ʋice god, yea and of God himſelfe. Thus, the gloſſe of the extrauagant Cum inter of Iohn the 22. hath theſe words, To thinke that our Lord God the Pope, the author of the foreſaid Decretall, and of this, had no power to decree as he hath decreed, would be iudged an hereſie. Which gloſſe remaines vntouched, euen after the correction of many other gloſſes appointed by Pope Gregory the 13. One of the Secretaries of the Popes chamber, in the laſt Councell of Lateran, …ſpeakes thus to Leo the 10. The …kes of your diuine Maieſty, &c. The ſaid Pope Leo, after the ſaid Councell was written out, approued of it In Italy vponupon the gate of Tolentum there is this inſcription, To Paul the 3 the moſt high and mighty God vponupon earth. Now it is a vaine excuſe to ſay the Pope is no otherwiſe called God, then the Scripture calleth Kings gods; for the word, gods, being attributed to Princes in the plurall, was neuer but in a blaſphemous arrogancy by any in the ſingular aſcribed to himſelfe: in which regard, the Scripture cals Satan, the god of this world. …Now the Pope vſurps the name of God excluſiuely from all other Princes vntounto himſelfe, and out of this rule gathereth by conſequence that he ſhould be adored, euen of Princes, and that he therefore cannot bee iudged of men;… if any temporall King denye to be iudged by him, becauſe Kings are called gods, the Pope will not take this well anſwerably hereunto he cals his Decrees and Canons by the name of Oracles, …and his decretall Epiſtles, Canonicall Scriptures. He vſurpes alſo vponupon the titles and …aines of our Sauiour Chriſt, calling himſelfe often in his Canons and Decrees, the Spouſe of the vniuerſall Church, …m Chriſto ſe…luſo, …euen Chriſt ſet apart, ſaith Bellarmine, though Saint Paul make the husband of the Church to be ou… one And Leo the 10. in the Councell of Lateran is called the Lyon of the tribe of Iudah, the root of Dauid, the Sauiour of Sion. With like modeſty and humility, he takes vponupon p. 69him to make a new Creed, and to adde twelue more Articles to the Creed, and to bind men by oath and confeſſion to receiue them; which euen the people of his owne Church were neuer bound to, before the late Councell of Trent. This Creed may be ſeene and read as it lies in the Popes Bull, which calleth it,B…ll… … …rma …r…men… prof…ſſions … See … in … …ay to the true Church, …n he Pr…a…. T… …ncellari… A…ſt fol … The publike profeſſion of the orthodoxall faith, to be vniformely obſerued and profeſſed. Thus as he impoſeth new lawes vponupon mens conſciences, ſo doth he take vponupon him to diſpenſe with the breach of Gods commandements, by ſuffering and diſpenſing with ſhewes, and all manner of ſinnes for his owne aduantage. For hee ſets his abſolutions from ſinne, and diſpenſations for all doing, at a certaine price of money, and cauſeth expreſſe bookes to be made thereof.

But leauing the Popes pride, we hauehave others in our Chriſtian Church whoſe pride hath been notorious: not to ſpeak of our own countrimā Hacket, with his two prophets of Mercy and Iuſtice, who moſt audaciouſly vſurped that incommunicable name of the Meſſias.Manes. We read of Manes an arch-hereticke, from whom the Manichees had their name, who tooke to him twelue whom hee called his Apoſtles, and called himſelfe the comforter of Iſrael. Acoſt. …ſuit … Temp…ou…ſ… … Re…ated by Doctor … his …irſt ſermon on Reu. ….20.Likewiſe of later time, a famous Doctor in Diuinity, a Romane Catholike, and in his time the Oracle of India being in his right wit, ſeriouſly affirmed of himſelfe, that he was more holy then the Angels or Apoſtles, yea that God made a proffer vntounto him of Hypoſtaticall-vnion, and to aſſume him into the fellowſhip of the Deity, but that he in modeſty refuſed it: that he alſo was the worlds redeemer effi…cio…ſ…, which Chriſt onelyonly performed ſufficiently.

All theſe ſhew themſelues ſufficiently whoſe Scholers they are, and whoſe b…dge they weare,The… … Satan and his inſtruments … with … Chriſt and his followers. The … of Chriſt. Rom. ….5. by which alſo they may be knowne: which will better appeare if we compare the pride of Satan and his followers, with the great humility of Chriſt and his Diſciples. Satan firſt in his owne perſon ſaith, as Iſa. 14. I will …en… into heauen, I will exact my throne aboue the ſtarres of God—and—I will be like the moſt High. Our Sauiour Chriſt contrariwiſe, who is God bleſſed p. 70for euer, in effect ſaith, I will deſcend downe vntounto the earth and become man for the ſaluation of man: herein did our Sauiour giuegive vsus all a perfect pattern of humility, bidding vsus by his Apoſtle Saint Paul, Phil. 2.5.6.7.8.Phil 2:5Phil 2:6Phil 2:7Phil 2:8hauehave the ſame mind, thoughts, and affections herein with himſelfe. Satan and his followers doe patiently endure, and willingly accept diuine honour when it is done vntounto them: but Chriſts diſciples vtterly abhorre and reiect ſuch honour as whereby men would make them gods, acknowledging themſelues men as they are.Of Peter. Acts 10 26.Acts 10:26 Thus Peter when Cornelius fell downe and worſhipped him, could both take him vp and ſay, Stand vp, for euen I my ſelfe am a man. Satans Apoſtles can make themſelues chriſts, being indeed wicked Antichriſts and enemies to him:Of Iohn Baptiſt. Iohn 1.20.John 1:20 but Iohn Baptiſt, when he might eaſily hauehave abuſed the credulity of the Iewes in this point, yet confeſſed, and denied not, but ſaid plainely, I am not the Christ. Wicked men, if as Gods inſtruments and by his power they doe any thing of note, are ready to aſcribe the honour of it to themſelues, and to accept it being giuen of others. But Saint Peter and Iohn, Of Peter and Iohn together. Act. 3.12.16.Acts 3:12Acts 3:16when vponupon their healing of a Creeple, the people flocked abundantly to them, ready to make them gods, anſwered, Why looke ye ſo earneſtly on vsus, as though by our owne power or holineſſe we had made this man walke? The God of Abraham, &c. hath glorified his Sonne Ieſus — his name through faith in his name hath made this man ſtrong. — Laſtly, whereas Satan wound himſelfe into credit with the Heathen, and both ſought and got himſelfe adored as God, eſpecially by his ſeeming miracles, and by his predictions of things to come, and reuelation of ſecrets: Saint Paul on the contrary,Of S. Paul. when by both theſe meanes he might hauehave receiued like honour, vtterly refuſed it, and in much humility cōtented himſelfe with what he was, yea to be reſpected only according to that meanneſſe which his outward and modeſt carriage in word and geſture made ſhew of. Thus when for Miracles he and Barnabas were accounted and confeſſed to bee gods, and when anſwerably they might hauehave had ſacrifice done vntounto them, they rent their clothes, Act. 14.14.15-8.Acts 14:14Acts 14:15and cried, why doe ye thoſe things? wee p. 71alſo are men of like paſſions with you, &c. and much adoe they had to ſtay the people that they had not ſacrificed vntounto them. So likewiſe when Saint Paul for his viſions and reuelations (after he had beene taken vp to the third heauen) might by ſpeaking and vttering of them, hauehave beene thought to bee more then a man, yet ſaith he,2 Cor. 12.6.2 Cor 12:6 I forbeare (to glory) leſt any man ſhould thinke of me aboue that which he ſeeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.

To conclude this point, I ſay of Humility and Pride particularly, what Saint Iohn ſaid generally of doing and not doing of righteouſneſſe and of louelove: In this are the children of God knowne, and the children of the Deuill. Whoſoeuer is not humble, but proud, ſelfe pleaſing, ſelfe honouring, is not of God: neither he that doth all to his owne honour, and not to the honour of God onelyonly or chiefly. For as one ſaith, The humble man is like vntounto God,Baſil. but the proud man being hatefull to God, is like the Deuill.Cyprian. -non de Chriſti magiſterio, qui humilitatem docet, ſed de Antichriſti ſpiritu naſcitur, &c. All exalting of a mans ſelfe, ſaith another, all ſwelling, arrogant and proud boaſting, is not of Chriſts teaching, whoſe leſſon was humility, but from the ſpirit of Antichriſt, whom God vpbraideth by his Prophet, ſaying, But thou haſt ſaid in thine heart, I will aſcend into heauen, &c.

Let this be thought on of vsus all, and from the conſideration of this pride, which originally is in Satan, deriuatiuely in his members and inſtruments, whereby they would make themſelues gods, let vsus make this double vſe, neither to giuegive to others, or take to our ſelues any part of Gods honour.

Firſt,Vſe 1. not to giuegive Gods honour to the Deuill. Which is done when we giuegive diuine honour either to him more directly, let not vsus by any meanes deifie the Deuill or make him our God, or yet giuegive him or his inſtruments ſuch honour as they are ready to take.

Yet thus men doe, not onelyonly by deuoting themſelues to the Deuill vponupon tearmes and conditions, as doe Witches, Necromancers, and the like, which is directly to make him their god; but euen when in their liues they obey him more then God, beſtowing their beſt affections on the baſeſt obiects,Ephe. 2.2.Eph 2:2 and walke in ſinnes and treſpaſſes according to the courſe of the world, and after the prince that ruleth in the ayre, p. 72euen the ſpirit that now worketh in the children of diſobedience. For in this ſence he is called the god of the world. 2 Cor. 4.4. Or more indirectly, when we giuegive it firſt to Saints.2 Cor 4:4Moreouer, men deifie the Deuill, when they giuegive diuine honour to any creature. This I ſay, firſt, euen in regard of the Saints themſelues and their images; for hereby the Deuill onelyonly is indeed honoured, who often abuſeth their names, and appeares in and at their images. The Saints themſelues neither doe nor dare take that honour which idolaters would giuegive them: they dare neither take it on earth, nor now in heauen, though we ſhould grant they ſee and take notice of our prayers and deuotions done vntounto them. Doe we thinke that the bleſſed Virgin, now in the preſence of Chriſt and of God, dares arrogate ſuch titles to her ſelfe, as ſuperſtitious Papiſts giuegive vntounto her? who in their Roſaries and Letanies call her Queene of heauen, Gate of Paradiſe, Mother of mercy, our ſaluation, ſhe that bruiſed the Serpents head: which laſt propertie in the vulgar tranſlation of their Bibles, is attributed to the woman, Gen. 3.15. who alſo in their Ladies Pſalter, called Saint Bonauentures Pſalter, which is nothing elſe but the 150. Pſalmes of Dauid, take away the name of God, and in its roome put the name of Mary. Yea, in their other Pſalter of our Lady, which is digeſted into 15 demands, ſhe is called the firſt cauſe of our ſaluation, and one who at the laſt day ſhall moderate the ſentence of the Iudge. Yea, ſo farre hauehave they proceeded, as to place her before Ieſus Chriſt in theſe words, Glory be to you ô Virgin, and to Ieſus Chriſt, &c. The like honour they giuegive to other Saints: but doe they accept it? no: they are all chaſt Virgins, chaſt Matrons, and know that by accepting ſuch honours, they ſhould conſent to ſpirituall adul…ery, which is idolatry. Thus the Saints are abuſed by Papiſts, who yet themſelues are not excuſed from ſpirituall adultery, though the Saints partake not with them in it: as it is ſaid,Matth. 5.28.Matt 5:28 He that looketh on a woman to luſt after her, hath committed adultery already with her in his heart; Duo fuerunt, & adulterium vnus admiſit, Aug. de ciuit. Dei, l. 1. c 19though ſhe be only a meere paſſiue obiect and not conſenting: of whom as alſo of the Saints and idolaters, we may ſay as Saint Auguſtine ſaid of Lucretia, being rauiſhed and forced by Tarquinius, p. 73they indeed were two, yet one committed the adultery. And yet ſeeing idolatry as adultery, is properly betweene two or moe, we conclude that the idoll here thus pleaſed and honoured, is the Deuill and none other.

Secondly,2. To the Pope. if we giuegive like honour to the Pope as is due to God, we thus both deifie the Deuill in him, and him in himſelfe, who herein is an inſtrument of the Deuill, or elſe hee durſt neuer approue of ſuch honour as is giuen him, when texts of Scripture, which are properly & truly meant of Chriſt and the holy Ghoſt, are applied to him; as in the vacancy of the Popedome, when to obtaine a new Pope,Cerem. Rom. lib. … ſect. 15. they ſing that tract out of the Prophet, which they reade, Erit dux ejus ex eo (ſz. Iſraele) & princeps de medio ejus producetur: Thus in Engliſh,Ier. 30.21.Jer 30:21 And their nobles (or noble ruler) ſhall bee of themſelues, and their gouernour ſhall proceed from the midſt of them. Which words are meant of our Sauiour Chriſt. So, when they apply to the Pope that ſpeech of our Sauiour Chriſt which is true only of the holy Ghoſt, I will not leaue you comfortleſſe, Iohn 14.16.18.John 14:16John 14:18I will pray the Father and hee ſhall giuegive you another Comforter. Conſonant to which when he is choſen he is ſet on high vponupon the Altar, which is the ſeat of their god, and there he is adored.

By theſe and the like honours done the Pope, they ſhew what god they worſhip, namely their god-pope, or which they are not aware of, the Deuill in the Pope: they may ſay what they will, but their intentions will not excuſe them.

Thirdly, the like in effect is done, when we feare, louelove,3. To other men whom we honor more then God. reſpect, honour any thing or perſon more then we do God himſelfe.

Queſtion. Muſt none be honoured but God only? Queſt. and doe we make them gods whom wee any wayes honour? Anſwer. No, all ſuperiours muſt be honoured, according to the fifth Commandement: whether they be ſuperiours with authority ouer vsus, as are Magiſtrates, though euill, as Samuel honoured Saul, 1 Sam. 15.30.1 Sam 15:30(which popiſh Ieſuites will not doe, who otherwiſe are not behind any in giuing honour where they ſhould not:) or without authority, as are the p. 74aged, learned, noble, &c. whom we muſt honour, by acknowledging and approuing their gifts, and that order in which God hath placed them: ſo by our louelove and thankfulneſſe: yea, all muſt be honoured of vsus, (though our inferiours in other reſpects) in whom any grace of God appeares, and that according to that meaſure of grace and goodneſſe we eſpie in them. For honouring them ſo, we in them honour God.

Secondly Vſe: Not to take Gods honour to ourſelues.Secondly, it concernes vsus, vnleſſe we will ſhew our ſelues …ps and inſtruments of Satan, by no meanes to appropriate Gods honour to our ſelues. The very pride of the heart is a thing hatefull to God, and the inordinate deſire of honour, is, as Saint Paul ſaid of the deſire of money, the root of all euill:A…g…t. de …. Dei, …ib. 1…. cap. …3 as elſewhere, Initium omnis peccati ſuperbia, The beginning of all ſinne is Pride; nay it is the height of all ſinne, whereby man peruerſly affecting highneſſe, forſakes God, who ſhould be the beginning and end of all his deſires, and becomes a god to himſelfe. Thus we offend, when we ſeeke honour to our ſelues from any thing we either receiue or doe.in any thing we either receiue or d…e. He that conſiders and ponders duely how naked both in ſoule and body he came into the world, how miſerable and diſabled he is by ſinne, how deſtitute of all good, without the grace of God in Ieſus Chriſt, will ſee he hath but little cauſe to be proud of any thing, and that he oweth all honour and reſpect to God for whatſoeuer good thing hee either hath or doth: which if he aſcribe to himſelfe, hee ſets himſelfe in Gods ſtead, and exalts himſelfe againſt God. Thus doe they who hauehave their hearts lifted vp, and are proud of their riches, which they aſcribe to their owne meanes, as in Hezechia…, 2. King 20.13.2 Kgs 20:13and eſpecially in that proud Prince of Tyrus, Ezechiel 28.1-4.5. So if any be proud of their wit and learning, either making themſelues wiſer then God himſelfe, as did that proud King of Spaine,Alphonſus the tenth. who vaunted that if hee had beene preſent with God when he made the world, he would hauehave aduiſed him to hauehave diſpoſed better of things then they are diſpoſed of; or elſe, vainely referring their wit and knowledge to make themſelues knowne and famous, p. 75as if they ſaid to themſelues what the Poet floutingly ſings to ſuch,Scire tuum nihil eſt niſi te ſcire hoc ſciat alter. that their knowledge is nothing vnleſſe others alſo know that they hauehave knowledge. So, if any conceiue better of themſelues, or expect like reſpect of others from their gay and fine apparell, of which ſort eſpecially are our artificiall women, which will be better then God made them, and therefore diſliking his handiworke, die their haire, paint their faces, diſguiſe themſelues in their attirings, bringing their hips vp to their ſhoulders, baring their necks to the nauill, and otherwiſe making themſelues peacocke-like by their periwigges and other haire-coronets and topgallants. As they now know not themſelues; ſo, without ſpeedy repentance, they may feare, leſt God when he viſits them, doe not acknowledge them for his owne, but reiect them, ſaying, I gaue you other faces, other complexions, other hayre, other bones, other bodies, other breſts, other bellies, depart from me, I know you not. The like crime are both Magiſtrates and Miniſters guilty of, when, being but Miniſters of Gods Iuſtice and his Truth, they referre what authority and power they hauehave to the aduancing of their owne honour, to the inriching of their owne perſons, to the reuenging of their owne quarrels. Thus generally offend they who any wayes breake the bounds of modeſty, either in conceiuing highly of themſelues, or in ſpeaking proudly and arrogantly, or in ſhewing pride by their workes, lookes, geſtures, or the like: thus men rob God of his honour, and deifie themſelues.

Thus alſo, if in any thing we doe, we ſeeke honour to our ſelues from it, or if when honour is giuen vsus, we let it reſt with vsus, we thus alſo make gods of our ſelues, and peruert the order of nature, not working as the creatures of God, who made vsus to glorifie him, but as Satans inſtruments, whom we ſerue herein, by peruerting the order ſet by God in nature, and making a new ordination of things quite contrary. But wee muſt write after the copy of the foure and twenty Elders,Reuel. 4 10.Rev 4:10 who caſt downe their crownes before the Throne at the feete of the Lambe: elſe the very heathen ſhall condemne vsus. The Romanes by that ceremonie they p. 76vſed in their triumphs, teach vsus that the ſucceſſe of things, and honour thence due, is to be attributed, not to our ſelues but to God. For the Lawrell crownes which they carried when they aſcended into the Capitoll and ſacrificed to Iupiter, Plin. lib. 15. cap. 30. and lib 16.4.they laid downe in the lap of Iupiter, as Pliny recordeth. Wherefore it was a prophane thing in Nebuchadnezzar, Habak. 1.15.16.Hab 1:15Hab 1:16when he had taken the Iewes as fiſhes in a net, to ſacrifice to his not, and to offer incenſe vntounto his yarn: as it ſhould hauehave beene in Peter, if when after he had incloſed ſo many fiſhes in his net,Luk. 5.5.6 8.Luke 5:5Luke 5:6 he had not acknowledged Chriſts power, by falling downe at Ieſus knees.

Queſt. 1 Here two queſtions. 1. May not a man praiſe himſelfe and ſpeake of ſuch gifts and graces as he hath receiued?How far a man may praiſe himſelfe. I anſwer, a man is bound to acknowledge Gods grace in him, and goodneſſe to him, yea in ſome caſes he may (and muſt) ſpeake of them. So did Samuel, 1. Sam. 12.5. &c. ſo S Paul, Act. 23.1. 2. Tim. 1.12.13.14. But then it 1muſt be done, firſt, in great humility without all boaſting, and with a double acknowledgement: firſt, of the good done by vsus, that is by the bleſſing onelyonly of God, and that our abilities are the gifts of God,… Cor. 3.3.4.5.6. beſtowed on vsus for the good as well of others as our owne. Secondly, of the imperfections of our beſt actions, and that by all we can doe or hauehave done, we cannot ſatisfie the law of God, or ſtand in iudgement with him, but that we ſtand need of his mercy, 2as Nehem. 13.22. Again, it may be done in caſe of detraction, or when our authority is called into queſtion: then we may ſay with Paul, —ye hauehave compelled me: and ſpeake 3of our priuiledges, as he, 2. Cor. 11.22.23. Thirdly, to giuegive good example and inſtruction to others, we may ſpeake of Gods graces in vsus, 2. Theſ. 3.7.8.9. ſo we may ſpeake to the yonger ſort eſpecially, of ſuch things as God hath done for vsus, by deliuering vsus, & the like, that they alſo by our example may truſt in God, Pſal. 66.16. and Pſal. 40.1.2.3. Theſe and ſuch like circumſtances obſerued, we breake not Salomons rule, Let anothers mouth commend thee: neither diſhonour we God, but rather honour him and his gifts in vsus.

Queſt. 2 Secondly, may wee not both deſire honour, and alſo p. 77accept it when it is giuen vsus? I anſwer, firſt,How far a man may deſire honour or accept it. for the deſire of it: we may not deſire honour, through vaine glory, hypocriſie by ſeeming only religious, or by vnlawfull meanes, as by bribery, ſimony, &c. yet wee may and muſt ſeeke that honor that commeth from God, which is attained by vertuous and godly deeds;Iohn 5.44.John 5:44 we may deſire and muſt ſeeke a good name, eſpecially if we be Magiſtrates or Miniſters, according to Philip. 4.8. and that firſt for Gods glory, Matth. 5.16. 2. Sam. 12.14. Secondly, for the good of others and our owne, for thus our authority increaſeth with our honour, which**Auguſt in Soliloquiis lib. 1. cap. 11. **Aut… oritas cùm ex honoribus creſcat, ea que multum faciat ad perſuadenda honeſta, & pellicien os homines, cùm ad verae dogmata tum ad vitae ſanctitatem, ſunt optandi.makes much for the drawing on of others, both to receiue the truth from vsus, and to imitate our vertues. Anſwerably, if honour be giuen vsus, we may accept of it, it is iuſtice in them that giuegive it, and according to Gods will in the fifth Commandement; yet with theſe cautions. Firſt, not to let it reſt with vsus, but to returne it to God wholly. Secondly, not to reſt in it as in a ſufficient reward of our vertues; we muſt looke for our full reward hereafter. Now the reaſon of all I hauehave ſaid, is becauſe God only and in all things is to be honoured and glorified according to the tenour of the firſt Commandement, and Pſal. 148.13. Matth. 4.10. Iſa. 42.8 and 48.11. 1. Tim. 1.17.

I conclude all briefly ſaying that as on the one ſide there is nothing more amiable and excellentaaHaec enim eſt praecipua conſeruatrix & quaſi cuſtos virtutum omnium: nihil que eſt quod nos ita & hominibus gratos & Deo faciat, quae ſi vitae merito magni, humilitate infimiſſimus, Hieron. Ep. 14. ad Celant. then humility; ſo on the other ſide there is nothing more hatefull to God, and more grieuouſly puniſhed of God then is pride: for as by it men moſt directly ſinne againſt him in the breach of the firſt Commandement, ſo doth he moſt directly oppoſe and ſet himſelfe againſt ſuch, according to Iam. 4.6. God reſiſteth the proud,bbTanquàm dicat, meus iſte aduerſarius eſt, qui me laceſſit, mihi debetur iſta congreſſio, Ambroſ. in Pſal. 118. & Ser. 7.Ps 118 as if God had vndertaken a ſpeciall combat with ſuch. See this, and ſeeing let vsus feare, in the examples of Lucifer and his angels, for their pride throwne downe from heauen: in the builders of the Tower of Babel, who when they had ſaid—let vsus make vsus a name—then God himſelfe is ſaid to come downe, Gen. 11.4.5.8.Gen 11:4Gen 11:5Gen 11:8and to hauehave ſcattered them abroad from thence vponupon the face of all the earth. Looke alſo vponupon Nebuchadnezzar, and as you heare him thus crowing vponupon the top of his royall Palace,Dan. 4.30.31.32Dan 4:30Dan 4:31Dan 4:32 Is not this great Babylon p. 78that I hauehave built for the houſe of the Kingdome, by the might of my power, and for the honour of my Maieſty? ſo hearken againe and you ſhall heare while the word is in his mouth, a voice from heauen, ſaying, O King — the Kingdome is departed from thee, and they ſhall driue thee from men, and thy dwelling ſhall be with the beaſts of the field, Numb. 16.Num 16&c. So Corah and his complices, not content with their Leuiticall function, ſought the office of the Prieſt alſo; and when in like preſumption they came with their Cenſors to try the matter before the Lord, he viſited them himſelfe, — making a new thing, the earth opened her mouth and ſwallowed vp (or rather downe) Corah and his company, ſo low as before they had exalted themſelues high.

Laſtly, looke vponupon Herod in his pride ſmitten by an Angell of the Lord, and eaten vp of wormes, becauſe he tooke Gods honour to himſelfe, when vponupon an Oration made, the people ſhouted,Act. 12.22.23.Acts 12:22Acts 12:23 ſaying, The voice of God and not of man.

Each of theſe examples cals to vsus, and in effect ſaith as Senacheribs image (one who was deſtroyed for like pride) which was ſet vp in Aegypt with this inſcription, foreign, Learne at the ſight of mee to feare God, and in his feare to be humble. And thus much for Satans pride.