Sweet and Soul-Persuading Inducements Leading Unto Christ, Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
SEcondly, In this may we alſo behold the pernicious and hatefull evill of ſelf-exaltation:Danger of ſelf-exaltation opened and diſſwaded. mans magnifying himſelfe above the ſtatutes and ordinances of God, by ſetting up his own inventions; above his brethren, by thinking better of himſelfe then of others, hunting after the praiſe and applauſe of men, ſtriving to commend himſelf to men, and to make himſelfe glorious in the eyes of men; this is repugnant to the property and practiſe of them that live the life of true holineſſe, of them that proſtrate themſelves and all that is theirs under the feet of Chriſt Jeſus, and evill from which the Apoſtle diſſwades us, lGal. 5.26.let us not be deſirous of vaine glory. Let us not exalt our ſelves above others, let us not ſtrive nor ſtudy to bee magnified of others, let us not pleaſe and bleſſe our ſelves in the vain applauſe of others; it is not humane applauſe, but Gods approbation, which miniſters matter of true glorying to a Chriſtian; we ſhould rejoyce to ſee God glorified, but feare to heare our ſelves applauded, leaſt our perſons be idolized, leaſt our hearts be vainly elevated, and Gods glory obſcured. It is the crown and glory of a Chriſtian to abaſe himſelfe in the eyes of his Brethren for Gods exaltation; but ſhame at laſt will be that mans portion, who is ambitious and ſtudious of ſelfe-exaltation; that man hath no cauſe to thinke that God will at laſt put the crowne of glory upon his head, who now takes the crown of praiſe from his God, m1 Sam. 2.30.them that honour me, ſaith the Lord, will I honour, and they that despiſe me ſhall be lightly eſteemed; them that honour me, by conſecration of themſelves to my ſervice, by ſubjection unto my precepts, by ſincere intendment of me, and my glory in their undertakings, them will I honour, with the communication of my choyſeſt graces to their ſoules, with the diſpenſation of my bleſſing upon their labours, by cauſing their way to be proſperous, and by making them amiable and acceptable in the eyes of their godly brethren, and by putting into the hearts of their very enemies, an honourable opinion of them; humble ſubjection under God, holy walking with God, and comfortable fruition of the witneſſe of God, is the moſt bright and beautifull crowne of a Chriſtian; he that can moſt readily ſuffer himſelf to be abaſed for God, ſhall undoubtedly be moſt highly exalted by God; but God ſhall cover that mans face with ſhame and confuſion, who diſhonours God by falſe exaltation, for they that deſpiſe me ſhall be lightly esteemed, ſaith the Lord; they that deſpiſe me, by nouriſhing diſhonourable thoughts in themſelves of my moſt glorious and incomprehenſible eſſence, of my moſt ſacred and divine attributes, of my moſt wiſe and unſearchable counſels, or of the high and holy way of my moſt powerfull, juſt and gracious providence; they that deſpiſe me, by contemning my ſtatutes, by neglecting my ordinances, by ſlighting my ſervants, by profaning my name and my ſervice, or by not uſing and benefitting by my word, by my chaſtiſements and favours; they ſhall be lightly eſteemed, accounted vile in my ſight, and made vile in the eyes of men; he that exalts himſelf and his own luſts to the diſhonour of his God, is of all perſons the moſt baſe and ignominious. And ſelf exaltation is indeed a very great and dangerous evill. For
Evils of ſelf-exaltation 1 Root & ſpring of foule impieties.1. Self-exaltation is the root and spring of many foule impieties, the unhappy mother of many curſed daughters; mans pride and prophane contempt of Gods precepts, is the Originall of all vices, mans elevating himſelfe and his owne corrupt affections and carnall purpoſes above the ſacred limits which God hath ſet him, leads him into every tranſgreſſion: Pride in the heart, like Sheba in Iſrael, blowes the Trumpet and draws the whole ſoule into rebellion againſt God, as he drew Iſrael to rebell againſt David. Self-exaltation moved our firſt Parents to eat the forbidden fruit; Corah, Dathan and Abiram to rebell againſt Moſes; Saul to plot the death of David; Pharaoh to lay heavy burthens upon the children of Iſrael; Abſolon to labour the depoſition of his Father from the throne: Pride makes a man nH…b. 2.5. Pro. 13.10. Pſa. 10.2. Pſa. 119.69. Pſa. 123.4.in…atiable in his deſires, contentious with his neighbours, injurious to his fellow-ſervants, ſlanderous in his ſpeeches; a contemner of ſuch as are truly holy and gracious, and impatient of the yoake of Gods precepts; thorough pride man will not have Chriſt rule over him, hee will not ſtoope and bow to Gods Commandement, but exalts himſelfe above God, and becomes a law-giver to himſelf, walking after the counſell and imagination of his owne heart; God hath ever leaſt poſſeſſion, where pride hath moſt ſway and dominion; all ſorts of vices are the Subjects of the Common-weale of that ſoul, where pride ſits in the heart as a King in his throne: Pride (ſaith Auguſtine) is the beginning, Superbia eſt omnium peccatorum initium & ſinis, & cauſa; quum non ſolum peccatum eſt ipſa ſuperbia, &c.end and cauſe of all ſinne, pride being not onelyonly ſin, but alſo no ſinne can, could or may be without pride, ſince ſinne is nothing elſe but a contempt of God, whereby we deſpiſe his precepts, and nothing perſwades man to this but pride; and pride (ſaith Aquinas) is the beginning of all ſinne; in regard of time, the firſt ſinne of the Divell in heaven, and of Adam in Paradiſe; in regard of the cauſe, contempt of God the cauſe of ſin, being found in every ſin, and in regard of Originall, all other vices ſpringing either mediately or immediately from this; the more a man exalts himſelfe, the more he diſhonours God, the more a man doth lift himſelf up in his own conceit and opinion, the more he doth caſt & plung himſelf into the gulf and mire of ſpirituall pollution: fulnes of pride and fulneſſe of uncleanneſſe are inſeparable companions.
2. Self-exaltation is the patron and protector of all other vices, 2. Patron of all vices.this blinds men, that they cannot ſee their ſinnes, this hardens men, that they will not confeſſe their ſinnes, this makes men ſuch admirers of themſelves and their owne wayes that they apprehend their very vices to be virtues, this makes men ſtudious and artificiall to cloake and colour, and hide their ſins, this makes inſtruction and admonition the meanes of ſuppreſſing ſin contemptible, and cauſeth man with impudency and ſhameleſſe boldneſſe to maintaine and plead for his profaneneſſe, the ſoule which learnes not to be humble, cannot ceaſe from tranſgreſſion; pride among other vices is like Goliah among the Philistines, the Philiſtines were invincible untill Goliah was overthrowne, other luſts in the ſoule of man are impugnable, untill pride and ſelf-exaltation is caſt downe, mans labour in the worke of mortification is vain and fruitles untill his pride is mortified, the ſpirituall conqueſt is never gotten, as long as pride beares the dominion: He that overcomes not this, overcomes no luſt; Selfe-exaltation in the ſoule of man is like a Caſtle or Fort, and other vices like houſes built under the Caſtle, which cannot eaſily be aſſaulted and beaten downe, becauſe the Fort defends them, the overthrow of other vices is impoſſible, untill the Caſtle of pride is beaten downe in the heart of man; the Phariſees being given to ſelf-exaltation, to the ſeeking and lifting up of themſelves, were under the power of every baſe luſt, erronious, ſuperſtitious, covetous, malicious, their very piety was nothing but hypocriſie; he that doth not ceaſe from himſelf will ceaſe from no ſinne, if he be but once put upon the temptation;Pro. 3.7. therefore be not wiſe (ſaith Solomon) in thine owne eyes, feare the Lord and depart from evill, implying that where there is not a ceſſation from ſelf-wiſdome and ſelf-exaltation, there is no feare of God, no keeping of Gods precepts, no diſpoſition, no care to pleaſe God, no ceſſation from ſin for conſcience ſake, therfore take away this vice (ſaith Chryſoſtome) that men would not appeare to men; Tolle boc vitiū ut nolint homines apparere hominibus & ſine labore omnia vitia reſecanturthis vice of ſelf-exaltation, and all vices are cut off without labour. VponUpon the death of the firſt-borne of Pharaoh the children of Iſrael were delivered, upon the mortification of pride, the firſt-borne of the ſpirituall Pharaoh, the ſoules of men obtain a gracious freedome. Goliahs head being cut off, all the Philiſtines fled, the death of pride is the ſlight of all ſinne; he that exalts himſelfe remaines both a ſtranger to the life, power and comfort of all godlineſſe, and a nurſe and patron to all unclean and baſe affections.
3. Moſt invincible of all vices.3. Self-exaltation is the moſt invincible of all vices; the roots thereof are ſo deepe and ſtrong, and ſo largely ſpread in the heart of man, it puts the ſoule at ſuch a great diſtance from God, makes man ſo uncapable of Chriſt, and heavenly wiſdome, ſo weds man unto himſelfe, and cauſeth man ſo to pleaſe and delight himſelfe in himſelfe, ſo to prize the applauſe of man, and to ſlight the approbation of God, that there is no diſeaſe in the ſoul of man ſo uneaſily cured, no weed in the garden of mans heart ſo uneaſily plucked up, no enemy in the common-weale of mans ſoul ſo difficultly overcome as ſelf-exaltation, it is the hardeſt taske that ever man undertooke, truly to deny himſelfe and fully to proſtrate and put himſelfe under God and Chriſts yoake. Pharaoh did many things in the way of love and honour to Joſeph, he put his ring upon his hand and arrayed him in veſtures of fine linnen, and ſet him over his houſe, but yet he reſerved this unto himſelfe, to be greater in the throne then Joſeph; man may doe much in the way of outward zeale for God, he may exalt God very farre, above his profit, above his pleaſure, above his peace, yea above his life, and yet ſtill reſerve to himſelfe a preheminence above God, he may cloath the naked, feed the hungry, and give his body to be burned in the cauſe of God, and yet doe all this for himſelfe, more then for his God, for his owne applauſe more then for the praiſe of God, for the having of a name with men, more then for the glorifying of the name of God. Of all conqueſts, ſelfe-conqueſt is the moſt difficult, moſt excellent, moſt noble and glorious, he that can oPro. 16.32.rule his spirit (ſaith Solomon) his proud, his ſelf-ſeeking and ſelf-exalting ſpirit, is better then he that taketh a City. Man hath no greater enemy then himſelf, he never doth more excellently then when he overcomes himſelfe, the overcoming of a Kingdome is nothing in compariſon of mans conqueſt of his owne corruption, pride is the firſt evill in mans departure from God, and the laſt evill which is overcome in man returning unto God. p2 Sam. 23 12 Cum bene pugnaris cum cuncta ſubjecta putaru, que poſt inteſtat vincenda ſuperbia reſtat.Shamma ſtood it out and defended the field when the people fled. Self-exaltation ſtands it out like a mighty champion in the heart of man, when all other luſts ſeeme to fly; when other luſts goe out like fire that wants fewell, yet this luſt of ſelf-exaltation, as long as any thing of the old-man remaines in man, will put it ſelf forth and ſtrive to ſoare aloft, and climbe up in the thron of God. Man hath moſt cauſe to watch & pray againſt ſelf-exaltation of all the evils which are within him.
4. Self-exaltation corrupteth and deſtroyeth all the gifts and graces beſtowed on man; 4. Corrupter of all giftsthe evill herbe in the Prophets pot made the pot a pot of death; q2 Kin 4.40.ambition and ſelf-exaltation in the ſoule of man marres all the excellencies of man, turns all his gifts into a pot of death, poyſons all the endowments of man, the more he hath received, the leſſe mindfull he is of God, the higher thoughts he conceiveth of himſelfe, the more able and active he ſheweth himſelf in evill, and the more he ſleights and ſcornes all inſtruction: That man of all others is the fitteſt inſtrument to doe the worke of the prince of darkneſſe in whom abilities and a proud ſpirit are concurrent; this like leaven ſowrs the whole lump of mans vertues, the rEx. 15.25.tree ſweetned the waters of Marah which were bitter, but this like gall and wormwood ſowres and imbitters thoſe gifts and abilities which in themſelves are very ſweet and of ſingular uſe, making vertue and the duties of piety, ſubject and ſerviceable to mans vain-glory; it is Gregories obſervation that as humility cuts the ſinews of all vices, and ſtrengthens all vertues, ſo pride deſtroyes all vertues, and ſtrengthens all vices; pride is a very pernicious and venimous herbe, poyſoning all the liquor in the pot, his vertues will at the laſt be cenſured as vices, in whom the ambitious humour of ſelf-exaltation beares dominion, the leaſt meaſure of grace with humility and meekneſſe is farre better then the greateſt abilities with a proud ſpirit: It is better feeding on a ſlender diſh well ſeaſoned, then on a great diſh furniſhed with all dainties having poyſon mingled with it.
5. Spirituall barrenneſſe.5. Self-exaltation keepes the ſoule barren, barren of knowledge; he that exalts himſelfe regards not wholeſome counſell, he rejects the Word of God, and there is no true wiſdome in him; the proud (ſaith the Apoſtle) s1 Tim. 6.4.knowes nothing: Nothing of God the Father regenerating him, of Chriſt redeeming him, of the Spirit ſanctifying him, of the Word enlightning, humbling, changing and renewing him; he leanes upon his owne corrupt and carnall reaſon, a lamp wherin is no light; the proud mans light is darkneſſe, his very knowledge is miſerable and wretched ignorance; he continues barren of Faith, he builds on man and not on Chriſt, How can ye tIoh. 5.44.beleeve (ſaith Chriſt) who ſeeke honour one of another, and not the honour which cometh from God; he remaines barren of love, a ſelf-lover, and no lover of God, the motion of his heart is terminated within himſelfe, he brings forth all his fruit unto himſelfe, and is an uHoſ. 10.1.empty vine in Gods accounts he continues barren of all grace. God giving grace to the humble, but wIam. 4 6.reſiſting the proud. Iſidore relates that on the mountaine on Libanus there are Cedars very tall, and gloriouſly flouriſhing, but never bearing fruit, and the reaſon is rendered, becauſe the Mountains on which they grow are ſo high, that they receive not the reflection of the Sun-beames, and the waters naturally deſcend unto the valleyes. Thus ſelf-exalters ſeated on the high Mountaines of common abilities are barren of all fruit acceptable unto God, becauſe they are neither ſavingly enlightned, nor warmed with the beames of the Sun of Righteouſneſſe, nor watered with the dew and moyſture of heavenly grace; none more empty of ſaving goodnes then ſuch as are moſt exalted in their own imaginations.
6. Self-exaltation abaſeth God: 6. Abaſement of God.The Philiſtines placed their Dagon above the Arke, the proud man ſets himſelf above God, ambitious ſelf-exalters, like ſo many petty Antichriſts, exalt themſelves above all that is called God. They ſet themſelves above the law of God, they xPſ. 2.2.breake the bands therof aſunder and caſt away the cordes therof from them, they ſerve not God according to Gods inſtitution, but after their own invention, inſtead of receiving Gods preſcription, they preſcribe how God ſhall be ſerved by them: they exalt themſelves above the Miniſters of God, they eſteeme not their inſtruction, their words are in their account but babling; they exalt themſelves above the offices of Chriſt, they entertain not Chriſt as a Prophet inſtructing them, as a Prieſt to ſanctify them, as a King to beare ſpirituall dominion within them; they exalt themſelves above the attributes of God, above the dominion of God, refuſing ſubjection above the wiſedome of God, rejecting his counſell, not ſuffering themſelves to be guided by him, and above the power of God, reſting upon an arme of fleſh, and not upon the arme of the Lord; there is no ſin that makes man more injurious unto God, nor that ſets man in greater oppoſition againſt God, then ſelf-exaltation; all other vices, ſaith Gregory, fly from God to the creature, as covetous to gold and ſilver, luxury to fleſhly delights, &c. OnelyOnly pride oppoſeth it ſelfe againſt God and uſurps that unto it ſelfe which is proper to God. I ſay unto you (ſaith Bernard) that every proud man exalts himſelfe above God, for God will have his will to be done, and the proud man will have his will to be done, but God only in things which right and reaſon doth approve, the proud man in things which are beſide and againſt both right and reaſon; man doth very ſhamefully abaſe God by exalting himſelfe and his own will, above the word and will of God.
7. Self deceitfulneſſe.7. Self-exaltation deceiveth, making man thinke himſelfe wiſe, when he is ignorant; holy, when he is profane; free, when he is captive; full, when he is empty: It makes man appeare unto himſelfe to be another then in deed he is. Like him in the Prophet that dreamed he had eaten, and was full, but when he awakened he found himſelfe empty: No man more apt to be deluded then he that is ſelf-conceited and deſirous to be applauded.
8. Shamefull abaſement of man.8. This likewiſe ſhamefully abaſeth man, makes him the conſort and very habitation of Satan. God dwels with the humble, Satan with the proud, whom God reſiſteth, Satan poſſeſſeth, the more a man doth exalt himſelfe againſt God, the more he doth abaſe himſelfe under Satan, the more God with-drawes himſelf from him, the nearer Satan draweth to him, the more God abhorres him, the more delight Satan takes in him; and therfore the proud man is not unfitly termed by one, umbraculum Satanae, a ſhadow ſet by Satan againſt the Sun of Righteouſneſſe, driving the light of grace from him, and making himſelfe a ſhadow for Satan to ſleep and reſt in. O how diſhonourable, baſe and ſhamefull is their condition, who ſeeke their owne honour with Gods diſhonour: Hee that moſt magnifies himſelfe above others, is the moſt baſe of all others: He alone that puts himſelfe and all that is his under Chriſt is truly honourable; he that exalts himſelfe and denyes obedience to Chriſt is moſt baſe and contemptible; he that is not Gods holy and gracious ſervant is Satans ſhamefull and unhappy ſlave.
9. And laſtly, Self-exaltation alienates man from Heaven; 9 Alienation from heaven.the way to Heaven is by humility and ſelf-denyall; Jonathan and his Armour-bearer aſcending the hill, 1 Sam. 14. crept upon their hands and their feet; Chriſt humbled himſelfe and then he was exalted, he went by the Croſſe to the Crowne, and all believers his armour-bearers and followers, as many as intend Heaven muſt tread the ſteps of Chriſt, vaile and bow to Chriſts Scepter, he muſt learn of Chriſt to be meeke and lowly, hee muſt deny himſelfe and take up his Croſſe and follow Christ, or he can never enter into Chriſts glorious reſt; hell is the appointed habitation for every ſoule that is not humble, God will caſt downe them that exalt themſelves; the Lord will ſhame them, who honour themſelves and not him, this is the great evill and danger of ſelf-exaltation.