The Arraignment of Pride, Chapter 25
CHAP. 25. Of the greatneſs of this ſin of Pride.
SECT. 1.
1. THe greatneſs of this ſin may be made manifeſt in reſpect of its original, the height of the place from whence it deſcended; it was born in heaven, Superbia in caelo nata eſt; ſed velut immemor, qua via inde cecidit, … luc poſtea redire non potuit. Hugo.in the breaſts of thoſe Angels that kept not their firſt eſtate; therefore Hierome ſaith, that it is Natione caeleſtis, by nation heavenly; How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer ſon of the morning! For thou haſt ſaid in thy heart, I will aſcend into heaven, Iſa. 14.12, 13, 14, 15.I will exalt my throne above the ſtars of God, &c. I will aſcend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the moſt High. Pride labouring to aſcend into heaven, the Lord throws it down. Therefore, ſaith he, thou ſhalt be brought down to hell, &c.
2. It is an epidemical evil; it appeareth in all ſorts of men and women whatſoever: many are prophane and proud of their prophaneſs, they glory in their ſhame, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks; as it is ſaid of Ephraim, Hoſ. 7.10. Iſa. 3.9.the pride of Iſrael teſtifieth to his face, and they do not return to the Lord their God. The … countenance doth witneſs againſt them, Quidampro carnalibus, quidam pro ſpiritualibus ſuperbiunt, & eſt una ſuperbia ſub diverſo colore. Bernar. 1 Tim. 3.2, 3, 4.and they declare their ſin as Sodom, they hide it not: the ſhew of their countenance did declare that they did glory in their ſhame: men think it a piece of bravery that they are ſermon-proof, and can ſtand out againſt all the threatnings of the word: and among profeſſors of religion, and thoſe that have a forme of goodneſs, Paul ſaith, that in the latter daies, there ſhould be ſuch as ſhould be ſelf-lovers, covetous, proud, boaſters, blaſphemers, deſpiſers of thoſe that are good; Women as well as men are given to pride; pride being caſt out of heaven, and wandring upon earth, a woman took her in, and there ſhe hath dwelt ever ſince. The ſhop of pride is the womans wardrope.traitours, heady, high minded, &c. O Lord, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou haſt stricken them, but they have not grieved, &c. therefore ſaid I, ſurely theſe are poor, theſe are fooliſh, for they know not the way of the Lord, nor the judgement of their God, Jer. 5.4, 5. I will get me unto the great men, and will ſpeak unto them, for they have known the way of the Lord, and the judgement of their God: but theſe have altogether broken the yoke and burſt the bonds, ſaith the Prophet. Aretius complaineth why Goſpel-government could not be carried on among the Helvetian Churches, becauſe the great men would not come under the yoke, Iſa. 3.16.and the common people loved to live at liberty; hence it was that there was ſo little good done among them. Pride you ſee is an univerſal general ſin, that hath corrupted all eſtates, and from which none are free: Pride being ſeated in the heart, cannot alwaies be diſcovered or diſcerned by the habit; it may as well be found in a poor country cottage, as in a ſumptuous Princely Palace: under a leathern jerkin, as under a velvet jacket. Diogenes ſaid of pride, It was a ſhepherd, and the vulgar were the ſheep, which it carried from place to place even as it would. And whereas other ſins are committed at ſome time, in ſome place, by ſome perſon, Non ſit novitios, accioche gonfiato di ſuperbia, not a novice leſt he be pufft up with pride as a bladder pufft with wind. Nuovamente piantato ne la fede, ma ben inſtructo. Ital. Annot. in 1 Tim. 3.6.this may be committed both at the Court, in the City, Town and Country, in the Church, Field and Houſe, and whereſoever a man be, carrying his proud mind, haughty heart, and high ſpirit with him; Item at all times, by night or by day; nay howſoever a man be employed, whither he be ſolitary and alone by himſelf, or whither in company with others: one compareth pride unto death which ſpareth none, high nor low; pride hath more tricks and cunning to allure the hearts of men then other ſins; yea this is a ſin to which Miniſters as well as others are ſubject; therefore the Apoſtle would not have a novice that is unmortified and unexperienced, enter into the Miniſtery, leſt he be pufft up with pride, and fall into the condemnation of the devil: as the devil laboureth to infect all ſorts of perſons with the ſin of pride, ſo eſpecially the Preachers of the Goſpel: as appeareth in that he raiſeth a ſtrife for precedency and ſuperiority even among Chriſts own Diſciples: Luk. 9.46.and they that are acquainted with Church hiſtories, Superbia caeleſtes appetit mentes.know right well, that the precedencies of Biſhops, and their Seas and Seats, hath been a point too much canvaſed in many Councels. And this old Sophiſter and peſtilent Polititian the Devil, hath great reaſon to beſtir himſelf to breed ambition and faction among ſuch perſons.
1. Becauſe they fall not alone, but like blazing ſtars draw tails after them, they draw many others after them. Gualt in Lu…Gualter expounds and applies the falling of the ſtar into the bottomeleſs pit, obſcuring the ſun, and ingendring locuſts, to the pride and apoſtacy of the Roman Church, and of the Paſtors thereof, Rev. 9. and doubtleſs pride in the Miniſtery, will breed prophaneſs in the people.
2. Becauſe while they intend this, they cannot attend their flocks, nor give attendance to reading, to exhortation, and to doctrine, as Paul adviſeth Timothy: 1 Tim. 4.13.nay while they ſeek themſelves, and their own things unmeaſurably, they cannot truly ſeek the things of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; even as when the Shepherds follow other things, their flocks muſt needs go to wrack: So when Paſtors altogether mind their own advancement on earth, they are not ſo induſtrious as they ſhould be to bring their people to heaven.Pride is a King, and all other vices are attendants upon it.
3. Pride is the moſt ſtately, and the moſt coſtly ſin: it ſits like a Queen with a Crown upon its head, Iſa. 28.1. It cometh like a King with a huge troop and train of attendants, and (as a King) requireth more charges to maintain it than other ſins; therefore ſome perſons will put themſelves upon many inconveniences to maintain their pride. One ſaith, that pride hath gotten a coach drawn with four horſes, an ambitious deſire of rule and dominion, love of proper praiſe, diſobedience of all laws and governments, and contempt of others; the wheels of this coach are verboſity, and boaſting, levity, and arrogancy: the coach-man is the ſpirit of pride; the lovers of honour and worldly vanities are thoſe that ride in the coach; the horſes are without bridles, the wheels without any ſtay; and thoſe that are carried, are giddy weak and inconſtant, full of motion and mutation.
4. It is a ſin hardly rooted out where once it is ſeated: it plaies Rex, and will not eaſily be diſpoſſeſt. Cum benè cunctaris, cum cuncta ſubacta putaris: Quae prius infeſtat, vincenda ſuperbia reſtat.As great Princes do not eaſily ſuffer themſelves to be diſpoſſeſſed of thoſe ſtrong holds that they once ſet foot in: it is much more eaſie to avoid other ſins; as drunkenneſs, luxury, theft, murder, and ſuch groſs ſins, Sub hoste quem occidit, moritur, qui de culpâ quam ſuperat elevatur. Gregor.then the ſin of pride; and the devil thinks himſelf more ſure of a man by pride, than by any other ſin: for as an Archer, if he ſhoot a dear or any other beaſt in the foot, or leg, or ſide, is not ſure of his game; but if he ſtrike him in the heart, then he is his own: ſo Satan by other ſins doth but ſlightly wound the ſoul; but by pride he gives it a deadly wound. Pride is the firſt ſin that declareth its life and vigour in a child, and the laſt that dieth in a man: we read that Abimilechs skull was broke by a piece of a milſtone thrown down upon him by the hand of a woman; Judg 9.54.the man being ready to die, called out haſtily to his armour-bearer, ſaying, Slay me, that men ſay not of me, A woman ſlew him. Note, ſaith Chryſoſtome on this place, Chryſoſt. in Judic. He dies under the hands of the enemy which he had ſlain, that is proud of the ſin he hath overcome.the man was dying, but his pride would not die. As it is the firſt enemy that aſſaults the ſoul, ſo it is the laſt that quits the field; other vices are mortified and ſubdued, and forced to forſake the field before life forſakes our bodies; but pride alone holds out to the laſt; it is ultimus diaboli laqueus, the laſt ſnare of the devil, a ſtain hardly waſht out; and many times it grows out of the aſhes of other ſins; when a man hath overcome all other ſins, Inter omnia peccata, tu ſemper es prima, tu ſemper es ultima; nam omne peccatum te accedente committitur, te recedente dimittitur. Innocent. de contemptu mundi. lib. 2. cap. 31.yet then is he to buckle with this Giant of pride. As death is the laſt enemy, ſo pride is the laſt ſin that ſhall be deſtroyed. Among all ſins, ſaith Innocentius, ſpeaking to pride, thou art the firſt, and thou alwaies art the laſt: and as the Iſraelites were delivered, when the firſt-born of Egypt were ſlain, ſo we might hope the ſooner to be delivered from our other ſins, if once we could be free and rid of this, which Mr. Dent calleth the Maſter-pock of the ſoul.
SECT. 2.
5. PRide is found in every ſin, in every ſin there is a ſpice of pride; in every ſin there is found ſome contempt of God and his law: when we refuſe to obey Gods commandments, doth it not proceed from pride? Nehem. 9.16, 17.they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardned their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments, and refuſed to obey, there is pride in diſobedience. Agur when he makes his requeſt to God for a middle eſtate, he ſets down the fear of his own heart, what evils he might run into, Prov. 30.9.if God ſhould give him abundance; leſt I be full, Cartwr. in loc.and deny thee, and ſay, Who is the Lord? Mr. Cartwright ſaith, this ſeems to be ſo intolerable, Every contempt of God is pride: but every ſin is a contempt of God: Ergo every ſin is pride. Aug. lib. de nat. et gratiâ.that it ſcarce falls upon a Profeſſor; this ſeems to be Pharaohs ſin, Exod. 5.2. who ſaid, Who is the Lord that I ſhould obey his voice? yet holy Agur found ſome roots of this ſin even in himſelf; Leſt I be full and deny thee, and ſay Who is the Lord? So likewiſe when men are impatient, and ſet themſelves to controul the wiſdom and power of God, this is a great pride, and a charging of God with folly. Job is acquitted from this, being ſilent under the hand of God. Shall any man teach God knowledge, ſeeing he judgeth thoſe that are high? Job. 21.22.one dies in his full ſtrength, being wholly at eaſe and quiet: his breſts are full of milk, and his bones are moiſtned with marrow; Peccatum ſuperbiae committitur, cum quis praeceptum contemnendo peccat. Aug ſuper. Num. cap. 25. p. 242. Eccl. 7.10.and another dieth in the bitterneſs ef his ſoul, and never eateth with pleaſure; they ſhall lie down alike in the duſt, and the worms ſhall cover them. Job ſpeaks of the different diſpenſations of Gods Providence towards men; now when we murmur againſt ſuch paſſages of Providence, this is for a man to teach God knowledge. Therefore Solomon ſaith, Say not thou, what is the cauſe that the former daies were better than theſe? for thou doſt not enquire wiſely concerning this: you may ſee boyes ſometimes ſtand upon their heads and hands, and toſs up their heels againſt heaven; ſo do men like ſuch children, toſs their heels againſt heaven, when they kick and murmur at Gods providential diſpenſations.
SECT. 3.
6. PRide is the root of all evil.
1. It is the root of all hereſies: Auſtin ſaith that pride is the mother of all hereſies and hereticks, and that all doctrines of impiety do come forth from the root of pride. Superbia mater omnium haereſium & haereticorum. Omnes doctrinae impietatis de radice ſuperbiae proveniunt. Auguſt.And Bernard ſaith, that in all hereticks, there was ever one intention, viz. a hunting after honour and glory from ſingularity of knowledge. The Gnoſticks ſwelled with Pride, that they knew all things, and therefore were ſo called, though many of them were notorious hereticks, and men of brutiſh lives. Simon Magus whom the Church-hiſtory calls the firſt author of all hereſies, was very proud, giving out that himſelf was ſome great one, to whom all gave heed from the leaſt to the greateſt, Omnibus haereticis unae ſemper ſuit intentio, ſc. captare gloriam de ſingularitate ſcientiae. Bern. in Cant Euſeb. hiſt. lib. 2. cap. 13.ſaying This man is the great power of God; the ſame Simon was counted in Rome for a God, having his picture between two bridges on the river Tiber, with this inſcription, Simoni deo ſancto, to Simon the holy God. Pride and ſelf-conceitedneſs is the root of all hereſie. Suum cuique pulchrum, Scindentes & elati, & ſibi placentes. Irenaeus, adverſ. haereſ lib 4 Hoſ. 12.1. Habak. 2 5every one thinks his gooſe to be a ſwan; proud men think themſelves to be ſomething when they are nothing. Naturaliſts do obſerve of the wolfe, that ſhe liveth certain months of the wind; ſo proud men (like Ephraim) do feed on the wind, and follow after the eaſt-wind of their own conceits: the proud man is as he that tranſgreſſeth by wine: Pride is a ſoul-drunkenneſs, an intemperance of the affections, Quanto amplius quis ſuperbiâinvolvitur tanto lucem veritatis minus intuetur. Anſelm. de ſimilit. cap. 98.when men are not wiſe to ſobriety, then as drunkards fall into abſurd and ridiculous actions conceiting ſtrange things of themſelves; ſo proud perſons fall into ridiculous and abſurd opinions, being blown up with high conceits of their own wiſdom. Facies mea inflata non ſinebat me videre. Auguſt.Pride ſuffers not a man to ſee or know himſelf: as Auſtin well knew, when he ſaid, My ſwoln face ſuffereth me not to ſee: meaning his proud heart hindred him from looking into his own ſtate: which is evident in this ſtory of Simon the leper, and Mary Magdalen: of which one comments thus: the Phyſitian ſtood between two diſeaſed perſons, Hymeneus and Alexander made ſhipwrack of faith. Hymeneus was a preacher full of oſtentation, a ſtriver about words to no profit, whoſe words did eat like a Gangrene.but one of the ſick folke was ſenſible of that great ſickneſs, the other was inſenſible of his eſtate, being ignorant of this thing, that he was far from his ſalvation, which ſenſeleſneſs came from his heart ſwoln with pride and conceit of his own worthineſs. 1 Tim. 2.14, 16. And Baronius ſaith, Alexander was the Jew mentioned, Act. 16.33 a forward man in the Apoſtles cauſe. Pſal. 25.9. Baron. annal. Tom. 1. ad ann. 57. Nullum malum eſt, quod ſuperbiae par ſit; ex bomine facit daemonem, convitiatorem, maledicum, perjurum, mortis ac caedis cupidum. Superbus perpetuus eſt in triſtibus, perpetuò indignatur, perpetuò maeret, nibil eſt, quod hanc animi ipſius paſſionem exaturare queat: quemadmodum enim avari, quantò plura acceperint, tanto pluribus egent; ita & arrogantes, quantò majore honore fruuntur, tantò cupiunt honorari magis. Creſcit enim illis iſta animi paſſio. Paſſi verò finem non novit, ſed tum primum ceſſat, quando laborantem occiderit. Chryſoſt. homil. 1. in 2. ad Theſſalonic. Caput omnium morborum. Baſil. Caput omnium peccatorum ſuperbia. Auguſt.A proud man is alwaies looking after high things, exerciſing himſelf in things that are too wonderful for him; therefore (like the Philoſopher ſtaring at the ſtars) he ſtumbleth at a ſtone, and falls into the ditch of errour. God hideth heavenly myſteries from thoſe that are wiſe and prudent in their own eyes, and revealeth them to humble babes: thoſe that God teacheth are meek and humble ones; whereas God doth not teach but reſiſt the proud.
2. It is the root of all other ſins: Initium peccati ſuperbia, Pride is the beginning of ſin, ſaith Petrarch; and the ſon of Syrach hath ſaid as much before him, Eccluſ. 10.4. it is the head of all vices, and the ſink of all iniquities, it is the center from which the lines of all vices are drawn.
1. It is the root of envy: one proud man would excel and go before all men; Sola miſeria caret invidia.therefore he grieveth if any one be equal with him or compared unto him; and from hence ariſeth envy. Becauſe the women in their dances ſaid, Saul had ſlain his thouſands, 1 Sam. 18.7, 8, 9.and David his ten thouſands; Saul was very wroth, and the ſaying diſpleaſed him, and he ſaid, They have aſcribed unto David ten thouſands, Fools and beggers are never envied.and to me but thouſands, and what can he have more but the Kingdom? And Saul eyed David from that day forward; that is, he caſt an envious eye upon him. This temper ſeemed to be in Chriſts own Diſciples; Luk. 9 49. Invidus non eſt idoneus auditor. Ariſtot. His ears are not fit to his head Adams.for John cometh to Chriſt, and ſaith, Maſter, we ſaw one caſting out devils in thy name, and we forbad him, becauſe he followed not thee with us; now this was but an unreaſonable reaſon of their prohibition; and it is a fault as well as a faſhion of all Profeſſions to advance themſelves, and to keep others under: Auſtin ſaith, that Pride envies all ſuperiours, becauſe it cannot be equal to them; envies his inferiours, becauſe it fears it ſhould be equal to it; and equals, becauſe they are equal to it: There cannot be a greater vexation to an envious man, than to ſee another do well by him; therefore Seneca wiſheth, that ſuch perſons had eyes and ears in all places, that they might even pine themſelves away by repining at other mens well-fare; and Diogenes adviſed one to become good to be revenged of a proud man that was his enemy. Envious perſons would have all men cut to their ſcantling, and every bodies foot of the juſt length of their laſt: theſe are not unlike Procruſtes or Gobryas, Invidia hominum vanorum aſſeclaeſt. Plut. Mor. 1. Luk. 7.38, 39. Quicquid laudabile eſt, invidiae materiam praebet.that cut every body to the juſt length of his bed. When Mary Magdalen (as it is conceived) had waſht the feet of Chriſt with her tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head, and kiſſed his feet, and anointed his feet with pretious ointment, Simon the Phariſee (in whoſe houſe he then was) envied at it; ſaying, This man, if he were a Prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him, for ſhe is a ſinner: hereby he ſheweth his pride and hypocriſie, in thinking better of himſelf, and worſer of others then there was juſt cauſe, thinking and ſpeaking ill of her that was better then himſelf: If he had looked well upon himſelf, he needed not have ſought out in this woman what he might have envied; he might have ſeen enough at home, quod lugeret, what he might have lamented, as Bernard ſpeaks. Tis the humour of all envious proud perſons to deal with ſins, as it befel Moſes's rod; Ex. 4.3, 4.being hurled from him it was a Serpent, but taken to him a rod again: ſo theſe men make their own ſins ſmall, and others great; therefore Chriſt reproveth him for it. Simon, ſaith he, I entred into thine houſe, thou gaveſt me no water for my feet: which was but an ordinary cuſtome in entertainment, and of good uſe in thoſe hot countries, to refrigerate and cool them after their travel; That it was uſual, Gen. 1….4.appeareth by Abrahams entertaining the three Angels, whom he thought to be men; Let a little water I pray you be brought, and waſh your feet, Gen. 19.2.and reſt your ſelves under this tree; the ſame Lot affordeth to the two Angels that come to his City: Gen. 24.32.the ſame Laban doth to Abrahams ſervant and thoſe that were with him: thus an old man of Gibeah doth alſo to the Levite and his Concubine travelling from Bethlehem Judah to mount Ephraim: Jud. 19.21This ordinary favour thou haſt not afforded me, even to waſh my feet with ordinary water; but ſhe hath waſhed them with moſt ſweet water drawn from the fountain of her heart and through the paſſages of her eyes; ſorrow for her ſins, Suetonius ſaith, that Tiberius cauſed his ſon Germanicus to be ſlain, leſt he ſhould ſucceed and prove better then himſelf; and the two eldeſt ſons of Germanicus to be famiſhed, becauſe he thought they were by the people too much honoured.being as it were the bucket to fetch out the ſame; and wiped them with the hairs of her head, a towel not artificially made by her, but naturally growing from her. Thou gaveſt me no kiſs at all, but ſhe ſince my coming in hath given me many, for ſhe hath kiſſed my very feet; mine head and beſt part thou anointedſt not with oyl; but ſhe hath anointed my feet with ointment: therefore ſeeing thou haſt neither ſhewed piety nor pity in waſhing and refreſhing me, nor love and charity in kiſſing and embracing me, nor mirth and joy in annointing me; I may well conclude, that however thou ſpeakeſt fair to me, yet I am never a whit wellcome to thee; and that this woman whom thou envieſt (whatſoever thou thinkeſt of her) is much better then thy ſelf. When Eldad and Medad prophecyed in the camp of Iſrael, Num. 11.28, 29.Joſhua envied at it, and ſaid, My Lord Moſes, forbid them: but Moſes was of another ſpirit: Envieſt thou for my ſake? ſaith he, would God that all the Lords people were Prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon every one of them. So Paul; ſo Chriſt be preached, quomodocunque, Phil. 1.10.he rejoyced, though ſome preacht him out of envy, and ſaid, he would joy: Obj. Doth not Chriſt envy ſalvation and the means thereof to the Scribes and Phariſees, when he thanks his Father for hiding the myſteries thereof from them? Matth 11.25 Anſ. No, but becauſe they refuſed, and ſo for their contempt are thus deſervedly puniſht, he thanks his Father for mingling mercy and juſtice together, viz. juſtice upon the proud, and ſhewing mercy to the humble.and John Baptiſt ſaith of Chriſt, He muſt encreaſe, but I muſt decreaſe; which ſome conceitedly ſay, was ſignified by Johns being born on Midſummerday, when the year was at higheſt and the day longeſt, and now ſhortning; and Chriſt born when the ſun was at the loweſt, and the daies at the ſhorteſt and lengthning. John Baptiſt labours to credit Chriſt among his Diſciples, though with the loſs of his own reputation; ſaying, that Chriſt muſt encreaſe, and he muſt decreaſe; and while he laboureth to credit Chriſt before a few, Chriſt credits him before a great multitude; therefore he ſaid to the multitude concerning John, What went you out to ſee? A Prophet? yea I ſay unto you and more then a Prophet: for if it were a credit for Achilles (as Alexander the great ſometime ſaid of him) to have Homer the trumpeter of his praiſes; then what an honour was it for John Baptiſt to be commended by Chriſt himſelf? Now as for envious perſons one wittily ſaith, Leſt God might ſeem to wrong them in ſending them to heaven, where there are degrees of glory, as there are here of grace; therefore they ſhall go to hell, where they ſhall find no matter of envy, but all the objects of extream miſery.
2. Pride is the root of cenſuring. Pride is like ſome ſevere School-maſter, who will be pleaſed with nothing but of his own doing; Curioſum genus hominum ad cognoſcendam vitam alienam, deſidioſum ad corrigendam ſuam. Auguſt in Confeſ.and therefore it is alwaies cenſuring the actions of others; of ſuch Auſtin ſpeaks, There is a ſort of men that are very curious to pry into other mens lives, but very ſluggiſh to correct their own. Diotrephes loved to have the preheminence among others; therefore ſaith John, He prateth againſt us with malitious words, 3 John 9.10. Raſh cenſuring proceeds from pride; ſuch men think by how much more they depreſs the good name of others, My brethren, be not many Maſters, Jam. 3.1. non ſiate molti cenſori, be not many Judges, or cenſurers ſo others, Ital. Annot. in loc.by ſo much the more they advance their own reputation: I am not as other men are, nor as this Publican, ſaid the proud Phariſee. Both Jeſus Chriſt, himſelf, and John Baptiſt cannot eſcape the cenſures of the proud Phariſees; therefore Chriſt compareth them to fooliſh and froward children ſitting in the market-place (as peradventure the manner of that country then was) and crying one to another, ſaying, We have piped to you, and ye have not danced to our pipe; and we have mourned to you, and you have not lamented, or born your part therein; ſo ſullen and ſurly have you been, as you have thought ſcorn either to accompany us or to comfort us; Imperoche ei reprende un vitio molto uſato tra gle huomini: quando ci aſcuno condanna ſeveramente gli altri permittendo in tanto à ſe ſteſſo ogni coſa. Ibid.to ſuch peeviſh brats our Saviour compareth theſe Scribes and Phariſees, Luk. 7.32. and gives the reaſon of this compariſon, ver. 33, 34. for ſaith he, John Baptiſt came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, i.e. not pampering his pallat, nor pleaſing his fleſh either with delicate and dainty fare, or with coſtly and curious apparel, having uſed ſuch abſtinence and auſterity, that he might ſeem rather an Angel then a man; As Goats in touching the ſweet Almond-tree with their tongues make it turn bitter; ſo proud cerſorious perſons have venome in their hearts, in their tongues, in their breath, in their eyes, as hath the Baſiliske.and what hath he gotten by this behaviour but raſh and unjuſt cenſuring? you ſay he hath a devil, or ſome familiar ſpirit, which makes him able to do this: on the other ſide, concerning my ſelf, you ſay, The Son of man is come eating and drinking, and behold a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of Publicans and ſinners. The Son of man is come, and eats and drinks, and keeps company with great ſinners for their converſion, knowing that he may make them better; but they cannot make him worſe, he being free from corruption, and therefore not capable of contagion; and yet cannot he eſcape your cenſure: thus you are neither well full nor faſting, as the Proverb ſaith, and you will not be brought to any good, either by auſterity or familiarity. Hence I may note, that 'tis an hard matter for a Miniſter ſo to carry himſelf, but he ſhall have a hole pickt in his coat; let a Miniſter live a retired life, and be very ſtudious, and uſe few words, he ſhall be ſaid to be proud and ſtately; let him be but modeſtly and moderately merry in good ſort in company, they will cenſure him to be of a goſſiping diſpoſition; Superbi aliorum vitia in oculis habent, ſua verò à tergo ponunt. Seneca.let him in his preaching ſhew variety of reading, he ſhall be taxed with vain glory: let him keep himſelf cloſe to the Word of God, and apply matters plainly to the conſciences of his hearers, Such men are like the Lamiae in Seneca's Epiſtles, that put their eyes in their heads when they went abroad, and lockt them up at home.he ſhall be counted a dry fellow, and not worth the hearing the ſecond time. But for ſuch as are poſſeſſed with this pride, that ſee nothing that they like, and take not offence at, they had need drink as much as they can of the wine of charity, and that would free them from theſe humours that make them of ſo perverſe a ſpirit.
3. Pride is the cauſe of diſdain; hence it cometh to paſs that men do ſcorn and diſdain at others; diſdain is either in word or in actions.
1. In word: Aſaph ſpeaking of thoſe that were proſperous in the world, Pſ. 73.6, 9.ſaith that pride compaſſeth them about as a chain; they ſpeak loftily, they ſet their mouth againſt the heavens, and their tongue walketh thorow the earth; and they ſay, How doth God know! is there knowledge in the moſt high? and David ſaith, The Jews are charged for ſpeaking ſtout words againſt God, Malac. 3.13. for denying the providence of God.The proud have had me greatly in deriſion: yet have I not declined from thy Law, Pſal. 119.51. and ver. 85. The proud have digged pits for me, and have forged a lie againſt me. Of this kind of diſdain, our Saviour ſpeaks, Mat. 5.22. Whoſoever ſhall ſay to his brother Racha, ſhall be in danger of the councel; but whoſoever ſhall ſay, thou fool, ſhall be in danger of hell fire, i.e. whoſoever ſhall not only be angry with his brother without a cauſe, as in the former part of the verſe, but alſo expreſſeth the pride and wrath of his heart, by ſome diſdainful geſture or expreſſion, ſhall be in danger of the council, Omnes deſpicere ſuperbiae eſt. Plutar. Mor. 1.i. e. of an higher degree and greater meaſure of torment: but he that ſhall ſay, thou fool, aſſe or ideot, ſhallow-brain and cockwit, in contempt of his brothers weakneſs, ſhall be in danger of hell fire; i.e. ſhall undergo the greateſt and higheſt degree of puniſhment. Hereby our Saviour alludeth to the Jewiſh cuſtomes, who had three ſorts of Courts to cenſure and puniſh ſeveral ſorts of offences and offendors.
1. One held by three men in every village, where ſmaller matters were decided and determined, or the wrong doers cenſured and puniſhed: or (as ſome ſay) it was debated, an aliquis eſſet damnandus, whither ſome one were to be condemned?
2. The ſecond held by twenty three, in every of their Cities, Quo ſupplicii genere damnatus eſſet puniendus.before whom were brought matters of an higher nature, and by whom ſevere puniſhments were inflicted, and by whom it was determined, with what kind of puniſhment the condemned perſon was to be puniſhed, not much unlike our quarter-Seſſions.
3. The third and laſt was held at Jeruſalem only, and that by ſeventy two Judges, who had only the greateſt matters of all brought before them, from whoſe ſentence there might be no appeal; Qu. Curtius reports of Alexander the great, that eſpying an old ſouldier ſtiffe in following him in the cold winter, himſelf aroſe and made him ſit in his ſeat by the fire, ſaying he would reſpect not their fortunes, but ages.being not unlike our general Aſſizes, or high Court of Parliament. In a word, Chriſt teacheth us hereby, that as there be degrees of ſins on earth, ſo there ſhall be divers degrees of puniſhments in hell: here by judgement, council and hell fire, are meant eternal torments, though in a leſſer and greater meaſure; and that the ſoreſt puniſhments are provided for proud and diſdainful perſons.
Jeſus spake a parable unto certaein men that truſted in themſelves, Superbire quaſi ſuper ire. Iſidor. Etimolog.and deſpiſed others; He that idolizeth himſelf, is apt to diſdain at others: men are apt to think meanly of others that are inferiour to themſelves in birth, gifts, parts, eſtate, &c. Whoſo deſpiſeth the poor, deſpiſeth his Maker, Prov. 17.5. God made him an object of pity, not of diſdain.
2. There is diſdain in actions: Great was the diſdain of the Jews and Samaritans one towards another, as may appear, John 4.9. where a woman of Samaria refuſeth to do a very ſmall favour to our Saviour Chriſt eo nomine becauſe he was a Jew; Unde enim inſultandi ferocia? unde ſupercilioſa auſteritas? niſi quod ſe quiſquam efferendo alios faſtuoſè & faſtidioſè deſpicit? & abſit arrogantia, & omnes mutuè modeſtiſſimi erimus. Calvin.for asking her but a little water to drink, ſhe denies it him, and thinks ſhe doth well in ſo doing; for ſhe tells him that the Jews and Samaritans meddle not or have nothing to do one with another: ſuch like are they that unjuſtly ſeparate from our publick aſſemblies, like thoſe in the Prophet, that ſay, Stand by thy ſelf, come not neer to me, for I am holier then thou, Iſa. 65.5. Whence cometh that fierce inſulting over others? whence is that ſupercilious auſterity? whence is it that men ſo proudly and diſdainfully deſpiſe others, ſaith Calvin, is it not by extolling themſelves? let arrogancy be far from us, and we ſhall carry our ſelves modeſtly one towards another. When Trajan was cenſured for making the imperial Majeſty of too eaſie an acceſs: Why, ought not I, ſaid he, be ſuch an Emperour to private men, as I would have an Emperour be to me, if I were a private perſon?
SECT. 4.
4. PRide is the cauſe of covetouſneſs; whence came covetouſneſs, racking of rents, biting uſury, &c. but from pride in one kind or other; it is like fire which never ceaſeth climbing up, ſo long as there is any thing above it, till it hath ſpoiled all: the proud man is ſaid to enlarge his deſires after the earth as hell, and is as death, and cannot be ſatisfied, but gathereth unto him all Nations, and heapeth unto him all people, Habak. 2.5.
Object. The Apoſtle ſaith, that covetouſneſs is the root of all evil, 1 Tim. 6.10.how then can pride be the root of covetouſneſs?
Anſw. That both the one and the other may be underſtood to be rightly ſpoken, ſigenera peccatorum ſingulorum, non ſingula generum utraquelocutione includi intelligantur; for there are ſome men, Nonnulli ſunt, qui ex cupiditate fiunt ſuperbi: & aliqui ex ſuperbia fiunt cupidi. Lumb. ſentent. diſtinct. 42.who from covetouſneſs become proud, and ſome from pride become covetous. There is a man, ſaith Auſtin, who would not be a lover of mony, unleſs by this he thought to be more excellent; therefore he coveteth riches that he may excel: here covetouſneſs ſprings from pride; and there is another, who would not love to excel, unleſs he thought by this to get greater riches. Therefore it appeareth, that covetouſneſs ſometimes ſprings from pride, and ſometimes pride from covetouſneſs; and therefore of each is it rightly ſaid, that it is the root of all evil.
5. Pride is the cauſe of diviſion and contention. Prov. 13.10. Euſeb. Eccleſ. hiſt. cap. 10.Pride is the great incendiary of the world: only by pride cometh contention, ſaith Solomon. Euſebius ſheweth, that when the Emperours began to favour the Chriſtians, then they began to fall out and diſagree among themſelves: Plenty and proſperity do uſually make men proud, and pride engendereth ſtrife and contention: He that is of a proud heart ſtirreth up ſtrife. Prov. 28.25. Prov. 21.24.Proud and haughty ſcorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath. When the wind croſſeth the ſtream, the waters rage; ſo a proud heart is apt to rage when any thing croſſeth it. When proud Haman ſaw Mordecai bowed not, Eſther 3.5, 6.nor did him reverence; then was Haman full of wrath, and he thought ſcorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had ſhewed him the people of Mordecai: When Peter Martyr was dead, Bullinger wrote to Zanchy to come to Tigure, and ſucceed him; he tells him it was their Churches chiefeſt care to have a quiet ſpirited man. Hen. Bulling. ad Zanch. inter Zanch. Epiſt. lib. 2. Epiſt. 6.wherefore Haman ſought to deſtroy all the Jews that were in the Kingdom of Ahaſuerus: from this root it was that there aroſe a ſtrife and reaſoning among the Diſciples of Chriſt, who ſhould be greateſt of them: Marke and Luke ſay, the contention was only which of them ſhould be the greateſt, or chiefeſt, expreſſing no place: but that muſt be ſupplied, out of Matthew, Matth. 18.1. who addeth, that the queſtion was, Who ſhould be greateſt in the Kingdom of heaven? Now theſe words by divers, be diverſly expounded: Some underſtanding by Kingdom of heaven a glorious eſtate, which the Diſciples dreamed of, and thought their Maſter ſhould have here on earth, after his reſurrection, where he ſhould raign as King, and they accompany him as Princes, Dukes, and great Lords; and whereof they think that Zebedees wife ſpake, puting up her petition in the behalf of her two ſons, James and John, Mat. 20.21that the one of them might ſit at Chriſts right-hand, and the other at his left-hand in his Kingdom; and that they were of this mind, ſeemeth to appear, Act. 1.6. A quiet ſpirit is in the ſight of God of great price. 1 Pet. 3.4.where between the reſurrection and aſcenſion, they ask their Maſter, Whither at that time he would reſtore the Kingdom to Iſrael? which is expounded of a temporal Kingdom: of this opinion is Muſculus, Melancton, Marlorate, Calvin, and others of our modern Divines. And it is moſt certain, that by Kingdom of heaven is meant ſometime the ſtate of grace in this life, Rom. 14.17.
Others underſtand it of the Kingdom of glory in the world to come; as Chryſoſtome, Chryſoſt. homil. in Math.who reproveth the people of his time, becauſe they came ſhort of the defects and imperfections of the Diſciples, in whom he ſaith, though it were a fault to contend and ſtrive on earth, Bees will not abide where Eccho's are; nor will the Spirit of God dwell with contentious perſons.who ſhould have the higheſt place in heaven, where ſhall be no pride, ambition, nor emulation; yet he ſaith, it was a greater fault for them only to ſeek and ſtrive to be great on earth, ſcarce ever thinking of heaven: from this root it was, that the Corinthians ran into Schiſms and parties; one was for Paul, another for Apollos, a third for Cephas, a fourth is above all Ordinances and Miniſters, he is for Chriſt himſelf. 1 Cor. 4.6. Concord on earth is Gods muſick in heaven.Now ſaith the Apoſtle, Theſe things brethren, In have transferred in a figure to my ſelf and to Apollo for your ſakes, that ye might learn in us, not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one againſt another: they were pufft up like bladders full of wind, while theſe diviſions were among them.
6. From this root of pride it is that men do blaſpheme the truths of God that are cleerly laid down in the Word: The Pope blaſphemouſly arrogateth to himſelf one of Gods peculiar prerogatives; for ſo ſaith the wiſdom of God, Prov. 4. By me Kings raign; which he uſurpeth, Ecce nos conſtituti ſumus ſuper gentes & regna! Bulla Pii Quinti pontific.theſe three ſins are joyned together, Boaſters, Proud, Blaſphemers, 2 Tim. 3.2. and ver 5. having a form of godlineſs, but denying the power of it: this is to be referred to all that went before; men ſhall be lovers of their own ſelves, having a form of godlineſs; covetous, having a form of godlineſs; boaſters, proud, blaſphemers, having a form of godlineſs, &c. the two firſt make way for the laſt; when men are boaſters, aſcribing that to themſelves which they have not, and conceit that they are of higher parts and gifts then they are, then they are proud, and ſhew their pride, when they appear in their own eyes and in the eyes of others bigger then they are; the opinion of others more holy and more judicious then themſelves they regard not, that at laſt they come to be blaſphemers: When men will believe no more then what they ſee reaſon for, at laſt they come to blaſpheme thoſe truths that they firſt owned; hence ariſe all thoſe groſs blaſphemies that are among us: The Socinians deny the Trinity; reaſon cannot comprehend this myſtery, therefore they ſet their wits a work to deflour Scripture: and the union of the divine and humane natures in the perſon of the Son of God, becauſe it is croſs to reaſon, therefore they blaſpheme this truth: Chriſt ſaith, Believe me, that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; now they will not believe it, becauſe they cannot comprehend it; and then God leaves them to their own reaſon, and the pride of their own hearts, to blaſpheme thoſe high and ſacred truths which they ſhould embrace.
7. Superbus ac ſaevus dominus, qui ſerviiſſe patrem ſuum parum meminit. Plin.Pride is the root of cruelty towards others; and this may be ſeen commonly in thoſe that have riſen from a mean to an high eſtate in the world, that they have ſoon forgotten the rock from whence they were hewen, and have proved very proud and ſupercilious, as Pliny ſaith of Largius the Lacedemonian, that he was a haughty and cruel Maſter, and one that forgat his father to have been a ſervant. We have a Proverb, Set a begger on horſeback, and he will ride a gallop; to ſet a man of low degree in high place, 'tis like ſtrong drink to a weak head, Aſperius nihil eſt humili cum ſurgit in altum.it will make him giddy: well did Agur reckon this among the things which diſquiet the earth, which the earth could not bear; a ſervant when he reigneth, and an hand-maid heire to her miſtreſs, Prov. 30.22, 23. A proud and cruel wretch was one Meſſala a Proconſul of Aſia under Auguſtus the Emperour, Seneca lib. 2 de iracap. 5.of whom Seneca ſaith, that having beheaded three hundred men in one day, he ſtrutted among their dead corpſes, applauding himſelf, and crying out, O rem regiam, O royal and Kingly deed! Seneca likewiſe reporteth of Cneius Piſo, a proud, Theodorus Tutor to Tiberius foretold the cruel diſpoſition of his ſcholar, calling him often Clay ſoaked in blood. Suetonius.mad-brain'd and haſty General of the Roman army, that having made a law, that if two men went from his camp together, and returned ſingle, he that came without his fellow ſhould be ſlain, preſuppoſing and preſuming that he had ſlain his fellow: it fell out that two of his ſouldiers went out in a dark night, one upon ſome occaſion being parted from the other they could not find one another again; whereupon he commanded him that was returned without his fellow to be ſlain, and gave order to his Centurion to ſee the execution, which which they are going about, Seneca lib. de ira c. 16the other cometh and ſheweth himſelf ſafe; whereupon the Centurion ſtaid the execution, and carried him to Piſo to plead his innocency, and beg his pardon, which he would by no means grant, but cauſed them all three to be executed; Periere tres ob unius innocentiam; et tria crimina fecit, quia nullam invenit. Sen. de ira.the firſt becauſe he was condemned, and he would not revoke or reverſe his ſentence: the ſecond, becauſe he gave occaſion that his fellow was condemned; and the Centurion for not executing his Generals commands; which gave occaſion to Seneca to ſay upon that cruel act, Three periſhed for the innocency of one; and three crimes he committed, becauſe he found not any. Sueton, in vit. Calig.Caligula boaſted how many men he had condemned and ſeen executed, while the Empreſs his wife fetcht a nap in an afternoon: he commended in his own nature nothing more, or almoſt ſo much, as foreign (to uſe his own word) unremoveable rigour: he it was that wiſht the people of Rome had but one neck, that he might cut them off at one blow. But the judgements of God have often ſurprized proud and cruel Tyrants. Procopius tells us of one Theodorick ſometime King of the Gothes, that in his pride having villanouſly ſlain two Noble Romans, Symmachus & Boetius. Procopius lib. 1 de bello Gothico.that bloody deed was ſtill boiling in his heart, and the thoughts of it would give him no reſt, nor ſuffer him to be quiet; and one time, having a fiſhes head ſet upon his table among other diſhes, he preſently conceiteth it to be the head of one of them, the eyes his eyes, the teeth his teeth, Theodoret tells us, that a certain Chriſtian Captain was ſo bold with Valens the Emperour, as to tell him, that he was unfortunate in his wars, becauſe of his pride and cruelty, and ſome notorious abuſes offered to Gods Meſſengers and Miniſters. Theodoret. Eccleſ. hiſt. lib. 4.and ſo falling into a fit of frenzy he died deſtracted of his wits. So likewiſe Philo the Jew reporteth of one Flaccus, that having uſed all kind of cruelty to the poor Jews, and being afterwards baniſht by Caligula, in his exile, he thought every man that he ſaw to intend ſome harme to him; therefore if he ſaw any come toward him ſoftly, he thought he had ſome plot againſt him; if he came haſtily, then he thought he came with a commiſſion to diſpatch him; if any ſpake him fair, he thought they flattered him, and meant to deceive him; if any ſpake roughly to him, he thought they ſcorned and contemned him: theſe and ſuch like be the conceits of guilty conſciences, who ſtill ſuppoſe even buſhes and trees to be men, and men to be devils ſent to torment them. It is reported of Constantine that good Emperour, that he was a man of an humble and tender ſpirit; for being troubled with the leproſie, and deſiring much to be cured of it, if it were poſſible; Male ſemper aegrotare quam tali remedio convaleſcere. King on Jonah.and being told by his Phyſitians, that he could not but by having his body bathed in the warm blood of infants, he returned this anſwer beſeeming his profeſſion, I had rather alwaies to be ſick, then to recover my health by ſuch a remedy: I have read likewiſe of Auguſtus Caeſar, who being on a time invited to a ſupper by one Pollio a noble Orator of Rome, who had a ſervant that brake a curious chryſtal cup, for which fact Pollio condemned him to be thrown into a fiſh-pond to feed his Lampreys, which Caeſar underſtanding, daſhed the decree, Of all Nations, the Spaniards are reported to be the moſt cruel, out of their pride calling themſelves the ſons of God, that the poor Indians may the more reverence them. Hiſt. novi orbis.and controuled him that made it; ſaying that the life of a man was more to be regarded then all the cups of chryſtal, and fiſh-ponds in the world. And ſuch was a certain Empreſs, who coming to her husband, and finding him condemning of men, as he plaid at Cheſs, entreated him either to give over his game, or give no ſentence; for the men he paſſed ſentence upon, were not like thoſe that he plaid with. So Euſebius ſaith of Conſtantine, that being neceſſarily enforced to fight with Infidels, yet he took the beſt order that he could, Euſeb. lib. 2. cap. 13. Cambyſes the ſecond King of Perſia finding Syſannes for mony to have corrupted juſtice, he cauſed him to be flayed, and his skin to cover the Tribunal, and ſet his ſon Ottanes in his place, and bad him, Patris exuvias intueri, & juſte judicare; a notable example of juſtice on a cruel oppreſſour. Chronic. Carion. lib. 2. p. 214.that there might be but little blood ſhed, and therefore he propounded rewards to ſuch as could take them alive. The Anabaptiſts in Germany were of another ſpirit; for had they once forged a device in their fantaſtical brains, they would execute it, though it coſt many lawful Magiſtrates their lives for it; and what might be their ground? Some revelation and ſuggeſtion from the ſpirit: but what ſpirit? ſurely not the ſpirit of truth, but ſome lying ſpirit, ſuch as poſſeſſed and inſpired Ahabs falſe Prophets. Great is the pride and inſolency of ſome Maſters towards their ſervants; not conſidering that they alſo have a Maſter in heaven, to whom they muſt be accomptable. Some gather from that parable put forth by our Saviour, Luke 17.7, 8. (Which of you having a ſervant ploughing or feeding of cattel, will ſay unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and ſit down to meat, and will not rather ſay unto him, Make ready wherewith I may ſup, and gird thy ſelf and ſerve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou ſhalt eat and drink? doth he thank that ſervant, becauſe he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not) Some I ſay, gather from thence, that Maſters may uſurp and inſult over their ſervants, and think that therefore they may make them work hard all the day, and wait upon them at night in needleſs and unneceſſary attendance: But God in his law provideth againſt oppreſſing of ſervants; he provideth reſt for oxen and aſſes, much more for men and women; Hoſ. 6.6. Aut manu capti in bello, aut are empti, vel à morte redempti.and tells us by his Prophet, that he will in ſome caſes diſpence with his own ſervice, and have mercy rather then ſacrifice: and beſides, theſe ſervants here ſpoken of, were not ſuch as we now have: but were either ſuch as were taken in war, or bought with money, or redeemed from death, and therefore owed more ſervice to their Maſters then ours do: and yet even they muſt not be wronged; for doubtleſs though it were a corrupt cuſtome, yet it was very unlawful, to make ſervants ſlaves, and to impoſe more upon them then they were able to endure, cruelty being an abomination and crying ſin before the Lord.