^ '"Ev^a rats Trpurats tCjv rikiaKwv aKTivwv eVt/SoXatj 6 ipyvpos Karavyaffdeis davfiaaius eV^ffTtX/Se, fj.apixaipwv tI <j)o§epov kuI rots ets ai'Tov aTepl^ovffi (pptKuSes.' — Josephus. VOL. IV. Z
354 AN EXPOSITION. WITH NOTES, [JaS. IV. G.
What should be the reason of all this, that God should so expressl}' set himself against pride ? I answer — Because of all sins he hateth this sin, Prov. xvi. 5. Other sins are more hateful to man, because they bring disgrace, and have more of baseness and turpitude in them ; whereas pride seemeth to have a kind of bravery in it ; but now the Lord hateth it because it is a sin that sets itself most against him. Other sins are against God's laws, this is against his being and sovereignty. Pride doth not only withdraw the heart from God, but lift it up against God. It is a direct contention who shall be ac- knowledged the author of blessing and excellency : ' They set their heart up as the heart of God,' Ezek. xxviii. 6. Babylon speaketh in Ihe name and style of God, ' I am, and there is none beside me.' So Nineveh, Zeph. ii. 1.5. And as it riseth against his being, so against his providence. Pride setteth up an anti-])rovidence ; it entertaineth crosses with anger, and blessings with disdain, and citeth God before the tribunal of its own will. So also it is the greatest enemy to God's law ; there is pride in every sin. Sinning is interpretative confront- ing of God and ' despising the commandment,' 2 Sam. xii. 9. The will of the creature is set up against the Creator. But the sin of pride is much more against the law of God ; it is a touchy sin, and cannot endure the word that reproveth it. Other sins disturb reason, this humoureth it. Drunkenness is more patient of reproof, con- science consenting to the checks of the word ; but pride first blindeth the mind, and then armeth the afiections ; it layeth the judgment asleep, and then awakeneth anger. Besides, pride is the cause of all other sins. Covetousness is the root of evil, and pride is the soul of it. Covetousness is but pride's purveyor. We pursue carnal enjoy- ments that we may puff up ourselves in the possession of them ; and usually that which is pursued in lust is enjoyed in pride. It is ])ut the complacency of the soul in an earthly excellency: Hab. ii. 5, ' He is a proud man,' and therefore * enlargeth his desire as hell.'
Use 1. The use of all is, fii'st, to caution us against pride. There are two sorts of pride, one in the mind, and the other in the affections — self-conceit and an aspiring after worldly greatness ; both are natural lo us, especially the former. (1.) We are marvellous apt to be puffed up with a conceit of our own excellency, be it in riches, beauty, parts, or grace ; the apostle, 1 John ii. 16, calleth it ' pride of life,' because it sj^readeth throughout all the employments and comforts of life. Other lusts are limited, either by their end, as 'lusts of the flesh,' to content the body ; or by their instrument, as ' lusts of the eyes ;' but pride is of a universal and unlimited influence. It is 'pride of life ;' the whole life is but sphere enough for pride. Those that have nothing excellent cannot excuse themselves from fearing it. We many times find that men that have nothing to be proud of are most con- ceited : bloaty spirits are soon puffed up, like bladders filled with wind. We see it in our natures: man was never more proud than since he was wretched and miserable. Pride came in by the fall, and that which should take down the spirit hath raised it. But much more have they that excel cause to su.spect themselves ; as rich men: 1 Tim. vi. 17, ' Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high- minded.' It is hard to carry a full cup without spilling, and not to
JaS. IV. G.] UPON THE EPISTLE OF JAMES. 355
lift up ourselves wlion we are raised up by God. Persons that grow up into an estate out of nothing are most apt to be proud; partly be- cause not able to digest a sudden change; such happiness is a strange thing to them, and therefore soon oversetteth the spirit ; partly because they look upon themselves as the makers of their own fortunes : 'Is not this great Babel which I have built ?' Other men's estates descend upon them, but there is some concurrence of their industry, and so they are more apt to ' sacrifice to their drag' for the fatness of their portion, Hab. i. 16. When you are thus apt to pride yourselves iu your present greatness, and entertain your souls with such whispers of vanity, remember this is a sure prognostic of a sudden fall. And as rich men are liable to this evil, so men of parts. Parts, especially if exercised with public applause, are like a strong liquor, it maketh men giddy and drunk with pride. It is hard to go steady when a con- sciousness of parts within, and public acclamations without, like violent winds, fill the sail. Knowledge of itself is apt ' to puff up,' 1 Cor. viii. 2, especially when publicly discovered ; therefore the apostle saitli that young preachers are prone to ' fall into the condemnation of the devil,' 1 Tim. iii. 6. Oh ! consider God's judgments upon pride in parts. Staupicius was proud of his memory,^ and God smote it. We find nothing causeth madness so much as pride. Nebuchadnezzar lost his reason and turned beast when he grew proud. Many young men that were proud of their gifts have, by the just judgment of God, lost all the quickness and smartness of them, and quenched their vigour in fleshy and carnal delights. Kemember, whatever we have was given of grace ; and if we grow proud of it, it will soon be taken away by justice. Nay, not only men of parts, but of much grace and mortifi- cation, may be surprised with pride ; it once crept into heaven, then into paradise ; the best heart can have no security. Christians are not so much in danger of intemperance and sensual lusts as pride ; it groweth by the decrease of other sins ; and therefore pride is put last, 1 John ii. 16, as being Satan's last engine. They that are set upon the pinnacles of the temple are in danger to be thrown down this way. Paul was apt to grow proud of his revelations, 2 Cor. xii. 7. In heaven only we are most high and most humble. A worm may breed in manna ; strong comforts, raised afi'ections, and strange elevations, may much puff up, and by gracious enjoyments we sometimes grow proud, secure, self-sufficient, and disdainful of others, Eom. xiv. 10 ; but this will cost you a shrewd decay. (2.) For the other part of pride, aspir- ing after worldly greatness ; by such fond pursuits you do but engage God to oppose you. Many men mistake ambition, and think that de- sire of great place is only unlawful when it is sought by unlawful means ; but to afi'ect greatness is contrary to the rules of the gospel. We should refer our advancement to the sweet invitation of provi- dence, and stay till the master of the feast bids us sit higher. In our private choice we should be contented with a tolerable supply of necessaries : 'Whosoever exalteth himself,' &c., Luke xiv. 8, 9; not who- soever is exalted. In the Olympic games the wi-estler did never put on his own crown and garland : Heb. v. 5, ' Christ glorified not himself as high priest, but was called of God as Aaron.' When we do not