In the words observe —
1. The term that is given to wicked men, the proicd, so commonly called in scripture : Mai. iii. 15, ' They call the proud happy ; yea, they that work wickedness are set up.'
2. The instance and discovery of their pride, they en' from thy commandments.
3. The evil state in which they are, they are cursed. Though the wicked are not presently punished, yet they are all cursed, and in time they shall be punished.
4. The begun execution of this curse, thou hast rebuked them, that is, punished or destroyed : Ps. vi. 1, ' Kebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.'
The points are —
1. That the worst sort of proud creatures are those that do err from God's commandments ; for so is the description here, ' The proud have erred,' &c.
2. These proud ones, they are cursed. Those that continue in obstinacy and impenitency in their sins and errors, they are under a curse.
3. They are not only cursed, but are also rebuked ; that is, not only threatened, but this curse shall be surely executed. In this world it is begun many times, and in part executed, but in the next fully and sorely.
Doct. 1. That the worst sort of proud creatures are those that err from God's commandments.
Here we must distinguish of erring, then oi pride.
First, Of erring from God's commandments. There is an erring out of frailty, and an erring out of obstinacy.
1. An erring out of frailty ; and so David saith, Ps. cxix. 176, ' I have gone astray like a lost sheep ; ' and again, Ps. xix. 12, ' Who can understand his errors ? ' This is not meant here of every failing and slip, every sin of ignorance and incogitancy ; no, nor every act of re- bellion and perverseness of affection which may be found in the chil- dren of God. Though there be a pride in all sins against knowledge and light, that kind of sinning is interpretatively a confronting of God, a despising of his commandments ; as David is said to do, 2 Sam. xii, 9, pro hie et nunc, for the time ; the will of the creature is set up against the creator ; yet this is not the erring here spoken of.
2. There is an erring out of obstinacy, impenitency, and habitual con- tempt of the lawgiver. This is spoken of, Ps. xcv. 10, ' It is a people that do err in their hearts.' To err in mind is bad, to err out of ignor- ance ; but it is a people that stubbornly refuse to walk in the ways
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God hath enjoined them. Some err out of simple nescience, ignorance, or mistake, or else through the cloud with which some present temp- tation overcasts the mind. These err in their minds, but others err in their hearts, that care not for, or do not desire to hear of, their duty to God. A man that erreth out of ignorance can say, ' Lord, I know not ; ' but those that err in their heart, they say, * We desire not the knowledge of thy ways,' Job xxi. 14 ; they do not only fall into sin, but love to continue in it. The apostle speaks of ' ungodly deeds un- godly committed,' Jude 15. The matter of sin is not so much to be regarded as the manner, with what heart it is done, ungodly committed, with contempt of God. Now, such contemners of God and his law are here described, as all obstinate and impenitent sinners are. •
Secondly, We must distinguish of pride, which is either moral or spiritual.
1. Moral pride is an over-high conceit of ourselves, or our own ex- cellencies, discovered by our disdain and contempt of others. So it is said of Nebuchadnezzar, ' his heart was lifted up.' This is that pride that is spoken of 1 Peter v. 5, ' God resisteth the proud.' There should be a mutual condescension between men ; for God resisteth the proud, that is, those that are lifted up above others.
2. Spiritual pride, that is, disobedience and impenitency, which is discovered by a neglect of God and contempt of his law ; and that pride is often so taken appearethby these scriptures : Mai. iv. 1, ' The day of the Lord shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble.' Mirk, they that do wickedly, and the proud, are made synonymous expressions. So Neh. ix. 16, ' But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments.' Their obstinacy in sin, or unsubjection to God, is made to be pride. So Jeremiah, when he gives the people good counsel to prevent ensuing judgments, ' Hear ye, give ear, be not proud,' Jer. xiii. 15 ; that is, do not obstinately refuse to comply with God's will. And afterward, ver. 17, ' My soul shall weep sore for your pride.' So that unhumbled sinners are guilty of this spiritual pride, of contempt of God himself.
Having opened these things, that by erring is meant not out of frailty, but by obstinacy; that by pride is not meant that moral pride by which we contemn others, but that spiritual pride, when our hearts are unhumbled and unsubdued to God, my work is now to prove —