How shall we know when the heart is lifted up ? Pride is a capacious sin, therefore called ' pride of life,' 1 John ii. 16, because it is a sin that difi"useth itself throughout all affairs and conditions of life , children, estate, beauty, strength, parts, honours, graces. A worm may breed in manna. Paul was puff'ed up : 2 Cor. xii. 7, ' Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measm-e.' But the text speaketh of a pride after deliverances, which is a self-blessing and self- depending confidence ; which is mainly shown — (1.) In security ; (2.) In insolency.
(1.) In security. Men live as if they were above changes. God is neglected, or but coldly owned, as if now we had no more need of him : Lam. i. 9, ' She remembered not her last end, therefore she came down
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■wonderfully ; ' that is, she was not mindful of the changes and muta- tions to which all things are obnoxious. Men usually lose their sense of duty with their fears. The heart growetli flat and dead in prayer, not carried out with such zeal and earnestness as when we were in dis- tress. Or it takes us ofi" from what we proposed in our affliction, and al] our vows and promises are forgotten.
(2.) In insolency. This is manifested —
{1st) By contention. When we are delivered, then we revive the old quarrels ; as timber warpeth in the sunshine. When God giveth us success, then follow divisions. The greatest strife is in dividing the spoil : ' Only by pride cometh contention,' saith Solomon, Prov. xiii. 10. Plenty and ease begetteth pride, Dioclesian's persecution was brought on by the factious carriage of the christians themselves, con- tending for the honours of the church. In king Edward's days, when there was a little breathing, then was there a contention for ceremonies.
{2d) By insultation over enemies. True they are under, but it is unmanly to speak to the grief of those whom God hath wounded. If our mercies cannot be advanced but by the fall of our brethren, let us not insult, but pity them. David grieved when Saul fell, and fasted for his enemies. Those whom the hand of the Lord hath touched have a kind of reverence due to them ; as places blasted with thunder and lightning were accounted sacred Judges xxi. 6, ' And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother.'
{3d) By oppression and violence : ' Because it is in the power of their hands,' Micah ii. 1. Power doth mightily draw forth corruption. Tenderness of conscience should be a restraint where public force is not. This I can do, but I dare not. But when men employ their power for hurt, not for good, and think to be borne out in a sinful course by their strength and power, it is pride and carnal confidence.
Use. 0 christians ! beware of being lifted up in any kind.
1. Take heed of secret thoughts of merit : Dent. ix. 4, ' Speak not thou in thine heart after that the Lord thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this land.' Though there be not such formal thoughts or downright expressions, yet this is the implied thought. There are explicit thoughts and implicit thoughts ; the one is actually and sensibly conceived in the mind, the other lurk and lie hid there, and our actions being interpreted, are necessarily resolved into such thoughts. As when you are scornful and pitiless, vaunting yourselves above others, and do not actually admire the riches of the Lord's goodness, surely there is some latent thought of merit in the heart. You may take notice of God's justice, but still you must admire free grace.
2. Take heed of ascribing to your wisdom, power, and conduct. Man would fain be faher foriunce suce, the author of his own happiness, jostling God out of his thoughts : Hab. i. 16, ' They sacrifice to then- net, and burn incense to their drag, because by them their portion is fat and their meat plenteous ; ' insulting and glorying in their wisdom and strength. Though a man doth not fall down as a gross idolater, and perform rites of devotion, yet his thoughts run this way, and so God is laid aside. God giveth his people warning of this : Deut. viii. 14, ' Let not thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy
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God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt ; ' and ver. 17, ' And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of my hand hath gotten this wealth/ Why should the Lord give so many warnings if we were not exceeding prone to this ? We should throw our crowns at God's feet. It is enough for us to be poor instruments in God's hand. I hope you came here before the Lord with such a design this day, to strip yourselves, and give all the glory to God.