Two doctrines I proposed —
First, That whosoever would have any commerce with God should put pride far from them.
Secondly, That whosoever would put pride far from them must begin with the heart.
This latter point I must now insist upon — (1.) What pride is; (2.) How it bewrayeth itself; (3.) Why it begins with the heart.
VeR. 1.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXf. 415
First, Wliat pride is. It is an evil so comprehensive and capacious, that it will hardly endure the limits of a definition. It is a sin, or corrupt disposition, by which the soul- is lifted up by an inordinate esteem and admiration of our own real or supposed excellency, together with an affectation of honour and praise from others. There are two brandies of it — (1.) Self-conceit ; (2.) Vainglory.
1. Self-conceit, which is also twofold — (1.) When we ascribe to our- selves what we have not. (2.) When we transfer upon ourselves the praise of what we have. To boast of what we have not is folly. To boast of what we have is sacrilege, a robbing God of his glory.
[1.] The first sort of pride is very usual. Men that have nothing to be proud of are most conceited many times. Bloaty spirits are soonest pufled up, like bladders filled with wind ; whereas solid worth, sohd knowledge, solid grace, is least ostentatious. Empty ve.ssels and shallow rivers make the greatest noise. The apostle Jude compareth seducers to clouds without water, Jude 12 ; and Solomon giveth us the true meaning of that expression : Prov. xxi. 14, ' Whoso boastetli of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.' They seem to look black, and promise to refresh the earth to make it fruitful, but give not one drop, being carried away with the winds ; so these boast of the Spirit, and greater measure of gospel light, but give no relief to any poor thirsty soul that would understand holy and wliolcsome doctrine.
[2.] The other kind is when we transfer upon ourselves the glory of what we have ; whereas we had it not from ourselves, nor for ourselves : 1 Cor. iv. 7, ' What hast thou that thou didst not receive ? ' It is all given, and given of grace ; not for our use and honour, but God's : 1 Cor. XV. 10, ' By the grace of God I am what I am,' &c. ; Luke xix. 16, ' Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.'
Affectation of honour and esteem from others. When men set an high price upon themselves, if others will not come up to their price, they are discontented. When a man hath made himself his own idol, he would have others come and worship him. There is an inordinate affectation of glory from men. All they do is to be seen and admired of men ; to set off themselves as the idols of the world, for veneration and reverence ; as the pharisees, to be seen of men, Mat. vi. 1, 5, 16, in alms, prayers, fastings. Therefore the apostle saith, ' Let us not be desirous of vainglory, provoking one another, envying one another,' Gal. V. 26. An itching desire after estimation and applause is the evil which we speak of ; we would have others prostrate themselves before the idol of tliose pretended or real excellences which we ourselves so much dote U])ou and admire.
Secondly, How it doth bewray itself. In thought, word, and deed, which are the usual operations of the human spirit.
1. In thoughts. As a man's temper is so are his musings ; so will he talk and speak to himself by his own thoughts. An unclean person sets up a state of unclean representations in his own heart, and commits adultery tliere. A covetous person, his lieart is exercised with worldly thoughts and covetous practices. So a proud person entertaineth his soul with self-admiring thoughts, and feeds his fancy with the echoes and suggestions of applause and honour from men, what they think
416 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [SeR. II.
and speak of him. Therefore it is said, Luke i. 51, 'He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.' Proud men are full of imaginations. And all sins of thought are expressed by pride in that noted place, Prov. viii. 13 ; and we read of their musings in scripture : Dan. iv. 30, ' Is not this great Babel, wliich I have built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and the honour of my majesty ? ' Thus men, in their private thoughts, are dreaming of the greatness and advancement of their families, the applause of the world, the vastness of their treasures, largeness of their inheritance, and glory of their successes and achievements. A man is become, by pride, his own flatterer and tickler, filleth his mind with self-admiring thoughts, the conceit of his own worth. This is to dream wakiug.
2. By words. When men dote upon themselves, they forget all bounds of modesty, and are trumpeters of their own praise : Prov. xxvii. 2, 'Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth.' Yet, in the rage and reign of pride, men will boast of the good things which they have or have done ; as if all were lost that is not known and applauded by men. Proud boasters, Kom. i. 30. It is against reason that a man so partial and self-loving should be witness in his own cause. Let us do that which is praiseworthy, and let our deeds commend us rather than our own words.