Secondly, I siiall prove that this intermeddling with things too high for us is pride. I shall prove it by these steps —
1. It is certainly a great disease incident to mankind to contemn things easy, and to busy themselves about things hidden, difficult, and forbidden, Needless speculations and curiosities are a sort of knowledge that bringeth more pain than pleasure. This is a disorder and a disease ; partly because reason will tell us that things necessary should
VeR. 1.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. 429
be preferred before arbitrary, and tberefore things necessary to practice should be preferred before abstruse things and unprofitable. Partly because the most obvious truths are most necessary and most useful ; as the Lord, in great goodness, hath made the most useful and necessary things the most common. Those things without which we cannot live are obvious, but jewels, pearls, and gold are hard to come by ; we go for them to far countries, dig deep for them ; but bread and food is at hand, and brought home to our doors. So in the business of religion ; those points which are absolutely necessary to salvation ai-e obvious to every man's imderstanding, and are in every man's mouth ; intricate disputes lie more off, and are not everywhere found. The truths we live by, as the creation, fall and redemption by Christ, the necessity of holiness, the hopes of eternal life, are plain and clear; but yet these are least considered, believed, or improved. We learn them by rote, but seldom consider of their truth, weight, and consequence. These are too common and familiar to be regarded by us. We desire imvulgar notions, abstruse speculations. Partly because the mind is so weak, and time so short, that we cannot attend to everything. Surely in all reason we should attend upon the most weighty things; there is no loss in being ignorant of other things; and therefore, when we have so little time that it scarce sufficeth for the main things of our salvation, to spend this either upon impossible or unlawful knowledge is a great fault. Surely if men were better husbands of their time, what progress might they make ! Their faith would not be so weak, nor their love of God so cold, nor such defects in every grace. Well, then, though diligence in inquiring after the truth be laudable, yet if be it polluted with the siu of curiosity, it is a fault and a great disorder.
2. It is that disorder which is called pride.
[1.] Its entrance into the world showeth it ; for this is one of the things our first parents aspired unto. The fruit of the forbidden tree was good for knowledge. Gen. iii. 6. Man would know good and evil for himself, and be a god to himself, and would see all things in their own evidence, rather than upon divine revelation ; he would know, and not believe. This is a bone that sticketh in many a throat, which he cannot digest and swallow ; that there should be a sovereign lord, to dispose of him at his pleasure, and teach him, and provide for him. Certain it is that searching into things not revealed must of necessity be joined with some unthankfulness for things that are re- vealed; as if man by his own wit could find out more curious things, and more worthy our knowledge, than God was pleased to teach him. This was our first parents' sin, and this is nothing else but rank pride.
[2.] The formal nature showeth it ; for the two branches of pride are in it — self-conceit and vainglory.
(1.) Self-conceit. It argueth too great a conceit of ourselves : Rom. xii. 16, ' Mind not high things : be not wise in your own conceits.'
(2.) For vainglory. We would set off ourselves as knowing more than others. We all affect the reputation of wisdom : Job xi. 12, 'Vain man would be counted wise, though he be born like the wild ass's colt.' Man is empty, but conceited of his perfection ; will own a wickedness in morals rather than a weakness in intellectuals. Though we have not the reality of wisdom, yet we affect the reputation of wis-
430 SEKMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [SeR. III.
dom. The pharisees took it tenderly to be accounted blind : ' Are we blind also ? ' John ix. 40.
[3.] It is a miscliievous sort of pride.
(1.) It weakeneth our faith and belief of the mysteries of the gospel. There can be no sound believing till our proud imaginations and reasonings be captivated to the knowledge of God and obedience of Christ, 2 Cor. x. 5. The corrupt nature of man is more prone to question the truth of God's word than to see and confess its own ignorance and incapacity. I say, men will suspect the scriptures rather than their own wit, and will still be reasoning, How can this be ? and. How can that be ?
(2.) It destroyelh our submission to God, and dependence upon liis providence, when we are so foolishly conceited as to take upon us to judge of his works, and to reflect upon his infinite wisdom, goodness, and power ; and we must prescribe to God, and model his dispensations, and censure them when they are not according to our mind. No ; God will be known to be sovereign ; all the creature's enjoyments are in his hand, to be disposed of according to his pleasure : Job ix. 10, ' He taketh away, and none can stay his hand, and say unto him, What doest thou ? ' He is sovereign lord and proprietor. We are forced passively to submit, because we cannot help it ; but we must actively submit. We must not quarrel and censure that which we cannot comprehend. God, having absolute dominion and sovereignty, is unaccountable to any : Job xxxiii. 13, ' Why dost thou strive with thy Maker, since he giveth no account of his matters ? ' Before what tribunal will you cite him to answer ? before the bar of your corrupted reason ? God will not tie himself to those rules which men prescribe to him. You take too much upon you, exercise yourselves in matters too high for you, when you will judge of his providence.