Part 88

“Pride is a great sin” even with these worldlings, inasmuch as the external excesses of it, may obstruct the way to many ambitious terminations of view, and its internal agitations are the destruction of that peace, to which even self-love aspires; besides, the frequent extravagancy of its motions may not only be prejudicial to health, but a shortner of life. And, therefore, no wonder they should object against it, “Be not over-much wicked: why shouldst thou die before thy time?” For this reason, they look upon a little mixture of humility to be not only commendable, but even necessary to curb the extravagant sallies of an over-bearing pride. But then a superlative degree of humility, that is, humility free from the least tincture of pride or vanity, which is the same with them, as “_an over-strained humility_, is a fault as well as folly;” because, forsooth, it is an expediment to the self-enjoyment of the world and its pleasures; “All christians must have to do with some vanities, or else they must needs go out of the world indeed; for the world itself is all over vanity.” ’Tis nothing, therefore, surprising, my brethren, to see a man of this cast of mind making a vain ostentation of his little superficial acquaintance, with the antient _Greeks_ and _Romans_. What is this but acting conformably to his own principle, that “all christians must have to do with some vanities?” And shall we wonder to hear such a one prefer their writings, to those of an apostle; or be astonished to see him wound the apostle with raillery, through your sides, for wishing to know nothing but JESUS CHRIST, and him crucified? No, with him it is consistency to laugh and reprove you out of the perfection of righteousness, which, however he may play with terms, is with him the same as being righteous over-much; but with you it would be inconsistency, who ought to know no difference between being righteous, and living in a perpetual, habitual desire of being superlatively so. It is no more then, than you ought to expect to hear such advocates for the world cry out to you, “Be not righteous over-much: why should you destroy yourselves?” But, O LORD, surely this is not the same voice which tells us, that unless we humble ourselves like unto children, we shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven, and that he is greatest there, who humbles himself the most like a child! But what will not men advance who are drunk with passion, and intoxicated with self-love?