s Isai. lxv. 5.
1125.1 Nebuchadnezzar's dream verified. 489
" love to have the pre-eminence ;" and are never so happy as when they are setting forth their gifts, and passing judgment upon all that they see and hear. Self-sufficiency and self-con- ceit, self-seeking, and self-applause, are their characteristic features ; and so far from adorning the Gospel as they would be thought to do, they actually make it stink in the nostrils of all who have judgment to discriminate between good and evil. Not a few of such " novices," it is to be feared, " being lifted up with pride, fall into the condemnation of the devil." Even truly good men are by no means so holy, but that they are in continual danger of being drawn into the indulgence of this evil principle. Hezekiah, even after his most extraordinary deliverances from enemies without, and illness within, so far forgot himself as to be lifted up with pride ; and thereby pro- voked God to withdraw from his descendants the mercies that had been vouchsafed to him. And Paul himself was visited with a thorn in his flesh, to keep him low, " lest he should be exalted above measure11."
Be it known then to all, that they need to watch and pray against this malignant evil ; for God will most abase all in whom it is found. Man cannot abase them : to do this is a work far above the power of any created being J : but God is able to do it ; and he will do it. He is at no loss for means whereby to effect itk. Some, like Manasseh, he will take among the thorns : others, like Peter, he will leave to fall, and to disgrace their holy profession : and others, like Pharaoh, or Herod, he will plunge into the bottomless abyss of hell. " Whereinsoever they deal proudly, he will shew himself above them." Let us never then forget, that " the proud in heart are an abomination to the Lord :" that " whilst he gives grace to the humble, he will resist them :" and whilst he filleth the hungry with good things, he will scatter the proud in the imagination of their hearts."]
We exhort all, then,
1. To search their hearts, in reference to this
sin —
[Men who are under the influence of this sin, always find means to hide it from their own eyes. But it is to no purpose to deceive ourselves : God will not be imposed upon by specious names : he sees the evil, wherever it exists ; and he hates it with a perfect hatred. Let us then endeavour to find out even the most hidden workings of this abominable evil, and implore help from God to mortify and subdue it.]
11 Twice mentioned, 2 Cor. xii. 7. ( Job xl. 11, 12.
k l Cor. xi. 30.