3. As to the misery which they bring on themselves and others, (1.) The greatest is, that they forsake God, and are in danger to be forsaken by him: for God abhorreth the proud, and beholdeth them as afar off. So far as you are proud you are hated by him, and have no acceptance or communion with him. Pride is the highway to utter apostasy. It blindeth the mind; it maketh men confident in their own conceits; and venturous upon any new opinion; and ready to quarrel with the word of God before they understand it. When any thing seems hard to them, they presently suspect the truth of the matter, when they should suspect their dark, unfurnished minds. Mark those that are proud in any town, or any company of professors of piety; and if any infection of heresy or infidelity come into that place, these are the men that will soonest catch it. Mark those that have turned from truth or godliness, and see whether they be not such as were proud and superficial in religion before. But God giveth grace, and more grace to the humble: he dwelleth with them, and delighteth in them.[230]
(2.) A proud man is a tormentor of himself. Setting his mind on the thoughts of men, and desiring more of their esteem than he can attain, and that which is unsatisfying vanity when he hath obtained it, he is still under fruitless, vexatious desires, and frequent disappointments; every thing that he seeth, and every word almost that he heareth, or every compliment omitted, can disturb his peace, and break his sleep, and cast him into a fever of passion or revenge. This wind that swelleth him, is running up and down, and disquieting him in every part. Who would have such a fire in his breast, that will not suffer him to be quiet?[231]
(3.) Pride bringeth sufferings, and then maketh them seem intolerable. It makes the sinner more vex and gall his mind, with striving and impatient aggravating his afflictions, than the suffering of itself would ever do.
4. Pride is a deep-rooted and a self-preserving sin; and therefore harder to be killed and rooted up than other sins. It hindereth the discovery of itself. It driveth away the light. It hateth reproof. It will not give the sinner leave to see his pride when it is reproved; nor to confess it if he see it; nor to be humbled for it if he do confess it; nor to loathe himself and forsake it, though conviction and terror seem to humble him. Even while he heareth all the signs of pride, he will not see it in himself. When he feeleth his hatred of reproof, and knoweth that this is a sign of pride in others, yet he will not know it in himself. If you would go about to cure him of this or any other fault, you shall feel that you are handling a wasp or an adder; yet when he is spitting the venom of pride against the reprover, he perceiveth not that he is proud; this venom is his nature, and therefore is not felt nor troublesome. If all the town or congregation should note him as notoriously proud, yet he himself, that should best know himself, will not observe it. It is a wonder to see how this sin keepeth strength, in persons that have long taken pains for their souls, and seem to be in all other respects the most serious, mortified christians! Yet, let them but be touched in their interest or reputation, or seem to be slighted, or see another preferred before them, while they are neglected, and they boil with envy, malice, or discontent, and show you that the heart of sin, even selfishness and pride, is yet alive, unbroken, and too strong. Especially if they are not persons of a natural gentleness and mildness, but of a more passionate temper; then pride hath more oil and fuel to kindle it into these discernible flames. He is a christian indeed that hath conquered pride.
5. Pride is the defence not only of itself, but of every other sin in the heart or life. For it hateth reproof and keepeth off the remedy; it hideth, and extenuateth, and excuseth the sin, and thinketh well of that which should be hated.