Peter speaks of the proud, as if they did challenge God, like champions, & provoke him like rebels, that unless he did resist them, they would go about to deprive him of his rule,1 as Corah, Dathan, and Abiram undermined Moses. For so the proud man saith, I will be like the highest,2 and if he could, above the highest too. This is the creature which was taken out of the dust,3 and so soon as he was made, he opposeth himself against that majesty, which the Angels adore, the thrones worship, the devils fear, and the heavens obey. How many sins are in this sinful world, and yet as Solomon saith of the good wife, Prou. 31. 29. Many daughters have done virtuously,4 but thou surmountest them all. So I may say of pride, many sins have done wickedly, but thou surmountest them all: for ⟨p. 431⟩the wrathful man, the prodigal man, the lascivious man, the surfeiting man, the slothful man, is rather an enemy to himself then to God. The envious man, the covetous man, the deceitful man, the ungrateful man, is rather an enemy to men then to God. but the proud man sets himself against God, because he doth against his laws, he maketh himself equal with God, because he doth all without God and craves no help of him: he exalteth himself above God, because he will have his own will, though it be contrary to Gods will. As the humble man saith;5 Not unto us Lord, not unto us, but thy name give the glory. Psal. 115. 1. so the proud man saith, not unto him, not unto him, but unto us give the glory: like unto Herod, which took the name of God, and was honoured of all but the worms, and they showed that he was not a God but a man,6 Acts 12. 21. Therefore the proud men may be called Gods enemies, because as the covetous pull riches from men, so the proud pull honour from God. Beside the proud man hath no cause to be proud, as other sinners have, the covetous for riches, the ambitious for honour, the voluptuous for pleasure, the envious for wrong, the slothful for ease; but the proud man hath no cause to be proud, but pride it self, which saith like Pharaoh, I will not obey, Exod. 5. 2. Therefore ⟨p. 432⟩God is specially said to resist the proud, because the proud resist him. Here is heaven against earth, the creator against the creature, the father against the son, the Lord against the servant, the Prince against the subject, who is like to win the field?
Peter speaks of the proud, as if they did chalenge God, like champions, & prouoke him like rebels, that vnles he did resist them, they would goe about to depriue him of his rule,1 as Corah, Dathan, and Abiram vndermined Moses. For so the proud man sayth, I will be like the highest,2 and if he could, aboue the highest too. This is the creature which was taken out of the dust,3 and so soone as he was made, he opposeth himselfe against that maiestie, which the Angels adore, the throanes worship, the diuels feare, and the heauens obey. How many sins are in this sinfull world, and yet as Salomon sayth of the good wife, Prou. 31. 29. Many daughters haue done vertuously,4 but thou surmountest them all. So I may say of pryde, many sinnes haue done wickedly, but thou surmountest them all: for ⟨p. 431⟩the wrathfull man, the prodigall man, the laciuious man, the surfeting man, the slothfull man, is rather an enemy to himselfe then to God. The enuious man, the couetous man, the deceiptful man, the vngrateful man, is rather an enemy to men then to God. but the proud man sets himself against God, because he doth against his lawes, he maketh himselfe equall with God, because he doth all without God and craues no helpe of him: he exalteth himselfe aboue God, because he will haue his owne wil, though it be contrary to Gods wil. As the humble man saith;5 Not vnto vs Lord, not vnto vs, but thy name giue the glorie. Psal. 115. 1. so the proud man saith, not vnto him, not vnto him, but vnto vs giue the glorie: like vnto Herod, which tooke the name of God, and was honored of all but the wormes, and they shewed that he was not a God but a man,6 Actes 12. 21. Therefore the proud men may be called Gods enemies, because as the couetous pull riches from men, so the proud pull honor from God. Beside the proud man hath no cause to be proud, as other sinners haue, the couetous for riches, the ambitious for honor, the voluptuous for plesure, the enuious for wrong, the slothful for ease; but the proud man hath no cause to be proud, but pride it selfe, which saith like Pharaoh, I will not obey,
- 1Num. 16. 2
- 2Isaiah. 14.Esai. 14.
- 3Gen. 2. 7.
- 4Pro. 31. 29.
- 5Psal. 115. 1
- 6Acts 12. 21.
