§. 2. Direct. 1. Get your own hearts into a humble frame; and abhor all the motions of Pride and 1self exalting. A humble man hath no high expectations from another; and therefore is easily pleased or quieted! He can bow and yield to the pride and violence of others, as the Willow to the impetuous winds. His language will be submissive; his patience great; he is content that others go before him! He is not offended that another is preferred. A low mind is pleased in a low condition. But Pride is the Gun-powder of the mind, the family, the Church and State: It maketh men ambitious, and setteth them on striving who shall be the greatest; A proud mans Opinion must always go for truth, and his will must be a Law to others, and to be slighted or crossed seemeth to him an unsufferable wrong. And he must be a man of wonderful compliance, or an excellent artificer in man-pleasing and fl•ttery, that shall not be taken as an injurious undervaluer of him: He that overvalueth himself, will take it ill of all that do not also overvalue him. If you (forgetfully) go before him, or overlook him, or neglect a complement, or deny him something which he expected, or speak not honourably of him, much more if you reprove him, and tell him of his faults, you have put fire to the Gun-powder; you have broke his peace, and he will break yours if he can. Pride broke the Peace between God and the apostate Angels; but nothing unpeaceable must be in Heaven; and therefore by self-ex•lting they descended into darkness: And Christ by self-humbling ascended unto Glory. It is a matter of very great difficulty to live peaceably in family, Church or any society with any one that is very Proud. They expect so much of you, that you can never answer all their expectations, but will displease them by your omissions, though you never speak or do any thing to displease them. What is it but the lust of Pride which causeth most of the wars and bloodshed, throughout the World. The Pride of two or three men, must cost many thousands of their subjects, the loss of their Peace, Estates and Lives. Delirant Reges, plectuntur Achivi. What were the Conquests of those Emperors, Alexander, Caesar, Tamerlane, Machumet, &c. but the pernicious effects of their infamous Pride?
§. 2. Direct. 1. Get your own hearts into a humble frame; and abhor all the motions of Pride and 1self exalting. A humble man hath no high expectations from another; and therefore is easily pleased or quieted! He can bow and yield to the pride and violence of others, as the Willow to the impetuous winds. His language will be submissive; his patience great; he is content that others go before him! He is not offended that another is preferred. A low mind is pleased in a low condition. But Pride is the Gun-powder of the mind, the family, the Church and State: It maketh men ambitious, and setteth them on striving who shall be the greatest; A proud mans Opinion must alwayes go for truth, and his will must be a Law to others, and to be sleighted or crossed seemeth to him an unsufferable wrong. And he must be a man of wonderful complyance, or an excellent artificer in manpleasing and fl•ttery, that shall not be taken as an injurious undervaluer of him: He that overvalueth himself, will take it ill of all that do not also overvalue him. If you (forgetfully) go before him, or overlook him, or neglect a complement, or deny him something which he expected, or speak not honourably of him, much more if you reprove him, and tell him of his faults, you have put fire to the Gun-powder; you have broke his peace, and he will break yours if he can. Pride broke the Peace between God and the apostate Angels; but nothing unpeaceable must be in Heaven; and therefore by self-ex•lting they descended into darkness: And Christ by self-humbling ascended unto Glory. It is a matter of very great difficulty to live peaceably in family, Church or any society with any one that is very Proud. They expect so much of you, that you can never answer all their expectations, but will displease them by your omissions, though you never speak or do any thing to displease them. What is it but the lust of Pride which causeth most of the wars and bloodshed, throughout the World. The Pride of two or three men, must cost many thousands of their subjects, the loss of their Peace, Estates and Lives. Delirant Reges, plectuntur Achivi. What were the Conquests of those Emperours, Alexander, Caesar, Tamerlane, Machumet, &c. but the pernicious effects of their infamous Pride?
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