The life of faith in three parts, the first is a sermon on Heb.…

3. The high-minded are ashamed to be thought to come of a low descent; or that their Parents or Ancestors were poor: And if their Ancestors were rich and great, that little honour doth help to elevate their minds; because they want that personal worth which is honourable indeed, they are fain to adorn themselves with these borrowed feathers.

But the lowly know that if Riches prove such a hinderance of salvation, and so few of the rich proportionably are saved, as Christ hath told us, it can be no great honour to be the offspring of the rich: It is a sad kind of boast, to say [my Ancestors are liker to be in Hell than yours; or if any of them be in Heaven, they came thither as a Camel through a needles eye.] We know we are all of the common earth, and there our flesh will all be levelled, and our noblest blood will turn to the common putrefaction: We are all the seed of sinful Adam; our Father was an Amorite, and our Mother an Hittite, Ezek. 16.3. And good men have used humbly to lament their forefathers pride and wickedness, instead of boasting of their worldly wealth; as you may read, Neh. 9.16, 39. Dan. 9.

4. The high-minded are ashamed to be thought poor themselves: Because wealth is the Idol which they most honour; they think that it will most honour them. Because they see that most men admire and honour it in the world; therefore they being of the world, do judge as the world, and confirm themselves to its opinion. Even the poor that is proud, is ashamed of his poverty, and would be fain accounted rich.