Nay some are scarce able to live in the same House, or Church, or Town in love and peace with any but those that will humour and please them, and speak them fair, and give them smooth and stroking language, and forbear crossing, reproving and disparaging them. Every one of these singly is an evident mark and fruit of pride; how much more all jointly. I seriously profess it amazeth me to consider how heinously most professors are guilty of this sin! even when they know it to be the devils own sin, and the great abomination hated of God, and read and hear so much against it as they do, and confess it so oft in their prayers to God, and yet not only inwardly cherish it, but in words, actions, gestures, apparel, express it, and passionately defend these discoveries of it. The confusions and distractions in Church and State are nothing else but the proper fruits of it: so are the contentions among Christians, and the unpeaceableness in families: For only from ⟨p. 293⟩pride cometh contention, saith Solomon, Prov. 13.10. For my part when I consider the great measure of pride, self-conceitedness, self-esteem that is in the greatest part of Christians that ever I was acquainted with, (we of the Ministry not excepted) I wonder that God doth not afflict us more, and bring us down by foul means that will not be brought down by fair. For my own part I have had as great means to help me against this sin, as most men living have had, first in many years trouble of mind, and then in near twenty years languishing and bodily pains, having been almost twenty times at the graves mouth, and living near it continually; and lastly, and above all, I have had as full a sight of it in others, even in the generality of Professors, and in the doleful state of the Church and State, and heinous detestable abominations of this age•, which one would think should have fully cured it. And yet if I hear but either an applauding word from any of fame, on one side, or a disparaging word on the other side, I am fain to watch my heart as narrowly as I would do the thatch of my house when fire is put to it, and presently to throw on it the water of Detestation, Resolution, and Recourse to God: And though the acts through Gods great mercy ⟨p. 294⟩be thus restrained, yet the constancy of these inclinations assures me, that there is still a strong and deep root.
Nay some are scarce able to live in the same House, or Church, or Town in love and peace with any but those that will humour and please them, and speak them fair, and give them smooth and stroaking language, and forbear crossing, reproving and disparaging them. Every one of these singly is an evident mark and fruit of pride; how much more all joyntly. I seriously profess it amazeth me to consider how hainously most professors are guilty of this sin! even when they know it to be the devils own sin, and the great abomination hated of God, and read and hear so much against it as they do, and confess it so oft in their praiers to God, and yet not only inwardly cherish it, but in words, actions, gestures, apparel, express it, and passionately defend these discoveries of it. The confusions and distractions in Church and State are nothing else but the proper fruits of it: so are the contentions among Christians, and the unpeaceableness in families: For only from ⟨p. 293⟩pride cometh contention, saith Solomon, Prov. 13.10. For my part when I consider the great measure of pride, self-conceitedness, self-esteem that is in the greatest part of Christians that ever I was acquainted with, (we of the Ministry not excepted) I wonder that God doth not afflict us more, and bring us down by foul means that will not be brought down by fair. For my own part I have had as great means to help me against this sin, as most men living have had, first in many years trouble of minde, and then in near twenty years languishing and bodily pains, having been almost twenty times at the graves mouth, and living near it continually; and lastly, and above all, I have had as full a sight of it in others, even in the generality of Professors, and in the dolefull state of the Church and State, and haynous detestable abominations of this age•, which one would think should have fully cured it. And yet if I hear but either an applauding word from any of fame, on one side, or a disparaging word on the other side, I am fain to watch my heart as narrowly as I would do the thatch of my house when fire is put to it, and presently to throw on it the water of Detestation, Resolution, and Recourse to God: And though the acts through Gods great mercy ⟨p. 294⟩be thus restrained, yet the constancy of these inclinations assures me, that there is still a strong and deep root.
