Wise. I will show you what I think are the reasons of it.1
1. The first is, Because such persons are led by their own hearts, 2rather than by the Word of God. I told you before, that the original fountain of pride is the heart. For out of the heart comes pride; it is therefore because they are led by their hearts,3 which naturally tends to lift them up in pride. This pride of heart, tempts them, and by its deceits overcometh them; yea it doth put a bewitching virtue into their ⟨p. 247⟩Peacocks feathers, and then they are swallowed up with the vanity of them.
2. Another reason why professors are so proud, (for those we are talking of now) is because they are more apt to take example by those that are of the World, than they are to take example of those that are Saints indeed. Pride is of the world. For all that is of the world, 4the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, are not of the Father but of the world. Of the world therefore Professors learn to be proud. But they should not take them for example. It will be objected, No, nor your saints neither, for you are as proud as others: Well, let them take shame that are guilty. But when I say, professors should take example for their life by those that are saints indeed, I mean as Peter says: They should take example of those that were in old time, the saints; for saints of old time were the best, therefore to these he directeth us for our pattern.5 Let the wives conversation be chaste, and also coupled with fear. Whose adorning, saith Peter, ⟨p. 248⟩let it not be that outward adorning, of pleating the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of Apparel: but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner, in the old time, the holy women also who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husband.6
3. Another reason is, Because they have forgotten the pollution of their Nature. For the remembrance of that, must needs keep us humble, and being kept humble, we shall be at a distance from pride. The proud and the humble are set in opposition; (God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.) And can it be imagined, that a sensible Christian should be a proud one; sense of baseness tends to lay us low, not to list us up with pride;
Wise. I will shew you what I think are the reasons of it.1
1. The first is, Because such persons are led by their own hearts, 2rather than by the Word of God. I told you before, that the original fountain of pride is the heart. For out of the heart comes pride; it is therefore because they are led by their hearts,3 which naturally tends to lift them up in pride. This pride of heart, tempts them, and by its deceits overcometh them; yea it doth put a bewitching vertue into their ⟨p. 247⟩Peacocks feathers, and then they are swallowed up with the vanity of them.
2. Another reason why professors are so proud, (for those we are talking of now) is because they are more apt to take example by those that are of the World, than they are to take example of those that are Saints indeed. Pride is of the world. For all that is of the world, 4the lusts of the slesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, are not of the Father but of the world. Of the world therefore Professors learn to be proud. But they should not take them for example. It will be objected, No, nor your saints neither, for you are as proud as others: Well, let them take shame that are guilty. But when I say, professors should take example for their life by those that are saints indeed, I mean as Peter says: They should take example of those that were in old time, the saints; for saints of old time were the best, therefore to these he directeth us for our patrern.5 Let the wives conversation be chast, and also coupled with fear. Whose adorning, saith Peter, ⟨p. 248⟩let it not be that outward adorning, of pleating the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of Apparel: but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner, in the old time, the holy women also who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husband.6
3. Another reason is, Because they have forgotten the pollution of their Nature. For the remembrance of that, must needs keep us humble, and being kept humble, we shall be at a distance from pride. The proud and the humble are set in opposition; (God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.) And can it be imagined, that a sensible Christian should be a proud one; sence of baseness tends to lay us low, not to list us up with pride;
- 11 Reason.
- 2Mar. 7. 22, 23.
- 3Obad. 3.
- 41 Joh. 2. 16.
- 51 Pet. 3. 1, 3, 4, 5.
- 63 Reason.
