Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

1. In Pride. When we entertain an high Opinion of our selves, and act for our own Reputes, we dispossess God from our own hearts; and while we would have our Fame to be in every mans mouth, and be admired in the hearts of men, we would chase God out of the hearts of others, and deny his Glory a Residence any where else; that our Glory should reside more in their minds than the Glory of God; that their thoughts should be filled with our Achievements, more than the Works and Excellency of God, with our Image and not with the Divine. Pride would paramount God in the affections of others, and jostle God out of their Souls; and by the same reason that man doth thus in the Place where he lives, he would do so in the whole world, and press the whole Creation from the Service of their true Lord, to his own Service. Every proud man would be counted by others as he counts himself; the highest, chiefest piece of Goodness; and be adored by others, as much as he adores and admires himself. No proud man in his self-love, and self-admiration, thinks himself in an Error; and if he be worthy of his own admiration, he thinks himself worthy of the highest esteem of others; that they should value him above themselves, and value themselves only for him. What did Nebuchadnezzar intend, by setting up a Golden Image, and commanding all his Subjects to worship it, upon the highest Penalty he could inflict; but that all should aim only at the pleasing his Humour?

1. In Pride. When we entertain an high Opinion of our selves, and act for our own Reputes, we dispossess God from our own hearts; and while we would have our Fame to be in every mans mouth, and be admired in the hearts of men, we would chase God out of the hearts of others, and deny his Glory a Residence any where else; that our Glory should reside more in their minds than the Glory of God; that their thoughts should be filled with our Atchievements, more than the Works and Excellency of God, with our Image and not with the Divine. Pride would paramount God in the affections of others, and justle God out of their Souls; and by the same reason that man doth thus in the Place where he lives, he would do so in the whole world, and press the whole Creation from the Service of their true Lord, to his own Service. Every proud man would be counted by others as he counts himself; the highest, chiefest piece of Goodnes; and be adored by others, as much as he adores and admires himself. No proud man in his self-love, and self-admiration, thinks himself in an Error; and if he be worthy of his own admiration, he thinks himself worthy of the highest esteem of others; that they should value him above themselves, and value themselves only for him. What did Nebuchadnezzar intend, by setting up a Golden Image, and commanding all his Subjects to worship it, upon the highest Penalty he could inflict; but that all should aim only at the pleasing his Humor?