Secondly; Their Danger appears also from a proud Devil that now is entered into them. Pride commonly accompanies Ignorance, and this abounds in the Heart of Man by Nature, and there it will predominate, till the Soul passes through an effectual Change; but it appears in none so fully, or to such a Degree, as in a Pharisaical Person; he cannot endure to think he is so poor as profane and notorious Sinners are; what, go to his Neighbour's Door for every Morsel of Bread he eats, and for every draught of Drink! no, 'tis below him to beg, he thinks 'tis enough for Publicans and Sinners to do so. And indeed what need he go to be fed and clothed by another, that is full, and sees his Goods increased, and hath need of nothing? Faith empties the Soul, makes it poor, before it fills and enriches it. But this Man knows not what Faith is, nor the Life of it. Pride springs from an inordinate Self-love: Self-love, and Self-flattery, ⟨p. 21⟩are the Glasses in which a self-deceived Hypocrite looks daily in, in which he appears indeed that which he is not. Self-love is a Multiplying, yea a Magnifying-Glass. These never had a true sight of themselves, never saw their own Poverty, and horrid pollution of their Nature; 'tis with them, as it was with the Apostle, before the Commandment came, they are alive,1 and beautiful in their own Eyes. Behold, thou art called a Jew, 2and restest in the Law, and makest thy boast of God, and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are excellent. Thou art, as if he should say, called a Saint, looked upon by all to be a Holy Person, a Religious Man, one of great Parts, and Knowledge, and Abilities, exceeding many; makest thy boast of God, as if none knew him so well as thou dost: but this was their Pride, their Hearts were lifted up, by reason of that knowledge they had of the Letter of the Law; though neither their Hearts nor Lives were conformable to the Spiritualness of it, never saw that the least Sin and Lusts lays them open to the dreadful Wrath of God, and to the Curse of his holy Law. They boasted in that they had escaped the Corruption that is in the World, 3i. e. all scandalous and gross Sins, and so were puffed up in Pride and Vain-Glory. These Self-righteous Persons will not be made sensible that they are in a sinful State, because of those commendable Qualities possessed within, as they seem in their own Eyes;
Secondly; Their Danger appears also from a proud Devil that now is entred into them. Pride commonly accompanies Ignorance, and this abounds in the Heart of Man by Nature, and there it will predominate, till the Soul passes through an effectual Change; but it appears in none so fully, or to such a Degree, as in a Pharisaical Person; he cannot indure to think he is so poor as prophane and notorious Sinners are; what, go to his Neighbour's Door for every Morsel of Bread he eats, and for every draught of Drink! no, 'tis below him to beg, he thinks 'tis enough for Publicans and Sinners to do so. And indeed what need he go to be fed and clothed by another, that is full, and sees his Goods increased, and hath need of nothing? Faith empties the Soul, makes it poor, before it fills and inriches it. But this Man knows not what Faith is, nor the Life of it. Pride springs from an inordinate Self-love: Self-love, and Self-flattery, ⟨p. 21⟩are the Glasses in which a self-deceived Hypocrite looks daily in, in which he appears indeed that which he is not. Self-love is a Multiplying, yea a Magnifying-Glass. These never had a true sight of themselves, never saw their own Poverty, and horrid pollution of their Nature; 'tis with them, as it was with the Apostle, before the Commandment came, they are alive,1 and beautiful in their own Eyes. Behold, thou art called a Jew, 2and restest in the Law, and makest thy boast of God, and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are excellent. Thou art, as if he should say, called a Saint, looked upon by all to be a Holy Person, a Religious Man, one of great Parts, and Knowledg, and Abilities, exceeding many; makest thy boast of God, as if none knew him so well as thou dost: but this was their Pride, their Hearts were lifted up, by reason of that knowledg they had of the Letter of the Law; though neither their Hearts nor Lives were conformable to the Spiritualness of it, never saw that the least Sin and Lusts lays them open to the dreadful Wrath of God, and to the Curse of his holy Law. They boasted in that they had escaped the Corruption that is in the World, 3i. e. all scandalous and gross Sins, and so were puffed up in Pride and Vain-Glory. These Self-righteous Persons will not be made sensible that they are in a sinful State, because of those commendable Qualities possessed within, as they seem in their own Eyes;
- 1Ròm. 7. 9.
- 2Rom. 2. 17, 18.
- 3Rom. 2. 22.
