disobedience to their just commands. Having now said what I think sufficient of the nature and kinds of pride and haughtiness, I proceed,

II.

To illustrate the truth of the observation of the text, that pride and haughtiness will generally have a fall, will end in shame and contempt. This may be shewn two ways: either from the reason of the thing itself, and its natural tendency; or from the vindictive justice of Almighty God, taken with what he has declared in holy scripture.

1. First, we may argue the point from the reason of the thing itself, and its natural tendency.

Some kinds of pride are very expensive, and so lead to beggary and shame of course: as when men affect to make a figure above their rank and beyond their circumstances: the pride of equipage and furniture, of dress and attire, and all that vain pomp and luxury which goes under the name of pride of life; and really is so, when used by those whom it belongs not to, and who are not able to maintain it. This commonly ends, as naturally it must, in beggary and ruin. It is but a ridiculous part a man acts all the time, who affects to vie with his betters, and to move out of his proper sphere, assuming a foreign character: he is but despised and ridiculed for the vanity of it by discerning judges all along but in conclusion, shame and disgrace come pouring in upon him in full measure, when " poverty cometh as one that "travelleth, and his want as an armed man a." Such is the usual fate of one kind of pride, the pride of high living and luxury, where the circumstances do not answer.

There is another consideration, which concerns all kinds of pride. It is very well known that pride is a very contentious and disobliging quality. Nobody loves or really respects a proud man: all mankind naturally hate and slight such a person. He loses friends every day, and procures enemies more and more, by his disobliging and insolent behaviour. And if ever a time comes when he may stand in need of those whom he had despised, or may lie at the mercy of others whom he had provoked,) as there are often sudden and unexpected turns of affairs,) then, wanting friends, and having many enemies, his destruction comes upon him like a tempest, and he is no longer able to abide the storm.

a Prov. vi. II. xxiv. 34.

Another thing which makes proud persons most liable to fall is, that being full of themselves, and highly conceited of their own sufficiency, they are exceeding confident, and of course not so wary and cautious as other men. Their pride blinds them; their vanity runs them into error and mistakes. And yet this is not the worst of it, that they are liable to judge amiss, (as humbler men also, though in a less degree, are,) but when they are under any mistake, they can scarcely ever recover it. For, as they see not the thing themselves, so neither will they suffer others to undeceive them. They shut the door against instruction, and will not accept either of advice or warning. They are above being admonished, and too conceited to be advised. "In the "multitude of counsellors, there is safety," saith Solomon ; and he repeats it afterwards to make the deeper impression. But what safety can there be for a proud man, who generally thinks by himself, and consults his own humour and vanity? It will be nothing strange, if such persons, pursuing their own folly, and not foreseeing the danger, nor accepting of other men's eyes to discover it; I say, it will not be strange, if they run blindly upon ruin, and make haste to be undone. Thus far we may presume to judge of the case before us, from the common course of the world, from the nature and tendency of the thing.

2. But there is still greater force in this reasoning, if we consider, secondly, that the course of the world and all occurrences are in God's hands, who has particularly declared his detestation of pride, and his resolution to punish it.

St. James takes notice that "God resisteth the proud," while "he giveth grace" (that is, sheweth favour)" unto the humble.” St. Peter repeats the same, and both of them take the thought from Solomone. We read in this chapter, from whence I take my text, that" every one that is proud in heart is an abomina"tion to the Lord f." And in the chapter before, it is expressly said, that "the Lord will destroy the house of the proud "." Among the six or seven things, which the Lord more especially hates, "a proud look" is one h; which implies a proud heart. The whole tenor of the holy scripture intimates how exceeding hateful pride is to Almighty God. The reasons for it are

b Prov. xi. 14. xxiv. 6. Prov. xvi. 5.

James iv. 6.

g Prov. xv. 25.

d 1 Pet. v. 5. e Prov. iii. 34. h Prov. vi. 17.

obvious. Pride is extremely improper, and unbecoming our condition and circumstances. "Pride was not made for man," (says a wise and grave writer,) "nor furious anger for them that are born of a woman i." 66 Why is earth and ashes proud k ?” Pride is not a single vice, but a complicated wickedness, big with great injustice towards God and towards man, a grievous insult upon both. It robs God of his due honour, and breaks in upon the common liberties and privileges of mankind, only to bring in stolen incense and ravished glories to itself. Pride is an inlet

to all vices; as it is breaking off from God, and making a separate interest independent of him: and it is a bar to all goodness; inasmuch as the first step to goodness is humility. What aggravates all the rest is, that pride is scarce ever to be reclaimed. It owns no faults, it knows none: it is blind in itself, and obstructs every passage where light should enter from abroad so that hardness and impenitence commonly go along with pride; and the proud are, of all men, the last to be reformed: the very "publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of God "before them." These things considered, we need not wonder if pride be most odious in the sight of God, and if he every where testifies his just resentment against it.

If we look into Scripture history, we shall find terrible examples of God's avenging justice upon proud and haughty men: as upon Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and their confederates m; upon Sennacherib the proud Assyrian"; and upon prouder Hamano. We shall scarce read of a city destroyed, or a kingdom demolished, but pride is mentioned as one of the principal sins that brought down the heavy judgment upon them. The pride of Israel, and the pride of Judah and Jerusalem, led on their ruin. And even the Pagan kings and states, as Moab and Ammon, Tyre and Sidon, the Edomites and Philistines, the Egyptians, Assyrians, and at length the Chaldeans; when they grew proud and insolent, God sent his sore judgments upon them, and destroyed them utterly.

Seeing then that Almighty God has thus frequently and terribly executed judgments upon the proud; we have the greater reason to apprehend, that even in the common course of his I providence he will likewise testify his displeasure against it.

i Ecclus. x. 18. k Ecclus. x. 9. 1 Matt. xxi. 31.

2 Kings xix. 2 Chron. xxxii. Isai. xxxvii.

o Esth. vii.

m Numb. xvi.

have before observed, that, in the natural tendency of things, pride commonly borders upon ruin: but if it be considered further, that all second causes are conducted by the hand of God, and that all occurrences of life are under his guidance and direction; there may be reason to believe that, in some special cases, God himself may interpose his secret providence, to baffle the stout heart, and to bring down the high looks, by a sudden destruction.

Let this suffice for illustration of the proposition laid down in the text.

III.

It remains now only to apply what hath been said by suitable reflections.

We may observe, how proper and well chosen a consideration that of the text is, for the dissuading men from pride, or the curing them of it: for what can be of greater force than this, that pride can never reach the end it aims at, that instead of respect, it shall only meet with contempt; instead of honour, shame; instead of greatness, a downfall? Could the covetous man be once convinced, that no profit were to be gained by covetousness, he would never be covetous more; or if the ambitious were certain, that they could not arrive to preferments and high places by ambition, they would be no more ambitious: but a proud man may have demonstration that he shall never have the more honour or respect for his pride, but quite the contrary: why then should he be proud? It would be a point of wisdom in a proud man (if ever proud and wise can go together) to conceal his pride, and to put on the face of humility: for humility is indeed the way to get what the proud man aims at; and the very appearance of it would be of some use, at least in the sight of men. Men gladly honour the person that merits it, and does not demand it: and they cheerfully pay respect where it is taken modestly, and not exacted of them as a tax or a tribute. Seek not praise, thirst not after glory, and you are sure to find it. Certainly, it must be a great mortification to a proud man to observe (if he observes any thing) that the humble man, only by modest silence, and keeping his place, easily acquires all that respect, honour, and glory, which a proud person, with infinite pains and sharp contentions, had been long labouring after, and could never obtain. A proud man considers not that respect, reverence, and esteem, are things never to be snatched from others, never to be extorted: they must

come freely, if they come at all: force is a contradiction to their nature; and they lose their very name and essence as soon as exacted. There may be fear, there may be awe and dread, or servile flattery, extorted of another; but real respect, esteem, or honour, never come that way. Humility and modesty beget reverence and real esteem; being tokens of real worth: besides that God's providence often interposes to promote the humble: "Before honour is humility," says Solomon P; and a greater than he has said, that "he that shall humble himself shall be "exalted 9."

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But it may be asked perhaps, what is this humility, so much commended in Scripture? Is it for a man to make himself cheap and common? Is it to submit and give way to every one? Is it to stoop below one's place, station, and character? No, by no means. Humility is no levelling principle, no enemy to any distinctions of age, rank, place, or dignity. A man need not forget his station or his character, to shew his humility. A man may think very humbly of himself, and yet know his place, and act up to his station and dignity. St. Paul was not proud when he said of himself, (having a just occasion for saying it,) that he was "not "a whit behind the very chiefest Apostles ;" nor when he insisted upon the benefit of his birth, and claimed his privilege as a Romans. This was thinking highly of himself, but justly at the same time; for he was deeply sensible at the same time from whom he had received all, and therefore he humbly added, "though I be nothing t." A modest opinion of ourselves does not oblige us to idolize other persons, or to submit below our place or character. A man should know as well what is due to himself, as what is due to others; and if he goes no further than he really knows, but judges strictly according to truth, and acts by that judgment, without partiality, he shews no pride in such a conduct; but approves himself as a wise and an honest man. inferiors expect improper condescensions from their governors, or take it amiss not to be received upon an equal foot with them; the pride is in them who ask what they ought not; and not in those, who, mindful of their place and station, support it with dignity, and expect from their inferiors a becoming respect and a proper distance. There is therefore no pride in maintaining one's

P Prov. xv. 33. xviii. 12. 2 Cor. xi. 5. xii. 11.

If

9 Matt. xxiii. 12. Luke xiv. 11. xviii. 14. s Acts xxii. 25. t 2 Cor. xii. 11.