is the Lord c. Prov. 30.9 Let every one labour then to be rich in God in Wisdom in Faith in Godliness in good Works The godly poor God chuseth to enrich with Heavenly riches not a Senator for he would have said My Dignity is chosen August de verb. domini Serm. 59. if a rich man my Wealth is chosen if an Orator my Eloquence is chosen if a Philosopher my Wisdom is chosen saith Augustine This is durable riches and riches that can never be taken away To him that hath God nothing can be wanting unless he himself be wanting to God saith Cyprian Habenti Deum nil potest deesse nisi desit ipse Deo quia Dei sunt omnia Cyprian Orat. Domin because all things are Gods CHAP. 9. Of Pride of Honour SECT 1. Of Affectation of high Titles and a Name in the World HErein the pride of the Pharisees appeared who affected the name Rabbi i. e. Mat. 23 8. to be counted wise and understanding When Sarah cast out the bond-woman and her son Christo non vieta che non si renda il suo honore a i magistrati e a i maestri ma condauna l'ambitione Ital. Annot. Sir Rich. Barckley de Summo bono the posterity of Hagar were content at first with the name of Hagarens but afterwards in the pride of their hearts considering that Hagar was but a bond-woman they would not be called Hagarens from Hagar but Saracens from Sarah the free-woman and principal wife True vertue is contented with one title or with none at all for it self is a sufficient title Alexander the great being pufft up with pride for his great victories could not bare the greatness of his fortune with that vertue he woon them That vain Woman Cleopatra would be called Regina Reginarum But being more desirous of honour then able to receive it he commanded himself to be called the Son of Jupiter and to be honoured as a God and while he went about to encrease the glory of his acts he defaced them with such vain titles for he received more mocks of the wiser sort then adoration of his flatterers When he sent to the Cities of Greece to have his new title of Godhead to be confirmed by publique authority Sapor the Persian wrote to Constantius and called himself King of Kings and Brother to the Stars the Sun and the Moon c. the matter being in consultation one steps up and said Well seeing Alexander would needs have it so let us make him a God Great and detestable is the pride of the Pope of Rome who will be called the most holy Father yea Holiness it self What is this but to lift up himself above Christ Christ indeed is absolutely called the Holy One but the Pope calleth himself the Most Holy One and that absolutely Thus he proudly exalts himself above Christ which is proper to Antichrist The like may be noted from the title of Christs Priesthood Hebr. 4.14 15. where he is called an High-Priest and a Great High-Priest but the Pope arrogateth to himself an higher title Pontifex Maximus the greatest High-Priest wherein again he lifts up himself above Christ shewing that he is not his Vicar but the Successor of the Arch-Priest of the Pagans whom the Romans called Arch-flamens And Gregory sometime Bishop of Rome said Whosoever calleth himself Pareus in Apocal. Their glory is great that got the name of Great as Alexander the great Pompey the great Charls the great but they get more glory who obtain the name Optimus i. e. the best Trajan wrote his title upon a wall which Constantinus seeing called Herbam parietariam or desireth to be called the Universal Bishop is in this his ambition a fore-runner of Antichrist in that he proudly preferreth himself above the rest And the Pope afterwards becoming Bishop of the chief Seat and not contented with that title a while after he made himself greatest or chief Priest which Dignity till then was proper to the Roman Emperours for after Augustus all the Roman Princes who governed the Roman affairs under the name of Emperours as Onuphrius writeth either took on them the chief Pontificacy or else suffered themselves to be called Pontifices Maximi as Constantinus Constantius Valentinianus Valens and Gratianus who although they detested the function of chief Priesthood being addicted to the Christians nevertheless they despised not nor rejected the title thereof Gratian the Emperour being the first as Zosimus tells us who forbad by Proclamation that the Title of Pontifex Maximus should be given to him Now these Augustal Titles being rejected by the Emperours because of the impiety thereof the Pope assumed them to himself making himself the greatest Priest and soon after Oecumenical Catholick and Universal Bishop being stiled Prince of Priests and Head of Churches But what will it profit men to have swelling titles and to have their names known upon earth if their names are not registred and upon record in Heaven What can it benefit a man to be famous and talked on upon earth and be commended in City Court and Countrey and to have his name in many Books If this be not attended and accompanied with a sanctified heart it s but matter of pride and vanity To this Section let me adde that the affectation of vain-glory and getting themselves a name hath been found in men of a base condition and some will endanger their lives to get themselves a name not fearing to run into present death to win same to themselves after this life Such was the humility of Pertinax the Emperour that he forbad his name to be written in the Imperial possessions because they were not proper to the Emperour but to the Romans by some notorious fact not respecting the wickedness thereof Pausanias being ambitious of a name slew Philip King of Macedon the most famous man in his time I have read likewise of another that set the Temple of Diana on fire which for the sumptuousness of its building and curiosity of Workmanship was one of the wonders of the world And being askt why he did it he answered for no other end but to get him a name and that he might be talkt of when he was dead And Livy tells us of a Roman who was so desirous of glory and fame that he attempted to burn down the Treasure-house at Rome and being apprehended and put to torment and examined he confessed that he had no other end in it but that writers might make mention of him in their Chronicles SECT 2. Of affecting High Places THe Pharisees loved the uppermost seats in the Synagogues Luke 11.43 and greetings in the Marker-place Christ doth not say You sate in the upper-most seats and therefore denounceth a woe against them for of necessity some body must sit in the chiefest seats but this was their sin The poor Prodigal desireth to be made but as one of his fathers hired servants
widow as some of the Ancients note upon the place 3. His Arithmetick failed him for whereas he thought he had a lease of his life and sure estate in these goods for many years it so fell out The Wicked make garments and the Godly put them on little knows the wicked for whom he builds and gathers that he was disappointed of his hope and dispossessed of his hold in a very few hours God said unto him Thoufool this night thy soul shall be required of thee or do they require thy soul and then whose shall all those things be which thou hast provided Some descant upon the words thus This night shall they require thy soul i.e. the Devils with whom they say this covetous wretch had driven the bargain before and there lacked nothing but the delivery and doubtless all of his stamp do lay their souls to pawn and mortgage Others observe and that truly that where good men die willingly singing their Nunc dimittis with good old Simeon worldly wretches must be made yield their due as bad debtors must be forced to payment But I note this only by the way Then saith God Whose shall these things be King David observed long ago Psal 39.6 that man oftentimes disquieteth himself in vain heaping up riches and not knowing who shall gather them And Solomon saith that a stanger sometimes eateh up and enjoyeth all a mans labour Eccles 6.2 King Saul could never endure David yet he was the man that succeeded him in his Kingdom Haman could never brook Mordecai the Jew yet he was his heir As the Partridge sitteth on eggs and hatcheth them not or as the ordinary Translation and the Margin of the new gathereth young which she hath not brought forth and which will for sake her again when they perceive she is not their Dam so he that getteth riches and not by right Jer. 17.11 Nemo unquam hostis tam periculosus quam in improbos prosperitas sua Aug. Epist 39. shall leave them in the midst of his days and at his end shall be a fool Such a proud fool was a Cardinal here in England in the time of King Henry the sixth so rich he was that he thought nothing could prevail against him and when he lay on his death bed and perceived he must die he murmured exceedingly and said if the Realm of England would save my life I am able to get it with policy or to buy it with my riches Fie said he will not death be hired will money do nothing Little reason there is if men rightly consider it why they should be proud of riches Periculosior prosperitas animo quam adversitas corpori August in Psal 41. Poor Lazarus was carried into rich Abrahams bosom to note that Heaven will hold both rich and poor neither riches nor poverty simply do exclude men thence when as our Saviour tells us That a rich man shall hardly enter into the Kingdom of Heaven and That it is easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God Mat. 19.23 24. that is one that hath riches in admiration whose heart is wedded and glewed to it and so he expounds himself Mark 10.24 How hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the Kingdom of God! This speech therefore must not be simply considered of all rich men for Abraham Job David and Solomon and many other holy men were very rich But when Christ saith It is easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God 1. Some say That in Jerusalem there was a certain little Gate called Foramen acus through which a Camel could not go with a burthen upon his back but must first be unloaded and creep upon his knees Semblably if rich men will enter in at the strait Gate of Heaven they must empty their hearts and mindes of pride and the love of riches and be ready and willing to leave them at Gods pleasure by his appointment and direction Mat. 5.3 and also be humble and poor in Spirit 2. Others take the speech to be an Hyperbolical Amplification How hard is it for them that have many riches c. as is usual in Scripture to set out a great number by an Hyperbole As many as the sand on the Sea shore or the Stars of Heaven or the Birds or Beasts or Fishes c. And surely rich worldlings are not unfitly compared to Camels whose riches are more for burden then for use Quibus divitiae sunt potius oneri quà m usui Hieronymus capit Camelum pro animante cui subscribit Erasmus Alcani intendeno un canape da ancora ma non ne banno per ancora adutta alcuna autorità Ital. as a Camel carrieth a burden but not for himself yea oftentimes carrieth gold all day and at night is turned into the stable with a galled back a pair of dirty heels and an empty belly So a greedy worlding that hath toiled all his life time and made gold his confidence at the hour of death is turned into Hell with an heavy heated soul and a guilty conscience having even got Hell for his hire to provide for such as will never thank him and who will not bestow any of it by way of Restitution to redeem him out of Hell or if there were a Purgatory as the Papists say they will say he hath answered for getting it and they will not part with any but keep it 3. A third sort there be who understand not a Camel but a Cable rope which good Authors avouch to be signified by the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Beza Calvin Chemnitius Stella and these follow Theophilact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 funis nauticus crassus cui anchoram alligabant à similitudine Cameli animant is tortuosi Caelius lib. 4. cap. 18. who saith That howsoever a whole Cable cannot possibly be got through the eye of a needle unless it be as big as the ring of an anchor which is not usual yet if it be unwound and unravelled in tenuia filamenta into the several small links and threds it may be done though with much difficulty and so an impossibility is not pretended Vulgarius vult hoc loco significari rudentem nauticum apud Suidam eo reperitur significatu Item non impossibilitas praetenditur sed raritas rei demonstratur Hieron but only the rarity of it is demonstrated saith Hierom. Therefore seeing riches have been such stumbling-blocks and snares to many souls we have little cause to be proud of them but they that have them ought to pray that they may be sanctified to them and that they may have the right use of them Luke 16.9 And to pray with Agur Give me neither poverty nor riches c. lest I be full and deny thee and say Who
Job 1.21 saith Job and this one thought well taken in and fully digested will lay pride in the dust And here I might shew you how nature which shews her self a mother to other creatures is but as it were a step-mother unto man denying him many of those natural helps wherewith they are endowed sending him forth weak and weaponless wanting that natural instinct to feed himself Dentetimetur aper defendunt cornua taurum when he is brought forth and those natural instruments to defend himself when he is brought up the very first voice and noise that man uttereth is weeping and crying being as it were a Prophet and Prognosticator of his succeeding misery he cometh forth weeping into a vally of tears seeming to be grieved that he is a man and not some other creature ashamed because naked to weep because he is born to labour not to honour Qui natus non est in dolore putet se natum non esse ad laborem labor est in Actione Dolor est in passione quid non eis grave quibus vivere labor est Bern. for this is the common condition of all Adams posterity In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return to the ground Gen. 3.19 As it was laid upon Eve and all her daughters to conceive in sorrow so was it laid upon Adam and all his sons to live by labour Therefore Bernard saith well to this purpose He that is not born in sorrow let him think that he is not born to labour there is labour in action grief in passion or suffering and what is not grievous to those to whom life it self is a labour why then should we paint our backs with gorgeous apparel seeing we were but made of a piece of earth from whence we came naked and whither we must go again naked as Job saith and why should any man be proud of his possessions and inheritances when as he is born to nothing but the bread of affliction and the waters of adversity 3. The consideration of the manifold pains weaknesses sicknesses and infirmities of the body should much abate our pride God takes away health and strength many times from his dearest children as from Hezekiah 2 Kings 20.1 from David Psal 41.8 and from Lazarus whom Jesus loved Joh. 11.3 God many times brings diseases upon our bodies to cure the disease of pride Gregor praefat in Moral Gregory tells us that while he was expounding the tragical history of Job that he was afflicted with continual feavers yet this good he thereby gathered that it so fell out that by Gods Providence himself being sick and wounded should expound wounded Job these strokes upon his body made him the better to understand and with words the better to express the mind of wounded Job God opens the ears of men and sealeth their instruction he is chastened also with pain upon his bed and the multitude of his bones with strong pain and the end that God aimeth at is that he may withdraw man from his purpose Job 33.16 17 19 20. and hide pride from man bodily weaknesses many times bring down the pride and stoutness of our hearts 4. The frequent and serious consideration of death to which the body is also subject is of great force to pull down pride and keep the spirit very humble Death is the humble mans university no man would be proud of bodily strength or beauty did he frequently think of death this would make the stoutest to strike sail and cast down their proud crests in the midst of their greatest jollity O thou who art dust and ashes why dost thou wax proud remember whence thou art and be ashamed where thou art and lament whither thou art going Quid superbis pulvis cinis memento unde es erubesce ubi es ingemisce quo iturus es perhorresce Bern. One cried to Johannes Eleemosynarius being made Patriarch Perfice sepulchrum perfice sepulchrum and tremble for fear saith Bernard Let us constantly remember our end and we shall not do amiss Let the meditation of the death of the body be to us as Philips Page as Josephs Sepulchre in his garden a place of pleasure Facile contemnit omnia qui assidue cogitat se moriturum that man easily despiseth all things who daily thinketh that he shall die This use Paul makes of it seeing we brought nothing into this world and can carry nothing out having food and raiment let us be therewith content 1 Tim. 6.7 8. Let us not proudly aspire after great things here because shortly we must die and leave all behind us Agnoscat homo se esse mortalem franget elationem Aug. 2. Let us consider the state and condition of our souls and hence we may fetch matter enough to keep down our pride Man was made an excellent creature made in the image of God in knowledge righteousness and holiness but this image of God in man is by his fall much weakened and he that was by creation the noblest creature on earth is now become a vagabond on earth a child of wrath an enemy to God if we will view our selves in the glass of Gods law Rom. 7. we shall see our own vileness and deformity and that in us that is in our flesh there dwells no good thing that there is nothing but vanity in our minds rebellion in our wills ataxy in our affections transgression in our lives that all our best righteousness is as filthy rags that our souls are the very proper subjects of misery our hearts the very center of fears and sorrows and our minds the hives and receptacles of swarms of thorny and distracting cares which make man a slave to his passions disturbe his peace and make the best of his earthly comforts to be but splendid vanities and golden delusions the consideration hereof and the miserable estate we are liable to will drive us out of love and liking with our selves yea make us with Job Job 42.6 to abhor our selves and repent in dust and ashes It is reported of Gregory Nazianzen Dr. Abbot on Jonah that when any thing fell out prosperously to him whereby he feared that pride might seize upon him or get footing in him Quando pavo pedes subito inspicit statim remittit animum circulum pennarum Etsi enim habet homo propter quod exultet si tamen inspererit suam originem vitae suae conditiones statim remittet c. Franzius that he would presently set himself to read over the Lamentations of Jeremiah and whensoever the like befals any of us or whensoever we feel our selves tickled with the itching humour of self-love or self-liking in regard of our outward gifts or inward graces let us enter into a serious meditation of our foulest sins and reigning deformities that so we may nip this sin of pride in the bud and kill the serpent in the shell when
the Peacock spreads his circled train turning to the one side and to the other he struts it bravely but at last as it were reflecting on his hoarse and hideous voice and casting his eyes on his black feet he goes sneaking away and le ts fall his fair fan of feathers so when we are apt to be pufft up with pride by reason of any thing we have and enjoy or of any thing we have done or suffered let us consider the infinite temptations and weaknesses Quomodo superbiat qui secum semper sentinam portat Hieron and sinful imperfections that continually attend upon and accompany even our best actions and we shall find matter enough to empty us of our high and windy conceits Bees flying in the aire do ballast their wings with little stones lest the wind blow them away so when we are apt to be blown away with the wind of pride let our minds be ballasted with the thoughts of our sins CHAP. 28. The second Direction Direct 2. LOok up to God and thou wilt see enough in him to pull down thy pride Gods greatness Gods holiness Gods goodness 1. Consider the greatness of God and the superiority of God above man and the power that he hath over man Ps 95.3 6. the Lord is a great God and a great King above all gods therefore let us worship and bow down and kneel before the Lord our Maker saith the Psalmist If man could do according to his will and God would do according to his power Gen. 6.6 7 who could stand I will destroy man from the face of the earth saith the Lord The Original word is as Pareus hath it Pareus in loc I will steep him as a man steeps a piece of earth in water till it turn to dirt for man is but clay and forgets his Maker and his matter none but God can reduce man to his first principles and original matter whereof he was made there is no dust so high but this great God is able to give it a steeping God is alwaies provided of a rod for his children and of an ax and sword for his enemies though he doth not alwaies smite yet he is ever ready Psal 7.13 he hath prepared instruments of death his bow is bent and his arrows are upon the string therefore when thou walkest in the ruffe of thy pride God can stretch out his Almighty arm and let fly a deadly arrow that may wound thy soul for ever Therefore when thou beginnest at any time to be pufft up think who thou art and who God is when thou thinkest thou art something look upon the greatness of the most high God and then thou wilt see thou art just nothing 2. Consider the holiness of God and then look upon thine own sinfulness and vileness and thou wilt see little cause to be proud Bishop Hooper said at the stake Lord thou art heaven I am hell Thou art Justice I am sin was Luther also wont to say Gods holiness will shew us our sinful spots and defilements When the Prophet saw a glorious vision of the Lord Isa 6.3 5. and heard the Seraphims proclaim the thrice holy name of God he cries out immediately Wo is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips How shall I that am altogether unclean stand before this holy Lord God The pride of man must needs fall down before the holiness of God 3. Consider the goodness of God and that will abate our pride When David sent Messengers to Abigail 1 Sam. 25.41 to assure her he would be her husband this maketh Abigail low in our own eyes Let me saith she be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my Lord shall David honour me to make me his wife who am scarce worthy to be one of his servants So the consideration of Gods great goodness to man is a special means to humble him before the Lord. What am I O Lord that thou shouldst set thy heart upon me Create me after thine Image Redeem me by the blood of thy Son provide Heaven and Glory for me the consideration of such favours will make him have low thoughts of himself and not quarrel with God when God bestows great mercies upon others This was Jonahs fault God had delivered him and his companions in the ship from the fury of two merciless elements viz. the air and waters both which seemed to have conspired their destruction but are restrained by the over-ruling power of God the Lord apprehends Jonah arrests him and safely delivereth him into his prison yet he is so far from being crushed or torn in pieces by the devouring jaws of that cruel monster as he 's not once touched by his teeth and he is safely kept there forth-coming amidst many dangers in that dark dungeon viz. First from being choked by the noisome vapours of the fishes entrals Secondly from being digested concocted and turned to his nourishment by the continual boiling heat of his stomack and lastly he is not cast out into the sea to shift for himself and sink or swim as we say but he is safely landed and set on shore and not only is he delivered but a whole City consisting of millions of people by his Sermon brought to repentance delivered from some strange vengeance which otherwise had seized upon them Jon. 4.1 but Jonah was very much displeased at it and falls to expostulating the business with God himself and though God dealeth with him Socratice and spurs him a question saying Dost thou well to be angry to which question he 's not able to make any reasonable answer yet Jonahs heart swells against God for sparing Niniveh Pride self-love and ambition and standing too much upon his reputation made him thus to do and rather then he would be discredited and thought a false Prophet he would have Niniveh destroyed Eccl. 41.17 and all the people thereof perish the son of Syrach tells us it s a foul shame to tell a lie before a Prince and men of authority as he thought he had done but he should have done well to have staid among them and rejoyced with them that God had been pleased to bestow such a blessing upon his preaching and his gratious pardon upon the place CHAP. 29. The third Direction Direct 3. LEt one Christian labour to exercise love towards another Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Austin saith Voluit deus unicum heminem in principio formare à quo omnes procederent ut tanquam fratres omnes inter se invicem amarent Aug. Si fratres sumus in quantum homines quanto magis in quantum Christiani August Sanctior est copula cordium quam corporum Lumb senten lib. 3. distinct 29. God would form one man in the beginning from whom all men should proceed that all might mutually love one another as brethren the son of Syrach urgeth this very argument saying every beast loveth his