by the luxury and profuseness of their children; so it is as visible that he prospers the merciful, sometimes by a secret blessing dispensed by an invisible hand, and sometimes in succeeding their diligent endeavours in their callings.

But it is objected, the liberal are not always prosperous. To this a clear answer may be given.

1. External acts of charity may be performed from vicious motives, without a mixture of internal affections, which make them accepted of God.

2. Supposing a Christian abounds in works of charity, and is not rewarded here, this special case does not infringe the truth of God's promise; for temporal promises are to be interpreted with the exception, unless the wisdom and love of God sees it better not to bestow them. But he always does reward them, either in kind, or eminently in giving more excellent blessings. The crown of life is a reward more worthy the desires of a Christian, than the things of this world. Our Saviour assures the young man, Sell all, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven.' Eternal hopes are infinitely more desirable than temporal possessions. The apostle 'charges the rich to do good, to be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up for themselves a good foundation (not of merit but assurance) against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. If I could direct the covetous how to exchange a weight of silver for an equal weight of gold, or a weight of gold for an equal weight of diamonds, how attentively would they hear and earnestly follow such profitable counsel! But what

1 1 Tim. vi. 18, 19.

comparison is there between earthly and heavenly treasures? Godliness, of which the grace of charity is an excellent part, is profitable for all things; it makes our profit eternally profitable. It is the wisdom as well as duty of believers, to lay up treasures, not on earth, the land of their banishment, but in the celestial country, the place of their nativity.

CHAPTER III.

4. PRIDE of life is joined with the lusts of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes. Pride destroyed both worlds; it transformed angels into devils, and expelled them from heaven; it degraded man from the honour of his creation, into the condition of the beasts that perish, and expelled him from paradise. I shall consider the nature of this sin, the several kinds and degrees of it, and the means to purge us from it.

The nature of this vice consists in an irregular and immoderate appetite of superiority. It has two parts: the one is the affectation of honour, dignity, and power, beyond their true value and worth; the other is, the arrogating them as due to a person beyond his just desert.

The kinds of it are moral and spiritual, which are sometimes concealed in the mind and will, but often declared in the aspect and actions. Accordingly it is either arrogance that attributes an undue pre-eminence to a man's self, and exacts undue respect from others; or vain-glory, that affects and is fed with praise; or ambition, that hotly aspires

after high places, and titles of precedency and power: all which are comprised in the universal name of pride.

1. Pride includes a secret conceit of our own excellencies: this is the root of all its branches. Self-love is so natural and deeply impressed in the heart, that there is no flatterer more subtle and concealed, more easily and willingly believed, than this affection. Love is blind towards others, but more blind towards one's self. Nothing can be so intimate and dear, as when the lover and the person beloved are the same. This is the principle of the high opinion and secret sentiments which men entertain of their own special worth. The heart is deceitful above all things;' and above all things deceitful to itself. Men look into the enchanting glass of their own fancies, and are vainly enamoured with the false reflection of their excellencies. Self-love hinders the sight of those imperfections which, if discovered, would lessen the liberal esteem of themselves. The soul is a more obscure object to its eye, than the most distant stars in the heavens. Seneca tells of some that had a strange infirmity in their eyes, that wherever they turned they encountered the visible moving image of themselves. Of which he gives this reason: "It proceeds from the weakness of the visive faculty, which, for want of spirits derived from the brain, cannot penetrate through the diaphanous air so as to see objects; but every part of the air is a reflecting glass of themselves." That which he conjectured to be the cause of the natural infirmity, is most true of the moral, the subject of our discourse. It

1 "Infirmitas oculorum non potest ne proximum aerem perrumpere, sed resistit."-Senec. Nat. Quæst.

is from no true greatness but weakness of the mind, that the judicative faculty does not discover the worth of others, but sees only a man's self, as singular in perfections, and none superior, or equal, or near to him. Proud men will take a rise from any advantage to foment pride: some from the perfections of the body, beauty, or strength; some from the circumstance of their condition, riches, or honour; and every one thinks himself sufficiently furnished with understanding. For reason being the distinguishing excellency of a man from the brutes, a defectiveness in that is very disgraceful, and the title of fool is the most stinging reproach; as is evident by our Saviour's gradation: 'Whoever is angry with his brother without a cause is liable to judgment; whoever says raca,' (which expresses his anger contumeliously,) is subject to the council; but whoever shall say fool, shall be punished with hell-fire.' Therefore men are apt to presume of their intellectual abilities. One says, I have not learning, as those who are pale with study and whose lamps shine at midnight, but I have a stock of natural reason; or I have not a quick apprehension, but I have a solid judgment; I have not eloquence, but I speak good sense. The high conceit of men's own worth declares itself several ways. Sometimes it is transparent in the countenance; "There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes, and their eye-lids are lifted up!' Sometimes it is manifest in haughty carriage. If others do not express eminent respect for them, it is resented as a neglect and an injury. Their apparel, at first made to hide shame, proclaims their pride.

2. An inordinate desire of reputation and praise

is another branch of pride. The desire of praise is sown in human nature for excellent ends; to restrain men from those alluring lusts which would ruin their reputation, and to excite them to do things noble and beneficial to the public. Praise, the reward of doing good, is a powerful incentive to improve and secure civil felicity. The wise king tells us, "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches.' It is a recompense which God has promised; The upright shall be praised.'

6

The apostle excites us to strive after universal holiness by motives derived from reputation as well as from conscience; 'Whatsoever things are true' for conscience, honest' for fame, whatsoever are just and pure' for conscience,' whatsoever are lovely' for esteem, if there be any virtue in ourselves, and praise from others,' to propagate it, 'think on these things.' But the inflamed desire of praise from men, the being incensed against others as envious or enemies, who deny it, the assuming it for unworthy causes, (where there is no true virtue, there is no just praise,) the terminating it on ourselves, and not transferring it to God, are the effects of a vain-glorious mind. Pride undervalues goodness as in itself, and respects it only for the shadow which attends it. Praise is a music so enchanting, that it inclines men to believe that to be true which is pleasing, and which they desire others should believe to be true. A philosopher, when a box of ointment of precious composition was presented to him, feeling his spirits revived with its fragrancy, broke forth with indignation against those effeminate persons who perfume their hair and habits with it for vicious ends, and make the use of it disgraceful. But when praise, which is so sweet and pow