Chap. XI. to live anfwerable to his mercies; but on the contrary, live without God in the world, fulfilling the lufts thereof; his hand is often seen, either in impoverishing or extinguishing them, and raising up men of more virtue and humility to their estates and dignity. However, I must allow, that among people of this rank, there have been fome of them of more than ordinary virtue, whofe examples have given light to their families. And it has been fomething natural for fome of their defcendants, to endeavour to keep up the credit of their houses, in proportion to the merit of their founder. And to fay true, if there be any advantage in fuch defcent, it is not from blood, but education for blood has no intelligence in it, and is often fpurious and uncertain; but education has a mighty influence, and ftrong bias upon the affections and actions of men. In this the ancient nobles and gentry of this kingdom did excel and it were much to be wifhed, that our great people would fet about to recover the ancient economy of their houses, the ftri&t and virtuous difcipline of their ancestors, when men were honoured for their atchievements, and when nothing more expofed a man to fhame, than his being born to a nobility that he had not a virtue to support. §. VIII. O, but I have an higher motive! The glorious gospel of Jefus Chrift, which having taught this northern ifle, and all ranks profeffing to believe in it, let me prevail upon you to feek the honour that it has brought from heaven, to all the true difciples of it, who are indeed the followers of God's Lamb, that takes away the fins of the world. Receive with meeknefs his gracious word into your hearts, that fubdues the word's lufts, and leads in the holy way to blessedness. Here are charms no carnal eye hath seen, nor ear heard, nor heart perceived, but they are revealed to fuch humble converts by his fpirit. Remember you are but creatures, and that you must die, and after all be judged. §. IX. But perfonal pride ends not in nobility of blood; it leads folks to a fond value of their perfons, be they noble or ignoble; especially if they have any pretence to shape or beauty. It is admirable to fee, how much it is poffible for fome to be taken with themfelves, as if nothing else deserved their regard, or the good opinion of others. It would abate their folly, if they could find in their hearts to spare but half the time to think of God, and their latter end, which they moft prodigally spend in washing, perfuming, painting, patching, attiring, and dreffing. In these things they are precife, and very artificial; and for coft they spare not. But that which aggravates the evil is, the pride of one might comfortably fupply the need of ten. Grofs impiety that it is, that a nation's pride fhould not be fpared to a nation's poor! But what is this for at laft? Only to be admired, to have reverence, draw love, and command the eyes and affections of beholders. And fo fantastic are they in it, as hardly to be pleafed too. Nothing is good, or fine, or fafhionable enough for them: the fun itself, the blefling of heaven, and comfort of the earth, muft not fhine upon them, left it tan them; nor the wind blow, for fear it fhould diforder them. O impious nicety! Yet while they value themselves above all elfe, they make themselves the vaffals of their own pride; worfhipping their fhape, feature, or complexion, whichfoever is their excellency. The end of all which, is but too often to excite unlawful love, which I call luft, and draw one another. into as miferable as evil circumstances: in fingle perfons it is of ill confequence; for if it does not awaken unchafte defires, it lays no foundation for folid and lasting union: the want of which, helps to make fo many unhappy marriages in the world: but in married people the fin is aggravated; for they have none of right to please, but one another; and to affect the geiety and vanity of youth, is an ill fign of loving and living well at home: it looks rather like dreffing for a market. It has fad effects in families difcontents, partings, duels, poifonings, and other infamous murders. No age can better tell us the fad effects of this fort of pride, than this we live in; as, how exceffive wanton, fo how fatal it has been to the fobriety, virtue, peace, and health of families in this kingdom. f. X. But I must needs fay, that of all creatures, this fort of pride does leaft become the old and homely, if I may call the ill-favoured and deformed fo; for the old are proud only of what they had, which fhews to their re proach, their pride has out-lived their beauty, and, when they fhould be a repenting, they are making work for repentance. But the homely are yet worse, they are proud of what they never had, nor never can have: nay, their perfons feem as if they were given for a perpetual humiliation to their minds; and to be proud of them, is loving pride for pride's fake, and to be proud, without a temptation to be proud. And yet in my whole life, I have observed nothing more doting on itself: A' ftrange infatuation and inchantment of pride! What! Not to fee right with their eyes, becaufe of the partiality of their minds? This felf-love is blind indeed. But to add expence to the vanity, and to be coftly upon that which cannot be mended, one would think they fhould be downright mad; efpecially if they confider, that they look the homelier for the things that are thought handfome, and do but thereby draw their deformity more into notice, by that which does fo little become them. But in fuch perfons follies we have a fpecimen of man; what a creature he is in his lapfe from his primitive image. All this, as Jefus faid of fin of old, comes from within; that is, the difregard that man and woman have to the word of their Creator in their hearts; which fhews pride, and teaches humility, and felf-abafement, and directs the mind to the true object of honour and worship; and that with an awe and reverence fuitable to his fovereignty and majefty. Poor mortals! But • Mat. xv. 11, 18, 19, 20. * Deut. xxx. 14. Rom. x. 8. living dirt! Made of what they tread on who, with all their pride, cannot fecure themselves from the spoil of fick nefs, much less from the ftroke of death! O! did people confider the inconftancy of all visible things, the cross and adverfe occurrences of man's life, the certainty of his departure, and eternal judgment, it is to be hoped they would bring their deeds to Chrift's light in their hearts, and they would fee if they were wrought in God or no, as the beloved difciple tells us from his dear Master's mouth. Art thou fhapely, comely, beautiful 1; the exact draught of an human creature? Admire that power that made thee fo. Live an harmonious life to the curious make and frame of thy creation; and let the beauty of thy body teach thee to beautify thy mind with holinefs, the ornament of the beloved of God. Art thou homely or deformed? magnify that goodness that did not make thee a beaft; and with the grace that is given unto thee, for it has appeared unto all, learn to adorn thy foul with enduring beauty. Remember, the King of heaven's daughter, the church, of which true Christians are members, is all glorious within. And if thy foul excel, thy body will only fet off the luftre of thy mind. Nothing is homely in God's fight but fin and that man and woman, that commune with their own hearts, and fin not; who, in the light of holy Jefus, watch over the movings and inclinations of their own fouls, and that fupprefs every in its conception; they love the yoke and cross ■ John iii, 20, 21. evil |