SERMON XIV.

Shame and Contempt the End of Pride.

PROV. xvi. 18.

Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before

a fall.

THE observation is trite and common, and such as might

But

have been made without the wisdom of Solomon. though the thought be obvious, it is important too, and can never be too often inculcated; so that for its use and value, it was well becoming his wisdom to take notice. of it, and to minute it down, as a proper caution and warning to be transmitted, upon the authority of his great name, to latest posterity. It adds some weight and dignity to the thing, that it was observed so long ago, and by the wisest of men, conducted also in what he wrote by the Holy Spirit of God. The proposition here asserted is of the moral kind, and is one of those which may be said to be commonly, and for the most part, true, though not universally. The exceptions, if there be any, are yet few and rare, and shake not the credit of the general remark. The thing is generally true, true, as we say, even to a proverb, that "pride goeth before destruction, "and an haughty spirit before a fall." Which is the same as to say, that pride and haughtiness commonly bring men to destruction and shame; they lead to it, and they end in it. In discoursing upon this subject, it may be proper,

I. To show what pride and haughtiness mean; that so

it may be distinctly perceived what it is that we are treating upon.

II. I shall endeavour to illustrate the truth of the observation from Scripture and reason. And,

III. I shall briefly apply the whole by suitable reflections.

I.

I begin with showing what pride and haughtiness mean. The names are common, but the ideas often not very distinct; from whence arise confusion of thought, and mistakes sometimes in judging both of ourselves and other persons. Pride is a word of great latitude, and ought to be set clear; as the thing meant by it should be also carefully distinguished by its several kinds. In the general, pride is thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought to think. It is a corruption of self-love, and is, in its root and principle, nothing else but selfflattery. There is a sensible pleasure in conceiving that we stand possessed of any considerable advantages, either of mind, or body, or of outward circumstances. The higher we can raise the idea of ourselves, the greater is the inward pleasure. Here lies the bait and the temptation to pride, that is, to a man's thinking too highly of himself, instead of thinking justly and according to truth.

And now, if any one desires to know when or wherein he may be said to think too highly of himself, it is either when he thinks that any thing he has is his own; or when he conceives himself to have what he really has not; or when he sets too great a value upon what he has, and challenges to himself more respect than is due to him upon that score.

If a man supposes any advantage he has to be strictly his own, he is therein forgetful of God, from whom he received it, and to whom he owes every thing. This is properly pride towards God: for as to men, they consider this but little, as being little concerned in it. They allow a man to call what he has his own, as a man's estate is his own: by which, however, in strictness is only meant, that

it is his own, in opposition to any claims from other men, not in opposition to God.

The second article I mentioned was, a man's conceiving himself to have what he really has not; as when he judges himself to be wiser, richer, greater, better, than he is. This is pride, and is so clear a case, that it needs no farther explaining.

The third article I mentioned was, the setting too great a value upon what he has, and upon himself for it, challenging to himself more respect than is due to him upon that score. This is pride, and very troublesome pride too, because now it is reduced to act, appears outwardly, and causes great disturbances; as all disputable claims must of course do. There is one very common weakness, one species of pride, belonging to this head, which deserves. to be here taken notice of; and that is, a man's valuing an advantage above many greater, only because it is his, to draw respect and honour into such a channel, where he is the surest to have a share: as if a rich man despises all who are not rich, though they may have what is more valuable; or if a learned man despises all who are not learned, though perhaps wiser than himself; or if one, learned in one particular way, despises all who are inferior to him in that respect, though perhaps in other and greater respects they may be much his superiors: this is pride and vanity; and the like may be said of any other kind of men overvaluing their real advantages, whatever they be.

Now the advantages which men have are reducible all to three kinds; advantages of mind, or of body, or of outward circumstances. To the mind belong understanding and virtue, which if a man be proud of, it commonly goes under the name of conceitedness, or vanity. To the body belong strength and beauty, which if any one be proud of, I do not know whether it has any other name besides the general name of pride. To outward circumstances belong riches, honours, birth, quality, station, office, and the like. As to riches, the vulgar name for that sort of pride is pride of life: for the rest, haughtiness is the proper name

to express it by, the name used in my text. There are some other names or sorts of pride, as it appears outwardly in conversation or in conduct. Assuming too much to one's self, either by words or by actions, is a species of pride, and is called arrogance or insolence. As also a stubborn refusing to pay respect where respect is due goes under the same names. Affecting to appear above what belongs to one's station, character, and circumstances, and therein vying with our superiors, is pride, but is mostly called ambition, or vanity.

From what hath been said, it may appear, that pride is not peculiar to persons of any rank, but is common to men of all ranks, orders, and degrees. There is as much pride shown in denying respect where it is due, as in demanding it where it is not due: and there may be as much pride covered under a threadbare garment, as under the richest embroidery. The pride and stomach of the inferior sort discovers itself in stubbornness, captiousness, querulousness, rudeness towards their superiors, and 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 shown 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 mana." 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.

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

• Prov. vi. 11. xxiv. 34.