SERM.not the knowledge of thy ways: What is XI. the Almighty, that we should ferve him? and what profit should we have if we pray unto him? Job xxi. 14. Concerning fuch perfons as Thefe it is, that the Scripture threatens; Every one that is proud in Heart, is an abomination to the Lord'; though band join in hand, he shall not be unpunished, Prov. xvi. 5. It is generally fuppofed by Divines, that the original Sin even of the Devil himself, was Pride; because St Paul fpeaking of a man's being lift up with Pride, calls it his falling into the condemnation of the Devil. And this, is not at all improbable; provided, by Pride, be understood, not (with the vulgar) his attempting to refift God Almighty by Force, which is abfurd and impoffi ble and childish to imagine; but his prefuming, upon the Greatnefs and Dignity of his Nature, infolently to tranf grefs fome of the Divine Commands. And fomething like this, is the Cafe of Powerful Tyrannical Princes, who proudly defpife the Thoughts and Expectation of God's righteous judgment. For which reafon, the Prophet Ifaiah fo defcribes

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the Deftruction of the King of Bablyon, SER M, that the Words are, not without proba- XI. bility, thought to be an Allufion to the Fall of Satan; ch. xiv. 12, How art thou fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer, Son of the morning! bow art thou cut down to the ground, which didft weaken the Nations! For thou baft faid in thine Heart, I will afcend into Heaven, I will exalt my throne above the Stars of God, I will fit also upon the mount of the Congregation, in the fides of the North; I will afcend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the most High. Yet thou halt be brought down to Hell, to the fides of the Pit. And They that fee thee Thall- -fay, Is this the man

that made the Earth to tremble?--that made the World as a wilderness, and defroyed the Cities therefore? This is the manner wherein the Scripture reprefents God delighting to deftroy Tyrants, thofe proud and mighty Tranfgreffors..

ANOTHER inftance of which, is the description of the Haughtiness and the Fall of Nebuchadnezzar; Dan. iv. 30, The King fpake and faid, Is not This great Babylon that I have built for the Houfe

SERM. of the Kingdom, by the might of my Power, XI. and for the honour of my Majefty? But when bis Heart was lifted up, and his Mind hardned in Pride, he was depofed from bis kingly throne, and they took his glory from bim; And he was driven from the Sons of men, and his Heart was made like the Beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild Afes, ch. v. 20; that is, his Understanding was taken from him, and he imagined himself to be turned into a Beast.

AND the Inftance of Pharaoh, Exod. . 2, Who is the Lord, that I should obey bis Voice?--I know not the Lord, neither will I let Ifrael go: Therefore the Lord fent all his plagues upon his Heart, and upon his Servants, and upon his People, ch. ix. 14.

AND that of Herod, Acts xii. 21, Upon a fet day, Herod arrayed in royal apparel, fat upon his throne, and made an oration; And the people gave a shout, Saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man; And immediately the Angel of the Lord fmote him, because he gave not God the glory; and he was eaten of worms,

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and gave up the Ghost. The Angel of the SERM Lord, that is, a fudden disease, by the XI. direction of Providence, came upon him: him: The Figure is the fame as that which St Paul ufes, when he calls a temporal Affliction the Messenger or Angel of Satan to buffet him, 2 Cor. xii. 7. So I Th.

ii. 18.

ANOTHER Example, is that of Haman, in the Book of Efther; who when he would have facrificed a whole Nation to his Pride and Haughtiness, God justly fuffered him to fall by the fame ignominious Death which he had contrived for another.

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AND that of fpiritual Babylon of ChriAtian Tyranny and the Spirit of Perfecution in the Revelation, ch. xviii. 7, How much foe has glorified herself, and lived delici qufly, fo much torment and forrow give beri For fhe faith in her heart, I fit a Queen, and am no widow, and fall fee no forrow; Therefore fhall her plagues come in one day, death and mourning and famine; and she shall be utterly burnt with Fire; for firong is the Lord God whe judgeth her.

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SERM. THE manner and Reafon of God's XI proceedings in all which and the like) Inftances, cannot be more elegantly expreffed, than in the words of the wife Son of Sinach, Ecclus. x. 7, Pride is bateful before God and Man, and by both doth one commit Iniquity-Why is Earth and Afbes proud? The beginning of Pride is, when one departeth from God, and his Heart is turned away from his Maker: For Pride is the beginning of Sing and ke that bath it, fall pour out abomination; and therefore the Lord brought upon them frange calamities, and overthrew them utterly: The Lord hath caft down the Thrones of proud Princes, and fet up the meek in their stead: The Lord hath plucked up the roots of the proud Nations, and planted the lowly in their place: The Lord overthrew the Countries of the Heathen, and deftroyed them to the Foundations of the Earth Pride was not made for men, nor furious Anger for them that are born of a woman. This therefore is the fecond Argument to deter men from Pride; the confideration of its being particularly bateful to God.

3dly,