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fpicuous vengeance on individual characters? Pride. Why doth God decree the deftruction of Moab? Moab, faith God, fhall be deftroyed from being a people, because be hath magnified himself against the Lord. We have heard the pride of Moab; he is exceeding proud; his loftiness, and his arrogancy, and his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart (s). Why is Edom to perish? The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee : therefore Edom shall be a defolation (t). Why is Tyre to be demolished for ever? Because her heart is lifted up, the Lord of Hofts hath purposed to stain the pride of all her glory (u). Why is Babylon doomed to perpetual ruin? Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, faith the Lord God of Hofts. Call together the archers against Babylon: all ye that bend the bow, camp against it round about; let none thereof efcape: recompenfe her according to her work: for fhe hath been proud against the Lord (w). Why was Ifrael menaced with devouring vengeance? Because their heart was exalted: because the pride of Ifrael teftifieth to his face (x). Why was the king of Affyria

(s) Jerem. xlviii. 29. 42. Ifaiah, xvi. 6. (t) Jerem. xlix. 16, 17. (u) Ezek. xxviii. 2. Ifaiah, xxiii. 9. (x) Hofea, xiii, 6. vii. 10.

(w) Jerem. 1. 29. 31.

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rendered a monument of divine wrath? Because thou haft exalted thy voice and lifted up thine eyes against the Holy One of Ifrael; I will punish the fruit of the ftout heart of the king of Affyria and the glory of his high looks (y). Why was Nebuchadnezzar driven from his throne to herd with the beafts of the field? Because his heart was lifted up and his mind was hardened with Pride (z). Why was Uzziah branded with incurable leprofy, and cut off from the house of the Lord? Because his heart alfo was lifted up (a), and impelled him with obftinate prefumption to invade the office of the prieft. Why was Hezekiah punished with the prophetic intelligence that his treasures fhould be the prey, and his posterity the captives, of the Babylonians? Because he exhibited with oftentatious arrogance the riches with which God had bleffed him. Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him: for his heart was lifted up therefore there was wrath upon him (b). How did God bring Ahitophel to destruction? By mortifying that pride of wifdom with which he was inflated.

(y) 2 Kings, xix. 22. Ifaiah, x. 12.

V. 20.

(a) 2 Chron. xxvi. 18.

(z) Daniel, (b) 2 Chron.

xxxii. 25. and fee 2 Kings, xx. 13-18. and Ifaiah, xxix.

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The counfel of Ahitophel was in those days as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God. And when he faw that his counsel was not followed, be arose and hanged himself (c). Why was Herod smitten by an Angel and eaten, while yet alive, of worms? Becaufe in the arrogance of his heart he gave not to God the glory (d). What was the fource of that lukewarmnefs in the Laodiceans, against which the divine indignation is proclaimed Spiritual Pride. Thou fayeft, I am rich, and encreased with goods and have need of nothing (e). Behold on how many forms of Pride the recorded judgements of the Moft High have fallen! All these things happened unto them for enfamples: and they are written for our admonition (ƒ)•

My brethren! has it been needful to enter into larger details? Is not Pride convicted as in every fhape utterly unchristian; as the primary cause of the fall of Man; as in all ages the foundation of the most heinous fins, of the most tremendous judgements? Yet have ye not beheld Satan transformed into an angel of light? Have ye not beheld Pride ufurping the femblance of Virtue? Have ye not heard Pride loaded

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(d) Aes, xii. 23

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with panegyric, recommended to imitation? Have ye not heard of proper Pride, of decent Pride, of honourable Pride, of manly Pride? Do you not inceffantly hear this jargon from the lips of profeffed Christians? Proper Pride, decent Pride, honourable Pride, manly Pride! Talk rather of proper malignity; of decent blafphemy; of honourable barbarity; of manly Murder! Be not deceived: God is not mocked Pride, with whatever epithets it may be attended, under whatever decorations it may be dif guised, is Pride, is fin. That the proud in heart fhould vindicate Pride; that by fubtleties of expreffion and delufive diftinctions they should labour to provide excufes and pleas for the indulgence of their ruling paffion, is not wonderful. Leave Pride to the proud. Be not ye corrupted by evil communication to call evil good, and darknefs light. The word of God is your ftandard. By that ftandard try every word, and motive, and temper, and action.

Pride is ever setting up itself against heaven. When it looks to God, it is with a defire of being freed from dependence on Him. When it confiders men, it undervalues His gifts to others; and prompts us to act, with respect to His gifts,

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to ourselves as though they were inherent in us, or were our due. Hence the fretful impatience of the prefumptuous under the laws and difpenfations of Infinite Wisdom. Hence the scornful eye and the boaftful tongue. Hence, in the daily paths of common life, men avow themfelves proud of the fuccefs, proud of the marks of favour, of preference, of honour, by which they are diftinguished. What are thefe diftinctions but calls for gratitude and humility? When St. Paul, comparing the extent of his exertions with thole of the other Apostles, incidentally exclaims, I laboured more abundantly than they all: with what folicitude does he inftantly guard the expreffion against the imputation of feeming Pride—Yet not I; but the grace of God which was with me (g)! Whoever thou art who glorieft, give the glory to God. Who maketh thee to differ from another? And what haft thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it, why doft thou glory as if thou hadst not received it (b)?

Finally, in fcrutinifing your own bosom that you may discover whether it is under the influence of Pride, investigate with the

(5) 1 Cor. xv. 10.

(b) 1 Cor. iv. 7.

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