and fortifications we can against it, to keep it from entering upon and into us, we have need still to have recourse to God Almighty, and to implore his assistance in the guarding us from the assaults of this bold enemy; that he will preserve us from its approaches when we most approach him, and when we are doing that which most pleases him; in those seasons when we discharge our duty with most integrity, most ability, and most reputation, that men speak well of us, and speak but true, that he will then watch for us, that pride steal not into our hearts, and persuade us to think better of ourselves than we ought to do; that he will take care of us, when we take most care of ourselves to preserve our innocence, and even in our most secret devotions and addresses to his Divine Маjesty, that with the serenity of conscience which is naturally the effect of such devout addresses, no information of pride may enter into us to make us believe that we are better than other men, which will quickly make us worse; that he will not suffer us to grow, from the vices of others, because by his grace we are yet without those vices which they are transported with, proud of that which in truth is virtue in us; that we be not exalted with our own integrity, and neglect and despise those applications and condescensions which are necessary in this world to the support of the greatest integrity and innocence. The pride of a good conscience hath often exposed many men to great calamities, when they have too much neglected the friendships and affections of others, it may be the better to preserve their innocence; and so have been abandoned in the time of powerful calumny and persecution by those, who having reverence for their virtue, yet are without kindness for their persons, and so conclude that they are the less concerned for justice, because they are not at all concerned for their affection, or for any obligation they have received. It is very necessary therefore, that they who do their duty best, and have the greatest evidence and testimony of a good conscience within their own breasts, have likewise the greatest care that they be not only not exalted with that pride of conscience, but that they be not suspected to be so; and it is great pity that so ill an effect should proceed from so good a cause; that the same uprightness and integrity, which raises naturally jealousy, and envy, and malice, in the hearts of other men, should deprive those who are possessed of it of all wariness and dexterity and address, which is at least convenient for the manifestation and support of that sincerity and uprightness: " He is grievous unto us even to behold, for his life is not like other men's, his ways are of another fashion; let us examine him with despitefulness and torture, that we may know his meekness, and prove his patience," (Wisdom Sol. ii. 15, 19,) hath been the doctrine and practice of the world from Solomon's time to the age in which we live; and whilst this conspiracy contimes, the best men will have need of good friends and powerful vindicators, which must be procured by private correspondences as well as public justice, and by private obligations as an evident inclination and propensity to oblige; for whatever secret veneration virtue hath for itself even from the worst men, it seldom finds protection from the best. the more calm seasons of business and conversation: in business he rejects all that is proposed by other men, and superciliously determines that his own advice is to be followed; in conversation he is full of unpeaceable contradictions, and impatient at being contradicted; so that, though upon some considerations, he be endured in company, he is never desired or wished for. "An angry man (if you believe Solomon) stirreth up strife;" he cannot only not be a friend, but not suffer others to be so: it is not possible for him to be at peace with others, when he hath a perpetual war with himself; people who are not like him, cannot or will not live with him; and if he be with those who are like him, neither of them can live long. Seneca thinks it a notable argument to men to avoid and suppress it, non moderationis causâ sed sanitatis," because " ingentis iræ exitus furor est ;" but the truth is, he doth anger too much honour who calls it madness, which, being a distemper of the brain, and a total absence of all reason, is innocent in all the ill effects it may produce; whereas anger is an affected madness compounded of pride and folly, and an intention to do commonly more mischief than it can bring to pass: and without doubt of all passions which naturally disturb the mind of man, it is most in our power to extinguish, at least to suppress and correct, our anger. We cannot be too jealous, we cannot suspect ourselves too much to labour under this disease, which cleaves the closer to us by our belief or confidence that we are quite without it. We may very properly say of pride as the philosopher said of flattery, "Apertis et propitiis auribus recipitur, et in præcordia ima descendit; eo ipso gratiosa quod lædit;" it tickles when it hurts us, and administers some kind of pleasure and delight when it is even ready to destroy us. Few men are displeased to hear themselves well spoken of, though it be to themselves; and many proud men feel a kind of satisfaction in being treated with respect upon their death-bed, of which there have been many instances, Nor can those deliberate directions for the form and method of the funeral, the provision for mourners, and the structure of a tomb, flow from any thing in those seasons, but from the remainder of that pride that will not expire before us. Whatever lawful custom and decency require, they who outlive us will provide for our memory. It is very hard, at the same time, to think of the pomp of a funeral, and humbly enough of the carcase that is to be interred, of the company it is to keep in the grave, and of the progeny of worms that is to increase out of it. To conclude; without the sovereign influence of God's extraordinary and immediate grace, men do very rarely put off all the trappings of their pride, till they who are about them put on their windingsheet. |