Others presume upon the nobility of their extraction. But, whoever our more immediate parents be, if we ascend in our thoughts we must come to our grand progenitor, Adam, the son of the earth, and fountain of mankind. All are streams from him. If some slide along in the low grounds, and some are received in marble repositories, they all flow from the same original. How often do the honourable tarnish the colour and lustre of their blood, by degenerous actions? How often are the rich and great forsaken of their dependents, and only attended by a train of miseries, maintained by their expenses? Such revolutions are not more strange than eclipses are to the moon.

Some are raised to the height of secular honour; and there is nothing sends up more hot, fuming, and intoxicating spirits, than sovereign power. Humility in a state of the highest honour, is a very rare virtue. But there are many things, which duly considered, will lower the train of pride even in kings. The pre-eminence of external order, is seldom joined with the pre-eminence of inherent excellencies. How many wear royal crowns, who are slaves to their lusts; and they govern others who cannot govern themselves? Besides, there is no height and eminence upon earth, but is encompassed with precipices and perils. The throne leaves some; and all must leave the throne. The greatest monarchs and the most proud of their greatness, must descend into the grave, without their sceptres and flatterers, and be confined to a dark solitude, where they shall have no other state or carpets but the worms to cover them, and corruption under them. There is but one kingdom that cannot be shaken; and but one immortal King. In the next world,

they must stand upon a level with the meanest wretches, and be accountable to the high and everlasting Judge, for their management of his vicegerency

There is nothing upon which men value themselves more, than their understandings; 'Knowledge puffeth up.' But how little do we know? Pride is the effect of great presumption, and little knowledge. Suppose one, by experimental curiosity and inquiries, could know all things in the latitude of the sensible creation; this were but a refined kind of vanity, and could not afford satisfaction to an immortal spirit. In short, suppose a person eminently endowed with divine qualities, wherein the resemblance of God consists; there cannot be the least reason for pride, for these are all graces dispensed from the sovereign unaccountable pleasure of God, who makes the most excellent saint to differ from others.

2. It would be an excellent means of curing pride, if the minds of men could be convinced what is true honour, and their desires be directed to it.

The wisest of kings has told us, that before honour is humility.' Pride is a degenerous passion; it debases a man, brings him into miserable bondage, and enslaves him to the ignorant multitude. Dependence upon the opinion and applause of the people, whose humours are very changeable, is so uneasy that the ambitious often bite their heavy chains, though sometimes they kiss them because they are gilded. But humility preserves the true and noble freedom of the mind of man, secures his dear liberty, and peaceful dominion of himself. This is the effect of excellent wisdom.'

1 "Quam quidem laudem sapientiæ statuo esse maxi

3. Humility is the most precious ornament in God's sight and to be approved by the divine mind, and accepted by the divine will, is the highest honour and most worthy of our ambition. It is like the precious balm, which mixed with other liquors sinks to the bottom: but then it is visible, and most amiable in the eyes of God. The apostle's ambitious labour was, whether present or absent to be accepted of him.' Now, what is the vain esteem and fading breath of men, compared with the acceptance of God? Doth a learned man value the praise of the ignorant given to his composures, and disregard the approbation of the learned, the proper judges of it? Is worldly honour a certain indication of real worth, or can it satisfy the desires of the soul? A piece of rotten wood shines in the dark, but when the daylight appears, forfeits its lustre. So, in the darkness of this world, titles of honour seem glorious; but in the morning of eternity, they lose their flaming It is true magna

brightness and vanish for ever. nimity to despise the praise of men, and to seek and value the honour that comes from God only.' After this short life, men are dead for ever to the pleasure of their fame.

I shall conclude this part of our subject with observing, that humility is a virtue which was not known to the heathen philosophers, who thought it

mam, non aliunde pendere, non extrinsecus aut bene aut male faciendi suspensas habere rationes." Cicer. Ep. ad Fam. v. 13.-This indeed I regard as wisdom's highest praise, to be mentally independent; not to have my motives of action hung upon other men's opinions.

"Nihil humilitate sublimius apud Deum." Hieronym.In the presence of God, nothing is more exalted than humility.

to be opposite to magnanimity: but it is especially recommended in the gospel as a most amiable and excellent grace. We are commanded to 'do nothing through strife or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves.' This may seem an unreasonable lesson, and inconsistent with sincerity. But, although the difference between men in civil things and intellectual perfections be clear; yet, in moral qualities, we, knowing our own defects and secret faults, may prefer others whose concealed excellencies are visible to God, before ourselves. The apostle Paul, though he so excellently represented the king of saints in his life, acknowledged himself to be the chief of sinners. It is observable, that St. Peter, in the account of his fall and repentance, as recorded by St. Mark, who wrote by his direction, aggravates his sin more than is expressed in the gospel of St. Luke and St. John, where his denial is related, but not his cursing and swearing, saying, 'I know not this man' and his repentance is not so fully declared; for the other evangelists tell us, that he wept bitterly in the reflection upon his denial of Christ, but in Mark it is only said, 'when he thought on it he wept.'

Many excellent promises are made to the humble. They are declared blessed by our Saviour, who are not rich in treasures, but poor in spirit. God will revive the spirit of the humble. He will give grace to the humble, and hear their prayers.' We are assured that, though the Lord be high, he has a respect to the lowly, he sets his esteem and love on them, regards and relieves them. Humility attracts the eye and heart of God himself. Job was never more accepted of God, than when he abhorred himself.

I shall add this consideration, which should be of infinite weight with us. The Son of God came down from heaven, to set before us a pattern of humility. He does in a special manner instruct us in this lesson: 'Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly.' Never could glory ascend higher than in his person; nor humility descend lower than in his actions. There are the deepest imprinting passages of humility in the whole course of his despised life, and ignominious sufferings. What can be more honourable than to imitate the humble King of glory?

CHAPTER IV.

I SHALL now proceed to consider some other sins, that in a special sense, are the pollutions of the spirit. It has been observed already, that in carnal sins, the spirit is the principal agent; but of other sins it is the subject. Such are infidelity, hypocrisy, envy, and malice, by which the mind becomes dark and impure.

1. Infidelity, whether proceeding from secret atheism or open deism, rejects revealed religion as unnecessary and groundless. But the arguments which are drawn from the clear and living springs of nature, to prove the being of God, are of such convincing evidence, that none but those whose interest it is that there were no supreme lawgiver and judge to call them to an account for their actions,