Cor. 1.17.19 I preach Christ crucified and teach you to crucifie the olde man and his lusts Be not you like the Gaderenes who because their swine were gone desired Iesus to depart out of their coastes (f) Math. 8.34 Be not like the Philistines and men of Asdod Who because their Idoll Dagon could not stand by the holy Arke but still fell downe and was broken sent away the Arke of God to keepe their Idoll still (g) 1. Sam. 5 1. c. But forsake your sinnes and keepe Christ (h) Reue. 3.20 burne your Idolls of sinne and confesse the Arke of Gods couenant Let not your sinnes flatter you and entice you though they be as importunate vpon you to thrust you out of Gods fauour as SampsoÌ„s wife was vpon him to get away his strength as she did indeed therefore hee was ouercome of the Philistines (i) Iudg. 16.15.16 to 21. and so shall you of the diuell at his will But if God be God go after him and if Baall or Pride or Vsurie c. be hee then follow them For no man caâ— serue two maisters you cannot seruâ— God and Mammon (k) Math. 6.24 Now then confesse I enuie none I grieue at youâ— sinnes And the holy Prophet of God teacheth me who saith Fret not 〈◊〉 selfe because of the vngodly men neithâ—â— be thou enuious against the euill dooers (l) Ps 37.1 Yet he saith also It grieueth me becauâ—â— men keepe not thy lawe (m) Ps 119.158 But mâ—â— should not grieue the holy spirit of God by whom we haue commission as well to reprooue your sinne as to instruct you in the truth of Gods holy will neither should you hate vs because we tell you the truth as the Iewes did Christ (n) Ioh. 8.40 or as Herod did Iohn the Baptist (o) Mat. 14 3.4 If you do The seruant is not greater then his Lord and Maister (p) Ioh. 15.20 13 16. And here withall remember what the Maister Christ Iesus saith comforting his faithfull seruants against obstinate contemners of his word Whosoeuer as well Princes Potentates Prelates as people shall be ashamed of me and of my words among this adulterous and sinfull generation of him shall the sonne of man be ashamed also when he commeth in the glory of his father with his holy Angels (q) Mar. 8.38 And here I will rest for this time Wee see in Pride a contempt of all other in regard of her self and how she dooth mount aboue the cloudes in desire to tread them vnder her feete and she cannot be content with this but she will be like God which is here the second vanitie of Pride CHAP. VII How Pride would be like God Pride may be said to be like God either in some proprieties or else in name First her propertie is to exalt her selfe and desire to be praised and held in honour as much or rather more then God Secondly she challengeth vengeance to her felse to plague whom she list In Name shee is like God because shee vsurpeth or challengeth to be called God OF the first wee haue heard something alreadie how Pride dooth seek to exalt her self aboue the clouds and being got vp into this perswasioÌ„ of her selfe then she lookes that all should feare her and extoll her and doo forsoothe all reuerence and worship vnto her as the diuel would haue had Christ do vnto him (r) Math. 4.9 And here the Pope steppes in for his interest but wee will put him backe vntill anon telling him and his nurse Dame Pride that when God shall come in iudgement against them Then the Lord onely shall bee exalted in that day (Å¿) Isay 2.11.17 The Lord of Hoasts shall be exalted in iudgement the holy God shall be exalted in iustice (t) Isay 5.16 For it is written I will arise saith the Lord now will I bee exalted now will I lift vp my selfe (v) Isay 33.10 Therefore the Psalmist in this respect remembring the promise of God in which the faithful patiently expect the fall of the proud and their owne deliuerance singeth Not vnto vs ô Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue thy glory for thy louing mercie and for thy truth sake (w) Ps 115.1 Thus Dauid so earnestly in his Psalmes exhorteth the childieÌ„ of God to praise the Lord (x) Ps 106. 136. which subdueth our enemies vnder our feete And the Euangelist Saint Iohn sawe all the Angells fall before the Throne on their faces and worship God saying Amen praise and glory and wisedome and thankes and honour and power and might be vnto our God for euermore Amen (y) Reu. 7.12 And not onely the Angels but all the creatures which are in heauen and in the earth and vnder the earth and in the sea and all that are in them heard I say saith Iohn praise and honour and glory power be vnto him that sitteth vpon the Throne and vnto the Lambe for euermore (z) Reu. 5.13 And the Angell would not suffer Iohn to worship him (a) Reu. 22.8.9 But Pride indeed shee is none of Gods creatures would haue all to honour and worship and praise and feare her she would be like God Thus the Samaritanes praised Symon Magus (b) Act. 8.10 and thus the people extolled Herod (c) Act. 12.22 Thus Pride cryeth to the hearts of men saying Not vnto God not vnto God but vnto mee giue the glory And this is the cause that wee haunt so much and greedily gape for to be praised of men like the Pharisies (d) Math. 6.16 to exclude Iesus Christ from his due honour and glory and praise who is ascended into the heauens and led captiuitie captiue Pride brings out Symon Magus speaking to the holy Apostle S. Peter saying Doost thou thinke thy Christ to be therefore great because he ascended from the earth to heauen A great peece of worke that can I doo And then he mounted into the ayre by the helpe of his familiar diuell But he that carried him vp let him tumble downe alone and so hee was crushed in peeces with shame inough to all his former coniurings for hee was condemned of all and no doubt damned of God there his Pride had a filthy fall (e) See Niceph lib. 5. cap. 16. Eccl. Hist. Is not this Pride the poyson of the beast which all they that dwell vpon the face of the earth shall worshippe whose names are not written in the Lambes booke of life which was slaine from the beginning of the world And they worshipped the beast saying Who is like vnto the beast who is able to warre with him (f) Re. 13.4 The holy Ghost saith Feare ye the Lord all ye his Saints And again Tremble thou earth at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the mightie God of Iacob But now Pride will be regarded this is an Idoll set vp in euery corner and who dooth not flee
day For though perhaps some one head of sinne and corruption be wounded to death yet it recouereth the deadly wound like the beast in the thirteenth of the Reuelation And men returne to their sinne againe like the dogge to his vomit â—nd the sowe that was washed to her â—allowing in the myer (Å¿) 2. Pet. 2.22 Nay though â—ne head of sinne be cut off yet there â—â—iseth two in the roome behold our Pride which I may call our English Hydra But alas I desire here rather to lament then to open the vanitie of mens mindes and vntamed affections of this time through which who knoweth not the church of God to be grieuously rent and the aduersary to haue got no small occasion for to blaspheme But to ende with these kinde of proud men let them view Caluin who saieth it Math. 13.41 They which proposterously make haste to roote out and abolish whatsoeuer liketh not or displeaseth them do preuent so much as in them lyeth the iudgement of Christâ— and do rashly vsurpe vnto themselueâ— the power of Angels the office pertaining vnto them Therefore let vs alâ— embrace and hold fast the counsell oâ— the holy Apostle Seeke peace and follow after it (t) 1. Pet. 3.11 and studie to be quiet (v) 1. Thess 14.11 Foâ— God is not the author of dissention buâ— of peace (w) 1. Cor. 14.33 and therefore build we 〈◊〉 together the building of God the daie 〈◊〉 are euill the end of all things is at handâ— and happie is hee in whose worke iâ— found no guile Thus you heare of some that arâ— proud other you know and moe will appeare by the rest that followeth CHAP. IIII. Whither Pride will ascend NOw sir Pride saieth shee will ascend aboue the cloudes may one thinke you beleeue her let vs see what may be ment by the clouds and then how she doth clime Cloudes haue these fiue significations in the word of God 1. They signifie those Meteors which are drawne vp into the ayre out of the sea and moyst places by the superior powers These clouds we see daily the wind driues too and fro Such was that cloud which Elias his seruant sawe arise out of the sea in bignesse like a mans hand and presently the heauens were blacke with clouds and winde and there was a great raine (x) 1. Reg. 18.44.45 2. Cloudes signifie a diuine ordinance of GOD supernaturall appointed for a time to doo his will Such was that cloud that led the children of Israel by day to escape from the Egyptians And he first God went before them by daye in a piller of a cloude (y) Exod. 13 21. 3. They signifie a multitude We are compassed with so great a cloud of witnesses c. (z) Heb. 12.1 4. They do signifie the wicked and wretched worldlings which are without the truth of good workes these the holy scriptures doth call cloudes without raine (a) Prouerb 25.14 5. Clouds do signifie all those good men of godly conuersation whose lights of righteousnesse do shine before men whose good deeds do comfort the poore as raine from the cloudes dooth moysten the earth Of these Isay speaketh saying Let the cloudes droppe downe righteousnesse (b) Isa 45.8 Ouer the first the builders of Babell ment for to mount To be aboue the fourth what credit is it for Pride but to be counted the king or captaine ring-leader and lord and maister of all wickednesse but at the fift it is that she aymeth and though they be as is in the third a multitude yet superioritie you heare she proclaimeth she will bee aboue the cloudes shee will bee aboue them though she be none of them The meaning is that Pride perswaded Nabuchadnezzar as it doth the Pope and Spaniard that he should ouerthrow Ierusalem the Citie of God and place which hee had chosen to put his name there and as it were tread the people vnder his feete driue them away captiue and take his will and pleasure vpon them as I feare the rich doo by the poore and therefore he saith I will ascend aboue the cloudes c. CHAP. V. How Pride doth ascend NOw if you would know the steps by which Pride dooth clime or the feathers of her wings which make her to mount for she is a winged beast looke else on many womens gownes but theirs hang downe as if they were broken in the flight It may bee some of the wings of their faith are not sound and that maketh the wings of their gownes bee so ill fauoured hauing more cost vpon a paire then would make a poore child a coate which they neuer remember Well though they be many yet at this time I wil speak buâ— of foure which I take to bee the foremost strongest feathers of her wings And one is disdaine which mounts hâ—â— aloft by insulting ouer dispising anâ— preferring her selfe before all otherâ— scornfully contemning her betters likâ— the Gentiles who seeing that God haâ— cut off the Iewes which were the natural braunches and had grafted them inâ— being but wilde Oliue braunches (c) Rom. 11 18. these began to boast against them despising them as Hagar did her mistressâ— Sarai (d) Gen. 16.4 And so the most whom Goâ— fauoureth aboue their brethren they insult ouer them swell one against aâ— other like the Corinthians (e) 1. Co. 4.6 setting one an other either altogither atnought or else lightly regarding them as the rich did the poore among the same Corinthians (f) 1. Cor. 11 22 But S. Ambrose saith oâ— the rich proud and mightie men of thâ— world Ambr. lib. de Nab. Iere. cap. 13 Quid enim superbis diues quid dicis pauperi noli me tangere c. Wherefore ô rich man art thou so proud why saiest thou to the poore man come noâ— neare me your beginning and end are both alike you came from the wombe and shall to the ground We read that when the huge Philistine Goliah looked about and saw litle Dauid he disdained him (g) 1. Sam. 17 42. And you that bee as Goliah should not thus deale with the Dauids among you But behold further the poore Publicane humble in spirit I speake of him first for he was the better man and the rich Pharisie proud in heart went into the Temple for to pray The Publican perceiued how vnmeete a thing it is for a poore soule all to be smeared with sinne impudently to stare in the face of the most holy God therefore hee durst not lift vp so much as his eyes to heauen but smote his breast saying O God be mercifull vnto mee a sinner (h) Luk. 18.13 But the proud Pharisie stood he would not bowe like our Puritanes when they come to the Church and holy Communion and prayed thus with himselfe O God I thanke thee that I am not as other men extortioners vniust adulterers such then there were though peraduenture not halfe so bad as be now
vnto it How many do shunne this Hydra or mightie monster chusing rather to be a doore-keeper in the house of the Lord or to goe into the horte fierie fornace and resuse to obey her commaundement to cleaue fast vnto the liuing God In the Prouinces of Babilon among the Nobles Princes and Dukes the Iudges the Receiuers the Councellors the Officers and all the Gouernours of the people wee read but of three that worshipped the Lord and refused the commandement of Pride to fall downe and worship the golden Image that Nabuchadnezzar the King had set vp (g) Dan. 33.7 In the old world there were but eight reserued and in Sodome Lot (h) Gen 7. 19. that bowed not their knees to this Idoll Pride and abhomination Happie are our dayes that do not thus complaine yea blessed bee the people that bee in better case O my deare bretheren the sunne dares not shewe her light (i) Mat. 27 45. the mountaines tremble the earth dooth shake the hills melt the diuels quake when God is angry and at the presence of the Lord euen the mightie God of Iacob And darest thou thou dunghill bird Pride presume to be like God or get the praise from him to exalt thy selfe and looke to be magnified this indeed is thy desire But to the nextt Secondly Pride will be like God in taking vengeance vpon whom she list wringing the sword out of Gods hand and those vnto whom he hath committed it Therefore the Pope setteth himselfe against God his Church wherof Christ Iesus is the head and sauiour of the whole body 1. Proclaiming rebellion incouraging subiects to treason against their Prince 2. By ratling his excommunications 3. By dispearsing his Bulles to depose Princes 4. By priuate practising to murther Princes 5. By coniuring and poysoning to effect these diuellish purposes 6. To teach periurie to subiects and dispence therewith by the pardons of their Agnus Dei c. And this he dooth onely because his heart saith being poisoned with Pride Vengeance is mine Come from him to Ahab the king let Elias reproue his sin and Iezabel will vow his death (k) 1. Reg. 18. Ahab told Iezabel all that Elias had done and how he had slaine all the Prophets of Baal with the sword Then Iezabel sent a messenger vnto Elias saying The Gods do so vnto me and more also if I make not thy life like one of their liues by to morrow this time As if she had said the diuell take me and all the diuels in hell if I be not reuenged vpon thee by taking away thy life as thou hast done theirs by to morrow this time But she died vnreuenged and the diuels had their legacie Learne then not to punish without cause neither let them handle the sword vnto whom it doth not belong as Zedikiah did (l) 1. Reg. 22.4 and other Likewise if the man of God displease Ieroboam then cryeth he Lay hold on him (m) 1. Reg. 13.4 but men should suffer rebuke and that gladly for open rebuke is better then secret loue saith Salomon (n) Prouer. 27.5 Yet for all that if Mardoche despise Hamans Pride then Mardoche his blood will not quench Hamans thirst but his wrath will haue the death of all the Iewes (o) Hest. 3. like the Pope c. Pride slew Abell (p) Gen. 4.1 and sent Micheah to the prison So shee dealt with the Prophet Ieremy (q) Ier. 20. and sent Iohn Baptist to the blocke (r) Math. 14 What should I speake of Iesus Christ and all his holy Martyrs whose blood the earth hath kindly receiued which bloodie tyrants haue cruelly shead All which do teach vs that vengeance fleeeth from Pride to destroy the Saints of God as the floud of water flowed out at the mouth of the Dragon to ouerthrow the woman that bare the man child (ſ) Reu. 12.15 Onely because she thinkes vengeance is hers to abuse it as she list To turne iudgement into gall and the fruit of righteousnesse into wormwood (t) Amos. 6.12 Thus patience and long suffering at this day is turned into furie and Christian charitie doth suffer shipwracke being driuen vpon the craggy rockes of contentious trouble by the boysterous storms foming flouds and wandering waues of euery mans haughtie humour This is contrary to the commaundement of Christ saying Loue your enemies blesse them that curse you doo good to them that hate you and pray for them that hurt you that you may be the children of your father which is in heauen (v) Math. 5.44 Now then to conclude this point remember that it is written Vengeance is mine and I will recōpence saith the Lord. (w) Deut. 32.35 What Pride thou hast nothing to doo with it and therefore must not meddle vengeance to whom vengeance belongeth euen as custome to whom custome is due that is to God and Caesar Cannot the Pope such like tyrants see this They might know that as he which killeth with the sword 1. vniustly shall perish with the sword so thou that louest to take vengeance shalt drinke of the cup of Gods vengeance and that in double measure (x) Reu. 18.6 Heere is the patience and faith of the Saints (y) Reu. 13.10 And thus much of the second proprietie which Pride would filch or rather wring from God Yet beloued Pride cannot be contented thus to be like God which is too bad allowance of the diuel for her but she dooth often vsurpe most blasphemously the holy glorious and fearfull name of God which ought not so much as to bee thought vpon without most high renerence fear (z) Deut. 28 58. though men women children so lightly regard it and by horrible blasphemie so much abuse it by their vsuall swearing contrary to Gods commaundement (a) Exod. 10 7. But it is plaine that Pride entring into man as the diuels did into the heard of swine (b) Mat. 8 31. it carrieth him headlong into the redde sea of sin makes man beleeue he is a God and so he suffereth himselfe to be called Thus Nabuchadnezzar was called God of Olyfernes saying Who is God but Nabuchadnezzar (c) Iudith 6.2 And the king himselfe said to Sydrach Misach Abednego Who is that God that can deliuer you out of my hands (d) Dan. 3.15 When he ment to burne them as the Papists do the Christians as if hee were God alone And the Samaritanes said of Symon Magus This man is the great power of God (e) Act. 8.10 And we read that this Symon by his cōiuring myracles got himselfe such credit about the Citie of Rome that there was set vp in the I le Tyberina an Idolor Image betwixt two bridges perhaps because none shuld passe by but behold it to his shame in honour of him with this inscriptiō Symoni deo sancto To Symon the holy God (f) Riuius li. 3. de my redemp ex