The arraignment of pride, or, Pride set forth, with the causes, kinds, and several branches of it: the odiousness and greatness of the sin of pride: the prognosticks of it, together with the cure of it: as also a large description of the excellency and usefulness of the grace of humility: divided into chapters and sections. / By W. Gearing minister of the word at Lymington in Hantshire.

SECT. 3.

6. PRide is the root of all evil.

1. It is the root of all heresies: Au∣stin saith that pride is the mother of all heresies and hereticks, and that all doctrines of impiety do come forth from the root of pride. And Bernard saith, that in all hereticks, there was ever one intention, viz. a hunting after honour and glory from singularity of knowledge. The Gnosticks swel∣led with Pride, that they knew all things, and therefore were so called, though many of them were notorious hereticks, and men of brutish lives. Simon Magus whom

the Church-history calls the first author of all heresies, was very proud, giving out that him∣self was some great one, to whom all gave heed from the least to the greatest, saying This man is the great power of God; the same Simon was counted in Rome for a God, having his picture between two bridges on the river Tiber, with this inscription, Simoni deo sancto, to Simon the holy God. Pride and self-conceitedness is the root of all heresie. Suum cuique pulchrum, every one thinks his goose to be a swan; proud men think themselves to be something when they are nothing. Naturalists do observe of the wolfe, that she liveth certain months of the wind; so proud men (like Ephraim) do feed on the wind, and follow after the east-wind of their own conceits: the proud man is as he that transgresseth by wine: Pride is a soul-drunkenness, an intemperance of the affections, when men are not wise to sobriety, then as drunkards fall into absurd and ridiculous acti∣ons conceiting strange things of themselves; so proud persons fall into ridiculous and absurd opinions, being blown up with high conceits of their own wis∣dom. Pride suffers not a man to see or know himself: as Austin well knew, when he said, My swoln face suffereth me not to see: mean∣ing his proud heart hindred him from looking into his own state: which is evident in this

story of Simon the leper, and Mary Magda∣len: of which one comments thus: the Physitian stood between two diseased persons, but one of the sick folke was sensible of that great sick∣ness, the other was insensible of his estate, being ignorant of this thing, that he was far from his salvation, which senselesness came from his heart swoln with pride and conceit of his own worthiness. A proud man is al∣waies looking after high things, exercising himself in things that are too wonderful for him; therefore (like the Philosopher staring at the stars) he stumbleth at a stone, and falls into the ditch of errour. God hideth heavenly mysteries from those that are wise and prudent in their own eyes, and revealeth them to hum∣ble babes: those that God teacheth are meek and humble ones; whereas God doth not teach but resist the proud.

2. It is the root of all other sins: Initium peccati superbia, Pride is the beginning of sin, saith Petrarch; and the son of Syrach hath said as much before him, Ecclus. 10.4. it is the head of all vices, and the sink of all iniqui∣ties, it is the center from which the lines of all vices are drawn.

1. It is the root of envy: one proud man would excel and go before all men; therefore he grieveth if any one be equal with him or compared unto him; and from hence ariseth envy. Because the women in their dances said, Saul had slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands; Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him, and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me but thousands, and what can he have more but the Kingdom? And Saul eyed David from that day forward; that is, he cast an en∣vious eye upon him. This temper seemed to be in Christs own Disciples; for John cometh to Christ, and saith, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and we forbad him, be∣cause he followed not thee with us; now this was but an unreasonable reason of their pro∣hibition; and it is a fault as well as a fashion of all Professions to advance themselves, and to keep others under: Austin saith, that Pride envies all superiours, because it cannot be equal to them; envies his inferiours, because it fears it should be equal to it; and equals, because they are equal to it: There cannot be a greater vexation to an envious man, than to see ano∣ther do well by him; therefore Seneca wish∣eth, that such persons had eyes and ears in all places, that they might even pine themselves

away by repining at other mens well-fare; and Diogenes advised one to become good to be revenged of a proud man that was his ene∣my. Envious persons would have all men cut to their scantling, and every bodies foot of the just length of their last: these are not unlike Procrustes or Gobryas, that cut every body to the just length of his bed. When Mary Mag∣dalen (as it is conceived) had washt the feet of Christ with her tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed his feet with pretious ointment, Simon the Pharisee (in whose house he then was) envied at it; saying, This man, if he were a Prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him, for she is a sinner: hereby he sheweth his pride and hypocrisie, in thinking better of himself, and worser of others then there was just cause, thinking and speaking ill of her that was better then himself: If he had looked well upon himself, he needed not have sought out in this woman what he might have envied; he might have seen enough at home, quod lugeret, what he might have lamented, as Ber∣nard speaks. Tis the humour of all envious proud persons to deal with sins, as it befel Moses's rod; being hurled from him it was a Serpent, but taken to him a rod again: so these men make their own sins small, and others great; therefore Christ reproveth him for it. Simon, saith he, I entred into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: which

was but an ordinary custome in entertainment, and of good use in those hot countries, to re∣frigerate and cool them after their travel; That it was usual, appeareth by Abrahams enter∣taining the three Angels, whom he thought to be men; Let a little water I pray you be brought, and wash your feet, and rest your selves under this tree; the same Lot affordeth to the two Angels that come to his City: the same Laban doth to Abrahams servant and those that were with him: thus an old man of Gibeah doth also to the Levite and his Concu∣bine travelling from Bethlehem Judah to mount Ephraim: This ordinary favour thou hast not afforded me, even to wash my feet with ordinary water; but she hath washed them with most sweet wa∣ter drawn from the fountain of her heart and through the passages of her eyes; sorrow for her sins, be∣ing as it were the bucket to fetch out the same; and wiped them with the hairs of her head, a towel not artificially made by her, but natu∣rally growing from her. Thou gav∣est me no kiss at all, but she since my coming in hath given me many, for she hath kissed my very feet; mine head and best part thou anointedst not with oyl; but she hath anointed my feet with ointment: therefore seeing thou hast neither shewed pie∣ty nor pity in washing and refreshing me, nor love and charity in kissing and embracing me,

nor mirth and joy in annointing me; I may well conclude, that however thou speakest fair to me, yet I am never a whit wellcome to thee; and that this woman whom thou enviest (whatsoever thou thinkest of her) is much bet∣ter then thy self. When Eldad and Medad prophecyed in the camp of Israel, Joshua en∣vied at it, and said, My Lord Moses, forbid them: but Moses was of another spirit: En∣viest thou for my sake? saith he, would God that all the Lords people were Prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon every one of them. So Paul; so Christ be preached, quo∣modocunque, he rejoyced, though some preacht him out of envy, and said, he would joy: and John Baptist saith of Christ, He must encrease, but I must decrease; which some conceitedly say, was signified by Johns being born on Midsummerday, when the year was at highest and the day longest, and now shortning; and Christ born when the sun was at the lowest, and the daies at the shortest and lengthning. John Baptist la∣bours to credit Christ among his Disciples, though with the loss of his own reputation; saying, that Christ must encrease, and he must decrease; and while he laboureth to credit Christ before a few, Christ credits him before a great multitude; therefore he said to the multitude concerning

John, What went you out to see? A Prophet? yea I say unto you and more then a Prophet: for if it were a credit for Achilles (as Alexander the great sometime said of him) to have Homer the trumpeter of his praises; then what an honour was it for John Baptist to be commend∣ed by Christ himself? Now as for envious per∣sons one wittily saith, Lest God might seem to wrong them in sending them to heaven, where there are degrees of glory, as there are here of grace; therefore they shall go to hell, where they shall find no matter of envy, but all the objects of extream misery.

2. Pride is the root of censuring. Pride is like some severe School-master, who will be pleased with nothing but of his own doing; and therefore it is alwaies censuring the actions of others; of such Austin speaks, There is a sort of men that are very curious to pry into other mens lives, but very slug∣gish to correct their own. Diotrephes loved to have the preheminence among others; therefore saith John, He prateth against us with malitious words, 3 John 9.10. Rash censuring proceeds from pride; such men think by how much more they depress the good name of others, by so much the more they advance their own reputation: I am not as other men are, nor as this Publican, said

the proud Pharisee. Both Jesus Christ, him∣self, and John Baptist cannot escape the cen∣sures of the proud Pharisees; therefore Christ compareth them to foolish and froward chil∣dren sitting in the market-place (as peradven∣ture the manner of that country then was) and crying one to another, saying, We have piped to you, and ye have not danced to our pipe; and we have mourned to you, and you have not lamented, or born your part therein; so sullen and surly have you been, as you have thought scorn either to accompany us or to comfort us; to such peevish brats our Saviour compareth these Scribes and Pharisees, Luk. 7.32. and gives the reason of this com∣parison, ver. 33, 34. for saith he, John Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, i.e. not pampering his pallat, nor pleasing his flesh either with delicate and dainty fare, or with costly and curious apparel, having used such abstinence and austerity, that he might seem ra∣ther an Angel then a man; and what hath he gotten by this behaviour but rash and unjust censuring? you say he hath a devil, or some familiar spirit, which makes him able to do this: on the other side, concerning my self, you say, The Son of man is come eating and drinking, and behold a glutton and a wine∣bibber,

a friend of Publicans and sinners. The Son of man is come, and eats and drinks, and keeps company with great sinners for their conversion, knowing that he may make them better; but they cannot make him worse, he being free from corruption, and therefore not capable of contagion; and yet cannot he escape your censure: thus you are neither well full nor fasting, as the Proverb saith, and you will not be brought to any good, either by austerity or familiarity. Hence I may note, that 'tis an hard matter for a Minister so to carry himself, but he shall have a hole pickt in his coat; let a Minister live a retired life, and be very studious, and use few words, he shall be said to be proud and stately; let him be but modestly and moderately merry in good sort in company, they will censure him to be of a gossiping disposition; let him in his preaching shew variety of reading, he shall be taxed with vain glory: let him keep himself close to the Word of God, and ap∣ply matters plainly to the consci∣ences of his hearers, he shall be counted a dry fellow, and not worth the hearing the second time. But for such as are possessed with this pride, that see nothing that they like, and take not offence at, they had need drink as much as they can of the wine of charity, and that would free them from these humours that make them of so per∣verse a spirit.

3. Pride is the cause of disdain; hence it cometh to pass that men do scorn and disdain at others; disdain is either in word or in actions.

1. In word: Asaph speaking of those that were prosperous in the world, saith that pride compasseth them about as a chain; they speak loftily, they set their mouth against the hea∣vens, and their tongue walketh thorow the earth; and they say, How doth God know! is there knowledge in the most high? and David saith, The proud have had me greatly in derision: yet have I not declined from thy Law, Psal. 119.51. and ver. 85. The proud have digged pits for me, and have forged a lie against me. Of this kind of disdain, our Saviour speaks, Mat. 5.22. Whosoever shall say to his brother Racha, shall be in danger of the councel; but whosoever shall say, thou fool, shall be in dan∣ger of hell fire, i.e. whosoever shall not only be angry with his brother without a cause, as in the former part of the verse, but also ex∣presseth the pride and wrath of his heart, by some disdainful gesture or expression, shall be in danger of the council, i. e. of an higher degree and greater measure of torment: but he that shall say, thou fool, asse or ideot, shal∣low-brain and cockwit, in contempt of his brothers weakness, shall be in danger of hell fire; i.e. shall undergo the greatest and high∣est degree of punishment. Hereby our Savi∣our

alludeth to the Jewish customes, who had three sorts of Courts to censure and punish se∣veral sorts of offences and offendors.

1. One held by three men in every village, where smaller matters were decided and de∣termined, or the wrong doers censured and punished: or (as some say) it was debated, an aliquis esset damnandus, whither some one were to be condemned?

2. The second held by twenty three, in e∣very of their Cities, before whom were brought matters of an higher nature, and by whom se∣vere punishments were inflicted, and by whom it was determined, with what kind of punish∣ment the condemned person was to be punished, not much unlike our quarter-Ses∣sions.

3. The third and last was held at Jerusalem only, and that by seventy two Judges, who had only the greatest matters of all brought before them, from whose sentence there might be no appeal; being not unlike our general Assizes, or high Court of Parliament. In a word, Christ teacheth us hereby, that as there be degrees of sins on earth, so there shall be divers de∣grees of punishments in hell: here by judgement, council and hell fire, are meant eternal torments, though in a lesser and greater measure; and that the sorest punishments are provided for proud and disdainful persons.

Jesus spake a parable unto certaein men that trusted in themselves, and despised others; He that idolizeth himself, is apt to disdain at o∣thers: men are apt to think meanly of others that are inferiour to themselves in birth, gifts, parts, estate, &c. Whoso despiseth the poor, de∣spiseth his Maker, Prov. 17.5. God made him an object of pity, not of disdain.

2. There is disdain in actions: Great was the disdain of the Jews and Samaritans one towards another, as may appear, John 4.9. where a woman of Samaria refuseth to do a very small favour to our Saviour Christ eo nomine because he was a Jew; for asking her but a lit∣tle water to drink, she denies it him, and thinks she doth well in so doing; for she tells him that the Jews and Samaritans meddle not or have nothing to do one with ano∣ther: such like are they that unjustly separate from our publick assemblies, like those in the Prophet, that say, Stand by thy self, come not neer to me, for I am holier then thou, Isa. 65.5. Whence cometh that fierce insulting over o∣thers? whence is that supercilious austerity? whence is it that men so proudly and disdain∣fully despise others, saith Calvin, is it not by extolling themselves? let arrogancy be far from us, and we shall carry our selves modestly one towards another. When Trajan was cen∣sured for making the imperial Majesty of too easie an access: Why, ought not I, said he, be

such an Emperour to private men, as I would have an Emperour be to me, if I were a private person?

Notes

• Superbia mater omnium haeresium & haeretico∣rum. Omnes doctrinae impietatis de radice su∣perbiae proveniunt. Au∣gust.
• Omnibus haereticis unae semper suit intentio, sc. captare gloriam de sin∣gularitate scientiae. Bern. in Cant Euseb. hist. lib. 2. cap. 13.
• Scindentes & elati, & sibi placen∣tes. Irenae∣us, advers. haeres lib 4 Hos. 12.1. Habak. 2 5
• Quanto amplius quis superbiâinvolvitur tan∣to lucem veritatis minus intuetur. Anselm. de similit. cap. 98.
• Facies mea inflata non sinebat me videre. August.
• Hymeneus and Alexan∣der made shipwrack of faith. Hymeneus was a preacher full of osten∣tation, a striver about words to no profit, whose words did eat like a Gangrene.
• 1 Tim. 2.14, 16. And Baro∣nius saith, Alexander was the Jew men∣tioned, Act. 16.33 a forward man in the Apostles cause. Psal. 25.9. Baron. an∣nal. Tom. 1. ad ann. 57. Nullum malum est, quod su∣perbiae par sit; ex bo∣mine facit daemonem, convitiatorem, maledicum, perjurum, mortis ac caedis cupi∣dum. Superbus perpetuus est in tristibus, perpetuò indignatur, perpetuò maeret, nibil est, quod hanc animi ipsius passionem exaturare queat: quem∣admodum enim avari, quantò plura acceperint, tanto pluribus egent; ita & arrogantes, quantò majore honore fruuntur, tantò cupiunt honorari ma∣gis. Crescit enim illis ista animi passio. Passi verò finem non novit, sed tum primum cessat, quando laborantem occiderit. Chrysost. homil. 1. in 2. ad Thessalonic. Caput omnium morborum. Basil. Caput omnium peccatorum superbia. August.
• Sola mise∣ria caret invidia.
• 1 Sam. 18.7, 8, 9.
• Fools and beggers are never envied.
• Luk. 9 49. Invidus non est ido∣neus audi∣tor. Aristot. His ears are not fit to his head Adams.
• Invidia hominum vanorum asseclaest. Plut. Mor. 1. Luk. 7.38, 39. Quicquid laudabile est, invidiae materiam praebet.
• Ex. 4.3, 4.
• Gen. 1••.4.
• Gen. 19.2.
• Gen. 24.32.
• Jud. 19.21
• Suetonius saith, that Tiberius caused his son Germanicus to be slain, lest he should succeed and prove better then himself; and the two eldest sons of Germa∣nicus to be famished, because he thought they were by the peo∣ple too much ho∣noured.
• Num. 11.28, 29.
• Phil. 1.10.
• Obj. Doth not Christ envy salvation and the means thereof to the Scribes and Pharisees, when he thanks his Father for hiding the mysteries thereof from them? Matth 11.25 Ans. No, but because they refused, and so for their contempt are thus deservedly pun∣isht, he thanks his Fa∣ther for mingling mercy and justice to∣gether, viz. justice up∣on the proud, and shewing mercy to the humble.
• Curiosum genus homi∣num ad cognoscendam vitam alienam, desidio∣sum ad corrigendam su∣am. August in Confes.
• My bre∣thren, be not many Masters, Jam. 3.1. non siate molti censori, be not many Judges, or censurers so others, Ital. Annot. in loc.
• Imperoche ei reprende un vitio molto usato tra gle huomini: quando ci ascuno condanna seve∣ramente gli altri per∣mittendo in tanto à se stesso ogni cosa. Ibid.
• As Goats in touch∣ing the sweet Al∣mond-tree with their tongues make it turn bit∣ter; so proud cersorious persons have venome in their hearts, in their tongues, in their breath, in their eyes, as hath the Basiliske.
• Superbi aliorum vitia in oculis habent, sua ve∣rò à tergo ponunt. Seneca.
• Such men are like the Lamiae in Seneca's E∣pistles, that put their eyes in their heads when they went a∣broad, and lockt them up at home.
• Ps. 73.6, 9.
• The Jews are charged for speaking stout words against God, Malac. 3.13. for de∣nying the providence of God.
• Omnes de∣spicere su∣perbiae est. Plutar. Mor. 1.
• Quo sup∣plicii gene∣re damna∣tus esset puniendus.
• Qu. Curtius reports of Alexander the great, that espying an old souldier stiffe in fol∣lowing him in the cold winter, himself arose and made him sit in his seat by the fire, saying he would re∣spect not their for∣tunes, but ages.
• Superbire quasi super ire. Isidor. Etimolog.
• Unde enim insultandi ferocia? unde superci∣liosa austeritas? nisi quod se quisquam effe∣rendo alios fastuosè & fastidiosè despicit? & absit arrogantia, & om∣nes mutuè modestissimi erimus. Calvin.