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. 4.

4. PRide is the cause of covetousness; whence came covetousness, racking of rents, biting usury, &c. but from pride in one kind or other; it is like fire which never ceas∣eth climbing up, so long as there is any thing above it, till it hath spoiled all: the proud man is said to enlarge his desires after the earth as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all Nations, and heapeth unto him all people, Habak. 2.5.

Object. The Apostle saith, that covetousness is the root of all evil, * 1.1 how then can pride be the root of covetousness?

Answ. That both the one and the other may be understood to be rightly spoken, sige∣nera peccatorum singulorum, non singula gene∣rum utraquelocutione includi intelli∣gantur; for there are some men, * 1.2 who from covetousness become proud, and some from pride become covet∣ous. There is a man, saith Austin, who would not be a lover of mony, unless by this he thought to be more excellent; therefore he coveteth riches that he may excel: here covetousness springs from pride; and there is another, who would not love to excel,

unless he thought by this to get greater riches. Therefore it appeareth, that covetousness sometimes springs from pride, and sometimes pride from covetousness; and therefore of each is it rightly said, that it is the root of all evil.

5. Pride is the cause of division and con∣tention. * 1.3 Pride is the great incendiary of the world: only by pride cometh contention, saith Solomon. Eusebius sheweth, that when the Emperours began to favour the Christians, then they began to fall out and disagree a∣mong themselves: Plenty and prosperity do usually make men proud, and pride engender∣eth strife and contention: He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife. * 1.4 Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath. When the wind crosseth the stream, the waters rage; so a proud heart is apt to rage when any thing crosseth it. When proud Haman saw Mordecai bowed not, * 1.5 nor did him reverence; then was Haman full of wrath, and he thought scorn to lay hands on Mor∣decai alone, for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: * 1.6 where∣fore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were in the Kingdom of Ahasuerus: from this root it was that there arose a strife and reason∣ing among the Disciples of Christ, who should be greatest of them: Marke and Luke say, the conten∣tion was only which of them should

be the greatest, or chiefest, expressing no place: but that must be supplied, out of Mat∣thew, Matth. 18.1. who addeth, that the question was, Who should be greatest in the Kingdom of heaven? Now these words by divers, be diversly expounded: Some under∣standing by Kingdom of heaven a glorious estate, which the Disciples dreamed of, and thought their Master should have here on earth, after his resurrection, where he should raign as King, and they accompany him as Princes, Dukes, and great Lords; and where∣of they think that Zebedees wife spake, puting up her petition in the behalf of her two sons, James and John, * 1.7 that the one of them might sit at Christs right-hand, and the other at his left-hand in his Kingdom; and that they were of this mind, seemeth to appear, Act. 1.6. * 1.8 where between the resurrection and ascension, they ask their Master, Whither at that time he would restore the Kingdom to Israel? which is expounded of a temporal Kingdom: of this opinion is Musculus, Melancton, Marlorate, Calvin, and others of our modern Divines. And it is most certain, that by Kingdom of heaven is meant sometime the state of grace in this life, Rom. 14.17.

Others understand it of the Kingdom of glory in the world to come; as Chrysostome, * 1.9 who reproveth the people of his time, because they came short of the defects and imper∣fections of the Disciples, in whom he saith, though it were a fault to contend and strive on

earth, * 1.10 who should have the highest place in heaven, where shall be no pride, ambition, nor emulation; yet he saith, it was a greater fault for them only to seek and strive to be great on earth, scarce ever thinking of hea∣ven: from this root it was, that the Corinthi∣ans ran into Schisms and parties; one was for Paul, another for Apollos, a third for Cephas, a fourth is above all Ordinances and Ministers, he is for Christ himself. * 1.11 Now saith the Apo∣stle, These things brethren, In have transferred in a figure to my self and to Apollo for your sakes, that ye might learn in us, not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against ano∣ther: they were pufft up like bladders full of wind, while these divisions were among them.

6. From this root of pride it is that men do blaspheme the truths of God that are cleerly laid down in the Word: * 1.12 these three sins are joyned together, Boasters, Proud, Blasphem∣ers, 2 Tim. 3.2. and ver 5. having a form of godliness, but denying the power of it: this is to be referred to all that went before; men shall be lovers of their own selves, having a form of godliness; covetous, having a form of godliness; boasters, proud, blasphemers, having

a form of godliness, &c. the two first make way for the last; when men are boasters, ascri∣bing that to themselves which they have not, and conceit that they are of higher parts and gifts then they are, then they are proud, and shew their pride, when they appear in their own eyes and in the eyes of others bigger then they are; the opinion of others more holy and more judicious then themselves they re∣gard not, that at last they come to be blas∣phemers: When men will believe no more then what they see reason for, at last they come to blaspheme those truths that they first owned; hence arise all those gross blasphemies that are among us: The Socinians deny the Trinity; reason cannot comprehend this mystery, therefore they set their wits a work to deflour Scripture: and the union of the divine and humane natures in the person of the Son of God, because it is cross to reason, therefore they blaspheme this truth: Christ saith, Be∣lieve me, that I am in the Father, and the Fa∣ther in me; now they will not believe it, be∣cause they cannot comprehend it; and then God leaves them to their own reason, and the pride of their own hearts, to blaspheme those high and sacred truths which they should em∣brace.

7. * 1.13 Pride is the root of cruelty towards o∣thers; and this may be seen commonly in those that have risen from a mean to an high estate in the world, that they have soon forgotten the rock from whence they were hewen, and

have proved very proud and supercilious, as Pliny saith of Largius the Lacedemonian, that he was a haughty and cruel Master, and one that forgat his father to have been a servant. We have a Proverb, Set a begger on horse∣back, and he will ride a gallop; to set a man of low degree in high place, 'tis like strong drink to a weak head, * 1.14 it will make him giddy: well did Agur reckon this among the things which disquiet the earth, which the earth could not bear; a servant when he reigneth, and an hand-maid heire to her mistress, Prov. 30.22, 23. A proud and cruel wretch was one Messala a Proconsul of Asia under Augustus the Emperour, * 1.15 of whom Seneca saith, that having beheaded three hundred men in one day, he strutted among their dead corpses, applauding himself, and crying out, O rem re∣giam, O royal and Kingly deed! Seneca likewise reporteth of Cneius Piso, a proud, * 1.16 mad-brain'd and hasty General of the Roman army, that having made a law, that if two men went from his camp together, and returned single, he that came with∣out his fellow should be slain, pre∣supposing and presuming that he had slain his fellow: it fell out that two of his souldiers went out in a dark night, one upon some oc∣casion being parted from the other they could not find one another again; whereupon he commanded him that was returned without his

fellow to be slain, and gave order to his Cen∣turion to see the execution, which which they are going about, * 1.17 the other cometh and shew∣eth himself safe; whereupon the Centurion staid the execution, and carried him to Piso to plead his innocency, and beg his pardon, which he would by no means grant, but caused them all three to be executed; * 1.18 the first because he was condemned, and he would not revoke or reverse his sentence: the second, because he gave occasion that his fellow was condemned; and the Centurion for not exe∣cuting his Generals commands; which gave occasion to Seneca to say upon that cruel act, Three perished for the innocency of one; and three crimes he committed, because he found not any. * 1.19 Caligula boasted how many men he had con∣demned and seen executed, while the Empress his wife fetcht a nap in an afternoon: he com∣mended in his own nature nothing more, or almost so much, as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (to use his own word) unremoveable rigour: he it was that wisht the people of Rome had but one neck, that he might cut them off at one blow. But the judgements of God have often surprized proud and cruel Tyrants. Procopius tells us of one Theodorick sometime King of the Gothes, that in his pride having villanously slain two Noble Romans, * 1.20 that bloody deed was still boiling in his heart, and the thoughts of it would give him no rest, nor suffer him to be quiet; and one time, having a fishes head set

upon his table among other dishes, he pre∣sently conceiteth it to be the head of one of them, the eyes his eyes, the teeth his teeth, * 1.21 and so falling into a fit of frenzy he died destracted of his wits. So likewise Philo the Jew reporteth of one Flaccus, that having used all kind of cruelty to the poor Jews, and being afterwards banisht by Caligula, in his exile, he thought every man that he saw to intend some harme to him; therefore if he saw any come toward him softly, he thought he had some plot a∣gainst him; if he came hastily, then he thought he came with a commission to dis∣patch him; if any spake him fair, he thought they flattered him, and meant to deceive him; if any spake roughly to him, he thought they scorned and contemned him: these and such like be the conceits of guilty consciences, who still suppose even bushes and trees to be men, and men to be devils sent to torment them. It is reported of Constantine that good Em∣perour, that he was a man of an humble and tender spirit; for being troubled with the leprosie, and desiring much to be cured of it, if it were possible; * 1.22 and being told by his Phy∣sitians, that he could not but by having his body bathed in the warm blood of infants, he returned this answer beseeming his profession, I had rather alwaies to be sick, then to recover my health by such a remedy: I have read like∣wise

of Augustus Caesar, who being on a time invited to a supper by one Pollio a noble Orator of Rome, who had a servant that brake a curi∣ous chrystal cup, for which fact Pollio con∣demned him to be thrown into a fish-pond to feed his Lampreys, which Caesar un∣derstanding, dashed the decree, * 1.23 and controuled him that made it; say∣ing that the life of a man was more to be regarded then all the cups of chrystal, and fish-ponds in the world. And such was a certain Empress, who coming to her hus∣band, and finding him condemning of men, as he plaid at Chess, en∣treated him either to give over his game, or give no sentence; for the men he passed sen∣tence upon, were not like those that he plaid with. So Eusebius saith of Constantine, that being necessarily enforced to fight with Infi∣dels, yet he took the best order that he could, * 1.24 that there might be but little blood shed, and therefore he propounded rewards to such as could take them alive. The Anabaptists in Germany were of another spirit; for had they once forged a device in their fantastical brains, they would execute it, though it cost many lawful Magistrates their lives for it; and what

might be their ground? Some revelation and suggestion from the spirit: but what spirit? surely not the spirit of truth, but some lying spirit, such as possessed and inspired Ahabs false Prophets. Great is the pride and in∣solency of some Masters towards their ser∣vants; not considering that they also have a Master in heaven, to whom they must be ac∣comptable. Some gather from that parable put forth by our Saviour, Luke 17.7, 8. (Which of you having a servant ploughing or feeding of cattel, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat, and will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thy self and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? doth he thank that servant, because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not) Some I say, gather from thence, that Masters may usurp and insult over their servants, and think that therefore they may make them work hard all the day, and wait upon them at night in needless and unne∣cessary attendance: But God in his law pro∣videth against oppressing of servants; he pro∣videth rest for oxen and asses, much more for men and women; * 1.25 and tells us by his Prophet, that he will in some cases dispence with his own service, and have mercy rather then sacrifice: and besides, these servants here spoken of, were not such as we now have: but were ei∣ther such as were taken in war, or bought with

money, or redeemed from death, and there∣fore owed more service to their Masters then ours do: and yet even they must not be wronged; for doubtless though it were a corrupt custome, yet it was very unlawful, to make servants slaves, and to impose more up∣on them then they were able to endure, cruelty being an abomination and crying sin before the Lord.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1 Tim. 6.10.
• * 1.2

  Nonnulli sunt, qui ex cupiditate fiunt superbi: & aliqui ex superbia fiunt cupidi. Lumb. sentent. distinct. 42.
• * 1.3

  Prov. 13.10. Euseb. Eccles. hist. cap. 10.
• * 1.4

  Prov. 28.25. Prov. 21.24.
• * 1.5

  Esther 3.5, 6.
• * 1.6

  When Peter Martyr was dead, Bullinger wrote to Zanchy to come to Tigure, and succeed him; he tells him it was their Churches chiefest care to have a quiet spirit∣ed man. Hen. Bulling. ad Zanch. inter Zanch. Epist. lib. 2. Epist. 6.
• * 1.7

  Mat. 20.21
• * 1.8

  A quiet spirit is in the sight of God of great price. 1 Pet. 3.4.
• * 1.9

  Chrysost. homil. in Math.
• * 1.10

  Bees will not abide where Eccho's are; nor will the Spirit of God dwell with contenti∣ous persons.
• * 1.11

  1 Cor. 4.6. Concord on earth is Gods mu∣sick in heaven.
• * 1.12

  The Pope blasphem∣ously arro∣gateth to himself one of Gods peculiar preroga∣tives; for so saith the wis∣dom of God, Prov. 4. By me Kings raign; which he usurpeth, Ecce nos constituti sumus super gentes & regna! Bulla Pii Quinti pontific.
• * 1.13

  Superbus ac saevus do∣minus, qui serviisse patrem su∣um parum meminit. Plin.
• * 1.14

  Asperius nihil est hu∣mili cum surgit in al∣tum.
• * 1.15

  Seneca lib. 2 de ira∣cap. 5.
• * 1.16

  Theodorus Tutor to Ti∣berius foretold the cruel disposition of his scholar, calling him often Clay soaked in blood. Suetonius.
• * 1.17

  Seneca lib. de ira c. 16
• * 1.18

  Periere tres ob unius innocentiam; et tria cri∣mina fecit, quia nullam invenit. Sen. de ira.
• * 1.19

  Sueton, in vit. Calig.
• * 1.20

  Symmachus & Boetius. Procopius lib. 1 de bello Go∣thico.
• * 1.21

  Theodoret tells us, that a certain Christian Captain was so bold with Valens the Em∣perour, as to tell him, that he was unfortu∣nate in his wars, be∣cause of his pride and cruelty, and some no∣torious abuses offered to Gods Messengers and Ministers. Theo∣doret. Eccles. hist. lib. 4.
• * 1.22

  Male sem∣per aegrota∣re quam tali remedio convalesce∣re. King on Jonah.
• * 1.23

  Of all Nations, the Spaniards are reported to be the most cruel, out of their pride cal∣ling themselves the sons of God, that the poor Indians may the more reverence them. Hist. novi orbis.
• * 1.24

  Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 13. Cambyses the second King of Persia find∣ing Sysan∣nes for mo∣ny to have corrupted justice, he caused him to be flayed, and his skin to cover the Tribunal, and set his son Ottanes in his place, and bad him, Patris exuvias intueri, & juste judicare; a notable example of justice on a cruel oppressour. Chronic. Carion. lib. 2. p. 214.
• * 1.25

  Hos. 6.6. Aut manu capti in bello, aut are empti, vel à morte redempti.