this does not at all depend upon our having plentiful fortunes, (for a little out of a little is as great a charity as the greatest,) he must be very unwise, who, because of his low circumstances, excuses himself from bearing a part in this duty, and thereby forfeits his claim and title to the rewards of it.

2. As to the richer sort, I have the less need to say any thing, because no one can make a question of their obligations to contribute largely and liberally. They enjoy what they have by this very tenure and upon these conditions, that they pay to Almighty God their pension and tribute out of it. And it is a favour and blessing of Almighty God towards them, that he has been pleased to appoint them his stewards and almoners, to distribute his bounties among the poor charged upon them. The design is, to give them an opportunity of being kind, as God is kind, and of being merciful, as he is merciful. And the end and aim of that is, that being hereby improved and perfected, and becoming like unto God in good works, they may at length have the honour of being admitted into his presence, and be meet partakers of eternal glory.

And now, to draw to a conclusion, give me leave only to add, that if ever there was a time when it concerned us to be more than ordinary zealous for our schools of charity, it is now. Numbers are falling off from the faith of Christ; and meanly, as well as impiously, apostatizing from their most holy religion: and this they do, for the sake of their lusts, and, like Demas in the apostolical times, "having loved this present world." The greater care should be taken to promote the knowledge and practice of the Christian religion amongst us and no care is so effectual, or so well answers the purpose, as the training up children in the fear of God. If we cannot altogether reform the present generation, provide at least that the next may be better, or may not proceed from bad to worse. There is none so likely a method of doing it, as the encouraging these charity-schools, which (God be thanked) are now become numerous, and are spread over

the three kingdoms. Let every man, according to his abilities, give a helping hand for their support. It is a slight and small thing, in comparison, only to throw in our quota of money towards it, when many both of clergy and laity (who have large hearts and generous minds) do not only lay out their substance, but their time also, and labours, and their hourly thoughts and cares upon it. May God give a blessing to their pious endeavours, and stir up others also to follow their bright examples; that so religion may yet thrive and flourish amongst us, and we may be daily improving " in every good word and "work."

SERMON XIV.

Shame and Contempt the End of Pride.

PROV. xvi. 18.

Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before

a fall.

THE observation is trite and common, and such as might have been made without the wisdom of Solomon. But though the thought be obvious, it is important too, and can never be too often inculcated; so that for its use and value, it was well becoming his wisdom to take notice of it, and to minute it down, as a proper caution and warning to be transmitted, upon the authority of his great name, to latest posterity. It adds some weight and dignity to the thing, that it was observed so long ago, and by the wisest of men, conducted also in what he wrote by the Holy Spirit of God. The proposition here asserted is of the moral kind, and is one of those which may be said to be commonly, and for the most part, true, though not universally. The exceptions, if there be any, are yet few and rare, and shake not the credit of the general remark. The thing is generally true, true, as we say, proverb, that "pride goeth before destruction, haughty spirit before a fall." Which is the same as to say, that pride and haughtiness commonly men to destruction and shame; they lead to it, and they end in it. In discoursing upon this subject, it may

even to a

"and an

bring

be proper,

I. To show what pride and haughtiness mean; that so

it may be distinctly perceived what it is that we are treating upon.

II. I shall endeavour to illustrate the truth of the observation from Scripture and reason. And,

III. I shall briefly apply the whole by suitable reflections.

I.

I begin with showing what pride and haughtiness mean. The names are common, but the ideas often not very distinct; from whence arise confusion of thought, and mistakes sometimes in judging both of ourselves and other persons. Pride is a word of great latitude, and ought to be set clear; as the thing meant by it should be also carefully distinguished by its several kinds. In the general, pride is thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought to think. It is a corruption of self-love, and is, in its root and principle, nothing else but selfflattery. There is a sensible pleasure in conceiving that we stand possessed of any considerable advantages, either of mind, or body, or of outward circumstances. The higher we can raise the idea of ourselves, the greater is the inward pleasure. Here lies the bait and the temptation to pride, that is, to a man's thinking too highly of himself, instead of thinking justly and according to truth.

And now, if any one desires to know when or wherein he may be said to think too highly of himself, it is either when he thinks that any thing he has is his own; or when he conceives himself to have what he really has not; or when he sets too great a value upon what he has, and challenges to himself more respect than is due to him upon that score.

If a man supposes any advantage he has to be strictly his own, he is therein forgetful of God, from whom he received it, and to whom he owes every thing. This is properly pride towards God: for as to men, they consider this but little, as being little concerned in it. They allow a man to call what he has his own, as a man's estate is his own: by which, however, in strictness is only meant, that

it is his own, in opposition to any claims from other men, not in opposition to God.

The second article I mentioned was, a man's conceiving himself to have what he really has not; as when he judges himself to be wiser, richer, greater, better, than he is. This is pride, and is so clear a case, that it needs no farther explaining.

The third article I mentioned was, the setting too great a value upon what he has, and upon himself for it, challenging to himself more respect than is due to him upon that score. This is pride, and very troublesome pride too, because now it is reduced to act, appears outwardly, and causes great disturbances; as all disputable claims must of course do. There is one very common weakness, one species of pride, belonging to this head, which deserves to be here taken notice of; and that is, a man's valuing an advantage above. many greater, only because it is his, to draw respect and honour into such a channel, where he is the surest to have a share: as if a rich man despises all who are not rich, though they may have what is more valuable; or if a learned man despises all who are not learned, though perhaps wiser than himself; or if one, learned in one particular way, despises all who are inferior to him in that respect, though perhaps in other and greater respects they may be much his superiors: this is pride and vanity; and the like may be said of any other kind of men overvaluing their real advantages, whatever they be.

Now the advantages which men have are reducible all to three kinds; advantages of mind, or of body, or of outward circumstances. To the mind belong understanding and virtue, which if a man be proud of, it commonly goes under the name of conceitedness, or vanity. To the body belong strength and beauty, which if any one be proud of, I do not know whether it has any other name besides the general name of pride. To outward circumstances belong riches, honours, birth, quality, station, office, and the like. As to riches, the vulgar name for that sort of pride is pride of life: for the rest, haughtiness is the proper name