terefts and Eftates; this does affect every particular Person that draws in the common Air of the Country or Nation thus infected; that very Air which is the natural Medium of Life and Vegetation, becoming to us a Vehicle of Corruption and Death. SI. WITH this God will chaftife and mor- The Pride tifie that other grand Division of Sin, The of Life. Pride of Life, which confifts in a perfect Oppofition to the Humility and Self-Abafement of the Crofs; as the other, viz. The Luft of the Eye, to the Love, and Meekness, and Poverty of the Chriftian Spirit; manifefting thereby, their Antichriftian Root and Original. But that we may be able more perfectly to discover its Nature and Properties, it will be neceffary to trace it to its first Principles, viz. The Birth or Rifing of the corrupt or beftial Image in Man, upon his withdrawing himself from his Dependance upon God. The Confequence whereof was the withdrawing the chaft Virgin of God's Wisdom, wherewith Man was cloathed and illuftrated, both internally and externally; inftead of which came Ignorance, Infirmity, Darkness and Death: His Soul that was before all Light, Harmony, and Beauty, being eftranged from the Light of God, became full of Darkness and Sin. His Paffions, that were before in perfect Subordination to the ruling Principle, viz. The Spirit within him, run into Confufion and Rebellion. His Body which was before Paradifical, Holy, Pure, and Immortal, became weak, heavy, and The fame further confidered. 23. and infirm. He is fubject and exposed to the evil Influences and divided Properties of the Elements, which have Power to impofe on him the Neceffity of Pain, Sicknefs, Want, Hunger, Mortality, and Putrifaction. So that in fhort, his Light is become Darknefs; his Strength is Weaknefs; his Beauty is Deformity; his Wifdom is Folly; and he that was created in the Image of God, bears now in his degenerate State the Image of the Devil. $ 2. Now the Confideration of fo glorious a State as we have forfeited by our Tranfgreffions, and the deplorable Condition into which we are fallen, ought to have this good Effect upon us, viz. to keep us conftant in Humility and Self-Abafement: It should teach us to defpife this vile beastial Image, and to mortifie our corrupt animal Life, refreshing and feafting our felves with the Contemplation of the glorious everlafting Inheritance, out of which we have. been fo long driven; but which is redeemed for us by the promised Seed, the Lord Jefus Chrift; even for fo many of us as fhall follow him in the dying Process of his Crofs, that we may be raised up with him in Newness of Life, as we are told by the Holy Apoftle; If we be dead with him, we Shall alfo live with him. If we fuffer, we shall alfo reign with him, 2 Tim. 2. 11, 12. But Rom. 8. notwithstanding all this, * tho' the Church of God has for many Ages been groaning and travelling together in Pain, for the compleat Adoption, viz. the Redemption or Reftitution of the first pure paradihaçal State L Staté or Body, and the whole Creation; appearing Αλαζο βία. appearing to be of a diftinct Nature) is plainly founded on the fame Ground, and arifeth from the fame corrupt Root and Original, viz. degenerate Nature being chiefly visible in them; who being Strangers to the true internal Ground of Reli gion, which is the internal Conformity of our Will and Underftanding to the Light and Will of God, place it all in the Outfide and Appearance, making it to confift of a few mechanical Actions, graced with an Air of Severity and Serioufnefs. Thefe, like Day-flowers, make the greateft Shew, and are under the greatest Temptations to Pride and Self-conceit. Thefe are they whom the Apoftle mentions, 2 Tim. 3. 5. Having a Form of Godliness, but denying the Power of it. That Efteem therefore, or Love, which each of thofe may have for his imaginary Excellencies, which may any way leffen or deftroy his Humility and Love towards God, is this Pride of Life. But alas! Why is Earth and Afhes Proud? For fuch a one felleth his Soul to Sale; because while he liveth, he cafteth away his Bowels. The Phifician cutteth off a long Difeafe; and he that is to Day a King, to Morrow fhall die: For when a Man is dead, he fhall inherit creeping Things, Beafts and Worms. The beginning of Pride is, when one deparreth from God, and his Heart is turned away from his Maker. For Pride is the beginning of Sin; and he that hath it' fhall pour out Abomination: And therefore the Lord brought upon them ftrange Calamities, and overthrew them utterly. The Lord Lord hath caft down the Thrones of proud Princes, and fet up the meek in their ftead. The Lord bath plucked up the Roots of proud Nations, and planted the lowly in their place. So that Pride was not made for Men, Eccluf. 10. 9,----19. the latter S3. THAT this Branch of Sin will be That this eminently prevailing in the latter Days, Sin will be will appear, Firft, from what has been ob very rife in ferved in the former Part, p. 1. concerning Days. the Univerfal Increase of the whole Body of Sin. And if the whole Body be arrived at its compleat Stature, this (which is fo confiderable a part of it) muft be likewife. And as the former fort were fo deeply infected in the Malice and Cruelty of the dark World, as to delight themfelves in Blood and Rapine: So those who are in the Pride of Life, fhall forget the God that made them, and idolize their own fancied Perfections, inverting that grand Precept of the everlafting Gofpel; †Thou shalt love + Matth. the Lord thy God, with all thy Heart, and with 22. 37all thy Soul, &c. and transferring it to themfelves; being themfelves the Center of their own Happiness, and fetting up their own impotent and corrupt Nature in the place and ftead of God. THIS is alfo particularly and exprefly foretold by St. Paul; In the last Days, perilous Times fhall come; for Men fhall be lovers of their own felves, covetous, boafters, proud, blafphe-** AxeΑλάζο mers, difobedient to Parents; unthankful, unholy, ves without natural Affection, heady, high-minded having a Form of Godliness, but denying the Power thereof, 2 Tim. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4. Which Places, compar'd with 2 Pet. 3. 3. and Jude 18. do exprefs " |