of Body. The first of these is thus made mention of in the Scriptures.
Every one that is proud in heart is abomination to the Lord. {128c} A
high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked is sin.
The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Bodily pride
these Scriptures mention. In that day the Lord shall take away the
bravery of their tinckling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls,
and their round tires like the Moon, the chains, and the bracelets,
and the mufflers, the bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the
headbands, and the tablets, and the ear-rings, the rings, and the
Nose-jewels: {128d} The changable suits of Apparell, and the mantles,
and the wimples, and the crisping pins, the glasses, and the fine
linnen, and the hoods and the vails. By these expressions it is evident
that there is Pride of Body, as well as Pride of Spirit, and that both
are sin, and so abominable to the Lord. But these Texts Mr. Badman
could never abide to read, they were to him as Micaiah was to Ahab,
they never spake good of him, but evil.
Atten. I suppose that it was not Mr. Badmans case alone even to maligne
those Texts that speak against their vices: For I believe, that most
ungodly men, (where the Scriptures are) have a secret antipathy against
those words of God that do most plainly and fully rebuke them for their
sins. {128e}
Wise. That is out of doubt, and by that antipathy, they shew, that sin
and Satan are more welcome to them than are the wholesome instructions
of life and godliness.
Atten. Well, but not to goe off from our discourse of Mr. Badman. You
say he was proud: but will you shew me now some symptoms of one that is
proud?
Wise. Yes, that I will: And first I will shew you some symptoms of
Pride of Heart. {129a} Pride of heart, is seen by outward things, as
Pride of Body in general, is a sign of pride of heart; for all proud
gestures of the body flow from Pride of heart: therefore Solomon saith;
There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes, and their eye-lids
are lifted up: {129b} And again; There is that exalteth their gate,
their going. {129c} Now these lofty eyes, and this exalting of the
gate, is a sign of a Proud heart: for both these actions come from the
heart: for out of the heart comes Pride, in all the visible appearances
of it. {129d} But more particularly:
1. Heart Pride is discovered {129e} by a stretched out Neck, and by
mincing as they go. For the wicked, the Proud, have a proud Neck, a
proud Foot, a proud Tongue, by which this their going is exalted. This
is that which makes them look scornfully, speak ruggedly, and carry it
huffingly among their Neighbours.
2. A proud heart, is a persecuting one: The wicked through his pride
doth persecute the poor. {129f}
3. A prayerless man is a proud man. {129g}
4. A contentious man is a proud man. {129h}
5. The disdainful man is a proud man. {129i}
6. The man that oppresses his neighbour is a proud man. {129j}
7. He that hearkeneth not to Gods Word with reverence and fear, is a
proud man. {129k}
8. And he that calls the proud happy, is, be sure, a proud man. All
these are proud in heart, and this their pride of heart doth thus
discover it self. {129l} {129m}
As to bodily {129n} pride, it is discovered, that is, something of it,
by all the particulars mentioned before; for though they are said to
be symptoms of pride of heart, yet they are symptoms of that pride,
by their shewing of themselves in the Body. You know diseases that
are within, are seen oft-times by outward and visible Signs, yet by
them very signs even the outside is defiled also. So all those visible
signs of heart-pride, are signs of bodily pride also. But to come to
more outward signs: The putting on of Gold, and Pearls, and costly
array; the pleating of the hair, the following of fashions, the seeking
by gestures to imitate the proud, either by speech, looks, dresses,
goings, or other fools baubles, (of which at this time the world is
full) all these, and many more, are signs, as of a proud heart, so of
bodily pride also. {130b}
But Mr. Badman would not allow, by any means, that this should be
called Pride, {130c} but rather neatness, handsomness, comeliness,
cleanliness, &c. neither would he allow that following of fashions
was any thing else, but because he would not be proud, singular, and
esteemed fantastical by his neighbours.
Atten. But I have been told, that when some have been rebuked for their
pride, they have turned it again upon the brotherhood of those by whom
they have been rebuked: saying, Physician heal thy Friends, look at
home, among your Brotherhood, even among the wisest of you, and see if
you your selves be clear, even you professors: for who is prouder than
you professors? scarcesly the Devil himself.
Wise. My heart akes at this answer, because there is too much cause for
it. {130d} This very Answer would Mr. Badman give his wife, when she
(as she would sometimes) reproved him for his pride: We shall have,
says he, great amendments in living now, for the Devil is turned a
corrector of vice: For no sin reigneth more in the world, quoth he,
than pride among professors. And who can contradict him? let us give
the Devil his due, the thing is too apparent for any man to deny.
And I doubt not but the same answer is ready in the mouths of Mr.
Badmans friends; for they may and do see pride display it self in the
Apparel and carriages of professors; one may say, almost as much, as
among any people in the Land, the more is the pity. Ay, and I fear that
even their Extravagancies in this, hath hardened the heart of many a
one, as I perceive it did somewhat the heart of Mr. Badman himself.
For mine own part, I have seen many my self, and those Church-members
too, so deckt and bedaubed with their Fangles and Toyes, and that when
they have been at the solemn Appointments of God, in the way of his
Worship, that I have wondred with what face such painted persons could
sit in the place where they were without swounding. But certainly the
holiness of God, and also the pollution of themselves by sin, must
needs be very far out of the minds of such people, what profession
soever they make.
I have read of an Whores forehead, {131a} and I have read of
christian-shamefacedness; I have read of costly array, and of that
which becometh women professing Godliness, with good works; {131b}
{131c} but if I might speak, I know what I know, and could say, and
yet do no wrong, that which would make some professors stink in their
places; {131d} but now I forbear.
Atten. Sir, you seem to be greatly concerned at this, but what I shall
say more? it is whispered, that some good Ministers have countenanced
their people in their light and wanton Apparrel, yea have pleaded for
their Gold, and Pearls, and costly array, &c.
Wise. I know not what they have pleaded for, but ’tis easily seen that
they tolerate, or at least wise, wink and connive at such things, both
in their Wives and Children. And so from the Prophets of Jerusalem is
profaneness gone forth into all the land. {131e} And when the hand of
the Rulers are chief in a trespass, who can keep their people from
being drowned in that trespass?
Atten. This is a lamentation, and must stand for a lamentation.
Wise. So it is, and so it must. And I will add, it is a shame, it is
a reproach, it is a stumbling-block to the blind; {131f} for though
men be as blind as Mr. Badman himself, yet they can see the foolish
lightness that must needs be the bottom of all these apish and wanton
extravagancies. But many have their excuses ready; to wit, their
Parents, their Husbands, and their breeding calls for it, and the like:
yea, the examples of good people prompt them to it: but all these will
be but the Spiders webb, when the thunder of the Word of the great God
shall rattle from Heaven against them, as it will at Death or Judgment;
but I wish it might do it before. But alas! these excuses are but bare
pretences, these proud ones love to have it so. I once talked with a
Maid, by way of reproof, for her fond and gaudy garment. But she told
me, [Picture: Take note symbol] The Tailor would make it so: when alas,
poor proud Girle, she gave order to the Taylor so to make it. Many make
Parents, and Husbands, and Taylors, &c. the Blind to others, but their
naughty hearts, and their giving of way thereto, that is the original
cause of all these evils.
Atten. Now you are speaking of the cause of pride, pray shew me yet
further why pride is now so much in request? {132b}
Wise. I will shew you what I think are the reasons of it.
1. The first is, {132c} Because such persons are led by their own
hearts, rather than by the Word of God. I told you before, that the
original fountain of pride is the heart. For out of the heart comes
pride; it is therefore because they are led by their hearts, which
naturally tends to lift them up in pride. This pride of heart, tempts
them, and by its deceits overcometh them; {132d} yea it doth put a
bewitching vertue into their Peacocks feathers, and then they are
swallowed up with the vanity of them.
2. Another reason why professors are so proud, (for those we are
talking of now) is because they are more apt to take example of those
that are of the World, than they are to take example of those that are
Saints indeed. Pride is of the world. For all that is of the world,
the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,
are not of the Father but of the world. {132e} Of the world therefore
Professors learn to be proud. But they should not take them for
example. It will be objected, No, nor your saints neither, for you are
as proud as others: Well, let them take shame that are guilty. But when
I say, professors should take example for their life by those that are
saints indeed, I mean as Peter says: They should take example of those
that were in old time, the saints; for saints of old time were the
best, therefore to these he directeth us for our pattern. Let the wives
conversation be chast, and also coupled with fear. Whose adorning,
saith Peter, let it not be that outward adorning, of pleating the hair,
and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of Apparel: but let it be the
hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the
ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of
great price. For after this manner, in the old time, the holy women
also who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection to
their own husbands. {132f}
3. Another reason is, {133a} Because they have forgotten the pollution
of their Nature. For the remembrance of that, must needs keep us
humble, and being kept humble, we shall be at a distance from pride.
The proud and the humble are set in opposition; (God resisteth the
proud, but giveth grace to the humble.) And can it be imagined, that a
sensible Christian should be a proud one; sence of baseness tends to
lay us low, not to lift us up with pride; not with pride of Heart, nor
pride of Life: But when a man begins to forget what he is, then he, if
ever, begins to be proud.
Methinks it is one of the most senceless and ridiculous things in the
world, that a man should be proud of that which is given him on purpose
to cover the shame of his nakedness with.
4. Persons that are proud, have gotten God and his Holiness out of
their sight. {133b} If God was before them, as he is behind their back;
And if they saw him in his holiness, as he sees them in their sins
and shame, they would take but little pleasure in their apish Knacks.
The Holiness of God makes the Angels cover their faces, crumbles
Christians, when they behold it, into dust and ashes: {133c} and as his
Majesty is, such is his Word; Therefore they abuse it, that bring it to
countenance pride.
Lastly, {133d} But what can be the end of those that are proud, in
the decking of themselves after their antick manner? why are they for
going with their Bulls-foretops, with their naked shoulders, and Paps
hanging out like a Cows bag? why are they for painting their faces,
for stretching out their necks, and for putting of themselves into all
the Formalities which proud Fancy leads them to? Is it because they
would honour God? because they would adorn the Gospel? because they
would beautifie Religion, and make sinners to fall in love with their
own salvation? No, no. It is rather to please their lusts, to satisfie
their wild and extravagant fancies; and I wish none doth it to stir up
lust in others, to the end they may commit uncleanness with them. I
believe, whatever is their end, this is one of the great designes of
the Devil: and I believe also, that Satan has drawn more into the sin
of uncleanness, by the spangling shew of fine cloaths, than he could
possibly have drawn unto it, without them. I wonder what it was, that
of old was called the Attire of an Harlot: certainly it could not be
more bewitching and tempting than are the garments of many professors
this day.
Atten. I like what you say very well, and I wish that all the proud
Dames in England that profess, were within the reach and sound of your
words.
Wise. What I have said, I believe is true, but as for the proud Dames
in England that profess, they have Moses and the Prophets, and if they
will not hear them, how then can we hope that they should recieve good
by such a dull sounding Ramshorn as I am? However, I have said my mind,
and now if you will, we will proceed to some other of Mr. Badmans
doings.
Atten. No: pray before you shew me any thing else of Mr. Badman, shew
me yet more particularly the evil effects of this sin of Pride.
Wise. With all my heart, I will answer your request. {134a}
1. {134b} Then: ’Tis pride that makes poor Man so like the Devil in
Hell, that he cannot in it be known to be the Image and similitude of
God. The Angels when they became Devils, ’twas through their being
lifted or puffed up with pride. ’Tis pride also that lifteth or puffeth
up the heart of the sinner, and so makes him to bear the very image of
the Devil.
2. {134c} Pride makes a man so odious in the sight of God, that he
shall not, must not come nigh his Majesty. Though the Lord be high, yet
hath he respect to the lowly, but the proud he knows afar off. Pride
sets God and the Soul at a distrance; pride will not let a man come
nigh God, nor God will not let a proud man come nigh unto him: Now this
is a dreadful thing.
3. {134d} As pride sets, so it keeps God and the Soul at a distance.
God resisteth the proud; resists, that is, he opposes him, he thrusts
him from him, he contemneth his person and all his performances. Come
in to Gods Ordinances, the proud man may; but come into his presence,
have communion with him, or blessing from him, he shall not. For the
high God doth resist him. {135a}
4. {135b} The Word saith, that The Lord will destroy the House of the
proud. He will destroy his House; it may be understood, he will destroy
him and his. So he destroyed proud Pharaoh, so he destroyed proud
Corah, and many others.
5. {135c} Pride, where it comes, and is entertained, is a certain
forerunner of some Judgment that is not far behind. When pride goes
before, shame and destruction will follow after. When pride cometh,
then cometh shame. Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit
before a fall.
6. {135d} Persisting in pride makes the condition of a poor man as
remediless as is that of the Devils themselves.
And this I fear was Mr. Badmans condition, and that was the reason that
he died so as he did; as I shall shew you anon.
But what need I thus talk of the particular actions, or rather
prodigious sins of Mr. Badman, when his whole Life and all his actions,
went as it were to the making up one massie body of sin? {135e}
Instead of believing that there was a God, his Mouth, his Life and
Actions declared, that he believed no such thing. His transgression
said within my heart, that there was no fear of God before his eyes.
{135f} {135g} Instead of honouring of God, and of giving glory to him
for any of his Mercies, or under any of his good Providences towards
him (for God is good to all, and lets his Sun shine, and his Rain fall
upon the unthankful and unholy,) he would ascribe the glory to other
causes. If they were Mercies, he would ascribe them (if the open face
of the providence did not give him the lye) to his own wit, labour,
care, industry, cunning, or the like: if they were Crosses, he would
ascribe them, or count them the offspring of Fortune, ill Luck, Chance,
the ill mannagement of matters, the ill will of neighbours, or to his
wifes being Religious, and spending, as he called it, too much time in
Reading, Praying, or the like. It was not in his way to acknowledge
God, (that is, graciously) or his hand in things. But, as the Prophet
saith; Let favour be skewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn
righteousness. {136a} And again, They returned not to him that smote
them, nor did they seek the Lord of hosts. {136b} This was Mr. Badmans
temper, neither Mercies nor Judgment would make him seek the Lord. Nay,
as another Scripture sayes, he would not see the works of God, nor
regard the operations of his hands either in mercies or in Judgments.
{136c} But further, when by Providence he has been cast under the best
Means for his soul, (for, as was shewed before, he having had a good
master, and before him a good father, and after all a good wife, and
being sometimes upon a Journey, and cast under the hearing of a good
Sermon, as he would sometimes for novelties sake go to hear a good
Preacher;) he was always without heart to make use thereof: In this
land of righteousness he would deal unjustly, and would not behold the
majesty of the Lord.
Instead of reverencing the Word, {136g} when he heard it preached,
read, or discoursed of, he would sleep, talk of other Business, or else
object against the authority, harmony, and wisdom of the Scriptures.
Saying, How do you know them to be the Word of God? how do you know
that these sayings are true? The Scriptures, he would say, were as
a Nose of Wax, and a man may turn them whithersoever he lists: one
Scripture says one thing, and another sayes the quite contrary;
Besides, they make mention of a thousand imposibilities; they are the
cause of all dissensions and discords that are in the Land: Therefore
you may (would he say) still think what you will, but in my mind they
are best at ease that have least to do with them.
Instead of loving and honouring of them that did bear in their
Foreheads the Name, and in their Lives the Image of Christ, they should
be his Song, {136h} the matter of his Jests, and the objects of his
slanders. He would either make a mock at their sober deportment, their
gracious language, quiet behaviour, or else desperately swear that they
did all in deceit and hypocrisie. He would endeavour to render godly
men as odious and contemptable as he could; any lyes that were made
by any, to their disgrace, those he would avouch for truth, and would
not endure to be controlled. He was much like those that the prophet
speaks of, that would sit and slander his mothers son; {137a} yea,
he would speak reproachfully of his wife, though his conscience told
him, and many would testifie, that she was a very vertuous woman. He
would also raise slanders of his wives friends himself, affirming that
their doctrine tended to lasciviousness, and that in their assemblies
they acted and did unbeseeming men and women, that they committed
uncleanness, &c. He was much like those that affirmed the Apostle
should say, Let us do evil that good may come: {137b} Or like those
of whom it is thus written: Report, say they, and we will report it.
{137c} And if he could get any thing by the end that had scandal in it,
if it did but touch professors, how falsely soever reported; Oh! then
he would glory, laugh, and be glad, and lay it upon the whole party:
Saying, Hang them Rogues, there is not a barrel better Herring of all
the holy Brotherhood of them: Like to like, quoth the Devil to the
Collier, this is your precise Crew. And then he would send all home
with a curse.
Atten. If those that make profession of Religion be wise, Mr. Badmans
watchings and words will make them the more wary and careful in all
things.
Wise. You say true. For when we see men do watch for our halting, and
rejoyce to see us stumble and fall, it should make us so much abundance
the more careful. {137d}
I do think it was as delightful to Mr. Badman to hear, raise, and tell
lies, and lying stories of them that fear the Lord, as it was for him
to go to bed when a weary. But we will at this time let these things
pass. For as he was in these things bad enough, so he added to these,
many more the like.
He was an {137e} angry, wrathfull, envious man, a man that knew not
what meekness or gentleness meant, nor did he desire to learn. His
natural temper was to be surly, huffie, and rugged, and worse; and
he so gave way to his temper, as to this, that it brought him to be
furious and outrageous in all things, specially against goodness it
self, and against other things too, when he was displeased. {138a}
Atten. Solomon saith, He is a fool that rageth.
Wise. He doth so; and sayes moreover, That anger rests in the bosom of
fools. {138b} And truly, if it be a sign of a Fool to have anger rest
in his bosom, then was Mr. Badman, notwithstanding the conceit that he
had of his own abilities, a Fool of no small size.
Atten. Fools are mostly most wise in their own eyes.
Wise. True. But I was a saying, that if it be a sign that a man is a
Fool, when Anger rests in his bosom; Then what is it a sign of, think
you, when Malice and Envy rests there? For to my knowledge Mr. Badman
was as malicious and as envious a man as commonly you can hear of.
Atten. Certainly, malice and envy flow {138c} from pride and arrogancy,
and they again from ignorance, and ignorance from the Devil; And I
thought, that since you spake of the pride of Mr. Badman before, we
should have something of these before we had done.
Wise. Envy flows from Ignorance indeed. And this Mr. Badman was so
envious an one, where he set against, that he would swell with it, as
a Toad, as we say, swells with poyson. He whom he maligned, might at
any time even read envy in his face wherever he met with him, or in
whatever he had to do with him.
His envy was so rank and strong, that if it at any time turned its head
against a man, it would hardly ever be pulled in again: He would watch
over that man to do him mischief, as the Cat watches over the Mouse
to destroy it; yea, he would wait seven years, but he would have an
opportunity to hurt him, and when he had it, he would make him feel the
weight of his Envy.
Envy is a devilish thing, the Scripture intimates that none can stand
before it. A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty, but a fools wrath is
heavier than them both. Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous, but
who can stand before envy? {138d} {138e}
This Envy, for the foulness of it, is reckoned {138f} among the foulest
Villanies that are, as adultery, murder, drunkenness, revellings,
witchcrafts, heresies, seditions, &c. Yea, it is so malignant a
corruption, that it rots the very bones of him in whom it dwells. A
sound heart is life to the flesh, but envy the rottenness of the bones.
{139a}
Atten. This Envy is the very Father and Mother of a great many hideous
and prodigious wickednesses: I say, it is the very {139b} Father and
Mother of them; it both besets them, and also nourishes them up, till
they come to their cursed maturity in the bosom of him that entertains
them.
Wise. You have given it a very right description, in calling of it
the Father and Mother of a great many other prodigious wickednesses:
for it is so venomous and vile a thing, that it puts the whole course
of Nature out of order, and makes it fit for nothing but confusion,
and a hold for every evil thing. For where envy and strife is, there
is confusion, and every evil work. {139c} Wherefore, I say, you have
rightly called it, The very Father and Mother of a great many other
sins. And now for our further edification, I will reckon up some of the
births of Envy.
1. Envy, as I told you before, it rotteth the very bones of him that
entertains it. And, {139d}
2. As you have also hinted, it is heavier than a Stone, than Sand; yea,
and I will add, It falls like a Mill-stone upon the head. Therefore,
3. It kills him that throws it, and him at whom it is thrown. Envy
slayeth the silly one. {139e} That is, him in whom it resides, and him
who is its object.
4. ’Twas that also that slew Jesus Christ himself; for his adversaries
persecuted him through their envy. {139f} {139g}
5. Envy was that by vertue of which Joseph was sold by his Brethren
into Egypt: {139h}
6. ’Tis envy that hath the hand in making of variance among Gods
Saints. {139i}
7. ’Tis envy in the hearts of Sinners, that stirres them up to thrust
Gods Ministers out of their coasts.
8. What shall I say? ’Tis envy that is the very Nursery of whisperings,
debates, backbitings, slanders, reproaches, murders, &c.
’Tis not possible to repeat all the particular fruits of this sinfull
root. Therefore, it is no marvel that Mr. Badman was such an ill
natured man, for the great roots of all manner of wickedness were in
him, unmortified, unmaimed, untouched.