whom St. Stephen therefore calleth a stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears;' who although they did hear the most winning discourse that ever was uttered, although they saw the most admirable works that ever were performed, yet would they not yield to the doctrine; the mean garb of the persons teaching it, the spirituality of its design, the strict goodness of its precepts, and the like considerations, not sorting with their fancies and desires; they hoping for a Messias arrayed with gay appearances of external grandeur and splendor, whose chief work it should be to settle their nation in a state of worldly prosperity and glory.

6. This is that hardness of heart, which is so often represented as an obstruction of belief; this hindered Pharaoh, notwithstanding all those mighty works performed before him, from hearkening to God's word, and regarding the mischiefs threatened to come on him for his disobedience; I will not,' said he, let Israel go;' his will was his reason, which no persuasion, no judgment could subdue this was the cause of that monstrous infidelity in the Israelites, which baffled all the methods which God used to persuade and convert them; Notwithstanding,' it is said, they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the Lord their God:' whence that exhortation to them; To-day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.' And to obduration the disbelief of the gospel on the Apostles' preaching is in like manner ascribed; St. Paul, it is said in the Acts, went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God: but divers were hardened, and believed not:' and ' Exhort one another daily,' saith the Apostle, lest any of you be hardened (in unbelief) through the deceitfulness of sin.'

7. Of kin to that perverseness of heart is that squeamish delicacy and niceness of humor, which will not let men entertain or savor any thing, anywise seeming hard or harsh to them, if they cannot presently comprehend all that is said, if they can frame any cavil or little exception against it, if every scruple be not voided, if any thing be required distasteful to their sense; they are offended, and their faith is choked; you must,

to satisfy them, speak to them smooth things,' which nowise grate on their conceit or pleasure: so when our Lord discoursed somewhat mysteriously, representing himself in the figure of heavenly bread (typified by the manna of old) given for the world, to sustain men in life; Many of his disciples, hearing this, said, This is a hard saying, who can hear it?' and 'from that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him :' this is that which is called being 'scandalised at the word, and stumbling at it;' concerning which our Saviour saith, Blessed is he, whoever shall not be offended in me.'

In regard to this weakness, the Apostles were fain in their instructions to use prudent dispensation, proposing only to some persons the most easy points of doctrine, they not being able to digest such as were more tough and difficult: 'I have,' saith St. Paul, fed you with milk, and not with meat; for hitherto ye were not able to bear it—for ye are yet carnal;' and, ‘Ye,' saith the Apostle to the Hebrews, are such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.'

Such were even the Apostles themselves in their minority; ⚫not savoring the things of God;' being offended at our Lord's discourses, when he spake to them of suffering; and with his condition, when he entered into it.

8. With these dispositions is connected a want of love to truth; the which if a man hath not, he cannot well entertain such notions as the gospel propoundeth, being nowise grateful to carnal sense and appetite: this cause St. Paul doth assign of the Pagan doctors falling into so gross errors and vices, 'because they did not like to retain God in their knowlege,' and of men's revolting from Christian truth to antichristian imposture because they received not the love of truth, that they might be saved: for which cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:' nothing indeed, but an impartial and ingenuous love of truth (overbalancing all corrupt prejudices and affections) can engage a man heartily to embrace this holy and pure doctrine, can preserve a man in a firm adherence thereto.

9. A grand cause of infidelity is pride, the which doth interpose various bars to the admission of Christian truth; for before a man can believe, πāv ü↓wμa, 'every height (every towering

imagination and conceit) that exalteth itself against the knowlege of God, must be cast down.'

Pride fills a man with vanity and an affectation of seeming wise in special manner above others, thereby disposing him to maintain paradoxes, and to nauseate common truths received and believed by the generality of mankind.

A proud man is ever averse from renouncing his prejudices and correcting his errors; doing which implieth a confession of weakness, ignorance, and folly, consequently depresseth him in his own conceit, and seemeth to impair that credit which he had with others from his wisdom; neither of which events he is able to endure.

He that is wise in his own conceit, will hug that conceit, and thence is uncapable to learn; there is,' saith Solomon, 'more hope of a fool than of him; and he that affecteth the praise of men, will not easily part with it for the sake of truth; whence, 'How,' saith our Lord, can ye believe, who receive glory one of another?' how can ye, retaining such affections, be disposed to avow yourselves to have been ignorants and fools, whenas ye were reputed for learned and wise? how can ye endure to become novices, who did pass for doctors? how can ye allow yourselves so blind and weak, as to have been deceived in your former judgment of things?

He that is conceited of his own wisdom, strength of parts, and improvement in knowlege, cannot submit his mind to notions which he cannot easily comprehend and penetrate; he will scorn to have his understanding baffled or puzzled by sublime mysteries of faith; he will not easily yield any thing too high for his wit to reach, or too knotty for him to unloose: How can these things be?' what reason can there be for this? I cannot see how this can be true; this point is not intelligible: so he treateth the dictates of faith; not considering the feebleness and shallowness of his own reason: hence not many wise men according to the flesh,' (or who were conceited of their own wisdom, relying on their natural faculties and means of knowlege,) not many scribes, or disputers of this world,' did embrace the Christian truth, it appearing absurd and foolish to them; it being needful that a man should be a fool, that he might, in this regard, become wise.'

The prime notions of Christianity do also tend to the debasing human conceit, and to the exclusion of all glorying in ourselves; referring all to the praise and glory of God, ascribing all to his pure mercy, bounty, and grace; it representeth all men heinous sinners, void of all worth and merit, lapsed into a wretched state, altogether impotent, forlorn, and destitute of ability to help or relieve themselves; such notions proud hearts cannot digest; they cannot like to avow their infirmities, their defects, their wants, their vileness, and unworthiness; their distresses and miseries; they cannot endure to be intirely and absolutely beholden to favor and mercy for their happiness : such was the case of the Jews; who could not believe, because, going about to establish their own righteousness, they would not submit to the righteousness of God.' Dextra mihi Deus, every proud man would say, with the profane Mezen

tius.

Christianity doth also much disparage and vilify those things, for which men are apt much to prize and pride themselves; it maketh small account of wealth, of honor, of power, of wit, of secular wisdom, of any human excellency or worldly advantage: it levelleth the rich and the poor, the prince and the peasant, the philosopher and idiot in spiritual regards; yea far preferreth the meanest and simplest person, endued with true piety, above the mightiest and wealthiest, who is devoid thereof: in the eye of it, The righteous is more excellent than his neighbor;' whatever he be in worldly regard or state this a proud man cannot support; to be divested of his imaginary privileges, to be thrown down from his perch of eminency, to be set below those whom he so much despiseth, is insupportable to his spirit.

The practice of Christianity doth also expose men to the scorn and censure of profane men; who for their own solace, out of envy, revenge, diabolical spite, are apt to deride and reproach all conscientious and resolute practisers of their duty, as silly, credulous, superstitious, humorous, morose, sullen folks : so that be that will be good, must resolve to bear that usage from them; like David; I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in my own sight:' but with these sufferings a

proud heart cannot comport; it goeth too much against the grain thereof to be contemned.

Christianity doth also indispensably require duties, pointblank opposite to pride; it placeth humility among its chief virtues, as a foundation of piety; it enjoineth us to think meanly of ourselves, to disclaim our own worth and desert, to have no complacency or confidence in any thing belonging to us; not to aim at high things; to waive the regard and praise of men; it exacteth from us a sense of our vileness, remorse and contrition for our sins, with humble confession of them, selfcondemnation and abhorrence; it chargeth us to bear injuries and affronts patiently, without grievous resentment, without seeking or so much as wishing any revenge; to undergo disgraces, crosses, disasters, willingly and gladly; it obligeth us to prefer others before ourselves,' sitting down in the lowest room, yielding to the meanest persons: to all which sorts of duty a proud mind hath an irreconcilable antipathy.

A proud man, that is big and swollen with haughty conceit and stomach, cannot stoop down so low, cannot shrink in himself so much, as to enter into the strait gate, or to walk in the narrow way, which leadeth to life :' he will be apt to contemn wisdom and instruction.

Shall I, will he say, such a gallant as I, so accomplished in worth, so flourishing in dignity, so plump with wealth, so highly regarded and renowned among men, thus pitifully crouch and sneak? shall I deign to avow such beggarly notions, or bend to such homely duties? shall I disown my perfections, or forego my advantages? shall I profess myself to have been a despicable worm, a villainous caitiff, a sorry wretch? shall I suffer myself to be flouted as a timorous religionist, a scrupulous precisian, a conscientious sneaksby? shall I lie down at the foot of mercy, puling in sorrow, whining in confession, bewailing my guilt, and craving pardon? shall I allow any man better or happier than myself? shall I receive those into consortship or equality of rank with me, who appear so much my inferiors? shall I be misused and trampled on, without doing myself right, and making them smart who shall presume to wrong or cross me? shall I be content to be nobody in the world? So the proud