Sign XVII. A proud man is either an open or a secret boaster. If he be ashamed to show his pride by open boasting, then he learneth the skill of setting out himself, and making known his excellencies in a closer and more handsome way. His own commendations shall not seem the design of his speech, but to come in upon the by, or before he was aware, as if he thought of something else: or it shall seem necessary to some other end, and a thing that he is unavoidably put upon, as against his will: or he will take upon him to conceal it, but by a transparent veil, as some proud women hide their beauties: or he will conjoin the mention of some of his infirmities, but they shall be such as he thinks no matter of disgrace, but like proud women's beauty spots, to set out the better part which they are proud of.[224] But one way or other, either by ostentation or insinuation, his work is to make known all that tendeth to his honour, and to see that his goodness, and wisdom, and greatness be not unknown or unobserved; and all because he must have men's approbation, the hypocrite's reward: he is as buried if he be unknown. "Proud" and "boasters" are joined together, Rom. i. 30; 2 Tim. iii. 2. "Theudas" the deceiver "boasted himself to be somebody," Acts v. 36. "Simon Magus gave out that himself was some great one, and the people all gave heed to him from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God," Acts viii. 9, 10. "Such love the praise of men more than the praise of God," John xii. 43. But the humble hath learned another kind of language; not affectedly, but from the feeling of his heart, to cry out, I am vile; I am unworthy to be called a child; my sins are more than the hairs of my head. And he hateth their vanity that by unseasonable or immoderate commendations, endeavour to stir him up to pride, and so to bring him to be vile indeed, by proclaiming him to be excellent. Much more doth he abhor to praise himself, having learned, Prov. xxvii. 2, "Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips." He praiseth himself by works, and not by words, Prov. xxxi. 31.
Sign XVIII. A proud man loveth honourable names and titles; as the Pharisees to be called Rabbi, Matt. xxiii. And yet they may have so much wit as to pretend, that is but to promote their service for the common good, and not that they are so weak to care for empty names; or else that they were forced to it, by somebody's kindness, without their seeking, and against their wills.
Sign XIX. Pride doth tickle the heart of fools with content and pleasure to hear themselves applauded, or see themselves admired by the people, or to hear that they have got a great reputation in the world, or to be flocked after, and cried up, and have many followers. Herod loveth to hear in commendation of his oration, "It is the voice of a god, and not of a man," Acts xi. 22. It is a feast to the proud, to hear that men abroad do magnify him, or see that those about him do reverence, and love, and honour, and idolize him. Hence hath the church been filled with busy sect-masters, even of those that seemed forwardest in religion; which was sadly prophesied of by Paul to the Ephesians, Acts xx. 29, 30. Two sorts of troublers, under the name of pastors, pride hath in all ages thrust upon the church; devouring wolves, and dividing sect-masters. "For I know this, that after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." See also Rom. xvi. 16, 17.
Sign XX. Pride maketh men censorious and uncharitable: they extenuate other men's virtues and good works, and suspect ungroundedly their sincerity. A little thing serves to make them think or call a man a hypocrite. Very few are honest, or sincere, or godly, or humble, or faithful, or able, or worthy in their eyes, even among them that are so indeed, or that they have cause to think so: a slight conjecture or report seemeth enough to allow them to condemn or defame another. They quickly see the mote in a brother's eye. Their pride and fancy can create a thousand heretics, or schismatics, or hypocrites, or ungodly ones, that never were such but in the court of their presumption. Especially if they take men for their adversaries, they can cast them into the most odious shape, and make them any thing that the devil will desire them. But the humble are charitable to others, as conscious of much infirmity in themselves, which makes them need the tenderness of others. They judge the best till they know the worst, and censure not men until they have both evidence to prove it, and a call to meddle with them, having learned, Matt. vii. 1-4, "Judge not that ye be not judged."
Sign XXI. Pride causeth men to hate reproof: the proud are forward in finding faults in others, but love not a plain reprover of themselves. Though it be a duty which God himself commandeth, Lev. xix. 17, as an expression of love, and contrary to hatred, yet it will make a proud man to be your enemy. Prov. xv. 12, "A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him, neither will he go unto the wise." Prov. ix. 7, 8, "He that reproveth a scorner, getteth himself shame; and he that rebuketh a wicked man, getteth himself a blot. Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee." It galleth their hearts, and they take themselves to be injured, and they will bear you a grudge for it, as if you were their enemy. If they valued or honoured you before, you have lost them or angered them if you have told them of their faults. If they love to hear a preacher deal plainly with others, they hate him when he dealeth so with them. Herod will give away John's head, when he hath first imprisoned him for telling him of his sin, though before he reverenced him and heard him gladly. They can easily endure to be evil, and do evil, but not to hear of it. As if a man that had the leprosy, loved the disease, and yet hated him that telleth him that he hath it, or would cure him of it. This pride is the thing that hath made men so unprofitable to each other, by driving faithful reproof and admonition almost out of the world, because men are so proud that they will not hear it. Hence it is that others hear oftener of men's faults, than they do themselves; and that backbiting is grown the common fashion, because proud sinners drive away reprovers, by their impatience and displeasure. Husbands and wives, yea, servants with their masters, are so far out of love with just reproof, that they can hardly bear it. He must be exceedingly skilful in smoothing and oiling every word, and making it more like to a commendation or flattery, than a reproof, that will escape their indignation.
Sign XXII. When a proud man is justly reproved, he studieth presently to deny or extenuate his fault; to show you that he is more tender of his honour than of his honesty. It is a hard thing to bring him to free confession, and to thank you for your love and faithfulness, and to resolve upon more watchfulness for the time to come: when the humble soul is readier to believe that he is faulty than that he is innocent, and to say more against himself than you shall say (if truly). This one sign may tell you how commonly pride reigneth in the world. How few are they among many that are heartily thankful for a just and necessary reproof! Mark them, whether the first word they speak, in answer to you, be not either a denial or an excuse, or an upbraiding you with something that they think you faulty in, or else a passionate, proud repulse, bidding you meddle with yourselves?
Sign XXIII. Pride maketh men talkative; and more desirous to speak than to hear, and to teach than to be taught: because such think highly of their own understandings, and think others have more need of their instructions, than they of other men's.[225] Not that humility is any enemy to communicative charity, or to zealous endeavours for the converting and edifying of souls; but a teaching, talking disposition, where there is no need, and beyond the measure of your calling and abilities, when you have more need to learn yourselves, is the fruit of pride. When you take less heed what another saith to you, than you expect he should take of what you say to him: when your talk is not so much by way of question as becomes a learner, but in the discourses and dictates of a teacher: when you are so full of any thing that is your own, and so contemptuous of what is said by others, that you have not the patience to hear them silently till they come to the end; but unmannerly interrupt them, and set in yourselves; which is as much as to say, Hold your tongue, and let me speak that am more wise and worthy: when you strive to have the most words, and to be speaking; as horses in a race, strive which shall go foremost: this is because pride puffs you up, and moves your tongues, as a leaf is shaken by the wind; it fills your sails; and makes you like bag-pipes, that are loudest when they are full of wind, and pressed. Eccl. x. 14, "A fool is full of words." Prov. x. 19, "In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise."
Sign XXIV. Pride maketh men excessively loth to be beholden to others; so that some will starve or perish before they will stoop so far as to seek, or be obliged to thankfulness by any; especially if they be such as they have any quarrel with. And this they take for manlike gallantry, and a scorning to be base. I confess that, as Paul saith to servants, if we can be free, we should rather choose it; and that no man should unnecessarily make himself a debtor to another, by being beholden to him: especially ministers, who should avoid all temptations of dependence upon man: and therefore should neither hang on great ones, lest they be tempted to unfaithful silence or flattery; nor needlessly live on the people's charity, lest they be hindered from the free exercise of their ministry. Therefore Paul laboured with his hands where he thought it would hinder his work to be chargeable to the churches, or give occasion to the envious to reproach him;[226] and he would "rather die than any should make this his glorying void," 1 Cor. ix. 15. Innocency and independency, as Mr. Bolton was wont to say, do steel the face, and help a minister to be bold and faithful. As Camerarius said, when he was invited to the court,
Alterius ne sit, qui suus esse potest.
But yet man is a sociable creature; and we are made to be helpful to each other: we are like the wheels of a watch, that can none of them do their work alone, without the concurrence of the rest. And therefore a proud man that would live wholly on himself, and scorneth to be beholden, would break himself off from the place that God hath set him in, and separate himself from human society, and be either a world of himself, or a god to others. But God hath caused all the members purposely to stand in need of one another, that none might be despised, and that all might still exercise love in communicating, and humility in accepting of each other's help.