CHAP. VIII.

§. 1. Pride craves power as well as knowledge. §. 2. The cafe of Korah, &c. a proof. §. 3. Abfalom's ambition confirms it. §. 4. Nebuchadnezzar's does the like. §. 5. The history of Pifftratus, Alexander, Cæfar, &c. fhews the fame thing. §. 6. The Turks are a lively proof, who have feed much blood to gratify pride for power. §. 7. The last ten years in Christendom exceed in proof of this. §. 8. Ambition refts not in courts, it finds room in private breasts too, and Spoils families and Societies. §. 9. Their peace is great that limit their defires by God's grace, and having power, ufe it to the good of others.

§. I. BUT let us fee the next moft common, eminent, and mischievous effect of this evil. Pride does extremely crave power, than which not one thing has proved more troublesome and deftructive to mankind. I need not labour myself much in evidence of this, fince most of the wars of nations, depopulation of kingdoms, ruin of cities, with the flavery and mifery that have followed, both our own experience and unquestionable hiftories, acquaint us to have been the effect of ambition, which is the luft of pride after power.

§. II. How fpecious foever might be the pretences of Korah, Dathan, and Abi

against Mofes, it was their emulation of his mighty power in the camp of Ifrael, that put them upon confpiracies and mutinies. They longed for his authority, and their not having it was his crime: for they had a mind to be the heads and leaders of the people. The confequence of which, was a remarkable deftruction to themselves, and all their unhappy accomplices.

§. III. Abfalom too was for the people's rights against the tyranny of his father and his king; at least, with this pretence he palliated his ambition; but his rebellion fhewed: he was impatient for power, and that he refolved to facrifice his duty as a fon and fubject,. to the importunities of his reftlefs pride: which brought a miferable death to himself, and an extraordinary flaughter upon his army.

His

§. IV. Nebuchadnezzar is a lively inftance: of the exceffive luft of pride for power. fucceffes and empire were too heady for him: fo much too ftrong for his understanding, that he forgot he did not make himself, or that his power had a fuperior. He makes an image, and all must bow to it, or be burnt. And when Shadrach, Methach, and Abednego, refused to comply, Who, fays he, is that God that fhall deliver you out of my hands? And notwithstanding the convictions he had upon him, at the conftancy of those excellent men, and Daniel's interpretation of his dreams, it was not long before the pride of his power had filled his heart, and then his mouth, with this

haughty question, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty ? But we are told, that while the words were in his mouth, a voice from heaven rebuked the pride of his fpirit, and he was driven from the fociety of men, to graze among the beasts of the field.

§. V. If we look into the hiftories of the world, we shall find many inftances to prove the mischief of this luft of pride. I will mention a few of them, for their fakes who have either not read or confidered them.

Solon made Athens free by his excellent conftitution of laws; but the ambition of Pififtratus, began the ruin of it before his eyes. Alexander, not contented with his own kingdom, invades others, and filled with spoil and flaughter thofe countries he fubdued: and it was not ill faid by the man, who, when Alexander accused him of piracy, told him to his face, that Alexander was the greatest pirate in the world. It was the fame ambition that made Cæfar turn traitor to his masters, and with their own army, put into his hand for their fervice, fubdue them to his yoke, and ufurp the government; which ended in the expulfion of freedom and virtue together in that common-wealth: for goodness quickly grew to be faction in Rome; and that fobriety and wifdom which ever rendered her fenators venerable, became dangerous to their fafety: infomuch that his fucceffors hardly left one they

* Dan, iv. 30.

did not kill or banish; unlefs fuch as turned to be flatterers of their unjust acquifition, and the imitators of their debauched manners.

§. VI. The Turks are a great proof to the point in hand, who to extend their dominion, have been the cause of fhedding much blood, and laying many ftately countries wafte.

And yet they are to be out-done by apostate Christians; whofe practice is therefore more condemnable, because they have been better taught they have had a master of another doctrine and example. It is true, they call him Lord ftill, but they let their ambition reign: they love power more than one another; and to get it kill one another; though charged by him, not to ftrike, but to love and ferve one another. And, which adds to the tragedy, all natural affection is facrificed to the fury of this luft and therefore are stories so often ftained, with the murder of parents, children, uncles, nephews, masters, &c.

. VII. If we look abroad into remoter parts of the world, we fhall rarely hear of wars; but in Christendom, rarely of peace. A very trifle is too often made a ground of quarrel here: nor can any league be fo facred or inviolable, that arts fhall not be used to evade, and diffolve it to increase dominion. No matter who, nor how many are flain, made widows and orphans, or lofe their eftates and livelihoods; what countries are ruined; what towns and cities fpoiled if by all these things the ambitious can but arrive at their ends! To go no further back than fixty years, that little period of time

will furnish us with many wars begun upon ill grounds, and ended in great defolation. Nay, the last twelve years of our time, make as pregnant a demonftration as we can furnish ourfelves with from the records of any age. It is too tedious, nor is it my business, to be particular it has been often well obferved by others, and is almost known to all, I mean the French, Spanish, German, English, and Dutch

wars.

§. VIII. But ambition does not only dwell in courts and fenates: it is too natural to every private breast to strain for power. We daily

fee how much men labour their utmost wit and intereft to be great, to get higher places, or greater titles than they have, that they may look bigger, and be more acknowledged; take place of their former equals, and fo equal thofe that were once their fuperiors: compel friends, and be revenged on enemies. This makes Christianity fo little loved of worldly men; its kingdom is not of this world: and though they may speak it fair, it is the world they love: that without uncharitablenefs we may truly fay, People profefs Christianity, but they follow the world. They are not for feeking the kingdom of heaven first, and the righteousness thereof, and to truft God with the reft; but for fecuring. to themselves the wealth and glory of this world, and adjourning the care of falvation to a fick-bed, and the extreme moments of life; if yet they believe a life to come.

§. IX. To conclude this head; great is their

d Matt. vi. 33x