| Many Are Proud!
(Thomas Watson, "The Godly Man's
Picture Drawn with a Scripture Pencil)
"Your boasting is not good!" 1 Corinthians 5:6
Pride is the greatest sacrilege; it robs God of His
glory. What a horrid sin is pride! Chrysostom calls
it "the mother of hell." Pride encompasses all vice.
Pride is a spiritual drunkenness; it flies up like wine
into the brain and intoxicates it. Pride is idolatry; a
proud man is a self-worshiper. How odious is this
sin to God! "Everyone who is proud in heart, is an
abomination to the Lord!" (Proverbs 16:5) "I hate
pride and arrogance!" (Proverbs 8:13)
Those who look at themselves in the magnifying
mirror of self-love, appear better in their own eyes
than they are. There is no idol like self; the proud
man bows down to this idol.
Many are proud of their riches. Their hearts swell
with their estates. Pride is the rich man's cousin.
"Your heart has become proud because of your
wealth." (Ezekiel 28:5)
Many are proud of their apparel. They dress in such
fashions, as to make the devil fall in love with them!
Painted faces, gaudy attire, naked breasts--what are
these, but the banners which sinful pride displays?
Many are proud of their beauty. The body is but dust
and blood kneaded together. Solomon says, "Beauty
is vain." (Proverbs 31:30) Yet some are so vain--as
to be proud of vanity! Shall dust exalt itself?
Many are proud of their gifts and abilities. These
trappings and ornaments do not approve them in God's
eyes. An angel is a creature of great abilities; but take
away humility from an angel--and he is a devil! God
loves a humble soul. It is not our high birth; but our
humble hearts, which God delights in.
Oh, let us search if there is any of this leaven of pride
in us! Man is naturally a proud piece of flesh. This sin
of pride runs in the blood. There are the seeds of this
sin of pride in the best of Christians--but the godly
do not allow themselves in it. They strive to kill this
weed, by mortification.
But certainly where this sin of pride reigns and prevails,
it cannot stand with grace. You may as well call him who
lacks wisdom, a prudent man; as him who lacks humility,
a godly man. "Clothe yourselves with humility toward one
another, because God opposes the proud, but gives grace
to the humble." (1 Peter 5:5) Put humility on, as an
embroidered robe. It is better to lack anything, rather
than humility.
The more value any man has, the more humble he is.
Feathers fly up--but gold descends! The golden
saint descends in humility. Look at a humble Savior
--and let the plumes of pride fall off!
A humble heart is God's palace! "For this is what
the high and lofty One says; He who lives forever,
whose name is holy--I live in a high and holy place,
but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit."
Isaiah 57:15 A humble heart glories in this--that it is
the presence chamber of the great and glorious King!
__________________ 1689 Baptist Confession
Psa 55:16 As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.
Psa 55:17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
James Farley, Wilderness Road Baptist Assembly.
Husband of Melissa and father of Ann. www.wildernessroadbaptist.org | 
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