The Danger of Pride and Ambition.   

  

THE DANGER OF Pride and Ambition. With the Excellency of Humility & Obedience.  
SHOWING The Reasons why the former aught to be Avoided, and the later Chosen and Embraced.  
Being a Profitable Discourse, occasionally Published upon the Funeral Solemnity of a late Unfortunate Person.  1 Kings, 1 chap. 5 ver. 
Then Adonijah the Son of Haggith, exalted himself, saying, I will be King: and he prepared himself Chariots and Horsemen, and fifty Men to run before him.  

This may be Printed,  
R. L S.   
Printed by H. B. for P. Brooksby at the Golden Ball in Py-corner. 1685.   

The DANGER of PRIDE and AMBITION. etc.  1 Kings, 1 Chap. 5 Verse. 
Then Adonijah the Son of Haggith, exalted himself, saying, I will be King; and he prepared himself Chariots and Horsemen, and fifty Men to run before him.  
AMongst all the Blessings that contribute to Man's felicity, there is nothing that aught to be more desirable, to make him truly happy in this World, and furnish him with an opportunity to prepare him for the other, than true content, humility, calmness of mind, and a resolution to be pleased, and sit down quiet, in what station soever GOD has appointed or allotted him, not to meddle nor concern himself in other men's affairs, nor be emulous of Greatness, but in patience and meekness to under go what ever shall befall him, not repining nor reviling, but rejoicing, not shaken by the Storms of adversity, nor swelled with the Tide of prosperity, but remaining always the same, rendering Honour, Obedience, and Respect where it ought to be, and a civil behaviour towards all men, living blameless, and in a Christian charity with your fellow-Creatures. Such a one (I say) lives in a perpetual calm, let the storm roar round him never so loud, and the waves dash never so much, having built his House upon a Rock: When the restless and unquiet man is ever tossed in the Ocean of hazards and dangers, being every moment ready to split upon the Rocks of misery, or strand himself on the Beach of Shame and Disgrace. For sure it is, there is nothing proves more fatal to the Sons of Adam than Pride and her black offspring Ambition; nay, and not only to Man, but Angels, as appears by Those whose proud aspiring caused their Fall, from the Mansions of Joy and Bliss, in a Dungeon of horrid Darkness, and Abyss of endless Pain and Misery, bound in everlasting Chains of Punishment. Yet is it not sufficient to deter rash Mortals from imitating those Infernal Legions, as far as corporeal Being's are capable of imitating incorporeal; as is evident in divers, who have wilfully courted Pride and Ambition to their own destruction, blinded with hopes of greatness, they did not, or would not see the eminent Danger that attended the rashness of their Folly, but being of a restless nature, gave way to that Feavourish Disorder that drove them from their happy station to shame and disgrace, over and above, the Trouble and Anxiety that still possessed the mind with fears and jealousies; for Ambition is a continual Tempest, that tosses the labouring Soul upon the Sea of Hope; and for the most part Lawless Desire (a thing that is ever craving, but never satisfied,) endeavouring to pass all bounds and limits, impatient of ease and restraint, still aspiring to Rise above the common Leavell, and always envying Superiors, and disdaining Equals and Inferiors, fraughted continually with Airy imaginations, reaching after lofty things, and desiring impossibilities.  
Put case the Man whose Soul is too prone to draw in this fatal Poison, should have his first desire to be great and prosperous, to live in plenty and ease, be respected with all imaginable Regard, Would this content him? No, his Soul (infected with the Fever of Ambition) would still be craving, the Temptation would be buzzing in his Ears, that some neighbouring Cedar dropped upon his Boughs, some others Fame and Greatness eclipsed his, and could he but aspire above him, he would promise himself ease and content, desiring no greater promotion.  
This (perhaps) is granted, which (in likelihood) may for a while give satisfaction, but not long,  he complains the Clouds  him, and screen from the cheerful Sunbeams, some greater Favourite than himself appears, whose sight he badly endures; nor can he have rest or ease, but daily tortures and torments himself, imagining his own Lustre to be dimn in comparison of his that is above him; And now his Wishes are renewed, promising himself content, could this Obstacle be removed; which peradventure falls out to his wish, but then the Sunbeams beat too hot upon his aspiring Top, and fain he●d be above it, grieved he is, and to gratify himself, leaves no means unattempted, which he conceives may any way further his purpose; no horrid mischief can seem a Danger greater than he will venture on, though to his certain Ruin; as many sad examples have made apparent: How were Chora, Dathan, and Abiram, for Ambitiously aspiring to equalise themselves with Moses, and so consequently eclipse that Power GOD had ordained, swallowed alive, with all that appertained unto them? The ponderous Globe hearing the Voice of its Creator, cleaft asunder, and wide yawning, sunk them to its centre, giving their Ambition a fall, as low as its aspiring hoped to carry it aloft.  
How did the great Goliath, towering in his haughty pride, defy the Arms of the Living God, proudly insulting for a while, Ambitious yet to get a greater and more dreaded name, till David (but a Youth) by unsuspected ways overthrew him, bereaving him of Life and Honour in a moment.  
Young Absalon, in whose hot Breast Ambition spread her deadly Bane, not contented with the Favours of an Indulgent King, whose paternal care and tender love had rescued him from Death, (his due for murdering his Brother Amnon) nor the favour of restoring after Banishment, with many Princely Benefits heaped on him by the Royal Hand; but flattering himself with hopes of Empire, prompted by Ambition, he first found means to steal the People's hearts and then with impious Arms invaded the Heritage of Jacob, and molested those whom he ought to have defended to his Power, and rendered due Obedience to his Father and his King: But long did not the Breath of the Multitude, nor their Tumultuous Arms avail him, but routed in all parts, and flying, his greatest Ornament became the cause of his Destruction; for hanging by the Hair in a thick Oak, he lost his Life with his Ambition, falling by the hand of Joab, the Terror of his Crime being so great, that although it appears he had a considerable time to do it in, he could not unloose himself; which gave some of the Jewish Rabins occasion to imagine that when he was so hanging, he fancied Hell to be gaping beneath him, and that if he were unloosed, he should instantly drop into it, the Terror of which wrought so far, that he had no power to relieve himself. But whether so, or otherwise, certain it is, he received the reward of his Treason and Rebellion, and might have been a sufficient Warning to others, whereby they might have instructed themselves of what fatal consequence such dangerous, unnatural, and lawless attempts are, and how high displeasing to Almighty God, who fails not to punish those that enterprise them with a more than ordinary severity, that so they may stand as Sea-marks, to prevent the wrack of others upon the same fatal Rock, or bedding Quicksand.  
Nor can any one be truly said to serve God, in whose heart Pride and Ambition have the least abode; for God only regards the lowly and humble; to them it is he gives Grace, and means of sincere Repentance, and not only▪ a turning away from, but an abhorrance and detestation of Sin, who make it their business to live just and upright in the sight of GOD and Man: But the proud and haughty-minded he brings low, making them humble, not according to their Will and Inclination, but by Force and Constraint, frustrating their erterprises, and giving checks to their aspiring, though many times it proves greatly to their advantage, by giving them an insight of their Folly and Rashness, laying before them the danger that they were in, letting them understand how much they were flattered and abused by those upon whose breath they soared, till (Icarius like) their wings were singed, and the matter that kept them in order melted: To let them see (I say) how much their folly has undone them, and by what means they were Ruined, which is in some measure a Mercy, to incite and compel them to pay due Acknowledgements; due Tributes of Praise and Thanksgiving to his Great Name; who takes such Care of those that are regardless of themselves, and has many ways to bring them back to that Safety they were running from.  
So Jonah in proud Contempt of the Heavenly Message, was overtaken in his flight, and after a severe humbling, to let see in whose Hands and Power he was, gladly obeyed, when crying against the Sins of Nineveh, he made his Reconcilement with the Almighty.  
As for Man in this Case, he is frequently drawn away by flattery, and persuasion, a Praise of his Excellencies and great Deserts, his Wisdom and Knowledge, his Fortitude and Conduct, which by insensible Ways instills into the Soul a kind of a self-deceiving to many, being apt to believe that that they would have to be so, and too frequently overvalue themselves upon that that is not, which inflames them to a desire of many things beyond their Reach, fancying themselves much wronged and injured if they have not their Expectations answered, and therefore bend their Studies, and endeavours to gratify themselves therein too frequently, by unlawful ways and means, which for the most part involves themselves and others in Ruin and Disgrace, for certain it is, that self-flattery swells some Men to such a Degree, that it drives them forward into all Perils and Dangers, as a Ship without a Pilot, riding before a furious Wind, rushing on a Craggy Rock, whose destructive top the Waves can cover, but by Turns is torn in Pieces, and so broken, becomes for the future, the floating-pastime of the Ocean.  
There is nothing that the Almighty more abominates than Pride and Ambition; as appears by the Fall of the Angels, mentioned in the beginning of this Discourse, who being happy in the Realms of Light, and capable of enjoying what might render them so Eternally Happy, they fond chose to be greater than they were designed, and thereupon growing discontented, proudly aspired to equalty with their Maker, but soon found their folly by a through sense of Pain and shame cast out, and deprived of the Beatific Vision, rendered for ever incapable of recovering their Native Seats, or the Favour of him, in whose presence is fullness of joy and pleasures for evermore; and by that very wile the Serpent, that is the Infernal Fiend in the shape of the Serpent, or really possessing him, Tempts Eve in Paradise, even with Promises of a more Transcendent Happiness, though she found it far otherwise, undoing herself and all the race of Mankind, had not Infinite Mercy found out a way to restore them to a second happiness, by Regeneration, and a firm reliance on Him who is the Fountain of Salvation, who gave himself for us.  
Nay, Ambition is that which prompts Men to all manner of Violence and Disorder; for blinded or intoxicated with the seeming-lucious bane, what will not some men do to make Way to their desires; to resist which the strongest Ties of Friendship are not sufficient, through what Injurys have been left undone on this occasion: what Bloodshed and Mischief has it caused, being in many Cases like a Torrent, the more it is opposed, the more furiously it raves and foams, though in the end it expires like a Comet which has wasted the unctuous matter that the Earth hath sent up to feed its portentous flame. How many have felt the Sting of this fatal Serpent? How many have found it like a Thorn in their own side, not only proving Restless, but Troublesome, and Fatal, even to their undoing, making them slight all Good Advice, neglect the Returns of Favours and Love, prove ingrateful, and return evil for good, and be so far insensible of the Benefits they have received, that they rather turn them to the Prejudice of the Donor, than make a due Acknowledgement? As it is reported of a certain person, who from a low condition being raised by his Prince to many Honours, when considering with himself that he should never be capable of making a suitable return, but that he must be perpetually engaged to the Bounty and Beneficence of his Lord: What does Ambition and Ingratitude prompt him to, but to Conspire his death, thinking of no better a Way to take off the Obligation; but his Treason being Timely discovered, and he not able to deny it, (the guilt of so foul an Intention not permitting a Concealment) his Lord commanded he should be drawn in a Cart about the City, and that all such as would, might use him despitefully, which in consideration of his heinous Crime, was not wanting; yet he bore it patiently, till one struck him a small blow, which made him make many loud Laments; and being demanded the cause, he replied, that That person had been maintained and relieved by his Bounty, and that he had saved his Life, and could not expect that he above all Men would have added ●o his Affliction; of which his Lord ●●aring, said, Even so have I raised ●im who sought my Life; and thereupon Commanded that he should receive the Punishment due to his Treason.  
Wherefore let those that Love their quiet beware how they tread these Dangerous Paths, or soar upon th● false Wings of Ambition, which wil● certainly deceive them, and bring 'em t● a too late Repentance, if too long deferred.  
But as I before hinted, let every on● be contented in their station, wi●● what is their own, not repining n●● murmuring, but Serving their Mak●● in Truth and Sincerity, yielding rea●● Obedience to those that are in Authority over them, faithfully and cheerfully discharging their Duty towar●● GOD and Man, that so all may l●●● peaceably and be happy, baffling 〈◊〉 Malice and Envy of Hell, which da●●● seeks to raise Divisions and Hatred mongst us, that the Kingdom of Darkness may be the more enlarged.  
But to conclude, let us rely upon GOD for all things, who is the Blessed Author of our Being, and wellbeing, who better knows than ourselves what is convenient for us, and study rather to be Good than Great, which ought to be the Task of every Christian, that so they may live peaceable in this World, and be made Partakers of the endless Joys in that which is to come; which in his good time▪ GOD will bring to all those that Love and Fear him.  
ANd now, O Lord God, most holy, most merciful, and everlasting Father of Spirits, and Lover of all those that in purity and sincerity put their trust and confidence in thee, grant us thy unworthy Servants such a portion of thy Saving Grace, as may enable us to know thee aright, and trust in thee, as we ought, that so we may be able to overcome the Depraveties of Nature, and resist those Temptations that are daily laid by the Prince of Darkness and of the Air, who Rules in the Children of Disobedience. Give us, O thou Righteous God of all the Earth, such an heart, that we may know ourselves aright, and ever humble ourselves before thy Divine Majesty, who abhorrest the proud and lofty, and givest grace to the humble and meek, that so we may be able to check those aspiring thoughts that are too prone to puff up the mind in Pride and Ambition: Teach us for thy dear Mercies sake to render ready Obedience to all those that are put in Authority over us, that we may be always free from Hatred and Malice, and be ever content with all cheerfulness in the condition or station thou art pleased to place us in, that so we may be rendered a fit Object of thy mercy and tender compassion, through Jesus Christ the Son of thy Love, in whom, and through whom alone we can only expect thy favour and blessing. To whom, with thee, and thy Holy Spirit, be all Honour and Glory, Power, Praise, and Dominion, World without end, Amen.   
FINIS.