VII. The _Temptations_ of the Devil, aim at puffing and bloating of

us up, with _Pride;_ as much perhaps as any one iniquity. The Devil would have had Our Lord make a _Vain glorious_ Discovery of himself unto the World, by _Flying in the air_, so as no mortal can. _Hoc Ithacus velit_--the Devil would have us to soar aloft, and not only to be above other men, but also to _know_ that we are so, _Pride_ is the Devils own sin; and he affects especially to be, _The King over the Children of Pride_, it is a caution in 1 Tim. 3. 6. A Pastor must not be _A Novice; Lest being lifted up with Pride, He fall into the condemnation of the Devil. (Summo ac Pio cum Tremore Hunc Textum Legamus nos Ministri Juvenes!)_ Accordingly, the Devil would have us to be inordinately taken and moved with what _Excellencies_ our God has bestowed upon us. If our _Estates_ rise, he would have us rise in our Spirits too. If we have been blessed with Beauty, with Breeding, with Honour, with Success, with Attire, with Spiritual Priviledges, or with Praise-worthy Performances; Now says the Devil, _Think thy self better than other Men_. Yea, the Devil would have us arrogate unto our selves, those _Excellencies_ which really we never were owners of; and _Boast of a false Gift_. He would have us moreover to Thirst after Applause among others that may see Our _Excellencies!_ and be impatient if we are not accounted _some-body_. He would have us further[95]more, to aspire after such a _Figure_, as God has never yet seen fitting for us; and croud into some _High Chair_ that becomes us not. Thus would the Devil Elevate us into the _Air_, above our Neighbours; and why so? 'Tis that we may be punished with such _Falls_, as may make us cry out with _David, O my Bones are broken with my Falls!_ The Devil can't endure to see men lying in the _Dust;_ because there is no falling thence. He is a _Fallen Spirit_ himself, and it pleases him to see the _Falls_ of men. §. The Third of our Lords Three Temptations, is related in such Terms as these. Matth. 4. 8, 9. _Again the Devil taketh him up, into an exceeding High Mountain, and sheweth him all the Kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them: and saith unto him, all these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and Worship me._ From whence take these Remarks.