Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. I. SHOW WHAT PRIDE AND HAUGHTINESS MEAN. Pride is thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought to think. It is corruption of self-love, it is self-flattery. A man thinks too highly of himself when he thinks that anything he has is his own; or when he conceives himself to have what he really has not; or when he challenges more respect than is due to him on the score of what he has. Pride is not peculiar to persons of any one rank. II. ILLUSTRATE THE TRUTH OF THIS OBSERVATION FROM SCRIPTURE AND REASON. Pride will generally have a fall. 1. Argue from the reason of the thing itself, and its natural tendency. Some kinds of pride are very expensive. Pride is very contentious, and makes a man enemies. Pride makes men over-confident in their own efficiency. Vanity runs men into error and mistakes. 2. Argue that God has particularly declared His detestation of pride, and His resolution to punish it. The whole tenor of Scripture intimates how exceeding hateful pride is to Almighty God. The reasons for it are obvious. Pride is improper and unbecoming our condition and circumstances. It is an inlet to all vices. Reflections:(1) Here is a proper consideration for dissuading men from pride, or curing them of it. (2) Commend the humility which is spoken so highly of in Scripture. (D. Waterland, D.D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.WEB: Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. |
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