er here says: "God resisteth the proud."

5. Men should be moved by the examples which daily come to light in
fulfilment of this passage. If we should have no regard for our own
honor and standing before the world, neither for the contempt and the
curses of all men; if the illustrious example of the noble character
and eternal majesty of God's Son, our Lord, should not stir us (which
ought to move us if we have one spark of Christianity in us), as we
behold his unspeakable and incomprehensible humility which, rightly
viewed, should melt the Christian's heart--if all this does not move
us, we should be humbled by the many awful examples of God's fearful
wrath which, from the beginning, he has hurled against pride.

6. What is more terrible than the eternal, irreparable fall and
banishment of once lofty angelic nature that resulted when the devil
robbed himself of the honor and glory enjoyed by the noble blessed
spirits, and of the contemplation of eternal God, and brought upon
himself everlasting and intolerable damnation by seeking to make
himself equal with God, and through similar pride, led the human race
to its awful fall? But what a blind, condemned creature are you, who,
with your filthy, shameful pride and haughtiness, become like the
spirit of evil, thereby turning all the world into your enemy and
opposing yourself to the divine majesty, before which even the angels
must tremble! If you have no fear of losing the favor and prayers of
mankind, at least be afraid lest God send down upon your head his
lightning and thunder, with which he crushes iron, rocks, and
mountains, and hurl you forever into the abyss, as he hurled down the
proud spirit and his angels.

7. Saint Peter exhorts both those who are in the office of the
ministry, and other Christians, to whom God has given something, that
they abide in their calling and office and conduct the same humbly,
gladly obeying and serving others. Right here this vice of pride is
the most hurtful to Christianity. For its whole government, life and
essence are so ordered by God that no one should exalt himself and
lord it over others, as the Pope, the true Antichrist has done. Only
humility and deeds of Christian love and service should prevail in
all classes and in all offices and works.

PRIDE OPPOSED TO THE FIRST TABLE.

8. Pride in this order of the Church is really and directly opposed
to the first table of the law. It is a genuinely devilish pride in
God's