1. Pride leads people to an excessive value of their persons.--2. It is plain, from the racket that is made about blood and families: also in the case of shape and beauty.--3. Blood no nobility, but virtue.--4. Virtue no upstart: antiquity no nobility without it, else age and blood would bar virtue in the present age.--5. God teaches the true sense of nobility, who made of one blood all nations; there is the original of all blood.--6. These men of blood, out of their feathers, look like other men.--7. This is not said to reject, but humble the gentleman: the advantages of that condition above others. An exhortation to recover their lost economy in families, out of interest and credit.--8. But the author has a higher motive; the gospel, and the excellencies of it, which they profess.--9. The pride of persons respecting shape and beauty: the washes, patches, paintings, dresses, &c. This excess would keep the poor: the mischiefs that attend it.--10. But pride in the old and homely yet more hateful: that it is usual. The madness of it. Counsel to the beautiful to get their souls like their bodies; and to the homely to supply want of that in the adornment of their lasting part, their souls, with holiness. Nothing homely with God but sin. The blessedness of those that wear Christ's yoke and cross, and are crucified to the world. I. But pride stops not here; she excites people to an excessive value and care of their persons: they must have great and punctual attendance, stately furniture, rich and exact apparel. All which help to make up that pride of life that John tells us is not of the Father, but of the world. (1 John, ii. 16.) A sin God charged upon the haughty daughters of Zion, (Isaiah, iii.) and on the proud prince and people of Tyrus. (Ezek. xxvii. xxviii.) Read these chapters, and measure this age by their sins, and what is coming on these nations by their judgments. But at the present I shall only touch upon the first, viz. the excessive value people have of their persons; leaving the rest to be considered under the last head of this discourse, which is luxury, where they may be not improperly placed. II. That people are generally proud of their persons is too visible and troublesome; especially if they have any pretence either to blood or beauty; the one has raised many quarrels among men, and the other among women, and men too often for their sakes and at their excitements. But to the first: What a pother has this noble blood made in the world:--antiquity of name or family, whose father, or mother, great grandfather, or great grandmother was best descended or allied:--what stock or what clan they came of:--what coat of arms they gave:--which had, of right, the precedence! But methinks nothing of man's folly has less show of reason to palliate it.