And the very fact that the Mahometan and Roman Catholic religions retain the striking feature of infallibility, and the unyielding firmness of an uncompromising spirit, is an evidence that they are the early, though imperfect imitations of that primitive Christianity which, conscious of its heavenly origin, admitted no rival claims, and made no alliances with earth-born usurpation. Nor is this evil passion unlikely to lead the person who is under its influence away from even the true doctrines of religion. He longs to distinguish himself, but the simplicity of the gospel being such that it is readily understood by all, and fails to furnish novelty as a stimulus to curiosity, or deep and sublime discoveries to gratify the love of the marvellous, he finds it unsuited to his purpose. He feels disappointed that the revelations of God contain nothing that is not more or less useful or necessary to men in their present condition in this world. Hence if a cloud will not afford him a footing sufficiently substantial, he will endeavor to find a fulcrum for his lever somewhere in the new heavens, or perchance within the purlieus of the New Jerusalem.
Pride is truly a dangerous and insidious passion.
Through it, Satan himself fell from his high estate. It is the master-spirit of all opposition to the divine will, and the concentration of human and angelic guilt. Under its influence a man loses all sense of relative duties and moral obligations. He thinks so highly of himself, that he can find nothing sufficiently worthy of his merits. He demands the highest respect from others, but disregards the duties which he owes to them.