Jonathan Edwards and Benjamin Franklin are two very respected authors in our time, but never had the pleasure of knowing one another in their own time. Edwards and Franklin possessed common views regarding their pride and desire to improve themselves; however they differed in their views of perfection and their reaching of understanding about it.
             Benjamin dealt with his pride on many occasions, and even called pride the "true evil sin." Benjamin, once conceived of being morally perfect, and believed a person could achieve moral perfection. Benjamin's downfall was found to be his pride. On page 585 he states, "For even if I could conceive that I had completely overcome it, I should probably be proud of my Humility." Franklin is almost ironic in how he says that, for if he were to become morally perfect he would be proud of himself.
             Edwards dealt with his pride even though he was a very humble man. Edwards even felt pride when praying, like when he was praying in the swamp as a child he felt self-righteous. On page 451 Edwards says, "to think how ignorant I was, when I was a young Christian, of the bottomless, infinite depths of wickedness, pride, hypocrisy, and deceit left in my heart." Edwards is talking about himself as a young man and how sinful he was. Edwards then goes on to discuses how far he has grown spiritually and then states "And yet I am greatly afflicted with a proud and self-righteous sprit." Just like Franklin stated that he could become perfect but still be proud of himself, Edwards does the same by admitting he is proud of himself for how far he has come.
             Franklin strived on self-improvement by using a metaphor on page 581 by telling how he always has to correct himself, "I marked my faults with a black Lead Pencil, which Marks I could easily wipe out with a wet sponge. "Franklin always corrected himself no m
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