A Key Opening Mysterious Texts of Scripture, Collection of sermons 5 · Sermon 53
LOWLINES EXALTED: OR Gloria Crocodilus. THE LIII. SERMON.
PHIL. 2.9.
Wherefore God hath alſo highly exalted him.
Right Honourable, &c.
WEe are come to keep holy the ſolemneſt feaſt the Church ever appointed, to recount thankfully the greateſt benefit mankinde ever received, to celebrate joyfully the happieſt day time ever brought forth: and if the riſing of the ſun upon the earth make a naturall day in the Calendar of the world, ſhall not much more the riſing of the Sun of righteouſneſſe out of the grave with his glorious beams, deſcribe a feſtivall day in the Calendar of the Church? If the reſt of God from the works of creation was a juſt cauſe of ſanctifying a perpetuall Sabbath to the memory thereof; may not the reſt of our Lord from the works of redemption, more painefull to him, more beneficiall to us, challenge the like prerogative of a day to be hallowed and conſecrated unto it? ſhall we not keep it as a Sabbath on earth, which hath procured for us an everlaſting Sabbath in heaven? The holy Apoſtles, and their Succeſſors, who followed the true light of the world ſo near that they could not miſſe their way, thought it ſo meet and requiſite, that upon this ground they changed the ſeventh day from the creation, appointed by God himſelfe for aaIgnat. epiſt. ad Magneſ. foreign. Athanaſ. Homil. foreign. Aug. de verb. Apoſt. ſer. 25. Domini reſuſcitatio conſecravit nobis diem Dominicum. Vide Homil. Eccl. Of the time of prayer. Hooker Eccleſ. polit. l. 5. ſect. 70. p. 196. The morall Law requiring a ſevent part throughout the age of the world to be that way employed, though with us the day be charged in regard of a new revolution begun by our Saviour Chriſt; yet the ſame proportion of time continueth which was before, becauſe in a reference to the benefit of creation, and now much more of renovation thereunto added by him, which was the Prince of the world to come; wee are bound to account the sanctification of one day in ſeven, a duty which Gods immutable decree doth exact for ever. Sabbath, and fixed the Chriſtian Sabbath upon the firſt day of the weeke, to eternize the memory of our Lords reſurrection. This day is the firſt borne of the Church feaſts, the Prototypon and ſamplar Lords day, if I may ſo ſpeak, from whence all the other throughout the yeere were drawne as patternes: this is as the Sunne it ſelfe, they are as the Parelii the Philoſophers ſpeake of, images and repreſentations of that glorious light in bright clouds, like ſo many glaſſes ſet about the body thereof. With what ſolemnity then the higheſt Chriſtian feaſt is to be celebrated, with what religion the chriſtian Sabbath of ſabbaths is to be kept, with what affection the accompliſhment of our redemption, the glorification of our bodies, the conſummation of our happineſſe the triumph of our Lord over death and hell, and ours in him and for him is to be recounted, with what preparation & holy reverence the Sacrament of our Lords body and bloud, which ſeales unto us theſe ineſtimable benefits, is to be received; with that ſolemnity, that religion, that affection, that preparation, that elevation of our minds we are to offer this morning ſacrifice. Wherefore I muſt intreat you to endeavour to raiſe your thoughts and affections above their ordinary levell, that they fall not ſhort of this high day, which as it repreſenteth the raiſing and exaltation of the worlds Redeemer, ſo it ſelfe is raiſed and exalted above all other Chriſtian feaſts. Were our devotion key cold, and quite dead, yet mee thinkes that the raiſing of our Lord from the dead ſhould revive it, and put new life and heat into it, as it drew the bodies of many Saints out of the graves to accompany our Lord into the holy City. After the Sun had bin in the eclipſe for three houres, when the fountaine of light began againe to be opened, and the beames like ſtreames run as before, how lightſome on the ſudden was the world? how beautifull, being as it were new gilt with thoſe precious raies? how joyfull and cheerfull were the countenances of all men? The Sunne of righteouſneſſe had been in a totall eclipſe, not for three houres, but three whole dayes and nights, and then there was nothing but darkneſſe of ſor…ow over the face of the whole Church; but now hee appeares in greater glory than ever before; now he ſhineth in his full ſtrength. What joy muſt this needs be to all that before ſate in darkneſſe and in the ſhadow of death? In the deadeſt time of the yeere we celebrated joyfully the birth of our Lord out of the wombe of the Virgin, and ſhall we not this Spring as much rejoyce at his ſecond birth, and ſpringing out of the wombe of the earth? Then he was borne in humility, and ſwadled in clouts, now he is borne in majeſty, and clothed with robes of glory; then he was borne to obey, now to rule; then to dye, now to live for ever; then to be nailed on the croſſe at the right hand of a theefe, now to be ſettled on a throne at the right hand of his Father.
As Cookes ſerve in ſweet meats with ſowre ſawces, Muſicians in their ſongs inſert diſcords, to give relliſh as it were to their concords, andbCic. de orat. l. 3. Habeat ſumma illa laus umbram & receſſum, ut id quod illuminatum eſt magis extare atque eminere videatur. Rhetoricians ſet off their figures by ſolaeciſmes or plaine ſentences: in like manner the Apoſtle, to extoll our Saviours exaltation the higher, depreſſeth his humiliation the lower; he expreſſeth his paſſion in the darkeſt colours, to make the glory of his reſurrection appear the brighter, foreign, he emptied himſelfe, word for word, made himſelfe of no reputation, and took upon him the forme of a ſervant, and being found in faſhion as a man he humbled himſelfe, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Croſſe. Wherefore God alſo foreign, highly exalted him, Superexaltavit: as if ye would ſay, he highly raiſed him on high. The ſtroake is doubled upon the naile to drive it in further; the beame is reflected to give more light and heat; the word is repeated for more ſignificancy and efficacy: as, Viſitando viſitabo, and deſiderando deſideravi, and benedicendo benedicam, and gaviſi ſunt gaudio magno; a…, in cExod. 32.34.viſiting I will viſit, that is, I will moſt ſurely viſit: and I have dLuke 22.15.deſired with deſire, that is, I have vehemently deſired to eate this Paſſover: and the wiſe meneMat. 2.10. rejoyced with joy to ſee the ſtarre, that is, they exceedingly rejoyced: and in fGen. 12.2, 3.bleſsing will I bleſſe thee, ſaith God to Abraham, that is, I will wonderfully, I will extraordinarily bleſſe thee with ſtore of bleſſings; ſo here ſuperexaltavit, he highly raiſed on high ſignifieth he raiſed him by many degrees, he exalted him to the higheſt honour he was capable of: ſo highly, that all creatures whatſoever are far below him. In theſe two words, highly exalted, are wound up three Articles of our Chriſtian Beliefe immediately following one the other in the Apoſtles Creed,
1. Reſurrection,
2. Aſcenſion,
3. Seſſion at the right hand of God.
When he was raiſed from the dead, he was exalted; but when he aſcended, and tooke his place at the right hand of God above all thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers, he was highly exalted. As there are three deſcents in his humiliation; his death, his going downe to Hell, his lying in the grave three dayes and three nights: ſo there are three aſcents in his exaltation correſpondent unto them; to the firſt degree of his humiliation, his death, anſwereth the firſt degree of his exaltation, his reſurrection: to the ſecond, his deſcent into hell, his aſcenſion into heaven: to the third, his lying three dayes and three nights in the grave, which was the loweſt degree of his humiliation, the higheſt degree of his exaltation, his ſitting at the right hand of God. The ſweet flower of Jeſſe, which was ſet at his death, and thruſt deep into the ground at his buriall, is now ſprung up from the earth in his reſurrection, openeth his leaves, and ſends forth a ſavour of life unto life to all that by faith ſmell unto it.
But to keep to the words of my Text; the parts whereof reſemble inſecta animalia, thoſe creeping things, which if you cut them aſunder, will joyne againe: therefore is as the communis terminus to them all, becauſe the Son of God was ſo farre humbled, it was fit he ſhould be exalted accordingly; becauſe he humbled himſelfe, therefore God exalted him; becauſe he humbled himſelfe ſo low, God exalted him ſo high: where humility goes before, there is a juſt cauſe of exaltation; and where there is a cauſe, God will exalt; and where God exalteth, he exalteth highly.
Wherefore. It is hotly argued between the reformed Divines and Papiſts, Utrum Chriſtus ſibi meruerit; Whether Chriſt merited any thing for himſelfe, or only for us. The Romaniſts ſtand for the firſt, the Proteſtants for the ſecond opinion. I ſee no cauſe why this controverſie ſhould not be compoſed: for queſtionleſſe Chriſts humiliation deſerved an exaltation, neither can we attribute too much glory to our Redeemer. Albeit therefore as Mediatour he merited for us, yet as man he might alſo merit for himſelfe: and the word Quaproptet, Wherefore, ſeemeth rather to imply the meritorious cauſe of his exaltation, than a conſequence only of the hypoſtaticall union. Where God exalteth, there is alwayes ſome cauſe; he advanced not his Son without merit. Whoſe example, if they (in whoſe gifts the greateſt preferments are) did alwayes follow, the garlands of honours ſhould not be taken from them that winne the race, and given to ſtanders by. Cato was in the right, who ſaid, he had rather that men ſhould aske why hath Cato no ſtatue or monument, rather than why ſhould he have a monument? And ſurely it is a greater honour, that men ſhould enquire why ſuch a man of worth is not preferred, than why is ſuch a man of no worth preferred; yet as in nature, ſo in ſtates, the heavieſt bodies will aſcend ad ſupplendum vacuum, to fill up a vacuity. Worthleſſe men, like Apes and Monkies, will not be quiet till they have got to the top of the houſe, and when they are there, what doe they but make mouthes and faces at paſſengers, or breake glaſſes, or play other ridiculous feats? The old thorowfaire to the Temple of honour among the Romans, was by the Temple of vertue; but now it is ſaid men have found a neerer way through the poſtern gate of Juno Moneta. The ancient Philoſophers did but dreame of a golden age, but we ſee it:
Aurea nunc verê ſunt ſecula, plurimus auro
Venit honos, auro conciliatur amor.
This may be well eſteemed the golden age, in which gold is in greateſt eſteem. Gold ſupplies all defects, and anſwereth to all things: A gExod. 32.6.Calfe ſhall be worſhipped with divine honour, if he be of gold. But the beſt is, they that riſe like Jonas gourd in a night, are blaſted in an houre; and as they are raiſed no man knowes why, ſo they fall no man knowes how. It is not poſſible that a high and great building ſhould ſtand without a foundation. Now if we will beleeve Saint Auſtine, the foundation of honour is worth, and this muſt be laid deep in the ground of humility.
He humbled himſelfe; therefore God highly exalted him. If Chriſt, who humbled and abaſed himſelfe ſo low, be now ſo highly exalted above all principalities, and powers, and thrones, and dominions, there is no cauſe then why any of Gods children humbled under his hand, how low ſoever they are brought, ſhould deſpaire of riſing againe. Looke they upward or downward, they may faſten the anchor of their hope: beneath them our Saviour was, who now is above the heavens. Are they ſpoiled of their goods? he was ſtripped ſtarke naked. Have they left a great eſtate, he left a Kingdome in Heaven. Are they falſly accuſed? he was condemned of blaſphemy. Are they railed at? he was ſpit upon. Are they pricked with griefes? he was crowned with thornes. Doe they lye hard? he hung upon the croſſe. Doe they ſigh for their grievous afflictions? he gave up the ghoſt in torments. Are they forſaken of their friends? he was for a time of his Father: (My hMat. 27.46.God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken mee?) Have they things laid to their charge they never knew? he was charged with the ſins of the whole world, which preſſed him downe to the earth, nay yet lower, to the grave; and yet behold he now ſitteth at the right hand of God, and he who was abaſed beneath the loweſt creatures, is advanced above all, and all bow unto him. And therefore as the oake Ab ipſo ducit opes animumque ferro. taketh heart as it were, and groweth by the ſtroake of the axe; and asiJuel. in Apol. Eccleſ. Angl. Anteus the Gyant recovered his ſtrength by his fall on the ground: ſo ſhould they take comfort from their afflictions, and gather arguments of their future exaltation from their preſent fall and humiliation. They are fallen and humbled, therefore in caſe to be raiſed; there is a why and a wherefore they ſhould be exalted: they are in a good way to honour, wherein they may ſee our Saviours footſteps before them. God woundeth and healeth, he killeth and reviveth, he letteth his children downe to the gates of hell to terrefie them for their ſinnes, and make them claſpe about him, and lay faſter hold on his promiſes; for he bringeth them backe againe. The ſolemnitie uſed at the inauguration of the Emperour of the Tartars ſomewhat reſembleth Gods dealing with his children & the heires of the crowne of heaven.kDe rep. l. 1. c. 8. Rex de ſublimi ſolio demovetur, & viliſſimae tabulae ſuperpoſitus humi conſtituitur; ad quem Pontifex orationem convertens, Inſpice coelum inquit, & Deum praepotentem univerſitatis regem intuere & agnoſce: ſi juſtè imperaveris, omnia ex animi tui ſententiâ conſequeris, ſin muneris officiique tui obliviſcaris, praeceps ex alto ac ſublimi loco dejectus, regali poteſtate & bonis omnibus ſpoliabere, ut ne tabula quidem haec cui inſideas tibi relinquatur. Bodin thus relateth it: When the Nobles and Peeres are aſſembled, the Prince to be crowned is taken out of a chaire of eſtate, and ſet upon a low ſtoole or planke on the ground: the Prieſt who is to ſacre him uſeth theſe words, Looke up to heaven and acknowledge the ſoveraigne Commander of the whole world, and know that if thou rule juſtly, hee will eſtabliſh thy Throne under thee, and ſettle the crowne upon thee: but if thou caſt away all feare of him, and car… of the peoples ſafetie and welfare, he will pull thee downe from thy high Throne, and lay thee on the ground, take all from thee that he hath given thee, and leave thee not ſo much as this ſorry board thou ſitteſt upon. After which words hee is inveſted with Princely robes, carried up in great ſtate, ſet in his Imperiall Throne, crowned and proclaimed Emperour: in like manner, God before he advanceth his deareſt children, and putteth the Crowne of glory upon their heads, ſetteth them as it were upon a low planke, in ſome meane or deplorate condition upon earth, that they may humble themſelves under that mighty hand of his, whichlPſa. 113.6, 7. raiſeth the poore out of the duſt, and lifteth the needy out of the dounghill, that he may ſet them even with the Princes of his people. Sith then God raiſeth the poore from the dounghill to tread upon cloth of eſtate, and ſit in the Throne of Princes, ſith he advanceth men of ſmalleſt meanes to great eſtates, and caſting the bright beames of his favour upon the loweſt and obſcureſt hovells and cottages, maketh them illuſtrious and glorious, why ſhould any of Gods children by any extremity whatſoever be driven to reſigne their eſtate in his promiſes? to cloſe their owne eyes before they are dead? and yeeld up their laſt breath with ſighes of griefe and groanes of deſpaire? They lye but in the duſt, God raiſeth from the dounghill, as he did Job; nay from the dungeon, as he did Daniel and Jeremy; nay yet lower, from the grave, as he did Lazarus; nay yet lower, from the neathermoſt hell, as he did our Saviour. Kings have long hands, An neſcis longas regibus eſſe manus? and God hath out-ſtretched armes: there is no place ſo high which they cannot reach, and from thence plucke downe the proud: no depth ſo low, which they cannot ſound, and from thence draw up the humble. The celeſtiall bodies diſtill their influence downe to the loweſt vales, which ſtayeth not all there, but ſome part of it is conveighed yet lower, by pores & ſecret paſſages, even to the boſome and bowels of the earth, to the generation and perfection of the metalls and mineralls there: and ſhall we not thinke that the beames of Gods favour can carry downe the ſweeteſt influences of his graces into the deepeſt dungeon of miſery, and darkeſt chambers of death? If art can make of aſhes and traſh pure and ſhining glaſſe, if nature produceth gold of the baſeſt of all the elements earth, and precious ſtones of excrementitious moiſture; what marvell is it, that God ſhould make ſcepters of mattockes, cedars of ſhrubs, and of thoſe that are accounted the off-ſcouring of all things ſtarres of heaven? No Chriſtian doubteth of his power: all the queſtion that can be made, is of his will; and thereof we can make no queſtion that heare his gracious promiſe, that hee that mLuk. 14.11.humbleth himſelfe ſhall be exalted. Why then are not all that are humbled exalted? A ſhort anſwer may be, becauſe they humble not themſelves as Chriſt here did, neither are truly humbled. All that are throwne downe preſently doe not yeeld; ſickneſſe may bring the body low, and calamity the eſtate lower, and yet the mind be high and haughty: and that de facto they are not humble, who complaine that they are not raiſed, their repining at others preferment, and their ſtaying behind them maketh it manifeſt. For nothing is ſo repugnant to humility as ambition: (ambition is of the Eagle and Falcons brood, it ſoareth aloft; but humility is è genere reptilium, of the nature of wormes that creep on the ground.) He whom humility truly informeth how ſmall his deſerts, how great his defects are, how vaine the pompes of this world, how ſecure a quiet and retired life, cannot inordinately deſire preferment, which in his judgement is not preferment, ſith he preferreth a lower eſtate above it, as more ſutable to the lowlineſſe of his mind. With this two-forked ram therefore we may puſh downe all the forts which diſcontented ſpirits raiſe againſt the divine providence: if they are truly humble, they deſire not to be exalted; if they are not humble, they deſerve not.
Howbeit, the cunning painter of vices in the tables of mens hearts ſetteth ſuch a faire colour upon ambition, that he ſometimes deceiveth humble Chriſtians, and ere they are aware, maketh them enamoured with it. The colour is the advancement of Gods glory by their preferment: for theſe or the like thoughts hee ſuggeſteth, God hath beſtowed upon you ſome eminent gifts or graces, this to deny were not humility, but unthankfulneſſe; to bury theſe in oblivion and obſcurity, cannot but be prejudiciall to his glory: therefore ſith his commandement is,nMat. 5.16. Let your light ſo ſhine before men, that they may ſee your workes, and glorifie your Father which is in heaven, it is your part to endeavour to take your candle from under the buſhell which covereth it, and ſet it on a high candleſticke, that is, ſome eminent place of dignity in Church or Common-wealth, that it may give light to the whole houſe of God. But latet anguis in herbâ, there lyeth a foule affection under this faire pretence. For ſuch as are overtaken with this temptation of Sathan, ſeeke not their owne advancement for Gods glory, but Gods glory (if ſo at all they ſeeke it) for their owne advancement: they pray that the Sunne may cleerly ſhew forth his beames, but it is, that their gifts, which are but as moates in compariſon, may be ſeen and gliſſen in his raies. They are like falſe friends and cunning ſpokeſmen, they beare the world in hand that they wooe for God, but they ſpeake for themſelves. Otherwiſe it would be indifferent to them, if any other of as good or better parts than themſelves, ſhould be preferred to thoſe dignities they aſpire unto: and howſoever they could not but reſt ſatisfied with the anſwer of God himſelfe, I have oJoh. 12.28.glorified my name, and will glorifie it. God hath a greater care of his glory than they can have: neither is there one only way by which he ſetteth forth his glory; for the wayes of the Lord are mercy and juſtice. All that are exalted are not exalted in mercy, ſome are exalted in juſtice, as malefactors are carried up to a high ſcaffold for more exemplary puniſhment. God beſtoweth no gifts in vaine, he will make the beſt benefit and advantage for his glory, feare they it not: he knoweth the value of all the jewells of his grace, and he will ſort and ranke them where they may moſt decke and adorne his Spouſe, take they no care for it. As for their condition, what doth their obſcurity and privacy diſparage them? their Father who ſeeth their good parts in ſecret will reward them openly.
I fore-ſee what may be further objected againſt the doctrine delivered; if he that humbleth himſelfe ſhall be exalted, how commeth it to paſſe, that none are uſually more vilified and diſ-eſteemed, than they who make themſelves cheap? Tanti eris, quanti te feceris, a man is accounted of according to that he valueth himſelfe: his gifts of mind and body are never thought worth more than himſelfe priſeth them at. Who get ſooner into the higheſt places of preferment, than thoſe who are ſtill climbing? Doth not pride and ambition exalt many? or at leaſt are not thoſe that are in high places high minded? and conſequently, neither are the humble exalted, nor thoſe that are exalted humble? I anſwer that the proud are often exalted in this world, yet not by God; but either by the world, who like a cunning wreſtler, lifteth up his adverſary above ground to give him the greater fall: or by the Divell, who doth his beſt by his inſtruments to ſet them in high places, that through giddineſſe they may fall and ruine themſelves: Or if it be by God, it is in juſtice, not in mercy, as ſouldiers condemned to the ſtrapado, are drawne up to the higheſt round, that they may be more tortured in their fall. My collection out of this Text ſtandeth yet firme, None are exalted by God in mercy, eſpecially to a Crowne in heaven, of which the Apoſtle here ſpeaketh, but ſuch as are dejected in themſelves, and beare a low ſaile in their minds. For God acknowledgeth none for his but thoſe that deny themſelves; he is pleaſed with none, but thoſe that are diſpleaſed with themſelves: he accounteth none worthy of honour, but thoſe that account themſelves unworthy.
Now the reaſon why God exalteth the humble is apparent; for he hath promiſed, Honorantes me honorabo; Them that p1 Sam. 2.30.honour mee, I will honour: and none more honoureth God than the humble, who aſcribeth nothing to himſelfe but all to God. If Princes moſt willingly advance thoſe to high places under them, who they are perſwaded will moſt honour them, and doe them beſt ſervice in their offices; whom then ſhould God rather raiſe than the humble, who the more they are exalted, the more they extoll him? the more glorious they are, the more they glorifie him? the more light of honour they receive, the more they reflect backe? Beſides, to whom is honour more due than to thoſe who flye it? who fitter to governe than they who know beſt what it is to obey? who are like to be freer from oppreſſing and depreſſing others, than they who in the height of their fortune moſt deject their minds? Thoſe vertues which are moſt attractive, and are apteſt to win our love and affection, are all either parts or adjuncts of humility. None ſo religious as the humble, who by ſo much hath a higher conceit of God by how much he hath the lower of himſelfe. None ſo thankfull as hee, who acknowledgeth all Gods bleſſings undue. None ſo patient as hee, who acknowledgeth all the chaſtiſements that are inflicted upon him moſt due unto him. None ſo obedient as hee, who utterly denieth himſelfe, and bringeth every thought in ſubjection to Gods Word. None ſo fervent in prayer as he, who is moſt ſenſible of his wants. None ſo penitent as he, who abhorreth himſelfe for his ſinnes, and repenteth in duſt and aſhes. None ſo mercifull as he, who accounteth himſelfe the greateſt offender. None ſo free in contribution to others as hee, who maketh reckoning that any better deſerves Gods bleſſings than himſelfe. Theſe graces and beautifull ornaments of the humble ſoule kindle an affection in God himſelfe, and ſhall they not inflame our love to this vertue? Looke we not to the acts of it, which ſeem vile and baſe, but to the effects, which are glorious and honourable: It is calledqMat. 5.3. poverty in ſpirit, yet it enricheth the ſoule; it is in name and nature lowlineſſe, yet it exalteth; it is vile in the eyes of the world, but precious in Gods eſteem. The graſſe upon the houſe top withereth, and the July-flowers on the wall ſoon loſe their ſent; but the Violets and other flowers that grow neere to the ground ſmell ſweeter, and laſt longer. What doe the twelve precious ſtones ſhining in the foundation of the heavenly Jeruſalem ſignifie, but ſo many Chriſtian vertues laid in the ground of humility? Neither let it trouble any, that men who put not themſelves forth, though they are of extraordinary parts, are often forgotten in ſtates, and neglected by thoſe who ſhould tabulas benè pictas collocare in bono lumine, bring them into the light: for ſuch men are moſt fitly compared to the ſtatues of Brutus and Caſsius, that were not brought forth nor carried with the reſt in the funeralls of Junia, of whom the wiſe Hiſtorian ſaith, Eo ipſo praefulgebant quod non viſebantur. If true honour, as all wiſe men judge, conſiſt not in pomp and retinue, or lands, or poſſeſſions, or houſes, plate, or jewells, but in the judgement and eſtimation of vertue; doubtleſſe they have more true honour done unto them, whom the beſt reverence in their minds for their eminent gifts and graces, how obſcure ſoever their condition and place be, than thoſe of leſſe or no worth, to whoſe office and place they give the cap and knee. When the Aſſe that carried the Idoll of Iſis upon his backe, ſaw all the people fall downe before the goddeſſe, he lift up his head, and kicked up his heeles, and never left braying, as being proud of ſo great honour done unto him: which folly of the ſilly beaſt the people checked in ſuch ſort for the preſent, that it grew afterwards for a Proverbe, Non tibi, ſed rEraſ. chil.Iſidi; Alas, ſtupid beaſt, the worſhip is not performed to thee, but to the image which thou beareſt. I know ye prevent mee in the application; and therefore I preſſe theſe things no further: only give mee leave to offer to them, who are out-ſtripped by men of inferiour quality in their way of preferment, theſe conſiderations following. That the coale which is healed in the aſhes liveth, when that which is raked out and blowne ſoone dieth: the jewell in the casket is ſafe and moſt reſplendent, when that which is taken out and worne is ſoyled or loſt. Publike offices and eminent places in Church and Commonwealth expoſe thoſe that hold them to the view of all; as their good parts are taken notice of, ſo their bad cannot bee concealed. Now if any man or woman otherwayes faire or beautifull, ſhould yet have ſome one foule deformity in their face, were it a cut, or ſcarre, or boile, or botch, or the like, would they deſire much to bee ſeene? would they not either keepe in, or by a maske or vaile cover this imperfection? Beloved Chriſtians, there is none that hath not ſome or other greater imperfection in his minde, than any deformity in the body can bee. Privacie, and places of ſmall or meane employment caſt a vaile over thoſe infirmities and imperfections, in ſuch ſort that none or very few eſpy them; publike callings, and places of great action diſcover them to the view of all. In which conſideration if wee compare one with the other, the ſetting forth of their vices and imperfections, with the blazing of their vertues and good parts, if they have any; I am perſwaded that never any proud and worthleſſe, or vaine-glorious, or ambitious perſon obtained their end, the conſtant applauſe and praiſe of men. For though for a time they are upon the tongue of all, and entertained with greateſt acclamations before their blinde ſides and manifold imperfections are known; yet after veritas temporis filia hath brought in her evidence againſt them, their acclamations are turned into exclamations againſt them, & their name putrefieth even whileſt yet they are alive. If a Souldier that hath done good ſervice in a countrey where there were no good coyne, but braſſe or lead pieces made currant by the Princes command for the preſent neceſſity, ſhould have this condition offered him, that if hee would bee content with ſo much of his pay as might defray his neceſſary charge, and forbeare the reſt till hee returned to his owne countrey, hee ſhould receive ſo much in quantity in the pureſt gold as he might there in baſeſt coine; could hee except againſt it? nay ſhould hee not be very unwiſe to refuſe ſo good an offer? The like condition is propounded by God unto them that daily fight his battels; for the good ſervice they doe, and the loſſes, wounds, infamy, or diſgrace they ſuffer, glory and honour is due unto them, at leaſt by promiſe: the glory of this world is of leſſe value in compariſon of celeſtiall, than the baſeſt coine in compariſon of the pureſt gold; yet the countrey wherein they ſerve (this earth) affordeth no better: but if they forbeare till they returne to their owne home in heaven, there they ſhall receive gold for copper, pearle for glaſſe, a maſſie crowne of gold for a gilt paper coronet, glory from God and his Angels for glory from men.
Laſtly, the words of the Apoſtle Saint Peter are very remarkable to this purpoſe,ſ1 Pet. 5.6. Humble your ſelves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: they who are not yet may be exalted in due time, if the due time fall by their life time, no man ſhall be able to croſſe them in their advancement, nor defeat them of it: if not, they cannot commence any ſuit of unkindneſſe againſt our gracious God for not exalting them ſooner than he did the greateſt inſtruments of his glory, the Prophets and Apoſtles, nay and his only begotten Son, who became obedient unto death before he exalted him. The belſſed Apoſtle S. Paul expected not his garland before he hadt2 Tim. 4.8. I have finiſhed my courſe, I have kept the faith, therefore is laid vp for me a crowne of righteouſneſſe. run his race; neither did any of the Roman Captains think it long to ſtay for their donatives till the day of triumph, when they received a Crowne from the Emperour, not below in the ſtreets, but above in the Capitoll. Our day of triumph is the day of judgment, when we are to receive a crown of righteouſneſſe, not on earth, but in heaven. In the meane while, if any preferments or honours bee caſt upon us, let us not eſteeme them as our hire, but take them onelyonly as earneſts: but if wee lead our life ingloriouſly, and breath out our laſt breath in ſilence and obſcurity, let this bee our ſolace, that as there can bee no darkneſſe where the ſunne ſhineth, ſo neither is there any place to bee accounted private or inglorious where God and his Angels are preſent. There needs no other proofe where God is an eye-witneſſe of our labours and performance, no applauders where his Angels are ſpectators. I fill up this border therefore with a flower taken from Saint*Cyp. l. 4. ep. 5. Nec minor eſt martyrii gloria non publicè & inter multos periiſſe, cùm pereundi cauſa ſit propter Chriſtum: perire ſufficit ad teſtimonium martyrii teſtis ille qui martyres probat & coronat. Et ib. Solus non eſt cui Chriſtus in fugâ comes eſt, ſolus non eſt qui templum Dei ſervat, ubicunque fuerit ſine Deo non eſt. Cyprians ſamplar. This Martyr underſtanding of the diſcontent taken by ſome Martyrs in his dayes, that the Proconſull had ſo ordered that they ſhould bee put to death privately, and thereby made Martyres ſine martyribus, witneſſes depoſing for the faith of Chriſt without any to teſtifie their conſtancy, or take example by their patience; thus hee quieteth their mindes: The glory of your martyrdome, ſaith hee, is nothing eclipſed by the privacy of your ſuffering, ſo the cauſe be for the faith of Chriſt it will bee abundantly ſufficient proofe of your patience, and aſſurance to you of your reward, that hee for whom you ſuffer ſeeth what you ſuffer, and that hee is your witneſſe who will bee your rewarder and crowner, even God himſelfe. And ſo I fall upon the next circumſtance, the perſon exalting. Wherefore
God highly exalted him. Hee humbled himſelfe, but God exalted him. The fruit which wee are to gather from this branch of my text is like to the former; yet there is a difference betweene them: the former qualified and pacified the minde from murmuring and diſcontent at our preſent eſtate and calling, how low and mean ſoever it were; this keepeth it from aſpiring thoughts,tMat. 23.12. and unwarrantable projects and attempts for the raiſing of our fortunes,*Luk. 14.11. and advancing our eſtate. Before the burden of our ſong was, He that humbleth himſelfe ſhall bee exalted; but now it is, He that exalteth himſelfe ſhall be brought low. The latter is as true as the former, both were uttered with one breath by our Saviour. As not hee that commendeth himſelfe is to bee commended, ſo neither is hee that exalteth himſelfe to bee approved, but hee whom God exalteth. If any might ever have magnified and exalted himſelfe, certainly our Lord and Saviour might beſt, who both ſpake as never man ſpake, and did as never man did, and ſuffered what never man did or could ſuffer; yet hee himſelfe profeſſeth,uJoh. 8.14. If I honour my ſelfe mine honour is nothing, it is my Father that honoureth mee. Hee honoureth and exalteth himſelfe who either vainegloriouſly ſetteth forth his owne wares, blazoneth his owne armes, and is the trumpet of his owne praiſes: or hee who ambitiouſly deſireth ſuch dignities and preferments whereof hee is unworthy, or uſeth indirect meanes to compaſſe thoſe places whereof he might otherwiſe bee worthy and capable. This vitious affection is diſcried in*Joh. 3.9. Diotrephes, noted in thexLuk. 20.46. Phariſees, ſharply cenſured in theyMat. 20.26. Diſciples, ſeverely puniſhed in Adoniah, Seba, Abſalom, and Haman. Jacob ſaw in his viſion Angels aſcending upon a ladder to heaven; what need Angels goe by ſteps to heaven, who being ſpirits (as the Schooles teach) can mount thither and backe againe in an inſtant? might it not bee to teach us that Magiſtrates and Miniſters, who are both in Scripture ſtiled Angels, are not ſuddenly to leape or haſtily to climbe up to places of preferment, but aſcend by degrees when God ſetteth a ladder for them? Thiſtle-down, and feathers, and vapours, and other light and imperfect miſt bodies raiſe themſelves from the earth; but pretious metall, and all perfect miſt bodies move not upwards but perforce. Trajan, if wee may beleevezPanegeric. Trajan. Nihil magis à te ſubjecti animo factum eſt, quàm quod coepiſti imperare. Pliny, was in nothing more over-ruled by Nerva than in taking the rule of the Empire into his hand. What violence was uſed to Saint Austine and Ambroſe at their inveſtiture? the one wept, the other hid himſelfe for a while, both hung off and drew backe with all their ſtrength. How doth Saint*Ep. 7. & 26. Durum valdè fuit, &c. Uſ que ad terram me ſuperpoſito onere depreſſiſtis. Gregory complaine of them that choſe him Biſhop of Rome? What have yee done my friends? ye have laid ſuch a burden upon me that preſſeth me down to the earth, in ſuch ſort that I cannot lift up my minde to the contemplation of the things that are above. Publike charges, and eminent places, beſides the great troubles they bring with them, expoſe them that hold them to great perils and dangers:
—Graviore lapſu
Decidunt turres, feriunt que ſummos
Fulmina montes.
The high hills are ſtrucke with thunderbolts, the tops of trees blaſted with lightnings, the pinacles of Temples, and fanes of turrets, and weathercockes of ſteeples are frequently blowne downe with the winde, and all the ſtorme, and violence of weather beateth upon the roofes and tops of houſes: Qui jacet in terrâ non habet unde cadat.
The oppoſition betweene the members of theſe two verſes is very obſervable, Hee humbled himſelfe ſo low, therefore God exalted him ſo high. When man humbleth himſelfe God exalteth, but when man exalteth himſelfe God humbleth: how much better is it to humble our ſelves and be exalted by God, than to exalt our ſelves and to be humbled by him. As none can raiſe ſo high, ſo none can pull downe ſo low as hee. Lucifer who would have exalted himſelfe above the ſtarres of heaven, was throwne downe below the wormes of the earth: contrariwiſe, our Saviour who humbled himſelfe beneath the earth, even to the gates of hell, was raiſed by God above the higheſt heavens.1 Pet. 1.5, 6. My exhortation therefore unto you is the ſame with that of the Apoſtle S. Peter: Humble your ſelves under the mighty hand of God, that hee may exalt you in due time: ſubmit your ſelves one to another, decke your ſelves inwardly with lowlineſſe of minde. There is no vertue drawn by the penſill of God in more lively colours,Pſal. 113.6, 7. Eſay 57.15. Mat. 11.25. Jam. 4.6, 10. Pſal. 113.8. Mat. 5.3. with brighter beames of his favour ſhining upon them, than it: for hee that dwelleth in the higheſt heavens hath reſpect to the loweſt and lowliest, hee viſiteth them, and dwelleth with them, hee familiarly converſeth with them, and revealeth unto them his ſecrets: hee beſtoweth on them the treaſures of his grace, hee raiſeth them and advanceth them to a kingdome on earth, yea to a kingdome in heaven. To which kingdome the Lord exalt us for the merit of Chriſt Jeſus, who humbled himſelfe, and became obedient to death, even the death of the croſſe; wherefore God hath highly exalted him, and hath given him a name above all names, that at the name of Jeſus every knee ſhould bow, and every tongue confeſſe that Chriſt is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father. To whom, &c.