The Souls Humiliation, Conclusion
The concluſion.
Doe you conſider that it is poſſible to have an humble heart? doe you conſider the danger if you have it not? and doe you conſider the good that comes by an humble heart, and doe you ſit ſtill? as he ſaid in another caſe. Me thinkes your hearts begin to ſtirre, and ſay, hath the Lord engaged himſelfe to this? Oh then (Lord) make me humble. Mee thinks your countenances ſay ſo; The Lord make mee and thee, and all of us humble, that we may have this mercy. Let mee make but this one queſtion to your Conſciences, and give mee an anſwer ſecretly in your ſoules; when the Lord ſhall cloſe up your eyes here, and put an end to your pilgrimage, would you not be content to dwell with Chriſt in heaven? which the Apoſtle did account his greateſt happineſſe, to be ever with the Lord; we ſhall be ever with Chriſt to comfort us, when we ſhall be no more with ſinne, to vexe and trouble us: would not you be content to be with Chriſt? mee thinkes your hearts ſay, that's the end and upſhot of all, that's the end why we live, and pray, and heare, that we may be ever with him. And doe not you meet with many troubles, while you are members of the Church Militant? I know you have ſometimes diſtempers without, and troubles without, would you not have comfort againſt them all? and what would you give, that Chriſt would looke in, and aske how your Soules doe, and ſay, thou art my redeemed, and I am thy Redeemer. No, you know, all fleſh deſires it. Would you not be content to have ſome honour in the Church? and to leave a good name behind you, that the diſgraces which wicked men caſt upon you, may not be as a blot upon your names? and when you ſhall bee no more, and you ſhall bid adue to friends, and honours, and meanes; would you not be bleſſed, and though you would be content to be the meaneſt in the Kingdome of heaven, what would you give to be the greateſt in heaven? let mee put a condition to you; get but humble hearts and you have all. Men, brethren, and fathers; If there be any Soule here, that is content in truth and ſinceritie to be humbled, and to be at Gods diſpoſing in all duties to be done, do not you make too much haſt to goe to heaven, the Lord Ieſus Chriſt will come downe from heaven and dwell in your hearts, hee will ſit, and lye, and walke with you; his grace ſhall refreſh you, and his Wiſedome ſhall direct you, and his Glory ſhall advance you, and as for happineſſe, take no thought for that. Everlaſting happineſſe, and bleſſedneſſe, lookes and waites for every humble Soule; Come (ſaith happineſſe) thou that haſt beene vile, and baſe, and meane in thine own eyes, and in the contempt of the world, come and be greateſt in the Kingdome of heaven. Brethren, though I cannot prevaile with your hearts, yet let happineſſe that kneeles downe, and prayes you to take mercy, let that (I ſay) prevaile with you. And anſwer mee now, who would not be humbled? If any man be ſo regardleſſe of his owne good: I have ſomething to ſay to him, that may make his heart ſhake within him. But, who would not have the Lord Ieſus to dwell with him? who would not have the Lord Chriſt by the glory of his grace to honour, and refreſh them? and that he ſhould ſet a crowne of happineſſe upon their heads? Mee thinkes your hearts ſhould earne for it, and ſay, oh Lord breake my heart, and humble mee, that mercy may be my portion for ever. Nay, mee thinkes every man ſhould ſay, as Saint Paul did, I would to God that not onelyonly I, but all my children, and ſervants, were not onelyonly thus as I am, but alſo (if it were Gods will) much more humbled, that they might be much more comforted and refreſhed.
The Lord in his mercy grant it. Let all parents labour to have their children humbled, and every maſter his ſervant. This will give them cheering of heart in that great Day of accounts: when paleneſſe comes upon your faces, and leanneſſe to your cheekes, then I know you would leave your children a good portion, then get their Soules truly humbled. Me thinks it cheeres my heart to conſider of it, if a man could get his own heart, and the hearts of all truely humbled; when he leaves the world, if he could but ſay, my wife is humbled, and ſuch a child, and ſuch a child, is humbled; how comfortably might he goe away, and ſay, though I go away and leave wife, and children behind me, poore and meane in the world, yet I leave Chriſt with them. Brethren, though you care not for your ſelves, yet care for your little ones, never leave exhorting of them, never leave praying for them, and for your ſelves too, that you and they may get theſe humble hearts. When you are gone this will bee better for them then all the beaten gold, or all the honours in the world.
There are many that have heretofore ſtood out againſt the Lord, and they would not come in, nor yeild to the conditions of mercy, all thoſe proud, haughtie, and rebellious ſpirits that have ſtood out againſt Gods Truth, his Word, and Miniſters, and have ſtood out long, ſome twenty, ſome thirtie, and ſome fortie yeares, let all ſuch feare and tremble, and now reſolve not to ſtand it out any more, but ſince the Lord offers ſo kindly to comfort you, and to honour you upon your Humiliation; Now kiſſe the Sonne, be humble, yeild to all Gods commands, take home all truthes, and be at Gods diſpoſing. There muſt be ſubjection, or elſe confuſion: will you out-brave the Almightie to his face, and will you dare damnation? as you love your Soules take heed of it. As proud as you have beene cruſhed and humbled. Where are all thoſe Nymrods, and Pharaohs, and all thoſe mightie Monarchs of the World? The Lord hath thrown them flat upon their backs, and they are in hell this day. Therefore be wiſe, and be humbled under the mightie hand of the Lord. It is a mightie hand, and the Lord will be honoured, either in your Humiliation and converſion, or elſe in your damnation for ever. Let all the evill that is threatned, and all the good that is offered prevaile with your hearts, and though meanes cannot, yet the Lord prevaile with you, the Lord emptie you, that Chriſt may fill you, the Lord humble you, that you may enjoy happineſſe, and peace for ever.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Hooker, The Souls Humiliation (1637)