The Golden Scepter Held Forth to the Humble, Treatise · Doctrine 4

The Golden Scepter Held Forth to the Humble · Treatise · Doctrine 4

p. 652 CHRON. 7. 14.If my People, that are called by my Name, doe humble themselves:

WEE are now come to the Conditions upon which mercy and forgivenesse are here promised, whereof the first you see is Humiliation, If my People doe humble themselves: In the handling of which I will proceed two ways;

First Negatively, that without humiliation, and p. 661unlesse men doe humble themselves, they can have no interest in these promises.

Secondly, Affirmatively; That if they doe humble 2themselves, then God will be mercifull to them, and forgive their sinnes.

For the handling of the first, I raise this Doctrine Doct. 4. Without hu miliation no mercy.out of the words: That without Humiliation no man shall obtaine mercy: Wee see that God suspendeth mercy upon it here, as without which no mercy can bee expected; which therefore must needs bee thought a matter of great consequence, and the more largely to be insisted upon.

I expresse the doctrine in a more large and generall word humiliation, which containes in it, as well What meant by humiliationhumiliation passive, or being humbled, as humiliation active (as for more cleare distinction sake I call them) whereby we humble our selves: which is the maine thing intended in the Text, explicitly and directly, which also in the prosecution of this point I mainely intend; yet I shut up both together, in this negative part of this discourse: because they are, though in themselves distinct, yet alwayes conjoyned in their working, and the latter doth alwayes presuppose the former, and doth necessarily imply it here: for no man did ever come to humble himselfe, that was not first humbled. This negative part of excluding men from mercy without both these, being also alike common to both, it being a like true, that no man did ever attaine mercy, that was not first humbled, and that did not humble himselfe: So as in this negative part they agree and concurre.

p. 67Againe, though that affirmative part mentioned is proper to that humiliation active, the promises of interest in mercy being made to them that humble themselves, and not to all that are humbled: there being many that are much humbled, who yet obtaine not mercy; yet I joyne both together in this first part chiefly; because as they are conjoyned in their working, so they must necessarily bee in the explication of them; for we cannot come distinctly to know and finde out what it is to humble our selves (which is the thing I principally ayme at) without knowing what it is to be humbled, the one beginning where the other ends: the one being a preparative to the other. That therefore wee may see how farre the one and the other goes, and how they are distinguished, we will shut both up in this first doctrine.

Now in handling this Doctrine we will do two things.

First, shew that men must be humbled and humble 1themselves, ere they can come to have interest in these promises.

We will shew what it is to humble a mans selfe 2and to be humbled.

For the first, this place alone is sufficient ground. 1 Necessity of humiliation.GOD would not have put in such a condition in vaine, if it might have beene spared in any, but besides this ground wee have the practise of all the master builders, who made it their first worke (as here it is the first condition) to humble men, that they might bee brought to humble themselves: And to omit all other instances, wee p. 68have all the three Persons seales to this method.

This was GOD the Fathers method in the first Sermon that ever was preached (which himselfe Humiliation required 1 By God the Father.also preached) as a patterne for all Ministers to follow. And when hee would draw Adam and Eve in to seeke the promise of mercy, he first expostulates the matter with them, to humble them for their sin: and then lets fall the promise of the Messias.

And secondly, JESUS CHRIST the second 2 God the Sonne.Person in his first Sermons in Preaching the Gospell, as in Luk. 4. 7. shewes his approbation of Luk. 4. 4.Luke 4:4this method in that hee makes this his first subject of his first Sermon, us appeares by the text hee takes to preach the Gospell, but to whom? to those that are first humble and humbled. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospell to such as are poore and broken in heart.

And the same order, the Holy Ghost the third Person was foretold by Christ, that when hee was 3 God the Holy Ghostcome, hee would observe in working upon mens hearts by the ministery of the Apostles, &c. Iohn 16. 8. He shall convince the world of sin: for humiliation, Ioh. 16. 8. …John 16:8that is his first worke, then of righteousnesse, for justification: lastly of Iudgement; that is, that sanctification which persons justified are to have wrought in them; We come now to the explication and reasons of this point, which shall be,

To shew the necessity of this humillation to the other that follow.1

p. 69Of the order of it, as it is here placed the first 2of all the rest.

For the first, it is true indeed, that the Lord might Reas. 1. From the necessity of it.bring men home to him without this humiliation. Hee could doe as he did at the first creation, say no more, but let there be light, and there would be light, and that without any of this thunder, he might say, Let there be grace, and there would be grace; hee could come in the still voyce without renting the Rockes, and say no more but, Open yee everlasting doores, lift up your heads yee gates, and they would be open; but as though hee might have brought the Children of Israel out of Aegypt into the Land of Canaan, without leading them through the Wildernesse, yet his good pleasure was thereby rather to humble them and prove them; so it is here.

And the reasons of this necessitie may bee drawne from the relation, and respect which this humiliation hath both to the other conditions that follow, and all that is promised here in the Text: unto which we will fit the reasons that follow.

As first, without this men will not seeke out 1 The relation it hath to the other conditions.for and come unto CHRIST: they will not seeke His Face, that is, His Person: The Laweis our Schoole-Master to bring us to CHRIST, by humbling us: men would not come in to Him unless they were driven; men would not seek Him unlesse 1 Seeking for Christ.they themselves were first lost; men would not receive Him unless they were first humbled; the poore receive the Gospell; the poore in spirit.

It is necessary in respect of receiving and seeking for mercy and pardon, and forgivenesse, which p. 702 Seeking mer…cy.is the maine thing here promised, I will bee mercifull to their sinnes, for untill then our propounding pardon and the promises of it, and inviting men to come in would bee all but lost labour: for untill then, men would give us that answer, and the promises the same entertainement, which they did that were invited to the Marriage Feast, Matthew 22. 5, 6. The text sayes they made light of it, and so Mat. 22. 5, 6Matt 22:5Matt 22:6wee finde by experience, that when wee preach the great things of the Gospell; as Justification, and remission of sinnes, men account them as a small thing, and set light by them: and the reason is, because they are not humbled; men otherwise would not prize CHRIST nor the promise of the pardon by him (as Manna was not prized by the Israelites) nor his righteousnesse, by which they are to bee forgiven: a man happily would be content to have CHRISTS righteousnesse, as a bridge to goe upon to Heaven, but hee will not prize it as Paul did, who was ambitious of nothing so much as to bee found in CHRIST, not having his owne righteousnesse, but that which is by faith, accounting all things in himselfe and out of himselfe drosse and dung in comparison of it; but a man unhumbled will not set this high prce upon it, and God wil not have his Jewels, much lesse Christ and pardon of sinne cast away at randome to those who shall not value them; but when a man shall see the badnesse of his nature, the multitudes of his particular sins, and see that in his heart he never thought had beene there, and stand amazed at them, then to have such a righteousnesse as shall perfectly cover p. 71all these sinnes, this he will thinke a great matter. So it was to Saint Paul, when he saw himselfe the greatest of sinners. And when a man thus sees his particular sores and diseases, and something in Christs righteousnesse to answer them all; as Christs patience to answer his impatience, Christs Christs righteousnesse not esteemed by men unhumbled.love to stand for his hatred, Christs holinesse of nature to cover his uncleannesse, he will then begin to esteeme every Iewell in that Cabinet, for he knowes he could not spare one part of that righteousnesse, he sees a glorious righteousnesse to cloath and cover his nakednesse from top to toe, and this makes him prize it and every part of it, which a man unhumbled will not do; and as he would not esteeme the imputed righteousnesse of Christ, so nor inherent righteousnesse from him, whereby he should be enabled to turne from his evill waies; but when a man sees and knowes what a heart he hath, how false, how full of sinnes, and empty of grace, and what strong lusts are there, then when he shall finde the contrary graces wrought in him, hee prizeth them highly, and Christ for them, because they are the pretious guifts of Christ, for he knowes and acknowledgeth they are the sole worke of Christ, because in his nature dwelleth no good thing. And why else doth God after conversion suffer his people to fall into sinne, and into variety of temptations, but that they might be more humbled still, and so know the worth of Christ herein?

It is required men should be humbled, because Reas. 3. No turning else from our evill wayes.else they will not actually turne from their evill wayes, nor bee obedient to Christ in all things in p. 72their lives. An unbroken heart is like an untamed horse, that will not indure the bridle, and be guided by it, like an untamed Heifer that will not goe Simile.with the yoake; such a man that God may command him what he will, but he will doe what he list: but when the heart is broken and humbled once, then as Saint Paul trembling sayd, Acts 9. he will say Act ….also; Lord, what wilt thou have me doe? I will doe what thou wilt, yea, and suffer what thou wilt; call me to suffer, for thee.

If this question had been asked Saint Paul before he was thus humbled, he would have given another answere: before, God may bid us doe what hee will, but wee as stubborne servants will doe what we thinke good: wee are proud and unbroken, and pride is the cause of all disobedience, and therefore it is sayd, High thoughts must bee east downe, that Pride the cause of disobedience.exalt themselves against the knowledge of God; ere every thought can be brought into the obedience of Christ. 2 Corin. 10. 5. They exalt themselves against the knowledge of God and His will; for when His will 2 Cor. 5. 10.2 Cor 5:10is knowne, the heart yields not still: when the LORD commands any thing, as to take heede of evill company, to have a care of their speeches, whilest men are unhumbled, they are ready to expostulate the matter, and in the end will doe nothing at all: but when a man is humbled, and the high thoughts cast downe, then hee brings every thought and affection (that exalted it selfe before) into the obedience of Christ. And as all disobedience is from pride and stubbornnesse of the will, so all obedience is from humility; when the heart p. 73is humbled, it is made pliable to God, Esay 66. 2. Esay 66. 2.Isa 66:2I will looke to him that is contrite, and trembleth at my words; they are both there joyned: that is, when he heareth any command from me, he is afraid to breake it, afraid of admitting the very occasions of sinning: A man that hath beene scorched with the fire dares not easily meddle with it againe, and the reason is, it makes a man choose the Lord freely for his Husband and Lord, and from thence followes kinde obedience to Him.

Hee that hath made the choyce himselfe will serve, else not; but hee will condemne himselfe, that he should make a choyce so unsuitable to him; and it also teacheth a man to set an high price upon CHRIST, and forgivenesse of sinnes, as you heare; and that will set all thy desires on worke, and cause thee to refuse no obedience, whether active or passive: For, what is the reason men obey their lusts, but because they prize pleasures, have an high esteeme of honours, &c. and the same effect will the prizing of CHRIST have in thee, to do any thing for Him, so as thou shalt not count thy life deare, for Him.

They would not doe all this constantly and for Reas. 4. Else there would not be constancy.ever, if they should come to Christ and be obedient for a while (as Iohns hearers and Herod was) yet they would returne unto their vomit againe: and not stay with Him if they were not humbled, they might come in, as those hearers (signified by the second and third ground) did, who received the seed with joy, and as those of whom it is sayd, Christ would not commit himself to them, but stay with p. 74him, men will not unlesse they be humbled: For unlesse a man be brought to part with al for Christ, and to sell all, he will in the end repent of his bargaine; if there bee a reservation of any thing, the time will come he will goe backe, and start aside like a broken Bowe; and untill a man be throughly humbled, he will not be brought to part with all for CHRIST; he that is humbled, he onelyonly is the Merchant-like minded man, who sells all hee hath and goes away rejoycing, is glad at the heart that hee hath Christ though with the losse of the whole world; he is willing to take Christ upon all conditions, with losses and crosses, and to deny himselfe in every thing; for he knowes the bitternesse of sin, and so sets such a price upon Christ as if the bargaine were to make againe, he would doe as hee had done, but the other what he hath done in a fit, he repents him of afterwards, and therefore true repentance (which godly sorrow and true humiliation worketh) is called repentance never to be repented of, 2 Cor. 7. 10. Other sorrow than Godly may 2 Cor. 7. 102 Cor 7:10worke a repentance, but it is such as men afterwards repent of.

Men are soone weary of the yoke of CHRIST. because they have not felt how grievous the yoke of sin and Sathan is, but to one who hath felt the burthen of sin, the yoke of CHRIST is easie and sweete.

The last Reason hath relation to the last thing Reas. 5. God should not have the praise of his mercy.here promised, of taking away the Iudgements and healing the Land. God should not have the praise of his Iudgements and of his Mercy in taking them p. 75away, unlesse men were humbled; for if when God did afflict men, he should restore them againe without this humiliation, men would thinke that God wronged them before, and now did but right them, but when God hath humbled them so farre, that they acknowledge his Iustice, in afflicting them, and their owne desert to be utterly destroyed, and confesse that it is his mere Mercy they were not consumed, and humble themselves under his mighty hand, and now if the Iudgement be taken off, and his wrath blowne over, then they give him the praise of his Mercy and Iudgements.

Thus you see why of necessity it is required: Now let us see the reason of the order of it, why it is required thus in the first place: It is the first condition here: there is something in the order, and to Why humiliation required first.be said by way of reason for it, and the reason in generall is, because nothing is acceptable to God, till the heart be humbled: You may pray, which is another condition, and you may heare, &c. but all you doe is but lost labour, unlesse it come from a broken heart.

For first that is alone a fit sacrifice for God, without Reas. 1. No sacrifice accepted without it. Psal. 51. 16, 17.Ps 51:16Ps 51:17which act no sacrifice is accepted: This you may see Psalme 51. 16, 17. Thou desirest not sacrifice, else I would give it thee; thou delightest not in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, and a contrite hart, oh God, thou wilt not despise. David knew that till his heart was broken, all his good deeds and all holy duties would have beene in vaine, and it is as if David should have said, Lord, before I was thus humbled and my heart thus broken (as in the beginning p. 76of the Psalme hee had expressed that it was) Thou didst desire no sacrifice of me, nor wouldst have delighted in no burnt offering from mee, but the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, and other duties but as they come from it. This is the maine sacrifice, and with out it, nothing acceptable, unlesse it be laid upon this low Altar, which sanctifies the Sacrifice.

As it is only a fit Sacrifice for God, so this only Reas. 2. It makes us Priests.makes us fit Priests to God; and before we are fit to offer a sacrifice acceptable, we must be Priests; and we become not Priests to God, till we have offered our selves first to God as a sacrifice, 2 Cor. 8. 5. and that we are not, till we our selves be slaine, and broken, … Cor. 8. 5.and so made a sacrifice.

Nothing is accepted till the Holy Ghost dwell in the heart; and untill a man bee Humbled, the Reas. 3. Else the Spirit of God dwells not in us.Spirit of God dwells not in his heart: And therefore what he doth till then, savours not of the Spirit, but a carnall heart, and so is not acceptable: Til a man is humbled, he keepes the doore shut upon the Lord and His Spirit. There is one within, his heart is full already; hee dwells in his owne heart himselfe; therefore it is said, Esa. 57. 15. That he dwells in a contrite heart, that is in it alone, for there Esay 57. 15.Isa 57:15is only roome for him to do what he will in all the chambers of it.

Vntill a man will be obedient in all things, no thing he doth is acceptable: Hee that turnes his eare Reas. 4. It makes us obedient in all things.from the Law, his prayer shall bee abominable. Now one that is not humbled throughly, hee may bee obedient in many things, hee may pray, &c. but yet he will have by wayes of his owne, he hath not p. 77fully renounced himselfe, that is, not Humbled: Now unlesse a mans obedience be generall, nothing is acceptable.

And so wee come to the second thing propounded what this humiliation is, and herein our maine 2 Humiliation what.enquiry is after that which is mainely intended in the text, What it is to humble a mans selfe. But because the finding of it out depends upon the other also, wee will with it shew also what it is to be humbled, that so wee may the better know the true humiliation required of us; and for the finding out of this wee will first set before you the examples of them who have humbled themselves, and have been humbled in Scripture, and from thence gather what it is.

For this you shall finde Manasses in the 2 Chro…. Examples of men hum bled. 2. Chron. 33. 12. Manasses.2 Chr 33:1233. in his affliction humbling himselfe greatly, and the Lord was intreated of him, vers. 12. Likewise wee have that of S. Paul humbled. Acts 9. 6 where we find him trembling and astonished, and saying, Lord what wil… thou have me doe? See another example in Acts 2. 37. of those who were The converts. Acts 2. 37. The Goaler Acts 16.Acts 2:37Acts 16prickt in their hearts, crying out, what shall we do to bee saved? And so of the Goaler, Acts 16. who came trembling and astonied, and would have killed himself; and likewise of the Prodigall, Luk. 15. (which Prodigall. Luk. 15. …Luke 15though a parable, yet sets forth this condition of a soule humbled to us,) of whom it is said, that none gave unto him, and that hee came unto himselfe, &c.

Out of all these we gather those two maine parts Humiliation of two parts.of Humiliation mentioned; humiliation passive, and active. The first whereof makes way for the p. 78second, unto which no promise is made, and which may be found in an unregenerate man; the second, which is the fruit of Sanctification, which is meant here, and unto which the promise is made: These goe both together in the godly; and hee that hath the second, never wants the first in some measure more or lesse, though many have the first, that have not the second.

Now the first is nothing else but a sence of sin, and Gods wrath for it; expressed to us in those former examples, by being prickt in the heart, it being a wounding of the heart and spirit.

VntoUnto which is joyned trembling feare, with considering and comming to a mans selfe, aswee have it in the Parable.

And this passive Legal humiliation stands in these Passive humiliation.particulars.

A sensiblenesse of sinne: before a man is as one … Sensiblenesse of sin.that is in a dead sleep; what is done to him he feeles not, nor what is said he heares not, is sensible of nothing: But this is the awakening of a man to be sensible of sinne; so as now hee is wounded, now he is smitten with it, now he feeles it. So the Goaler as the foundation of the prison was shaken, so was his heart also, and had an earth-quake within, as well as one without; and his awaking out of sleepe was a resemblance of his awakened heart.

This humiliation makes a man fearefull of his estate; whereas before he was bold: and others that 2 Feare of his estate.are not humbled goe on boldly and are punisht, as it is said of the foole in the Proverbs.

It makes a man consider his estate, which he never p. 793 It workes consideration.did before; as the Prodigall came to himselfe, that is, entered into a serious consideration of his estate; before a man thought himselfe in a good estate; little imagined hee was in the gall of bitternesse; but this worke shewes him his poverty, and that he is altogether naked, and that hee hath nothing to sustaine him, as the Prodigall saw he had not, no worth at all in him.

And this first worke of humiliation is wrought 1 It is wrought by the Law.by the Law and the curse thereof; which sayes in his hearing, Cursed be he that abides not in all things to doe them.

By the Law I say, which is the rule of righteousnesse, whereof all particular rules are branches; and by the threatnings thereof, which are all branches of that great curse. The one being as the lightning to discover sinne, the other like the thunder-bolt that strikes the heart with feare of Gods Iudgements: the one is like the Inditement, the other as the Sentence of the Judge. I put both these together, because both goe to humble a man. The Law is like the Taskmasters of Egypt, that commanded the Israelites to Simile.do the worke, but gave them no straw; so the Law tells us, this and this is to bee done, and binds us to doe it, but gives us no strength, and so thereby discovers our sinfulnesse and unability to any good: and then as the task-masters did beate them that failed of their tale, so comes the curse and strikes them dead, that continue not in all things to do the Law; and these two put together worke this Legall humiliation: The Law what.neither by the Law is meant only those ten words spoken in Horeb, but together with the explanation p. 80of them, as wee finde them expounded in the Prophets and the whole Scriptures: so that by the Law is meant that rectitude which the whole Scripture doth require. Now therefore when the Scriptures are laid to our hearts, the rectitude of the Scriptures is compared with the crookednes of our hearts and lives, and thereby we come to see how that the least sinne is forbidden, and that the least dutie must not be omitted, and that we must give an account for every idle word, and every lustfull thought and motion in the heart; as S. Paul when humbled, saw lust to be sinne; and then we come to see withall the curse due to the lease: This humbleth a man.

And unto this is further required the help of the Spirit joyning therewith, without which the Law 2 The Spirit workes humiliationdoth not humble a man: who is therefore called the spirit of bondage, because he enlightneth a man to see his bondage and slavery to sin and Sathan, and his subjection to Gods wrath; not that hee makes him such or brings bondage with it, but discovers it; and 3 By afflictions.this not onelyonly by shewing a man his bondage, but he makes him believe it: For there must be a faith to humble as well as to comfort, whereas wee set light by the threatnings, and believe them not; for would the swearer sweare, if he believed that threatning, the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine? When therefore the Spirit enlighteneth a man to see his sinnes, and makes him believe the threatnings denounced against them, then a man is humbled and not before.

And yet though these threatnings are propounded by the Word, and made effectuall by the p. 81Spirit, yet usually some affliction puts life into them; as wee see in Manasses, and also in S. Paul who was first struck off his horse to the ground, and in the laylor who thought verily all his prisoners gone, for whom his owne life must have beene answerable; so as hee would have killed himselfe: sometimes a reall affliction, sometimes an imaginary one, an apprehension of Judgement, shame, poverty, misery doth God use to put life into the threatnings, and they put life into the Law; and then the Law is brought home to the conscience; and so sinne is brought to light; for when men are sensible of miseries, then they are often brought to to inquiry into the Law of God to find what should bee the cause of it: and when the Law is brought home to the conscience, then sinne is made alive. Saint Paul saies, Romans 7. Sinne appeares to bee sin, Rom. 7.Rom 7which before was as colours in the darke; and sin being made alive, then I dyed, saies Paul there, that is, he apprehended himselfe a dead man, in which is a discovery of sinne and our subjection to death for it; wherein doe consist those two parts of this former humiliation, which makes way for the second humiliation.

Thus you see, what to be humbled is. Now wee 2 Active humiliationcome to the second, what it is to humble a mans selfe: which begins, when the other ends: for then a man lookes out for the remedy, as those who cryed out what shall we doe to be saved? which is the second thing to be observed in those examples; after the wounding of their hearts, they made an enquiry what to doe to be saved. For those that belong p. 82to Gods Election goe yet further: there is another kinde of Evangelicall humiliation wrought in them, which is a fruit of sanctification; for in one whom GOD meanes to save, when hee is come to this, the LORD sends the spirit of adoption into his heart, the spirit of grace, as Za…hary calls him, which gives him some secret hope, hee shall bee received to mercy, if hee will come in; which is a worke of faith in some degree begun: and then says the soule with it selfe, I will goe and humble my selfe, I will goe home to God, and change my course, and give up my selfe to him and serve him: and this we shall finde in these examples mentioned before, especially Examples of this humiliation. Luke 15.Luke 15of the Prodigall, Luk. 15. he came to this conclusion, If I stay here, I dye for hunger; but in my fathers house there is bread enough: here was hope that bred this resolution. I will goe home, and say to my father, I have sinned against heaven and against thee, &c. here was that true humiliation we speake of. So Manasses, hee humbled himselfe greatly, out of an hope of mercy; for a man comes not to this active humiliation wherein he kindly humbleth himselfe, unlesse hee hath hope of mercy; and the beginning of faith is with a hope of mercy, which sets a man a worke to goe to God, and say; Lord, I have committed such and such sinnes, but I will returne to them no more; I am worthy of nothing.

Now there are foure severall compositions or Foure pay…s of ingredients in it.foure paires of ingredients, that have influence into this second kind of humiliation, to cause us to humble our selves.

1 Payr, an hope of mercy, as wel as a sence of misery: p. 831 Hope of … mercy and sence of mi sery.that whereas before wee did looke upon God as a severe Judge; we looke now on him as one willing to receive us, both are requisite. Sence of misery onelyonly, brings a man but to himselfe, as the Prodigall first is said to come to himselfe; but hope of mercy joyned with it, drives a man home to God, as it did also him; without which, sence of misery drives us from the LORD; but hope of mercy being added to it, causeth this active humiliation, wee speake of, whereby wee say, I will goe and humble my selfe.

2 Payre of ingredients are the sence of our own emptinesse, 2 Our owne emptinesse and Gods alsufficiency.together with an apprehension of that Alsufficiency that is in God; which we also may see in the Prodigall, when he said, I shall starve and die, if I stay here; but in my fathers house is bread enough: he lookt to that alsufficient fulnesse that was in God to supply his wants. The creature whilst it findeth any thing in it selfe, it will stand upon its owne bottome and not bee humbled, but when it finds nothing in its selfe but emptinesse, then it beginneth to seeke out for a bottome; which it seeing to be in God alone, it goes out to him; for men will not be drawne off from their owne bottome, till they see another bottome to stand upon.

3 There must bee a sence of a mans owne sinfulnesse, 3 Sence of our sinnes, and Christs righteousnesse.and the LORD JESUS his righteousnesse, and so a light comes in that discovereth both: thus when S. Paul was humbled, there was a light shone about him, which was an outward symbole of that new light which shone within him, of Christ, and his owne sinfulnesse.

p. 84A sence of the love of God and Christ, joyned with the sence of a mans unkindnesse unto God, 4 A sence of; Gods love and our unkindnesse.whereby wee looke upon sinnes as injuries done to God, and an unkindnesse shewne therein.

And now let us see the difference betwixt these two works or parts of humiliation, that wee may Difference betweene active and passive humiliation. 1 In the matter.further understand what it is to humble our selves.

And first, they differ in the matter they are conversant about; in that first, a man is humbled properly, but for the punishment: a man indeed is humbled for sinne, yet principally as it hath relation to punishment; it is guilt works on him; he is not humbled for sin, as it is contrary to God, and his holinesse, but as contrary to himself and his own good: and thus we are not humbled, till we come to love God, and to have a light discovering the holines and purity of his nature, which one that is savingly humbled hath wrought in him.

They differ in their grounds and principles whence they arise.2 In the ground.

The first ariseth but from selfe-love, and is but a worke of nature; though thus farre a worke of God to stirre up self-love, by the sence of misery and to awaken it; but so as any unreasonable creature if in danger, useth to be sensible of it: and what wonder then is it for a man, when hee begins to have some sence of hel and death, let into his conscience, to be wounded and apprehensive of it! but the other ariseth from the love of God kindled in the heart by hope of grace and mercy.

They differ in the instrumental causes that work them; the one is wrought by the spirit of bondage, p. 853 In the instrumentall causes.by an enlightning meerly to see his bondage, and the soule is as one that is in bondage fearing God as a master; and he hath no further light than thus to see God as a Judge: but this other is wrought by the spirit of adoption making the Gospell also effectuall, discovering God as a father.

They differ in their effects; as,

The one driveth a man from GOD, but this 4 In their ef fects.latter causeth a man to goe to GOD and to seeke Christ: it workes that affection to Christ that the 1Church in the Canticles had to him, who would not give over seeking him, till she had found him whom her soule did love. Though there bee twenty obstacles in the way, yet the soule hath no rest; as a stone hath no rest, till it bee in its owne center, so nor this soule thus humbled, but in God; and therfore gives not over seeking him, though it hath never so many denyalls.

The first breeds death, an acedia, a deadnesse and 2listlesnesse, it makes a man as a log, that moves not to God in prayer. So it wrought in Nabal, and Achitophel, it breeds such discouragement as often ends in death. Of worldly sorrow (and such is all sorrow whereof God is not the end) commeth death: but when it is right and true and kindly sorrow for sinne, it doth that which an affection should doe, it quickneth him to doe that which he ought to do: so feare when it is right worketh, and so all other affections, which were put into the soule for that end that it might bee stirred up by them to that which it should doe, for GOD and its owne good; and therefore this affection of sorrow for p. 86sinne quickens a man to seeke out to God when it is right.

The first breeds a fiercenesse and turbulency in a mans spirit; as we see often in men whose consciences 3are awakned to see their sinnes, they are fiercer then they were before; for guilt of sin vexeth their spirits; and where there is no sence of mercy from God, there is none to men: but hee that is broken for sinne spends his anger upon himselfe, frets chiefly for his owne vilenesse and unworthinesse; and the Peace of God which his heart hath a sence of makes his spirit gentle, and peaceable and easie to be entreated and perswaded: bring him Scripture, and a child may lead him and perswade him. The rough wayes are made smooth, the rough and froward dispositions of the heart, and every Mountainelike affection cast downe, as it is said they were by Saint Iohns ministery, who came to humble men and prepare men for Christ.

They differ in their continuance; the former a lone proves but a passion, and it comes but from 4flesh, so as all the fruites of flesh are, it is but as the flower of the grasse: of the same fading nature the roote is from whence it comes: though it comes like a violent torrent into the heart, and swells above the bankes, yet it is but as a land-floud; but this latter is as a constant river that hath a spring, which though it keepes within the bankes, and doth not overflow so much as the other, yet it runnes constantly, and the further it runnes, the greater it growes.5 Properties. of this humiliation.

I will give you also some properties of that humiliation p. 87to which the promise is made here, by which it may bee yet further knowne and differenced.

We will take those fruites of it wee finde in the 1 Prayer.text. 1 It will make a man pray, and 2. Seeke Gods face, and turne from his evill wayes: it hath alwayes these as the consequences of it:

To pray. Iudas was humbled, but hee had no 1minde to pray, nor an ability to pray; the spirit of prayer went not with it; but hee that hath that true humiliation, is able to poure forth his soule to God: and indeed prayer is not the worke of the memory and wit, but the proper worke of a broken heart.

Againe, secondly, to seeke Gods face, this true 2 Seeke Gods face.humiliation cuts a man off from his owne roote and bottome, and causeth him to seeke the Lord alone: which seeking useth to be expressed in prayer: that other will cause a man to seeke mercy, but this to seeke Gods face; that is, if they have his favour, it is enough: they seeke God as sequestred from all things else; though such a soule had assurance of being freed from hell, it would not content him, unlesse he saw Gods face.

That which Absalom counterfeited (as knowing it to be a true straine of a loving and humbled child to a Father) when he had his life given him, though banished from the Court, Let mee see my Fathers face, though hee kill mee, it is an humbled soule in truth towards God: others as God sayes in Hosea, Seeke mercy, but they turned not to mee: they sought not me.

p. 88True humiliation causeth a man to turne from his evill wayes: the other makes a man but give them 3 Turne from sinne. 2 Chron. 33. 23.2 Chr 33:23over for a time, whilst he is sicke of them; and then returnes againe, as a Dog to his vomit, 2 Chron. 33. 23. It is said Amon humbled not himselfe, as Manasses his father had humbled himselfe, but transgressed more and more: which implies, that when a man is humbled as hee should, he transgresseth no more as hee had done; and so Manasses did so humble himselfe, as he transgressed no more. It will make him become stronger against that sin he hath transgressed Simile.in: as a bone that hath been broken is stronger when it is right set againe; hee especially humbleth himselfe for and turnes from his beloved sin, and with that from all the rest.

2 Property is, it makes a man to cleave fast to 2 To cleave fast to Christ.Christ, and so draw nigh to him in all the duties of obedience, to obey him constantly, generally and throughly. Men may have light wounds made in their hearts which do not drive them to the Physitian, which awakeneth men a little, but they fall asleepe againe: but when God humbleth so as to save, he so fastens the apprehension of his misery upon him, as to bring him home to Christ: he sets on the avenger of bloud to pursue him to the utmost, and not for a mile or two, but to follow him till he be driven into the Citty of refuge: There is an humiliation, which hath not this effect and consequent of it (and therefore I mention it as a property of the true) and this because of a defect that is in it, in which respect though it come neare the true, yet differs from it: which is in the event seene p. 89in this, that the true causeth to come to Christ, and to cleave to him without separation.

That you may therefore see the difference betweene this and the other, and wherein that other is defective; marke how that which is true workes this in one, who yet is not quite cut off, but hangs by a thread as it were, there being some secret Fibrae, some veines and strings that are not cut in peeces, which keepe life in the old man, and a man remaineth still upon his old stocke, and so long CHRIST comes not into the heart; not untill a man be unbottomed of himselfe, and sees he can no way be happy in himselfe, or within his owne compasse, but sees all is to bee had in and from the LORD JESUS; untill then, he will not goe out of himself, nor cleave to or follow the LORD JESUS CHRIST fully.

Now then, the other humiliation is defective in this, in that it is not in this manner enough bottomed, it cuts not a man wholly off from himselfe, the foundation is not laid low enough; there is wanting depth of earth, there is indeed so much earth as shall bring forth a greene blade of profession, and such a foundation as there may bee erected a slight building upon, but it is not low enough to beare a substantiall building that shall stand out all windes and weathers. This true humiliation hath these two things goe with it.

A man sees no bottome in himselfe:1

Seeth a bottome out of himselfe to stand upon, 2 Two things accompany this humiliation.and so hee casts himselfe upon that, clasps about CHRIST, and wholly adhereth unto him, and so p. 90draws all sap and life from him, as the branch doth from the roote, and thence comes that resolution and ability to cleave to the Lord, and to please him in all things.

As the resolution to doe it, so all his ability to goe through with it; for being joyned to CHRIST, there comes the spirit of grace (cal'd the vertue of CHRISTS death, because it workes a vertue like unto his death) into the heart: But when the heart is not yet in this manner broken, many take up purposes and good desires, but are not able to keepe them, because they were bottomed on their owne strength; whereas if the heart were broken from it selfe and engrafted into CHRIST, such purposes made in his strength would thrive and grow there: For if the soile bee made good, and fit plants bee planted in it, it is certaine they will thrive. Now in a good heart those desires that bee planted there doe thrive, and wither no more, and though there may now and then waves arise, and so they may be tossed to and fro; yet substantially they doe not wither nor fall from the foundation: Those therefore who have begun a good course for a yeare or Falling away the ground of ita monethmonth, and go not on in it, it is a signe they want humbling: Hee that is truly humbled, falles backe no more: Manasses did not, nor Saint Paul, Lord what wilt thou have mee doe, said hee then? and hee was as good as his word. Therefore take knowledge you that doe fall away, what the defect hath beene and wherein: for that will bee a meanes to set you right and recover you againe.

3 Property of Humiliation is, to have all the affections p. 913 Moderates the affections.moderate, all delights in worldly things faint and remisse, and all his affections taken chiefly up about grace and sinne: True affection in him wil eate up the false. He esteemeth spirituall things at a high rate, and all other things as little. Aske such an one what of all things else he would desire, and he will tell you, Christ, and the favour of God, and the graces of the Spirit, and to have his lusts mortified, and his sinnes pardoned, and that hee passeth not for the things of this life, hee cares not in comparison whether he bee poore or rich, bond or free, (notwithstanding if hee may have a better con dition, hee will use it rather) as a man that is condemned to die; little regards hee his estate or the things of this life, his apprehensions are taken up with greater things; give him his pardon, and take al else: So here one truly humbled, counts the favour of God so great, as he esteemes all things else light in comparison: When therefore men are violent in their affections towards worldly things and in their desires and delights in them, and endeavours after them, it is a signe they are not humbled.

4 Property is to love God and Christ much, Mary loved much, because much was forgiven her; that is, 4 To love God much.not simply that much was forgiven her, but because withal she had a sence of it, apprehended it as much and her sin great by a worke of humiliation, and so apprehended it a great matter to be pardoned. And so a man having once apprehended death and hell, and the wrath of GOD as belonging to him, and God comes on a suddaine and tells him, thou shalt live, when his necke was on the blocke, and hee expected p. 92nothing but death; this causeth a man to love GOD much, and to prize CHRIST; and this made Saint Paul also to love CHRIST so much, that the love of Christ constrained him, because I was a persecuter and a blasphemer, and he died for me, forgave me a great debt.

Hee that is truly humbled will bee content with any condition, as the Prodigall sonne, I am content 5 To be content with any condition.to be as an hired servant, sayes hee, and am unworthy to bee called a sonne any more; hee was content to doe the worke of a servant, to live in the condition of a servant, to have the lowest place in all the familie: And so Saint Paul look'd on himselfe as the least of all the Saints, thought hee could never lay himselfe low enough. Now this contentednesse is exercised about two things.

In a contentednesse in the want of these outward 1 In want of outward things.good things; when a man is content with the meanest services and the least wages, to want wealth, and credit and gifts, as Iacob being truly humbled, I am lesse than the least of thy mercies: whereas an other man that is not humbled, when hee lookes upon himselfe and GODS mercies hee enjoyes, he thinking highly of himself, thinkes himselfe too big for them, and that the disproportion is rather on his side; whereas Iacob though he then had many mercies, yet said, take the least merciemercy, and lay it in one scale, and my selfe in an other, and I am too light for it, lesse than it, and it too much for me.

It is exercised in bearing crosses. One that is 2 Bearing crosses.truly humbled still blesseth GOD, as Iob, and beares and accepts the punishment of his iniquity willingly p. 93and cherefully, as we see it made a condition, Lev. Lev. 26. 41.Lev 26:4126. 41. If their uncircumcised heart be humbled, and they beare or accept the punishment of their iniquity, if the Lord lay upon him a sharpe disease (say the plague, disreputation, poverty,) yet hee beareth it willingly and chearefully; for when a man thinkes in earnest that which is said Ezech. 36. that hee is Ezech. 36.Ezek 36worthy to be destroyed, whatsoever befalls him from God, which is lesse than destruction, hee blesseth God for it, and rejoyceth that he escapeth so.

The humble man therefore is in all conditions contented, alwayes chearefull and blessing God; if he hath good things, they are more then he is worthy of; if evill, though never so sharpe, yet they are lesse than destruction, and then he deserves, when as an unbroken heart is alwayes turbulent, and thinkes in the secret murmurings of his heart, that he is not well dealt with.

I should come now to the application of this Doctrine; Case. Whether such a measure of Legall sorrow be necessarybut before I must resolve a case and scruple, which doth use to trouble the hearts of many.

The Case in question is, whether to right and true humiliation, it be necessary that such a solemne humiliation and such a measure of sorrow and violent Legall contrition goe before it.

There is a double kind of sorrow wrought in the Answ. Sorrow dou ble.hearts of men; the one is a violent tumultuous sorrow, which ariseth from the apprehension of hell and punishment: the ground whereof is self-love, and is commonly in those who are suddainely enlightened, and so amazed therewith being taken on the suddaine; as wee see in Saint Paul who was taken p. 94suddainely as hee was going to Damascus: and it was discovered to him, that hee was guilty of so great a sinne, as he could never have imagined, a voyce from heaven to strike his eares on the suddaine, why persecutest thou me? And this wee find by experience to have beene in many who never have true humiliation, as wee see in Iudas. God indeed sometimes useth it to bring men to humiliation, as he did in Saint Paul.

But again we find in experience in some a cleaving to God, and holinesse of life, and a constant care to please him in all things, without this violent vexing sorrow: and many that have had their hearts deeply wounded, amazed, affrighted, and have therupon taken up great purposes which have come to nothing, the ground whereof having beene a violent passion, as that the roote withered, so the fruit withered also; but a true apprehension and conviction of sin; as in it selfe the greatest misery is more reall and drawes the heart nearer to Christ; so that in this case we may say of these two sorts, as Christ said of those who were bidden to goe into the vineyard: They that said they would goe, did not, and others that said they would not goe, yet went: and therefore wee answer, that it is not alwayes necessary to have Violent sorrow not alwayes necessary.such a violent sorrow, or that a man should lie any long time in such an evident sence of wrath, though alwayes there is a right apprehension of sin which doth humble a man: which will appeare by these considerations.

1 That is not alwayes the greatest sorrow that is 1 It … not alwayes the greatest.thus violent: though it seeme to bee so, it is not alwayes p. 95the greatest sorrow which melteth into teares; as that is not the greatest joy that discovers it selfe in laughter; that is not the greatest sorrow which workes the most violent commotion in the heart; there is a sad silent quiet sorrow that sinketh deeper, and wets more slowly, and sokes into the heart, and makes the heart more fruitful in the issue, which ariseth out of a more spirituall conviction of Judgement, of the evill of sin; though lesse passion accompanies it, yet a stronger and deeper affection of sorrow is wrought. I call it deeper, because it is more constant and lasting, more to purpose; the one being as a land-floud, the other as a spring.

Put the case, such a violent sorrow should bee 2greater, yet it is not alwayes alike necessary, neither on Gods part nor mans.

Not on mans part; as some disease doth not 1 Not necessary on mans part.need so sharpe and quick a medicine as an other, as some mens flesh is harder to heale than others, so some mens hearts have more stubbornnes in them than others; some have made themselves children of the Divell by their wicked courses, worse then they were at first; others in comparison are but as the children of Adam, still as they were borne, and therefore the same work may be wrought in them, with much lesse adoe.

On Gods part it is not alwayes so necessary, but 2 Nor on Gods part.is proportioned to Gods ends; and God differs and is various in his ends concerning men.

He meanes to bestow a greater measure of grace 1upon one then upon an other; and where he meanes to set a greater building, there he digges a lower p. 96foundation; hee meanes to use some as a meanes to comfort others, and therefore letteth them see and feele more the bitternesse of sinne, that they may be able to comfort others with the same comfort wherwith they have beene comforted.

Hee differs in the meanes to attaine his ends; if 2hee meanes to bring them to the same measure of grace, yet hee will not goe alwayes the same way to worke, as hee often doth that without affliction, which sometimes hee doth with it; as a man is brought to the same Haven divers wayes, some in a Similecalme is tided in, others are driven in with a storme, but it is no matter how they come so they come in, the promise is made to those that come.

A third consideration is, that it is not for want of this greatnesse of humiliation, that divers have 3 Greatnesse of sorrow.not so violent a sorrow, but from some circumstance in the worke it selfe; as,

First, because the light of comfort comes in sooner to some than to others; they have the salve presently 1 Comfort comes late.after the wound is given: God having broken the heart bindeth it up presently againe, a man may have as deepe a wound which a mitigated medicine comming neare to the bottome of the disease and soone applyed may sooner heale than another lesse deepe, to which the remedie is not applyed a Simile.long time after, which therefore askes longer: So also it is in joy, suddainnesse increaseth it for a fit; for example, put case a man is condemned for high treason, and brought to the blocke, and verily expects death, and his pardon on the suddaine comes, there is such a great sensible change wrought in him p. 97(and our natures are sensible of great changes) and therefore how excessively doth hee rejoyce! but take one who is guilty of the same fault, who knows that if he have not his pardon, hee should lose his life, but hath his pardon presently after the sentence passed, hee will prize his pardon as much as the other, though happily hee is not so turbulently affected as the other.

It falls out thus by reason of the ignorance some 2 From ignorance.have lived in before, who therefore are enlightened to know their estates all on the suddaine; whereas an other hath beene brought up in knowledge, and the knowledg of his misery being let in by degrees, then the case doth also differ, as betweene two men who were to goe through a wood, whereof one is Simile.set upon by theeves not suspecting any, and is put into a feare of his life, and knowes not how to escape, but one comes on the suddaine, and rescues him and gives him his life, but another is warned before, knowes hee must goe through such a passage, and that unlesse hee hath a strong guard to goe along with him, hee shall certainely perish; this man apprehends the danger as great, as the other, and the benefit as great, and the love of him that should goe with him as great; onelyonly his passion, either of feare or joy, is not so violent as the others, though hee truly rejoyceth in the deliverance as much as the other, and thinkes himselfe as much bound to the man that delivered him.

I have spoken these things, because some are scrupulous in the point, and thinke they may not p. 98safely apply the Promise, because they have not had that measure of sorrow that others have had.

But let no man suffer his assurance to hee weakned for want of this, for a man may have as high an esteeme of CHRIST and bee as throughly convinced of sinne though hee want that violent worke, which GOD workes in some, even a great sence of his wrath, and letting them lie there and then speakes peace, so as these are wrought by distinct acts and causes in a great distance one from the other, so that as their sorrow was evident so their joy was evident, in another he workes so, that as soone as hee sees sinne hee sees God also pardoning.

And in those that have that violent shyning of affection in their first Humiliation; looke how much of it is violent, will vanish, and what is substantiall, will hold; so that even they in the end come to this solid conviction of Judgement at last, which onelyonly is constant and abideth with them. And therefore let not thy assurance bee weakend for the want of this, for faith unites to Christ and establisheth us in well doing.

But you will say, is it not good to get that sensible stirring sence and sight of sinne?Object.

I answer, yes, for to that end GOD leades through crosses, and suffers thee to fall into sinnes, Answ. Sence of sin necessary.that thou mayest see the vanity of the creature and the sinfulnesse of thy nature, that when thou commest to heaven thou mayest say by thine own experience, it was not by my owne righteousnesse that I p. 99came hither: And therefore though it be good to get it, yet let GOD goe his owne way and use his owne manner of working, whether by Legal terror or otherwise, what he sees good for thee he will do to humble thee, but doe thou use meanes to understand the Law, thy owne heart and actions, and as thou art fallen into new sinnes, labour to see what a case thou shouldest be in, if Christ had not delivered thee: But let not thy assurance bee weakened, for you must know there are but two maine ends of humiliation, which if they bee attained in thee, thou needest not call in question thy estate. Now first Two ends of humiliation.it serves to make thee willing to match with Christ: Wee are Christs spokes-men, and woo you every Sabbath day, but wee finde all the world like them To take Christ.who thinke themselves beautifull and rich and that they have matches enow, who though they are contented to have Christ for their husband in Heaven, yet not on the earth with all those crosses they must take him with.

Now humiliation comes and makes men willing, when a man comes to see and say, I have no such thing in mee as I imagined, no riches, &c. but I am in debt, and shall be arrested and laid in prison, and my life must goe for it, unlesse Christ will marry mee; in that a man sees hee shall be kept from all arrests by him, this makes a man willing to match with Christ, yea glad, though he have many crosses follow in this life upon the marriage. Now therefore if thou findest this wrought that thou canst sincerely say, I am willing to take Christ, and to bee subject to him in all things, to follow him in all p. 100conditions, to give a full consent to take him, as I finde that hee in the word hath a full consent to take mee; then certainely thou art humbled, else not; if thou hadst taken him onelyonly in a fit, and not out of Judgement, thou wouldest have repented thee ere now.

The second end which humiliation serves to is for Sanctification, as the other helpt him in his Justification, 2 For Sanctification.that every unruly lust may bee broken and mortified in thee; that thou mightest feare to offend and bee plyable to the Lord in every thing; whereas another that is unbroken quarrells with every thing, thinkes his worke too much, and his wages too little, and knowes not why he should goe a contrary way to the world, but an humbled man Simile.will doe all this chearefully, like a broken Horse that turnes at every check of the bridle, when another casts his Rider: Doest thou finde that thou tremblest at the word, and fearest sinne, and darest not venture in it, and so for duties, thou darest not neglect them: and this thou hast experience of in the whole course of thy life? then surely this worke of humiliation hath beene in thy heart: Though thou seest not the fire, yet if thou findst the heate, it hath beene there: for these are the effects of it, and as I speake this for the comfort of those that have not felt such violent sorrows, so let mee on the contrary say to others, who (it may bee) have had such fits of sorrow, yet if thou find an unwillingnes to submit thus to Christ, findest thy necke stiffe to the Lords yoke, and such an unbrokennesse in thee, that thou canst not live without satisfying this or p. 101that lust, but canst sin and beare it out well enough, let thy sorrow have beene never so great, and now they are past and gone, and were not right; let men therefore examine themselves by the effects, for men are deceived on both sides: and then,

1 Vse is for exhortation to stirre up to the dutie: Vse 1.This exhortation I direct to two sorts of men; first to those who are already truly humbled, and secondly to strangers to it.

First you that are already humbled and have obtained 1 Exhortation to those that are humbled.the assurance of the forgivenesse of your sins, you must be humbled more, for if the Lord suspend his promise at this, then the duty is to be done daily: When God requires a dutie of Sanctification (and his promises are made onelyonly to such) there can bee none excuse, there may bee a let in preparative humiliation; a man may bee swallowed of two Degrees of grace from degrees of humiliationmuch sorrow: but not in this which is a duty of sanctification: and know this, that all degrees of grace arise from the degrees of this true Humiliation: which I make good to you thus; Faith and Love are the great radicall graces, all elseare but branches springing out of them. Now they are strengthened by this humiliation, and graces the more they grow, there is an addition still made to them; as there is an addition made to our humiliation.

First for Faith, know that the more strongly 2 Faith.a man layes hold on CHRIST and prizeth him, the more he goes on to apprehend his sinne, and is emptied of himselfe; and though a man tooke CHRIST truly at his first conversion, yet there are degrees of prizing him; when a husband takes a p. 102wife, though at their feast marriage there was such love betweene them as they would have chosen each other before any other in the world, yet so as this their love may admit degrees; after marriage, they may see more grounds of loving each other more, so that though the match is made, yet they may be more confirmed in their choice, which may be made more full and absolute: So towards Christ the will and affections may be wound up to a higher peg, which is done by a further degree of humiliation. What is faith, but a laying hold of Christ? Now the emptier the hand is, the further …aith what.hold it takes, and the more we are taken off our own bottome, the further we will cleave to Christ. A man in a river that is like to be drowned, and hath a rope cast to him, he wil be sure to catch as fast hold Simile.as hee can, you shall not need to bid him. And to this end it is, that Christians are still taught more and more, by the spirit to see the vanity of the creature, the vilenesse of their natures; and they are led through this wildernesse to humble them, that so Christ may have the higher place in their hearts.

Againe, the greater the thirst is, the greater will a mans draught be; and the more you adde to your humiliation, the more will your thirst bee after Christ, and you will drinke deeper of the fountaine of life, and draw more sap from him.

And secondly it increaseth your love, for thereby 2 Love.wee come to see our selves more beholding to God, as having a greater debt forgiven us. What made Mary love much, but because shee was sensible much was forgiven her. Therefore labour more p. 103and more to bee humbled, especially as you fall into new sinnes, which the Lord oft lets him to doe, that they might bee humbled more: and the more light a Christian gets to discover his owne vilenesse and the vanity of the creature, the stronger he will grow in grace, and the more established in well doing.2 To those that are not humbled.

Now secondly for those that are strangers to this grace of Humiliation; that they may come to be humbled, let them observe these two rules. First labour to see the greatnesse of sin. Secondly to see your owne weaknesse and unability to helpe your selves; for the first, doe not weigh sin by common opinion, but in a right ballance, doe not doe with 1 To see the greatnesse of sinne.your soules as some doe with their bodies; when their beautie is decayed, they desire to hide it from themselves by false glasses, and from others by painting; so do we for the most part with our sins; wee desire to hide them from our selves by putting false glosses upon them, and from others by fained excuses: but deale impartially with your selves herein, and labour to see sinne in its full vilenesse: And that you may doe so,

First pitch upon some one great sin, and take it into 1 Single out some great sinne.consideration. So Christ, when he would humble Paul, he tells him of his persecution, Why persecutest thou me? And so S. Peter, when he would humble Acts 2. ….Acts 2the Iewes Acts 2. 1. he tells them of their crucifying of Christ: So Christ when hee would humble the Iohn 4.John 4Woman, Iohn 4. he remembers her of her adultery: And the method that God takes when hee would humble us, it is good for us to take: For as when a p. 104man goes to rub a great staine out of a cloath, by the same labour hee rubs out others, that are the lesse, for my meaning is, not that you should let other sinnes alone, when I exhort you to single out Simile.one; but to consider all particulars else also, though never so small: the multitudes of them will helpe to humble thee, as well as the greatnesse: When a man sees hee hath many debts though but small, of sixpences and shillings; yet being many, the totall summe may arise to a great quantity, and make a man see himselfe bankerupt: Therefore set your sinnes in order before you, give the due weight to every sin, but yet especially let great sins bee in your Sins great how.eye. Now some sinnes are greater in their owne nature, as fornication, swearing, drunkennesse, &c. others are made great by their circumstances, as that they were committed against knowledge, with deliberation, as Saul sparing the Amalekites, and sacrificing before Samuel came, wherein a commandement on the contrary was distinctly given. So God aggravated to Adam his sin, did not I command thee the contrary? and didst thou not know thou shouldest not? We are not to take sins by number only, but also by weight: as when they were committed contrary to many promises, purposes, and so as hardnesse of heart follow upon it

And secondly, withall labour to make sins present, 5 To make past sinnes present.though long since committed; looke on them as if they were newly done: for though our sinnes bee great, yet if we apprehend them and view at a distance, and a great way off, they move us not: which is the reason why men are not more affected p. 105with the thought of death, in their health, which yet is one of the greatest evills, and so apprehended by us when we come to die: the reason is, because it is then conceived to be a farre off, and so men are not moved with it. Thus it is in our apprehension of sins also: the distance makes them seeme small; there is not a neare conjunction and application of the object and the affection, they are not brought nigh, but men looke upon sinnes long since past as small, whereas in truth sins long since committed are the same in themselves and in the sight of God they were when first committed; and therefore should bee the same to thee. So a man that hath committed a treason twenty yeares agoe, may bee executed for it now: and therefore Iosephs brethren remembred their sinne as fresh, though long before committed, as if they had then committed it: their affliction revived in their consciences, and made it as present: but we usually looke on sins past as none of ours. Iob saith, that the LORD made him possesse the sinnes of his youth: he possessed them, that is, looked on them as his owne. What is the reason why to men in jeopardy, as in a storme at Sea and in the time of sicknesse their sins then appeare so terrible and fearefull? they apprehend them as present. Now that which God doth by affliction, let us labour to get done by meditation, and by faith to looke on them as present; turne that end of the optike glasse which will bring them neare to thee, labour to have a true Judgement of their greatnesse, and that they are the same, for therein lyes true humiliation, when the Judgement is rightly convinced p. 106to esteeme them the greatest evill, though it bee not accompanied with so violent and turbulent a sorrow.

When you have made them thus present, doe not quickly make an end, but let sorrow abide 3 Let sorrow abide.upon your hearts, for the worke is not so soone done; you will get into some rocke or other, unlesse you bee continually persecuted and followed by the apprehension of your sins, till you come unto the City of refuge: but doe as David did Psal. 51. he sets his sin before him; and as Saint Paul, to whom that sin of persecution was ever fresh in his Psalme 51.Ps 51memory and alwayes in his mouth, I a persecutor, &c. In this case learne something of the Divell, who when he would bring a man to bee swallowed up of sorrow, his manner is to keepe a mans sin still before him, nor will he let a man be at rest, therfore 2 Cor. 12. they are called the buffetings of Sathan, because hee comes often with blow after blow, to 2 Cor. 12.2 Cor 12discourage and amaze a man now learne from that practise of his to stay and dwell upon the meditations of our sinnes, and often to present them to our soules. Thy greene wood happily will not burne without much blowing: it is frequens & intensior argumentatio, Simile.a frequent pressing of arguments that workes on the affections; and so here keepe the object neare the faculty, and at last it will worke: look not on thy sins by fits, let there be no interruption by worldly joyes or pleasures, no intervalla: and this is Saint Iames counsell, Be afflicted, and mourne and weepe, Iames 4. Let your laughter bee turned into mourning, and your joy into heavinesse: humble your p. 107selves, &c. that is, if you will have your hearts humbled, abstaine from lawfull delights for the time, get alone. So Ioel 2. hee bids them set apart Ioel 2.Joel 2a day, that they might have no interruption; and if that will not doe it, sanctifie another; let not one sparke goe out ere another bee strucke; otherwise you will bee alwayes beginning and never come to be humbled.

If you would come to lay your sins to heart, and 4 Take heed of false reasonings.be affected with them; then be sure you be not kept off by those false reasoning; and excuses, which hinder men from being humbled, and keepe their sins from comming in upon them: as for instance; when a man comes to consider of his sinnes, I but sayes he, am I not in a good estate already? and then my sinnes are pardoned; for I have good desires in me and a good meaning, I meane no man no harme; and thus these keepe him from seeing himselfe a child of wrath: but consider, that thou mayst have all these good things in thee, and more than these, and yet be a child of wrath; these will be found to the praise of the Holy Ghost who wrought them in thee, but not to thy advantage to escape damnation; for though these be in thee, yet they have not that full effect they should, for they overcome not that evill that is in thee: for notwithstanding all these good things thou art still a Sabbath profaner, a drunkard given to company. I might goe over all other sins; but in a word; if they overcome not every sin, they are nothing for the saving thee; if they had beene effectuall in thee, they would have driven out the darknesse; all the good things thou p. 108hast availe not to thy salvation; because they make thee not a good man; yea all these good things and the good fits thou hast had, will helpe forward thy condemnation: because thou hast prophaned the truth in thy heart, and hast not put fuell to these Other excuses are in those Sermons upon Rom. 1. 17, 18.Rom 1:17Rom 1:18sparkes, which God in mercy did put in: that thou shouldest suffer such Talents as these to lie hid in a Napkin, will he not say, thou art an unprofitable servant?

A second thing that is to be added to the sight of your sinnes to humble you, is to know that misery 2 The sight of our misery and vanity to that end.and vanity that is in your selves; wee see by experience that men will grant that they are great sinners, but what is the reason, that yet notwithstanding they stand out?

They doe not know their owne misery and vanity, and though wee have preached to men againe and againe their misery; yet they are not stirred: but when death comes, then they are humbled, and why, but because then they see what God is, and what themselves are; death shewes them the vanity of the Creature: so that the way to bee humbled, is to know how unable a man is to bee happy within his owne compasse. And to this end consider:

First, the greatnesse of God and his power, and the terrours of the Almighty, that he is that God in 1 See the greatnesse of God.whose hands is thy life and wayes, and all: and consider, that unlesse thou seriously lay thy sinnes to heart; this God is thy enemy, and him with whom for ever thou hast to doe.

Consider what a weake creature thou art; thinke p. 1092with thy selfe; a sicknesse may come on my body, a crosse may come on my estate, yea an apprehension Our owne weaknesse.of my soule, that may sucke up the marrow of my bones; and above all, I have an immortall soule in a vessell of clay; and thinke when that glasse, that shell is broke, what will become of that poore soule of thine: And this would bring a man to the Prodigalls case. Belshazzar saw this, when hee saw the hand writing upon the wall. Had it not beene wisedome in him to have seene and acknowledged it before? Thou art well now; thou doest not know what alterations may befall thee in the yeare, and thou hadst better leave a thousand businesses undone, than this.

And yet thirdly, all this will not doe it, except the spirit of God come on thee: to humble a man 3 Labour for the Spirit.is a mighty worke. Though Eliah should preach to you, yea all the sonnes of thunder should come, yet without the spirit, they will not be able to humble you; yea God himselfe came downe from heaven, upon Mount Sinai, and with what terrours? and yet the people remained unbroken, though they were amazed for a time. When Christ spake to S. Paul and strucke him off his horse, if he had not had a light within as well as without, hee had not beene humbled; nor the Iaylor, if there had not been an earthquake in his heart, as well as in the earth. Ieroboam had as great a miracle wrought before him as Saint Paul: you may well thinke the drying up of his hand amazed him, yet made him not give over his sinne; and what was the reason? there was a miracle in both, but not the spirit: and if wee p. 110did worke miracles before you, from day to day; yet unlesse God sent his spirit of bondage upon you you would not bee humbled. See the necessity of the spirits helpe in admonitions also. Amaziah was admonished by a Prophet as well as David by N. than, yet hee was not humbled: and so wee see some are humbled by afflictions, and others not. Therefore pray that God would send his Spirit to convince you, and learne also not to be offended at us, when in preaching the Law your consciences are troubled. It is the spirit that troubleth you; else our words would not trouble you: and therefore bee not angry at us: and therefore also doe not put off this duty of getting your hearts humbled; for thou art not able so much as to humble thy self: therefore take the opportunities of the spirit, when he stirs thy heart.

But you will say, this rather discourageth us from the worke: for then wee must ever waite like Object.marriners, till the tide and the gale comes, and I had as good sit still: for I may goe about it to no purpose, seeing the Lord must doe it.

I answer thee; that if thou wouldest goe about Answ. God gives the Spirit in our indeavours.it and shut up thy selfe in private a day, and after that another, in the end God would send his Spirit. When Christ bad them goe and rowe, though they rowed all night to little purpose, yet CHRIST came at last, and they were on the other side presently; it may be thou mayest bee about it a monethmonth or two, ere thou findest the Spirit comming; yet hee will come in the end, and then the worke wil be throughly done; for God hath made a promise of the Holy p. 111Ghost, that hee will baptize with the Holy Ghost as with fire; not onelyonly to his Disciples; but those that yet never had it: for it is not onelyonly for increase, but to begin grace. Yea, if God hath given thee a heart to pray, to consider this promise, so as thou hast taken up a resolution to waite and to set thy selfe to the worke, when thou hast done so; the spirit is already in thine heart, the worke is begun, though thou thinkest not so; and never pleade thou canst not do it without the spirit; for I aske thee this question, didst thou ever commit a sinne in which thou couldest say, I did it against my will? was there ever any duty which thou hadst a thought to doe, that thou couldest say, thou couldest not doe it? thy heart tells thee no.

Therfore set about this duty which is the maine; which therefore we have prest much, because it is as a naile driven into a wall on which other graces hang. This and Faith are the great things which the master builders are occupied about, and indeed the foundation, which therefore above all you must looke to; and these our exhortations should bee as forked Arrowes to sticke in you, and not out againe, and not as other Arrowes that wound onelyonly.

We have done with the negative part, That such as doe not humble themselves have no interest in the promises.

We come now to the affirmative part, which is for comfort; That if any man doth humble himselfe, God will heare his prayer, his sinnes shall be forgiven, &c.