The Golden Scepter Held Forth to the Humble, Treatise · Doctrine 2

The Golden Scepter Held Forth to the Humble · Treatise · Doctrine 2

p. 121The Doctrine is this. The Lord will be mercifull Doct. The Lord is mercifull to the humble.unto the humble.

I had thought to have gon off sooner, but that the Supper of the Lord drawes neare; which time is a day of reconciliation; such as was that Feast the tenth day in the seventh monethmonth, when the people all meeting together, Aaron the Priest confessed their sins over the scape Goate which fled into the wildernesse, which was a type of Christ taking away all our sins; and the same is done and represented when we receive the Sacrament. Now one condition required of the people at that time was, that they should humble themselves, and every soule that did not was to be cut off, Levit. 23. 27. to the 30. verse, and that letting goe of the scape Goate was at the Levit. 23. 27Lev 23:27same time, as appeares, Levit. 16. 20. to the 31.Lev. 16. 20.Lev 16:20

But to come to the point; the Scripture is plentifull to prove it, Iames 4. 6. God giveth grace to the Iames 4. 6.Jas 4:6humble, sanctifying grace, and also saving knowledge, Psal. 25. He shewes his secrets unto the humble, Psalme 25.Ps 25yea he dwelleth in such, Esay 57. 15. he hath an especiall Esay 57. 15.Isa 57:15eye to such: those eyes that runne through the whole earth fixe themselves on the humble man for good, Esay 62. 2. other things have my hand made; (yet them he regards not in comparison) To him will I looke that is humble: he promiseth also to Esay 62. 2.Isa 62:2fill them with good things, to give them preferment and honour, to exalt the humble and meeke; yea hee regards it so, that when evill men have humbled themselves, they have not gone away without some mercy; as when Ahab humbled himselfe, p. 1132 Chron. 12. God promised he would not bring the 2 Chron. 122 Chr 12evill in his dayes: and the best of Gods children when they have not humbled themselves, hee hath withdrawne his favour from them, as he would not looke on David, till he had humbled himselfe. All the world cannot keep an humble man down, nor all the props in the world cannot keep a proud man up.

And what are the reasons why God respecteth humble men so?

An humble man giveth God all the glory, and Reas. 1. They give God the glory.him that honoureth mee (saith GOD) I will honour. Now an humble man doth as Ioab did. Ioab would not take the victory to himselfe, but sent for David; and it was the deepest policy that ever Ioab used: and so the Apostles, Acts 3. know that JESUS hath Acts 3.Acts 3made this man whole: and it is the humble mans wisedome, in all actions not to set themselves up, but to say no matter how I be regarded, so God be glorified; and God will honour such: therefore CHRIST in his prayer makes this a ground of being glorifyed by God, Iohn 17. I have glorified thee on Iohn 17. 4.John 17:4earth; now father glorifie me. And so God will deale with his Saints in a proportion.

Humility keepes a man within his owne compasse; Reas. 2. It keepes a man in com passe.but pride lifts a man up above his proportion, it puts all out of joynt and breeds disorder, and that bringeth destruction; and therefore humility was defined by some of the Ancients to bee that which out of the knowledge of GOD and a mans selfe keepes a man to his owne bottome. That whereas a proud man liftes up himselfe above his Simile.measure, as a member in the body that swells, takes p. 114up more roome then it should, and are as bubbles in the water, which should bee plaine and smooth; but this brings all into its place againe, gives the Creator his due, and sets the creature where it should be, and therefore God loves it.

It makes a man sociable and usefull and profitable Reas. 3. Makes a man usefull … others.to others: a man would not have a stubborne horse that will not goe in the teame with his fellowes, nor such high trees as overshadow others, and will not suffer them to grow by them, and bring forth no fruit themselves. A man will not keepe a Cow or an Oxe that is still a pushing; and Simile.such an one is a proud man: it is but, and onelyonly the humble man that will live profitably amongst his neighbours, and will not goe beyond his owne Tedder.

An humble man hath such a frame of heart, as the LORD delights in; for hee is fearefull Reas. 4. It makes … bedient.to offend, alwayes obedient, ready to doe any service, and is content with any wages; loves much, is abundant in thankfulnesse, and cleaves fast to the LORD, because hee hath no bottome of his owne, and keepeth under his lusts, because hee knowes the bitternesse of sinne; resignes up his heart to the Lord to follow him in all things, hee is a man of the Lords desires; so it is said of Daniel, when he had humbled himselfe, Dan. 9. Such an one as the Lord would have; and so it makes him fit … 9.for favour; and when a man is fit for favour, he shall bee sure to have it, for God is not streight-handed to us.

Hath the LORD said it, and that from heaven; p. 115Vse▪ 1.that if a man doe humble himselfe hee will forgive Consolation.him? Then this is a matter of great consolation; when I can say from GOD to any one here that droopes, that if thou doest and wilt humble thy selfe, the LORD will forgive thee; consider it, this is newes from heaven.

Put the case (to compare spirituall things with things which you are more sensible of) that any of you had committed high treason against the King, and thou hadst forfeited thy life and goods; if any one should come from the King to thee, and tel thee that if thou wouldest goe to him and humble thy selfe it should be pardoned: And is not our case the same? We are guilty of eternall death, and have forfeited life and all: when therefore GOD himselfe shall say, If thou wilt humble thy selfe, thy sinnes shall bee forgiven, what comfort is it? such a word as this should not be lost. A man that knowes the bitternesse of sinne, would waite and waite againe to gaine such a word as this from the LORDS mouth, and would keepe it as his life. It was not a light thing to get such a word as this from God, none but a favourite could get it, nay none but his Son, and hee not, but by his death; if CHRIST had not provided this Charter for us, every man should have dyed in his sinnes. Now this we can and doe say from GOD through CHRIST, that though your sinnes be great, and you have fallen into them many a time and committed them with the worst of circumstances; yet if thou humblest thy self, thou shalt be forgiven; so as thou mayst say, I may challenge God of his promise, and put this bond in p. 116suite and he cannot deny it. This is a great matter; if a man shall but seriously consider, what it is to have this great God, the Governor of the World, to bee an enemy, one would thinke they should thinke this Gospell good newes.

But you will say, I doe yet neither know distinctly what it is to humble my selfe, neither can I humble my selfe; there is not a harder thing then it is. Therefore I will shew it you once againe, that you may know it, for why should wee not in so great a point turne it every way, and mould it for your use, and to your apprehensions, as also that you may not thinke it harder then it is, by which the Divell keeps many off.

Now you may know what it is by the expressions Humiliation what.of those who have humbled themselves. David having numbred the people, when he humbled himselfe he said, Lord I have sinned and done exceeding foolishly. Iosiah his heart melted before the Lord. And Dan. 9. Lord we have done very wickedly, &c. and Dan. 9.Dan 9shame belongs to us: hee was ashamed. And Io… when he humbled himselfe, said, Lord, I abhor my selfe in dust and ashes. And the Prodigall, I have sinned against heaven and against thee, and am no more worthy to bee called thy sonne. And so they are said to bee weary and heavy laden. Many other expressions there are, but I will digest all into two heads; to humble a mans selfe is but to bring his heart and minde unto these two acts.

Is out of a sence of a mans unworthinesse to say 1 An acknoledgi…g our vile sinsthus unto the Lord: Oh Lord, I ha…e done exceeding wickedly, and am worthy to be destroyed. I have beene p. 117in the wrong way, and done exceeding foolishly; but thy wayes are righteous, and thou art just: yea I have dealt unthankfully and unequally with thee, who hast beene so good to me. That was it melted the heart of Iosiah, and made Iob abhorre himselfe; as vile as the dust I tread upon, as ashes that are good for nothing, or but as sackloth (in which they used to humble themselves, the worst of garments, I am ashamed and confounded. This is the first act which is a sence and an acknowledgement of our owne unworthinesse and vilenesse. And the 2 To acknowledge he is worthy to be destroyed.second a sight of a mans worthinesse to be destroyed, unability to helpe himselfe, and of the vanity of all things else. A man must further say, that I am not onelyonly unworthy, but guilty of death; my sinnes will breake my backe; I am not able to stand under them, and I am utterly undone; and when I looke upon all the props of my life, my health, and riches, &c. I see they are but vaine things, reeds and feathers, and as hollow ground whereon I can set no footing: Therefore LORD, bee thou a rocke to mee, on whom I may pitch and build my selfe. And that this sight of our owne unability is also necessary we see by that 1 Tim. 6. 17. Charge them that are rich, that they bee not high minded, nor trust in uncertaine 1 Tim. 6. 171 Tim 6:17riches: they are both joyned together: For so farre as a man doth trust in them, he is high minded; and the soule of man doth trust in them so long as it apprehends substance in them, and that they are not vanity, so farre the heart beares it selfe upon them, and so is carelesse of the LORD; and why else do afflictions humble men, as Manasses, but p. 118because a man then sees the emptinesse of all things, it brings him to say with the Prodigall, I die for hunger, and these cannot feed mee, and so to hold fast to the LORD: which a man must needs doe, when he hath but one thing to hold to. Now when thou art wrought on so as to expresse this unfainedly, this is it, to humble thy selfe.

We should hence learne to strengthen our faith; if we have done this, if thou hast thus humbled thy Vse 2. To strengthen faith.selfe, confessed thy sinnes, taken up a full resolution to forsake them; thou shalt have mercy, according to that promise Prov. 28. 13. He that confesseth and …rov. 28. 13for saketh, shall have mercy.

But here we find those who have humbled themselves come in with two objections, that hinder their comfort,

1. That they cannot mourne for their sins. 2 That they fall into the same sinnes againe and againe, and that therefore they have not humbled themselves. Now as we would not have the false deceived with false evidences, so nor the true discomforted, and therefore wee will answer these objections. To the first,

If thou beest so farre convinced in thy Judgement of thy sin, and misery, and unability to helpe 1 When mourning is effectuall.thy selfe, as it hath turned the bent and rudder of thy will, so as thou sayest, I will goe and humble my selfe to my Father, change my course, confesse and forsake my sins; though thy affections seeme to thee not stirred, yet this is enough to translate thee into the estate of grace: for I aske, to what end is mourning and weeping required, but to awaken a p. 119man, to come home to God, in this manner mentioned? when therefore thou findest these effects, thou maiest be sure thou hast the end of these, and that is enough to save thee. Suppose a man carries about him a deadly disease, so as upon the discovery, and knowledge of it he is content to part with all he hath to the Physicians, and is wary of medling Simile.with any meate that will hurt him and increase it; if he know this that it is deadly, though he hath no sence of paine, it is all one, (and there are some diseases you know, wherein a man feeles not so much paine, that yet are mortall) it may make him as carefull to use the meanes: and so is it here; if the conviction of the sinfulnesse and deadlinesse of sinne worke those dispositions mentioned in thee, then thou hast the end which mourning tends to, and that is all one.

Though thy affections be not so stirred, consider 2 What the promises are made tothe promises are made to ones comming in, and taking Christ, and beleeving in him: they are not made to the commotion of the affections: and here in the words the promise is made to, humbling thy selfe out of a solidity of Iudgement. It is no matter by what meanes you are brought to take hold on Christ, so you come to him. It is all one whether I come to my journeys end by land, or by water, on horse backe or on foote, so I bee come thither.

If thou findest thou doest the things that an humble man should doe, then though thy affections seeme not to be moved, yet in very deed they are moved and changed: as if thou art fearefull to returne p. 120to thy sinnes, art resolved to please God in all things to thy power. For what are affections, but divers positions and scituations of the will and Affections what.the feete it walkes upon? they are but the divers motions and inclinations whereby the will shoots it selfe into the objects of it. Now looke which way thy will is resolved, and set: that way are thy affections set also: if thou seest one ro rise up soone and goe to bed late, to avoyde poverty, and to get riches, a wise man will assure himselfe that his Simile.ayme is such, and his heart set upon riches; his actions shew that his affections doe move strongly that way, though he sayes, he feeles no such stirradge. Therefore though thou findest this stilnesse of affections; yet if thou doest the same things that they use to do, who mourne and weepe more; thou mayest assure thy selfe thy affections are moved.

I adde this, that it is no wound, if thy affections be not so sensibly stirred, and yet thy humiliation bee sound; for it is the nature of the affections to shoot into their owne objects stilly, and to runne along as water and winde doth; if they meete with no obstacle to runne quietly, if it meetes with trees, then the winde riseth, and if the tide meete with the winde, then the waves rise; so if our affections be crossed, we are sure to heare of them then: if thou hadst not some hopefull assurance of thy estate, thou wouldest heare of mourning and drooping; then it may be the worke of grace in thee hath alwayes gone evenly on, the streame hath runne calmely and quietly; but yet such doe p. 121finde that upon some suddaine accidents or drawings nigh, when the LORD is pleased to make an impression upon them, then they heare of stirring affections.

But (to conclude all) know and resolve upon it, that the flowing and ebbing of thy affections is not that which thy salvation depends upon, but solidity of conviction of Iudgement which turnes the will, and makes thee to cleave fast unto Christ.

Whereas you object you fall into the same sins 2 Object. Answ Falling againe into sins.againe and againe; I answer, you may fall againe and againe, and into great sins, for which you have been soundly humbled: why should we speake that which the Scripture doth not? onelyonly take it with this caution, that you find a constant warre against them, as Israel with the Amalekites, so as never to yield; to looke upon their sinnes, as a mans greatest enemy, never to be reconciled though he be foiled againe and againe: for what is true humiliation, but True humiliation whatto reckon sin the greatest misery? and indeed if a man reckon any greater, as losse of wealth, &c. then a man had rather fall into sinne then lose his wealth; whence it is that falsenesse of heart doth a rise: but humiliation makes a man to reckon sinne such an evill, as he had rather suffer any thing than make a truce with sinne: and the generall ordinary power of grace in a mans ordinary whole course is not seene in keeping men from relapses altogether, but in setting sinne and the heart at oddes, as health and sickenesse; whilst a man is a living man he cannot p. 122be friends with any disease but nature will resist it, it sets them at variance, as the Wolfe and the Lambe, as the spring and mudde, and living waters will cleanse themselves, though the mudd arise a thousand times, if as the Wolfe which reckons the Lambe the greatest enemy it hath in the world by an instinct of nature, so if thou reckonest sinne the most destroying thing in the world, whence is this but because humiliation hath made that impression and apprehension of it on thy heart; which God hath set on thy heart as a brand in the flesh that will never out, then thou wilt fight against every sinne and never be reconciled to it, as a Lambe is not to a Wolfe, because nature hath implanted that enmity there; if thou finde this to bee the constant disposition of thy minde, keepe thy assurance strong, though many weakenesses be discovered in thee; It is utterly a fault among you to weaken your assurance by your daily slippings and failings, Daily failings should not weaken assurance.and Satan labours that above all other, for then when your assurance and hope is gone you walke unevenly, and as a Ship that hath lost her Anchor, or is without a Rudder: thou mayst sometimes feele a hardnesse in thee, and yet if this aforesaid bee the constant disposition of thy minde; Weaken not thy assurance, but say, though I finde my heart hard and carelesse, froward and angry often, whereas I should bee meeke and humble; Yet I will not question the maine, but I will goe and renew my humiliation, which will strengthen my assurance; however, hold that firme, for it drawes into neerer Communion with GOD, and p. 123further from sinne establisheth a man in welldoing, and makes him abound in the worke of the Lord.

Learne hence also, that it is not enough for a Vse 3. To be humble in afflictions as well as patient.man only to be patient in afflictions, but he must also humble himselfe under them, wee must not onelyonly beare the crosse, but willingly and cheerfully acknowledge Gods justice in it, and our owne sinne, for to bee humbled is a further thing then to bee patient, as in 2 Chron. 12. 6. when the people were 2 Chron. 12 6.2 Chr 12:6left in the hand of Shishak, it is said, that the Princes of Israel humbled themselves, and they said, the Lord is righteous, where being humbled, is expressed by acknowledging God to be righteous, which is more then to be patient, God lookes for this in all afflictions, therefore he sayes in 1 Pet. 5. 6. humble 1 Pet. 5. 6.1 Pet 5:6your selves (and not bee patient onelyonly) under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Many a man in affliction may say, he will be patient; but that is not enough, but he must humble himselfe, which is more then patience; for pati ence is only to beare it contentedly, but a man must goe to God, and say, Lord I confesse I am sinfull and have deserved more then this punishment, I wonder not at thy judgment but at thy long suffering rather, that it is no worse with me, the least of Saints and the greatest of sinners. So wee see it was with Naomi in Ruth 1. 20, 21. call me not by an Ruth 1. 20, 21.Ruth 1:20Ruth 1:21honorable name, not Naomi, but Marah; I went out full, but I am come home empty, and the Lord hath afflicted mee; and seeing hee hath afflicted mee, I will carry my saile accordingly. This is truly to p. 124humble a mans selfe. And thus did David, when hee fled before Absolon, Let the Lord doe with mee what seemes good in his eyes. 2 Sam. 15. 26. And so said Eli, In all this the Lord is good, that is, the Lord 2 Sam. 15. 26.2 Sam 15:26is just in all this, and I, and my sonnes deserve it, and more. Thus when a man thinkes it reasonable that God should punish him, he blesseth God that the crosse is no greater, without complaining or repining. If the Lord will leade thee through variety of conditions, say with Paul, I know how to want, and how to abound, and how to goe through bad report, as well as good report; and I am not onelyonly content, but chearefull in all this, and would be, if it were farre worse.

If the Lord hath said hee will bee mercifull to the humble, then let us humble our selves more and Vse 4. To be more humble.more and get our hearts lower and lower, seeing there are such mighty and large promises belonging to the humble, and know that as the Lord suspends his promises upon this here, so they shall bee fulfild upon the performance of this, and as wee doe this more or lesse, so shall the promises be fulfilled to us more or lesse, therefore let us doe this more and more, for if we humble our selves, the Lord will fill our hearts with good things; when he sees a man taking a low place, hee will say sit up higher, all the world cannot hold downe an humble man, because the Lord setteth to his hand to raise him up, neither keepe up a proud man because the Lord setteth himselfe to depresse and debase them, when the wall swells, it is not like to stand long, when a joynt is luxated and swelled, till the swelling abate, it cannot p. 125be saved and set, he hath respect to the low estate of his handmaiden, so saith Mary the blessed Virgin, Luke 1. 48. So he dealt with Naomi, hee was long Luke 1. 48.Luke 1:48in humbling her, and then raised her up; so with Iob, when hee was humbled, then God doubled his estate: thus God deales with the humble and that constantly, he never does any great things for any men, till hee hath first humbled him; how much was Ioseph humbled, ere he made that promise to him that the Sunne, Moone, and Stars should bow to him, that is, his father, and mother and brethren, should obey him, and yet againe before God made good these promises to him, what a doe there was to humble him further? which doubtlesse made him more to prize these mercies, and so more thankfull to God for them. So also in his glorious appearance to Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, he would still before hand humble them, and make them low by some affliction or other still before hee would make any gracious promises to them. When Iacob was flying from the face of his brother and was in great streights and so made low in his owne eyes, then did God first appeare to him: when a man is humbled, it is the next doore to preferment one way or other. Therefore it should be our wisedome to humble our selves more and more, since there is so much benefit to be gotten by it. Prov. Pro. 22. 4.Prov 22:422. 4. By humility and the feare of the Lord are riches, and honours, and life: the rule holds constant, the Lord makes it good; let a man be humble, and feare God too, that is, allow himselfe in no sinne, and the Lord will make it good one way or other, in his time.

p. 126But you will say, we see the contrary, proud men Object Though the proud are ex alted, and humble depressed.are advanced, and humble men deprest, they have riches when as the humble man is poore, and as we use to say, where the hedg is lowest, there all the beasts goe over, and tread it downe: every man will be ready to trample upon the humble man.

I answer first; The Lord gives outward gaudy things to proud men; but hee gives his Iewels Answ. 1. Yet the humble have the best gifts.to those that are humble, hee reveales his secret to them; these are Princes though they goe on foote; and the other are servants, though they ride on horsebacke.

But this is not all my answer: but secondly I 2 He exalts them in due time.say; that even for the things of this life, the Lord doth exalt the humble and bring downe the proud; onelyonly with this caution, hee doth both in season, when things are brought to maturity; as the Apostle Saint Peter saith, 1 Pet. 5. 6. humble your selves under the mighty hand of God, that hee may exalt you in due time. God doth it not on a suddaine. When 1 Pet. 5. 6.1 Pet 5:6the proud like the corne are ripe, then he puts in the sickle, and cuts them downe, and casts them into the fire. The wall which is sweld, must have a time to moulder and fall, and so on the contrary, there is a due time, for the exaltation of the humble. And therefore if thou sayest, I have humbled my selfe, and have not beene healed, I have not beene freed from such a temptation for all my humiliation; if this bee thy case, then assure thy selfe thou art not humbled enough, but goe thou and yet bring thy heart lower, and then bee confident, that this rule will hold: the Lord will take off the smarting plaister p. 127as soone as it hath eaten out the proud flesh; so soone as thy heart is truly humbled, the Lord will helpe thee: he will either remove the crosse, or give thee that which is equivalent: and thus the Lord hath alwayes done. So he dealt with Ioseph. You A… Iosoph.happily may thinke, and hee might thinke, it was long before he was exalted; but yet that time was not too long, for as soone as the LORD had truly humbled him, then hee presently exalted him; as you may see in Psal. 105. 18, 19, 20. Whose feet they Psalme 105 18, 19, 20.Ps 105:18Ps 105:19Ps 105:20hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron, until the time that his word came; the word of the Lord tryed him: then the King sent, and loosed him, &c. And so he dealt Iob.with Iob. All that time that his friends were reasoning with him, his heart would not bee brought downe; but the Lord himselfe must come and reason with him; and then he began to abhorh mselfe, in dust and ashes: and how soone after was hee restored, and al he lost restored double also? This being (as you see) Gods constant course, if thou humbling thy selfe, yet lyest long under a calamity, thou mayest assure thy selfe, there is somthing wanting in thy heart, and therefore bee content with Gods dealing. 2 Cor. 12. lest Saint Paul should be exalted, 2 Cor. 12.2 Cor 12there was given him a thorne in the flesh: if Saint Paul needed humility, who doth not? Remember this rule, that if Gods people humble themselves, then he will certainely helpe them; onelyonly it will bee in due season.

But you will say: how shall wee get downe our Quest.stubborne hearts? Pride is very naturall, and the hardest thing in the world to overcome.

p. 128Let every man consider, whether he be released or no from the plague of his heart; if that, there be not some calamity, which hangs continually on him: if there be, then know, thou art not humbled enough (the meaning is not, that thou shouldest be brought to an apprehension and feare of hell; but thy heart is to be brought down more; thou maiest be humbled truly so as to be within the covenant, and yet not enough to have thy heart wrought to Meanes to humble the heart.this or that frame God would bring it unto.) And to bring your hearts lower, use these meanes.

First consider your hearts often, consider what unruly lusts you find hid there; make it your daily Daily serch the heart.custome, to search into this. We goe not a daies journey in this life, but there is somewhat discovered in our hearts which may serve to humble us further, as it was with them in the wildernesse, Deut. 8. 2. Thou shalt remember all the way which the Deut. 8. 2.Deut 8:2Lord thy God led thee these forty yeares in the wildernesse, to humble thee, to prove thee, and to know what was in thy heart, &c. There is not one day, but a godly-wise man may discerne something in his heart, which may be matter of humiliation to him, which he saw not before; vaineglorious speeches, unlawfull silence, cowardize in good causes, thy worldly mindednesse, thy unruly affections, that will be still stirring, and something will be discovered without in thy actions also, which when thou seest such sparkes ascending, remember to looke to the fire, the furnace within; these are but the buds, there is a deepe roote of bitternesse within; these are but ebullitions; consider there is a spring p. 129within, search into all the corners of the house for this sower leaven. So the first meanes is studying our selves, for the way to humble a mans selfe is to know himselfe.

And secondly, as you must study your selves, so 2 Study the Scriptures.you must study the Scriptures, that is, you must consider the strictnesse, the holinesse, &c. that is required of you therein, and lay that and your hearts together, apply this levell and square to your wayes, and it will discover the crookednesse of them, and dresse your selves by this looking glasse, every morning; for it will shew you the smallest spots; and this will exceedingly humble us: For this is a sure rule, degrees of humiliation follow degrees of illumination; as any Christian is enlightened more, so he is humbled more: hence hee that is most conversant in Scripture, is most humbled.

And thirdly, you must not only looke to increase 3 To bee constant in holy duties.your light, but looke to your hearts and wayes, to keepe your selves upright, and to be constant in an holy course, and all holy duties; and this will bee meanes to increase your humiliation. Many abstaine from holy courses and duties, because say they, we are not humbled enough: It is true indeed wee must begin with humility, yet this you must know, that the setting your selves to a holy course, is of it selfe a notable meanes to increase humiliation; for thy watchfulnesse will increase tendernesse, and tendernesse will increase thy humiliation. Men that are bold in sinning, their hearts grow hard; and so on the contrary, when men are fearefull to offend, their hearts grow tender.

p. 130But yet adde to this, diligence in your callings, 4 Diligence in our calling.for (as the wise man saith) The stuggard is more wise in his owne conceit, then ten men that can give a reason, that is, he is selfe conceited and proud. A sluggard that hath nothing to do, looks abroad to other mens matters, and lookes not to his owne wayes, nor his owne heart, which would bee a meanes to humble him: therefore diligence is a greate meanes to humble, to bring downe our hearts, because idlenesse is a meanes to lift them up.

And further, it is profitable for you to remember 5 Remember times and sinnes past.times and sinnes that are past. A man will bee ready to say, I hope I am changed now, what I have beene I care not for; but the Lord to humble David told him what he had beene, I tooke thee from the sheepe fold, &c. so with the Jewes, Thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite, and I saw thee in thy bloud.

Be carefull to distinguish wisely betweene grace in thee, and thy selfe of thy selfe; and that will bee 6 Acknowledge grace in us.a meanes to humble thee. As Paul in 2 Cor. 12. 11. Not I, but the grace of God in mee. Put the case the LORD hath beautified us with many graces and gifts above others; thou must not exalt thy selfe above others; wee must looke upon our selves as of our selves, to bee the same men still. Can the wall Simile.say, it hath brought forth the beames that the Sun hath cast upon it? the wall is the same: so if God hath shined upon thee, and left others in darknesse, art thou the better of thy selfe? shall the pen boast it selfe, because it hath written a faire Epistle? who made it? who put inke into it, guided it? the glory p. 131belongs not to the pen, but to the writer. What though God hath used thee in some great worke, and not others? the praise is his, not thine: Wee praise not the Trumpet, but him that sounds it. Non laudamus tubam, sed tubicinem. Paul was a better Trumpet than ten thousand others, and yet hee saith, I am nothing. The smoake a dusky and obscure vapour climbes up into the light, as if it were better than pure aire. Many exalt themselves above their brethren, for gifts and outward things which are but the trappings, and make not the difference betweene man and man; as if a man were the taller, because hee stands on a hill, or a man had a better body, because hee had a better suit on: thou art the same man still. Wee are not to bee proud, no not of any Graces, much lesse of outward things.

Lastly, is the Lord thus mercifull to the humble? Vse 5. Not to apply promises til we be humbled.then take heed of applying those promises to thy selfe without a cause, when thou art not humbled.

But thou wilt say, I am humbled.Object. Answ How to know wee are humbled.

It is well if it be so: But consider, hath thy humiliation brought thee home? perhaps it hath brought thee out of Aegypt, but hath it brought thee into Canaan? hath it driven thee to the City of refuge? to the hornes of the Altar? to thy fathers house? The Prodigall changed many places, ere he came home in earnest. Many came out of Aegypt, that never came into Canaan, but died in the Wildernesse. The Meteors have matter enough, in the vapours themselves to carry them above the p. 132earth, but not enough to unite them to the element of fire: therefore they fall and returne to their first principles. Art thou watchfull over all thy wayes, fearefull to offend, looking to every step where thou settest thy foote, how thou hearest, how thou prayest, how every worke is done, every word spoken, every howre spent? For this is certaine, if he be humbled, it will dry up the fountaine of sinne, it will heale his bloudy flux, and make him wary in all his wayes and fearefull to sinne. Thus much for this first condition.