Two Treatises 2, Tract 1 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Of the vſe and excellency of Humiliation.
THe third point to be conſidered in Humiliation 3. The vſe and excellency of it in thatis the Vſe and Excellency therof, which ſhewes it ſelfe in many particulars.
1. It is the ground of all true renouation and reformation. 1. It is the ground of reformation.We cannot alter the forme of our veſſels of mettall which diſlike vsus, vnleſſe we melt and diſſolue them, and then may wee caſt them into what mould we will. Such veſſels when they are broken may be bound vp, or holpen by ſoddering, but thats nothing, vnleſſe they bee molten, and ſo made new againe. No more will any thing helpe throughly to amend our ſinnefull hearts, as long as they remaine in their hardneſſe, till they bee throughly liquefied and molten in true humiliatition; Ierem. 5. 3.They hauehave made their faces harder then a ſtone (ſaith Ieremy) they hauehave refuſed to returne. Therefore Iam. 4. 8. 9. 10.the Apoſtle bidding vsus to clenſe our hearts and purge our hands of our ſinnes, withall biddeth vsus to ſuffer the affliction of godly ſorrow, and to humble our ſelues vnderunder the hand of God: ſhewing that ſin ſticks ſo cloſe to our hearts, that we ſhall neuer get it out vnleſſe wee euen wring and rent them with this Ioel. 2.ſorrow.
And heere is a ſpeciall excellency of godly ſorrow, Mulctatus eſt quiſpiam pecunijs, triſtatus eſt, mulctam non emendauit: filium amiſit, doluit, mortuum non reſuſcitauit &c: peccauit quis, triſtatus eſt, peccatis deleuit, diſſolum delictum. Chryſoſt. ad pop. Antioch. Rom. 5.which ſhewes indeede that ſorrow hath little or no vſe any where els, ſaue in humiliation for ſin. For greeue wee neuer ſo much for loſſe of friends, goods, good name, we cannot get rid of our croſſes, but together with our griefe they abide by vsus; But ſorrow for ſinne ſhakes and batters it in pee-peeces, and eaſes the conſcience of it. Sorrow therfore is neuer well beſtowed, but heere. It were abſurd to apply a medicine for the head to the feete; So to apply ſorrow the ſalue for ſinne to afflictions and croſſes, where it does no good. Weep therfore for thy ſelfe, not for thy beaſts, fling not awaye ſuch precious ſweete water into the channell or ſincke-hole, but keepe it for to ſent the cloſet of thine owne heart with, againſt the euill ſauours of thy ſinnes.
2. Humiliation is the procurer of all other graces. God reſiſteth the proud, but giueth grace to the 2. The procurer of grace. 1 Pet. 5.humble, For all the grace that God giues is obtained by prayer. But proud Phariſies that feele no wants, well may they giuegive thankes, but pray they will not, Luc. 18. 10. 11. The rich are too ſtout to begge, onelyonly the poore ſpeake with ſupplications, Prou. 18.ſaith Salomon. OnelyOnly the poore in ſpirit that mourne in the ſenſe of their hunger, and thirſt, wil open their mouthes wide in the cries of hearty prayer, and therefore they onelyonly ſhall bee filled with good things, when the rich ſhall bee ſent empty away. Therefore Chriſt calling ſinners to him, in the firſt place biddes them to be humble and Matth. 11.meeke. For meekneſſe fits vsus to conuerſe ſweetely with men, but humility firſt prepares vsus to receiue thoſe graces of God, which makes our conuerſing with men ſweete and amiable. The Lord is neere Pſal. 34.(ſaith Dauid) to the contrite in ſpirit. God is high aboue all, but loe a myſterie, ſaith Auſtin. The lower a Chriſtian is, the neerer is he to this high God. For the Lord hath two palaces, as it is in Iſay: one of glory, and thats in Heauen. Heauen is my throne &c. Another of grace heere on earth; and thats Iſ. 66. 1. 2.the heart of a contrite ſinner.
3. Humiliation is the preſeruer of grace procured. 3. The Preſeruer of grace.And therefore compared to a ſtrong foundation, vpholding the building againſt the force of winde and weather. OnelyOnly thoſe ſtreames of grace hold out, that flow out of the troubled fountaine of a bruiſed ſpirit. An vnhumbled profeſſor quickly ſtarts back, euen as an vnbroken egge, or cheſnut leapes out of the fire. Grace is no where ſafe, but in a ſound and honeſt heart. Now onelyonly the humble heart is the honeſt heart. OnelyOnly a rent and Non eſt cor integrum niſi ſit ſciſſum.broken heart, is a whole and ſound heart. The droſſe cannot be purged out of the gold, but by melting. Crooked things cannot bee ſtraightned but by wringing. Now humiliation is that which wrings, and melts vsus, and makes vsus of droſſie pure, of crooked ſtraight, and vpright, and ſo, ſound, durable, and perſeuering Chriſtians.
4. Humiliation is that which commends all our 4. The Commander of our ſeruices.ſeruices, making them both profitable to our ſelues to our brethren, and acceptable to the LORD. Chriſt preferred the teares of that repenting woman before all the delicates of the Phariſies table. Bottles hath he for the leaſt drops. So precious are they with him. A little of this ſoueraigne baulme water is worth in Gods account more then a whole poole of the mudde of confuſed, diſtempered worldly ſorrow. The Sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite ſpirit. The plurall number is in Pſal. 51.ſteed of the ſuperlatiue degree with the Hebrewes, and ſo notes the excellency of this ſacrifice, as being the ſalt that ſeaſons all other ſacrifices. To him Iſ. 66. 2. 3.will I looke (ſaith the Lord) that is poore, and of a contrite ſpirit. He that killeth a bullocke (namely, without this contrite heart whereby hee muſt firſt kill his owne corruption) is as if he ſlew a man, or bleſſed an Idoll. In effect thus much now. He that receiueth the Communion without Humiliation, is as if hee went to the Maſſe. For though God would not hauehave his Altar couered with the teares of worldly ſorrow, Mal. 2. 13. yet hee would of ſpirituall, as not relliſhing any ſacrifice without them. What good does all our hearing doe vsus, as long as wee want Ioſiahs melting hart? no more then the ſtrokes of the hammer doe the anuile. All our prayers what are they but idle prattle, if they be not piercingly darted out of the Publicanes ſmitten heart? no prayer ſtrikes Gods eares, but his whoſe heart was firſt ſtricken with Gods hand. Neither commonly doe any exhortations preuaile with others which proceed not from an affected heart. Origen Sanctorum enim non tantum verba, ſed & ipſi aſpectus ſpiritali gratia pleni ſunt. Chryſoſt.after his fall reading for his text that Pſal. 50. What haſt thou to doe to take my word into thy mouth &c. and not able to ſpeake for teares, ſet all the Congregation a crying. So effectuall is the very ſilence of a touched heart. See the example of the woman of Samaria, Ioh. 4. 39. mightily preuailing with her neighbours, Chriſt hauing before humbled her.
5. Humiliation is the way to true exaltation. 5. The way to exaltationGodly ſorrow is the mother of true ioy: for it giues a vent to ſinne, that lies heauy vponupon the conſcience, as lead, and ſo the heart eaſed of that burthen, is light. Bleſſed are they that mourne (ſaith Matth. 5.Chriſt) for they ſhall bee comforted. But woe bee to you that laugh: for yee ſhall weepe. Becauſe the fire of Gods mercy and louelove could not make you weepe heere the fire of hell ſhall heereafter. Bleſſed are they, that weepe heere where there are wiping hand-kerchers in the hands of Chriſt. Els they ſhall weepe heereafter, euen when they ſhall ſee all the teares of the mourners in this life wiped away; Happy art thou if thou weepe heere, where thy teares may be water to quench the fire of thine own concupiſcence; Elſe ſhalt thou weep where thy teares ſhall bee oyle to feede thoſe eternall flames. Happy art thou, if in godly indignation thou gnaſheſt thy teeth at thy ſinnes heere. Elſe ſhalt thou in a deſperate murmuring gnaſh them in hell at thy puniſhment, and gnaw out thy very tongue for ſorrow. Miſerable is that mourning in hell, where the Diuell the tormentor is at hand with his Scorpions. But happy is the mourning heere, where the Spirit, the Comforter is at hand with his oyle to ſupple thy wounds. Repenting teares are the wine of God, and his Angels. Well mayeſt thou expect from them the oyle of their comfort, when thou haſt giuen them the wine of thy teares.