A Manual of Practical Divinity, Treatise · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII. The true Humility that is in the Lords People.
ALL Saints have more or leſs a humble frame of heart, that whatſoever Grace or Gifts God beſtoweth upon them, they have low thoughts of themſelves.
1. How a humble frame of heart is ſhewn towards the Lord.
2. How a humble frame of heart is ſhewn in our carriage towards other Saints.
I. Towards the Lord. (1) When after all our duties and performances we look upon our ſelves but as unprofitable ſervants and infinitely unworthy that God ſhould deal ſo graciouſly with us, but we look upon all as free grace; without this a man hath no Goſpel humility, but is a proud Phariſee, whoſe heart is puffed up with his own righteouſneſs, and doth not glory only in the Lord. Where there is true humility of heart, the Soul ſaith with Jacob, Geneſis, 32.10. I am not only unworthy of of Chriſt and Heaven, but I am leſs then the leaſt of all the mercies and faithfulneſs which the Lord hath ſhewn to his ſervant; but a man under legal workings only, hath a deſperate proud heart againſt God ſtill, and is fit to ſtand upon terms with God, that he hath no cauſe to damn him, though he in words confeſs he might do it. (2) This is true humility of heart when a man can loath and abhor himſelf for ſin, as David, Pſalm 51.3,4. Job. 42. But when a man can think of old ſins, and new ſins, and no way affected, its a ſign of a proud unhumbled heart. (3) When a ſoul is in ſome meaſure ſubmitted to all Gods dealings, to all chaſtiſements and afflictions, as David, Pſalm 39.9. I was dumb and opened not my mouth, becauſe thou didſt it; there is much humility of heart ſeen in this when we are willing God ſhould do with us, our Eſtates, Relations and enjoyments as it ſeemeth good in his own eyes: a proud heart will not bear to be croſſed; but ſaith a humble heart, Though it be a grievous affliction that is befallen me, yet it is from the Lord, and I will be dumb and not open my mouth againſt it, becauſe he doth it. (4) When a ſoul goes on to wait for a mercy and beg for a mercy when God delays a mercy, and ſeemeth to ſlight the ſoul; and yet now for the ſoul to wait and not to ſtir from the door of Mercy, but beg the Alms more humbly and ſubmiſſively, this is like the woman of Canaan: indeed ſhe doth not go away in a ſnuff: let Chriſt call her dog, and ſhe ſaith Truth, Lord I am no better; yet Lord, give the dog a few crums, but hearts that have not been truly humbled will fling up praying and hearing preſently, if they cannot find Comfort ſoon; like a ſturdy Beggar that, if the Alms do not come preſently, goeth away in a rage: O but there is many a humble heart waits and prays many a year for a mercy. (5) When a ſoul can ſubmit to God when he takes away a mercy that he had given us but a little before. O ſaith a proud heart, when God takes away a mercy; If God had never given me it, it had been better; I could have been content to have been without it; but did God give me Eſtate, Children, Honour to take them away ſo preſently again? O but ſaith an humble heart, I was unworthy to have this mercy at all; I have cauſe to bleſs God that I have had any ſun-ſhiny weather in my jorney. (6) It ſhews humility of heart, when after God hath made great uſe of a man, and God will now lay him aſide, that yet now we are well content, and take great care that Gods work may go on, though we be not imployed in it; as Moſes, Num. 27.14,15,16,17. when the Lord told him that he ſhould die and not lead the people into Canaan, becauſe of that ſin at the water of Meribah, he doth not ſtand upon terms, and ſay. After I have done ſuch great ſervice, wilt thou be angry for ſuch an offence, that I, who have had ſuch a great deal of care and trouble with this people, ſhould not ſee the end of the work? No, No; he doth not ſay a word to excuſe his ſin, or to ſhew the leaſt diſcontent that he was laid aſide, but takes care for the work going on when he is laid aſide: ſaith he, Lord ſet a man over the Congregation that may go in before them and go out before them, that the Congregation of the Lord be not as ſheep without a Shepheard: a proud heart would have been ſo offended that he would not have cared what became of the work, if he were laid aſide.
So ſecondly, Humility of heart is ſeen in our carriage towards other Saints: As (1) when we look upon our ſelves as the leaſt of all Saints, as Paul ſaith of himſelf, ſaith an humble heart, Though it may be I can diſcourſe better, yet I cannot pray ſo well as younder poor Saint, or I cannot truſt God in ſtraits and difficulties ſo well as he, or I have not that Goſpel ſimplicity that he hath, or I am not ſo forward to heavenly diſcourſe as he is; or ſaith an humble heart, Younder Saint can ſubmit better in affliction then I; or ſurely he hath not ſo vain a heart as I, or ſurely he hath not ſuch diſtractions in duties as I: ſo that an humble heart in one reſpect or another doth truly look upon himſelf as the leaſt and unworthyeſt of all Saints. (2) When we can take a reproof from the meaneſt Saint in the world, the meaneſt for Eſtate or Gifts: whereas a proud heart ſaith, If ſuch a one had told me of my fault, I could have born it; but for ſuch as you to reprove him, he cannot take it well: but ſaith an humbly heart, Lord I bleſs thee that thou openſt the mouths of any to deal faithfully with my ſoul. (3) Where there is an humble heart, we are deſirous to partake of the Light and gifts of others as well as ſhew our own. (4) An humble heart doth not envy others that out go him in Gifts and Grace, and ſucceſs, and are more honoured then he is as John did not envy Chriſt that he out-ſtripped him, John 3.26,27,28. but could cheerfully bear witneſs unto Chriſts deſerts, though he ecclipſed him. (5) An humble heart can condeſcend to the meaneſt office to be ſerviceable to poor Saints: a proud heart is fit to think it a diſparagement to go to the houſes of poor Saints, and to be ſeen with ſuch mean people: but ſaith an humble heart, Its a great Mercy and favour that I may enjoy Communion with the Lords people, or be any way ſerviceable to them; though they be never ſo mean and poor. (6) An humble heart is not ſo delighted and tickled, and puffed up with applauſe and commendation from others, but many times is the more humbled upon it, and is more ſenſible of his own unworthineſs.
All Saints have cauſe enough to be humble and very low in their own eyes: a… for the ſins of our unconverted Eſtate, which we ſhould often think of ſo as to admire Gods free Grace, in calling of us out of darkneſs, and to have new ſorrow for old ſins; ſo as to put forth freſh acts of Faith for pardon; ſo as to avoid all Occaſions and Temptations to draw us to thoſe old ſins again; ſo as to rely mightily upon Chriſts ſtrength to keep us, and ſo as to be humble and very low all our days. The Lord many times ſets on old ſins upon the Conſciences of his people with ſome terror; but then it is uſually when we are either in danger of falling into thoſe ſins again, or have our hearts grow proud and puffed up, forgeting what we were formerly, but that God hath loved us freely.
And ſo our daily ſins after Converſion, our deadneſs and formality, and unſerviceableneſs, all call for great humility of heart and ſelfabhorrence.