The Sound Believer, Chapter 1 · Section 4
SECT. IV. The third Act of Christs power, which is Humiliation.
THe Lord Jesus having thus broken the heart by compunction, is not like a foolish builder that leaves off his work before he hath fully finished it, and therefore having thus wounded a poore sinner, hee goes on to humble him also; for though in a large sense a wounded contrite sinner is an humble sinner, yet strictly taken there is a great difference between them; and therefore, he is said to dwell with the contrite and humble, Esay 57.16.i. e. not onelyonly with those that bee wounded with sin, but humbled for sinne; although it is certaine the soule is seldome or never effectually wounded, but it is also humbled at the same time. A man may bee wounded sore even unto death, and yet the pride of the man is such that he will not fall downe before him that smites him: so it is with many a poore sinner, the Lord hath sorely wounded him that hee will resist no more, yet he will rather fly to his duties to heale him, or dye alone and sinke under his discouragements, then stoop. Oh beloved, man must downe, before the Lord Christ will take him up: and therefore in Isay 40.5, 6, 7. the glory of the Lord is promised to be revealed; but what meanes must bee used for this end? Cry, saith the Lord; what should I cry? saith he; the Lord answers that all flesh is grasse, and that the glory of it fades, and that the people are this grasse; i. e. not only that mens sinnes are vile, but that themselves also are grasse, nay their glory and excellency is withering and fading; and therefore not only mountains must be pull'd downe, but all flesh, and the glory of it wither, before the Lord shal be revealed.
I shall briefly open these foure things:
1. What is this humiliation.
2. What need there is of it.
3. What meanes the Lord useth to work it.
4. What measure of it is here required.
What is this humiliation?
Look as pride is that sinne,Answ. whereby a man conceited of some good in himselfe, and seeking some excellency to himselfe, exalts himselfe above God; so Humiliation (in this place) is that work of the Spirit, whereby the soule being broken off from self-conceit, and selfe-confidence in any good it hath or doth, submitteth unto, or lyeth under God, to be disposed of as he pleaseth. 1 Pet. 5.6. Levit. 26.41. That look as compunction cuts the sinner off from that evill that is in him, so humiliation cuts it off from all high conceits, and self-confidence, of that good which is in him, or which he seeks might be in him, and so the soule is abased before God.
What need or necessity is there of this?
BecauseAnsw.
1. When the Lord hath wounded the hearts of his elect, this is the immediate work of their hearts, (if the Lord prevent them not by his grace, as many times hee doth) they look to what good they have, or if they find little or none, they then seek for some in themselves, that thereby they may heale their wound, because they think thus, that as their sinnes have provoked God to anger against them, so if now they can reforme and leave those sinnes, or if not, repent and be sorry for them; if now they pray, and heare, and doe as others doe, they have some hope that this will heale their wound, and pacifie the Lord towards them; when they see there is no peace in a sinfull course, they will therefore try if there be any to be found in a good course: And look as Adam when he saw his own shame and nakednesse, hid himselfe from God in the bushes, and covered his nakednesse with fig-leaves; so the soule not being able to endure to see its own nakednesse and vilenesse, not knowing Christ Jesus, and he being far to seek, doth therefore labour to cover his wickednesse and sinfulnesse which now he feeles by some of these fig-leaves. And hence Micah 6.7. they enquire wherewith they should come before the Lord, should they bring rivers of oyl, or thousands of lambes, or the first borne of their body to remove the sinne of their soule? Paul did account these duties gaine, Phil. 3.7.and set them at a high rate, because he thought that God did so himselfe: When the Lord hath wounded the soule, the first voyce it speaks, is, What shall I doe? Doe? saith Conscience, leave thy sins, doe as well as others, doe with all thy might, and strength, pray, heare, and confer, God accepts of good desires, and requires no more of any man but to doe what he can. Hence the soule plyes both oares, though against wind and tide, and strives, and wrastles with his sinnes, and hopes one day to be better, and here he rests. And observe it, look as sinne is his greatest evill, so the casting away of his sins, and seeking to be better, is very sweet to him; and being so sweet, rests in what hee hath, and seeks for what he wants, and so hopes all will be well one day, and so stayes here; although (God knowes) it be without Christ, nor cannot rest on him, though hee hath heard of him a thousand times. And hence it is if they cannot doe any thing to ease themselves, then their hearts …ink, or it may be quarrell with God, that he makes them not better. But beloved, it is wonderfull to see how many times men rest in a little they have, and doe.
2. But whiles it is thus with the soule, he is uncapable of Christ; for he that trusts to other things to save him, or makes himselfe his owne Saviour, or rests in his duties without a Saviour, he can never have Christ to save him. Rom. 9.32. it is said, the Jewes lost Christs righteousnesse, because they sought it not by faith, but …ought salvation by their owne righteousnesse. He that maketh flesh his arme, (as all duties and endeavours of man be, when trusted to) the Lord saith, Cursed be that man, Ier. 17.5, 6. OnelyOnly the Lord doth not leave his Elect here; he that is marryed unto the Law, Rom. 7. cannot be matcht unto Christ, till he be first divorced, not from the duties themselves, but from trusting to them, and resting in them. And therefore saith Paul, Gal. 2.19.I through the Law am dead to it, that I might live unto God. He that trusteth to riches cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven, no more then a Camell through a needles eye, because it is too big for so narrow a roome: so he that trusteth to his duties and abilities, is too big to enter in by Christ, the Lord must cut off this spirit, and lay it low, and make it stoop as vile before God, before it can have Christ in this estate; the Lord must not onelyonly cut it off from this selfe-confidence in duties, but also so farre forth as that the soule may lye under God, to be disposed of as he pleaseth. And the reason is, because such a soule as is unwilling to stoop, is unhumbled; and he that is so, doth not onelyonly on his part resist God, but the Lord also resists him, Iames 4.7, 8. And hence you shall observe, many a one hath laine long under distresse of conscience, because they have either rested in their duties which could not quiet, or because they have not so cast off their confidence in them, so as to lye downe quietly before God, that he may doe what he will with them; being so long objects of Gods resistance, not of his grace.
By what meanes doth the Lord worke this?
In generall,Answ. by the Spirit, immediately acting upon the soule; for after a Christian is in Christ, he hath by the habit of humility, and the vertue of faith, some power to humble himselfe; but now the Spirit of Christ doth it immediately by its own omnipotent hand; else the proud heart would never down: For we are first created in Christ (which is by Gods omnipotent immediate act) unto good workes, before we do from our selves, or by the power of Faith, put forth good workes, Eph. 2.10. These acts of self-confidence may not be stirring in all Christians; but in all men there is this frame of spirit, never to come to Christ, if they can make any thing else serve to heale them or save them; and therefore the Spirit cuts off this sinfull frame in part in all the elect; he hewes the roughnesse and pride of spirit off, that it may lye still upon the foundation it is now preparing for. Now though the Spirit works this, yet tis not without the Word; the Word it works chiefly by, is the Law, Gal. 3.19. I through the Law am dead to it, (i. e. from seeking any life or help from it) that I might live unto God. Now the Law doth this by a foure-fold act.
1. By discovering the secret corruptions of the soule in every duty, which it never saw before; It once thought, I shall perish for my sinne, if I continue therein, without confession of them, or sorrow for them; but it also did think that this confession, sorrow, and trouble for sinne will serve to save it, and make God to accept of it; but the Law (while the soule is earnestly striving against his sinne) discovering that in all these there is nothing but sinne, even secret sinnes it did never see before, hereupon it begins thus to think, Can these be the meanes of saving of me, which being so sinfull, cannot but be the very causes of condemning of me? I know I must perish for the least sinne, and now I see that in all I doe, I can do nothing else but sinne. What made Paul alive without the Law? You shall finde, Rom. 7.7. it was because he did not know that lust, or the secret concupiscences and first risings of the soule to sinne, were sinne; he saw not these secret evils in all that which he did: and …ence he rested in his duties, as one alive without Christ; but the Lord by discovering this, let him see what little cause he had to lift up his hand, for any good he did: So it is here, when the soule sees that all its righteousnesse is a menstruous cloth, polluted with sin; now those duties which like reeds it trusted to before, run into the hand, nay heart of a poor sinner; and therefore now it sees little cause of resting on them any longer: now it sees the infinite holinesse of God by the exceeding spiritualnesse of the law, it begins to cry out, How can I stand or appeare before him with such continuall pollutions?
2. By irritating or stirring up of originall corruption, in making more of that to appeare then ever before; that if the soule thinks, all I doe is defiled with sin, yet my heart is good, and so it rests there; the Lord therefore stirres that dunghill, and lets it see a more hellish nature then ever before, in that the holy & blessed command of God (to its feeling) makes it worse, more rebellious, more averse from God;Rom. 7.9, 10, 11. When the commandement came sinne revived, saith Paul, and that which was for life was death to him, sin taking occasion by the law; and hence Paul came to be slaine and dye to all his selfe-confidence. It was one of Luthers first positions in opposing the Popes indulgences, that Lex & voluntas sunt duo adversarii sine gratiae irreconciliabiles; for the law and mans will meeting together, the one holy, the other corrupt, make fierce opposition when the soule is under any lively worke of the law; and by this irritation of the law, the Lord hath this end in his elect, to make them feel what wretched hearts they have, because that which is in it selfe a meanes of good, makes them (through mans corruption) more vile to their feeling then ever before; and hence come those sad complaints on a soul under the humbling hand of Christ, I am now worse then ever I was, I grow every day worse and worse, I have lost what once I had, I could once pray, and seek God with delight, and never well but when one duty was done, to be in another; but now, I am worse, all that joy and sweetnesse in seeking of him, and in holy walking is gone; I could once mourne for sin, but now a hard heart takes hold of me, that I have not so much as a heart to any thing that is good, nor to shed a teare for the greatest evill. It is true, I confesse you may grow (to your feeling) worse and wor…, and it is fit you should feel it; that the Lord hereby might pull downe your proud heart, and make you lye low; it is the Lords glorious wisdom to wither all your flowers, which refreshed you without Christ, that you might feele a need of him; and therefore I say the Lord pulls away all those broken planks the soule once floated and rested upon, that the soule may sinke in a holy despaire of any help from any good it hath; the Lord shakes down all building on a sandy foundation: and then the soule cryes out, It is ill resting here.
3. By loading, tyring and wearying the soule by its own indeavours, untill it can stir no more; for this is in every man by nature; when he sees that all he doth is sinfull, and all he hath, his heart and nature to be most sinfull; yet he will not yet come out of himselfe, because he hopes though he be for the present thus vile, yet he hopes for future time his heart may grow better, and himself doe better then now; and hence it is that hee strives, and seeks, & indeavours to his utmost to set up himself again, and to gain cure to all his troubles by his duties: now the law whose office is to command but not to give strength, and the Spirit that should give strength withdrawing it selfe, because it knowes the soule would rest therein without Christ; hence it comes to passe that the soule feeling it selfe to labour onelyonly in the fire, and smoake, and to be still as miserable and sinfull as ever before, hereupon it is quite tyred out, and sits down weary, not only of its sin, but of its work, and now cryes out, I see now what a vile undone wretch I am, I can doe nothing for God or for my selfe, only I can sinne and destroy my selfe; all that I am is vile, and all that I doe is vile, I now see that I am indeed poore, and blind, and miserable, and naked; & the truth is, beloved, here comes in the greatest dejections of spirit, for when the Lord smites the soule for sin, it hopes that by leaving of sinne and doing better it may doe well; but when it sees that there is no hope here of healing the breach between God and it selfe, now it falls low indeed: and I take this to be the true meaning of Mat. 11.28. Ye that labour, i. e. You that are wearied in your own way, in seeking rest to your soules by your own hard labour or works (as the word foreign signifies) and are tyred out therein, and so are now laden indeed with sinne and the heavie pressure of that, finding no ease by all that which you doe; come to me, saith Christ, and you shall then find rest unto your soules: the Jewes seeking to establish their own righteousnesse, seeking I say if by any meanes they might establish it, lost Christ; the Lord therefore will make his elect know they shall seek here for ease in vaine: and therefore tyres them out.
4. By clearing up the equity and justice of God in the law, if the Lord should never pity nor pardon it, nor shew any respect or favour to it; for this is the frame of every mans heart, if he cannot find rest in his duties, and endeavours, as he once expected he should, but sees sin and weaknesse, death and condemnation wrapping him about (like Ionahs weeds) in all he doth, then his heart sinkes, and quarrells, and falls off farther from Christ by discouragement, and growes secretly impatient that there should be no mercy left for him, because it thinkes now the Lords eternall purpose is to exclude him; for if there were any thoughts of peace toward him, he should have found peace before now, having so earnestly and frequently sought the Lord, and having done so much, and forsaken his sinfull wayes, according to his owne commandement from him; and hence it is, you shall find it a certaine truth, that the soule is turned back as far from God by sinking discouraging sorrowes for sin,Lam 1.16. as ever it was in a state of security by the pleasures of sin; and hence sometime it thinks it is in vaine to seek any more, and hence leaves off duties; and if conscience force it to them, yet it sinkes againe because its foot is not stablisht upon the rock Christ, but upon the weaknesse of the waters of its owne abilities and indeavours; what therefore should the soule doe in this case, to come to God? it knowes not, it cannot; …ly from him it dare not, it shall not; the spirit therefore by revealing how equall and just it is for the Lord never to regard or look after it more, because it hath sinned and is still so sinfull, makes it hereby to fall down prostrate in the dust before the Lord, as worthy of nothing but shame and confusion, and so kisseth the rod, and turnes the other cheek unto the Lord even smiting of him, acknowledging if the Lord shew mercy it will bee wonderfull, if not, yet the Lord is righteous, and therefore hath no cause to quarrell against him for denying speciall mercy to him, to whom hee doth not owe a bit of bread. And now the soule is indeed humbled, because it submits to be disposed of, as God pleaseth; thus the Church in her humiliation, Lam. 3.22. having in the former part of the Chapter drunke the wormewood and the gall, at last lies down and professeth, it is the Lords mercy it is not consumed; and verse 29. he puts his mouth to the dust if there may be any hope: and verse 39. why should a living man complaine for the punishment of his sinne? You think the Lord doth you wrong, and neglects your good and his own glory too, if he doth not give you peace and pardon, grace and mercy, even to the utmost of your asking, and then thinke you have hence good cause to …ret, and sinke, and be discouraged; No, no, the Lord will pull down those mountaines, those high thoughts, and make you lye low at his feet, and acknowledge that it is infinite mercy you are alive, and not consumed; and that there is any hope or possibility of mercy, and that you are out of the nethermost pit: and that if he should never pity you, yet he doth you no wrong, but that which is equall and just, and that it is fit your sinfull froward wills should stoop to his holy, righteous, and good will, rather then that it should stoop and be crooked according unto yours. Beleeve it brethren,1 Cor. 11.31. he that judgeth not himselfe thus, shall be judged of the Lord, how can you have mercy that will set your selves up in Gods Soveraigne Throne to dispose of it, and will not lye downe humbly under it, that it may dispose of you? for are you worthy of it? hath the Lord any need of you? have you not provoked him exceedingly? was there ever any that dealt worse with him then you? Oh beloved lye low here; and learne of the Church, Micah 7.9. I will beare the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him. It was a most blessed frame of spirit in Aaron, Levit. 10.3.when he saw Gods hand against him in cutting off his children, and Aaron held his peace; so if the Lord should cast thee off, or cut thee off, never take pleasure in such a polluted broken vessell unfit for any use for him, hold thou thy peace; quarrell not, be silent before him, and say as they did, 2 Chron. 12.5. The Lord is righteous, but I am vile; let him doe with me what seems good in his own eyes: and thus the Lord Jesus by the law doth dead the soule to the law, untill it be made to submit like wax, or like clay to the hand of the potter, to frame it a vessell to what use he pleaseth; and as the Apostle most excellently Rom. 7. diverceth it from its first husband, (i. e. Sin and the Law) that it may be marryed unto Iesus Christ. In a word, when the Lord Christ hath made the soule feele not onelyonly its inability to help it selfe, and so saith as Paul, Gal. 2.20. It is not I, but also its owne unworthinesse, that the Lord should help it, and so cryes out with Iob, Behold, I am vile; now at this instant, tis vas capax, a vessell capable (though unworthy) of any grace, Iam. 4.6.
The last Question remaines, What measure of Humiliation is here necessary?
Answ.Look as so much conviction is necessary which begets compunction, & so much compunction as breeds humiliation; so, so much humiliation is necessary as introduceth faith, or as drives the soule out of it selfe unto Christ: for as the next end of conviction is compunction, and that of compunction is humiliation; so the next end of humiliation is faith, or comming to Christ, which wee shall next speak unto. And hence it is that the Lord calls unto the weary and heavy laden to come unto him, Mat. 11.27. So much as makes you come for rest in Christ, so much is necessary, and no more. If any can come without being thus laden and weary in some measure, let them come and drink of the water of life freely; but a proud heart that will make it selfe its owne Saviour, will not come to the Lord Jesus to be his Saviour; he that will be his owne Physitian, so long cannot send out for another. Nay let me fall one degree lower, if the soule cannot come to Christ, (as who feel not themselves unable when the Lord comes to draw?) and find not the Lord Jesus comming unto them, to draw them and compell them in; yet if the soule be so far humbled, as not to resist the Lord, by quarrelling with him, and at him, for not comming to him, as unworthy of the least smile, as worthy of all frownes; verily the Lord will come to it, and no more is requisite then this, and thus much certainly is: For thus the whole Scripture runs, He gives grace to the humble, James 4.6. I dwell with the contrite and humble, Esay 57.16. The poore afflicted shall not alway be forgotten, Psal. 9.12, 18. When their uncircumcised hearts are humbled, so as to accept of the punishment of their iniquity, the Lord then remembers his Covenant, Lev. 26.41, 42. Conceive it thus: There can be no union to Christ, while there is a power of resistance and opposition against Christ. The Lord Christ must therefore in order of nature (for I now speak not of order of time) first removere prohibens, remove this resistance before he can, and that he may, unite. I doe not meane resistance of the frame of grace, but (as was said) of the Lord of grace, when he comes to work it.
Now there is a double resistance, or two parts of this resistance, like a knife with two edges.
1. A resistance of the Lord, by a secret unwillingnesse that the Lord should worke grace: Now this the Lord removes in compunction, and no more brokennesse for sinne or from sinne is necessary there then that.
2. A resistance of the Lord by sinking discouragements, and a secret quarrelling with him, in case the soule imagines he will not come to work grace, or manifest grace. Now this the Lord takes away in humiliation; and no more is necessary here, then the removall of the power of this which makes the soule in the sense of its owne infinite vilenesse and unworthinesse not to quarrel at the Lord, and devil-like grow fierce & impatient before and against the Lord, in case he should never help it, never pitty it, never succour it; the Lord will not forsake for ever, if the soule thus lies down, and puts its mouth in the dust, Lam. 3.30, 31. Which consideration is of unspeakable use and consolation, to every poore empty nothing, that feels it selfe unable to beleeve, and the Lord forsaking it, from helping it to beleeve. And I have seen it constantly, that many a chosen vessell never hath been comforted till now, and ever comforted when now; they never knew what hurt them till they saw this, and they have immediately felt their hurt healed, when this hath been removed. In comforting Christians under deep distresse, tell them of Gods grace and mercy, and the riches of both, you doe but torment them the more, that there should be so much, and they have no part, nor share in it, and think they never shall, because this is not the immediate way of cure; tell them rather when they are full of these complaints, that they are as they speak, vile and sinfull, and therefore worthy never to be accepted of God, and that they have cause to wonder that they have their lives, and are on this side hell, and so turne all that they say to humiliation and selfe-loathing; verily you shall then see, if the Lord intends good, he wil by this doe them good, and the weakest Christian that cannot come to Christ, you shall see first or last shall see cause to lye downe, and be silent, and not quarrell, though the Lord should never come to him. And that this is necessary, may appeare thus: Otherwise,
1. The Lord should not advance the riches of his grace; the advancement of grace cannot possibly be without the humiliation and abasement of the creature; the Lord not onelyonly saves, but calls things that are not, that no flesh might glory, 1 Cor. 1.28, 29.
2. Otherwise the Lord should not be Lord and disposer of his owne grace, but a sinfull creature who quarrells against God, if it be not disposed of, not as the Lord will, but as the creature will. If a stranger comes to our house, and will have what he wants, and if he hath not, he quarrells and contends with the master of the house, what would he say? Away proud begger, dost think to be lord of what I have? dost draw thy knife to stab me, if I doe not please thee and give thee thy asking? no, thou shalt know that I wil doe with my owne as I see good, thou shalt lye downe on the dust of my threshold before I give thee any thing. So tis with the Lord. It is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that sheweth mercy. It is his principall name, I will be mercifull to whom I will be mercifull; and therefore if you will not beleeve me, yet beleeve the Lords oath, Esay 45.23. VntoUnto me shall every knee bow: and doe you come to lord it over him, and quarrell, and fret, and sink, and grow sullen, and vex, if the Lord stoop not unto your desires? No, no, you must and shall lye upon his threshold, nay he wil make thee lay thy neck upon the block, as worthy of nothing but cutting off, and then when this valley is filled, all flesh shall see the glory of the Lord, Esay 40.5.
Thus humiliation is necessary in this measure mentioned. Not that I deny any subsequent humiliation, after a Christian is in Christ, arising from the sense of Gods favour in Christ, then which nothing makes a Christian of an evangelicall spirit more ashamed of himselfe, yet I dare not exclude this which is antecedent, arising from the spirit of power immediately subduing the soule to Christ, that it may be exalted by Christ, 1 Pet. 5.6. It is true, all things that pertaine to life and godlinesse are received by faith, 2 Pet. 1.3. yet faith it self is a saving work, which is not received by another precedent faith. Faith therefore is to be excepted, not onelyonly as begotten in us, but as it is in the bege…ting of it in the conviction and humiliation of every sinner.
Hence see what is the great hindrance betweene the mercy of God,Vse. 1 and the soule of many a man; if it be not some sinne & hardnesse of heart under it, whereby he cares not for Christ, to deliver him, then tis some pride of spirit arising from some good he hath, whereby he feeles no need of Christ, hoping his owne duties shall save him, or else is above Christ, and not under him, willing to be disposed of by him. And hence the Lord makes this the high way to mercy, Levit. 26.40. if first they shall confesse their sinne, secondly, humble themselves, (both which I know the Lord must worke) then he will remember his Covenant. Look as it is with a vessell before it can be fit for use, it must first passe through fire, and the earth and drosse severed from it, then it must be made hollow and empty, which makes it vas capax, a vessell capable of receiving that which shall be powred out into it; if, (O Brethren) the Lord hath some vessells of glory which he prepares before-hand, and makes capable of glory, Rom. 9.21, 22. if the Lord doth doth not sever you from sinne in compunction, and empty you of your selves in humiliation, you cannot receive Christ, nor mercy, you cannot hold them; and if ever you misse of Christ by faith, your wound lies here. How many be there at this day, that were once profane and wicked, but now by some terrours and outward restraints upon them, they leave their sinnes, and say they loathe them, and purpose never to run riot as they have done, and hence because they thinke themselves very good, or to have some good, they fall short of Christ, and are still in the gall of bitternes, in the midst of all evill? It were the happines of some men, if they did not think themselves to have some good, because this is their Christ. Oh you that live under precious meanes, and have many feares, you may perish and be deceived at the last; But why doe you feare? I know you will answer, Oh some secret unknown sin may be my ruine; It is true, and you do well to have a godly jealousie thereof. But remember this also, not onelyonly some sinne, but some good thou thinkest thou hast, and restest in without Christ, and lifting thee up above Christ, may as easily prove thy ruine, because a mans owne righteousnesse rested in, doth not onelyonly hide mens sinnes, but strengthens them in some sinne by which men perish; Trusting to ones owne righteousnesse, and committing iniquity are couples, Ezek. 33.13. Nor doe I hereby run into the trenches of that wretched generation of the Familists, denying all inherent graces, evidence of favour from any Christian obedience, or sanctification in holy duties; or that a Christian should profanely cast off all duties, because they cannot save themselves by them; No, no, the Lord will search with candles one day for such sonnes of darknesse, and exclude such foolish virgins that have neither oyle in their vessels nor light in their lamps: I onelyonly speak of that good, that righteousnesse which is rested in without Christ, and lifts up men above Christ, which in deed & in truth is not true righteousnesse, but only a true shadow of it. And therefore as Beza well observes from Rom. 9.32. Why did not Israel, that followed after righteousnesse attain it? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the Law: they were not fruits of sincere obedience to the Law, but as it were the works of the Law; now this, saith the Apostle, verse 33. is the stumbling stone in Sion. Christ will have all flesh vaile, and be stript naked, and made nothing before him, before they shall ever be built upon him; now this men stumble at, they must bring something to him, they will not be vile, emptinesse, and nothingnesse, that he may be all to them; verily observe your selves & you shall find, if there be little humiliation, there is little of Christ; if much humiliation, much of Christ; if unconstant humiliation, uncertain fruition of Christ; if reall humiliation, reall possession of Christ; if false humiliation, imaginary fruition of Christ. Know it, you cannot perish if you fall not short here, you must perish if you do.
Vse 2.Be exhorted therefore to lye down in the dust before the Lord, and under the Lord; nay intreat the Lord that he would put thee upon his wheele, and mould thy heart to his will; why will you rest in any good you have? Oh remember thy father was a Syrian ready to perish; and thy selfe polluted, an infinite endlesse evill. What ever good thou dost, is it not a polluted stream, of a more polluted spring? Nay, suppose the Spirit works any good in thee, yet is it not polluted by thy unclean heart? Nay, suppose any actions should be perfect, yet remember the Lord spared not the Angels that sinned; perfection present cannot satisfie Justice for pollution past. Cry out therefore, and say, Oh Lord, now I see not onelyonly that my sinne is vile, but that my self and all my righteousnesse is vile also; and now though the Lord stands at a distance, speaks no peace, heares no prayers, yet because thou art very vile, lye downe under him, that if he will he may tread upon thee, and thereby exalt himselfe, as well as lift thee up, and exalt thee. Be not carelesse whether the Lord help or no, but be humble, not to quarrell in case he should not: For,
1. Suppose thou art not onelyonly miserable, but sinfull, and the Lord (thou sayst) takes it not away, yet remember that to quarrell with God for withdrawing his hand, is a sin also, Lam. 3.39. and wilt thou adde sinne to sinne?
2. Why art thou quiet and still when the Lord denyes thee any common mercy? Is it not because the Lord will have it so? Now look as we say of him that hates sin as sin, that he hates all sinne; so he that is meekned with Gods good pleasure in any one thing, because of his good pleasure in it, upon the same ground will at least desire to stoop in every thing. Suppose therefore it be the Lords good pleasure to deny thee mercy, I grant you must pray for it, yet with submission to the good will of the Lord, saying, The Lords will is good, but mine is evill; otherwise, thou hast no meeknesse in any thing, that art not meekly subject to his will in every thing.
3. The greatest pride that is in man, appeares here; for suppose the Lord should deny thee bread, or water, or clothes, was it your duty to murmur now? nay, was it not pride, if the heart would not lye down, and say, Lord I am worthy to have my bread pluckt from my mouth, and my clothes from my back. Now if it be pride to murmur in case the Lord denyes you smaller matters, the offals of this life, dost not thou see that its far greater pride for thee to sink and quarrell with him, if he denyes thee greater, and the things of another life? is he bound to give thee greater, that doth not owe thee the least? Suppose a begger murmur at thy doore, if thou dost deny him bread, or a cup of drink, wilt thou not account him a proud stout begger? but if thou givest him that, and then he quarrell and murmur at thee because thou dost not give him a thousand pound, or thy whole estate when he asks it, will you not say, I never met with the like insolencie? the Lord gives you your lives, blessed be his name, but you aske for treasures of grace and mercy, thousands of pounds, Christ himself, and all that he is worth, and the Lord seems to deny you, and now you sink, and grow sullen, and discontent, and quarrell, and murmur at God, not directly, but secretly, and slily; may not the Lord now say; Was there ever such pride and insolency? And therefore as Christ spake of himselfe, Iohn 12.24, 25. A corne of wheat cannot live unlesse it die first; so know it, you shall never live with Christ, unlesse you die and perish in your selves, unlesse you be sowne and lye under the clods of your owne wretchednesse, faith will never spring up in such a soule. As tis in burnings, the fire must be first taken out, before there can be any healing; so this impatient spirit which torments the soule, must first be removed, before the Lord will heale thee.
4. Consider the approaching times; I do beleeve the Lord at this day is comming out to shake all nations, all hearts, all consciences, all conditions, and to teare and rend from you your choicest blessings, peace and plenty, both externall and internall also; for there is need of it, our age growes full, and proud, and wanton, a mans price is falne in the market, unlesse his locks and new fashions commend him to the world. Oh consider when God comes to …end all from you, then you may finde a need of the exercise of this duty; it may be the time is comming wherein you shall have nothing to support your hearts, you shall find rest in no way but this; I know assurance of Gods love may quiet you, but what if the Lord shake all your foundations and deprive you of that? what will you doe then? and therefore as Zephany cap. 2.3. having foretold of the evill day, cryes unto his hearers, Seeke meeknesse yee meeke of the earth; seek meeknesse, so say I to you: for you will find all little enough. Come downe from thy throne and be the footstoole and threshold of Christ Jesus, before the dayes of darknesse come upon you; be content to be a cipher, a steppingstone, the very offall of the world.
Quest.But you will say, Wherein should I expresse this humiliation and subjection?
Answ. 1.Bee highly thankfull for any little the Lord gives, Lam. 3.22, 23.
2.Be humble and judge thy selfe worthy of nothing when the Lord denies; and verily you shall find the Lord Jesus ere long speaking peace unto you, and giving you rest in his bosome, that now art quietly contented to lye still at his feet.
For some helps thereunto.
1. Remember whose thou art, viz. the Lords clay, and he thy Potter, and therefore may doe with thee what he will. Rom. 9.20.
2. Remember what thou art; viz. a polluted vessell, a kind of infinite endlesse evill, as I have oft said; see the picture of thy own vilenesse in the damned in hell who are full, and shall through all eternity powre out all manner of evill. Iob 40.3, 4.
3. Remember what thou hast been, and how long thou hast made warre against Christ with all thy might, and heart, and strength; why should the Lord the…efore choose thee before others; Ier. 3.5. when as, (aske thy conscience) was there ever such a wretch since the world began as thou hast been?
4. Remember what thou wilt be; fit for no use to Jesus Christ, good for nothing, but to pollute his holy name when thou medlest with it; and why should the Lord take up such a dry leafe, Isay 64.6. and breath upon such a dry bone?
5. Remember how good the Lords will is, even when it crosseth thine; he shall have infinite glory by all his denials to thee of what thou wouldst, he shall gaine that, though thou losest thy peace and quietnesse, that good which thy foolish sinfull will desires at his hand; Iohn 12.27, 28. and if so, blessed be his name, let God live, but let man dye and perish, that he may be exalted of vile man.
6. Remember the sweet rest thou shalt have by this subjection to the Lord, nothing is mans crosse, but mans will; a stubborn will like a stubborne heifer in the yoake galls and frets the soule; Learn meeknesse, saith our Saviour, of me in taking my yoake on you, and then you shall find rest. Hell would not bee hell, to a heart truly humbled. Sometimes you find inlargements, then you are glad; sometime none, then you sinke; sometimes you have hope of mercy, then you are calme; sometimes you lose your hopes, then the Sea workes; when the Lord pleaseth you, then you are well, but if a little crosse befall you, then your spring is muddy, and a little thing troubles; Oh be humble & vile in thine owne eyes, and verily such uncertaine fits of peace and trouble are done, and the dayes of all your mourning are now ended.
Vse 3.Of thankfulnesse, to all those whom the Lord hath truly humbled; Time was, when the Lord first convinced you, that so long as you could make any shift, find rest in any duties, you would never lye down at Christs feet, now the Lord might have left you to have stumbled at that stumbling-stone, and to have stuck in those bushes, but you may see that the Lord will save you even then when you would not be saved by him; and especially take notice of two passages of Gods dealings with you, wherein usually you find matter of discouragement, rather then of acknowledgment of Gods goodnesse to you therein.
1. That the Lord hath withdrawn all feeling of any good, which it may be once you felt, and that the Lord hath let out more of the evill of your hearts then ever you imagined was in them, nay so much evill that you think there is none like unto you, who hast now no heart nor power to stirre, think, defire, will, or doe any thing that is good: oh blesse the Lord for this, for this is Gods way to humble, and empty, and make thee poor; the Lord saw (though it may be you did not) that you rested in that good you felt, and was or would be lifted up by these, and therefore the Lord hath broke those crazy cr…tches, famisht now, brought you downe to nothing, made you like dry desarts; all the hurt the Lord aimeth at in this, being only to humble you, and though these desertions be bitter for the present, yet that by these he might doe you good in your latter end:Deut. 6.19. Oh brethren the Apostle stands at a stay and desires the Corinthians to consider, You see your calling, saith he, 1 Cor. 1. Not many mighty, not many wise, but things that are not doth he call, that no flesh might glory: The Lord, saith Moses, Deut. 8.2, 3. suffered thee to want, (that was the first) and then fed thee, that he might prove thee and humble thee; remember this, saith he: So say I to you; remember this mercy, that when the Lord makes you worst of all (not really, but) in your own eyes, that then the Lord is about this glorious work.
2. That the Lord hath kept you (it may be a long time too) from sight and sense of his peculiar love; one would wonder why the Lord should hide his love so much, so long, from those to whom he doth intend it; the great reason is, because there is in many a one, a heart desirous of his love, and this would quiet them, if they were sure of it; but they never came to bee quieted with Gods will, in case they think they shall never partake of his love: but are above that, oppose and resist and quarrell with that, unhumbled under that; the Lord therefore intending to bestow his favour onelyonly upon a humbled sinner, he will therefore hide his face untill they lye low, and acknowledge themselves worthy of nothing but extremity of misery; unworthy of the least mercy: The people of God Lam. 1.16. cry out that the comforter which should refresh their soule was farre from them; what was Gods end in this? you shall see the end of it, verse 18. the Lord is righteous, (here the Church is humbled) for I have rebelled; or (as Sanctius reads it) I have made his mouth bitter, that the Lord speaks no peace to me, but bitter things. The cause is in my owne selfe, and therefore if he never comfort me, nor speak good word unto me, yet he is righteous, but I am vile: and you will find this certain, that as the Lord therefore humbles that he may exalt, so the Lord never refuseth to exalt (in hiding his face) but it is to humble. And is this the worst the Lord aimes at, and will you not be thankfull? why are you then discouraged when you find it thus with you? doe not say the Lord never dealt thus with any as with me; suppose that, the reason then is, because the Lord sees, never had any such a high heart as thou hast; but oh be thankfull, that notwithstanding this, he will take the pains to take it downe.
Thus much for humiliation,4. I come now to the fourth and last, which is Faith.