Gods Glory in Mans Happiness, Tract 1 · Part 26
Such as be exalted by God muſt often call to minde their former meann…ſſe.
Such a meditation it was that made David a King to cry out, Who am I O Lord God, 2 Sam. 7.18.and what is my houſe, that thou haſt brought me hitherto? And St. Paul a glorious Apoſtle remembers himſelf, and leaves it written for others to read, that he had been a blaſphemer, 1 Tim. 1.13.a perſecutour, and injurious. A low meditation for an high Apoſtle, yet very profitable to himſelf, and exemplary to others.
Many and great are the commodities that ariſe to the higheſt of men from ſuch low meditations as theſe.Benefits of remembring our low eſtate.
Firſt, 1Thankfulneſſe.it breeds thankfulneſſe to God that hath preferd them. As for generall favours that are common to us and others, they do not ſo much affect us, much leſſe make us thankfull to God, as thoſe peculiar mercies which are proper to us, and which others have no ſhare in. Thus the remembrance of our own particular baſeneſſe, firſt affects us with joy, and then ſtirs us up to thankfulneſſe towards God.
Secondly, 2Admiration of Gods providence.it breeds admiration of Gods providence in us, who raiſeth up the poor out of the duſt, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; Pſal. 113.7, 8.that he may ſet him with Princes; even with the Princes of his people. The changes that are wrought in others, do not commend Gods providence to our cogitations, ſo much as thoſe that are wrought in our ſelves. Gods providence then, which though it work many ſtrange things for others, and it may be more ſtrange then it works for us, is ſlighted and neglected by us, by calling to minde our former lowneſſe is highly wondered at by us and admired.
Thirdly, 3Patience.it brings forth patience in all adverſities, that can happen unto us. There can nothing happen to ſuch as are exalted from a low to an high eſtate, but the ſame or the like they have had experience of before. If poverty fall upon them, they have been poor before. If want trouble them, they have been in want before. Experience makes a man better able to bear any calamity. Theſe things may be ſtrange to ſuch as never knew what want meant: that were nobly borne and richly provided for by their parents. But to him that hath been in a Sea of wants and tempeſts of troubles before, though he have had a calme of plenty between, theſe ſecond ſtormes are far more portable then to the other freſhwater Souldiers.
Fourthly, 4Sobriety.it produceth ſobriety in them. They have learned by experience, what it is to want fleſh and food, and apparell, and other comforts; and therefore will not abuſe Gods gifts and bleſſings, leſt God take them away, and reduce them to their former neceſſities.
Fifthly, 5Humility.it makes them humble to remember how low they have been before either in their ſpiritual or temporal condition. They that always have been rich, or great, or civilly good, are eaſily puffed up. But ſuch as have taſted of poverty, or been ſcandalous in their courſes, are more eaſily humbled. Thus Abraham humbles himſelf before God by calling to minde his beginning, duſt and aſhes. Whereupon Baſil of Seleucia infers, foreign. Baſil. Seleuc. Orat. 28.There might you have ſeen an unuſuall thing, a tongue made of earth talking of heavenly things. When Abraham ſet it as a preface before his ſpeach, I am duſt and aſhes, then did he by the acknowledgment of his nature moſt of all exceed the bounds of nature in worth and dignity. So alſo Moſes, Abrahams ſucceſſour in manners, being made more honourable by his conference with God, caſt downe himſelf as a vile perſon, ſaying, I am ſlow of ſpeach and of a ſlow tongue. For look, how much he puls down high-mindnedneſſe, ſo much doth he draw grace unto himſelfe: and the power of humility is the meaſure of encreaſing grace.
How great the benefit is that ariſeth out of the remembrance of our former condition, Magnus eſſe … a minimo incipe. Cogitas magnam fabricam conſtruere celſt…udinis? de functarnemo prius cogita humi…itat…s. De verb. Dom. ſer. 10.and how great a furtherance it is to true humility, Auguſtine very well underſtood, and therefore preſcribes it as the road-way to exaltation: Wouldeſt thou be great? ſaith he, begin at the leaſt. Doſt thou intend to build a great frame and an high one? think firſt of the foundation of humility. Now of all thoughts that can come into a mans minde, there is nothing more fit to humble him, then the remembrance of his low eſtate before God exalted him.
Sixtly, 6Charity.it workes in us Charity to thoſe that are in a mean condition. They that have never felt poverty themſelves, know not how to pity others. Such as were never afflicted in minde themſelves, eſteem light of other mens pangs. But they that have been low, know how to commiſerate ſuch as are mean, though they be now advanced.
Ʋſe 1 The firſt concernes all true Chriſtians in generall: they have been limbs of Satan, now they are members of Chriſt. Think often what ye have been. A Chriſtian muſt have two ſpirituall eyes: one of memory, to look backward to what he hath been; the other of providence, to look forward to what he may be. The former will make him humble; the latter will make him wary. The profit of this looking backward will appear in his prayers, and in his prayſes. In his prayers, for it will force him to call upon God in an humble and lowly manner, and to ſay with the prodigall, Luk. 15.21.I am no more worthy to be called thy Son. In his prayſes it will make him ever to ſlight his own, and to magnifie Gods goodneſſe, ſaying with Jacob, I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies and of all the truth which thou haſt ſhewed unto thy ſervant. Gen. 32.10.It is a ſpeciall worke of grace, to make a man humble that hath grace. Nature would teach him to be puffed up and to contemne all others, that are beneath him, yea to condemne them for reprobates and naturaliſts; but grace teacheth him to remember what he was of himſelf, and what he is, it tels him, comes of Gods grace. His own meanneſſe then muſt humble him, but Gods goodneſſe muſt not make him proud.
Ʋſe 2 Secondly, it concernes ſuch Chriſtians in particular as have been raiſed from poverty to great meanes and honour. It cals upon them to be mindfull of their former penury. The dung that yeelds a noyſome ſavour to the noſe, being laid upon the ground, makes it fruitfull: So doth the remembrance of mens former poverty bring forth many good fruits of humility and liberality in them, although it be diſpleaſing to the pride of nature. Meekneſſe and lowlineſſe of heart become Godly men, though they grow great in the world. Pius in eo quod mitis eſt, nulla adverſitate frangitur: in eo autem quod humilis eſt, nulla proſperitate, vel gloria elevatur. Aug. ad frat. in eremo. ſer. 16.A godly man, ſaith Auguſtine, becauſe he is meek, is broken by no adverſity: and becauſe he is humble, he is not lifted up by any proſperity of glory. It is no ſhame for the greateſt in the world to remember that they have been mean. It is profitable to remember it, but very prejudiciall to forget it.
Ʋſe 3 Thirdly, let not ſuch as are oblivious, be offended if Gods miniſters put them in minde ſometimes of their low and forgotten condition. St. Paul puts the Corinthians in mind of what they had been, after they were waſhed. Having ſpoken before of Theeves, and Covetous and Drunkards, and the like, he addeth, 1 Cor. 6 11.And ſuch were ſome of you. The Coloſſians he admoniſheth more largely, For theſe things ſake cometh the wrath of God on the children of diſobedience, Col. 3.6, 7.in the which ye alſo walked ſometime, when ye lived in them. But moſt largely of all he rubs up the memory of the Epheſians; Remember that ye being in times paſſed Gentiles in the fleſh, Eph. 2.11, 12.who are called uncircumciſion by that which is called circumciſion in the fleſtirmade by hands, That at that time ye …ere without Chriſt, being aliens from the Commonwealth of Iſrael, and ſtrangers from the covenants of promiſe, having no hope, and without God in the world. And have not we as much need to be put in mind of it as they? Let us then hear and …ear it with patience.
Thus much for St. Pauls exhortation.
Now followes Gods vocation. In which we are to note:
1. The perſons called or choſen.
2. The impulſive cauſe.
The perſons are deſcribed two wayes.
Firſt, Negatively.
Secondly, Affirmatively.
Negatively in theſe words. How that …t many wiſe men after the fleſh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. In which words obſerve,
1. The condition excluded.
2. The limitation.
For the condition of men that are excluded, they are called wiſe according to the fleſh, mighty and noble.