Four Books on Matthew 11, Book 3 · Chapter 128
CHAP. CXXVIII.
Other Properties of Humility in reſpect of others. 3. It gives due Honor to all with whom it doth converſe. 4. It rejoyceth in their good. 5. It is willing to receive good from them. 6. It is tender towards others. 7. It is not needleſly ſingular from them.
THirdly, Another thing in an humble Spirit in reference unto others is this, he gives due honor, and due reſpect unto all living that he doth any way converſe with, in Rom, 12. 10. Be kindly affected one to another with brotherly Love▪ in hon…r preferring one another, Strive who ſhall give moſt honor to one another, Oh, this is a gracious temper, to ſtrive who ſhal give moſt honor, not who ſhal get moſt honor, who ſhal be moſt honorable and greater then another, But in honor preferring one another every man ſhould ſtrive who ſhould give moſt honor to one another, my Brother ſtrives to give reſpect and honor unto me, and I ſhould ſtrive to give more reſpect and honor to him, if I ſhould be above my Brother in any thing, I ſhould ſtrive to give more reſpect to him then he doth to me, quite contrary to the common courſe of the world, how hard is it for men to acknowledg that others have more Grace then they, meerly becauſe they would not give more honor to others then to themſelves, now an humble heart doth this. Men ſhould give to men due honor, if God hath lifted a man up above me in Eſtate, or in civil reſpects, it may be you think him not ſo gracious a man as you, What then? You are to give him honor according to the place that God hath ſet him in. And ſo in another Relation, as now the Wife to the Husband: For the Husband, apparently the Scripture ſhews that God ſets the Husband above the Wife, perhaps the parentage of the Wife is better then the Husbands, perhaps the Eſtate of the Wife is better then the Husbands, perhaps the gifts of the Wife may be more then the Husbands, the Wife may have more underſtanding in Religion then the Husband hath, yet ſhe muſt Honor her Husband above al, as one that God hath ſet above her. And ſo Servants to Honor their Governors, though they are of greater parentage, may be better then your Maſter or Miſtris, yet God having ſet them over you, you are to give due honor and reſpect to them, this an humble Heart will do, and an humble Heart gives reſpect unto all. In Rom. 12. 16. Be of the ſame mind one towards another, Mind not high things, but condeſcend to men of Low Eſtate, Here is a lowly heart, he gives honor to thoſe that are above them, and due reſpect to all men in the world, a man, as a man is worthy of ſome reſpect, but then according to any Relation he ſtandeth in, any one that God hath given any place unto above others, ſo we are to give him due reſpect. Perhaps they are meaner in eſtate, lower then thou art in the world, yet mark what the Apoſtle ſaith, Condeſcend to men of low Eſtate. You muſt be affable in your carriage to men and women, you muſt not ſcorn, not look with diſdaine upon any though they be never ſo much under you, hath God placed you above them, given you a higher place in eſtate, given you more Riches, better parts, better imployments then they have, yet you muſt condeſcend to the loweſt, and think with your ſelves, who hath made the difference? I might have been as low in condition and parts as they, and therefore you muſt condeſcend to them, not look above them, not deſpiſe to look upon them, what art thou more then they? Are ye not of the ſame Mould? Are ye not made of the ſame Clay? If you be made of a little more fine Clay then others, If you have a little more painting of fine Cloaths upon your Clay then others, what is that? All outward things make but a little difference between man and man; I confeſs Grace makes a great deal of difference between man and man, but the ordinary way whereby men lift themſelves up above their Brethren, it is becauſe they have finer Cloaths then others, and better Eſtates then others, and better parts then others Alas! If thou haſt wit, and underſtanding, let God but touch thy brain a little with a few humors, with a little too much heat, or cold, or moiſture, or drawing a few ill Vapors out of thy Stomach, thou maieſt go like a Fool or a mad man. I remember one Albertus Magnus, who was one of the greateſt ſcorners in the world, yet was many years before he died a very Fool, the parts of a man are very poor things to lift up any man, conſidering how they depend upon a little temper of the brain, and a little ſickneſs may make thee as mad a man as any in Bedlam, therefore there is no Reaſon to look upon thy ſelf above others in that reſpect.
Fourthly, Another thing in an humble Spirit in reference unto others is this, which is ſomewhat more then the other, he not only gives reſpect, but rejoyceth in the good of others, in whatever excellency God hath beſtowed upon others, in what ſucceſs God gives to others, what eſteem God hath of others, an humble heart will rejoyce in all, you know, Paul, he rejoyced that the Goſpel was Preached, though he was nothing. There are two Caſes in which we are to rejoyce in reſpect of others, to be glad that others are above us: As firſt, If God raiſeth any in ſpirituall Grace: Doth God give any ſpirituall Grace more than to thee; I ſay, thou art bound not only to be content but to rejoyce in it, and it is a wickedneſs in the hearts of Men and Women, that becauſe their Glory ſhall be ſomewhat eclipſed by the Graces of others, they could even almoſt wiſh that they did ſomewhat to darken their Graces, becauſe then they ſhould not ſhine ſo bright, and they ſhould be ſome body as well as they, if there be this wickedneſs in thy heart, know, that this is as curſed a wickedneſs as the heart of man is capable of in the world, next to the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, there is as curſed an evil in this diſtemper of thine, as can almoſt be imagined to be in the heart of a man or woman, What! ſhal thy eye be evil becauſe thy Brothers is good? becauſe thy name muſt ſuffer a little, what is thy name, or thy Glory in compariſon of the Glory that God may have by the Grace of thy Brother? And ſo for the gifts of others, not only the Graces, but the gifts of others, the Scripture ſaith, When the wicked are exalted, the People mourn, and may not we mourn becauſe the wicked are lifted up? Therefore that is the ſecond caſe, when God gives any gifts, ſo as to make another more inſtrumentall for good than he doth our ſelves, we are to rejoyce in that though it be not true Grace, yet if he give any gifts whereby they come to be more inſtrumental for God and his Glory than our ſelves, we are bound to rejoyce in this, and to bleſs God for it, this many times comes very neer the hearts of men, & yet there is infinite reaſon, for what is my name, my credit, my eſtate, in compariſon of the work that is done for God? If I be ſincere for God, certainly, if the work do go on, though not by me, I may rejoyce, if my heart be upright, and be not damnable proud, I am bound to rejoyce in it, and bleſs God, though I can do but little for God, yet bleſſed be God that there be any can do more than I can, this indeed would be a great deal of comfort in your hearts, you complain of your own weakneſs, O! you ſay, you cannot pray, when you go to prayer you have a dead heart, I but can you ſay, though I have a ſtrait heart, and cannot pray, Oh, I bleſs God that others have a heart enlarged in prayer, you are not (I hope) wiſhing that others had as ſtraitned hearts as you, And ſo thou haſt a weak memory, and canſt not remember good things, I but bleſſed be God that hath given gifts to others, that they can remember, and that God hath a great deal of Glory by them, and thus when I am in ſecret, in my Cloſet, to be bleſſing of God that he hath given gifts to others, whereby he hath more Glory than by my ſelf. And ſo I might name many particulars that are to be objects of an envious heart, but humility rejoyceth in other reſpects, and if there be any lifted up above me, God ſees that he is like to do him more ſervice than I, if I ſhould be lifted up as they are, God ſees that I am not able to bear it. It is the ſpeech of old Mr. Dod, he wiſhed himſelf to be the worſt Preacher in al the world, I would to God (ſaith he) that I were the worſt Preacher in all the Kingdom, not that he thought himſelf worſe than he was, but this, that he would have all in the Kingdom better than he. You know Moſes when they told him of Eldad and Medad that propheſied in the Camp, he anſwered, Why doſt thou envy them for my ſake? I would to God all the Lords People were ſo, An humble heart never is troubled that any credit is gotten from him ſo God may have Gloty. When as God choſe Moſes to go to the People of Iſrael, he would have Aaron to be …he mouth, but Moſes ſhould be the chief, Exod. 4. 14. Behold Aaron he cometh forth to meet thee, and when he ſeeth thee, he will be glad in his heart, no queſtion but God made known to Aaron what his work ſhould be that made him glad at the heart, and though Aaron knew Moſes ſhould be above him, and Aaron was the elder brother, yet when he met with Moſes he was glad at the heart: As if he ſhould ſay, bleſſed be God, though he be my younger Brother, yet I am willing to further the ſervice that God hath called my younger Brother to; So though thou maieſt think thou haſt other gifts, than other men have, and act above other men, yet if Gods Glory goes on, thou ſhouldeſt bleſs God that his Glory comes about by any others. I remember Plutarch tels of one Philertus that was in election for a place, and it was a place that three hundred were in nomination, and were choſen before him, he ſhould have been but one of them, and he goes away rejoycing, and was glad with this expreſſion, I am glad that there is three hundred in this City better deſerving than my ſelf, not fretting and fuming, but was glad that there was three hundred better than himſelf fit for ſuch a place: So ſhould we, knowing how God caſts things in providence, rejoyce upon this, that others are found better than our ſelves.
Fifthly: An humble Spirit in reference unto others, is willing to receive good from the meaneſt, i… there be any one, though never ſo mean, yet he is willing to receive good from him, he doth not ſcorn it becauſe it comes from a mean man, but on the contrary ſaith, Hath God beſtowed any Grace upon others, though not ſo much as upon me, yet I may get ſome good by them? it may be they have not ſo great gifts as I, I but I may get ſome good by the meaneſt, and the weakeſt, as I have ſaid ſometimes, little Chips will kindle great Logs, ſo an humble heart will get ſomthing from the meaneſt, he will go away bleſſing God for the comfort he hath by the company of thoſe that are meaner than himſelf. Mark Paul; ſaith he, in Jeſus Chriſt that you would ſtrive together with God for me. What! this Apoſtle, that was ſo much above them, for them to ſtrive together with God for him: Yes, thus it is with a true gracious heart. I remember I have read of a German Divine, when he lay ſick and ſome of his friends came to him, and would be ſpeaking to him, and they thought it would be grievous to him, becauſe he was ſo weak, Oh, ſaith he (though they were but thoſe that you cal Lay-people) if ſo be that when I die I ſhall learn any thing of any body, I ſhould account my departure more ſweet to me. And ſo it was the Speech of Oecolampadius, If a truth come, though by a Child, by the meaneſt, we muſt not refuſe: But know ſometimes, that God may ſpeak by a poor body, when he doth deny to ſpeak by thoſe of greater abilities, and therefore we do not know what we loſe by contemning thoſe that are under us, for God (I ſay) many times may ſpeak that to our hearts by thoſe that are beneath us, when he denies to ſpeak it by thoſe that are above us. Now an humble Spirit is willing to learn of every body, of the meaneſt, Oh, if there were ſuch a temper in the hearts of Men & Women, what abundance of ſweetneſs and peace might we have? Now by that we have ſaid, you may ſee how the promiſe may be fulfilled, if we had but an humble heart, there would be abundance of reſt that we ſhould have in this, Oh, the abundance of peaceableneſs that there would be in the world, were it not for this pride of heart; it is Pride of heart that makes all this ado and combuſtion in the world, and were we thus carrying our ſelves lowly in heart one towards another, Oh! the reſt that there would be in the world, and in our own Spirits!
Sixthly: Another is this, An humble heart is a tender heart towards others, a lowly heart is a melting heart, In Coloſ. 3. 12. you have thoſe two put together, Put on therefore, as the elect of God, Holy and beloved, bowels of mercies and kindneſs humbleneſs of mind, Bowels of mercies and humbleneſs of mind are put together, an humble Spirit is merciful towards others, is of a tender heart, either to forgive others, or to give unto others, he readily paſſeth by the offences done by others, he forgives others, he reaſons with himſelf, What am I, that I ſhould think it ſo great a matter for me to be offended, that hath ſinned ſo much againſt God as I have done? Who am I, to take ſo much upon me againſt my Brother that hath offended, when I deſerve to be roaring and yelling in Hell? I that have ſo many talents forgiven me, Why ſhould not I forgive to others? And then for giving unto others, he conſiders, Who hath made the difference between me and others? Why is it that I ſhould be able to give, and not to have need of others? Why ſhould my Brother be in ſuch a poor condition and I have ſuch accomodations? An humble hear… loves ſuch reaſoning, hath his bowels yern towards the neceſſities of his Brethren, whereas a proud Spir…t thinks all is for himſelf, Shall I give my bread, and my fleſh▪ and my Beer that I have provided for my Servants? (ſaith Nabal) but an humble heart thinks all that he hath is mercy, and therefore gives to others. That which makes men and women ſtand ſo much upon it, that they will not forgive wrongs, and makes them ſo mercileſs towards others in miſery, it is from the pide of their Spirits; an humble heart, is a heart tender and melting towards others.
Seventhly: And then the laſt that I ſhall name is this: That an humble heart is not needleſsly ſingular from others; abundance of pride appears in ſingularity: there is a ſingularity that is of neceſſity, that is, we muſt do our Duty, what Conſcience requires in Duty towards God, though none in the world ſhould do the like: So we ſhould be ſingular, What ſingular thing do you? but I ſay, an humble heart is not needleſly ſingular from others, and that you have in Rom. 12. 16. it is a notable Scripture for this, Be of the ſame mind one towards another, mind not high things, but condeſcend to men of low eſtate. Now the words I confeſs as they are in your Books do not ſeem to hold forth that I bring it for, yet if it be examined as the learned know in the originall it is thus foreign, So it is tranſlated, Go the ſame way with thoſe that are of a low eſtate, go on in the ſame way together with them. Do not go in a ſingular way by your ſelves, there is the danger of Pride, for men to go in the way of thoſe that are not mean, they will go on in the way of thoſe that have credit and eſteem in the world, they will not be ſingular from them, here is the Pride of ſingularity for men to be ſingular from poor, Godly, Gracious People, thou Profeſſeſt thy ſelf to be a Chriſtian, and thou canſt comply with men that are full of Pomp, and Glory of the world, and wilt not be ſingular from them: but thou wilt be ſingular from thoſe that are mean, Godly and gracious ſouls, that is Pride, we muſt go on in the way with thoſe that are moſt Godly, and moſt Holy, and moſt Gracious. Now there is a great deal of Pride in ſingularity, in going in waies from them that are Holy & Godly in matter of things that are indifferent, and you your ſelves acknowledg it, and yet you muſt have a peculiar Garb by your ſelves, as ſome have a ſingular tone of ſpeech, and an affected gate, and ſtrange kind of faſhion, and a ſullen kind of way of keeping what they have had heretofore many yeers, though there be no body elſe have the ſame thing, yet they think it is humility, when indeed there is a ſullenneſs of Spirit, and a proud ſingularity in it, and wilfulneſs, when they wil go in a different way, even from the way of Godly, Holy, and Gracious Chriſtians, and would have ſomwhat peculiar to themſelves. For any man to affect ſingularity, in things wherein he may lawfully ſuit himſelf with others, this is Pride wherever it is, and eſpecially thoſe that are Godly, they ſhould ſuit themſelves with others wherein they can, becauſe there is ſomething wherein their Conſcience will not give them leave to ſuit with others, being bound in Conſcience, they have not that liberty that other men have to do this or that, to go this way or that way that other men can do, or go in for their own ends: that which they apprehend to be according to the Rule, they muſt go on to the utmoſt in every thing, whatever men do that they live amongſt, but now becauſe in ſome things thou art bound up, having a tender Conſcience, that you muſt go according to the Rule, therefore it ſhould be thy wiſdom in all things wherein thou canſt condeſcend, and ſuit thy ſelf with other men lawfully, to do it, becauſe hereby thou ſhalt convince the world that when thou doſt differ from them, it is not out of proud ſingularity, but out of Conſcience, they will think that if thou couldeſt in thy Conſcience ſuit with them thou wouldeſt, becauſe in all things wherein thou canſt thou ſuiteſt with them, and indeed thoſe that are Chriſtians, ſhould in as much as they can be Servants to every one, that is, yeild to every one, and ſuit themſelves with every one, upon this ground, that they may by this convince al the world that where they are different from other men, it is not out of honor and pride, but meerly out of obedience to Jeſus Chriſt. Thus you have ſeen the behavior of an humble Spirit, in reference to God, in reference to himſelf, and in reference to other men.