Four Books on Matthew 11, Book 3 · Chapter 124
CHAP. CXXIIII.
Twelve Properties of a Lowly heart in reſpect of it ſelf. 1. It is very ſuſpicious of it ſelf. 2. It is willing to know the worſt of it ſelf. 3. It is willing to look to his beginning. 4. It is aſhamed of it ſelf. 5. It loaths it ſelf. 6. It judgeth it ſelf unworthy. 7. It denies it ſelf. 8. It keeps down it ſelf. 9. It hides it ſelf. 10. Goes out of it ſelf. 11. Bemoans it ſelf. 12. Afflicts it ſelf.
BUt now the ſecond thing that hath been propounded is, The behavior of a Lowly & Humble heart, in reſpect of it ſelf, and there are many things in this, and they are of very great uſe for us, for the ordering of our converſations before the Lord, and the ordering of the behavior of our ſpirits in reſpect of our ſelves. As,
1. An Humble heart is very ſuſpicious of it ſelf, I ſpeak of that Humility that may concern our preſent condition here, it is afraid leſt there ſhould be ſome ſecret evill in it ſelf that yet it doth not know, it is very fearful of the deceitfulneſs of its own heart, though it doth not know for the preſent much evil by it ſelf, yet ſtil fears there is much lies hid that is not yet diſcovered: It is a good thing for us to be jealous of our ſelves, knowing how deceitful our hearts are▪ the proud heart is ready to run away vvith all, is content, and thinks it ſelf better than it is, vvhereas the humble heart fears the worſt of it ſelf, if it ſees an evil in another Man or Woman, it begins to reflect upon it ſelf, and is not this my heart too? I am afraid that this evill is in my heart. It is reported of Plato, that vvhen he ſaw other men doing evil, he vvould ſay to himſelf, Nonne ego talis? And am not I ſuch a one? have not I that evil in my heart? So it is repor…ed of Bradford, that vvhen he ſaw others commit ſin, he vvould fal a vveeping, and a lamenting, becauſe he was afraid that there vvas that evil in himſelf that he ſaw in others, though it did not break forth. An humble heart, vvhen it hears the threatnings of the vvord againſt any ſin, it begins to think thus, And doth not this belong to me? I am afraid that it may belong to me as vvel as to any others, very ſuſpicious and jealous of it ſelf. That is the firſt.
2. An humble heart is unfeignedly vvilling to know the vvorſt of it ſelf; and therefore it makes much of any truth that comes the neareſt to its heart, and that diſcovers it ſelf unto it ſelf, it is glad of thoſe truths, vvhen there is a truth comes home to it, to diſcover any evil that it did not ſee before, it is glad of thoſe truths, and bleſſeth God that it comes to know any thing of it ſelf more than formerly; whereas a proud heart vvil rather vex vvhen any truth comes to diſcover any evil that it did not ſee before, As ſome being deformed, are not vvilling to have a Glaſs to preſent their true Image to them, but an humble heart cries to God, Lord try me, Lord diſcover to me vvhat evil is in my heart. And an humble heart loves that Company that vvil help it to ſee vvhat evil there is in it ſelf, or any vvay may diſcover vvhat evil there is in it, and it vvil be meditating upon thoſe things that may further diſcover it ſelf, unfeignedly vvaiting to know the vvorſt of it ſelf: for vvant of this many a Soul goes on in an unſound falſe vvay, and miſcarries to all eternity, becauſe it is not willing to know the vvorſt of it ſelf. That is the ſecond.
3. An humble Spirit doth often look back to its poor beginnings, it loves to do it, one that is lowly in heart, doth love to be often looking back to its poor beginnings, what once he was. If God hath made an alteration in my condition, let me conſider what once I was, what a vile wretch once I was, loves to be often meditating upon that, and ſo to be working upon it ſelf to humble its own heart with ſuch thoughts as thoſe are, Oh! what a poor condition! was I not long ſince in, both in regard of my outward condition, and my inward ſpirituall condition: An humble heart is not unwilling to be put in mind of both. If God hath raiſed him from the Dunghil to a higher condition, he puts himſelf in mind of what he was once, is not willing to have the record of his own Parentage to be razed out, but is willing to have it known what he was, what poor breeding he had, my Father a poor Man, and my Mother a poor Woman, and how poorly they lived notwithſtanding God hath raiſed my eſtate, he is willing to put himſelf in mind of it▪ that he may get his proud heart to be humbled. Agathacles, that was raiſed to be a Prince, he would be ſerved in Earthen Veſſels, to put him in mind of his low condition that once he was in. And that is very famous that we have of Jacob in Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy of the leaſt of all the Mercies and of all the truth which thou haſt ſhewed unto thy Servant, for with my ſtaff have I paſſed over this Jordan, and now I am become two bands, I had nothing but even the poor Staff to paſs over this Jordan withall, but now I am become two bands; ſo for men that perhaps came up to the City, and that are come to live wel, they were poor Boyes, and had little at firſt, and God hath bleſt their Eſtates, and they are not unwilling to look back to what they were, it may be ſome of you, were poor ſhip Boyes, and God hath in ſome Voyages raiſed you up to what you are, Do you look back to what you were? and that in the preſence of God, and to that end that your hearts may be humble and low, Do you make that uſe of what your poor condition was? Or rather do not you forget your poor condition, and now your mind is puft up, this is an evil ſight. And another example for this you have likewife in David, David was exceeding willing to be put in mind of the mean condition in which he was as that in 2 Sam. 2. when Nathan came to him when he would have built an Houſe to God, in 2 Sam. 7. the Lord bids Nathan go to him and ſay to him, I have taken thee from the Sheep-fold verſe 8. Thus ſaith the Lord of hoſts, I took thee from the Sheep-cote, from following the ſheep, to be Ruler over my People, over Iſrael. Now David was not offended at this, but he bleſſed God at verſe 18. He went in and ſate before the Lord, and he ſaid, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my Houſe that thou haſt brought me hitherto? ſtands a wondring at Gods mercy, that God had brought him ſo far as he had done, unto ſuch a comfortable condition, as indeed the Lord had brought him to. And ſo Paul in 1 Tim. 1. 13. he looks back to what he once was, ſaith he, who was before a Blaſphemer, and a Perſecutor, and injurious, but I obtained mercy▪ becauſe I did it ignorantly in unbelief, and the Grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant, with Faith and Love which is in Chriſt Jeſus, who was before a Blaſpemer and a Perſecutor. And ſo he ſaith of himſelf, that he was the leaſt of all (which afterwards we ſhal further make uſe of) the leaſt of the Saints. Thus one that is lowly in heart, is willing to rip up his former life, and conſider what a poor wretch once I was, what an Ignorant ſottiſh Creature I was, knew nothing of God, nor Chriſt, nor the things of eternity, I vvas not able to open my heart to God in Prayer any further than I had learned it, and could look upon a Book. What a mercy of God is it, in that God hath ſhewed himſelf further to me; and ſo the heart vvorks upon the low condition that once it was in. And ſo in Ezek. 16. vvhen the Lord vvould humble his People, there the greateſt part of the Chapter is ſpent in ſhewing vvhat they vvere. Thy Father was an Amorite, and thy Mother an Hitite, ſhewing thereby, that the Lord vvould have us look back to vvhat once we vvere, that thereby our hearts may be kept low. And indeed by this means an humble heart ſees hovv ſtrange the vvorkings of God vvas tovvards it, and vvhat it might have been at preſent, had it not been for the meer mercy of God. This is the thing, vvherein the frame of an humble heart conſiſts in reſpect to it ſelf, it looks back to the poor mean condition that once it vvas in.
4. In the midſt of al the excellencies that God doth give unto an humble heart, yet he is aſhamed of himſelf, or rather thus: An humble heart is aſhamed of it ſelf, yea, even vvhen God beſtovvs the greateſt excellencies of all upon him, In Ezra 9. vvhen Ezra vvas humbling himſelf before the Lord together with the Church, he ſaith thus, We are aſhamed of our ſelves and confounded becauſe of this. And in Jerem. 31. 19. Ephraim humbles himſelf and ſmiting upon his Thigh he confeſſeth that he vvas aſhamed. And ſo the Church ſpeaks in Jerem. 3. 25. We lie down in our ſhame. An humble ſpirit is aſhamed of himſelf; vvhatever others think of him, yet ſuch a one is conſcious of ſo much evill in himſelf, that he is humbled vvhen he looks upon his black Legs: though others may think, O! ſuch a one hath excellent abilities, and the like; yet an humble ſpirit hath ſuch thoughts of it ſelf, as makes it aſhamed of it ſelf. And ſo, in Ezra 9. it was the time when God began to bring them from Captivity, and yet that was the time when they were aſhamed of themſelves, and were ſhaming themſelves.
5. One that is of a lowly heart, the behavior of it ſelf is to loath and abhor it ſelf, in Ezek. 6. 9. there ſaith the Prophet. And they that eſcape of you ſhall remember me among the Nations whither they ſhal be carried Captives, becauſe I am broken with their whoriſh heart, which hath departed from me, and with their Eyes which go a whoring after their Idols, and they ſhal loath themſelves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations, It is an excellent Scripture this, I am broken with your whoriſh heart, and they ſhall ſee this how their ſins they have broken the very heart of God, we have not ſuch an expreſſion that I know in Scripture that might humble the heart of a ſinner more than this, What! have I by my ſins broken the heart of God? what cauſe is there that my heart ſhould be broken? and when they ſhall ſee this, they ſhall loath themſelves. An humble heart when it ſees what it hath done towards God, doth loath it ſelf, looks upon it ſelf with abhorring. So you have it likewiſe in Ezek. 20. 4. And there you ſhal remember your waies, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled, and you ſhall loath your ſelves in your own ſight, for all your evil that you have committed. And the like expreſſion you have in Ezek. 36. 31. Then ſhall ye remember your own evil waies, and your doings that were not good, and ſhall loath your ſelves in your own ſight for your iniquity and for your abominations, and this was in a time of mercy, that is obſervable, it was in a time when the Lord promiſed mercy, and did ſhew mercy to them, even then they ſhall loath themſelves. Many men they may be brought down ſo low upon their ſick beds, with ſome loathſome Diſeaſe that may be upon them, that may force them to loath themſelves; but here is the property of an humble Spirit when the Lord ſhews the greateſt mercy, when it is in the greateſt proſperity, then an humble heart loaths it ſelf before the Lord. And that is a notable Scripture that we have likewiſe in Job for this purpoſe in Job 9. 21. Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my Soul, I would deſpiſe my life though I were perfect, I would even deſpiſe and loath my ſelf, that is, though he were not ſo polluted as others charge him withall, yea, though he were not able to ſee nothing in himſelf; yet becauſe of …he infinite diſtance between God and him, and becauſe of his mean condition that he was in as a Creature, becauſe of what he had been, or what he might be without the Grace of God, if God ſhould withdraw his Grace from him; therefore ſaith he, though I were perfect, yet would I not know my Soul, I would deſpiſe my life, How much more Cauſe have we to deſpiſe and loath our ſelves, when we are conſcious to our ſelves of ſo much evil. And ſo that other place in Job that I named about the Souls behavior before God, when he ſaw the Glory of God, In Job 42. 5. I have h…ard of thee by the hearing of the Ear, but now mine Eyes ſee thee, wherefore I abhor my ſelf in duſt and aſhes, this is the work of an humble heart, to loath and abhor it ſelf before the Lord.
6. The behavior of a Lowly heart in reſpect of it ſelf, it is to judg it ſelfe, judgeth it ſelf.
Firſt, Unworthy of any imployment, unworthy of any ſervice that ever God ſhould imploy him in. So you have it in that of Gideon, in Judges 6. 15. when the Lord had revealed to Gideon what imployment he would uſe him in, Who am I ſaith he, or my Fathers Houſe? He judgeth himſelf unworthy of any ſuch imployment, one lowly in Heart doth think it a great mercy of God to be imployed in any work, it judgeth it ſelf unworthy of ſu…h a mercy as this. May be you may think that God ſhould be beholding to you to imploy you in any work or ſervice for him, but if your heart were Lowly, you would judg your ſelves unworthy to be imployed in any work of God.
Secondly, It judgeth it ſelf unworthy of the leaſt of the Creatures of God, I am leſs then the leaſt of all thy mercies, ſaith Jacob, unworthy of the to bread that it Eates, and the Air that it breathes in▪ it doth not think much that it hath not what others have, but judgeth it ſelf before God unworthy of what it hath, acknowledging that it hath forfeited all the comforts that God hath vouchſafed to it.
Yea, Thirdly, It is ready to charge it ſelf with any evil, even that which comes in ſomtimes by temptation; an humble heart is ready charge it ſelf to be the only cauſe of it: as other men, Hipocrites, they are ready to charge temptation with what comes from their own corruption; So an humble heart rather chargeth its own corruption with what comes from temptation. You ſhal have vaine and carnal Spirits, think to excuſe the evil that comes from them with this, the Devil tempted them, this was a temptation, the ſtrength and violence of a temptation, and they were led to it by the Devil, and ſo judg the Devil for it, and not themſelves, whereas the truth is, it was not thy temptation ſo much as thy corruption, the heart that is lowly and humble chargeth himſelf with all; this is my corruption, this is my wretched and wicked heart, it is true, the Devil might tempt me, but were it not for my corruption the Devil could never prevaile.
Yea, Laſtly, It judgeth it ſelf worthy to be deſtroyed. So that place in Ezek. 36 31. Whereas ſome Books have it You ſhall loath your ſelves▪ The old Tranſlation hath it, And ſhall judg your ſelves worthy to be deſtroyed, A Lowly heart is willing to paſs ſentence upon it ſelf, to accuſe it ſelf before the Lord, and therefore paſſeth the ſentence of eternal death upon it ſelf, ſo as to juſtifie God, God is clear when he judgeth, whatever the judgment of God is againſt the ſin that I have committed, I joyn with it, I cloſe with the judgment, and I judg my ſelf as God doth judg in his word, it takes the ſentence of Gods word and laies it to it ſelf, and judgeth it ſelf. If you judg your ſelves, you ſhall not be judged, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 11. 32. This is the work of a Lowly Spirit, it judgeth it ſelf before the Lord. That is the Sixth.
Seventhly, An Humble Spirit denies it ſelf.
Firſt, It denies its own Reaſon, if the truth of God be revealed in his word, he wil not ſet his own Reaſon againſt the evidence of the truth, but though I cannot ſee a Reaſon of what is in the word, it is fit that I ſhould yeild to what the Lord reveales in his wodr, it is willing to deny his Reaſon in matters of Faith, and there is a great deal in this, and a ſpecial ground why the Lord batters the Heart of ſinners many times, it is to bring them down to deny their own reaſon. So I remember Luther hath a ſpeech concerning Reaſon in matters of Faith, Reaſon it is a moſt bitter enemy to God, and of Faith, he means unſanctified Reaſon, now an humble heart can deny its own Reaſon.
Yea, Secondly: He is much in denyal of his own will, though my will be ſet ſtrong to have ſuch and ſuch a thing, yet what great matter is it, ſaith a Lowly heart, for the will of ſuch a wretched Creature as I am to be croſſed? What if my will be croſſed, and that for ever? I that have been guilty of croſſing God ſo much, an humble heart never thinks much to have its will to be croſſed: whereas there is nothing more todious and grievous to a proud Spirit, then to have its will croſſed, but now when we can get that power over our ſelves, as to be willing to deny our own wils, then our hearts are indeed broken, and we are brought to be lowly in heart before the Lord, the heart of a ſinner is never broken and humble til it can deny its own will, many of you would know when you are humble enough, if you find this, that whereas before you thought it very much to have your wils croſſed, you find now that it is a very little matter to you to have your wills croſſed, this is a ſign that your heart is humble.
And Thirdly, An Humble ſpirit can deny his own ends, whatever my ends were wont to be, what plottings, contrivings, what deſignes I was wont to aime at; now I find I can deny them, I can renounce mine own ends, and am not for my ſelf, an humble Spirit is not a ſelfiſh Spirit, not aiming at his own ends.
Yea, Further: An humble heart can deny its own lawful contentments for God, even thoſe things that are in themſelves lawful contentments, that it might have much liberty in, yet if I ſee that God may have more honor by my being abridged of ſuch lawful contentments, and my Brethren may have more good, I am willing to deny my ſelf in them, to let them go, it is not fit I ſhould look after my ſelf, ſuch a wretched Creature as I am, that might have been in Hell long ago, it is not ſo much for me to look at my ſelf, but if God may have any Glory, and my Brethren any good, I am willing to deny my own lawfull contentments: ſo that an humble Spirit denies, not only its ſinful ſelf, but its lawful ſelf, denies all its own excellencies whatever they be, willing that they ſhould be buried, denies his own honor, cares not for his own diſgrace, I have been perhaps of ſuch an opinion, and if I ſhould alter I ſhould be diſhonored and diſgraced, but if the truth of God may come up, let my honor lie in the duſt, let the truth of God be advanced, he is willing to deny himſelf. This is the behavior of a lowly Spirit in regard of it ſelf, it doth deny it ſelf, and that is the Leſſon that Chriſt would have us indeed learn. Come, if you would be my Diſciples, you muſt deny your ſelf, and take up my Croſs. The word in the Greek is more than deny your ſelves, you muſt throughly deny your ſelf, deny your ſelf to purpoſe indeed, if you will be the Diſciples of Chriſt, and indeed, this Humility is the proper Chriſtian Humility. Your Heathens, they were altogether for men to know their own excellencies, and to ſeek themſelves altogether, but for ſuch a Leſſon as this, to deny themſelves, you never read of any ſuch thing in Heathen Authors, never ſuch a Leſſon that they would teach them, that they would deny themſelves.
8. An humble heart keeps down it ſelf: that is, he would be no higher except he be worthier, one that hath a vain, proud Spirit, ſtil would fain be higher and higher, and is not ſo ſolicitous to be worthier of a higher place; but one that is humble thinks thus, I am unworthy of what place I am in, and I would not be higher except I be worthier, I would not be in a higher condition except God give me a heart to improve that condition that he ſhall put me into, and though God keep me in a low condition in reſpect of outwards, yet the truth is, I have as much as I have Grace to manage, and therefore when there is any riſing thoughts within it about a higher condition, an humble heart is willing to beat down it ſelf, and is ready to ſpeak to it ſelf, as Jeremy to Baruch in Jerem. 45. Doſt thou ſeek great things for thy ſelf? Seek them not: So ſaith an humble Spirit to it ſelf, What! art thou riſing in thy Spirit, and ſeekeſt great things for thy ſelf? Seek them not, it is well thou haſt thy life for a prey, it is well thy Soul may be ſaved in the day of Jeſus Chriſt. And ſo David it is ſaid of him in Pſal. 131. As a weaned Child he quieted himſelf, and behaved himſelf, reſtraining himſelf, and keeping down himſelf; whereas his Spirit would have been froward againſt God, he did keep down his Spirit that was ready even to riſe againſt God. One that hath a lowly heart, yet whilſt it remains in this world, hath much to do to keep dovvn it ſelf.
9. An humble lovvly Spirit hides it ſelf, is vvilling to hide it ſelf, and doth much hide it ſelf, it doth therefore good in ſecret more than in publique, though ſuch a one, vvhen God cals him to publique ſervice, is vvilling to ſerve God publiquely, yet eſpecially is vvilling to do good in ſecret, vvhere none knows vvhat it doth, and vvhere none is conſcious to it ſelf but it ſelf, and God. The ful ears of Corn hang down vvhereas the blaſted ears vvil ſtand bolt upright: So it is vvith a heart that is humble, the more excellency it hath the more it hangs dovvn it ſelf and is lovv, vvhereas the blaſted Spirits of Men and women that have a little in them, they ſtand bolt upright. Or rather as the Violet, the Violet doth hide it ſelf with its own Leaves, So the Fig Tree; and the Violet grows low in the ground, you can hardly perceive it, but only it diſcovers it ſelf by its ſweet ſmel, you may many times ſmel it before you can ſee it, it grows ſo low, and the diſcovery of it is from the ſweet ſavor of it: and ſo it is with an humble heart, the diſcovery of the excellency that is in an humble heart is from the ſweet ſavor it hath, rather than from any comendations of it ſelf by ſpeaking of it ſelf, No, it is that which is abhorred by a lowly humble heart to be ſpeaking high things of it ſelf: and it doth not love to hear others commending of it, and doth not deny them in a modeſty, becauſe they would have them to confirm it the more ſtrongly, as many others will do, but unfeignedly is willing to have them hidden, any futher than God is pleaſed to draw them forth. It doth a great deal of good when no body can know it, as it was the ſimilitude of an Antient, ſaith he, An humble heart in this is like to the Lightening, that may work ſtrong effects on a ſuddain, and goes away and no body takes notice of it, ſomtimes it may be melts the Sword in the Scabbard, and is gone and no body knows who did it: So it is with an humble heart, it wil not make a noiſe in what it doth; whereas a proud heart wil be brought to no good exerciſe except every one take notice of what it doth, an humble Spirit is willing to hide it ſelf when God may nay have Glory by an action, though I may have diſgrace, yet I am content.
10. An humble Spirit goes out of it ſelf, being conſcious of its own weakneſs, I ſay, it goes out of it ſelf for a principle to act by, and for ſtrength, for aſſiſtance, for help, it goes out of it ſelf, and empties it ſelf; we may put both together, it is unbottomed of it ſelf, is one that is willing to live upon Alms, upon Gods Alms continually, upon a continued influence of the Grace of God, being ſenſible of its own weakneſs, i… goes out to catch hold of ſtrength without it ſelf; Like the Vine, though a fruitful Creature, yet a weak Creature, therefore God in nature hath made it ful of little ſtrings, to catch hold of any thing that is next it, to ſupport it ſelf: So it is with an humble Spirit, though very fruitfull yet weak, and therefore is catching hold of ſtrength without it ſelf, ſupports it ſelf upon God, and therefore it dares not go forth in its own ſtrength …n any buſineſs that God ſets it about, but is unbotomed of it ſelf, depends upon a ſtrength beyond its ſelf and looks for aſſiſtance in all actions that it doth from another, it lives upon a principle that is without it ſelf continually, whereas a proud heart lives altogether upon its own principles: But there is nothing more diſcovers our humilty than this, than to live upon nothing in our ſelves, but to go out to ſtrength without our ſelves.
11 This is the true behavior of an humble Spirit in reſpect of it ſelf, a lowly and humble Spirit is often bemoaning it ſelf alone, for its own wretchedneſs and vileneſs, in Jerem. 31. 13. I have heard of Ephraim bemoaning himſelf before the Lord, I have heard him bemoaning himſelf. Is not Ephraim my dear Child? ſaith God, Oh! how frequently doth the Lord hear lowly hearts bemoaning of themſelves before the Lord. It may be it doth not pine ſo much before others in complaints, but gets into the preſence of the Lord, and there it is often bemoaning it ſelf, and pouring forth it ſelf before the Lord.
12. The laſt is this▪ an humble heart doth afflict it ſelf, is willing to afflict it ſelf, you know that the Lord requires (in the day of a Faſt eſpecially) that there ſhould be an afflicting of our ſelves, In Levit. 23. 26. The Text ſaith, That every Soul ſhould afflict it ſelf, and that Soul that doth not afflict it ſelf in the day of a faſt ſhouldbe cut off. Now an humble Soul is an afflicted ſoul, is willing to afflict it ſelf before the Lord, it is not ſo much ſollicitous of comfort, and is altogether for comfort, would fain have comfort: and comfort, no, but is willing to afflict it ſelf, and to burden it ſelf with its own ſin, and to beat down it ſelf, as we read of Paul 1 Cor. 9. 27. the Text ſaith, He beat down his body, leaſt after he had Preached unto others, he himſelf ſhould be a Reprobate: Not to afflict our ſelves as Papiſts, to be whipping our ſelves, and to do thoſe things that God never aequired at our hands, but ſo far as any way God ſhal require it, ſuch a one is willing to afflict it ſelf before the Lord, the main work of the heart in this thing is, that it is not ſollicitous ſo much for comfort, as to be willing to be afflicted before the Lord, ſo far as God would have it afflicted.
So now put all theſe together, and you may ſee the behavior of a lowly heart in reſpect of it ſelf▪ 1. It is ſuſpicious of it ſelf jealous leaſt the…e ſhould be ſome ſecret evil in the heart that it doth nor know of. 2. It is willing to know the worſt of it ſelf. 3. It looks often to its poor beginnings. 4. It is aſhamed of it ſelf, and th…t in the midſt of its own excellencies, 5. It loaths and abhors it ſelf before the Lord. 6. It judgeth it ſelf. 7. It denies it ſelf. 8. It keeps down it ſelf. 9. It hid… it ſelf. 10. It goes out of it ſelf, and empties it ſelf▪ 11. It bemoans it ſelf. And laſtly it afflicts it ſelf ſo that your hearts now having theſe workings in them in reference to your ſelves, you may by this examine whether you have humble and▪ lowly hearts yea or no.