The Arraignment of Pride, Chapter 32
CHAP. 32. Chriſt a great example of humility in his life.
2. CHriſts great humility appeared in his life, if we conſider him In a private condition, or In his publick condition.
1. If we conſider him in a private condition, his humility is manifeſt.
1. In his tender years, by his ſubjection to Joſeph and Mary, Luke 2.52. Venerabatur matrens cujus ipſe; erat pater; colebat nutritium quem & ip ſe nutriverat. Hieren.yet this was not a ſubjection of neceſſity, but of humility, as Ambroſe ſaith: in that he that was God was ſubject to man, it was for our example: he gave reverence to his mother whoſe Father himſelf was; he honoured him that gave him nouriſhment, whom he himſelf had nouriſhed: yea we read not that he ſhewed himſelf any more abroad after his diſputing with the Doctours at twelve years old, till he was thirty years old and began to preach, being eighteen years after.
2. In following a mean trade or calling: we muſt not think he was idle, but wrought with Joſeph to help get his own and their living. Hillary thought he wrought upon the trade of a Smith. Hugo thought that they were Maſons; but Juſtin Martyr and Baſil ſay they were Carpenters, and for this we have Scripture; ſo we have not for the other; Matth. 13.35. Thoſe that were equal with Chriſt in years, but whom he far ſurpaſſed in wiſdom, when they ſee themſelves in ſuch ſort out-ſtripped of him, ſay of him in ſcorn, Is not this the Carpenters ſon? and Marke 6.3. Is not this the Carpenter, Dr. Jer. Tailor on the life of Chriſt.the ſon of Mary? Some ſay he was called the Carpenters ſon while Joſeph lived; but when Joſeph died, which was before the publick manifeſtation of Jeſus unto Iſrael, then he wrought in that trade alone by himſelf, and was called no more the Carpenters ſon, but the Carpenter himſelf, as before was ſaid by his own Country-men. Chriſt out of his great humility, took this mean calling upon him, to leave us an example in this kind, to ſhun idleneſs, and to live in ſome lawful calling; Joſeph and Mary were of the blood Royal, and nobly born; yet things being as they were with them, they held it no ſhame to bring up their ſon to a mechanical trade: the old Patriarchs notwithſtanding they were petty Kings, yet brought they up their Children either in keeping Cattle, or tilling the ground: Solon made a law, that that Father could challenge no reverence or duty from his ſon, that had not brought him up in ſome calling, whereby he might live and maintain himſelf; and among the Athenians and Egyptians the faſhion was that every year every man ſhould appear before the Governours, and ſhew by what means he got his living, and all idle perſons were baniſht: and among the Maſſalians, they would admit none into their Cities, but ſuch as had trades to live by, and maintain themſelves. What ſhame can it be for any man to be skilful in ſome Art? Art is no burden, Ars non gravat artiſicem.but even a commendation and commodity to the Artificer: this Cato knew, therefore he gives this wiſe Counſel,
Si tibi ſint nati, nec opes, tunc artibus illos
Inſtrue, quo poſſint inopem defendere vitam.
If thou no wealth nor riches haſt
upon thy Children to beſtow:
Inſtruct them in ſome Art or Trade,
from whence a livelyhood may flow.
And this may be any mans caſe; for wealth may fail, had he never ſo much.
2. Conſider Chriſt in his publick and miniſterial employment, and therein alſo his great humility will appear.
1. In aſſuming to himſelf humble titles:
The title of the Son of man.
The title of a ſervant.
1. The title of the ſon of man: that is the name by which he uſually ſtileth himſelf, ſaying Whom ſay ye, that I the ſon of man am? the ſon of man came to ſave and ſeek that which was loſt: he that vouchſafed to take upon him our nature, intituleth himſelf alſo by our name.
2. The title of a ſervant; and not only ſo, but the condition of a ſervant; he was
A ſervant to God,
A ſervant to man.
1. A ſervant to God. Behold my ſervant whom I have choſen, Iſa. 53.11. He came to do ſuch a piece of ſervice, as all the Angels in Heaven, and men on earth were never able to have performed; the greateſt work muſt be done by the greateſt ſervant.
2. To man alſo he was a ſervant: for our ſakes it was that he made himſelf of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a ſervant: It had been much for him to have taken upon him the form of a King; conſidering what an eſtate he left for it, it had been an uneven exchange; but he doth much more; of Lord of all, he becomes a ſervant to all: as he came into the world without pomp, ſo he carrieth himſelf in the world without pride. The whole life of Chriſt was nothing but a ſervice to others; therefore he ſaith to his Diſciples, when ſome of them affected a preheminence above the reſt; Mat 20.28Whoſoever will be chief among you, let him be your ſervant, even as the ſon of man came not to be miniſtred unto, but to miniſter, &c. None ſent for Chriſt but he came unto them; none had any need of him but he attended them; he viſited the ſick, toucht unclean leapers, and ſerved his Diſciples, even to the waſhing of their feet, Joh. 13.5.yea ſuch was his humility, that he waſheth the feet of him that betraied him: he was a great ſervant to us; he did our work and ſuffered our puniſhment. Upon the conſideration of this great example of humility, Guericus a holy man cries out, Viciſti Domine, viciſti ſuperbiam means.Thou haſt overcome, O Lord, thou haſt overcome my Pride; this example hath maſtered me; I deliver my ſelf up into thy hands, never to receive liberty or exaltation, but in the condition of thy humbleſt ſervant.
2. His humility appeared further in making choice of an humble ſociety and company of attendants; what were his Diſciples but a company of poor fiſhermen? he makes no choice of great Kings, or wiſe Senators, or eloquent Orators to blazen his glory, or to be the trumpeters of his fame, but poor fiſhermen, men of a mean calling, and of low eſteem in the world: the men that he converſed with were poor Publicans and the inferior ſort of people, preaching much oftner in the Synagogues of little villages, then in the Temple of Jeruſalem; and it was one part of the anſwer that he willed John Baptiſts Diſciples return to their Maſter, Luk. 7.22.that the poor had the Goſpel preached unto them.
3. His poverty alſo ſhews his great humility, though he were the Lord of glory, and the King of heaven, yet he laid aſide his glory; though he were rich, yet he became poor, 2 Cor. 8.9. when he was come to his own finding as it were, and had a family to look unto, viz. his twelve Apoſtles, he had not an houſe to put his head into: The Foxes ſaith he, Luk. 9.58.have holes, and the birds of the air have neſts, but the ſon of man hath not where to lay his head: Luke 8.3.he lived much upon the benevolence of many which miniſtred unto him of their ſubſtance: he had not an horſe of his own to ride upon, and therefore we read that in his travels he either went on foot, or was very meanly mounted, viz. upon an Aſs, and that but borrowed, Matth. 21. according to the Prophecy, Zech. 9.9. nay he had not at all times money to pay ſcot and lot; Therefore Peter muſt go fiſh for money, before they can pay their tribute: nor hath he a houſe of his own to eat the Paſſeover in with his Diſciples, Marke 12. nor money in his own purſe to provide it at his own coſt, Mat. 17.27 Paupertatem aſſumpſit, & divitias nòn amiſit, ſed tantum abſcondit. Intus dives erat, for is tantum pauper, latens Deus in divitiis, patens homo in paupertate, & ſimul in uno Deus & Homo, dives & pauper. Gorran.but muſt borrow and be beholden to others: nor a Tombe of his own to be buried in, but is fain to be laid in Joſephs of Arimathea, Matth. 27. Now he became thus poor to ſanctifie poverty to us, and make it the more tolerable by his bearing of it. When Souldiers ſee their Captains partake with them in their labours and travels, and to ſuffer hunger, and cold, and thirſt alike with them, it works much upon them, and is a ſtrong argument to perſwade them to patience and humility. I have read of Alexander the great, that in his travels, he came to ſuch huge mountains of ſnow, as none of his company durſt adventure over, which when he ſaw, he alighted from his horſe, and went over the tops of them, which his company eſpying, ſome for love, and ſome for ſhame, all followed him. What encouragement then may it be to Chriſtians in poverty to ſee Chriſt their Captain ſo exceeding poor, that was Lord of all the riches of the world? may not every poor Chriſtian ſay to himſelf, as he to his Diſciples, Joh. 15.20. The ſervant is not above his Maſter. The old Heathen Philoſophers could comfort themſelves to think that nature was contented with very little, and it was not much that they wanted; and ſhall not Chriſtians comfort themſelves to think that all treaſures are hid and laid up for them in Chriſt their Head? the Popes unholy holineſs that ſtiles himſelf the ſervant of Gods ſervants, advanceth himſelf above all his Lieutenants: But ſeeing Chriſt (his Maſter as he ſaith) was ſo poor, it is ſtrange he cometh to be ſo rich; and ſeeing Chriſts Kingdom was not of this world, as himſelf confeſſeth, I wonder whence Peter had ſuch a large Patrimony to leave to his ſucceſſours.
Beſides, ſuch was the humility of Chriſt, that he rejected honour when it was offered him, John 6.15.hiding himſelf when he was ſought to be made a King; he that ſaith My Kingdom is not of this world, refuſeth the offer of an earthly Kingdom.
4. His moderation in all his geſtures and carriage, ſhews his great humility. Though Chriſt were a Prince, yet when he was born he was lapt in homely clouts; and leſt this might be imputed to the poverty of his Parents during his minority, when he was a man, he wore a ſeamleſs coat; yea in his time, it was thought that it was the prerogative only of great perſonages in Princes Courts to wear ſoft raiment. Likewiſe we may truly ſay, that he was a mourner all his daies; for though he had facultatem ridendi, as every man hath, yet we never read that he laught, but he wept often, and that not for himſelf; in him there was no cauſe of tears; he wept for the hardneſs of the peoples hearts, Non propter deſtructionem domorum, ſed perditionem animarum.Marke 3.5. and wept over Jeruſalem, Luke 19.41. not ſo much for the deſtruction of their houſes, as the perdition of their ſouls: Shall Jeſus weep for us, and ſhall not we weep for our ſelves and for our children, and for the diſhonours done to ſo pitiful a Saviour? His humility likewiſe was diſcovered by the words that he ſpake, the people wondring at the gratious words that came out of his mouth: his words were but few; he ever ſpake very ſparingly, and all his words were without oſtentation or affectation, and in his anſwers he was very conciſe, and full to the purpoſe in all kinds, as appeareth by his behaviour and carriage, both ſtanding at the bar to be judged by the High-Prieſt, Mat. 26.63, 64. and his ſitting at bench to judge the woman taken in adultery, Joh. 8.6, 7.
5. The miracles that he wrought, and the works that he did do in a moſt lively manner, ſet forth his humility to us; When he healed the ſick, cleanſed the lepers, opened the eyes of the blind, he charged moſt of them that they ſhould tell it to no man; Mat. 9.30.leſt any thing ſhould be aſcribed to him, as if he were ambitious of vain-glory, Luk 5.14.therefore he attributeth all to his Father: The words that I ſpeak unto you, I ſpeak not of my ſelf; And the works that he did he diſowneth: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doth the works, Joh. 14.10.
Queſt. Notwithſtanding Chriſt charged the leper that was cleanſed, Luke 5. that he ſhould tell it to no man: Marke tells us, that he preſently publiſhed the matter, Mark. 1.45which cauſed ſuch a throng and preſs about our Saviour, as he could not openly enter into the Cities, and follow his function. Here a queſtion may be propounded, whither this leper did well or ill in this fact? David ſaith, Pſ. 107.32Let men exalt the Lord in the congregation of the people, and praiſe him in the aſſembly of the Elders: Iſa. 12.4.and the Prophet Iſaiah bids us proclaim his name, and declare his doings among the people; and when our Saviour had diſpoſſeſſed a man of a Legion of devils, he bade him to go home, and ſhew the matter to his friends, what great things the Lord had done for him, and how he had compaſſion on him, Marke 5.19. And it is like this man meant no more.
Anſw. A particular precept coming in place, diſpenſeth with the general rule. And further I anſwer, that a good intention cannot excuſe a bad action, as is diſobedience, 1 Sam. 15.22, 23. we may gueſs at many reaſons why Chriſt bids him to tell it to no man.
1. Becauſe there is as Solomon ſaith, a time for all things; and the time that he would have this manifeſted was not yet come, as he told his mother, John 2.4.
2. Non erat neceſſe ut ſcrmone jaciaret, quod corpore praeferebat. Hieron in loc.There was no need in words to publiſh what his cleanſed body (being as it were all turned to tongue) evidently declared.
3. It was abſurd and prepoſterous he ſhould boaſt of his cleanſing, before he was judged clean; therefore in the next words, he is bid to go and ſhew himſelf to the Prieſt; and if then he judged him clean, he might declare it to whom he liſted: this he was to do.
1. To confirm the truth of the miracle, they ſeeing it to be no phantaſtical deluſion, but a true cleanſing.
2. That he might enjoy the benefit of his cure, and be again admitted into the ſociety of other men, which muſt not be till the Prieſt judged him clean, Levit. 14. Here then you ſee that Chriſt in the Sermons that he preacht, and in the miracles that he wrought, ſought not his own glory, but the glory of him that ſent him. And how humble was he in his practice, taking little Children to him, ſhewing that he that received a little child in his name received him?