The Arraignment of Pride, Chapter 34
CHAP. 34. An exhortation to humility: The concluſion of the whole work.
LET every one now look into his own heart, and ſee what pride is there, and when we have found it out, let us labour to humble our ſelves for it; as good Hezekiah did, of whom we read, 2 Chron. 32.25. that his heart was lifted up; and ver. 26. it is added: Notwithſtanding Hezekiah humbled himſelf for the pride of his heart: Let Magiſtrates, Miniſters, and all true Chriſtians exceedingly humble themſelves for the pride of their hearts; and let every faithful ſoul weep in ſecret places for the great pride of this Nation, leſt after all our glorious ſhews the Lord lay us aſide as veſſels wherein is no pleaſure: oh take heed of being lifted up with pride, when God is ſtaining the pride of all glory, and marring the pride of England, as he threatned to mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jeruſalem. Jer. 13.9.'Tis dangerous for a Mariner to have his top-ſails up in a violent ſtorm; oh pull down your top-ſails, Pſal. 78.5.lift not up your horn on high; leſt God pull you down, and you be ſunk without recovery; The Lord humble us, that he may exalt us in due time. You may be too high, but can never be too humble. But this is not enough, there muſt be humility as well as humiliation: a man may be humbled, and yet not be an humble man: Gods judgements humbled Pharaoh ſeveral times, but his heart was not humble, it remained as hard as ever. So Ahab was humbled; he rent his clothes, and put ſackcloth upon his fleſh, and faſted and lay in ſackcloth, and went ſoftly; his very pace was altered: ſo that God himſelf takes notice of it: for, ſaith he to the Prophet: 1 Reg. 21.29.Seeſt thou how Ahab humbleth himſelf before me? yet all this while Ahab was not humble; for in the next Chapter you read, that he will go up to Ramoth-Gilead to battel, let God ſay what he will to the contrary. Poverty and miſery may break a proud mans ſtomack, but not his heart; he may be as ſtubborn againſt God as ever; inwardly proud, though outwardly humbled. There is an humility likewiſe that is not good; a counterfeit humility, when a man is only externally and complementally humble, his ſpeeches, his geſtures, his carriage, are humble, but his heart is full of pride. This was Abſaloms humility, who roſe up early and ſtood beſide the way of the gate, 2 Sam. 15.2, 3, 4, 5. Adoravit vulgus.&c. And it was ſo, that when any man came nigh to him, to do him obeyſance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kiſſed him: why was Abſalom thus humble? was it not to get applauſe from the people, and to ſteal away the hearts of the men of Iſrael, and in the end to ſet up himſelf in the throne of David his Father? A proud man like the Lion, coucheth and humbleth himſelf, that the poor may fall into his ſtrong paws, Pſal. 10.10. as one renders that place. This is called by one Vulpina humilitas, the Foxes humility. One compareth theſe to the little venemous ſerpent Ceraſtes, which to allure the birds to come unto it, that ſhe may feed on them, counterfeits her ſelf to be dead: So theſe proud counterfeits, ſeem to be very lowly and officious, putting their hands under your very feet, when as their hearts are full of pride and covetouſneſs: Pride in it ſelf is very odious, therefore it labours to ſhrowd and palliate it ſelf under the mask of humility.
There is another kind of outward humility, a voluntary humility, that is, of ſuch as vow voluntary poverty, and ſeem to renounce and relinquiſh the world, and betake themſelves to a Monaſtical and Eremetical kind of life; ſuch as theſe have no warrant for it; that I can find; our Saviour indeed pronounceth a bleſſing upon the poor; not on thoſe that are outwardly poor in eſtate, Matth. 5.3.but on thoſe that are poor in ſpirit, that have mean thoughts of themſelves, from which theſe men are far enough, placing an opinion of merit in theſe courſes: Nor are they truly poor; for howbeit they have the poſſeſſion of nothing, yet they enjoy and have the command of more then they that have lands and livings, large rents and revenues: of ſuch kind of Cattel, Albertus Duke of Saxony ſaid, that he had three wonders in one City; meaning three Monaſteries; whereof the Friars of one had Children, but no Wives: Non magnum eſt ſua, ſed ſe relinquere. Ferus in Matth. 5.The Friars of the ſecond had ſtore of Corne, but no land: And the third had ſtore of money, and no rent or other apparent means to raiſe it: It is a greater matter for a man to relinquiſh himſelf, then to relinquiſh his goods, which indeed is the part of him that is poor in ſpirit.
But true humility is a grace ſeated in the mind or heart, whereby a man from a right knowledge of himſelf walks humbly with God and man.
1. It will make a man diſclaim all his own worth and excellencies in Gods preſence; it will make a man willing to be debaſed, that God may be glorified; 2 Sam. 6.14, 20, 21.it will make men of honour, to lay aſide their own honour to honour God; as David when he laid aſide his Princely robe, and put on a linnen Ephod, and daunced before the Ark of the Lord, though his wife Michal upbraided him with it as a thing too low and baſe for his dignity; yet ſaith he, it was before the Lord, and therefore if I have been vile, I will yet be more vile then thus, and will be baſe in mine own ſight. Therefore one ſaith, he is more aſtoniſht at Davids dauncing, Gregor.then at Davids fighting: for in fighting he overcame but his enemy, but in dauncing he overcame himſelf.
Humility makes a man zealous in ſerving God, and yet when he hath done what he can, he accounts all as nothing: though he hath done much, yet humility ſaith I have done nothing. Luk. 17.10.That of our Saviour is the humble mans poſie, When I have done all that was commanded me, yet am I but an unprofitable ſervant: The humble man knows, though afflictions are ſharp and bitter arrows, yet they are ſhot from a loving hand, and therefore to be endured. 1 Sam. 15.26.I have done that which was my duty to do. Many pretend to be Gods ſervants, but the humble man alone is the man that can be content to ſerve God in a mean place or low calling. The humble man is wiſe to ſobriety, not daring to rifle Gods Cabinet, or too curiouſly to ſearch for things too high and too wonderful for him.
The humble man quietly bears the yoke, and is very ſenſible of the hand of God when it is upon him, and cannot complain of Gods diſpenſation towards him. If the Lord ſay (ſaith humble David) I have no delight in thee; behold here I am, let him do to me as ſeemeth good unto him: He lays his hand upon his mouth when the Lord ſmites him, becauſe tis his doing.
2. The humble man thinks meanly of himſelf: Chriſt calls the woman of Canaan a dog: How doth ſhe digeſt this bitter pill? ſhe ſaith, truth Lord! yet even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their Maſters table; as if ſhe had ſaid, ſeeing I am no better then a dog, I ſhall be contented to be ſerved like a dog: Matth. 15.26, 27.I deſire not to ſit at table with Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, nor to be fed either before the Children or with the Children; a ſcrap or crumb will ſerve me a poor Gentile, I deſire not a loaf, but a crumb of bread: I leave thy great mercies and great miracles for thy own country-men, thy peculiar people the Jews: but Lord, I beſeech thee ſhew one mercy to me a poor Gentile, do one little miracle for my ſake, caſt out one devil out of my poor daughter; ſpare one crumb of mercy upon me a poor Canaanite: Accedens ad Chriſtum, canis vocatur; diſcedens à Chriſto, mulier vocatur: ipſa mu…vit affectum; ipſe mutavit vocabulum. Auguſt.If I be a dog; I am thy dog; and as a dog will be ſometimes impudent, and not ceaſe bawling till he get ſomething: ſo will I be importunate, and not ceaſe begging, till thou hear me, and heal my daughter: Now ſee what the iſſue was, Jeſus anſwered her, O woman, great is thy faith. Coming to Chriſt ſhe is called a dog, and departing from Chriſt ſhe is called woman: ſhe ſhewing her ſelf by her faith and humility to be no Canaanite, but a true Iſraelite, he ceaſeth to call her dog, and calls her woman; ſhe changeth her affection, and he changeth his denomination.
3. The humble man thinks highly of others, in lowlineſs of mind, Phil. 2.3.eſteeming others better then himſelf: Humility will make a man very officious and ſerviceable to others: When there aroſe a ſtrife among Chriſts Diſciples who ſhould be the greateſt: his argument is, that they muſt not be like Pagan Princes, Stultè & perperam regnum vobis fingitis; alia vobis med tanda eſt ratio, ſi mihi operamſidelem impendere cupitis, &c. Sit haec veſtia magnitudo, excellentia & dignitas, fratribus vos ſubmitterc: Calvin in Matth. 20.who often tyrannize, uſurp, and abuſe their authority over the poor people, not conſidering what in equity and conſcience they may do, but what by their prerogatives and extremity of Law they can do, Matth. 20.25, 26. he tells them they muſt do otherwiſe, and not ſtrive to advance themſelves by ruling, but to excell and exceed one another by ſerving and obeying: let this be your greatneſs, and dignity, and primacy, to ſubmit your ſelves one to another in love: The greater any man is, the more ought he to humble himſelf in all things: Honos and Onus muſt not be divided: and they that are in places either in the Church or Commonwealth, muſt labour not ſo much Praeeſſe as Prodeſſe, Acts 20.28. 1 Corinth. 3.5. 1 Corinth. 4.1. There is no place for Pride or Ambition neither in Chriſts Spiritual Kingdom on earth, nor in his Eternal Kingdom in Heaven.Hinc Principes dicuntur Nedivim, Pagnin. 1 Sam. 2.8. viz. A largiendo, & foreign: & Reges Aegypti dicti ſunt Pharaones, i. e. populi vindices, & Rex Gerar Abimelech. i. e. Rex Pater meus, & inter Graecos foreign, & inter Latines reges, duces, imperatores, to put them in mind how to carry themſelves in their government towards their people: non alium in finem vectigalia, ſtipendia, ſeu tributa illis penduntur, niſe ut ad ſumptus honoris ſplendori neceſſarios ſufficiant, Calvin in Harm. Evang.
Humility will make a man patiently bear and put up much contempt and reproach from others, which they caſt upon him: he that deſpiſeth no man but himſelf, regards not the contempt that others pour upon him: every croſs word or reproach gives the proud heart a deep wound, whereas the humble ſoul can bear reproach without regret. He deſpiſeth contempt, that affects no vain-glory; he accounts it his greateſt honour (with the Apoſtles) to be diſhonoured for Chriſt, Act. 5.41.and to ſuffer ſhame for Jeſus ſake.
Humility makes a man not greedy of praiſe from others, nor take content in it when others praiſe him: the humble man thinks ſo meanly of himſelf, that he deſires none ſhould think or ſpeak highly of him: Cum laudatur adfaciem, flagellatur in corde. Chryſ. 2 Cor. 3.1.he dares not commend himſelf, nor chaunt out his own praiſes; he had rather his works then his tongue ſhould praiſe him: and as Chryſoſtom ſaith; when he is praiſed to his face, he is prickt to the heart: The humble man will ſilence his own vertues and excellencies, and ſeeks to keep them as ſecret as his thoughts, if he could, leſt any man ſhould think or ſpeak of him beyond what he ſeeth in him, or heareth of him.
The humble man hath humble veſtures, and humble geſtures, Deck your ſelves inwardly in lowlineſs of mind. Geneuenſ. in 1 Pet. 5.5.humble carriage towards, and an humble converſation with others; his heart is not haughty, nor are his eyes lofty; he ſpeaks not proudly, his words are humble; he walks humbly in that ſtation wherein God hath placed him, proſperity doth not puff him up; Adverſity makes and keeps him very low and humble: The humble man rejoyceth at his brothers well-fare: The humble ſhall hear it, Humilitatem inſinuate. vulg. lat. in ſinu habete. Gloſſ. interlin. But the Original word ſignifies to deck and adorn.and be glad, Pſal. 34.2. Let every man therefore labour to put on humbleneſs of mind, Col. 3.12. and to be cloathed with humility, 1 Pet. 5.5. put it on as Kings put on their Robes and Crowns, and as Souldiers put on their Armour, Epheſ. 6.11. and we ſhall find it, & ornamentum & munimentum, both clothes to cover us and keep us warm, and a corſlet to defend us, it will be both ornament, honour, and armour to us: As garments do adorn the body, ſo doth humility the mind much more; For as a fair woman hath not a better ornament then modeſty, ſo hath not a great man a better garment then humility.as the body being naked and ſtript of apparel is unhandſome and unſeemly to men, ſo a ſoul not clothed with humility is odious in the ſight of God, Angels, and men. By putting on humbleneſs of mind, the Apoſtle meaneth, that Chriſtians ſhould exerciſe and uſe this grace every day more and more: we put on and pull off our apparel every day, but having once put on humbleneſs of mind, we muſt never put it off again; our apparel is the worſe for wearing, but humility doth grow and encreaſe by being uſed: God giveth grace upon grace to the humble ſoul; where humility is, he giveth more grace. Humility is a grace of ineſtimable value; it is rarely found among men of honour and greatneſs; but it is a choice grace where ever it is: and therefore as that Rhetoritian being askt what was the chiefeſt thing in eloquence, anſwered, Pronuntiation; and being thrice askt, did ſtill anſwer the ſame: ſo of all the graces of a Chriſtian, if you ask never ſo often which is the chiefeſt; I anſwer ſtill, humility is the chief of all. The humble ſoul is dear to God; God looks upon him with great reſpect, and thinks nothing too good for him. The Lord ſtops his ears againſt the prayers of proud men: Elihu tells us, There they cry, Job 35.12, 13.but none giveth anſwer, becauſe of the pride of evil men; ſurely God will not hear vanity, nor will the Almighty regard it. A proud man is too full in himſelf to receive any thing at the hands of God: the cry of the humble beggar is ſooneſt heard. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard and ſaved him out of all his troubles, Pſal. 34.6. God heareth the very deſires of the humble, Pſal. 10.17.
Humility eſtabliſheth a Chriſtian in all diſaſters: the deeper the tree is rooted in the earth, the ſtronger it ſtands againſt the fury of the winds: and the lower a man is rooted in humility, the more he is eſtabliſhed, ſtanding firm againſt all troubles and temptations; humility reſiſteth the greateſt evils, and overcometh the greateſt difficulties. Humility puts a Chriſtian into a ſerene and calm temper; no ſtorms, no tempeſts, no diſaſters can diſcompoſe his ſpirit; ſuch things may ſtick on the body, Excelſa eſt patria, humilis eſt via. Aug. Super Johan. Mat. 18.4.but cannot ſtick on the mind of an humble man: Beſides, God will ſave the humble perſon, or him that is not haughty, him that hath low eyes, as it is in the Hebrew, Job 22.29. Bleſſed are the poor in ſpirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven, Matth. 5.3. and our Saviour ſaith, Whoſoever humbleth himſelf as a little Child, the ſame ſhall be greateſt in the Kingdom of heaven. God doth not reward any according to the places and dignities which they hold under him, but according to the humility with which they manage them: the high and lofty one doth here dwell with the humble ſoul; Iſa. 57.15.and the humble Chriſtian ſhall dwell with him in the high and holy place for ever. The eight Beatitudes, Matth 5. are like the ſteps of Jacobs ladder, reaching from earth to heaven, whereof the firſt ſtep is humility, called there poverty of ſpirit.What comfort may this miniſter to every poor Chriſtian? What though we were left poor, and born to nothing? or though we be fallen to decay by ill ſucceſs in the world, and brought to nothing as Job? yea though our calamities bring contempt upon us, ſo as we be even troden under foot, and trampled upon by the Nimrods of the earth? yet if we can poſſeſs our ſouls in patience, and be rich in grace, and poor in ſpirit; then however we be Nobodies on earth, yet ſhall we be great Nobles in Heaven, Iſa. 23.8.even greater then the Merchants of Tyrus, who were honourable perſonages, and no leſs then Princes and Peers of the Land. The leaſt of Gods little ones in heaven ſhall have greater honour, being ſons and heirs to a King, Rom. 8.14, 17. 1 Joh. 3.1. and brethren to a King, Heb. 2.17. Qui exaltat ſe per ſuperbiam, humiliabitur per poenam; & qui humiliat ſe per peccaterum confeſſionem, exaltabitur per gloriae remunerationem. Lyra in Luc. 14.yea they ſhall all be Kings, Rev. 20.6. and in token of this royal eſtate and Majeſty, they ſhall have Palms and Scepters in their hands, and Crowns on their heads, even Crowns of gold, Rev. 7.9. Rev. 4.4. On the other ſide how effectual would it be to pull down the pride of men, did they conſider that Pride is that which hath ruined many perſons, families and Nations, and the rock againſt which many have been ſplit and ſuffered ſhipwrack: how fooliſh then is that man that ſees the wofull wrack that Pride hath everywhere made, that yet will adventure to hoiſe up his ſails, and run his ſoul upon that dangerous rock? Let no man then think himſelf ſafe, where ſo many have miſcarried, and never any yet eſcaped. I conclude with that of Solomon: Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, then to divide the spoil with the proud, Prov. 16.19.
Humilitas in paupere grata eſt, in divite glorioſa: humilitas inter inimicos blanda; ſuperbia verò inter amicos ingrata; blanda & officioſa ſemper eſt humilitas, in amicitiis grata, in contumeliis otioſa; non extollitur proſperis, non mutatur adverſis, non extorquet ſervitium, non requirit voces adulantium, niſi quam ſe laudatione novit indignum. Valerius Epiſcop. in quodam ſermone.
Sola, quae non ſolet gloriari, non novit praeſumere, contendere non conſuevit, gratiam inventura eſt in oculis pietatis humilitas; non contendit judicio, non praetendit juſtitiam quae vere humilis eſt. Bern. in Epiſt. 45.
FINIS.
End of the text · William Gearing, The Arraignment of Pride (1600)