Heart Humiliation, Sermon 6
SERMON VI.
Prov. 27. 1.
Boaſt not thy ſelf of to morrow, for thou knoweſt not what a day may bring forth.
THere are ſome peculiar Gifts that God hath given to man in his firſt Creation, and endued his N…ture with, beyond other living Creatures, which being rightly ordered and improved towards the right Objects, do advance the Soul of man to a wonderful height of Happineſſe, that no other ſublunary Creature is capable of. But by reaſon of mans fall into ſin, theſe are quite diſordered, and turned out of the right Channel; And therefore as the right improvement of them would make man happy: ſo the wrong imployment of them, loadens him with more real miſery, then any other creature: I mean, God hath given to man two notable Capacities, beyond other things, one is; to know and reflect upon himſelf, and to conſider what conveniency is in any thing towards himſelf, what goodneſſe or advantage redounds to himſelf from them, and in that reflection and compariſon to enjoy what he hath. Another is to look forward, beyond the preſent time, and as it were, to anticipat and prevent the ſlow motions of time, by a kind of foreſight and providence. In a word, he is a Creature framed unto more underſtanding then others, and ſo capable of more joy in preſent things, and more foreſight of the time to come; He is made mortal, yet with an immortal Spirit, of an immortal capacity, that hath its eye upon the morrow, upon eternity. Now herein conſiſts either mans Happineſſe or Miſery, how he refl…cts upon himſelf, and what he chooſeth f…r the matter of his Joy and Gloriation, and what providence he hath for the time to come. If thoſe be rightly ordered, all is well; but if not, then woe unto him, there is more hope of a beaſt then of him.
Mans Nature inclines to boaſting, to glorying in ſomething, and this ariſeth from ſome apprehended excellency or advantage, and ſo is originated in the underſtanding power of man, which is far above beaſts: Beaſts find the things themſelves, but they do not, they cannot reflect upon their own enjoyment of them; And therefore they are not capable of ſuch pleaſure: for the more diſtinct knowledge of things in relation to our ſelves, the more delight enſueth upon it. Many Creatures have ſingular qualities and vertues, but they are nothing the happier; For they know them not, and have no uſe of them, but are wholly deſtinated to the uſe of man, who therefore is only ſaid to enjoy them, becauſe he only is capable of joy from them. And this, I ſuppoſe, may give us a hint, at the abſolute incomprehenſible Bleſſedneſs, ſelf-complacency and delight of God; It cannot but be immeaſurably great, ſeing the knowledge of himſelf and all creatures is infinite, he comprehends all his own Power and Vertue and Goodneſs; And therefore his Delight and Rejoycing is anſwerable. There is a glorying and boaſting then that is good, which man is naturally framed unto: And this is that which David expreſſes, Pſa. 34. 2. My Soul ſhall make her boaſt in God; And Pſal. 44. 8. In God we boaſt all the day long, and praiſe thy name for ever. When the Soul apprehends that All-ſufficiency, and ſelf-ſufficient fulneſſe of God; What infinite Treaſures of Goodneſſe, and Wiſdom and Power are in him, and ſo how ſutable and covenient he is to the condition of the Soul; What a ſweet correſpondence there is between his fulneſſe and our emptineſſe; His Mercy and our Miſery; His Infiniteneſſe and our unſutableneſſe, that there is in him to fill and overflow the Soul. The apprehenſion of this, cannot but in a manner perfume the Soul with delight. You find how the ſenſes are refreſhed, when they meet with their ſutable Object; How a pleaſant ſmell refreſheth the …ent; How lively and beautifull colours are delightful to the eye. But much more here, God is the proportioned Object of the immortal Spirit, he correſponds to all its capacities, and fills it with unconceivable ſweetneſs. But, my beloved, boaſting and glorying in him, ariſeth not only from the proportionableneſs and conveniency of him to our Spirits: but this muſt be ſuperadded, propriety in him. Things are loved, becauſe excellent in themſelves, or becauſe they are our own. But we boaſt in nothing, we glory in nothing but becauſe it is both excellent in it ſelf, and ours beſides. It is the apprehended intereſt in any thing, makes the Soul riſe and lift up it ſelf after this manner, to have ſuch a one to be ours, ſuch a Lord to be our God, one ſo high and ſublime, one ſo univerſally full to be made over to thee; Here is the immediate riſe of the Souls Gloriation. And truely as there is nothing can be ſo ſutable a portion, ſo there is nothing that can be ſo truely made ours as God; Of all things a believer hath, there is nothing ſo much his own as God, nothing ſo indiſſolubly tyed unto him, nothing ſo inſeparably joyned. See Pauls Triumph upon that account, Rom. 8. Nothing can truely be ſaid to be the Souls own, but that which is not only Coaetaneous with it, that ſurvives mortality, and the changes of the Body; But likewiſe is inſeparable from it. What a poor empty ſound, is all that can be ſpoken of him, till your Souls be once poſſeſſed of him? It cannot make your hearts leap within you, but it cannot but excite and ſtirre up a Believers heart.
Now there may be a lawful kind of Gloriation Rejoycing in the Works of God, conſequent to the firſt, which is a little ſtream from that greater River which runs out from it, and flows in to it again. A Soul that truely apprehends God, will take delight to view the Works of God, which make ſuch an expreſſion of him, and are a part of the magnificence of our Heavenly Father: But this is all in reference to him and not to our ſelves, for then it degenerats and loſeth its ſweetneſſe, when once it turns the Channel towards the adorning of the Creature. True boaſting in God hath neceſſarly conjoyned with it, an humble and low eſteem of a mans ſelf, Pſal. 34. 2. The humble ſhall hear thereof, and be glade. As humility and ſelf-emptineſs made David go out of himſelf, to ſeek ſatisfaction in God, and having found it, he boaſts and triumphs, ſo there were none capable of underſtanding his triumph, or partaking with him in his delights, but the humble Souls. Now you may perceive, how far this boaſting here ſpoken of, is degenerated from that, and ſo how far man… nature is ſpoiled. Boaſt not thy ſelf, &c. The tru… boaſting we were created unto, hath … ſufficient foundation, even ſuch as will bea… the weight of triumph, but that which men… ſpirits are now naturally ſet upon, cannot cary, cannot ſound ſuch Gloriation; And therefore this boaſting makes men ridiculous. If you ſaw a man glorying in rags, ſetting forth himſelf to be admired in them, or boaſting in ſome vain deſpicable and baſe thing, you would pity him, or laugh at him as one diſtempered. The truth is, Natural man is mad, hath loſt his Judgement, and is under the greateſt diſtraction imaginable ſince the fall: That fall hath troubled his brains, and they are never ſetled, till the new Creation come to put all right again, and compoſe the heart of man. I ſay, all other diſtractions are but particular, in reſpect to particular things: But there is a generall diſtraction over all mankind, in reference to things of moſt general and moſt eternal concernment. Now fools and mad perſons, they retain the ſame affections and paſſions that are in men, as anger, love, hatred, grief, joy, &c. but it is ſo much the worſe, ſince the judgement, which is the only directive and guide of them is troubled: Now they are ſet on wrong Objects, they run at random, and are under no kind of Rule, and ſo they hurry the poor man, and put him in a pitiful caſe. Now indeed ſo it is with us, ſince ſin entered, the Soul is wholly turned off God, the only true Object of delight, in which only there can be ſolid gloriation. The mind of man is blinded, and his paſſions are ſtrong, and ſo they are now ſpent upon empty vanities, and carried headlong without judgement. Oftentimes he glories in that which is his ſhame, and boaſts in that which is his ſin, and which will cauſe nothing but ſhame, the more weight be laid upon it. There is in man an Oblivion and forgetfulneſſe of God, and in this darkneſſe of the ignorance of God, every thing is apprehended or miſapprehended as preſent ſenſe ſuggeſts, and as it fancies a conveniency or excellency, thither the Soul is carried as if it were ſomething, and then it is but the eaſt Wind; There is nothing beſide God that is a fit matter of boaſting, becauſe it laikes one of the Eſſential Ingredients; Either it is not ſuitable to the Soul, or it is not truely our own; There wants either proportion to the vaſt capacity and void of our deſires, and ſo cannot fill up that really, but only in a deluding dream or imagination, and therefore will certainly make the iſſue rather vexation then gloriation; Or there wants property and intereſt in them; For they are changeable and periſhing in their own nature and by Divine appointment, that they cannot be conceived to be the proper Good of the immortal Soul; They cannot be truely our own, becauſe they will ſhortly ceaſe to be, and before they ceaſe to be, they may in a moment ceaſe to be ours; Tha… tye of Intereſt is a draw-knot, whatſoever catcheth hold of the end of it, looſeth it.
The Object of degenerat and vitious boaſting is here held out; Boaſt not thy ſelf, o… of thy ſelf. Whatſoever be the immediat matter of it, this is alwayes the ultimat and principal Object. Since man fell from God, ſe… is the center of all his affections and motions: This is the great Idol, the Diana, tha… the heart worſhips, and all the contention labour, clamour, and care that is amon… men, is about her Silver Shrines, ſo to ſpeak ſomething relating to the adorning or ſetting forth of this Idol. It is true, ſince the Hear… is turned from that direct ſubordination to God, the Affections are ſcattered and parted into infinite Channels, and run toward innumerable Objects; for the want of that Original Unity, which comprehends in its boſ… univerſal plenty, muſt needs breed infinite variety, to ſupply the inſatiable appetite of th… Soul. And this might be enough to convince you, that your Souls are quite out … courſe, and altogether wandered from the wa… of Happineſſe, becauſe they are poured out o… ſuch a multiplicity of unſufficient, unſatisf… ing things, every one of which is narrow, limited and empty, and the combination and concurrance of all, being a thing either impoſſible or improbable to be attained. But we may conceive, that mens Affections part themſelves into three great heads of created things: One of which, runs towards the Goods or Perfections of the Mind; Another towards the Goods or advantages of the Body; And a third towards thoſe things that are without us, hona fortunae, Riches and Honour, &c. Now each of theſe ſend out many Streams, and Rivulets as ſo many Branches from it; But all of them, though they ſeem to have a direct courſe towards other things, yet they wind about and make a circular progreſſe to the great Ocean of ſelf eſtimation, whence they iſſued at firſt. You may find all of thoſe, Jer. 9. 23. falling under a Divine Interdiction and Curſe, as being oppoſite to glorying in God. While men reflect within themſelves, and behold ſome Endowments and Abilities in their minds beyond other men, of which, Wiſdom … the Principal, and here ſtands for all inward advantages or qualifications of the Soul; In that ſecret reflection and compariſon, there is a tacite Gloriation, which yet is a loud blaſphemy in Gods Eares. It is impoſſible almoſt for a man to recognoſce and review his own Parts, ſuch as Ingine, Memory, Underſtanding, Sharpneſſe of Wit, Readineſſe of Expreſſion, Goodneſſe and Gentleneſſe of Nature; But that in ſuch a review, the Soul muſt be puft up, apprehending ſome excellency beyond other men, and taking complacency in it, which are the two Acts of Robery, that are in gloriation and boaſting: Commonly this ariſe… from unequal compariſons, we pleaſe our ſelve… that we are deterio…ibus meliores, better then the worſt, and builds ſelf-eſtimation upon the ruines of other mens diſadvantages, as if it were any point of praiſe in us, that they are worſe like men that ſtand upon a height, and meaſure their own Altitude, not from their juſt intrinſick quantity, but taking the advantage of the bottom, whereby we deceive our own ſelve… I remember a word of Solomons, that impo… how dangerous a thing it is for a man to refle… upon, or ſearch into his own Glory, Prov. 2… 27. It is not good to eat much honey: So for me to ſearch their own glory, is not glory. To ſu… fet in the exceſſe of Honey or Sweet thing… drives to vomite and cloyes the Stomach, ver… 16. Though it be ſweet, there is great need yea, the more need of Caution and Moderation about it; So for a man, either to ſearc… into his own breaſt, and reflect upon hi… ow… excellencies to find matter of Gloriation, or ſtudiouſly to affect it among other and enquire into other mens accompt, and ſteem of him, it is no Glory, it is a dang… rous and ſhamful Folly. Now this is not only incident to Natural Spirits upon their co… ſiderations of their own advantages; but … ven to the moſt gracious, upon the review … Spirituall Endowments and Prerogatives. It is ſuch a ſubtil and inſinuating Poyſon, th… it ſpreads univerſally, and infects the mo… Precious Oyntments of the Soul, and as were Poyſons the very Antidot and Cou… terpoyſon; So forcible is this that was firſt dropped into mans Nature by Satans envy, that it diffuſes it ſelf even into Humility and Humiliation it ſelf, and makes a man proud, becauſe of Humility. The Apoſtle found need to caveat this, Rom. 11. 18, 19, 20. Boaſt not, be not high minded, but fear, thou ſtandeſt by faith. And Chap. 12. 16. Mind not high things, Be not wiſe in your own conceits. And 1. Cor. 8. 2. If any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing as he ought to know. All which, gives us a plain demonſtration of this, that ſelf gloriation and complacency in reflection upon our ſelves, is both the greateſt Ignorance, and the worſt Sacriledge. It is an Argument of greater ignorance for a man to think he knows, then not to know indeed; It is the worſt and moſt dangerous Ignorance, to have ſuch an opinion of our Knowledge, Gifts and Graces; For that puffes up, ſwells with empty Wind, and makes a vain tumor: And then it is great Sacriledge, a robbing of the Honour that is due to God. For what haſt thou that thou haſt not received. That appropriating of theſe things to our ſelves as ours, is an impropriating of them from their right Owner, that is God, 1 Cor. 4. 7. For if thou did apprehend that thou receivedſt it, where then is glorying? I would deſire then, that whenever you happen to reflect upon your ſelves, and obſerve any advantage either natural or ſpiritual in your ſelves, that you may think this word ſounds from Heaven, Let him that glorieth, glory in the Lord. Let not the wiſe man glory in his wiſdom; And ſo not the Learned man in his Learning, nor the Eloquent man in his Speaking, nor the Ingenious man in his Quickneſſe, nor the Good man in his Goodneſſe: All theſe things though ſweet, yet will ſurfeit; Gloriation in them is neither Glory, nor Gain, neither Honourable nor Profitable.
Then the Stream of Gloriation flows in the Channel of Bodily Gifts, as Might, Strength of Body, Beauty and Comlineſſe of Parts, and other ſuch Endowments; which beſides that it is as Irrational as the former, in Sacrilegious Impropriation of the moſt free and Arbitrary Gifts of God to our ſelves; It is with all abſurd, in that it is not ſo truely our ſelves: Theſe bodily Ornaments and Indowments do not perfite or better a man as a man. They are but the alterable qualities of the Veſſel or Tabernacle of a man, in which other-baſer Creatures may far excell him. How many comely and beautiful Souls, are lodged within obſcure and ugly Cottages of Bodies of Clay, which will be taken down: And the great advantage is, that the Soul of a man, which is a man, cannot be defiled from without, that is, from the Body though never ſo loathſome or deformed: The vileſt Body cannot marre the Soules beauty; But then on the other hand, the moſt beautiful Body is defiled and deformed, by the filthineſſe of ſin in the Soul: And O! how many deformed and ugly Souls dwell into beautiful and comely Bodies, which truely is no other thing, then a Divel in an Image well carved and painted. Chriſtians, you had need to correct this within you, even a ſelf-complacency, joyned with deſpiſeing of others in the conſideration of theſe external Gifts God hath given you. What an abominable thing is it to caſt up in reproach, or in your hearts to deſpiſe any other for natural Imperfections? Such as Blindneſſe, Lameneſſe, Deformity, or ſuch like. Let that word ſound alwayes in your Eares, Who made thee to differ from another? Boaſt not thy ſelf, &c. But there is as ſtrong a Stream runs in the third Channel, as in any; Gloriation ariſing from theſe outward and extrinſick differences, that the Providence of God makes among men, ſuch as Riches, Honour, Gain, &c. You find ſuch men, Pſal. 49. 6. Prov. 18. 11. And 10. 15. That which a godly man makes the Name of the Lord, that is, the ground and foundation of his confidence for preſent and future times, that, the moſt part of men make their Riches; That is their ſtrong City, and their high Wall, their Hope and Expectation is repoſed within it. This is the Tower, or Wall of Defence againſt the Injuries and Calamities of the Times, which moſt part of men are building, and if it go up quickly, if they can get theſe ſeveral Stones or peeces of gain ſcraped together into a heap, they ſtraight way imagine themſelves ſafe, as under a high Wall; But there is no truth in it, it is all but in their imagination, and therefore it comes often down about their Eares, and offends them inſtead of being a Defence. Let a man c…eep, as it were, from of the ground where the poor lie, and get ſome advantage of ground above them, or be exalted to ſome Dignity or Office, and ſo ſet by the ſhoulders higher then the reſt of the People, or …et grow in ſome more aboundance of the things of this life, and ſtrange it is, what a vanity or tumour of mind inſtantly follows: He preſently thinks himſelf ſome body, and forgeting either who is above him, to whom all are Worms creeping and crauling on the Foot-ſtool; Or what a ſandy Foundation he ſtands upon himſelf, He begins to take ſome ſecret complacency in himſelf, and to look down upon others below him; He applauds, as it were, unto himſelf, and takes it in evil part to want the approbation and plaudite of others; Then he cannot ſo well endure effronts and injuries as before; He is not ſo Meek and condeſcending to his Equals or Inferiours: While he was poor, he uſed intreaties, but now he anſwers roughly, Pro. 18. 23. As Solomon gives the Character of him. How many vain and empty Gloriations are there about the point of Birth and Place, and what fooliſh contentions about thoſe, as if it were Children ſtrugling among themſelves, about the order and rank; There is no worth in theſe things, but what fancy and cuſtom impoſe upon them, and yet poor Creatures boaſt in theſe empty things. The Gentle Men deſpiſe Citizens, the Citizens contemn the poor Countrey Men, and yet their Bloods in a Baſon have no different Colours; For all this hot contention about Blood and Birth. Boaſt not of thy ſelf. Nay; to ſpeak properly, this is not thy ſelf. Qui genus laudat ſuum, aliena jactat. Such Parents, and ſuch a Houſe is nothing of thy own, theſe are meer extrinſick things, which neither be a honour to unworthy men, nor a diſgrace to one who is worthy.
You ſee, Beloved in the Lord, what is now the natural poſture or inclination of our Souls in this degenerat and fallen Eſtate, as the Rivers of Paradiſe have changed their Channels and Courſe ſince the fall, ſo hath mans Affections, and ſo hath his Gloriation, ſo that it may be truely ſaid, that our Glory is our Shame, and not our Glory. Many glory in Iniquity and Sin, Pſal. …0 3. And 94 4. But that ſhall undoubtedly be their ſhame, and confuſion before Men and Angels. How many godleſs perſons will Glory in ſwearing heinous and deep Oaths, and ſome have contended about the victory in it, you accompt it a point of gallentry, but this Triumph is like the Devils in Hell upon the devouring of Souls. Some boaſt of drinking, and being able to drink others under the Table: But we ſhould be humbled and mourn for ſuch Abominations. Certain I am, that many boaſt of wicked deſigns, and mal…tious projects againſt their Neighbours; If they can accompliſh them; They accompt their Glory, not to take a wrong without giving a greater; Nor to ſuffer an evil word, without twenty worſe in recompenſe. Alas, this Boaſting will one day be turned into gnaſhing of Teeth, and this Gloriation into that gnawing and ever-tormenting Worm of Conſcience. And what will ye do in the day of that viſitation, and where ſhall be your glory? But the moſt part Glory and boaſt in things that profit not, and will become their ſhame, becauſe they glory in them, that is, theſe Gifts of God, outward or inward, Temporal or Spiritual, wherein there is any advancement above others; Unto whom, I would ſeriouſly commend this Sentence to be pondered duely, Boaſt not of thy ſelf. Whatſoever thou art, or whatſoever thou haſt, boaſt not of thy ſelf for it, think not much of thy ſelf becauſe of it: Though there be a difference in Gods Donation, yet let there be none in thy ſelf-eſtimation: Hath thou more Wiſdome and Pregnancy of Wit, or more Learning then another; Think not more of thy ſelf for that, then thou thinkeſt of the Ignorant and Unlearned who want it: Have that ſame reflection upon thine own unworthineſſe, that thou would think reaſonable another that wants theſe Endowments ſhould have: Is there a greater meaſure of Grace in thee, boaſt not, reckon of thy ſelf as abſtracted and denuded of that: And let it not add to thy value or accompt it thy ſelf, put not add to thy value or accompt it thy ſelf, put not in that to make it down-weight, and to make thee prefer thy ſelf ſecretly to another. Whither it be ſome larger Fortune in the World, or ſome higher Place and Station among Men, or ſome Abilities and Perfections of Body or Mind, which may intice the ſecretly to kiſſe thy …and, and bow down to thy ſelf, yet remember that thou boaſt not, glory not in any thing but in the Lord: Let nothing of that kind conciliat more affection to thy ſelf, or more contempt towards others. Let not any thing of that kind be the rule of thy ſelf-judgeing, but rather intertain the view of the other ſide of thy ſelf, that is the worſt, and keep that moſt in thy Eye, that thou may only glory in God. If thou be a Gentl… Man, labour to be als humble in Heart, as thou thinkeſt a Countrey Man or poor Tenant ſhould be; If thou be a Scholar, be als low in thy own ſight, as the unlearned ſhould be; If Rich, count not thy ſelf any whit better then the poor. Yea, the higher God ſet the in place or parts, the lower thou ought to ſet thy ſelf: Boaſt not of thy ſelf, for any thing in thy ſelf, or belonging to thy ſelf, for the property of all Good is taken from us ſince the fall, and it is fallen in Gods Hand, ſince we forefeited it, and there is nothing now properly ours, but evil, that is our ſelf.