Balm from Gilead, Sermon 6
20. Iuly. 4. day.
VVEe hauehave seene the euill, the subiect of it, the cause deseruing it, sinne, and inflicting, God: the extent, the land; and Physitian, the Lord: come wee now to the meanes: the first is, humble themselues: First, I will shew what is meant, and then come vntounto some propositions.
Humbling of a mans selfe, is the exercise or operation of humility; humility acted: humility an especiall worke of God, by his spirit on the elect whereby they submit themselues vntounto God in soule and body, the motions and actions of both.
By the terme speciall, I difference this from that which is common, and hath not the promise. By Spirit, I meane the spirit of sanctification. By Elect, I denote the subiect, whose peculiar it is to hauehave this humility. Submission is the specificall act of it: the obiect is God, in his attributes word or workes. By soule, I meane the minde with thoughts, motions, and conclusions thereof, and the will, it is not a thing extorted, but willingly yeelded: and by body, I meane the mouth or words, and all other required outward expressions.
An humble man is one emptied of high conceit and vaine confidence, in himselfe, wit, strength, &c. in whom high thoughts and imaginations, opposite to Gods rule, are cast downe by selfe deniall: one that seeth his sinnes and iudgements minaced, iminent or inflicted, iudging them folly, accusing himselfe, I hauehave done foolishly, confessing the punishments deserued: vntounto vsus belongeth shame and confusion of face, accepting of them at Gods mouth, according to his word. Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken: or of his hand in the act or execution. Leu 26 42, 43. receiuing sentence against himselfe, and opening himselfe vntounto it, Let thine hand be vponupon mee, and vponupon my fathers house, comming (as it were) with a rope about the necke, iudging and condemning himselfe, abhorring himselfe, being eueryevery way plyable vntounto the Lord. Thus is hee in his soule, and all outward parts expresse it, hee is ashamed, and doth blush to lift vp his face to God, Ezr 9.6. as the Publican hee standeth a farre off, at the feete of Christ; behind him, as the woman in the Gospell, indeede he confesseth he cannot stand before the Lord, in regard of his sinnes, Ezr. 9.15.
Yea, at some times they hauehave expressed it by sitting on the ground in ashes as Job, besprinkling themselues as Tamar: they hauehave wallowed in dust and ashes. They hauehave taken vp an howling, and made exquisite lamentation, as one that should mourne for her onelyonly begotten sonne, Am. 8. Iere. 6. The King of Niniueh layeth aside his robe, couereth, himselfe with sackcloath, sitteth in ashes: thus did he, thus did the very beasts. It hath beene expressed by leauing all outward comforts and delights, bed chamber, Joel 2.16. oyntments, Dan. 10.3. I, necessarie meate and drinke for a season, Jonah 3. and in all these silence hoping, and quietly wayting for the saluation of the Lord, Lam 3.26.
Euen as a proud man is an ignorant man, ignorant of himselfe, of his wit, strength, weakenesse, sinnes, deserts, I, of God himselfe. And out of it puft vp with high thoughts, and imaginations against God himselfe, his word, and works; impenitently rebelling; expressing it with proud swelling words of vanity, who is the Almighty &c. with high lookes, the shew of their countenance, witnessing against them, Isai. 3.9. by walking with stretched out neckes, Vers. 5. shining in gold as Herod: platting of the haire and gold (which Peter opposeth in a woman to a meeke and quiet spirit) going in purple and fine linnen, faring deliciously eueryevery day: Putting off iudgement, slighting and contemning the same: promising peace, I shall hauehave peace though, &c. Deut. 29. or blaspheming the Lord, being vnderunder his iudgements, as those in the Reuelation of Iohn: so an humble man is one, in whom there is a priuation of all these, and eueryevery thing inward and outward, contrary, as we hauehave already heard.
And when as we hauehave mentioned some outward expressures, as sackcloath and ashes: wee must know those are not absolutely & alwayes commaunded, inward humiliation in the soule expressed by mouth and life, in maine and substantiall actions is the thing, thats it which hath the promise: other may be so in the children of God, as withall, in hypocrites as Ahab: the Lord requireth the rending of the heart, and not of the garment. The afflicting of a mans soule for a day, bowing downe the head like a bulrush, lying in sackcloath and ashes, is not the fast which the Lord hath chosen, nor his humiliation. Esai. 58.
And when he requireth, humbling a mans selfe, he doth not imply freedome of will, but so farre forth, as it is freed by grace: The wisedome of the flesh is enmitie against God, it is not subiect to the law of God, nor can be: It denoteth a willing and free exercise of that grace: Neither is the grace and exercise all that is required, but the degrees and growth of it: whence it is, that the meeke of the earth are called vponupon to seeke meekenesse, with promise of being hid in the day of the Lords wrath, which is all one with this heere, healing the land.
Let vsus come now vntounto the propositions. Doct. 1 We may gather that when GOD sendeth the pestilence amongst his people, hee doth call vponupon them to humble themselues. And secondly, that humbling our selues is one prescribed meanes, at such times, to the healing of the land.
Indeede, the Lord calleth vponupon vsus all our dayes to walke humbly with our God, in times of prosperity, in times of greatest ioy (true humility, and spirituall reioycing, are not opposites, contraries, as flesh and spirit: so the Kingdome of God should be diuided against it selfe, and it could neuer stand.) And yet at such times as these are, humility is more especially called for.
The first proposition is cleare, seeing the Lord supposing that euill calleth for it: And the 2. ariseth from this, that it is as a meane prescribed to the healing the land of the plague, and hath the promise. The latter is the maine scope of the Lord, and a reason of the former; therefore mine especiall labour shall be in the proofe of it.
1 God hath reuealed this a meane in his word, Reason 1 and prescribed it as an antidote and preseruatiue against the plague. In this place, If my people humble themselues, I will heale the Land. When as the Lord requireth obedience, Leuit. 26. making promises of blessings to obedience, and fearefull threats or curses vntounto disobedience, amongst other there is this iudgement in hand, the pestilence, and its effect desolation of a land: in this time notwithstanding, hee is pleased to offer conditions of peace, Ver. 40. and the condition is, that if then their vncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquitie, then I will remember my couenant, and I will remember the land &c. I will not cast them away, nor abhorre them, to destroy them vtterly, Leu. 26.40.41, 42, 44. VntoUnto which we may adde that promise, Math. 5.of inheriting the earth, which implieth length of dayes: and so exemption from vntimely death, Math. 5. And when as it hath the promise of grace it selfe, blessednesse. Blessed are the meeke, Math. 5. I, and glory: what meruaile is it, that it hath the promise of what is lesse, a temporall benefit, healing the land?
2 As the Lord hath said, Reason 2 hee hath done. When Dauid humbling himselfe, sought the Lord, hee was entreated, and the plague ceased, 2. Sam. 24. When as the King of Niniueh, and his people humbled themselues, the minaced iudgement of the Lord was blowne ouer, the Lord repented him of the euill: If the feigned counterfeit, outside humiliation of Ahab, found of God, (such was indeede his grace and merciemercy) freedome from a minaced temporall iudgement: how much more shall true and sincere humiliation, he hath and will doe it.
3 There is good reason from the nature of humiliation, Reason 3 which if a man put, he putteth all other means and causes to this effect. Humility is as it were the mother of all the rest of the duties: it is the emptines of the soule, & thats like the emptinesse of the body, where euer it is, it causeth hunger and thirst; it setteth the whole man a worke for its satisfaction; it will make a man aske, begge meate and drinke, diligently to seeke out for meate and drinke: it will cause a man to put away whatsoeuer may hinder the attaining of it. What's Esaus birth right vntounto him, if hee be ready to dye with hunger? What's I shmael to Hagar; in times of famine, it causeth the eye of the tender mother to be euill vntounto her owne childe; there is nothing so pleasing or profitable in the world, but for satisfaction it will part with it.
It is a like in this grace, true humility: it is an emptinesse of the soule, it begetteth hunger & thirst, after that which will satisfie, it will make a man to pray, and to begge of God, it will make him eloquent, feruent, mighty in prayer; it will set a man a worke to seeke it with all diligence, in the vse of the means to cast off any sinne. What hauehave I to doe with Idols? whats all, so long as it hath not that it desireth which satisfieth: so that wee hauehave the mother and it, great withall other meanes; and how can it bee, but there shall follow the healing of the Land.
Besides, humility is a grace which giueth GOD his ends, aymed at in the plague. Lesse principall attendance vponupon Gods meanes, an humbled man is a fitted man to heate, and to receiue the ingrafted word of God. To heare of iudgements and mercies, it will make a man to pray (as wee hauehave heard) to attend vntounto the Lord in his workes of merciemercy and iudgement. He is a docile man, Psal. 25.he hath the promise, and is disposed to all instruction and information of the Lord.
It causeth a man to come in, it is submission it selfe: it maketh a man tractable in doing, in suffering whatsoeuer shall bee Gods pleasure. It is the Lord, let him doe with mee what seemeth good in his owne eyes. What doth a father intend in a rod, the Magistrate by the sword, but comming in of a seruant, subiect, or childe, and this doth as it were dissolue an heart, otherwise hardned against a man, and intending destruction. Jacobs submission to Esau, altred the purpose of Esau, & preuailed with him. It caused his very bowels to yearne: he was not the man he was before: our submission hath euer annexed the melting, and relenting, and sounding (as I may say) of the bowels of the Lord. Isai. 63.16.How resolued so euer GOD was to destroy Niniueh (as appeareth in the message of the Prophet, Yet fortie dayes and Niniueh shall be ouerthrowne.) It is said, God repented him of the euill, Ionah 3. And after to peeuish Ionah, should not I spare Niniueh the great Cittie, wherein are sixe score thousand persons not discerning betweene the right and left hand.
It disposeth to saluation, I to the maine end, Gods glory, no grace more, let God reueale himselfe iust, mercifull, angry, pleased, humility iustifieth God, acknowledgeth him to be whatsoeuer hee reuealeth himselfe. How can a man question then the healing of the land?
And as it disposeth and qualifieth to Gods ends, so vntounto all other causes, and their efficacie. To peace and friendship with God, when as the Lord proclaimeth warre against a proud man, that hee will resist the proud, and behold the proud a farre off: on the contrary, vntounto him I will looke that is humble, a woman or man of a meeke and quiet spirit, is a thing much set by, by the Lord I dwell with the humble. I? who art thou Lord? The great Physitian for the cure of the plague. Is it possible that hee shall thus dwell, looke, &c. and not manifest the same in healing the land of the plague?
In a word, put true humility, and you put Christ: this is a bewrayer of him, it is an effect of Christ in that heart by faith, by vertue of Christ dwelling there, pride and high imaginations fall, are cast downe, this emptinesse is caused: rebellion is purged away, submission wrought, Christ by his Spirit worketh it, and so proportioneth the member vntounto Christ, the head; where humility is before God, there is Christ the onelyonly name and Mediator, in whom it is bold; denying it selfe it doth approach: and how can not Christ preuaile? humility doth not merit or deserue it of GOD, it voyce is, I am not worthy, I am lesse then the least of thy mercies. What can emptinesse deserue? It qualifieth the person: sheweth the man with whom GOD doth dwell, in whom is Christ, in whom there is euer more acceptance of GOD. In him God is well pleased; so that in all these names it must necessarily be a meanes of healing the land.
1 If when God sendeth the pestilence, Vse 1 hee calleth vponupon a people for humiliation, and that is a means of the cure of the land. Then are we iustly reproued for not answering Gods call, nor vsing his meanes.
Gods hand in the pestilence hath hath beene in our land a great while, dayes, weekes, moneths. At its first entrance of the land, and euer since, we hauehave beene called vponupon: where is our answere, where hath beene our humiliation? What meruaile if the plague encreaseth, and is dispierced? that it commeth from the Country to the Citie, from the Citie to the Countrey: That it is in our Suburbs, and in this manner, in the middest of our Streetes: following all sorts, and as it were extorting humiliation. How iust is the Lord in his proceedings, and going on? how mercifull in giuing any call, in that hee will not giuegive ouer vntill we answer, in that any escape, seeing we are so carelesse in not giuing attendance, and vse of his meanes.
Wee now may perceiue that a truth of Dauid, Jt is better falling into the hands of God, then man. The mercies of the Lord are very great. Had an armed enemie inuaded our land so long since, wee would hauehave sent to hauehave met him. If wee had not before this time, it had beene ouerrunne. It is the great merciemercy of the Lord that wee are not consumed. Our sinnes were great before: in this we hauehave added vntounto our former sinnes, and vntounto vsus may be imputed the many thousands who hauehave beene swept away: what is our neglect, but rebellion, slighting of the Lord, contempt; and so a farther prouocation; a King would not hauehave borne with Rebels so long, and will the Lord?
What a dash is this sinne added vntounto this dayes humiliation, and it successe, if GOD blot it not out? How iustly may hee refuse to call vponupon vsus by smiting any more? Suffer vsus to goe on, and make vp the measure of our sinnes: giuegive vsus ouer vntounto the will of enemies, the rod of Ashur, Pro. 1.because we refuse his call, that hee should refuse ours, as hee threatneth: it encreaseth our sins brethren, and must encrease as a motiue, our farther humiliation.
2 If humiliation bee a meanes, Vse 2 then may we gather vntounto our selues whither wee be likely to speede this day in the businesse wee are about; namely, if vponupon examination, wee finde, that wee hauehave humbled our selues: That GOD hath promised healing, is a truth; God is a God of truth, he will forgiue, and heale; but he must bee sought with humiliation. Examine we our selues therefore by what hath bin spoken, and aske our selues the question particularly. Do I humble my selfe inwardly as well as outwardly: let eueryevery man examine himselfe, whether hee doth humble himselfe before the Lord.
Doe we now know, and acknowledge our owne sinnes, pleasurable, profitable sinnes; the inward roote, the branches, especially the sinnes, which according to Gods word, cause and produce the plague? are wee perswaded they bee sinnes, and our owne? Doe wee see death minaced, imminent, acted, or executed on others, with all meanes preuious, and disposing thereunto (besides death spirituall and eternall) particularly this messenger of death amongst vsus: the pestilence, and the houering iudgement of famine; the wages of sinne, our owne sinnes?
Are wee vponupon this sight emptied of high thoughts and imaginations, arising from vaine confidence in our selues, or any thing else, out of which, wee hauehave formerly liued in those sinnes; contemning and slighting Gods iudgements? Doe we now iustifie the Lord, and condemne our selues? acknowledge the Lord iust and righteous, and holy, powerfull, true, angry, and a iealous God in all effects, of the pestilence amongst vsus, and whats farther minaced?
Doe we now accuse our selues as deseruing causes, iudge our selues worthy, and condemne our selues? Are we come with this iudgement, as a deserued rope about our necke, in our heart and mouth; acknowledging the Lord (as before) if hee execute the same on vsus and ours? Doe wee in that respect crie, Let thine hand be vponupon mee, and vponupon my Fathers house. Do we now open our selues to God his word, admonishing, exhorting, reprouing, conuincing, &c. accepting the present iudgement, kisse the rod? Doe we now take shame vntounto our selues, and so looke vponupon God, I, & our neighbours to, who are acquainted with our ordinary sinnes? Doe wee thus in our heart? are our outward actions expressures of an humble heart? Is it our desire to doe what we can, and more, euen all that the Lord requireth, in his manner, and that as we expect, forgiuenes of sinnes, and healing of the land?
Surely thou man or woman art, that humbler of thy selfe, the promise is made to thee, thou mayest waight for it; and bee encouraged to perseuere in this duty, vntill the Lord vouchsafe the healing of the Land.
But if on the contrary, there bee none of these particulars amongst vsus this day, we are not perswaded, the euils spoken of, or the like in vsus, to be sinnes: that wee deserue not the plague, that we are as secure out of vaine confidence, as euer before, promising to our selues, and saying, peace and safety, though we walke on: Wee doe not confesse accuse, iudge our selues, and taking shame to our selues, iustifie the Lord. If our humiliation be onelyonly outward; abstinence from meates, and drinkes, and outward delights: in the hanging of the head; in a fewe, light, heartlesse, fruitlesse, slauish stashes, or Amens.
If wee be as proud as euer in our mindes, as high in our imaginations, as swelling in our words and lookes, as opposite to God, and his word, and works: that our humiliation hath onelyonly outward and violent causes, the law, and command, or example of man, or violence of this present disease. (And I would there were not cause to feare that God: looking downe from heauen, beholdeth many of this stampe, in the congregations assembled in this Land.)
If there be any such amongst vsus, I protest against them, that person, that humiliation, it is not Gods meane, it hath not a promise, it doth not appease, but prouoke him rather: the land, thy family, thy friends, thy selfe shall be neuer the better: as thou art the same man, in regard of sinne, thou wast before so lyable to the same iudgements; thine humiliation will be but for the time, as a bowle, after thou wilt returne to thine olde byas, as a dogge to thy former vomit, as a Sowe thou wilt wallow in thy former mire: Thou wilt be as notorious a swearer, Sabboth breaker, adulterer, &c. as euer thou wast before, I worse, for euill men and deceiuers wax worse and worse: Know that thou canst not promise to thy selfe, or hope that thou shalt escape this plague; thou art a man marked with the tokens: the plague sore, sinne, vnrepented of, is in thy bosome. Remember thou hast not to doe with man, Magistrate, Minister, but God and his dreadfull messenger; and if thou escape this time (as many doe which walke abroad with those tokens) thy sinne remaineth, and punishment, and there is appointed by God a day of reckoning: the forbearing of the Lord abused, will but make thee ripe or fat against that day of slaughter.
3 Finally, Vse 3 let it bee a ground of exhortation, to answer Gods call, to vse his meanes: what wee professe, let vsus doe as in Gods presence, in Gods manner, and that wee may know it, reade, heare, meditate, pray.
Get that grape, exercise it, grow in it: for all these hauehave an eye to the Father of lights, from whence eueryevery good gift commeth, this humiliation.
All the arguments against pride, are in array to moue thee. 1. The Lord is an enemie to a proud man, hee resisteth the proud man, which is, eueryevery one that humbleth not himselfe. 2. Pride forerunneth a fall, he that exalteth himselfe, shall be brought low. 3, As is the fruit and brat of a fleshly minde. 4. It is a cause of all sinnes: it maketh a man vnfit to doe or receiue good of God or man: it disordereth a man in prosperity, in aduersity: it robbeth GOD of the honour of all his attributes. It maketh man (once like God) to resemble the diuell, the King of the children of pride. It bereaueth and robbeth man of all blessings, this deliuerance from the plague, and openeth a man to all curses, the arrest of the plague: that I say no more.
All the arguments commending humility, are to bee forced against our selues. Humility is a grace of graces, the luster of all graces: eueryevery grace is in it selfe amiable, but if it be found ouer-laid with this grace in an humble man, it is as Apples of gold in pictures of siluer, as a Diamond in gold. Though it seemeth a cipher, nought yet being added vntounto one, it maketh it (as a cipher ten, to ten an hundred. It is a character of a blessed man: it disposeth to all the promises of God: it hath this soueraigne promise of remedie, and curing the land of the plague, it is the approued medicine of that great Physitian, our eternall God.
3 Consider thirdly, that the greatest man in the world, hath sufficient cause to humble himselfe, at all times, specially, now in this time of the plague. Whence are we? our father Adam, and mother Eue, our father an Amerite, our mother an Hittite. There is enough in this one particular, were it resolued: Resolue Adam our principle is dust: Wee are but dust and ashes, as Abraham: our foundation is in the dust, wee dwell in houses of clay as Iob, dust wee are, into dust shall we returne againe: resolue that principle, & thy terme is nothing.
Consider thy comming into this world: Naked came I out of my mothers wombe, and naked shall I returne againe. Wee brought nothing into this present world, and it is certaine, wee shall carrie nothing out.
All worldly matters which puffe vp are vanity, riches hauehave wings, beautie is fading, strength fraile, honour shall lye in the dust, the most desirable things in a man as a moath. Mans life a vapour, a bubble, a shadow, a flower, grasse, all flesh is grasse, the grasse withereth, the flower fadeth away: like vntounto vanity, altogether vanitie, lighter then vanitie. Heere are causes enough of humility.
There are more yet, if wee consider our estate by sinne. It is true: we were holy and happy creatures, little lower then the Angels, we hauehave lost that state; we are free from righteousnesse, and the seruants of sinne: conceiued in iniquity, borne in sinne; eueryevery imagination of the thoughts of mans heart, is euill only and continually. Thus doe we liue and dye, without Gods rich merciemercy: hence are wee odious to God, Alians, enemies, open to death, temporall death, all curses written, and those that are not written; lyable more and more to spirituall death, I vntounto eternall death, blacknesse of darknesse for euer: if these are not, what may be motiues vntounto vsus of humility?
Consider this sin is against God, we hauehave to deale with him: An holy God of purer eyes, then to behold iniquitie: a righteous God, one that will giuegive vntounto eueryevery man whats his owne: we may see it in the suffering of our suerty; God spared not his owne Son, the sword must awake & smite the mā, that is his fellow: wrath is reuealed frō heauen, against all vngodlinesse: our suerty must tread the wine-presse of his Fathers wrath. The iudgements of God preach Gods iustice, this iudgement, the plague, wherewith he hath swept away thousands fourteene thousand once, foure and twentie thousand another time, 70000. another. We see it amongst our selues, and there is no running from his presence.
Yea, as if our owne sinnes were not enough, we hauehave the sinnes of others, the sinnes of fathers, and the iniquity of the mother is not done away. I may runne through all relations; and wee hauehave to doe with a iealus God, visiting the iniquity of the Fathers, vponupon their children, to the third and fourth generation.
Adde yet: all this hauehave wee done, notwithstanding Gods manifold mercies: creation, preseruation, liuing, mouing, being, being not beasts, Toades, wormes, but reasonable men: notwithstanding all commodities of our land, a land as Canaan, flowing with milke and honey: notwithstanding the time, not vnderunder the olde Testament but the new: not in times of Heathenisme, or darknesse, of Popish Egyptian darknesse, but in times of the cleare sunshine of the Gospell; notwithstanding all positiue good things, and deliuerances former, from fearefull euils.
All these are causes and motiues of getting, and vse of humiliation in this day: which I therefore mention, that by them wee may enforce our selues vntounto that duty.
It calleth vponupon all, especially Gods people, the meek of the earth: exercise humility, still seeke meekenesse, as the Prophet speaketh.
Though wee hauehave humbled our selues, the Lord requireth of vsus still, that we doe it more and more, and in so doing, promiseth, hiding in the day of the wrath of the Lord, Zeph. 2.3.
Consider, that euen all our righteousnesse is as a polluted cloath; he that is holy, must bee so yet: Hee that is humble, hath cause of humiliation; for want of humiliation, for weakenesse in humiliation: we know God, and our selues, but in part, and such is our humiliation.
Consider, that the pestilence is now amongst those that are his people: And to encourage thee, know, that as humiliation hath the promise of healing the Land; so thou that art indeede a confederate, hast a promise of humility; a promise of it power, it vse, it groath: He that hath begun a good worke in thee, will perfect it vntounto the day of Iesus Christ. In thine vse of humiliation, thou shalt surely growe in it: call vponupon God for that will and deede: Put him in minde of his oath, of his promise, of his signes and seales, of all his attributes, of the blood of the euerlasting couenant, the blood of Iesus Christ: as God calleth vponupon thee for humiliation, call vponupon him for that power, and perseuere in it; and in this doing, we shall finde by experience, that humiliation is a meanes vntounto the faithfull vse whereof the Lord doth promise the curing of the land of the plague.