so he taketh care of the whole Universe and the several parts of it the meanest Creatures not excepted 3. THIRDLY That God doth not only inspect the World but doth moreover administer and govern all Affairs according to the strict Rules of Goodness and Righteousness From which Principles those wise Philosophers concluded That as it is our Duty to honour and worship God so we must set our selves to Obey him to submit to his Determinations to follow his Conduct with chearfulness to be well-pleased with what he doth as being the Result of his Divine Wisdom and Providence If you do no dispose your Minds thus your Lives say they will be not only Irreligious but full of Sadness and Misery too Whereas if you resign your Wills to God's and be contented with Events as God shall please to order them you will be happy Therefore Socrates was wont to say If God will have it thus then thus let it be And Epictetus his Prayer was Lead me O God according to thy Will and I will readily obey and submit to thy Providence For says Arrian every good Man who believes there is a Deity and a Providence will submit his own Mind to God's Pleasure the Governour of the Vniverse as good Citizens submit to the Laws of the City they live in Concerning all this see Epictetus cap. 38 77 79. Arrian on Epictet lib. 1. c. 12. and especially Simplicius his Comments 38. per totum THESE were great Notions for Heathens to entertain such a complexure of good Divinity and Morality together as one would think were the Sence of a Christian And the result of the whole matter is this That as all the Happiness of this Life is lodged in Vertue so this Vertue of Humility doth contribute towards it after a more especial manner and in a singular degree because it resigneth up the Soul to God's Wisdom and Pleasure in all Conditions so that in all afflicting Circumstances whether actually felt or apprehended only the truly humble Person possesseth his Soul in Patience and is bless'd with Tranquillity in as great measures as a frail Nature is capable of receiving Such as are so proud that they care not for the Almighty and think themselves too big for his Rod in times of trial and distress aggravate the smart from without by being their own tormentors within and the most inhumane tormentors because the Pains they inflict are hardly curable and seldom intermitting Every odd chance is magnified into a great Affliction and every Affliction gnaws and eats as if it were an affront to their singular Merits and an argument of Injustice and Partiality in the Divine Providence And thus the Spirits of such vain Wretches breed Worms which like those engendred in a dead Carcase never leave till they have devoured their Parent and all at last produce the Worm which dieth not CHAP. V. The Usefulness of Humility in respect of our Proficiency in Vertue HITHERTO I have consider'd the Usefulness of Humility in respect of that Contentment and Serenity of Mind which is the blessed Fruit of it Let us proceed now to the next thing and observe how instrumental it is in order to our Progress and Perfection in Vertue Now there are very many ways whereby it helpeth to promote this inestimable Advantage But it will be sufficient for me to take notice of these Four ways following 1. FIRST By obliging us to rest in the Authority of Divine Revelation This is the Foundation of our Faith and Hopes and of those Religious Endeavours we are encouraged to use that we may receive the end of them All is bottom'd on this Principle That the things we believe and look for are certain because God hath revealed them and 't is Humility that concurs with right Reason to settle our Souls upon this Principle how dark and doubtful soever some things may seem to humane Apprehensions The daily Sense which all humble Men have of the weakness and fallaciousness of their own Understandings is sufficient to convince them that Carnal Reason is not to be trusted Universally and with Confidence in things pertaining unto God and that it is our Wisdom as well as Duty to take God's Word for all however the Word spoken may sound in our Ears This is a great Fault in some pretenders to Reason that they will not allow us to believe Doctrines unless they appear rational as to all the Parts and Modes of those Matters which are proposed to our Belief and unless they captivate our Faith by suiting with our Capacities and by carrying with them a plain Evidence How those things can be This proceeds from Spiritual Pride and Self-conceit and is the ready way to make Reason not an Assistant but an Idol for the Holy Bible to be offer'd up unto Humble Men will tell you That many things in Religion are and ought to be cover'd with a Veil that it is not Modesty to pry without Light or without Leave or beyond the reach of our finite Faculties that Mysteries ought to be let alone and suffer'd to remain Mysteries that secret things belong unto the Lord our God and that those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever Deut. 29. 29. And thus our Faith will be infallible and unshaken our Hope firm and our progress in a course of Religion will be steddy which otherwise may be fatally interrupted by our turning aside into mazes and labyrinths with a design to discover things which God in his Wisdom hath purposely hid from us 2. THAT in this course of Religion we may not travel with a Tympany full of hopes that will at last deceive and make us ashamed we are taught that besides a modest Faith universal Obedience to the Divine Will is necessarily required and this is another improvement that comes by an humble Mind it disposeth the Soul to perfect Holiness in the fear of God and not only to rely upon the Veracity but to have an Eye also to the Authority of God that transcendent Authority which is stamped upon his Laws Considering that he is our Supreme Absolute and only Wise Legislator that we were all made for his Glory that we have no urgent business in the World but to glorifie him that he is glorifi'd in our Happiness and that his Laws are intended to fit and prepare us for it what other Thoughts can an humble Mind suggest but that it is at once our Duty and our Interest to serve God in true Holiness and Righteousness before him all the days of our lives Such lowly Thoughts are apt to be seconded with suitable Resolutions and thence proceed those various acts of Godliness Righteousness and Sobriety which are answerable to the Commands of the Lord and Saviour of the World For which reason the Ancients in their Encomiums of Humility frequently style it The Foundation the Original the Root the Mother of all Vertue and the great Preserver of it Because a submiss disposition
of Soul is naturally pliant and never more obediential than when the Pleasure and Will of God is to be done The adoring Sense of the glorious Nature Attributes and Works of God on the Contemplation whereof the humble Man's Mind is fix'd the apprehension of his infinite Greatness and Majesty the thoughts of his Absolute Power and Authority over all the amazing and profound Consideration of his free Goodness and Love especially in Redeeming our miserable Souls from eternal Ruine and in bestowing on us such Spiritual and Divine Blessings as are Arguments of our Adoption the Preparatives and Earnest of a most blessed future Estate These things carry such a charming Power over a meek and lowly Heart as is productive of the most chearful and affectionate Obedience to the Mind and Pleasure of God in all things 3. THIRDLY As Humility fits us for an entire and hearty compliance with God's Commands so it possesseth us with a genuine sence of our own Defects and Wants which is another way whereby it helpeth our progress and perfection in Vertue For this is necessary to all manner of Improvements that we see first wherein we are defective That Observation of Seneca That many might be very wise in time but that they foolishly think themselves wise enough already will hold true in all Cases Men might easily be better Artists better Scholars better Christians than they are if a false Opinion of their Accomplishments did not supersede their Industry And this is apparently the mischievous effect of Pride That it shuts a Man as it were out of himself makes him uncapable of finding out that blind side and ugly temper which requires help but admits of none for want of discovery And the reason is because such Men take not a clear and fair view they overlook those manifold faults which deserve their Eye and contemplate only those glittering Objects which dazle it Hence it comes to pass that a great many flaws within them escape their observation and they are no Proficients because they are not properly Teachers but Admirers of themselves only lifted up with the Vanity and Confidence of those our Saviour pointed to who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others Luke 18. 9. That humble Apostle who confest his Sins to the whole World and proclaimed himself the chiefest of Sinners counted all things but loss for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus And tho' he spake as if he were blameless as touching Righteousness which was by the Law yet he threw aside all that Righteousness of his own not conceiving that he had already attained or was already perfect but following after stretching and straining hard like those that contended of old in the famous Agonistical Combats forgetting those things which were behind he reached forth unto those things which were before pressing towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus Phil. 3. As many as are perfectly humble will be thus minded thus zealous to run and to finish their course well Because they are conscious of their former Miscarriages of their present Infirmities Defects Unworthiness Encumbrances and natural proneness to Slip and Fall they know the better what Care to take what Temptations they are to avoid what Weights they are to lay aside what aids of Grace they are to pray for and what Supplies are most necessary for them They are always jealous over themselves with Godly Jealousie still fearing lest as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his Subtilty so their Minds should be corrupted from the Simplicity that is in Christ They think their Sins can never be mortified enough nor their Hearts be clean enough nor their Repentance fruitful enough nor their Devotion ardent enough nor their Charity great enough nor any other acts of Religion worthy enough of his gracious Acceptance who loved them and gave himself for them These are so far from being Discouragements that they are great Motives to a course of Proficiency For tho' when we have done all we must acknowledge our selves unprofitable Servants and come short of our Duty tho' our Minds and Endeavours be sincere yet considering that not so much as a Cup of cold Water loseth its Reward and considering the great Goodness of the Lord Jesus who is pleased with what we are able to do as he said of that Woman who anointed his Head Mark 14. She hath wrought a good work on me She hath done what she could considering this I say the meanest Performances must afford such a comfortable Prospect as will invite the humble to proceed from Vertue to Vertue while all the Pomp of proud Men with their stiff Necks and inflexible Hearts serves only to alienate their Minds from Religion by degrees till they come to that high pitch of Insolence which David speaks of Psalm 10. 4. The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God God is not in all his thoughts 4. FOUR THLY An humble Mind helps Men on in their Christian Progress by preparing and inclining them to use the means of Holiness THE means of Holiness I now speak of are Prayer Sacraments and Instruction 1. FIRST For Prayer It is a great Instrument of Grace If any of you lack wisdom saith St. James let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him James 1. 5. And this may be one reason why the same Apostle tells us Chap. 4. 6. God giveth grace to the humble that is more Grace greater measures of Divine Assistance than he gives to others because they are of a more devout Spirit more ready for any opportunities of Praying more constant and fervent and importunate at their Devotion The want of this pious Disposition proceeds not more from an earthly heavy Temper than from a secret Principle of Pride from a fastidious Mind in People which makes Religion hang so loose about them that every puff of Wind carries it away 'T is a sign they have contemptuous Thoughts of God who make so slight of his Service as if to honour him to worship him and to bow down before him were a precarious matter To fold our Arms in a soft Bed when we should be prostrate in our Closets to rove about when the Church wants us or to be busie about many things at home when we should repair to the Congregation and take a share with those who chuse the better part This looks as if we thought Almighty God beholding to us for our Service And so an indifferent sort of carriage in the House of God when we meet together for Prayer a wandring Eye impertinent Talk a stiff Knee an irreverent Gesture This looks as if we counted our bare attendance in the Church Civility and Favour rather than Obedience I am sure it is not suitable to the Temper of those humble Souls who reckon no Ground too vile no Posture too lowly no Thoughts too awful no
convenient And therefore the mere Light of Nature directed Socrates when he prayed to implore the Divine Goodness in general terms leaving it to God to chuse for him how and when and what to bestow upon him believing it to be a Man's safest course to submit always to the Wisdom and Determinations of God But you will say Was not David envious at the Prosperity of the wicked Yes he tells us himself that he was so and that in his discontented sullen humour he muttered as if he had cleansed his Heart in vain and had wash'd his Hands in Innocency to no purpose but he tells us too that in all this he behaved himself very foolishly and like a beast Psalm 73. 22. The truth is this is one of the most affecting Cases when we see those whom we take to be very ill Men to thrive at a mighty rate and to grow great and powerful in the World Nevertheless Humility teacheth us in all Cases not to take Example by any so as to be Uncharitable or Irreligious The humble Man's Rule is that Phil. 2. 3. In lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves I know the Apostle's meaning to be That we should behave our selves to others as if they were better whether they be really so or not Such a Judgment of the Mind is not always required and if sometimes we think it impossible too for the humblest Person in the World to think all others better it is yet inconsistent with Humility to judge them worse for God alone is the searcher of the Heart That is in too close a Repository for One's next Neighbour to penetrate into and therefore to make wrong judgment of others is too facil a thing even for good Men who are apt to take false estimates of themselves with whom they should be far better acquainted Such humble Thoughts as these do naturally prompt Men evermore to make very charitable Judgments and consequently to rest satisfied in their Minds when the Divine Providence doth multiply and heap up the good things of this life upon the Heads of others But to put the Case at the very worst Suppose the Men thus judged and censured to be wicked indeed I mean wicked in the strict Scripture-sence guilty of great scandalous presumptuous Sins This is in truth an Argument for our Prayers and charitable Admonitions but not for Envy nor are any People in the World more to be pitied than such 4. BY this short Account it appears what an useful Vertue Humility is to rid our Minds of all foolish impatience and to compose them into a serene and calm state how invidious soever the Condition and Circumstances of others may be Let us consider now Fourthly the Advantage it brings an humble Man how perplexed soever his own Condition is There are many cross calamitous Accidents in this life which we cannot digest under any one General Head so well as under the common name of Afflictions so called because they give very painful blows to the Hearts of such People as are not in some good measure improved and perfected by the Discipline of Religion And these Afflictions are of two sorts some that are actually felt and others that we fear Both are dolorous for though present Afflictions yield the quickest sense yet many times future ones create the most melancholy pain nay the bare apprehension and prospect of them when at some distance usually makes longer and deeper impressions upon Mens Minds than when they are engaged and wrestling with them in a direct Conflict In each of these Cases Humility affords the best Auxiliaries so that how lowly and subdued soever One's Heart is he can lift up his Head in the day of distress First As to present Afflictions There are these Four Considerations which naturally serve to make every humble Christian very easie if not chearful in his own Mind 1. THAT though second Causes be the immediate instruments of Affliction yet the Hand of God doth so order govern and direct them that we are still under his management in all Conditions And since it is so what can so well become a lowly Mind as that modest resignation which old Eli express'd 1 Sam. 3. 18. It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good Doest thou well to be angry As the great Governor of the World was pleased to argue with Jonah when he was in his sullen fits first because Nineveh was not destroy'd and then because his friendly Gourd was smitten with a Worm Jonah 4. By which mild Expostulation God shews that whether he spares or destroys still 't is our Duty to acquiesce in his Divine Pleasure and that it is the foolishness of man which makes his heart fret against the Lord as Solomon observes Prov. 19. 3. Secondly Whether God afflicteth Men by the Hands of others or with his own Hands and by his immediate Providence it must be acknowledged that the Judge of all the Earth doth still do Right Considering the scandalous Provocations which are given by some the heinous though secret Crimes which are acted by others the Faults which the best are guilty of and the Corruption of Heart which is in all none can reasonably expect to steal out of this World without a Rod upon his Back or at least without some Thorn or other in his Flesh You know a Sword was to pierce through the Soul of the blessed Virgin her self Luke 2. 35. The humble will consider this and the due Consideration of it must needs stop his Mouth and quiet his Mind in reference to God's Proceedings because he cannot but be sensible that his Sufferings are the consequent of his Offences and that too which falls so very short of them that if we will put both into the Scales and then judge by weight the burden that is in one Scale how heavy so ever it may seem is really very light hardly any thing in comparison of those Demerits which by a vast preponderation bear and keep down the other Humility directs us in all Cases to reflect not so much upon our Grievances as our Guilt And if People in Affliction would take this safe and prudent course there would be no room nor reason for any sorrow of Heart besides that which worketh Repentance unto Salvation Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sins saith Jeremy Lam. 3. 39. Thirdly In visiting Mens Offences with a Rod God doth not act purely as a Judge but rather with the Wisdom and Tenderness of a Father either to keep his Children still within the limits of their Duty or to reclaim them from their Aberrations Outward Ease is naturally apt to corrupt good Manners as fulness and idleness is apt to vitiate the Blood and to ruine One's whole Constitution Therefore to exercise the Soul and thereby to preserve it in the right state God doth commonly use such a measure of severity as he knows we stand in need of and when a
Adoration too profound in the Presence of that Great God who searcheth the very heart and reins And how can it be expected that People who thus bear themselves on high should make any good improvements in Religion Or that they should perfect Holiness in the fear of God who despise even the outward Beauty of it How can it be expected that they should receive the Influences of Grace who shut their Bosoms as it were against them That they should be trusted with a Divine Treasure who carry themselves as if they were rich enough and had need of nothing Or that they should be bless'd with the Dew of Heaven who are insolently supine as if they had the Fortune of Gideon's Fleece to be full of Water whilst the neighbouring Ground was dry So proud People count others in comparison and yet those humble Hearts that are a thirst for God and cry unto him like the parched Land are more receptive of Distillations from above and much the more fruitful by them God heareth their Cries and as a return of their Prayers refresheth them with increments of his Grace and Goodness so that they proceed from Strength to Strength from Vertue to Vertue from one degree of Grace unto another 2. SECONDLY As an humble Mind prompts Men to be diligent and devout at their Prayers so it inclines them to communicate often at the Altar which is another means of Holiness Because this Sacrament was of our blessed Saviour's own appointment and that too a little before he humbled himself even to the Death of the Cross because he was pleas'd to institute it for a standing Memorial of his great Love to Mankind in dying for all And because he said pointing to the Cup Do this as oft as ye shall drink it in remembrance of me The Christian Church hath in all times held this Solemnity in the greatest Esteem and Veneration as being a Christian Ordinance in the strictest Sense and after a more peculiar manner and such was the Humility of Christians in the ancient Times especially that for fear they should not celebrate it often enough they did it daily And certainly were our Humility as deep as theirs our Obedience and Zeal as to this would bear an equal proportion as none would think themselves to be above Ordinances or without need of Ordinances so as to slight this so very few would hardly once omit it being such a Sacred and Solemn part of Christ's Religion especially considering how mightily the use of it promotes our Progress and Perfection in Vertue Here we renew our Baptismal Vows Here we repeat all acts of Mortification and Repentance Here we exercise our Faith and Hope with the greatest vigour Here we enliven and extend our Charity to all Mankind Here we are taken up with the Contemplation and Adorations of God Here we exert all those Spiritual Graces which God gives us upon our devout Prayers So that were this Ordinance religiously and constantly used according to the Original design and purpose of our Saviour nothing could conduce more to our present and future Happiness than this blessed Mystery so perfective it is of all manner of Vertue The lowly in Heart cannot but think themselves obliged to be frequent Attendants at the Lord's-Table what neglects what contempt soever Men of unsubdued Spirits may be guilty of People of an humble and truly Christian Disposition make a Conscience of this their Duty and are afraid of violating such an express such a plain Command especial of living in the habitual and scandalous violation of it They consider the infinite Love of the Lord Jesus who gave himself for them how equal it is to express here their Thankfulness to him how pleasant as well as frail the Duty is and what infinite difference there is between This Cup and that which our blessed Saviour drank of for us in his Agony and upon the Cross They think of those Blessings which reward the Piety of every devout Soul and are sensible of their want of them They impatiently desire the Pardon of all their Sins and that Supply of Grace wherewith the Holy Spirit refresheth the Hearts of all Worthy Communicants And when the Solemnity is transacted their daily care is to order their whole Conversation so that they may not have received the Grace of God in vain These are genuine Fruits of Humility and they all shew how effectually this single Vertue serves to carry on the great Ends and Purposes of Christianity 3. THE Third thing I mentioned as a means of Holiness is Instruction For how sincere so ever our Hearts may be our Understandings are subject to so many Mistakes and Errors that good Guides are very necessary to inform us tho' some think they do not need them at all This is no other than Pride of Heart nor do any stand in such great need of skilful and honest Guides as those who think they are able enough to guide themselves Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit There is more hope of a fool than of him saith Solomon Prov. 26. 12. Such a Man hearkeneth to himself and being in the hands of such a weak and flattering Tutor no good Proficiency can be expected from him He will ever be crooked because he grows leaning every minute on the left-side 'T is hardly possible ever to set such an unlucky piece of a Man right without such a Miracle as in our Saviour's time cured the Blind and the Lame His Knowledge and Perfection are so great in his own Eyes that the pretending to rectifie Faults is interpreted either as Ignorance that is inexcusable because he is known no better or as Malice and ill Nature for endeavouring to fix a dark part there which he thought splendid which way so ever it be taken the proud Man thinks himself disgraced he is therefore affronted because he is above Reproof or Advice And thus the means of making him better and wiser are quite frustrated Therefore for our Progress and Perfection in a Christian course it is a most necessary Rule which St. Paul gives us all to go by Let none think of himself more highly than he ought to think but think soberly An humble Mind is tractable and docil for the very Notion of Humility includes a mean and slender Opinion of One's own self and considering those Commands that in honour we should preferr one another Rom. 12. 10. and esteem each other better than our selves Phil. 1. 3. Nothing can be more agreeable to a Spirit of true Humility than to hearken to those whose Place and Office it is by God's appointment to direct and inform us especially when the Holy Scripture is their Rule and to submit to all those means of Proficiency for which the Scriptures themselves were written whether it be Doctrine or Reproof or Correction or Instruction in Righteousness that the good Man may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good Works Let the righteous smite me it shall be a
great Incendiary that heady and disobedient Principle and the Yoke being shaken off Confusion and Anarchy and infinite variety of Mischief must follow of course THE same Spirit of Disobedience which raiseth Commotions in the State operates in the Church too and there indeed more fatally because animated with a great tho' mistaken Zeal for Religion and Lucifer there transforms himself into an Angel of Light Diotrephes loved to have the preeminence 3 John 9. and this Ambition of Mind made him so hardy as to oppose the Authority of St. John Simon Magus the first that corrupted the Christian Faith did it for fear of losing or lessening the Esteem he had while he was yet a Sorcerer He gave out that himself was some great one and deceived People into a belief That he was the great power of God Acts 8. 9 10. To preserve his Credit he would have bought the Gift of Miracles and seeing it was not to be sold for Money to support his great Name he turned Apostate and the Ring-leader of Apostates opposing and exalting himself above all that was called God or that was Worshipp'd so that as God he sate in the Temple of God pretending himself that he was God 2 Thess 2. 4. In after-times assuming Spirits became Hereticks that they might be in the Head of a Sect and build themselves Monuments tho' upon the Ruines of God's Sanctuary And in our own days the same Spirit still worketh in the Hearts of the Children of Disobedience who set up Fancy against Truth private Reason against Divine Revelation and separate Parties against Government and Order The bottom of all this is Pride because Men swollen with that Disease think it beneath them to be dictated unto would be thought more Knowing and more Holy than others and love singularity because it makes Men always talk'd of and sometimes venerated And tho' for all this some Arguments are pretended yet the Disputation is maintain'd not so much for Truth as for Victory Pertinacy will still hold what Singularity before invented and such as coyn new Opinions will be sure for their Credit sake to make them as currant as they can to justifie the stamp they once set upon them By this means poor credulous People are abused with false Notions which by degrees make an impress upon their Minds not only of the Falshood but of the Vice too from which the Error came so that in a short time Spiritual Pride grows Popular and ends in Schism which instead of curing the Humour inflames it and canonizeth a Sin which God threw out of Heaven to be damned eternally THEREFORE we cannot give a plainer and better Expression of our Humility than by rendring Honour and Subjection to whom it is due and to the utmost extent which the Laws of God will admit of I am far from pleading for an implicit Faith a blind Obedience that will necessarily bring us in danger of the Ditch if we should trust barely as some are taught to do to the Conduct of our Leaders At all times we should be careful of these Four things 1. FIRST Not to start Opinions out of a Principle of Opposition to our Superiours For it is an ill sign when People have an itch in their Ears to hear their Governors hardly spoken of and an itch in their Hearts to contradict and thwart them This can proceed from nothing but from Opiniatry and a strong Presumption in them that they are fit to be Dictators and it looks as if they had a mind to raise themselves a Name by treading upon Authority a thing which we are not to Trample on but Reverence 2. SECONDLY In those Points which are of a doubtful Nature we should pay great Respect and Deference to the Judgment of the Church we belong to For every humble Man must think it much easier for one or two to be deceived than for a thousand especially when it is the Office of so many to inquire more particularly after Truth and their Abilities are more probable to find it out They must be very strong Reasons that can warrant Men to depart from a receiv'd Opinion Yet it is not always Reason but for the most part Affectation that gives the incouragement a desire of being taken notice of by stepping out of the way from the rest who think it more advisable and safe to follow the beaten Path. For Men to distinguish themselves by Singularity and to set up Private Judgment against Publick Definitions is to tell the World that they have more Sence and Understanding than others and that their own Conceits are better Standards of Truth than any that can be found in the Sanctuary In short where some particular Persons differ in their Sence from the Church in general private Sentiments should be managed with all possible Modesty These Opinions are not to be judged of by the Poll because Error is too often Popular yet considering how great an hand Pride is apt to have in all Disputes and how much easier it is for private Men to be mistaken than to retract we should evermore observe that Law of Humility which the Apostle hath laid before us Rom. 14. 22. Hast thou Faith Have it to thy self before God That is whatever a Man's Persuasion be as to things Disputable he ought to keep it so private by himself as not to make it an occasion of Disturbance or Offence 3. THIRDLY When Authority requires things that are Innocent in their own Nature we should express our Humility by complying with those Commands In this case too 't is Pride that makes Head against Order a stiff Sinew in the Neck that hinders Men from stooping to that which Laws Divine and Humane have made their Duty Humility teacheth us to be Pliant and Peaceable to be Tractable Yielding and Obsequious And I think as to this we need no plainer Directions than what our most humble Lord gave his first Disciples Matth. 23. 2 3. The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses seat and therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and do The Rulers he spake of were for the most part very wicked Men and scandalous Hypocrites which was the Ground of the following Caution Do not ye after their works for they say and do not And yet considering that in their Authority they succeeded Moses who had his Authority immediately of God they were to be obeyed in all Commands that were lawful This Rule is applicable to all Cases now where things which are not really Sinful are imposed by those who have the Government of us They sit in Christ's Seat they derive their Authority from Christ as he did his from his Father and for that reason their Innocent Directions are to be observed whatever their Personal Condition or Quality of Life may be And therefore when you are directed by such as sit in the Seat of the scornful to hold off and to disobey if the matters enjoyned be not evidently repugnant to the Will of God