Luk. 10.17 18. even the Devils are subject unto us through thy name He said unto them I beheld Satan as lighting fall from heaven Some are of opinion that our Saviour spake here of the fall of Lucifer from Heaven for his pride Gregor Theophil whereof ye may read Revel 12.7 8 9. where it is said Superbia est caput antiqui Serpentis that Michael and his Angel fought against the Dragon and his Angels and in fight prevailed so that there was no more place found in Heaven either for the Dragon himself or for his Angels but he was cast out and they with him and this fall no question Christ Jesus was an eye-witness and beholder of in his Divinity being that Michael there spoken of who gave him the fall and threw him down and thus they take the answer of Christ to be a caveat to these Disciples to take heed of being infected with pride occasioned by their prosperous success from this fearful example Some say the Devil hath in him every sin secundum reatum Aquinas Dr. Boys but only pride secundum affectum They say he is guilty of other sins only tempting men to them but that pride is his own proper and peculiar sin but the Scripture notes him to have been a lyar and a murtherer from the beginning therefore I see not how their assertion holdeth But though it be not his proper sin yet it is his special sin and therefore the Proverb saith As proud as Lucifer Men use to parallel a proud person with the Devil and no sinner besides and it is an undoubted character of a childe of the Devil in whomsoever it domineereth And for that cause Satan like that great Leviathan may be called the King over all the children of Pride Iob 41.34 And as every Souldier may be known under whose banner he fights by some sign that he carrieth So Pride is the mark to know under whose banner he fights that bears it scil the Devils Pride is the proper badge of the Devil Quid est Diabolus Angelus per superbiam à Deo superatus Aug. in vigil nativ dom Serm. 4. which he gives to all his followers One calls Pride the Devils Grammar the first book taught in his School this Grammar teacheth ill construction and ill versifying to measure our selves at a large ell and others at a short one making long short and short long This Grammar also maketh ill declensions teaching even children as well as men to decline from good to evil Superbus est Diaboli Martyr Aquinas And the proud man doth daily worship the Devil being guided by his Laws and suggestions framing himself to do his will Pride began in mente Angelica and being conceived in the minde of an Angel it changed his most noble nature into a Serpentine nature and no marvel he desires to make men like himself CHAP. 4. Of the kindes of Pride PRide is twofold External and Internal First of External Pride of the body and those things that belong to it and first Of Pride of Apparel and the vanity thereof SECT 1. Of immodest apparel 1. THat Apparel is vitious and an ensign of Pride when it is not modest but carries with it an incentive to lust and wantonness Hos 2.2 The Prophet Hosea speaks of the adultery between the breasts they had either naked breasts or else hung alluring Ornaments between the breasts A woman in the attire of an Harlot met the young man Prov. 7 10. One of the Ancients saith that they which dress themselves with a desire and intention to please men or to provoke any to lust they offer up their own souls to the Devil And Hierom saith If a man or woman adorn themselves so Hieron Epist as they provoke others to look after them though no evil follow upon it yet the party shall suffer eternal damnation because they offered poyson to others though none would drink of it Such apparel is the badge of Pride the bait of Lust and the foment of Vanity SECT 2. Of costly apparel 2. THat apparel is a badge of Pride that is too expensive when so much of a mans estate is wasted upon the superfluous decking of this earthly tabernacle by which the bowels of many of Gods poor distressed Saints might have been greatly refreshed Let women wear modest apparel not with broidered hair gold pearls or costly aray but with good works 1 Tim. 2.9 10. The Lacedemonians had a Law that none but harlots might use rich apparel that honest women might be brought out of love with bravery Now when they wear such costly garments that thereby they are restrained from feeding and clothing the poor and needy members of Christ this is sinful This is exceeding contrary to the garments that the godly wore in former times wherein all excess and adorning of the body was abandoned Our first Parents were clad in beasts skins the Prophets wore rough garments and John Baptist was clothed in Camels hair and the blessed Virgin only in a mean habit to cover nakedness not to beautifie her body Matth. 3. Non ad ornatum corporis sed ad tegumentum nuditatis Chrys Vestis est remedium turpitudinis erubescentiae quam per peccatum contraximus ante peccatum sufficiebat homini propria pulchritudo pro vestiturâ nec habebat causam erubescentiae Now great folly it is so curiously and expensively to deck and trim the body that must ere long be a dish and feast for the worms and neglect the soul that must live for ever Tell me saith Cyprian if Paul durst not glory but in the Cross of Christ how darest thou to pride thy self in these vanities It is the foolishest thing that can be for a man to be proud of gay and costly garments which are but the badge of sin and the ensign of shame What credit were it for a Traytor to be fettered with silver bolts or a Fellon to be hanged with a silken halter Our garments are but a remedy for the filthiness of our shame which we have contracted by sin Before the Fall mans own proper beauty was sufficient to him instead of apparel neither had he any cause of shame Consider the Lilies of the field saith our Saviour they labour not nor do they spin yet Solomon in all his glory was not arayed like one of these SECT 3. Of wearing habits above our degree 3. HEre also doth Pride appear when persons wear habits above their rank and degree The pride of the rich man is set down Luke 16. in that being neither honorably descended nor deservedly advanced Luke 16.19 20. Auferimur cultu gemmis auroque toguntur Omnia pars minima est ipsa puella sui Ovid. lib. 2. de Remed but only having scraped an huge estate together he would being but a Peasant or at best but a private man be apparelled above his place For our Saviour tells us There was a certain rich man which
Marlorat deus humiles misericordiae suae oratores amat fastidiosos justitiae praesumptores odit God loveth the humble that sue to him for his mercy but hateth the proud presumer on his righteousness Luther in Psalm 5. as Luther saith 2 As it is odious to God so also among men there are none more hated and envied then proud persons Chrysost Orat. 65. Omnis ferè vitiosus diligit sibi similem Solus superbus elatū odit Innocentius 2 Reg. 14.8 9 10. as Chrysostome speaks men are apt to pitty the drunkards and to envy the proud and as one well observeth 't is a peculiar curse of God upon this sin of Pride whereas one drunkard loveth another and one swearer loveth another c. yet one proud man hateth another they that would have all the honour and preheminence themselves do swell with pride against the pride of others Read the story of Amazias King of Judah to this purpose who having slain the Edomites with a great slaughter Superbia ab omnibus contemnitur quia superbus omnis est injustus plus sibitribuens quam sibi debetur per consequens aliis etiam derogat quod aliis debebatur Keckerm System Ethic. lib. 2. sent to Jehoash King of Israel saying Come let us look one another in the face i. e. let us fight with each other as we say when two Armies meet to fight they face one another but the King of Israel writes back to him in Parables deriding of his pride with as great a pride saying The Thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the Cedar that was in Lebanon saying Give thy daughter to my son to wife and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon and trod down the Thistle Thou hast smitten Edom and thy heart hath lifted thee up glory of this and tarry at home for why shouldst thou medle to thy hurt that thou shouldst fall even thou and Judah with thee Thus he wrote that Amaziah might understand his pride The King of Israel took it in as much scorn to be challenged by the King of Judah as the Cedar might think it an indignity to match his daughter with the Thistle when Diogenes saw Plato delight in meat and curious beds he got up upon them with his dirty feet and said Calco Platonis fastum I tread upon Plato's pride but Plato replied sed majori fastu but with a greater pride and Plato observing Diogenes walking with a thred-bare cloak full of holes he said he could see his pride through the holes of his cloak 2. It is a sin that God resisteth God resisteth the proud Jam. 4.6 he sets himself in battel aray against the proud it is not said in the whole Bible that God resisteth any sinner but the proud God may be said to resist the proud 1. By scattering their devices and confounding their counsels thus he is said to scatter the proud in the imaginations of their heart Luke 1. Thus God dasht the devices of Achitophel against David and Haman against the Jews how did the Lord dash the devices of Nimrod and those proud Babel-builders upon the face of the earth that in the pride of their heart would have built a tower whose top should reach to heaven thereby to get them a name Genes 11. Thus the Lord scattered the devices of the proud Egyptians when they boasted in their great power and glory and vaunted when they pursued Israel I will overtake them I will divide the spoil my lust shall be satisfied upon them Ex. 18.11 But saith Jethro to Moses In the thing wherein they dealt proudly the Lord was above them 2. By taking from them the things whereof they are proud when the heart of man is too much set upon a childe or any other thing usually the Lord taketh it from us when the daughters of Zion were proud of their beauty and bravery Isa 3.16 17 18. the Lord threatens to smite the Crown of their head with a scab and discover their secret parts and take away their bravery And because idolatrous Israel did not know saith the Lord that I gave her corn and wine and oyl and multiplyed her silver and gold which they prepared for Baal therefore will I return and take away my corn in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof c. Hos 2.8 9. 3. Romanorū est Parcere subjectis et debellare superbos By punishing them with sore judgements A wise heathen being demanded what God was doing in heaven answered that he did nothing but throw down the proud and set up the humble Herein the Lord declareth his Soveraignty God puts Job to that which was Gods peculiar work Deck thy self now with Majesty and excellency and aray thy self with glory and beauty Job 40.10 11 12. cast abroad the rage of thy wrath and behold every one that is proud and abase him look on every one that is proud and bring him low it is Gods peculiar work to bind all the sons of pride The day of the Lord of Hosts shall be on every one that is proud and lofty Isa 2.12 and upon every one that is lifted up and he shall be brought low Behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven Malac. 4.1 and all the proud and all that do wickedly shall be stubble and the day that cometh shall burn them up saith the Lord of hosts that it shall leave them neither root nor branch This sin was that which threw the Angels out of heaven aspiring Vltor superbos sequitur à tergo deus Pride was so ponderous in the Angels that heaven could not hold it Midleton as some think to be equal unto God This sin was that which ejected our first Parents out of Paradise therefore the Lord shut up their way to the tree of life with flaming Cherubims When Pharaoh swells against the Lord Who is the Lord c. the Lord staineth the pride of his glory When Nebuchadnezzar proudly speaks walking in his stately Palace of Babel Dan. 4.30 Is not this great Babel that I have built by the might of my power and for the honour of my Majesty the same hour was he driven out from men to eat grass with the oxen and when his understanding and Kingdom are restored to him again he acknowledgeth that Gods works are truth and his waies judgement and those that walk in pride he is able to abase Dan. 4.35 Pride was one of the sins of Sodom Ezek. 16.49 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herodot which procured its great overthrow when Sennacherib lifted up himself against the God of heaven he sent an Angel that slew in one night of his army 185000. and he himself was slain by his own sons and Herodotus saith that this was left upon his Tomb Whosoever thou art that seest me Quem dies vidit veniens superbum hunc dies vidit fugiens jacentem Sen. in Thyest learn
Calvin Figuratively Israel was so called for his righteousness Junius Therefore God takes it the more ill that he should offend in this manner that should have been upright he was fat and covered with fatness Some expound it gross or fat in sin but the word will not bear that interpretation but noteth fatness in the best sense as Pagnin observeth the fat of the land Gen 45.18 Pareus in Genes i. e. the riches of the land saith he Wherefore rich men are called fat ones Calvin In Isa 10.16 He kicked a comparison from an unruly horse too well fed like unruly beasts the fatter they were the more unruly therefore have they forgotten me saith God Hos 13.6 When the heart is lifted up with the creature it forgets the Creatour When Jesurun did eat the increase of the fields and suckt hony out of the rock and oil out of the flinty rock butter of kine and milk of sheep with fat of lambs and rams of the breed of Bashan and goats with the fat of kidnies of wheat c. then Jesurun waxed fat and kicked thou art waxed fat thou art grown thick thou art covered with fatness then he forsook God which made him and lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation Deut. 32.15 5. Pride makes a man slight all the judgements of God to kick against the rod and grow mad against his medicine as Austin speaks Of such the Lord complaineth Jerem. 5.3 O Lord thou hast smitten them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder then a rock they have refused to return When King Jehoram was brought into a great strait the Prophet Elisha labours to convince him of those sins which had brought him into it 2 Reg. 3.13 Get thee to the Prophets of thy Father and to the Prophets of thy Mother thereby intimating to him that the wickedness of his Fathers house had brought him into these extremities but Jehoram puts that off and would not be convinced that they were any other then the accidents of war Nay said he for God hath called these three Kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab Pride is such a sin that it remaineth after sore judgements of God executed upon the sons of pride Pride hardeneth the heart and then nothing can work upon it Thus Daniel tells King Belshazzar O thou King the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy Father a Kingdom and Majesty and glory and honour c. but when his heart was lifted up and his mind hardened in pride he was deposed from his Kingly throne and they took his glory from him and he was driven from the sons of men Dan. 5 18 22. and his heart was made like the beasts c. and thou his son O Belshazzar hast not humbled thy self though thou knewest all this Therefore saith the Lord This is true humility to be able to rejoyce that Gods glory may be set forth in our shame as that noble learned Earle wrote to his friend Joh. Pic. Com. Mirand Epist ad Francis Pic. Isa 9.9 10. All the people shall know even Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria that say in the pride and stoutness of heart The bricks are fallen down but we will build with hewen stones the sycomores are cut down but we will change them into cedars God had humbled and pulled down those that were great but they had a great deal of Grandeur they would raise their hearts to a higher pitch of pride than those that were thrown down before them Calvin in Isa 9.9 It is not the sin of one Nation alone nor of one time alone saith Calvin upon that place With how many stroaks hath God afflicted England for these many years past and yet more pride then ever CHAP. 25. Of the greatness of this sin of Pride SECT 1. 1. THe greatness of this sin may be made manifest in respect of its original the height of the place from whence it descended it was born in heaven Superbia in caelo nata est sed velut immemor qua via inde cecidit 〈◊〉 luc postea redire non potuit Hugo in the breasts of those Angels that kept not their first estate therefore Hierome saith that it is Natione caelestis by nation heavenly How art thou fallen from heaven O Lucifer son of the morning For thou hast said in thy heart I will ascend into heaven Isa 14.12 13 14 15. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God c. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds I will be like the most High Pride labouring to ascend into heaven the Lord throws it down Therefore saith he thou shalt be brought down to hell c. 2. It is an epidemical evil it appeareth in all sorts of men and women whatsoever many are prophane and proud of their prophaness they glory in their shame as the Apostle speaks as it is said of Ephraim Hos 7.10 Isa 3.9 the pride of Israel testifieth to his face and they do not return to the Lord their God The 〈…〉 countenance doth witness against them Quidampro carnalibus quidam pro spiritualibus superbiunt est una superbia sub diverso colore Bernar. 1 Tim. 3.2 3 4. and they declare their sin as Sodom they hide it not the shew of their countenance did declare that they did glory in their shame men think it a piece of bravery that they are sermon-proof and can stand out against all the threatnings of the word and among professors of religion and those that have a forme of goodness Paul saith that in the latter daies there should be such as should be self-lovers covetous proud boasters blasphemers despisers of those that are good Women as well as men are given to pride pride being cast out of heaven and wandring upon earth a woman took her in and there she hath dwelt ever since The shop of pride is the womans wardrope traitours heady high minded c. O Lord are not thine eyes upon the truth thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved c. therefore said I surely these are poor these are foolish for they know not the way of the Lord nor the judgement of their God Jer. 5.4 5. I will get me unto the great men and will speak unto them for they have known the way of the Lord and the judgement of their God but these have altogether broken the yoke and burst the bonds saith the Prophet Aretius complaineth why Gospel-government could not be carried on among the Helvetian Churches because the great men would not come under the yoke Isa 3.16 and the common people loved to live at liberty hence it was that there was so little good done among them Pride you see is an universal general sin that hath corrupted all estates and from which none are free Pride being seated in the heart cannot
like and every Christian should love another we see it verified in Wolves Lions Tigers c. and shall they agree and men disagree we may observe it that the very dogs that live together in an house will not ordinarily fight one with another but one for another and shall men agree worse then dogs in a family its nothing but pride that makes men swell thus one against another and we have not only the bond of nature but of grace to bind us to this duty This is the command of the Lord Jesus and the badge and livery whereby we may be known to the world to be the Disciples of him who is the most admirable pattern of humility and lowliness Divers reasons why we should love one another as our selves may be taken from the similitude of the members of the natural body where the Apostle tells us that as the body being but one 1 Cor. 12.12 hath many members so we being many are all members of the same mystical body of Christ 1. The more noble and honourable members despise not the less honourable and those that are appointed to more base offices as for instance the head though it self be covered and carried aloft doth not contemn the feet though they travel and trudge to carry the whole body about no more ought the rich in gifts parts or estate despise the poor Mal. 2.10 for they be their fellow members made of the same matter by the same Maker The rich Angels in heaven despise not the poor Saints on earth but are ready to perform the duties of love unto them as appeareth by their carrying the soul of the poor beggar into Abrahams bosom Luk. 16.22 and so ought it to be on earth as James speaketh Jac. 2.1 2. not having the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with respect of persons 2. As the more noble contemn not the less noble no more do the less noble envy the more noble and so it should be among us for as the hands and the feet grudge not that themselves are used and employed as instruments to feed and defend the head and heart no more must subjects and servants and men of meaner condition envy their superiors and Masters the places that God hath allotted them but content themselves with their own and be faithful and painful in them as King David willed Ziba and his sons and servants to do for his Masters son Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 9.10 3. If one member fail in performance of some duty whereby another catcheth hurt the other doth not in a rage run upon it and hurt it again as for example if the foot chance to slip and so the head catch a knock it doth not presently perswade the hand to heat the foot or if the teeth bite the tongue this were to seek the ruine and destruction of the whole body no more ought we in our mad mood furiously to rush one upon another when we have been unawares hurt one by another 4. When one member is hurt the whole body feels it and fares the worse for it as for example a thorn in the foot grieveth the head yea the very heart so ought we to have a sympathy and fellow-feeling of the hurt of one another as Christ our head hath of us all as is evident by that speech he useth to Paul before his conversion saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Act. 9.4 signifying to us that the hurt that was done to his members on earth even reached him their head in heaven 5. What good parts soever any of the members be endued with they hoard not up nor reserve to themselves as Monopolies but impart and employ them for the good and benefit of the whole body and the meanest member thereof if a toe or a finger be but fore the eye looketh the head deviseth how to help it and if they be not able to do it themselves by their own skill then they seek out to others and the tongue will play the Orator and entreat yea rather then fail and not have it the hand will play the Almoner and reward thus should we be willing to afford our mutual help one to another and so we would if we were once perswaded of the necessity of this duty that we ought to love our neighbour as our self but pride and self-love do so blind the eyes of men that they will not learn this lesson 1 Gor. 13.4 Charity suffereth long and is kind charity envieth not charity vaunteth not it self is not puffed up saith the Apostle CHAP. 30. The fourth fifth and sixth Directions Direct 4. SUbmit thy self to the Word let it have its efficacy and operation upon thy soul pride cannot stand before the Word when it cometh in power upon the heart the Word is a hammer that breaks a heart of rock in pieces Christ compareth the Gospel or Kingdom of God to leaven Luk. 13.21 which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till the whole was leavened The Word like leaven altereth the persons upon whom it worketh and makes them become like unto it this woman here may fignifie the wisdom of Gods Spirit working in and with faithful and painful dispensers of the mysteries of the Kingdom or their care and conscience pains and diligence the three measures or pecks of meal it seems was an ordinary leavening in an ordinary family Gen. 18. â— Sarah leavened so much to entertain the Angels some think by the three measures of meal are meant the three powers and faculties of mans soul all which the Word of God moderateth and tempereth Pliny saith that for five hundred eighty years together the custom at Rome was for women altogether to be employed about this business and that they had no men bakers viz. concupiscibilem irascibilem rationalem the concupiscible the irascible and the rational the concupiscible that it may not lust after things unlawful and vain as David praies Lord encline my heart to thy testimonies not to covetousness the irascible that it may not boil above measure and violently break forth beyond its bounds Tu domine argum atare ego mirabor tu disputa ego credam Aug. and also the rational casting down imaginations or proud reasonings and every high thing that exalts it self against the knowledge of God subduing the pride of reason to the obedience of faith 2 Cor. 10.5 Thus Austin Lord do thou dispute I will wonder do thou debate the matter I will believe and if thou wilt not willingly yeild to the Word it will overcome thee whether thou wilt or no we read of the Synagogue of the proud Libertines and others that disputed with Stephen Act. 6.9 10 that they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake So the Apostle Paul though he had many enemies as the Priests of the Jews and the Philosophers of the Gentiles yet he made invia pervia where he could
that was the bread of life is laid in a manger as the food of beasts and the spotless body of this Lamb of God were alike entertained in a manger Men by sin had made themselves unfit for the society of Angels and became like the beasts that perish therefore he seeks us among beasts this was a sign given by the Angel to the Shepherds Ye shall find the child swadled and laid in a manger Luk. 2.12 This sufficiently confuteth all legends that talk of his being born in a cave not far from Bethlehem where they say many miracles appeared to Joseph Chemmit harmon part 1. p. 274. but these are but false and fabulous howbeit they have been received and too much credited by too many of the Antients as Chemnitius sheweth 4. The fourth circumstance of his humility at his birth was the divulging of his birth to a few base and mean Shepherds and here we may see a manifest difference between the wisdom of God and the wisdom of the world for whom do the great men in the world joyn in friendship to them and make of their councils and employ in their affairs Surely no Shepherds and Neate-herds and husbandmen whom their rude education and mean breeding utterly debarreth of all such favours to whom do great men send their Embassadours with news of state not to mean men but to their neighbour Princes peradventure Husbandmen at plough and Shepherds in the field may see a post as he passeth to the Court before the King himself but not any Nobleman shall be made privy to his business till he come to the King to whom he is sent and the news shall be stale before it come to the ears of the vulgar and common people But Christ takes not this course he doth not send his Angel immediately to the Emperours Court nor to Herod Pontius Pilat and the Pharisees and Scribes or any of the chief estates of the Nobility that so they reporting it again might have added the greater credit to it this in worldly wisdom should have seemed a course most convenient but Gods waies are not ours the Angel was sent to these ragged messengers to declare the birth of the Messiah unto rather then to the great ones of the world to shew the humility of him that was sent to save the world and therein to be an example of humility to us CHAP. 32. Christ a great example of humility in his life 2. CHrists great humility appeared in his life if we consider him In a private condition or In his publick condition 1. If we consider him in a private condition his humility is manifest 1. In his tender years by his subjection to Joseph and Mary Luke 2.52 Venerabatur matrens cujus ipse erat pater colebat nutritium quem ip se nutriverat Hieren yet this was not a subjection of necessity but of humility as Ambrose saith in that he that was God was subject to man it was for our example he gave reverence to his mother whose Father himself was he honoured him that gave him nourishment whom he himself had nourished yea we read not that he shewed himself any more abroad after his disputing with the Doctours at twelve years old till he was thirty years old and began to preach being eighteen years after 2. In following a mean trade or calling we must not think he was idle but wrought with Joseph to help get his own and their living Hillary thought he wrought upon the trade of a Smith Hugo thought that they were Masons but Justin Martyr and Basil say they were Carpenters and for this we have Scripture so we have not for the other Matth. 13.35 Those that were equal with Christ in years but whom he far surpassed in wisdom when they see themselves in such sort out-stripped of him say of him in scorn Is not this the Carpenters son and Marke 6.3 Is not this the Carpenter Dr. Jer. Tailor on the life of Christ the son of Mary Some say he was called the Carpenters son while Joseph lived but when Joseph died which was before the publick manifestation of Jesus unto Israel then he wrought in that trade alone by himself and was called no more the Carpenters son but the Carpenter himself as before was said by his own Country-men Christ out of his great humility took this mean calling upon him to leave us an example in this kind to shun idleness and to live in some lawful calling Joseph and Mary were of the blood Royal and nobly born yet things being as they were with them they held it no shame to bring up their son to a mechanical trade the old Patriarchs notwithstanding they were petty Kings yet brought they up their Children either in keeping Cattle or tilling the ground Solon made a law that that Father could challenge no reverence or duty from his son that had not brought him up in some calling whereby he might live and maintain himself and among the Athenians and Egyptians the fashion was that every year every man should appear before the Governours and shew by what means he got his living and all idle persons were banisht and among the Massalians they would admit none into their Cities but such as had trades to live by and maintain themselves What shame can it be for any man to be skilful in some Art Art is no burden Ars non gravat artisicem but even a commendation and commodity to the Artificer this Cato knew therefore he gives this wise Counsel Si tibi sint nati nec opes tunc artibus illos Instrue quo possint inopem defendere vitam If thou no wealth nor riches hast upon thy Children to bestow Instruct them in some Art or Trade from whence a livelyhood may flow And this may be any mans case for wealth may fail had he never so much 2. Consider Christ in his publick and ministerial employment and therein also his great humility will appear 1. In assuming to himself humble titles The title of the Son of man The title of a servant 1. The title of the son of man that is the name by which he usually stileth himself saying Whom say ye that I the son of man am the son of man came to save and seek that which was lost he that vouchsafed to take upon him our nature intituleth himself also by our name 2. The title of a servant and not only so but the condition of a servant he was A servant to God A servant to man 1. A servant to God Behold my servant whom I have chosen Isa 53.11 He came to do such a piece of service as all the Angels in Heaven and men on earth were never able to have performed the greatest work must be done by the greatest servant 2. To man also he was a servant for our sakes it was that he made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant It had been much for
cruelty and rigorous extremity making him to carry his own Cross as long as he is able to stand under it John 19.17 Being come to the place of his execution they hang him between two Thieves and notorious malefactours as if he had been a Master of mis-rule and ring-leader in routs and riots Matth. 27.38 Luke 23.33 Thus our Lord Jesus humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross as the Apostle speaks Phil. 2.8 9. Such was his humility that though he were the God of Angels yet by his sufferings he was made lower then the Angels Heb. 2.9 Nor do his enemies content themselves to put him to a most painful and shameful death but also they add affliction to him in the manner of it 1. By mocking him at his arraignment and mocking him on the Cross contrary to all humanity and civility to mock a man in misery 2. Being in the midst of his agony and extremity of pain and crying out of thirst John 19.28 they mingle him such a potion as would rather encrease then asswage his thirst Matth. 27.34 which some think would entoxicate a man and make him lose the use of his reason But great was his humility and patience to endure such contradiction of sinners against himself Heb. 12.3 3. They put a Crown of thornes upon his head drove nails into his hands and feet and thrust a spear into his side But as one saith The pain of his body was but the body of his pain D. Plaiser the sorrow of his soul was the soul of his sorrow when he cryed out My God My God why hast thou forsaken me Hae non voces desperantis aut diffidentis Deum enim vocat suum sed cum tristissima tentatione luctantis Bucan Com. loc But all this while we must know he despaired not for these were not the words of a man despairing or distrusting for he calleth God his God We must not think that the Godhead had wholly separated and withdrawn it self from the manhood but it was quaedam derelictio ubi nulla fuit in tanta necessitate virtutis exhibitio nulla Majestatis ostentio Bernard A certain desertion where there was no exhibition of strength no shew of Majesty in so great a necessity Now as this shews his great humility so also his abundant love towards us for all this was for us he had no sin and therefore could not have been toucht with the punishments of sin as were all those miseries that he underwent This Paul saith for the general that he that knew no sin was made sin for us 2 Cor. 5.21 and in particular he being rich became poor for our sakes that we through his poverty might be made rich 2 Cor. 8.9 His humility was to procure our glory he became weak Isa 53.4 5. Humility is so hard a lesson to get into the heart that Christ was fain to come down from heaven in his own person to teach it Adams that we might become strong he was bound in swadling bands to loose the bands of our sins he is clad in clouts and mean rags to deck us with the rich robes of his righteousness he was born among beasts to advance us to the society of Angels he was born under the tyranny of Augustus to deliver us from the tyranny of Satan he came down from heaven to earth to lift us up from earth to heaven he would be taxed and have his name taken on earth that we might be free Citizens Quel medesimo affetto sia in vol che fu ancora in Christo Jesu Ital. and have our names written in heaven In a word he became the son of man that we might become the sons of God Gal. 4.4 5. He suffered death to redeem us to life Rom. 4.25 Therefore let us learn of him to be meek and humble Let the same mind be in us that was in Christ Jesus let the consideration of the great humility of Jesus dismount us from all high thoughts of our selves Phil. 2.5 The heart of man is a proud piece of flesh men stand upon their terms and think scorn to abase themselves to do good to others But did we think seriously of the great abasement of Christ our pride would down Shall Christ our Prince and Master humble himself and shall we exalt our selves what intolerable impudence is it that where the King of glory made himself of no reputation there a silly worm should swell with pride Shall God be abased and shall man be proud certainly that mans heart is harder then a rock whom this high example cannot move to humility 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 'T is 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