Christ and offered to God when they have knowledge and years of discretion by good education for this God took special order in his Law telling his people that his laws must not only be in their own heads to know them Deut. 6.7 but in their mouths to talk of them and learn them to their children And questionless the common dissoluteness and disobedience of children when they be grown up proceeds from the carelesness of Parents when they were young they offered them not to Christ nor put them to his school but trained them up in wantonness pride and vanity which is the bane of youth And thus some have brought their children to beggery others to the Gallows and more have brought them to spiritual and eternal death CHAP. 13. Of Pride of outward priviledges EVil men are very apt to pride themselves in their outward priviledges The Jews boasted they were Abrahams seed according to the flesh though they cared not to follow Abrahams faith they boast also that they have the Temple of the Lord Jerem. 7.4 Deus habitat in medio nostrs apud nos babet domicilium Haec prima hypocritarum munitio Calv. in Jerem. 7. and they cry the Temple of the Lord as if they should have said God dwelleth in the midst of us he hath his habitation with us This is the first fortress of hypocrites saith Calvin They gloried that they were a vine of Gods own planting that God had known and chosen them out of all the families of the earth to be his peculiar people and had entred into covenant with them There is nothing more common with proud and wicked men saith Salvian then to defend themselves by the name of Catholick when in life they are more prophane than Goths and Vandals Salvian de provid dei lib. 7. Vanum sine corpore nomen Hoc nomine ecclesia sola Romana gloriatur Coster in Enchirid de notis Eccles a vain name without a body yet this is the argument of Costerus the Jesuite in this name the Roman Church alone doth glory But what doth this priviledge of a religious name profit them that call themselves Catholicks and the same may be said of the Catholick faith and profession Little reason have men to be proud of outward priviledges for the Apostle tells us that in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing Gal. 6.15 nor uncircumcision but a new creature nothing is acceptable to God nor available to salvation Chrysostome saith of the Jews that divinis penè obruti erant beneficiis and under these two he Synecdochically comprehendeth all outward priviledges prerogatives dignities and precedences whatsoever under circumcision comprising the dignities of the Jews Rom. 3.1 2. Rom. 9.4 5. under uncircumcision the Gentiles with all their wit wealth strength laws policy or whatever is of esteem among men and glorious in the eyes of the world all which he accounts as nothing in respect of regeneration Luk. 16.15 1. Therefore first wealth strength nobility wisdom are nothing and not to be gloryed in 1 Cor. 1.26 27 28. You see your calling brethren not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and the weak things of the world to confound the mighty c. and things that are not to confound the things that are that no flesh should glory in his presence 2. Outward callings are nothing as to be Emperours Kings Priests Prophets Apostles 3. Or outward actions of hearing fasting almes-giving prayer It is a mark of a wicked cast-away to rest in these things of one who buildeth the house not upon the Rock Qui domū aedificat non in petra sed in arena August in Ps 103. but upon the Sand saith Austin It is the note of such as shall be refused when the great King shall make distinction between the sheep and Goats 4. Kindred and alliance avail not for if the blessed Virgin had not as well conceived Christ in her heart by faith Beatior Maria percipiendo fidem Christi quà m concipiendo carnem Christi Christum faelicius gestavit corde quam corpore mente quam ventre August as in her womb according to the flesh she had not been saved Luke 11.27 28. For when a certain woman said unto Christ Blessed is the womb that bare thee and the paps that gave thee suck he said yea rather blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it It seemeth to have been an usual thing among the Jews to commend Parents by their children and to commend children by pronouncing their Parents blessed in them So it is recorded of Rabbi Jochanan Ben Zachary that commending one of his scholars he brake out into this speech Blessed is she that bare thee And in prophane Authors this and the like speeches are usual Ashre sevvaled techa Beataquae te genuit Tremel in loc Faelices tales quae te genuere Parentes Thus Solomon tells us that a wise son maketh a glad father but a foolish son is heaviness to his mother Prov. 10.1 yea as good children be comforts to their Parents privately so they be credits to them publickly as the Psalmist saith he that hath good children need not be ashamed to meet his enemy in the gate and that this is an especial outward blessing Quisquè nascitur ex Adamo nascitur damnatus de damnato Aug. in Psal 132. our Saviour denyeth not for in his answer he doth not cross and contradict the speech as false but only correct it shewing that though it were a good thing in the kind to have good children yet it was a better thing to be good our selves and howsoever his blessed mother were a vessel of grace on earth and be now a glorious Saint in heaven yet herein consisted not the height of her happiness in that she bare him in her body but rather in this that she believed on him in her heart And if Christs kinsmen had not been his brethren as well by spiritual adoption and regeneration as by carnal propagation Mark 3.30 31 32 33 34. and generation they should not have had inheritance in the kingdom of God 5. Nay the outward Elements are nothing without the inward grace 1. For Baptism it is not the washing the face or body nor the washing away the filth of the flesh that is acceptable to God but the stipulation of a good conscience that maketh request to God 1 Pet. 3.21 2. For the Sacrament of the Lords Supper he that doth not as well receive panem dominum 1 Cor. 11.27 29. as panem domini the bread that is the Lord as the bread of the Lord is an unworthy receiver and so is guilty of his body and blood and the reason why these outward priviledges are nothing available with God is because the things that God regardeth are spiritual and eternal
Evang. Calvin instit Cameron stellit Carion Cronic Cartwright Cassiodorus Clem. Alexand. Caussin holy Court Caelius Rhodigin Chald. Paraphr Cedren Graec. hist Chemnit harm Conrad Lycost Cicero Caesarii homil Coster Enchyrid de notis Eccles Chrysostom Cyprian Chrysologus D Davenant in Colos Diodorus Siculus Mr. Dent E Erasmus Estius Euripides Euseb hist F Fox Dudl Fenner Ferus Franz hist sacra G Gerson Genevenses Glos interlin Grymstons Rom. hist. Gorran Gualter Greg. moral Greg. homil Gratian H Hist novi orbis Bishop Hall Hect. Pintus in Ezek. Hieronym Mr. Hieron Herodotus Horat Hooper Hugo Card. Hugo de S. Vict. Hugo de discipl monac Hilarius I Irenaeus Isidor Soliloqu Isidor Etymol Ital. transl Joseph antiqu P. Jovius Innocentius Justin hist Junius Jul. Capitol Juvenal Sat. K Keckerm Syst Ethic. King on Jonah L Livius Lucius Apuleius Lumb sent Lyra Lyran Luther M Magdeb. hist Marlorat Macarius Mantuan Maldonat Sir John Mandevil Melancton Musculus M. S. N Nazianzen O Onuphrius Ovid P Pagnin Paraeus Parisiensis Petrarc de remed utr fortunae Piscator Plia nut hist Philo Judaeus Plato Procop. de bel Gothico Plutarc moral Plutar. vit Platina de vit Pontif. Jo. Picus Mirand Epist Philostratus Dr. Plaifer Q Quintilian Qu. Curtius R Rheyner Rhem. Annot. S Salvian de provid dei Sir Philip Sydney Seneca Sent. hebr Septuagint Struther Suidas Socrat. Eccl. hist Stella Suetonius Syr. Versio Dr. Sutton Symmachus T Tacitus Tailer Tertullian Theophilact Theodoret. Eccl. hist Torshel Tremellius Tripart hist Thuanus U Valer. Episcop Valer. Maxim Vella Volateran Virgil Vulg. translat W Jo. Wolf lect Weemes Wicelius Woodward Z Zanch. Zosimus THE ARRAIGNMENT OF PRIDE 1 John 2.16 and the pride of life CHAP. 1. The Porch or Entrance into the work THe drift of the Apostle in this Epistle and in this Chapter is to exhort all the faithful whom he divides into three ranks Mundum vocat homines deditos rebus hujus mâ—ndi i.e. corporalibus ac sensibilibus mundum autem sic acceptum i. e. homines malos diligi vetat quatenus tabes sunt c. Estius in loc Per ea quae sunt in mundo omnia quaenos ad peccandum solicitant quaecunque tandem sint Aretius in loc according to their standing in Grace unto Brotherly Love vers 7-10 which that he may the more effectually press upon them he calleth them back from the love of other things the immoderate love and desire whereof is contrary to brotherly love and charity and the things of this sort are the world and the things of the world ver 15. By the world may be meant the men of the world addicted to the things of the world i. e. to corporal and sensible things And the world being thus taken we are forbidden to love wicked Worldlings as they are such By the things of the world we are to understand Pleasures Riches and Honours or all those worldly things which provoke us to sin against God whatsoever they are The reasons why our Apostle laboureth to draw them off from the love of worldly things are 1. A Disparatis Because God and the World cannot be truly loved together ver 15. If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him 2. A partibus mundi integralibus From all the parts of the world whole and entire which are the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and pride of life 3. From the Original of all worldly things 1. Negatively they are not of the Father 2. Affirmatively but of the world 4. Res humanae non habent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From the frailty and instability of all these worldly things ver 17. And the world passeth away and the lust thereof In this 16 verse the Apostle gives us an account of whatsoever is in the world reducing it all to these three heads The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and pride of life The Evangelist speaks not of the frame of the world but of the things of the world which the corrupt nature of man is apt to dote upon it consisteth of the lust of the flesh c. The word Lust is taken 1. For the habit or lusting faculty and such lusts as these are called habitual lusts 2. For the motions and actions of lust and these are called actual lusts Lusts are either good or evil 1. Good these are either natural or spiritual Natural lusts that are good are such as come from nature in her state of innocency There be also spiritual lusts as when the Spirit lusteth against the flesh Gal. 5.17 and the soul of a Christian panteth and longeth after God Psal 42.1 2. Evil lusts Which are such as are contrary to the commands of God and these are here described to be of two sorts Fleshly lusts and Worldly lusts Called the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eye the one denotes unto us all inordinate motions of the will all unlawful desires of the understanding of the affections and sensual parts Gal. 5.16 By the other viz. the lust of the eye is meant an inordinate desire of worldly things Fastus five superbia mund it is such a desire as is the desire of the will as well as of the affections And so the speciall objects of it are Pleasure Riches and Honour the act of Pleasure is Lust the act of Riches Covetousness the act of Honour Ambition and Pride of Life The Syriack reads it Syr. vers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non simplicitèr vitam significat sed vitae genus quod vulgò dicunt statum Estius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est vivendi genus ratio Calv. in loc the pride or haughtiness of the world The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a proud ostentation of any worldly thing and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not simply signifie the life of man but the manner state and condition of that life and therefore called Pride of life because pride is found most in such as minde the things of this life and because it is most demonstrated in the course of our life Austin saith that with these three the Devil set upon our first Parents the lust of the flesh in them was to taste of the forbidden fruit the lust of the eyes to have their eyes opened Beda in Mat. 4. Haec tria pro trino numine mundus habet and the pride of life to be like unto God And Beda sheweth that the Devil made use of these three for the tempting of our blessed Saviour The reasons why the objects of Lust are reduced to three heads are 1. Because these are things that men most desire 2. Because men are most unable to refrain these lusts Pride here cometh after Lust to note to us that what men greedily lust after they enjoy by pride CHAP. 2. Of Pride in general MY purpose God assisting me
as proud Nebuchadnezzar doth Is not this great Babel that I have built c. Dan. 4.30 Be not these the things that I have attained to by my wit parts industry c. We may not say of the gifts of God in us as the Atheists of their tongues Psal 12. that they are our own and we may do with them what we list for if they are ours let us shew our evidence when we purchased them and what we paid for them before whom the instruments were drawn sealed and delivered Besides we must know that as our gifts be not our own absolute fee-simple and free-hold but we only copy-holders and tenants at will nor have we any such custome but may be broken at the pleasure of our Land-lord so we be not so much as quarter owners of them but only stewards over them and must be accomptable for them Luk. 16.2 Therefore we must not be proud of any gift but acknowledge Gods goodness and say with the Kingly Prophet what shall we render to the Lord for all his benefits towards us 2. Because Pride of gifts hinders a man from doing much good with them the end why God giveth diversities of gifts to men is that they may impart them to the benefit of one another Posuit Deus in Ecclesia quosdam ut oculos quosdam ut linguas nonnullos ut aures alios item manuum alios pedum qui rationem obtinerant Basil you know that in the body of the world there are diversities of commodities for this end and purpose that one Nation may have commerce with another Hirams country yeelds good timber and stone Solomons country good wheat and oyl Moah was a sheep-country and Ophir was famous for gold Chittim for ivory Basan for oaks Lebanon for cedars this is the ground of all commerce and traffick so God hath enriched one with this gift another with that not to grow proud of it or to monopolize it to themselves but mutually to impart their gifts to the good of one another 1 Cor. 12.21 22 25. As in the body natural there are many members yet but one body and the eye cannot say to the hand nor the head to the foot I have no need of thee but all must be helpful to and not disdain each other that there may be no schisme in the body the members must have the same care of one another so men of the greatest gifts and parts must not disdain to be helpful to the meanest Christian There was found in the house of Luther these words Res verba Philippus Res sine verbis Lutherus verba sine re Erasmus Melancton was words and matter Luther was matter without words Erasmus words without matter therefore as Dr. Hall observeth hath the blind man legs and the lame man eyes that there may be an exchange between them for the benefit of mankind 3. The more and greater our gifts are the more we are indebted to God when God cometh to call us to give up our accompts he will look into our receipts he that hath had five talents must account for five for to whom much is given of him much shall be required Now to be proud of thy great gifts Luk 12.48 is to be proud how much thou standest indebted to God CHAP. 18. Of Pride of Wit PRide of wit is when a man is pufft up with his knowledge quickness of apprehension depth of judgement As the finest cloth is soonest stained so the rarest wits are most subject to Pride as moths do sooner breed in fine cloth then in course so Pride and vain-glory do soon surprize a man of the quickest wits a good and modest wit is better then a great wit Errores magni siac magnis ingeni is non nascuntur August That men should not be proud of wit or natural parts Chemnitius proveth from the example of Tacianus who by the testimonies of Clemens Alexandrinus and Eusebius was a man of great parts yet fell into great heresies and gross absurdities Vid. Chemnit Harm 1. part 〈◊〉 2. p. 7 8. for often-time a great wit is the spring of great evils and the greatest errours usually arise out of the greatest wits thence Tertullian called the Philosophers the great wits of the world Haereticorum Patriarchas the chief Fathers of Hereticks When men of great wit and parts appear for an errour the repute of their ingenuity and parts draws many after them and doth much mischief and such men do most misuse their wit and abuse it to licentionsness The Grammarian busieth his brains about the Concordances and regiments of Nouns Verbs and quantities of Syllables and will not for any thing make a Soloecisme in speech but will not stick to make a thousand in his actions the Rhetoritian discourseth copiously the Logitian disputeth subtilly the Arithmetitian is cunning in numbers and divisions but he will scarce impart a penny to the poor for then if it come to matters of practice in life he is better skilled in addition and multiplication then in substraction and division he will use Zeno his Rhetorick and open his hand wide to get riches and then his Logick shut it again to keep them when he hath them About these things many men beat their wits But its better to have a true knowledge of a mans self then the course scituation and operations of the stars and planets then the vertues of herbs and plants then the diversities of humours and complexions and constitutions then the natures of beasts or whatever Philosophy rational moral or natural can afford to man for what booteth it the Geometritian or Cosmographer to be able to measure the compass of the earth or take the height of the moon when with all his art he cannot meet out the length of his own life though but a span long nor take the measure of himself and his own deceitful heart if we look not into our selves we cannot know our selves and if we take a strict view of our selves we cannot be proud That witty men are apt to abuse their wits Austin shews in an Epistle of his to Licentius a young Noble man that was very witty one that had been sometime his scholar a witty Poem of his coming to the hands of Austin who perceived he had wickedly abused his wit therein he writes to him in this manner I have read this Poem of thine and I know not with what verses to lament and mourn over it because I see a pregnant wit in every line August 39. Epist ad Licent but such a one as I cannot dedicate to God then he exhorts him Da te Domino meo c. Give thy self to my Lord who hath given thee this excellent wit if thou hadst found a golden cup wouldst thou not have given it to some publick use God hath given thee a golden wit Pliny saith of C. Caesar Dictatour that he was a man of a prompt and ready wit as nimble and active
likewise Philo the Jew reporteth of one Flaccus that having used all kind of cruelty to the poor Jews and being afterwards banisht by Caligula in his exile he thought every man that he saw to intend some harme to him therefore if he saw any come toward him softly he thought he had some plot against him if he came hastily then he thought he came with a commission to dispatch him if any spake him fair he thought they flattered him and meant to deceive him if any spake roughly to him he thought they scorned and contemned him these and such like be the conceits of guilty consciences who still suppose even bushes and trees to be men and men to be devils sent to torment them It is reported of Constantine that good Emperour that he was a man of an humble and tender spirit for being troubled with the leprosie and desiring much to be cured of it if it were possible Male semper aegrotare quam tali remedio convalescere King on Jonah and being told by his Physitians that he could not but by having his body bathed in the warm blood of infants he returned this answer beseeming his profession I had rather alwaies to be sick then to recover my health by such a remedy I have read likewise of Augustus Caesar who being on a time invited to a supper by one Pollio a noble Orator of Rome who had a servant that brake a curious chrystal cup for which fact Pollio condemned him to be thrown into a fish-pond to feed his Lampreys which Caesar understanding dashed the decree Of all Nations the Spaniards are reported to be the most cruel out of their pride calling themselves the sons of God that the poor Indians may the more reverence them Hist novi orbis and controuled him that made it saying that the life of a man was more to be regarded then all the cups of chrystal and fish-ponds in the world And such was a certain Empress who coming to her husband and finding him condemning of men as he plaid at Chess entreated him either to give over his game or give no sentence for the men he passed sentence upon were not like those that he plaid with So Eusebius saith of Constantine that being necessarily enforced to fight with Infidels yet he took the best order that he could Euseb lib. 2. cap. 13. Cambyses the second King of Persia finding Sysannes for mony to have corrupted justice he caused him to be flayed and his skin to cover the Tribunal and set his son Ottanes in his place and bad him Patris exuvias intueri juste judicare a notable example of justice on a cruel oppressour Chronic. Carion lib. 2. p. 214. that there might be but little blood shed and therefore he propounded rewards to such as could take them alive The Anabaptists in Germany were of another spirit for had they once forged a device in their fantastical brains they would execute it though it cost many lawful Magistrates their lives for it and what might be their ground Some revelation and suggestion from the spirit but what spirit surely not the spirit of truth but some lying spirit such as possessed and inspired Ahabs false Prophets Great is the pride and insolency of some Masters towards their servants not considering that they also have a Master in heaven to whom they must be accomptable Some gather from that parable put forth by our Saviour Luke 17.7 8. Which of you having a servant ploughing or feeding of cattel will say unto him by and by when he is come from the field Go and sit down to meat and will not rather say unto him Make ready wherewith I may sup and gird thy self and serve me till I have eaten and drunken and afterward thou shalt eat and drink doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him I trow not Some I say gather from thence that Masters may usurp and insult over their servants and think that therefore they may make them work hard all the day and wait upon them at night in needless and unnecessary attendance But God in his law provideth against oppressing of servants he provideth rest for oxen and asses much more for men and women Hos 6.6 Aut manu capti in bello aut are empti vel à morte redempti and tells us by his Prophet that he will in some cases dispence with his own service and have mercy rather then sacrifice and besides these servants here spoken of were not such as we now have but were either such as were taken in war or bought with money or redeemed from death and therefore owed more service to their Masters then ours do and yet even they must not be wronged for doubtless though it were a corrupt custome yet it was very unlawful to make servants slaves and to impose more upon them then they were able to endure cruelty being an abomination and crying sin before the Lord. CHAP. 26. Of the Prognosticks of Pride SECT I. MAny are the mischiefs and dangers that Pride threatens to the souls of men therefore I think it not amiss to set before you some of the sad issues of this soul murdering Hydra 1. It threatens the decay of gifts The reason of man is blasted by pride man in the pride of his heart affected to be like unto God Festus slandered Paul that much learning had made him mad so it might have done if Paul had been as proud of his learning as Festus was of his honour and he became below a man even like the brute beasts that perish Proud persons are usually such as run mad when Nebuchadnezzar was pufft up with pride Inquinat egregios adjuncta superbia mores he lost the use of his reason and was driven out from men and turned a grazing with the oxen Parts and gifts are blasted when a man grows proud of them when man grows proud of his gifts he forgets the giver and returneth the glory of them to himself Mr. Hieron in Psal 51. No vessel so safe to preserve the gifts of God in as a box of sobriety lined with humility saith a judicious Divine of ours God will take away his Ornaments if like little children we begin to look and point where we be gay Si tibi gratia si sapientia formaque detur Sola superbia destruit omnia si comitetur and here you may see the matter whereon pride worketh it is contrary to all other vices for whereas they are conversant about evil things pride is still upon the abuse of good things for one man is proud of his wit another of his memory another of his learning and knowledge c. all which are good things in themselves and might be well used but by pride are so abused and spoiled as they serve to little or no purpose nay were a man endued with never so many moral vertues viz. if he were as wise as Solomon
the Lord be high yet he hath respect to the lowly Psal 138.6 Thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity whose name is holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit Isa 57.15 God hath but two dwelling places one in the highest heavens the other in the lowest and humblest hearts an humble and contrite soul hath a heart and spirit beaten to powder as the word properly noteth and with such a one will the Lord dwell As a vessel unless it be every where smeered with pitch and have no decaies it cannot contain the wine put into it so if the heart be not fenced with humility and have no ruining vices it cannot be the habitation of God Hence Hugo saith very aptly that envy takes away my neighbour anger my self and Pride takes away God from me SECT 2. 5. PRide spoileth all the good that a man doth Pride like wicked Pharaoh who commanded the Egyptian Midwives to kill the male-children of the Hebrews Superbia vana gloria insidiosissime blandissimae bestiae tanquam serpentes optimis actionibus obrepere solent Chrysost the first day of their birth destroys every good duty done by us if humility be wanting to the doing of them Pride and vain-glory be like flattering beasts and the very bane of our best actions if they be mingled with them creeping into them like serpents as Chrysostome speaks yea Austin saith that other vices are conversant about sins and unlawful things that should not be done but these will be busied about vertues and good works which ought to be done And Chemnitius tells us that whereas other vices vexant servos Diaboli do vex the servants of the Devil that pride and vain-glory vexant servos Dei do vex the servants of God as well as others To feed the hungry Caetera vitia versantur circa peccata illicita quae fieri non debent haec circa virtutes bona opera versantur quae fieri debent August to give drink to the thirsty to clothe the naked to visit the stranger defend the fatherless and widow be good works but if we be proud of them and boast of them they are marred in doing and we lose the glory of them because we glory of them Bonaventure saith that proud persons doing good deeds and bragging of them be like a foolish hen laying an egg and then chackling whereby she loseth it and hath it taken from her So proud persons by boasting of their good works lose the reward of them as our Saviour saith Matth. 6.2 The Pharisee said he was no extortioner no unjust person no dishonest dealer no adulterer he fasted twice in the week he paid his tithes duly and truly these were good things Sicut humilitas omnia vitia enervat virtutes colligit roborat sic superbia omnes destruit annihilat Gregor but he should have staid till some body else had spoken of them therefore he went not away justified Hence Gregory draws this conclusion As humility weakeneth all vices and gathereth together and strengtheneth vertues So pride destroys and annihilateth all vertues and vertuous actions Pride is most to be feared in deeds well done saith Austin Superbia maxime timenda in recte factis 1. Consider that as the Sorcerers of Egypt did many miracles that Moses did so reprobates and the children of the devil may in pride vain-glory and hypocrisie counterfeit many outward good works for the matter that the children of God do through grace 2. What good soever we do its Gods gift that we do it and through his grace that we are enabled to perform it 3. When we have done all we can we come far short of perfection and what the law requires of us and what in duty we are bound to do Luk. 17.10 therefore little reason have we to be proud of any good that we do Upon this ground it is that our Saviour requireth that all our good actions be done in secret therefore saith he when thou dost alms Mat. 6.3 let not thy left-hand know what thy right-hand doth Luther saith the meaning is Luther in loc Per dextram bonam voluntatem per sinistram appetitum humanae laudis August take not so much from some unjustly and wrongfully that so thou maist seem bountiful in relieving others liberally make not many poor and think to make God Almighty amends by keeping of a few but that 's not likely to be the meaning of the place Austin understands by the right-hand the right purpose of the heart and mind and by the left-hand an inordinate desire of the praise of men But I think they are most agreeable to our Saviours meaning who make the words an Hyperbole telling us that we must not make Father Mother wife child or any friend as near and dear to us as our left-hand to our right acquainted with any thing that we do thereby fishing for or hunting after any praise from them or desiring to be extolled by them nay so far must we be from blowing and blazing our fame abroad and being our selves or desiring others to be trumpetters of our praise as if it were possible we should conceal whatever might be like to puffe us up and make us proud even from our selves forgetting as the Proverb saith good turnes done of us and remembring only good turns done to us Now our Saviour having directed to a right course in almes-giving doth also the like in praying when thou prayest thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are that pray in the corners of the streets and standing in the Synagogues that they may be seen of men But when thou prayest enter into thy closet c. Matth. 6.4 5. Object But is it then not lawful to pray in publick may some say Answ God forbid we should so say or think we have both the commandement of God Levit. 23.8 Joel 1.14 Joel 2.15 16. Matth. 18.20 1 Tim. 2.8 Psal 103.22 and the practice of the godly to the contrary Psal 26.8 2 Chron. 28.5 and for publick prayer there must be a publick place by Gods own ordinance and it is more powerful then private prayer as the supplication of a County Incorporation and Common-wealth then of a few like many brands and coals together that give the greater heat Non cupientes sancti esse sed videri Gregor the thing found fault with then was not the matter or action of praying in publick but the manner or end affection or affectation rather to be seen of men and praised by men not desiring to be holy but to seem so and to be called so as Gregory saith Therefore saith our Saviour When thou prayest enter into thy closet and shut thy door upon thee c. i. e. approve thy self to God and so carry the matter as it may if thou canst be hid from the world for as a man may pray in secret in an
Matth. 20. who often tyrannize usurp and abuse their authority over the poor people not considering what in equity and conscience they may do but what by their prerogatives and extremity of Law they can do Matth. 20.25 26. he tells them they must do otherwise and not strive to advance themselves by ruling but to excell and exceed one another by serving and obeying let this be your greatness and dignity and primacy to submit your selves one to another in love The greater any man is the more ought he to humble himself in all things Honos and Onus must not be divided and they that are in places either in the Church or Commonwealth must labour not so much Praeesse as Prodesse Acts 20.28 1 Corinth 3.5 1 Corinth 4.1 There is no place for Pride or Ambition neither in Christs Spiritual Kingdom on earth nor in his Eternal Kingdom in Heaven Hinc Principes dicuntur Nedivim Pagnin 1 Sam. 2.8 viz. A largiendo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reges Aegypti dicti sunt Pharaones i. e. populi vindices Rex Gerar Abimelech i. e. Rex Pater meus inter Graecos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inter Latines reges duces imperatores to put them in mind how to carry themselves in their government towards their people non alium in finem vectigalia stipendia seu tributa illis penduntur nise ut ad sumptus honoris splendori necessarios sufficiant Calvin in Harm Evang. Humility will make a man patiently bear and put up much contempt and reproach from others which they cast upon him he that despiseth no man but himself regards not the contempt that others pour upon him every cross word or reproach gives the proud heart a deep wound whereas the humble soul can bear reproach without regret He despiseth contempt that affects no vain-glory he accounts it his greatest honour with the Apostles to be dishonoured for Christ Act. 5.41 and to suffer shame for Jesus sake Humility makes a man not greedy of praise from others nor take content in it when others praise him the humble man thinks so meanly of himself that he desires none should think or speak highly of him Cum laudatur adfaciem flagellatur in corde Chrys 2 Cor. 3.1 he dares not commend himself nor chaunt out his own praises he had rather his works then his tongue should praise him and as Chrysostom saith when he is praised to his face he is prickt to the heart The humble man will silence his own vertues and excellencies and seeks to keep them as secret as his thoughts if he could lest any man should think or speak of him beyond what he seeth in him or heareth of him The humble man hath humble vestures and humble gestures Deck your selves inwardly in lowliness of mind Geneuens in 1 Pet. 5.5 humble carriage towards and an humble conversation with others his heart is not haughty nor are his eyes lofty he speaks not proudly his words are humble he walks humbly in that station wherein God hath placed him prosperity doth not puff him up Adversity makes and keeps him very low and humble The humble man rejoyceth at his brothers well-fare The humble shall hear it Humilitatem insinuate vulg lat in sinu habete Gloss interlin But the Original word signifies to deck and adorn and be glad Psal 34.2 Let every man therefore labour to put on humbleness of mind Col. 3.12 and to be cloathed with humility 1 Pet. 5.5 put it on as Kings put on their Robes and Crowns and as Souldiers put on their Armour Ephes 6.11 and we shall find it ornamentum munimentum both clothes to cover us and keep us warm and a corslet to defend us it will be both ornament honour and armour to us As garments do adorn the body so doth humility the mind much more For as a fair woman hath not a better ornament then modesty so hath not a great man a better garment then humility as the body being naked and stript of apparel is unhandsome and unseemly to men so a soul not clothed with humility is odious in the sight of God Angels and men By putting on humbleness of mind the Apostle meaneth that Christians should exercise and use this grace every day more and more we put on and pull off our apparel every day but having once put on humbleness of mind we must never put it off again our apparel is the worse for wearing but humility doth grow and encrease by being used God giveth grace upon grace to the humble soul where humility is he giveth more grace Humility is a grace of inestimable value it is rarely found among men of honour and greatness but it is a choice grace where ever it is and therefore as that Rhetoritian being askt what was the chiefest thing in eloquence answered Pronuntiation and being thrice askt did still answer the same so of all the graces of a Christian if you ask never so often which is the chiefest I answer still humility is the chief of all The humble soul is dear to God God looks upon him with great respect and thinks nothing too good for him The Lord stops his ears against the prayers of proud men Elihu tells us There they cry Job 35.12 13. but none giveth answer because of the pride of evil men surely God will not hear vanity nor will the Almighty regard it A proud man is too full in himself to receive any thing at the hands of God the cry of the humble beggar is soonest heard This poor man cried and the Lord heard and saved him out of all his troubles Psal 34.6 God heareth the very desires of the humble Psal 10.17 Humility establisheth a Christian in all disasters the deeper the tree is rooted in the earth the stronger it stands against the fury of the winds and the lower a man is rooted in humility the more he is established standing firm against all troubles and temptations humility resisteth the greatest evils and overcometh the greatest difficulties Humility puts a Christian into a serene and calm temper no storms no tempests no disasters can discompose his spirit such things may stick on the body Excelsa est patria humilis est via Aug. Super Johan Mat. 18.4 but cannot stick on the mind of an humble man Besides God will save the humble person or him that is not haughty him that hath low eyes as it is in the Hebrew Job 22.29 Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven Matth. 5.3 and our Saviour saith Whosoever humbleth himself as a little Child the same shall be greatest in the Kingdom of heaven God doth not reward any according to the places and dignities which they hold under him but according to the humility with which they manage them the high and lofty one doth here dwell with the humble soul Isa 57.15 and the humble Christian shall dwell with him in the high and holy place for ever The eight Beatitudes Matth 5. are like the steps of Jacobs ladder reaching from earth to heaven whereof the first step is humility called there poverty of spirit What comfort may this minister to every poor Christian What though we were left poor and born to nothing or though we be fallen to decay by ill success in the world and brought to nothing as Job yea though our calamities bring contempt upon us so as we be even troden under foot and trampled upon by the Nimrods of the earth yet if we can possess our souls in patience and be rich in grace and poor in spirit then however we be Nobodies on earth yet shall we be great Nobles in Heaven Isa 23.8 even greater then the Merchants of Tyrus who were honourable personages and no less then Princes and Peers of the Land The least of Gods little ones in heaven shall have greater honour being sons and heirs to a King Rom. 8.14 17. 1 Joh. 3.1 and brethren to a King Heb. 2.17 Qui exaltat se per superbiam humiliabitur per poenam qui humiliat se per peccaterum confessionem exaltabitur per gloriae remunerationem Lyra in Luc. 14. yea they shall all be Kings Rev. 20.6 and in token of this royal estate and Majesty they shall have Palms and Scepters in their hands and Crowns on their heads even Crowns of gold Rev. 7.9 Rev. 4.4 On the other side how effectual would it be to pull down the pride of men did they consider that Pride is that which hath ruined many persons families and Nations and the rock against which many have been split and suffered shipwrack how foolish then is that man that sees the wofull wrack that Pride hath everywhere made that yet will adventure to hoise up his sails and run his soul upon that dangerous rock Let no man then think himself safe where so many have miscarried and never any yet escaped I conclude with that of Solomon Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly then to divide the spoil with the proud Prov. 16.19 Humilitas in paupere grata est in divite gloriosa humilitas inter inimicos blanda superbia verò inter amicos ingrata blanda officiosa semper est humilitas in amicitiis grata in contumeliis otiosa non extollitur prosperis non mutatur adversis non extorquet servitium non requirit voces adulantium nisi quam se laudatione novit indignum Valerius Episcop in quodam sermone Sola quae non solet gloriari non novit praesumere contendere non consuevit gratiam inventura est in oculis pietatis humilitas non contendit judicio non praetendit justitiam quae vere humilis est Bern. in Epist 45. FINIS