So David, when Shimei manifested his desperate fury and folly, malice and madness, in raving and raging at him, in cursing and reproaching of him, says he, ' Let him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord hath bidden him,' 2 Sam. xvi. 5, 14. God, says he, will, by his wi.se provi-
' Pa. xxxix. 9, ^nO'?S3. frnm ahm, which sipiiifies to be mute, or tonpjue-tietl. Lev. x, 1-3, vaiidem tronj iJaiua, which signifies the (juietness of the miud, the troubled aiTec- tions being allayed.
EpH. III. 8.] RICHES OF CHRIST. 19
dence, turn his cursing into blessing. I see the justice of God in his cursing, therefore let hirn alone, let him curse, says David. ^
Cassianus reports, that when a certain Christian was held captive by the infidels, and tormented by divers pains and ignominious taunts, being demanded, by way of scorn and reproach, Tell us what Christ has done for you, answered. He hath done what you see, that I am not moved at all the cruelties and contumelies you cast upon me.*
So that blessed martyr, Gyles of Brussels, when the friars, sent to reduce him, did at any time miscall him, he ever held his peace, inso- much that those wretches would say abroad that he had a dumb devil in him.^ Full vessels will bear many a knock, many a stroke, and yet make no noise. So Christians that are full of Christ, that are full of the Spirit, will bear many a knock, many a stroke, and yet make no noise.
An humble soul may groan under afflictions, but he will not grumble in calms. Proud hearts discourse of patience, but in storms humble hearts exercise patience. Philosophers have much commended it, but in the hour of darkness it is the humble soul that acts it. I am afflicted, says the humble soul, but it is mercy I am not destroyed. I am fallen into the pit ; it is free grace I am not fallen into hell. God is too just to wrong me, and too gracious to hann me ; and therefore I will be still and quiet, let him do what he will with me, says the humble soul. But proud souls resist when they are resisted, they strike when they are stricken, Isa. Iviii. 1-8 : ' Who is the Lord,' says lofty Pharaoh, 'that I should obey him V and Cain cries out, 'My punishment is greater than I am able to bear/ Well ! remember this : though it be not easy in afflictions and tribulations to hold our peace, yet it is very advantageous ; which the heathens seemed to imitate in placing the image of Angerona [goddess of silence], "with the mouth bound upon the altar of Volupia [of pleasure], to shew that those that do prudently and humbly conceal their sorrows and anxieties by patience, shall attain comfort and refreshment.*
[11.] The eleventh property of an humble soul is this: in all religious duties and services, he trades with God upon the credit of Christ.^ Lord, says the humble soul, I need power against such and such sins : give it me upon the credit of Christ's blood. I need strength to such and such services : give it me upon the credit of Christ's word. I need such and such mercies for the cheering, refreshing, quickening, and strengthening of me : give them into my bosom upon the credit of Christ's intercession. As a poor man lives and deals upon the credits of others, so does an humble soul live and deal with God for the strength- ening of every grace, and for the supply of every mercy, upon the credit
* Gallesius observes upon Exod. xxii. 28, the exceeding patience of those three em- perors, Theodosius, Honorius, and Arcadius, towards those that spoke evil of them. [Qu. ' Gallasius?' — G.]
2 [Foxe.] Acts et Mod. fol. 811. [By Townsend, sm6 noTwz'ne. — G.]
3 By long soothing our own wills, we have forsaken, as Cassian saith, the very shadow of patience. [Voes and Esch, not Gyles. Foxe, as above, vol. iv. 349-50. — G.]
* Non sic Deos coluimus aut sic viximus, ut ille nos vinceret, said the emperor [Marcus A.] Antoninus Philosophus. [' Meditations.' — G.]
^ John xiv. 13, and xv. 16, and xvi. ^^S, 26. The name of Jesus hath a thousand treasures of joy and comfort in it, saith Chrysostom ; and is therefore used by Paul live hundred times, as some have reckoned.
20 THE UNSEARCHABLE [EPH. III. 8.
of the Lord Jesus. An humble soul knows that since he broke with God in innocency, God will trust him no more, he will take his word no more ; aud therefore when he goes to God for mercy, he brings his Ben- jamin, his Jesus, in his arms, and pleads for mercy upon the account of Jesus.
Plutarch reports that it was wont to be the way of the Molossians, when they would seek the favour of their prince, they took up the king's son in their arms, and so went and kneeled before the king, and by this means overcame him.^ So do humble souls make a conquest upon God with Christ in their arras. The Father will not give that soul the repulse that brings Christ in his arms.^ The humble soul knows that God out of Christ is incommunicable, that God out of Christ is incom- prehensible, that God out of Christ is very terrible, and that God out of Christ is inaccessible ; and therefore he still brings Christ with him, and presents all his requests in his name, and so prevails, &c. Oh ! but proud souls deal with God upon the credit of their own worthiness, righteousness, services, prayers, tears, fastings, &c., as the proud Phari- sees and those wrangling hypocrites in Isa. iviii. 1-3.
It was a very proud saying of one, Cceluvi gratis nooi accipiam, I will not have heaven but at a rate ; and therefore well did the father call vain-glory a pleasant thief, and the sweet spoiler of spiritual ex- cellencies.
[12.] The twelfth property of an humble soul is this : it endeavours onore hoiu to honour and glorify God, in afflictions, than how to get out of afflictions. So Daniel, the three children, the apostles, and those worthies of whom this world was not worthy. They were not curious about getting out of affliction, but studious how to glorify God in their afflictions.^ They were willing to be anything, and to bear any- thing, that in everything God might be glorified. They made it their business to glorify God in the fire, in the prison, in the den, on the rack, and under the sword, &c. Lord, says the humble soul, do but keep down my sins, and keep up my heart in a way of honouring of thee under all my troubles, and then my troubles will be no troubles, my afflictions will be no afflictions. Though my burdens be doubled, and my troubles be multiplied, yet do but help me to honour thee by believing in thee, by waiting on thee, and by submitting to thee, and I shall sing care away, and shall say, It is enough.*