* A prouci heart resists, and is resisted ; this is duro durum, flint to flint, fire to fire, yet down he must.
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[2.] Secondlv, As you would approve yourselves to be high in the account of God, as you would approve yourselves to he not only good, hut emioiently good, keep hwmhle. Since England was England, since the gospel sliined amongst us, there was never such reason to press this (kity of humility, as in these days of pride wherein we live ; and there- fore I shall endeavour these two things :
First, To lay down some motives that may Avork you to be humble.
Secondly, To propound some directions that may further you in this work.
First, For the motives, Consider,
(1.) First, Hoiu God singles out humhle souls from cdl others, to pour out most of the oil of grace into their hearts.
No vessels tliat God delights to fill, hke broken vessels, like contrite spirits: James i v. 6, 'He resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble.' The Greek word signifies, to set himself in battle array. God takes the wind and hill of a proud soul, but he gives grace to the humble. The silver dews flow down from the mountains to the lowest valleys. Abraham was but dust and ashes in his own eyes ; ay, but saith God, ' Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I will do T Gen, xviii. 17. No ; I will not. An humble soul shall be both of God's court and his counsel too. Humble Jacob, that was in his own eyes less than the least of all mercies. Gen. xxxii. 10, what a glorious vision had he of God, when the gi'ound was his bed, and the stone his pillow, and the hedges his curtains, and the heavens his canopy ; then he saw angels ascend and descend. Gen. xxviii. An humble soul that lies low, oh what sights of God hath he ! What glory doth he behold, when the proud soul sees nothing ! God pours in grace to the humble, as men pour in liquor into an empty vessel. He does not drop iu grace into an humble heart, but he pours it in.^
The altar under the law was hollow, to receive the fire, the wood, and the sacriiice ; so the hearts of men, under the gospel, must be humble, empty of all spiritual pride and self-con ceitedness, that so they may receive the fire of the Spirit, and Jesus Christ, who offered himself for a sacrifice for our sins.
Humility is both a grace, and a vessel to receive grace. There is none that sees so much need of grace as humble souls. There is none prizes grace like humble souls. There is none improves grace like humble souls. Therefore God singles out the humble soul to fill him to the brim with grace, when the proud is sent empty away.
(2.) A second motive is, of all garments humility doth best become Christians, and most adorn their profession.
Faith is the champion of grace, and love the nurse, but humility the beauty of grace : 1 Peter v. 5, ' Be clothed with humility.' The Greek word iy^o/MZuiaaaSi imports, that humility is the ribbon or string that ties topfether all those precious pearls, the rest of the graces. If this string break, they are all scattered.
The Greek word that is rendered clothed, comes of another Greek word 5co,a£o5, that signifies to knit, and tie knots, as delicate and curious women used to do, of ribbons, to adoni their heads and bodies, as if
' He that is in the low pits and caves of the earth sees the stars in the firmament, when they who arc ui)ou the topd of the mouutaiua diaceru them not.
EpH. III. 8.] PJCHES OF CHRIST. 31
humility were the knot of every virtue, the grace of every grace. Chrysostom calls humility the root, mother, nurse, foundation, and band of all virtue.' Basil calls it ' the storehouse and treasury of all good.' For what is the scandal and reproach of religion at this day? Nothing more than the pride of professors. Is not this the language of most ? They are great professors, Oh but very proud ! They are great hearers, they will run from sermon to sermon, and cry up this man, and cry up that man, Oh but proud ! They are great talkers. Oh but as proud as the devil ! &:c. Oh that you would take the counsel of the apostle, ' Be clothed with humility' ; and that Col. iii. 12, ' Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercy, kindness, humble- ness of mind, meekness, longsufifering.' No robes to these.'
(3.) The third motive is this, humility is a loadstone that draws both the heart of God and man to it.
In Isa. Ivii. 15, ' 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.' The Lord singles out the humble soul of all others, to make him an habitation for himself Here is a wonder ! God is on high ; and yet the higher a man lifts up himself, the farther he is from God ; and the lower a man humbles himself, the nearer he is to God. Of all souls, God delights most to dwell with the humble, for they do most prize and best improve his precious presence.
In Prov. xxix. 23, * A man's pride shall bring him low, but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit. Prov. xxii. 4, ' By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honour,' &c. The Hebrew is, ' The heel of humility.' Riches and honour follow humility at the very heels. One of the ancients used to say that humility is the first, second, and third grace of a Christian.^ Humility is a very drawing grace ; it draws men to think well and speak well of Christ, the gospel, and the people of God ; it makes the very world to say. Ay, these are Christians indeed ; they are full of light, and yet full of lowliness ; they are high in worth, and yet humble in heart. Oh, these are the crown and the glory of religion.^
An humble soul is like the violet, that by its fragrant smell draws the eye and the hearts of others to him. Mat. xviii. 4, ' They are the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.' He that is least in his own account is always greatest in God's, and in good men's account.
(4).) The fourth motive is this, consider all the ivorld cannot keep him up, that doth not keep down his oiun spirit.
One asked a philosopher, what God was a-doing ? He answered, ' That his whole work was to lift up the humble, and to cast do^\^l the proud.'* That man cannot possibly be kept up, whose spirit is not kept down, as you may clearly see in Pharaoh, Haman, Herod, and Nebuchad- nezzar ; all the world could not keep them up, because their spirit was not kept down.
' It is reported of the crystal, that it hath such a virtue in it. that the very touching of it quickens other stones, and puts a lustre and beauty upon tliem. So does humility put a lustre upon every grace.
* Augustine. Cf. our Index under IlumiUty for other references. — G.
^ Vis mapnus esse 9 incipe ab imo, wilt thou be great ? begin from below, saith the father.
* Totam ipsius oceiiyationem esse in elevatione humilium, et superlorum d'jcctione.
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