42^ SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [SeR, II.
servant, was laid in a manger, sacrificed two pigeons. He lived in the world as a man of sorrows, born of mean* parents, working at their trade. Justin Martyr saith he made ploughs or yokes : ' Is not this the carpenter ? ' Mark vi. After he entered into the ministry, be was scorned, opposed by men, preached out of a ship to people on the shore. Finally, he humbled himself to the death, the death of the cross. Now the same mind should be in you that was in Jesus, Phil. ii. 5. Unless you think it a disgrace to imitate him, either you must be humble, or seek another lord and master.
Sixthly, Thoughts of death, and the great change that we must once undergo, should still keep us humble. This flesh, which thou deckest with so much art and ornament, must shortly become a dead carcass, removed out of sight, that it may not become offensive to those that most love and prize thee, and rot in the grave, and become food for worms. Dust we were in our composition, and dust we must be in our dissolution, Gen. iii. 19. What is viler than dust ? Eccles. xii. 7, ' Our dust shall return to the earth as it was.' We do but for a while act a part upon the stage of the world, and then we must be un- clothed ; as he that acteth the king in the comedy, and then goeth off and is a poltroon, as before ; he vaunteth on the stage for a while, then ad staiuram suam redit — Seneca. Though his excellency mounteth unto the heavens, yet within a while he perisheth, as his own dung, Job xx. 5-8. Our ornaments must be left behind us.
Seventhly, A gift sanctified, though never so mean, is more than the greatest gifts that puff us up. It holdeth good in all things. In estate, the truest contentment is to be kept humble in the enjoyment of it, James i. 10. The rich, in that he be made low. So for honour ; it is not the outward splendour which is our happiness, but the humble mind. To be minimus in summo, least at the highest, like a spire or pyramid, is an argument of a great spirit. So for parts, the humble christian is the better qualified, 1 Cor. viii. 1. Knowledge puffeth up, charity edifieth. So grace ; the less conceited, the more grace. Pride starveth every grace, but humility feedeth it. It is the humble soul winch hath the solid comforts, and hath made most progress in religion.
Eighthly, Consider the evils of pride, both as to sin and punishment.
1. As to sin. It puts us upon other sins, murmuring against God, contempt of others : Prov. xxi, 24, ' Haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth with proud wrath.' Contention with them : ' He that is proud in heart stirreth up strife,' Prov. xxviii. 25. Envy ; Saul eyed iDavid ever afterward, 1 Sam. xviii. 9. An evil eye : Mat. xx. 24, ' When the disciples heard it, they were moved witli indignation against the two brethren.' Censuring : James iii. 1, ' Be not many masters.'
2. Evils of punishment. Others cannot be expected, since the proud are so odious to God: Prov. xvi. 5, 'Whosoever is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord.'
[1.] The judgments of God against the proud are sure: Prov. xxix. 23, ' A man's pride will surely bring him low.' So Prov. xvi. 5, 'Though hand join in hand.' All the world shall not keep him, as that doth not keep down his own spirit. God will cross him in his person or posterity : Prov. xv. 25, ' The house of the proud shall be destroyed.'
YeR. 1.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. 425
[2.] It is swift. Judgment cometh upon other sins with a slow pace, but always treadeth on the heels of pride, in that instant wherein the)'' exalt themselves. Nebuchadnezzar, when his heart was lifted up and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from the kingdom, Dan. V. 20. The angels fell in that instant. Herod adored as a god, and immediately eaten up of worms. Acts xii. We lose our children, estate, parts, by some sudden stroke of providence, when we grow proud of them.
[3.] It is shameful ; that God may pour the more contempt .on them : Prov. xi. 2, ' When pride cometh, then cometh shame.' Not only ruin, but shame ; Herod punished by lice, Pharaoh by gnats and flies, Miriam by leprosy ; Goliath falleth by a stone out of a shepherd's sling.
[4.] It is impartial. Not only upon Pharaoh, Herod, Haman, but his own people. Uzziah, 2 Chron. xxv. 26, 27, died witliout being lamented. Hezekiah : 2 Chron. xxxii. 45, ' His heart was lifted up^ therefore there was wrath upon him.'
SERMON III.
Ntiilier do I exercise myself in great matters, nor in things too high for me. — Ps. cxxxi. 1.
Here is the third sign of David's humility, that he did not affect or attempt great things, above his power, or beyond his calling, ' Neither do I,' &c. The word for * exercise ' signifieth also to walk ; and the word for ' too liigh ' signifieth also wonderful.