Oh that we could be brought to these inward reflected actions, to examine indict, judge, and condemn ourselves, that so we might spare God a labour, and so all things might go well with us !
3. Now I come to the third thing I propounded, the motives to move us to get this humiliation.
(1.) First, Let us consider of the f/rncio7is promises that are made to this disposition of hninblinrj ourselves; as Isa. Ivii. 15, ' For thus saith he that is holy and excellent, he that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is the Holy One ; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of an humble and contrite spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to give life to them that are of a contrite heart.' So there is a promise that God will give grace to the humble. An example of mercy in this kind we have in Manasseh, who, though a very wicked man, yet because he humbled him- self, obtained mercy. Peter humbled himself, and David humbled himself, and both found mercy. And so likewise Josiah ; yea, and in James iv. 10, we are bid to ' humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, and he will- exalt us in due time.' There is the promise. Yea, every branch of humi- liation hath a promise. As confession of sins, if we confess and forsake our sins, we shall have mercy and find pardon. So those that judge them- selves shall not be judged.
A humble heart is a vessel of all graces. It is a grace itself, and a vessel of grace. It doth better the soul and make it holy, for the soul is never fitter for God than when it is humbled. It is a fundamental grace that gives strength to all other graces. So much humility, so much grace. For according to the measure of humiliation is the measure of other grace, because a humble heart hath in it a spiritual emptiness. Humility emptieth the heart for God to fill it. If the heart be emptied of temporal things, then it must needs be filled with spiritual things ; for nature abhorreth emptiness ; grace much more. When the heart is made low, there is a spiritual emptiness, and what fills this up but the Spirit of God ? In that measure we empty ourselves, in that measure we are filled with the fulness of God. When a man is humbled, he is fit for all good ; but when he is proud, he is fit for all ill, and beats back all good. God hath but two heavens to dwell in ; the heaven of heavens, and the heart of a poor humble man. The proud swelling heart, that is full of ambition, high conceits, and self-dependence, will not endure to have God to enter ; but he dwells largely and easily in the heart of an humble man. If we will dwell in heaven hereafter, let us humble ourselves now. The rich in themselves are sent ' empty away ;' the humble soul is a rich soul, rich in God ; and therefore God regards the lowly and resists the proud. As all the water that is upon the hills runs into the valleys, so all grace goes to the humble. ' The moun- tains of Gilboa are accursed,' 2 Sam. i. 21. So there is a curse upon pride, because it will not yield to God.
(2.) Again, All outward actions henefit other men; but this inward action oj humbling a man's self makes the soul itself good.
(3.) An humble soul is a secure and safe soul; for a man that is not high, but of a low stature, needs not to fear falling. A humble soul is a safe
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THE ART OF SELF-nUMULING.
soul ; — safe in regard of outward troubles ; for when we have humbled our- selves, God needs not follow us with any other jud^'uient : safe, in regard of inward vexation or any trouble by God ; for when the soul hath brought itself low, and laid itself level as the ground, then God ceaseth to atllict it. Will the ploughman plough when he hath broken up the ground enough ? or doth he delight in breaking up the ground ? See what Isaiah saith to this purpose in chap, xxviii. 28. When God seeth that a man hath abased himself, he will not follow with any other judgment; such a one may say to God, Lord, I have kept court in mine own conscience already, I have humbled and judged myself, therefore do not thou judge me ; I am ready to do whatsoever thou wilt, and to suifer what thou wilt have me. I have deserved worse a thousand times, but. Lord, remember I am but dust and ashes. Thus God spares his labour when the soul hath humbled itself. But if we do not do this ourselves, God will take us in hand ; for God will have but one God. Now if we will be gods, to exalt ourselves, he must take us in hand to humble us, either first or last. And is it not better for us to humble ourselves than for God to give us up to' the merciless rage and fury of men, for them to humble us, or to fall into the hands of God, who is a ' consuming fire' ? For when we accuse and judge ourselves, we prevent much shame and sorrow. What is the reason God hath given us up to shame and crosses in this world, but because we have not humbled ourselves ? What is the reason many are damned in hell ? Because God hath given them reason, judgment, and afiections, but they have not used them for themselves, to examine their ways, whether they "were in the state of condemnation or salvation. They never used their afiections and judgment to this end, therefore God was forced to take them in hand. Well saith Austin, all men must be humbled one way or other ; either we must humble ourselves or God will ; * if we will do this ourselves, the apostle promiseth, we shall not be judged of the Lord, 1 Cor. xi. 31. But we do not these things as we should, because it is a secret action. We love to do things that the world may take notice of, but this inward humiliation can only be seen by God, and by our own consciences. Let these motives therefore stir us up to humble om-selves, for humbled we must be by one way or other. How many judgments might be avoided by humbling our- selves ! How many scandals might be prevented if we would judge our- selves ! What is the reason so many Christians fall into scandalous sins, whereby, provoking God's anger, they fall into the hands of their enemies, but because they spare themselves, and think this humbling themselves a troublesome action. Therefore to spare themselves, they run on. Be- cause they would not work this upon themselves, they grow to be in a des- perate state at last. Wherefore upon any occasion be humble, let us prepare ourselves to meet the Lord our God. When we hear but any noise of the judgments of God, we should humble ourselves, as good Josiah did ; when he did but hear of the threatenings against his land, it made him humble himself.