4. Fourthly, True humiliation jiroceeds from faith, and is in the faithful not only when judgment is upon them, but before the judgment comes, which they foreseeing by faith, do humble themselves. True humiliation quakes at the threateuings, for the very frowns of a father will terrify a dutiful child. As Josiali, when he did but hear of the threateuings against the land, he humbled himself in dust and ashes. ' He rent his clothes.' So true humiliation doth quake at the foresight of judgment, but the wicked never humble themselves but when the judgment is upon them. Carnal people are like men that, hearing thunder-claps afar off, are never a whit moved ; but when it is present over their heads, then they tremble. So hjrpocrites care not for judgments afar off" ; as now when the church of God is in misery abroad we bless ourselves, and think all is well. It is no thanks for a man to be humbled when the judgment is upon him, for so Pharaoh was, who yet, when the judgment was off, then he goes to his old bias again.
Let us try our humiliation by these signs, whether we can willingly humble ourselves privately before God, and call ourselves to a reckoning ; whether we add reformation of life to outward humiliation, when our heart * That is, = ' avenging.' — G.
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THE AET OF SELF-HUMBLING.
doth tell US that we live in such aucl such sins ; whether our hearts tremble at the thrcatcnings, when we hear of judgments public or private. What is the ground that may deceive themselves ? They say, if any judgment come upon them, then they will repent, and cry to God for mercy ; and why should I deny myself of my pleasures of sin before '? Oh, this is but a forced humiliation, not from love to God, but love to thyself. It is not free, therefore thou mayest go to hell with it. Others defer oflf their repentance till it be too late. When they have any sickness upon them they will cry to God for mercy. This is but Ahab's and Pharaoh's humili- ation. It is not out of any love to God, but merely forced. It is too late to do it when God hath seized upon us by any judgment. Do it when he doth threaten, and now he hath seized upon the parts of the church abroad already ; therefore now meet thy God by repentance.
5. A fifth difference between true humiliation and false is, that with true hu})iiliaii()n is joined hope, to raise up our souls with some comfort, else it is a desperation, not a humiliation. The devils do chafe, vex, and fret themselves, in regard of their desperate estate, because they have no hope. If there be no hope, it is impossible there should be true and sound humi- liation ; but true humiliation doth carry us to God, that what we have taken out of ourselves by humiliation, we may recover it in God. There- fore humility is such a grace, that though it make us nothing in ourselves, yet doth it carry us to God, who is all in all. Humiliation works between God and ourselves, and makes the heai't leave itself, to plant and pitch itself upon God, and looks for comfort and assurance from him. And where there is not this there is no true humiliation. There is nothing more profitable in the world than humility, because, though it seem to have nothing, yet it carricth the soul to him that fills all in all. Hence it is, that there is an abasing of ourselves for anything that we have' done amiss, from love to God and love to his people, but yet it is joined with hope. We know God to be a gracious God unto us, and therefore we humble our- selves, and are grieved for offending of him.
6. A sixth difference between true humiliation and false is this. That hypocrites are sorroirfid for the judgriunt that is upon them ; hut not for that vliich is the cause of the judgment, which is sin ; but the child of God, he is humbled for sin, which is the cause of all judgments. As good Josiah, when he heard read out of Deuteronomy the curses threatened for sin, and comparing the sins of his people with the sins against which the curses were threatened, he humbled himself for his sin and the sins of his people. For God's children know, if there were no iniquity in them, there should no adversity hurt them ; and therefore they run to the cause, and are humbled for that. Whereas the wicked, they humble themselves only because of the smart and trouble which they do endure.
7. The last difference between true humiliation and false is this, that tme humiliation is a thorough humiliation. Therefore it is twice repeated in this verse, ' thou didst humble thyself before God ; ' when thou heardest the words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, * and humbledst thyself before me.' It is twice repeated in this verse, and after- ward expressed by * rending of clothes,' and ' tears.' It was thorough humiliation. For he dwelt upon the humbhng of his own soul. So that the children of God thoroughly humble themselves, but the hypocrite, when he doth humble himself, it is not thoroughly. They count it a light matter. As soon as the judgment is off", they have forgotten their humiliation, as Pharaoh did. Many will heave a few sighs, and hang down the head like