to such as seek it in the first place and by patient continuance in well doing for that I must adde out of Rom. 2. Should adde any promise of things so much inferiour to it as are the good things of this life the giving whereof might so easily have been inferred and concluded from the promise of that kingdom with a quanto magis as the Apostle in another case If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Rom. 5.10 He that hath assured us of an heavenly kingdom if we seek it and the righteousness thereof will certainly in that case not deny us an earthly City or any thing of that nature seeing it to be good for us But as young Virgins can hardly perswade themselves their suitors do love them unless they ever and anon present them with one thing or another that might be spared over and above the solid offers they make of setling great and liberal joyntures upon them So the great God by way of condescention to our weakness knowing us to be much what of the same temper hath promised us the little things of this life for so they are comparatively over and above his kingdom if we will but seek his kingdom and the righteousness thereof in the first place It is too apparent that the generality of men have a jealousy they shall lose other things whilst they seek the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof therefore when men have any great and important work in hand the generality do borrow more time from religion for and towards it than from any thing else I mean proportionably to the time they had wont to spend in it ex gr when they have building work in hand possibly they will pray but half so long or so often read but half so much meditate of good things but a fourth part so much as at other times so that the great tax towards such occasions lieth generally upon Religion as if that could best admit of a defalcation of any thing else for few men content themselves with but half so much sleep half so much recreation as they had wont to use at other times But say I never pinch thy general calling to promote thy particular calling but rather hope to promote thy particular calling by giving full scope to thy general for in this as in other senses the lesse is blessed of the greater Borrow time for thy building from thy rest or recreation not from thy devotion Prayer and other duties are a help to building but so is not superfluous sleep or needless recreation Don't build first and pray afterwards but pray first from day to day and fall to building afterwards neither ask the first blessing upon thy temporal building be it an house or City but upon the building up of thy Soul in thy most holy faith First that thy Soul may prosper and be a habitation for God through his spirit and after that thy house It was a bitter Irony of him that said O cives cives querenda pecunia primum est virtus post nummos that is that the Citizens of his time sought money in the first place and virtue afterwards The kingdom of God at this day I mean the state of religion in the world and in the hearts of most professors is much what in such a condition as is the City of London viz. low and ruinous and very imperfect to what it shall be when the seventh Angel shall sound saying the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ Rev. 11.15 Let us labour in our several capacities to advance the kingdom of God and if another London be needful for us as who thinks it is not he will certainly advance our City DISCOURSE XLVI Upon the observation of that full imployment which Carpenters Bricklayers and all other Artificers who relate to building have at this day compared with the condition of scholars under various revolutions IT is an ill wind saith our proverb that bloweth no body good Artificers who relate to building have at this day more work than they can turn their hands to Surely Aristotle saith true viz. that Privation is a principle and that the corruption or destruction of one thing is the generation or production of another The burning of London hath made way for all or most poor trades to live but not for Scholars they are the Camelions that must live upon the â—aire if they know how unless they can be Camelions in another sense viz. assume the colour of all things which they come near Water-men tell us they can earn twenty shillings a week with ease if they be good husbands that many excellent scholars cannot do nor half so much though they ply their learned oars ever so hard They are the only men who under several revolutions have bin forced to stand idle in the market place for that none would hire them or set them at work If poverty and necessity that ingens telum may be compared to Lions as by the fright some have taken at the very roaring of them at a great distance one would think they might they and their families have time after time been consigned to the Lions Den and erruditos instead of Christianos ad Leones that is away with Scholars as heretofore with Christians to the Lions hath bin the great out-cry under several changes They have bin the only men who did they live ever so soberly peacably piously and might they have lived ever so usefully and for publick good if not otherwise qualified have not been thought worthy to live They might not eat because they might not work nor might have leave to work least they should eat They might not tread out the corn because if they did do so their mouths must be unmuzled and they have leave to feed It was no matter what their talents were though the talents of a Holdsworth a Featly c. Talents of lead will give some men as good content if not better than talents of gold The world hath thought that Scholars pains might best be spared which is such a paradox as if they should tell us that Souls are less worth than any thing else which Christ tells us are more worth than the whole world for saith he what shall it profit a man c. It is incredible what shifts Scholars under several changes have been put to one while because they would not take the Ingagement forsooth out they must Let it be no more a proverb that Quaevis terra alit artes that is every country cherisheth learning for there is no truth in it Musculus was an excellent Scholar and yet forced to dig in the town ditch as some others of his profession have bin in Cole-pits and Tin-mines Alas how many Schollars have bin tempted to wish themselves poor mechanicks or handicrafts-men and that when their parents
fire â—ame down upon the Zodomites where in 1 Pet. 2.9 â—â—e Apostle inferreth The Lord knows how to deliver 〈◊〉 godly viz. from those flames and calamities â—â—ich destroy others Though the houses of wicked â—en like these in Sodom should suffer the vengeance â—eternal fire that is be condemned by God alâ—ays to lye in the dust which yet is more distinction â—an God doth ordinarily make in this world yet doubt not but such as mourn in Zion shall have â—ave to build the wast places and shall have beauty 〈◊〉 their ashes Now is Londons seed time the City it self is to â—esown Sow in tears and you shall reap in joy He 〈◊〉 goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed shall â—â—â—btless come again with rejoycing bringing his sheaves 〈◊〉 him Ps 126.5 6. DISCOURSE XXXV â—â—â—t to reform throughout England whatsoever is manifestly amiss and can be reformed would admirably promote the City Have discoursed of Humiliation upon several 〈◊〉 accounts but what signifieth Humiliation withâ—â— Reformation for who was ever truly humbled â—â—t did not truly reform A thorough Reformaâ—â—on hath been a work so long spoken off and so â—â—ttle perfected that some may be apt to think of â—at as of the Philosopher stone which for so â—â—ny ages hath baffled the most ingenious chymists that there is no such thing attainable I say of Reformation as Divines do of sanctification Therâ— is a perfection of degrees which cannot be attained in this life but then there is a perfection of parts which may some reformation there may be oâ— all things or kinds of things that are amiss all oâ— a compleat reformation can hardly be expected in this life of any one thing or kind of things which is not as it should be Solomon placeth it amongst the vanities which hâ— had seen under the Sun that that which is crookeâ— cannot be made streight and that which is wanting can not be numbred Eccles 1.15 Seeming thereby tâ— mean that there are some evils in the world anâ— those not a few that will never be mended thaâ— are like incurable diseases or like those defects iâ— nature which can none be supplied Ex. gr if a man be born blind or deaf c. But he would noâ— have us to think that none of all those things thaâ— are amiss in the world can be rectified or reformed There are a great many moral and political diseases as well as natural that may be cured though some are incurable Some bones that are out of joynt may be set and some that are broken may be made whole again though all cannot I mention that all and every thing that is amisâ— in the world cannot be mended to the end people may not be discontented and say with Jonaâ— they have reason to be angry to the death so long as they see any thing in Church or state that is not as it should be or that would be better otherwise For they that live by that principle shall be always and in all times restless and male-content Men must be more than mortal men before they cease to be guilty of any failings and oversights or of turning aside more or less either to the right hand or to the left But on the other hand it is as certain that there are many wilful miscarriages and presumptuous iniquities in the world which men might avoid as well as unavoidable infirmities So much David intimates when he saith keep back thy servant from â—esumptuous sins Many things are left unreformed not because men cannot reform them or do think they ought not or need not so to do but because they will not and because they love darkness better than light and evil more than that which is good Rom. 1.32 Who knowing the judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death not only 〈◊〉 the same but have pleasure in those that do them I meddle not with the reforming of those things which men may rationally doubt whether they be amiss or no or with those peccadillos which are like smaller faults in pointing or printing which no ways disturb the sense or make it unintelligible but with the greater Errata's that are committed even so great that it is hard to be understood whether they that do such things have any thing of Christianity besides the name and profession Let men pluck the beams out of their eyes first and then they will see to pull out the motes afterwards I exhort not to the reforming and altering of every thing that any body shall find fault with for then we shall never have done then we shâ—ll make as â—ald a business of our reformation as befel the man in the fable whose young wife pulled out all his grey hairs and then come an old one afterwards and pluck of all that were not grey viz. all that were lest or as a Limner who having hundreds looking on as he is drawing a picture should put in and put out according to every ones fancy and suggestion But if there be things which every body finds fault with and which the consciences if not the tongues of all people do condemn and cry out upon which they that run may and do read the evil of and the iniquity that is in them doubtless such things ought to be reformed As the boy said to his Father Father is that true that every body saith is true so say I is not that evil which every body confesseth to be so or cannot deny so to be and ought not that which is manifestly evil to be reformed if it can be so will not otherwise our sins separate between God and us and hinder good things from us will not those Achans our wilful unreformed sins trouble us continually and cause God to say as to Joshua of old There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee therefore ye cannot stand Josh 7.13 Neither will I be with you any more unless you destroy the accursed As for the persons concerned in reforming they are as many as are concerned in the rebuilding of London for therein is its rebuilding concerned or as many of them as have any thing that stands in need of being reformed and who hath not more or less of that For in many things we all offend Here I could mention divers sorts of reformation necessary to be pressed and practised viz personal and that both internal and external domestical national It were endless to point at all things which it were needful for us to reform But first of all if men declare their sins like Sodom if they publish them in the face of the Sun as did Absalom if they swear and curse in all companies and in the open street not caring who hears them if men women and children do grosely and notoriously profane the Sabbath by working or playing if they that be drunk will be drunk in the day time and reel along the streets as if they had eaten shame and drank after it as our
erred saying The Resurrection is past already 2 Tim. 2.18 and they must needs be such as took the Resurrection for some other thing than the raising of all men from the dead viz. in some mystical sense Others will allow of no figurative expressions and such if you tell them of a Resurrection may according to their Principles tell you that Christ is the only Resurrection because of what is said John 11.25 I am the Resurrection meaning causally c. But whilst we speak of the raâ—sing or rebuilding of our bodies O the admirable power and wisdom of God that is able to build with such Materials some part whereof must be fetcht out of the bottom of the Sea other parts out of the bowells of living Creatures out of the entrails of Worms and Fishes and such like which have fed upon them Who but he that is omniscient could tell where to find that broken scattered and dispersed stuff wherewith the bodies of men shall be rebuilt or if they knew where it were who but he whose Arm is not to short for any purpose were able to come at it Where is that Artificer that can distinguish betwixt dust and dust the dust of one house and of another if the dust of twenty houses were mixed together and laid in one heap or who can build a house of meer dust I say who but the great God can do either of these and he will do both Neither is the condescension of God appearing in the Resurrection of his servants less admirable than are the demonstrations of his power and wisdom in that he sheweth himself mindful of his people in the lowest condition they can be in even when he hath brought them into the dust of death as the phrase is Psal 22.15 The peculiar respects which God beareth to them that fear him will be most conspicuous at the Resurrection for then the houses of his servants shall overtop the houses of all wicked men the Mountain of their houses shall be established in the top of the Mountains and shall be exalted above the Hills of others alluding to Isa 2.2 For the upright shall have dominion over the wicked in the morning Psal 49.14 I can but think how the Souls of just men when they have put off these earthly Tabernacles will long to be possessed of their new houses Rom. 8.23 We our selves groan waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our body And well then may we long for that time considering that he who hath called the bodies of his Saints the Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 will be much more graciously and visibly present in those Temples so refined as they will be at the Resurrection than in those we carry about with us so defiled and polluted as they are at the present It is the least thing I can say of the Resurrection of the just that when that time shall come all their defects and deformities of body shall then be done away for ever and yet what would not some men give to be cured of one bodily defect be it blindness or deafness or lameness and to be restored to any limb or sense they want but for that little time they have to live But alas how many defects and deformities are there which no Art of man can cure To such as labour under any of them I would say Have patience but a little while get part in the first Resurrection that you may have interest in the second viz. the Resurrection of life lay up a good Foundation for the time to come that thou mayest be recompensed at the Resurrection of the just Luke 14.14 Make shift for the present for a short season a sorry house may serve the turn when death and the Grave which must swallow thee down for a while shall deliver thee up again as the Whale did Jonah thy next house shall be a Pallace that is the body which thou shalt receive at the Resurrection or which thou shalt rise with shall be as free from defects and deformities as is the glorious body of Christ himself I cannot sufficiently admire the happiness of those persons who live under the strong and comfortable expectations of a better Resurrection Heb. 11.35 that is of a better condition after death than ever they had before it Lord fill my soul and the Souls of all thy children with that blessed expectation and do thou inable me and them to say with thy holy Apostle Paul and those whom he there joyneth with himself We know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God a house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 FINIS Books to be sold by Thomas Parkhurst at the Golden Bible on London-Bridge MR. Sedgwick's Bowels of Mercy fol. Tho. Taylor 's Works the first vol. fol. 2. An Exposition of Temptation on Matth. 4. verse 1. to the end of the eleventh 3. A Commentary on Titus 4. Davids Learning A Comment upon Psal 32. 5. The Parable of the Sower and of the Seed upon Luke 8. and 4. Divine Characters in two parts distinguishing the Hypocrite in his best dress by Sam. Crook B.D. A Learned Commentary or Exposition on the first Chapter of the second Epistle to the Corinthians by Richard Sibbs D. D. fol. A Commentary on the whole Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians by Mr. Paul Bain fol. A practical Exposition on the third Chapter of the first Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians with the Godly Mans Choice on Psal 4. ver 6 7 8. By Anthony Burgess fol. The dead Saint speaking to Saints and sinners living in several Treatises The first on 2 Sam. 24.10 The second on Cant. 4.9 The third on John 1.50 The fourth on Isa 58.2 The filth on Exod. 15.11 By Samuel Bolton D.D. fol. Colloquia Mensalia or Dr. Martin Luthers Divine Discourses at his Table with Melancthon and several others Translated by Henry Bell fol. The view of the Holy Scriptures By Hugh Broughton fol. Christianographia or a Description of the multitude and sundry sorts of Christians in the world not subject to the Pope By Eph. Pagitt fol. These six Treatises following are written by Mr. George Swinnock 1. The Christian Mans Calling or a Treatise of making Religion ones business in Religious Duties Natural Actions his Particular Vocation his Family Directions and his own Recreation to be read in Families for their Instruction and Edification The first Part. 2. Likewise a second Part wherein Christians are directed to perform their Duties as Husbands and Wives Parents and Children Masters and Servants in the conditions of Prosperity and Adversity 3. The third and last part of the Christian Mans Calling Wherein the Christian is directed how to make Religion his business in his dealings with all Men in the Choice of his Companions in his carriage in good Company in bad Company in solitariness or when he is alone on a Week-day from morning
so to be yet have I taken no such liberty when the matter before me was divine and spiritual as being a professed enemy to any thing like a jest in any thing like a Sermon or mingled with any matter which otherwise might become a pulpit If thou art altogether a stranger to the art of Divine Chimistry or of extracting moral and spiritual considerations out of mechanical and ordinary things like good Spirits out of lees and dregs thou thou mayst learn something of it here for though some heads of this book be very unpromising and such as some would wonder what good could come out of them as they said of old can any good come out of Nazareth yet thou wilt find the application somewhat practical and profitable which may reconcile thee to it as a good Moral might do to a fable that at the first hearing did seem but slight There are instances of this in Discourse 5 6 7. the Titles whereof promise little or nothing Wouldst thou have thy mind to be filled with good and useful thoughts as thou passest to and fro the ruins of London as many do very often and as thou takest a view of the new buildings either begun or finished this Treatise may furnish thee with seasonable meditations with some of which if thy heart be in too light a frame thou mayst make it more serious and with others thou mayst make it more pleasant if it be too sad These are all the uses which this Treatise pretendeth it can serve for and these thou wilt say are enough if it perform accordingly now whether it do so or no is and must be left to the reader to judg but if it do not the Authour hath failed of his design in whole or in part Mispointing and misprinting have disturbed the sense now and then and made it unintelligible but if thou pleasest to have recourse to the table of Errata thou wilt there see what the Authour intended the smalness and swiftness of whose hand hath doubtless exposed the Printer to more mistakes than otherwise he had been guilty of I have closed this book with a Discourse of the Resurrection of our bodies those houses of clay in which we dwell which is that Article of our Creed which the resurrection of London doth most naturally and easily put us in mind of as the destruction of that City did most genuinely lead us into the thoughts of our own death and dissolution And thus thou hast an account of the drift and purport of the whole work I am conscious to my self that this Treatise carrieth with it the stamp and impression of many of the Authours weaknesses though the proverb be The eye seeth not its self but if no man shall throw a stone at the Authour till one be found that hath no weaknesses of his own or shall be thought to have none when ever he appears in print though not guilty of or charged with so many as he I say if the Authour escape till then he is like to sleep in a whole skin for good and all I verily think that this poor despicable book will in the main approve its self to every mans conscience and though not to every mans private humour and dishonest interest yet to the interest of the publick and good of the community and that there is not one expression in it but may be taken in a sense that shall give no offence or by which there shall be no scandalum datum or offence justly given whatsoever may be unjustly taken Let those that never exposed themselves in print suspend their censure but till they do and let those that are in print already read these lines but with so much candor as they would desire their own should be read especially if they have treated of matters hard to be treated of and sailed as the Authour hath done from first to last betwixt Scylla and Caribdis that is amongst rocks on every side of him I say let them who would themselves be construed as well as ever their words will bear but do as much for me and it is all the favour in that kind I shall intreat He that doth but glance upon a book his eye may light unhappily upon some passage one or more which singly and by its self considered may prejudice him against the rest and make him resolve to read no more whereas if the same person had read the whole book over he would have liked it well and been no more offended at those very passages than skilful Apothecaries are at the vipers which are in the receit of Venice Treacle which with such and such corrective ingredients wherewith it is compounded makes it a more soveraign antidote than it would otherwise be Reader Thou hast my pains and earnest indeavours on the behalf of London that it may rise and flourish again let me have thy pardon for whatsoever is or seemeth to thee to be amiss in and throughout so well intended a work and which is more let me have thy prayers that God would pardon all the defects and miscarriages of this work as to matter or manner and forgive the Authour those ten thousand talents in which upon other accounts he stands indebted to the great God as who can know the number of his transgressions as also that whatsoever in this book is of real tendency to personal or national civil or spiritual good may be duly considered entertained without prejudice and so far as is possible brought into practise Now my hearts desire and prayer to God is that he would please to say concerning London and Londoners as concerning Israel and Ephraim of old Since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him Jer. 31.20 and v. 4. I will build thee and thou shalt be built O virgin of Israel thou shalt surely be adorned c. and v. 10. He that scattered Israel will gather him and keep him as a shepherd doth his flock and v. 11. And they shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord for wheat and for wine and for oile and v. 12. Their soul shall be as a watered garden and they shall not sorrow any more at all and v. 24. Turn again O virgin of Israel turn again to these thy Cities and v. 28. And it shall come to pass that as I have watched over them to pluck up and to break down and to throw down and to destroy and to afflict so I will watch over them to build and to plant and v. 23. for I may not recite all As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the Cities thereof when I shall bring again their captivity the Lord bless thee O habitation of Justice and mountain of Holiness I say that God would use the like expressions concerning London and Londoners as here concerning Israel and Ephraim is the hearty desire and earnest
them that do well Put not a sword into the hands of madmen least they sheath it in your own bowels know that Moses as well as Aaron should have a kind of Urim and Thummim or what those words signifie viz. light of knowledg and integrity of life They that have both of them will doubtless contribute their utmost help to the rebuilding of our City For they that are such will concern themselves for the good of their Kingdoms yea of the whole protestant World which I have proved doth much depend upon the being and well being of London And verily it is much that Magistrates with the blessing of God may do towards the welfare of a nation much more of one City when they are generally set upon it they having the power of a nation in their hands as High Sheriffs are said to have the posse comitatus or power of a county As the other spheres are carried about with the primum mobile so are the people by the Magistrates They are as it were the muscles of a nation which move the body politick how and which way they please Rulers in Scripture are called shepherds and good shepherds will no doubt provide a fold for their flock They are also called builders as where we read of the stone which the builders refused and questionless they will be found to be master-builders of our ruinous London who are indeed good Magistrates You may elect such men into places of power and authority as would more rejoyce to see London burn't than built again for such spirits there are abroad witness the triumphs of some after the last fire You may again elect others as places shall be vacated by death or otherwise who will be as intent upon the building of the City as the Jews were of old upon the building of Jerusalem and the Temple of God therein I have presented you with both chuse you whither DISCOURSE XXIII That one good way to promote our City would be to oblige our Governors all we can to put to their helping hand I Would not have Rulers be sinfully disobliged upon any terms We ought not to provoke them that are in authority over us unless conscience provoke us to do what will accidentally but not intentionally provoke them that not only for wrath but for conscience sake Rulers are parents patres patriae and if children must not be provoked to wrath by their parents much less ought parents to be so served by their children Away with those Chams who are all for uncovering their fathers nakedness and those scurrilous Pamphlets which design nothing else tell not those things in Gath publish them not in the streets of Ashkelon though with Cham you had seen them which you never did Take the garment of love and dutifulness lay it upon your shoulders and though you go backward and the face of your practice cannot be towards them or answer to theirs as doth face to face in a glass yet cover their nakedness in a sense alluding to what you read of Shem and Japhet Gen. 9.23 To restore those that are overtaken in a fault one or more with a spirit of meekness is a very obliging thing especially when Inferiours shall do this to Superiours for this is for children to have the heart of a Father which is more than for Parents to have a heart like themselves for it is harder for love to ascend than to descend Mourn for their sins in secret but proclaim them not much less aggravate them It may be they will cover your offences more easily which are such to them if you will cover theirs and will do more for you if you will speak less against them that good rule speak evil of no man will justifie your silence as to such matters There are greater obligations that may and ought to be laid upon those that govern us than is our forbearance to speak evil of them or to upbraid them with whatsoever men think they are upbraidable for over and above that it behoveth us in the first place to take thankful notice and make an open acknowledgment of all the good that either we see in them or receive from them God who is infinitely our Superiour doth so by us for speaking of Abijah he saith That in him only there was found some good thing towards the Lord in the house of Jeroboam If God do this to his inferiours ought not we to do the like to our Superiours this being a point of honour and of respect which to superiours from inferiours is much more due than to inseriours from superiours Many would do more good than they do if the good they have done were more generally owned and incouraged Admit we should put the best construction the nature of the thing could bear upon those actions of Rulers which seem liable to more constructions than one would not that our candour oblige them We hold our selves ingaged to those that will make the best that can be made of what we say and do Charity be lieveth all things hopeth all things which there is any colour of reason to believe and hope and charity questionless is due to superiours as well as from them to inferiours It was unkindly said by Eliab to his Brother David I know thy pride and the haughtiness of thy heart for thou art come down to see the battel 1 Sam. 17.28 when indeed he came upon no worse a design than to bring provision to his Brethren from Jesse their Father and by his Command Overmuch jealousie expressed doth but prompt and provoke men to those evil things which they did never before intend and deter them from doing that good which they might and would have done if it had been manifestly expected from them When Paul would invite Agrippa to the Faith see how he insinuates Act. 26.27 King Agrippa believest thou the Prophets I know that thou believest Then Agrippa said to Paul almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian Ingenious persons are loth to frustrate that expectation of good which others have from them and count it a point of gratitude for the good opinion they have conceived of them to fulfil what they expect The smallness of our expectance from God is one reason why we receive no more good from his hand for saith God open thy mouth wide and I will fill it and it may be a cause sometimes why men do no more for us I am sure mistrust sometimes brings that evil which else had never come So the Israelites mistrusting they should never get through the wilderness was that which provoked God to let their carcasses fall there They could not enter into the good land and why but because of their unbelief There is doubtless a good medium betwixt being too suspicious and too secure and the less needlesly suspicious of them that govern us and the more candid we are in construing their actions and intentions the more we do and shall oblige them As the
thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel and when he had committed that folly and came to reflect upon it how out of countenance was he how mad with her and surely more with himself for the fault was not hers but his If sinners have not done foolishly why do they repent when their eyes are opened Or why is repentance called by the latines Resipiscentia that is a return to wisdom and by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as who should say an after wisdom Awakened sinners have plaied the fools themselves being judges and having so done have great cause to be humbled and as it were to lay their mouths in the dust or cover their faces He that can view his sins and not be humbled at the sight thereof can see his Saviour pierced and not mourn To bring down the pride of man besides natural defects and moral defilements which he that knoweth himself cannot be ignorant of there are Divine Rebukes which most men have fallen under one time or other Now the chastisements of God are intended for the hiding of pride from man Job 33.17 19. As God said to Moses concerning Miriam If her father had but spit in her face should she not be ashamed seven dayes Numb 12.14 So it is intended that when God by his Judgments doth as it were spit in the faces of men it should put them to shame and shame is an humbling passion So good a Father had never beaten us with so many stripes had never fetcht the bloud on us as he hath sometimes done if we had been good children yea if we had not bin very bad Our sufferings may therefore humble us because in them we may read our sins as comming from his hand who doth not willingly or without cause afflict the children of men but if the living man complain it is for the punishment of his sin Hath God smitten us yea is he smiting and shall we mean time be supercilious shall we knit our brows in pride whilst he bends his brows in anger shall we nourish haughtiness under Gods frowns Say unto God how terrible art thou in thy works Psal 66.3 God is terrible in his doing toward the children of men v. 5. it followeth v. 7. Let not the Rebellious exalt themselves Fear is an humbling affection Put them in fear saith the Psalmist that they may know themselves to be but men Now when the Lion roarâ—th who will not fear Amos 3.8 That is when God displaieth his anger ought not every one to tremble at it Notable is that passage Job 9.13 If God will not withdraw his anger the proud helpers do stoop under him So far are men from swelling with pride when they take notice of Gods rebukes that David saith When thou that is God dost correct man for iniquity thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth Psal 39.11 He that shall often look his face in that glass which shall represent to him those three things which I last mentioned viz. his natural and spiritual defects which are many and great in themselves though not in comparison of other men his moral defilements and pollutions that is his innumerable sins and lastly those many rebukes wherewith God hath corrected him for sin I say he who in the mirror of serious â—ontemplation shall frequently behold these three things and whilst he layeth all his endowments and enjoyments in one scale shall lay these in the other cannot easily be lifted up or think of himself more highly than he ought I have evinced that every man hath much to be humbled for and under If I can also prove that no man hath any thing to be proud of or cause to be proud of any thing when that is made good I shall then have demonstrated that he must needs be humble that doth but throughly know himself and that doth judg himself no better though no worse neither than indeed he is There are but four sorts of things that any man in the world can take a pride in viz. What he is what he hath what he hath done And lastly What he hath suffered upon a good account As for the first of these a man may know what he is as that he is a child of God c. and yet not be proud of it John 3.14 We know that we have passed from death to life c. 1 Joh. 5.19 We know that we are of God c. For why should a man be proud of what he is by the meer grace and favor of God It was no pride in St. Paul to say By the grace of God I am what I am viz. a Saint an Apostle who was before a Persecutor 1 Cor. 15.10 He that seeth that there is some good thing in him towards the Lord but yet more evil than good more flesh than spirit more dross than silver more sin than grace hath no more cause to be proud of that little Grace and holiness which he hath than a man cause to be proud of beauty who hath only a white hand or a handsom leg all the rest of his body being ill favoured and deformed If our sins preponderate our graces I mean if they be more and greater than they as in this life they alwaies are if there be in us a more general indisposedness than there is promptness and readiness to what is good more earthly than heavenly mindedness more self-seeking than self-denyal more bad thoughts than good more unruly than well governed desires and affections as who can say there is not then have we more cause to be humble than to be proud yea to be humble and not proud If that grace wherein we most excel be it patience or whatsoever else be more deficient than it is perfect more remote from perfection than it is near to it then we who have but as it were put on our harness have no cause to boast which is for them only who have put it off How imperfect are those graces in which we are most defective if that grace be so defective in which we are most perfect Neither have we cause to be proud of what we have or possess any more than of what we are for if we might be proud of either we might with more reason be proud of what we are than of what we have I mean of those good things which are within us and are as it were part of our selves than of those which are without us A good descent a good estate a good report a great and good office doth constitute no man good that is possessed of any or all of them for a bad man may happen to have them all and seeing such things do not make or denominate men good they cannot redound so much to any mans praise as inward goodness doth and therefore no man can pretend so much reason to be proud of those things for it is less honourable to injoy what is good which the worst of men may do than