Christ is the Lilly of the valley Cant. 2.1 Christs example may serve instead of all Walk by Christs humility saith Austin if thou wilt come to his eternity Christ saith Learn of me I do not send you to the Patriarchs or Prophets but I set my self before you as a pattern of humility for you to follow He saith not Learn of me how I made the heavens and the stars and laid the foundations of the earth and laid the measures thereof he doth not say Imitate me in my fourty days fast in my walking upon the waters stilling the winds healing the sick raising the dead in a word not in any of my miraculous but in all my moral actions especially in humility So likewise Joh. 13. having washed his Disciples feet he told them he did it not in officium for any duty he owed them but in amorem out of love he bare to them in exemplum teaching them by his carriage towards them how they ought to carry themselves one towards another His argument is very strong and forcible for if he their Lord and Master had shewed himself so kind and humble towards them his servants and inferiors much more ought they to do the like to their fellows and equals now as they that intend to write or draw a picture fair must first look upon their copy and view their pattern and then labour and endeavour to follow it so let us first take a view and survey of the humility of Christ and then endeavour to conform our selves thereunto The humility of Christ is the medicione of mans pride saith Austin 1. His humility appeared in taking our nature upon him in taking our nature not in changing his own Naturam nastram suscipiendo non suam mutando Homo deo accessit non autem deus à se recessit verbum caro factum est non deposita sed seposita majestate instar solis sub umbra ad tempus latentis se mundo non ostendentis August saith a Father man came unto God but God departed not from himself and the Word was made flesh not by putting away but by laying aside his Majesty like the sun that for a time lies hid under a cloud not shewing himself to the world and such and so great was his love towards us that though he were equal with God and might so have remained continued yet he even seemed to strip himself of his own glory and appear only in our infirmity for he did not cast away the nature of God when he took upon him the nature of man sed mansit quoderat tamen assumpsit quod non erat Phil. 2.7 8. Zanch. in loc that did abide which was and yet he assumed that which was not and whereas the Apostle saith that he was made in the likeness of men or found in fashion as a man that is as learned Zanchy expounds the words in his whole nature Christ a great example of humility in his birth body and soul being like to us in all things sin only excepted Heb. 4.15 Now the great humility of God manifest in the flesh will appear if we consider his birth his life and his death There are many circumstances in his birth to set forth his humility to us 1. In making choice of a poor and humble mother one that was of a mean and low estate as she her self confesseth Luk. 1.48 Her mean estate appeareth in divers things 1. In her marriage with Joseph a Carpenter an handy-crafts man a man of a low and mean calling 2. By their travelling without a hand-maid or any servant to attend them 3. By her offering at her purification she offereth not a lamb for a burnt-offering and a turtle dove for a sin-offering Luk. 2.24 as was required of the wealthier sort Levit. 12.6 but two Turtles only or a pair of Pigeons which was indifferent by the law Maldonat Yea Maldonate the Jesuits conceit is that they were only a pair of young Pigeons as being of less pains to find and less price to pay for whence appeareth the poverty of Joseph and Mary for however Chemnitius conceiteth Chemnit that therefore the typical Lamb was not offered because the true Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world was present Calvin Joh. 1.29 yet Calvin and all other Protestant writers that I have seen do make their poverty the reason thereof Therefore the Popish painters are much deceived setting out Mary still in rich attire like a Lady of great state and pomp thus feeding the peoples ears with fables and their eyes with bables 2. Consider the time of his birth 1. He was born in the winter Cujus in arbitrio tempus erat nasciturus tempus elegit molestius Aretius the sharpest season of the year He in whose power time was being to be born chose the most grievous saith Bishop Babington and in the night to shew as Aretius noteth that he being the Sun of righteousness would by the warmth of his grace thaw those that lay even frozen and key-cold in the dregs of their sins and by the bright beams of his Gospel enlighten those that sate in darkness and in the shadow of death 2. He was born in a time when the Scepter was departed from Judah and the Jews put under tribute by the Romans when Augustus Caesar sent a decree that all the world should be taxed i e. all the Countries and Provinces within his dominions viz. the inhabitants of all their Cities and Villages should assemble themselves to their head City and there have their names taken Suetonius that according to their estates a tax might be set upon them to be yearly paid to his treasury and coffers and herein also appeared his humility in being born under the tyranny of Octavianus Consider the place of his birth it was not at Jerusalem the principal City of the land Mic. 5.2 but at Bethlehem a little City of David the bread of life will be born in Bethlehem which signifies the house of bread a place little among the thousands of Judah as the Prophet Michah termeth it But he might have been born at some Aldermans house in this poor City and have had the best respect it could afford no such matter they must buy their welcome and lodge in an Inn Well! there they might be well respected for their money and have convenient lodging It will not be had they either came too late or else carry not that port as they may think to gain enough by them their chambers are either taken up or at leastwise reserved for better guests he was born in an Inn to shew himself a stranger on earth and that we ought still so to behave our selves 1 Pet. 2.11 as strangers and Pilgrims upon earth But in what room of this Inn even in a stable the other rooms are otherwise appointed and in that stable both the Asses provender He
avorum Qui virtute suis adjicit ipse decus who saith of him That he was not more famous by the Nobility of his Parents then ignominious by his notorious vices Let the French King and Queen saith one be thy Parents if there be no vertue in thy mind I will regard thee no more then if thou hadst an Husbandman to thy Father and a poor Countrey-woman for thy Mother But if Nobility of blood be joyned with grace and true humility it is a thing much to be esteemed The Jews boasted themselves they had Abraham to their Father Luke 3.8 It is more credit for a man to be countenanced by his own vertues Verè nobilis ille non quem sua villa sed virtus nobilitat melius domum Domino quam Dominum dome honestari then the vertues of his Progenitors It is better to be the beginning then the end of a mans house The best Nobility is built by vertue God chuseth not as man doth by outward appearance he chuseth Saul out of Benjamin the least of the Tribes and his Fathers family the least in that Tribe by his own confession to be King over Israel 1 Sam. 9.21 So in the choice of David 1 Sam. 16.7 Not Eliab nor Amminadab nor Shammah nor any of the rest chosen but little David that kept his Fathers sheep Thus Christ chose Fishers to be his Disciples Mat. 4.18.21 and Shepherds to be the Heraulds of his Nativity Luke 2.8 The foolishness of God is wiser then men Of whom he maketh choice especially the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 1.26 That not many wise not many mighty after the flesh not many Noble are called Brag not of the clarity of thy blood for God made all mankinde of one blood Acts 17.26 and if any mans blood be more purethen others it is not Nobility but soundness of body causeth it Malo Pater tibi sit Thersites dummodo tu sis Aeacidae similis Vulcaniaque arma capessas Quam te Thersitae similem producat Achilles Boast not of thy antiquity for every mans Original was one and the same there was but one common Parent of mankinde one Spring and Fountain of all men Beast not of the antiquity of thy Family for how many Noble Families have there been of whom there is no remembrance at this day and in our days we have seen the overthrow of Noble and Royal families Every thing which springeth up in time dyeth with time Boast not of thy Birth for thy Nobleness cometh not by thy birth but by thy life Let us not then so much desire to be great as to be good nor to fet our Pedigrees from ancient houses as to carry our selves worthy such Ancestors else their goodness cannot so much credit us as our badness will discredit them Sir Philip Sidney We may say of all these outward things as an honourable Gentleman was wont to say of the Arms of his house left him by his Ancestors Vix ea nostra voco We can scarce call them ours alluding to a saying of a Poet Et genus proavos quae non fecimus ipsi c. In a word if we be good we shall be great for if they are greatest in blood These two are infinitely and joyntly in God viz. Greatness and Goodness who is both optimus maximus who can derive themselves from the highest persons and greatest Peers then surely incomparably greater be they which can derive themselves from him which hath no Peer and so may all the faithful without check of pride or presumption for Christ himself acknowledgeth them as his kinsfolk Matth. 12.50 saying Whosoever let him be never so mean in other respects shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven the same is my Brother and Sister To be the Sons of Nobles is nothing to the Sons of God to be born of Princes is but baseness in comparison of this to be born of God Moab is but a washpot Edom but a wiper of shoes Dr. Sutton Saints are Gods excellent ones on earth Psal 16.3 and Mother And here it may not be unfit to bring in these Verses Why doth Earths Gentry count themselves so good Giving Coat Arms for all the world to gaze on Christs Blood alone makes Gentlemen of blood His shameful death doth give the fairest blazon then he is ancient'st and of best behaviour Whose Arms and Ancestors and from his Saviour CHAP. 10. Of Pride of Diet. IT is said of the Rich man Luke 16. that he was not onely clothed in purple but also he fared deliciously every day As he painted his back with gorgeous and gaudy apparel so he pampered his belly with delicate and dainty fare Great feastings are not without great sin men thereby become unfit for the service of God it makes men dull to hear the word Venter non habet aures Pinguis venter dormit libenter readier to sleep then learn any good and that not now and then but every day He might have fared well feasted sometime as appeareth Psal 104.15 where God gives not only bread but wine and oyl also But here was his pride in making dainty bread his daily bread and keeping his Christmass as they say all the year long he was altogether given to security and sensuality being as Crassus in his purse so Cassius in his pots like those greedy Epicures described Isa 56.12 He that prides himself with his delicious meats and dainty fare is an an absolute Idolater His God is his belly Phil. 3.19 The Temple of this false God saith Tertullian is in the lungs his Cook is his Priest his Table or Dresser his Altar his Meat his Sacrifice and unto this his God Bell he offereth whatever Sea or Land will afford him it is a wonder to see how he hath his Officers in every place for him war is waged against the Ayr and Clouds and Birds are disnestled from the Kingdom which nature hath allowed them for him the face of the earth is turned into a shambles for him Seas are sounded Depths are plummeted Shipwracking storms and direful tempests are ferried over all this hurly-burly is made for a stomach four fingers broad for which a little bread and water would suffice in necessity and in superfluity the whole world is too little to satisfie Adam had been better without his Apple Esau his red pottage and Belshazzar his feast for his thousand lords Dan 5.1 1 Cor. 10.31 Such a one was that rich fool Luke 12. who pulled down his barns and would build them up greater and never made any conscience of doing good with all his goods but onely to play the Epicure and live the life of a beast in idleness riotousness and sensuality Soul take thine ease eat drink and be merry We should remember that we live not to eat like those Creatures Horace speaks of that eat consumere naturam to consume nature but that we may live
Job 1.21 saith Job and this one thought well taken in and fully digested will lay pride in the dust And here I might shew you how nature which shews her self a mother to other creatures is but as it were a step-mother unto man denying him many of those natural helps wherewith they are endowed sending him forth weak and weaponless wanting that natural instinct to feed himself Dentetimetur aper defendunt cornua taurum when he is brought forth and those natural instruments to defend himself when he is brought up the very first voice and noise that man uttereth is weeping and crying being as it were a Prophet and Prognosticator of his succeeding misery he cometh forth weeping into a vally of tears seeming to be grieved that he is a man and not some other creature ashamed because naked to weep because he is born to labour not to honour Qui natus non est in dolore putet se natum non esse ad laborem labor est in Actione Dolor est in passione quid non eis grave quibus vivere labor est Bern. for this is the common condition of all Adams posterity In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return to the ground Gen. 3.19 As it was laid upon Eve and all her daughters to conceive in sorrow so was it laid upon Adam and all his sons to live by labour Therefore Bernard saith well to this purpose He that is not born in sorrow let him think that he is not born to labour there is labour in action grief in passion or suffering and what is not grievous to those to whom life it self is a labour why then should we paint our backs with gorgeous apparel seeing we were but made of a piece of earth from whence we came naked and whither we must go again naked as Job saith and why should any man be proud of his possessions and inheritances when as he is born to nothing but the bread of affliction and the waters of adversity 3. The consideration of the manifold pains weaknesses sicknesses and infirmities of the body should much abate our pride God takes away health and strength many times from his dearest children as from Hezekiah 2 Kings 20.1 from David Psal 41.8 and from Lazarus whom Jesus loved Joh. 11.3 God many times brings diseases upon our bodies to cure the disease of pride Gregor praefat in Moral Gregory tells us that while he was expounding the tragical history of Job that he was afflicted with continual feavers yet this good he thereby gathered that it so fell out that by Gods Providence himself being sick and wounded should expound wounded Job these strokes upon his body made him the better to understand and with words the better to express the mind of wounded Job God opens the ears of men and sealeth their instruction he is chastened also with pain upon his bed and the multitude of his bones with strong pain and the end that God aimeth at is that he may withdraw man from his purpose Job 33.16 17 19 20. and hide pride from man bodily weaknesses many times bring down the pride and stoutness of our hearts 4. The frequent and serious consideration of death to which the body is also subject is of great force to pull down pride and keep the spirit very humble Death is the humble mans university no man would be proud of bodily strength or beauty did he frequently think of death this would make the stoutest to strike sail and cast down their proud crests in the midst of their greatest jollity O thou who art dust and ashes why dost thou wax proud remember whence thou art and be ashamed where thou art and lament whither thou art going Quid superbis pulvis cinis memento unde es erubesce ubi es ingemisce quo iturus es perhorresce Bern. One cried to Johannes Eleemosynarius being made Patriarch Perfice sepulchrum perfice sepulchrum and tremble for fear saith Bernard Let us constantly remember our end and we shall not do amiss Let the meditation of the death of the body be to us as Philips Page as Josephs Sepulchre in his garden a place of pleasure Facile contemnit omnia qui assidue cogitat se moriturum that man easily despiseth all things who daily thinketh that he shall die This use Paul makes of it seeing we brought nothing into this world and can carry nothing out having food and raiment let us be therewith content 1 Tim. 6.7 8. Let us not proudly aspire after great things here because shortly we must die and leave all behind us Agnoscat homo se esse mortalem franget elationem Aug. 2. Let us consider the state and condition of our souls and hence we may fetch matter enough to keep down our pride Man was made an excellent creature made in the image of God in knowledge righteousness and holiness but this image of God in man is by his fall much weakened and he that was by creation the noblest creature on earth is now become a vagabond on earth a child of wrath an enemy to God if we will view our selves in the glass of Gods law Rom. 7. we shall see our own vileness and deformity and that in us that is in our flesh there dwells no good thing that there is nothing but vanity in our minds rebellion in our wills ataxy in our affections transgression in our lives that all our best righteousness is as filthy rags that our souls are the very proper subjects of misery our hearts the very center of fears and sorrows and our minds the hives and receptacles of swarms of thorny and distracting cares which make man a slave to his passions disturbe his peace and make the best of his earthly comforts to be but splendid vanities and golden delusions the consideration hereof and the miserable estate we are liable to will drive us out of love and liking with our selves yea make us with Job Job 42.6 to abhor our selves and repent in dust and ashes It is reported of Gregory Nazianzen Dr. Abbot on Jonah that when any thing fell out prosperously to him whereby he feared that pride might seize upon him or get footing in him Quando pavo pedes subito inspicit statim remittit animum circulum pennarum Etsi enim habet homo propter quod exultet si tamen inspererit suam originem vitae suae conditiones statim remittet c. Franzius that he would presently set himself to read over the Lamentations of Jeremiah and whensoever the like befals any of us or whensoever we feel our selves tickled with the itching humour of self-love or self-liking in regard of our outward gifts or inward graces let us enter into a serious meditation of our foulest sins and reigning deformities that so we may nip this sin of pride in the bud and kill the serpent in the shell when
the Peacock spreads his circled train turning to the one side and to the other he struts it bravely but at last as it were reflecting on his hoarse and hideous voice and casting his eyes on his black feet he goes sneaking away and le ts fall his fair fan of feathers so when we are apt to be pufft up with pride by reason of any thing we have and enjoy or of any thing we have done or suffered let us consider the infinite temptations and weaknesses Quomodo superbiat qui secum semper sentinam portat Hieron and sinful imperfections that continually attend upon and accompany even our best actions and we shall find matter enough to empty us of our high and windy conceits Bees flying in the aire do ballast their wings with little stones lest the wind blow them away so when we are apt to be blown away with the wind of pride let our minds be ballasted with the thoughts of our sins CHAP. 28. The second Direction Direct 2. LOok up to God and thou wilt see enough in him to pull down thy pride Gods greatness Gods holiness Gods goodness 1. Consider the greatness of God and the superiority of God above man and the power that he hath over man Ps 95.3 6. the Lord is a great God and a great King above all gods therefore let us worship and bow down and kneel before the Lord our Maker saith the Psalmist If man could do according to his will and God would do according to his power Gen. 6.6 7 who could stand I will destroy man from the face of the earth saith the Lord The Original word is as Pareus hath it Pareus in loc I will steep him as a man steeps a piece of earth in water till it turn to dirt for man is but clay and forgets his Maker and his matter none but God can reduce man to his first principles and original matter whereof he was made there is no dust so high but this great God is able to give it a steeping God is alwaies provided of a rod for his children and of an ax and sword for his enemies though he doth not alwaies smite yet he is ever ready Psal 7.13 he hath prepared instruments of death his bow is bent and his arrows are upon the string therefore when thou walkest in the ruffe of thy pride God can stretch out his Almighty arm and let fly a deadly arrow that may wound thy soul for ever Therefore when thou beginnest at any time to be pufft up think who thou art and who God is when thou thinkest thou art something look upon the greatness of the most high God and then thou wilt see thou art just nothing 2. Consider the holiness of God and then look upon thine own sinfulness and vileness and thou wilt see little cause to be proud Bishop Hooper said at the stake Lord thou art heaven I am hell Thou art Justice I am sin was Luther also wont to say Gods holiness will shew us our sinful spots and defilements When the Prophet saw a glorious vision of the Lord Isa 6.3 5. and heard the Seraphims proclaim the thrice holy name of God he cries out immediately Wo is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips How shall I that am altogether unclean stand before this holy Lord God The pride of man must needs fall down before the holiness of God 3. Consider the goodness of God and that will abate our pride When David sent Messengers to Abigail 1 Sam. 25.41 to assure her he would be her husband this maketh Abigail low in our own eyes Let me saith she be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my Lord shall David honour me to make me his wife who am scarce worthy to be one of his servants So the consideration of Gods great goodness to man is a special means to humble him before the Lord. What am I O Lord that thou shouldst set thy heart upon me Create me after thine Image Redeem me by the blood of thy Son provide Heaven and Glory for me the consideration of such favours will make him have low thoughts of himself and not quarrel with God when God bestows great mercies upon others This was Jonahs fault God had delivered him and his companions in the ship from the fury of two merciless elements viz. the air and waters both which seemed to have conspired their destruction but are restrained by the over-ruling power of God the Lord apprehends Jonah arrests him and safely delivereth him into his prison yet he is so far from being crushed or torn in pieces by the devouring jaws of that cruel monster as he 's not once touched by his teeth and he is safely kept there forth-coming amidst many dangers in that dark dungeon viz. First from being choked by the noisome vapours of the fishes entrals Secondly from being digested concocted and turned to his nourishment by the continual boiling heat of his stomack and lastly he is not cast out into the sea to shift for himself and sink or swim as we say but he is safely landed and set on shore and not only is he delivered but a whole City consisting of millions of people by his Sermon brought to repentance delivered from some strange vengeance which otherwise had seized upon them Jon. 4.1 but Jonah was very much displeased at it and falls to expostulating the business with God himself and though God dealeth with him Socratice and spurs him a question saying Dost thou well to be angry to which question he 's not able to make any reasonable answer yet Jonahs heart swells against God for sparing Niniveh Pride self-love and ambition and standing too much upon his reputation made him thus to do and rather then he would be discredited and thought a false Prophet he would have Niniveh destroyed Eccl. 41.17 and all the people thereof perish the son of Syrach tells us it s a foul shame to tell a lie before a Prince and men of authority as he thought he had done but he should have done well to have staid among them and rejoyced with them that God had been pleased to bestow such a blessing upon his preaching and his gratious pardon upon the place CHAP. 29. The third Direction Direct 3. LEt one Christian labour to exercise love towards another Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Austin saith Voluit deus unicum heminem in principio formare à quo omnes procederent ut tanquam fratres omnes inter se invicem amarent Aug. Si fratres sumus in quantum homines quanto magis in quantum Christiani August Sanctior est copula cordium quam corporum Lumb senten lib. 3. distinct 29. God would form one man in the beginning from whom all men should proceed that all might mutually love one another as brethren the son of Syrach urgeth this very argument saying every beast loveth his