A Godly Man Is an Humble Man

11. The godly man is an humble man;¹ he is like the Sun in the Zenith, which when it is at the highest shows lowest:² St. Austin calls Humility the Mother of the Graces; but ere I show you who is the humble man, I shall lay down three distinctions.

12. I distinguish between being humbled and humble; a man may be humbled, and not³ humble;⁴ a sinner may be humbled by affliction, his condition is low, but not his disposition; a godly man is not only humbled, but humble, his heart is as low as his condition.

13. I distinguish between outward humility and inward; there’s a great deal of difference between an humble carriage, and an humble⁵spirit; a person may carry it humbly:

14. Towards others, yet be proud; who more humble than Absalom in his outward behaviour? 2 Sam. 15. 5. When any man came neer to do him obeysance, Absalom took him by the hand and kissed him. But though he had an humble carriage, he aspired after the Crown, ver. 10. As soon as ye hear the sound of the Trumpet, ye shall say Absalom reigneth in Hebron. Here was Pride dressed in Humilities Mantle.

15. A person may behave himself humbly towards God, yet be proud, 1 King. 21. 27. Ahab put on sackcloth, and fasted, and went softly, but his heart was not⁶ humble: A man may bow his head like a bull-rush, yet lift up the Ensigns of Pride in his heart.

16. I distinguish between Humility and Policy; many make a shew of Humility to work their own⁷ ends: The Papists seem to be the most humble mortified Saints, but it is rather subtilty than humility; for by this means they get the Revenues of the earth into their possession; all this may be, and yet no godliness.

Quest. How may a Christian know that he is humble, and consequently godly?

Answ. 1. An humble soul is emptied of all swelling thoughts of himself: Bernard calls Humility a Self-annihilation, Iob 22. 29. Thou wilt save the humble. In the Hebrew it is, Him that is of low⁸ eyes. An humble man hath lower thoughts of himself than others can have of⁹ him: David, though a King, yet looked upon himself as a worm, Psal. 22. 6. I am a worm, and no man. Bradford a Martyr, yet subscribes himself a sinner, Iob 10. 15. If I am righteous, I will not lift up my head: Like the Violet, a sweet flower, but hangs down the head.

2. An humble soul thinks better of others than of himself, Phil. 2. 3. Let each esteem others better than¹⁰ themselves. An humble man values others at an higher rate than himself; and the reason is, because he can better see his own heart than he can anothers; he sees his own corruption, and thinks sure it is not so with others, their Graces are not so weak as his, their corruptions are not so strong; sure (thinks he) they have better hearts than I: An humble Christian studies his own infirmities, and anothers exellencies, and that makes him put an higher value upon others than himself, Pro. 30. 2. Surely I am more bruitish than any man. And Paul, though he were the chief of the Apostles, yet he calls himself the least of Saints, Eph. 3. 8.

3. An humble soul hath a low esteem of his duties; Pride is apt to breed in our holy things, as the worm breeds in the sweetest fruit, and forth comes from the most generous wine: An humble person doth not only deny his sins, but his duties; when he hath prayed and wept, alas, saith he, how little have I done, God might damn me for all this; he saith as good Nehemiah, Chap. 13. 22. Remember me O my God concerning this, and spare me. Remember Lord how I have poured out my soul, but spare me, and pardon me; he sees that his best duties weigh many grains too light, therefore he desires Christs Merits may be put into the Scales: The humble Saint blusheth when he looks upon his Copy, he sees he cannot write even, nor without blotting; this humbles him to think that his best duties run dregs; he drops poyson upon his sacrifice: Oh, saith he, I dare not say I have prayed or wept, those which I write down for duties, God might write down for sins.

4. An humble man is ever preferring Bills of Indictment against himself; he complains not of his condition, but his heart: O this evil heart of unbelief! Lord (saith Hooper) I am hell, but thou art heaven. An hypocrite is ever telling how good he is; an humble soul is ever saying how bad he is: Paul that highflown Saint, who was caught up into the third heaven, how doth this bird of Paradise bemoan himself for his corruptions, Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am, &c. Holy Bradford subscribes himself, the hardhearted sinner: The more knowledge an humble Christian hath, the more he complains of ignorance; the more Faith, the more he bewails his¹¹ unbelief.

5. An humble man will justifie God in an afflicted condition, Nehem. 9. 33. Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us. If men oppress and calumniate, the humble soul acknowledgeth Gods righteousness in the midst of severity, 2 Sam. 24. 17. Lo, I have sinned: Lord, my pride, my barrenness, my Sermonsurfeiting hath been the procuring cause of all these judgements; when Clouds are round about God, yet righteousness is the habitation of his Throne, Psa. 97. 2.

6. An humble soul is a Christ-Magnifier, Phil. 1. 20. he gives the glory of all his actions to Christ, and Free-grace: King Canutus took the Crown off his own head, and set it upon a Crucifix; so an humble Saint takes the Crown of honour from his own head, and sets it upon Christs; and the reason is, from that […] he bears to Christ; Love can part with […] to the object loved: Isaack loved […] and he gave away his Jewels to (Gen. 24. 53) […] humble Saint loves Christ intirely, therefore can part with any thing to him: he gives away the honour and praise of all he doth to Christ, let Christ wear those Jewels.

7. An humble soul is willing to take a reproof for sin; a wicked man is too high to stoop to a reproof: The Prophet Micaiah used to tell King Ahab of his sin, and saith he, I hate him, 1 Kin. 22. 8. Reproof to a proud man, is like powring water on lime, which grows the more hot; a gracious soul loves him that reproves, Pro. 9. 8. Rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. The humblespirited Christian can bear the reproach of an Enemy, and the reproof of a friend.

8. An humble man is willing to have his name and parts eclipsed, so Gods glory may be more encreased; he is content to be outshined by others in gifts and esteem, so that the Crown of Christ may shine the brighter: This is the humble mans Motto, Let me decrease, let Christ encrease: ‘Tis his desire that Christ should be exalted, and if this be effected, let who will be the instrument, he rejoyceth, Phil. 1. 15. Some preach Christ of envy; They preached to get away some of Pauls hearers; Well, saith he, Christ is preached, and I therein do rejoyce, ver· 8. An humble Christian is content to be laid aside, if God hath any other tools to work with which may bring him more glory.

9. An humble Saint likes that condition which God sees best for him; a proud man murmures he hath no more, an humble man wonders he hath so much, Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies: when the heart lies low, it can stoop to a low condition. A Christian looking upon his sins, wonders it is no worse with him, he doth not say his mercies are small, but his sins are great; he knows the worst piece God carves him, is better than he deserves, therefore takes it thankfully upon his knees.

10. An humble Christian will stoop to the meanest person, and the lowest office, he will visit the poorest member of Christ: Lazarus his sores are more precious to him than Dives purple; he doth not say, Stand by, come not neer to me, for I am holier than thou; but, condiscends to men of low estate, Rom. 12. 16.

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