463 OF THE Second Tabernacle: THAT IS, Of HUMILITY. CHAP. I. Of the Leffons and Examples of Humility delivered by Christ. I. B THE DISCIPLE. UT let us pafs next to the Virtue of Humility. For unless Humility go along with Poverty, Poverty can never be acceptable and well-pleafing unto GOD. Wherefore as thou haft fpoken of Poverty, so speak unto me, my Lord GOD, of Humility alfo. I obferve this Grace to be often and powerfully recommended in thy Scriptures; and find it to have fhone in thee eminently and remark remarkably above all other virtues. Who could fo effectually fhew forth and teach true Humility, as GOD made Man? Wherefore thou fayft plainly and exprefly to all: Learn of me, for I am meek, aud lowly in heart. And if I had no other Example of true Humility, but thee my Lord Jesus; nor any other cause of humiliation; thou alone wouldft be abundantly fufficient. Whom fhould I follow, if I follow not thee? Whom fhould I believe, if I believe not thee? Who will be able to perfuade me, that Humility is the way to the Kingdom of Heaven; if he cannot, who came down from Heaven? How long wilt thou be without knowledge, O my foul, walking through ways that are not right, always ftraying and never arriving at the Truth? II. Lo, Humility is the way, and there is no other. I (faith he) am the way, and the Truth, and the Life. Humble thy felf, bow down thy felf, O my foul, and Chrift fhall be thy life. Hearken not to what others fay; but attend to what Chrift faith unto Men: Fear not, little flock: For it is my Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. Hence again in ano • Matth. xi. 29. b John xiv. 6. c Luke xii. 32. ther ther place alfo exulting in the Holy Spirit he faith unto his Father: I thank thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, becaufe thou hast bid thefe things from the wife and prudent, and haft revealed them unto babes. Even fo, Father, for so it feemed good in thy fight. What think you of Chrift? Whofe Son is he? Of a truth that Man was the Son of God. If he would poffefs nothing in the world, he who created all things together with the Father, why feekeft thou ftill and lovest any thing therein? Dread that faying of his: Te are of the world. When Jefus was yet with his Difciples, and the hour of his Paffion drew nigh, being willing to give them an Example of perfect Humility, and mutual love: He rifeth from fupper, and layeth afide his garments, and poureth water into a bafon, and began to wash his Dif ciples feet. And he faith unto them: Know ye, what I have done to you? Te call me Mafter and Lord: And ye fay well; for fo I am. If I then your Lord and Mafter, have washed your feet, ye al So ought to wash one anothers feet. For I have given you an Example, that ye Matth. xi. 25,26. Should O'unex fhould do as I have done to you. ampled Humility; Behold, GOD is become a fervant to Men, and yet Man is not fubject to Man, or rather to GOD. Let all the Proud be confounded and tremble, because they have despised the counsel of the Son of GOD. THE DISCIPLE. III. Thou haft conquer'd us Lord Jesus, thou haft conquer'd us with thy Humility; behold we are confounded in our pride. Confufion hath cover'd our face. JESUS-CHRIST. What could I have done more for thee, O Man of Pride, that I have not done? Why lookeft thou upon me? Thinkest thou that thou art better than I? If thou hadft not thought thus, peradventure thou hadft humbled thy felf; but now thy pride encreafeth evermore. Turn ye, ye Sons of Men, and afcend not, for I am not with you. For if ye afcend, ye fhall fall before your enemies, and they fhall laugh you to fcorn; and ye fhall know, that I refift the proud. Humble your felves under my mighty hand, and I will exalt you. For whofoever bumbleth himself, shall be ex alted; alted; and he that exalteth himself, fhali be abafed. How many have attempted to afcend, and have funk into the bottom as a ftone? Pharaoh and his chariots were drowned in the Red Sea. Adam and Eve were expell'd Paradise. An Angel, and his Affociates, were caft headlong out of Heaven. And all these, for afcending the Mount of Pride, were thrown down, and doom'd to an eternal death. THE DISCIPLE. Ah! Lord, who can fupport the weight of thy fury and indignation? Thou haft caft them down, whilft they were lifting up themselves. Babylon is faln, Babylon is faln, and great was the ruin thereof. But what fhall I do wretch? whither fhall I flee? I am seized with fear and trembling, because GOD hath fpared the pride neither of Men nor Angels. Wo to me, if I thus afcend; and again wo unto me, if I defcend not. Who will fhow me a way, which I may walk fecurely, and without danger? |