wherein they pride themfelves, by carrying up into the brain thofe exalted, hot, choleric humours and fumes, that break the ftaple and right temper and texture of the brain. More learned men grow mad and brain fick with the pride of that learning they think they have attained, than in the pursuit and acqueft of it. Therefore beware of pride, of thy wit, learning, or knowledge, if thou intend to keep it, or to keep the juft efteem or reputation of it. On the .other fide, Humility and lowlinefs of mind is the best temper to improve thy faculties, to add a grace to thy learning, and to keep thee mafter of it: It cools and qualifies thy fpirits, blood and humours, and renders thee fit to retain what thou haft attained, and to acquire more. 4. In all thy reflection upon thyfelf, and what thou haft, never compare thyself with thofe that are below thee in what is worthy or eminent, but with those that are above thyfelf. For inftance, in point of learning or knowledge, thy partiality and indulgence to thyfelf will be apt to put thee upon comparing thyfelf with thofe that are ignorant, or not more learned than thyfelf, as we fee ordinarily ideots or fools, or men of weak intellectuals, delight to converfe with those they find or think more foolish than themselves; and not with thofe that are wifer, that they may please themselves with a thought that they are the wifeft in the company but compare thyfelf with thofe that are more learned or wife than thyfelf, and then thou wilt fee matter to keep thee humble. If thou thinkest thou art a pretty proficient in philofophy, compare thyfelf with Ariftotle, with Plato, Averroes, Themiftius, or Alexander Aphrodifæus, or any great luminaries in philofophy. If thou thinkeft thou art a pretty proficient in fchool-learning, compare thyself with Aquinas, Scotus, Suarez: If thou thinkeft thou excelleft in the mathematics, compare thyfelf with Euclid, Archimides, Tycho, &c. and then thou wilt find thyfelf to be like a little candle to a ftar. The most of the learning learning that this age glories of, is but an extract or collection of what we find in thofe men of greater parts; only we think we have done great matters if we digeft it into fome other method, and prick in here and there a fmall pittance of our own, or quarrel at fomething that the ancients delivered in fome odd par- ticulars. And yet, even in this effay, felf-love plays fuch a part, that unless there be a great excefs and admirable advantage of others that are above us in any' learning or knowledge, we are ready to exalt ourfelves above our standard, and feem in our own eyes to be at leaft equal to thofe that exceed us, or by envy and detraction to bring down others below ourselves,? efpecially if we hit upon fome little caprichio 1, that we think they faw not. 5. And lastly, consider the great example of our Lord' and Mafter Jefus Chrift, who was the only Son of the glorious God, full of wifdom, knowledge, power, holinefs, goodness and truth, and notwithstanding all this, humbled himself, and became of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a fervant, emptied himself, and humbled himself, and became obedient to death, even the death of the crofs. Chrift Jefus brought with him from heaven the doctrine of holi-" nefs and righteoufnefs, and in all his fermons there is not any one virtue that he commendeth and commandeth more than Humility and lowlinefs of mind, nor any one vice that he fets himfelf more againft than pride and haughtinefs of mind. In his beatitudes 3, poverty of fpirit hath the firft promife, and meeknefs or Humility the third 4. He checks and difparageth the pride of the Pharifees, commands his difciples to run quiet counter to their method; "He that will' 'be great among you fhall be your fervant 5. Again, when the bubble of ambition rofe again't the difciples, who should be greatest, he checks their pride and ambition with the pattern and commendation of a little 1 fancy or whim. Matth. xxiii. 6, 7. 2 Phil. ii. 5, 6, 7, 8. 3 Matth. 35. & Matth. xviii. 1. Luke ix. Mark ix 34. child and as he thus taught he lived. One of the great ends of the miffion of Chrift into the world, was, that he should not only be a preacher of virtue, goodnefs, and piety, but also an example of it: And if we look through the whole life of Chrift, there is not one virtue that he did more fignally exercise, or by his example more expressly commend to the imitation of Christians, than Humility. I do not remember that he faith in any place, learn of me to do miracles, for I am mighty in power; no, nor yet learn of me, for I am holy, for I am obedient to the law of God, for I am liberal; though in all these he was exhibited as an excellent example of holinefs, obedience, and charity, and must be the pattern of our imitation; But as if Humility and lowlinefs of mind were the great mafter-piece of his example, he calls out, even when he was in one of the highest extafies of spirit, that we find, until his paffion, Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, ' and ye fhall find reft unto your fouls '.' And in that fignal advice given by the Apostle, 'Let the fame mind be in you, which was alfo in Chrift Jefus, whom being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, ' and took upon him the form of a fervant, and was "made in the likeness of man; and being found in the 'fashion of a man, he humbled himself, and became • obedient to death, even the death of the cross 2.' But, bleffed Saviour! was there nothing else for us to learn of thee, but thy meeknefs and Humility? was there not fomething else wherein we were to bear in mind thy image, and write after thy excellent copy? was there not thy holiness, purity, obedience, patience, truft in God, and all that conftellation of virtues that appeared in thy doctrine and life? Surely yes, he was exhibited both as a prophet to teach, and an example to be imitated in all these alfo, but in his Humility, if we may fay with reverence, before all. Matth. xi. 25, 29, 2 Phil. ii. 5. 1. Because 1. Because the inftance and example of his Humility was the moft fignal and wonderful of all the rest of his admirable virtues; that the eternal Son of the eternal God fhould condefcend fo low, as to become a man, born of a woman, and live upon earth fuch a defpifed life, and die fuch an accurfed death, is an instance of Humility, not only beyond all example, but an inftance that is impoffible in nature to be paralleled. 2. Because pride and vain-glory is fo unhappily riveted in the corrupt nature of man, and it is fo hard a thing to bring him to be humble and lowly, notwithstanding all the benefits and advantages of it, that it did not only stand in need of the most explicit do&trine of Christ to teach and commend it, the most unparalleled example of Chrift to win men over to it, but also the moft plain and direct, and explicit application of that example, by that remarkable and fpecial invitation of our Lord to it, Learn of me, for I am 'meek and lowly.' And again by his Apoftle, Let "the fame mind be in you which was in Chrift Jefus,' &c. 3. Becaufe, without Humility to prepare and mellow the hearts of men, it could not be morally poffible for them to receive the faith of Chrift. It was pride that made the doctrine of Chrift only to be to the Jews a stumbling block, to the Greeks foolishnefs, but to them that are called, viz. that obey that call of Chrift: 'Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, &c 1.' Learn of me, for I am meek and 'lowly in heart, it is Christ, the power of God, and the ' wifdom of God 2.' 6 4. Because, without Humility, all the rest of those excellent virtues, that were taught in the doctrine, and exhibited in the example of Chrift, had been but unacceptable. A vifible holinefs, yet accompanied with pride and oftentation, is but a difguife of holinefs, and that accurfed hypocrify that our Saviour condemned in the Pharifees and others 1. Obedience to the law of God, good works, fafting, prayer, yet if done with 'Matth. xi. 28. 2 1. Cor. i. 23, 24. M 4 Matth. vi. 16. pride, pride, oftentation, and vain-glory, are dead and unacceptable. Charity, alms, and beneficence, if done with pride and oftentation, and to receive glory of men, lofeth its worth and reward 2. So that Humility and lowlinefs of mind is the fubftratum and groundwork, the neceffary ingredient into all acceptable duties towards God or men. Matth. xxiii. 5. Matth. vi. 12. JACOB'S |