The last virtue required, is humility, whereby knowing and acknowledging Gods power, justice, majesty, goodness, mercy, and infinite perfection, and our own vileness, and unworthiness, imperfections, and sinful corruptions, we do renounce all glory and praise, as not belonging unto us, and ascribe it wholly unto God, unto whom alone it rightly appertaineth So that it is the nature of humility, to vilify and abase our selves in our own sight, even to the ground, as the word importeth, to cast off all opinion of our works and worthiness, and in the sight and sense of our sins and corruptions, to acknowledge our selves worthy of Gods most heavy punishments in this life and the life to come; and contrariwise, to ascribe all glory and praise unto God alone, even of all the good we have in us, or is done by us, from whom alone we have it; according to that of the Psalmist, Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy 1name give the glory: And of Daniel, O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto 2thee, but unto us confusion of faces, because we have sinned against thee. The causes of this humility, are first, the knowledge and acknowledgement of Gods infiniteness in all excellency, goodness, and perfection; in which he is so incomprehensibly glorious, that when we come in his presence, it maketh us to vilify and abase our selves, what opinion soever before we had of our own worth and excellency, even as the light of a Glowworm is quite dazzled, when the glorious beams of the Sun do shine upon it. Thus in the sight and sense of Gods glory and majesty, Ezekiel was cast to the ground; Manoah concluded that he should 3die; Esayas crieth out, Woe is me, for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, &c. for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. And Job having seen the Lord, abhorred himself, and repented in dust and ashes. 4Especially if we consider that this God, mighty and glorious in himself, is so infinitely gracious unto us, in conferring upon us so innumerable benefits, and above all, that inestimable gift of his only Son, to work that great work of our Redemption. The consideration whereof, will make us to humble our selves with Jacob, and to confess that we are less then the least of Gods mercies, and to say with David, Who am I and my 5house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?
The last vertue required, is humility, whereby knowing and acknowledging Gods power, iustice, maiesty, goodnesse, mercy, and infinite perfection, and our owne vilenesse, and vnworthinesse, imperfections, and sinfull corruptions, we doe renounce all glory and praise, as not belonging vnto vs, and ascribe it wholly vnto God, vnto whom alone it rightly appertaineth So that it is the nature of humility, to vilifie and abase our selues in our owne sight, euen to the ground, as the word importeth, to cast off all opinion of our workes and worthinesse, and in the sight and sense of our sinnes and corruptions, to acknowledge our selues worthy of Gods most heauie punishments in this life and the life to come; and contrariwise, to ascribe all glory and praise vnto God alone, euen of all the good we haue in vs, or is done by vs, from whom alone we haue it; according to that of the Psalmist, Not vnto vs, O Lord, not vnto vs, but vnto thy 1name giue the glory: And of Daniel, O Lord, righteousnesse belongeth vnto 2thee, but vnto vs confusion of faces, because wee haue sinned against thee. The causes of this humility, are first, the knowledge and acknowledgement of Gods infinitenesse in all excellency, goodnesse, and perfection; in which he is so incomprehensibly glorious, that when we come in his presence, it maketh vs to vilifie and abase our selues, what opinion soeuer before wee had of our owne worth and excellencie, euen as the light of a Glowworme is quite dazeled, when the glorious beames of the Sunne doe shine vpon it. Thus in the sight and sense of Gods glory and maiesty, Ezechiel was cast to the ground; Manoah concluded that hee should 3die; Esayas cryeth out, Woe is me, for I am vndone, because I am a man of vncleane lips, &c. for mine eyes haue seene the King, the Lord of hosts. And Iob hauing seene the Lord, abhorred himselfe, and repented in dust and ashes. 4Especially if wee consider that this God, mighty and glorious in himselfe, is so infinitely gracious vnto vs, in conferring vpon vs so innumerable benefits, and aboue all, that inestimable gift of his onely Sonne, to worke that great worke of our Redemption. The consideration whereof, will make vs to humble our selues with Iacob, and to confesse that we are lesse then the least of Gods mercies, and to say with Dauid, Who am I and my 5house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?
- 1Psal. 115. 1.
- 2Dan. 9. 7, 11.
- 3Ezech. 2. 1. Judg. 13. 22. Esa. 6. 5.Ezech. 2. 1. Iudg. 13. 22. Esa. 6. 5.
- 4Job 42. 6.Iob 42. 6.
- 52. Sam. 7. 18, 22.
