Four books on the eleventh of Matthew

3. An humble Spirit doth often look back to its poor beginnings, it loves to do it, one that is lowly in heart, doth love to be often looking back to its poor beginnings, what once he was. If God hath made an alteration in my condition, let me consider what once I was, what a vile wretch once I was, loves to be often meditating upon that, and so to be working upon it self to humble its own heart with such thoughts as those are, Oh! what a poor condition! was I not long since in, both in regard of my outward condition, and my inward spiritual condition: An humble heart is not unwilling to be put in mind of both. If God hath raised him from the Dunghill to a higher condition, he puts himself in mind of what he was once, is not willing to have the record of his own Parentage to be razed out, but is willing to have it known what he was, what poor breeding he had, my Father a poor Man, and my Mother a poor Woman, and how poorly they lived notwithstanding God hath raised my estate, he is willing to put himself in mind of it▪ that he may get his proud heart to be humbled. Agathacles, that was raised to be a Prince, he would be served in Earthen Vessels, to put him in mind of his low condition that once he was in. And that is very famous that we have of Jacob in Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy of the least of all the Mercies and of all the truth which thou hast showed unto thy Servant, for with my staff have I passed over this Jordan, and now I am become two bands, I had nothing but even the poor Staff to pass over this Jordan withal, but now I am become two bands; so for men that perhaps came up to the City, and that are come to live well, they were poor Boys, and had little at first, and God hath blest their Estates, and they are not unwilling to look back to what they ⟨p. 544⟩were, it may be some of you, were poor ship Boys, and God hath in some Voyages raised you up to what you are, Do you look back to what you were? and that in the presence of God, and to that end that your hearts may be humble and low, Do you make that use of what your poor condition was? Or rather do not you forget your poor condition, and now your mind is puffed up, this is an evil sight. And another example for this you have likewise in David, David was exceeding willing to be put in mind of the mean condition in which he was as that in