Four books on the eleventh of Matthew

And then another use may be, to humble our Souls for the want of humility, and indeed that is a good Humiliation, to be humble for the want of humility, to be humbled for our pride is an argument of the truth of humility as much as any thing whatsoever, and certainly, if I should go back and open the Particulars of the behaviour of an humble Soul towards God, its self, and others, Certainly, never a Man and Woman but may lay his hand upon ⟨p. 610⟩his Mouth, and say, Lord, have mercy upon me, how have I failed in the behaviour of my spirit towards God, my self, and others? Lord, my heart hath not answered to that that hath been spoken in the word, the truth is, the best of us all have cause to be humbled before God because they are not humble as they ought. To be proud of heart, one compares it to an Onion, that if you pill off one part of it, there is another pill afterwards, pill off that and there is another still, and another, and another till you come to the end; so when there is some pride, take off one, and under that pride there lies more, take off that, and under it there lies more, and take off that, and under it lies more, continually more and more pride there lies in the heart of Men, and Women, and that man and woman that thinks they have not proud hearts, I dare challenge them, in the Name of God, that they have proud hearts, As John saith, 1 John, 1. and last vers. If we say we have not sin, we Lie, so if we say we have not pride, it is an evident Argument we Lie, and it is an evident Argument we have pride. Pride is like the Garment, the first that is put on, and the last that is put off, and it is that that the heart sticks more in then any thing else, and therefore Christ saith of his Disciples that were humbled, they denied all for Christ, and yet mark what Christ saith concerning them, In Matth. 18. There they inquired▪ who should be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus takes a little Child, and sets him in the midst of them, and saith, Verily, Verily, I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little Children, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, Now, were not they become as little Children? Had not they humility? They were gracious, and godly, I, but this is true of one that is gracious, and humble, he hath a great deal of pride ⟨p. 611⟩