modesty, consisting in conceding to God a small portion of what we might justly claim, as they are called humble among men who neither haughtily exalt themselves nor behave with insolence to others, while they nevertheless entertain some consciousness of excellence: this humility is the unfeigned submission of a mind overwhelmed with a weighty sense of its own misery and poverty: for such is the uniform description of it in the word of God. When the Lord speaks thus in Zephaniah, "I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride: I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord;" (0) does he not clearly shew who are truly humble? even such as are afflicted with a knowledge of their own poverty. On the contrary, he describes the proud as persons rejoicing," because this is the usual consequence of prosperity. But to the humble, whom he intends to save, he leaves nothing but that "they trust in the name of the Lord." Thus also in Isaiah, "To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word." (p) Again; "Thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." (q) By the contrition so frequently mentioned, we must understand a wounded heart, which prevents a man from rising when humbled in the dust. With such contrition must our heart be wounded, if we desire, according to the declaration of the Lord, to be exalted with the humble. If this be not the case, we shall be abased by the powerful hand of God to our shame and disgrace. (r) VII. And, not content with mere precepts, our excellent Master, in a parable, has presented us with an example of genuine humility. For he introduces a publican, who, "standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner." (s) We must not conclude these circumstances, his not presuming to look upwards, standing afar off, smiting upon his (o) Zeph. iii. 11, 12. (p) Isaiah Ixvi. 2. (r) Matt, xxiii. 12. Luke xiv. 11. xviii. 14. (9) Isaiah lvii. 15. (s) Luke xviii. 13. breast, and confessing himself a sinner, to be marks of feigned modesty; we may be certain that they were sincere evidences of the disposition of his heart. To him our Lord opposes a Pharisee, who said, “God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess." He openly confesses the righteousness which he has, to be the gift of God; but because he confides in his being righteous, he departs from the presence of God unacceptable and hateful to him. The publican, acknowledging his iniquity, is justified. Hence we may see how very pleasing our humiliation is in the sight of God: so that the heart is not open for the reception of his mercy unless it be divested of all idea of its own dignity. When this notion has occupied the mind, it precludes the admission of Divine mercy. That no one might have any doubt of this, Christ was sent by his Father into the world with a commission, "to preach good tidings unto the meek; to bind up the broken-hearted; to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to comfort all that mourn; to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness." (t) In pursuance of this commission, he invites to a participation of his benefits none but those who "labour and are heavy laden." (v) And in another place he says, "I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (u) VIII. Therefore, if we would obey the call of Christ, let us dismiss all arrogance and carelessness from our minds. The former arises from a foolish persuasion of our own righteousness, when a man supposes himself to be possessed of any thing, the merit of which can recommend him to God; the latter may exist without any consideration of works. For multitudes of sinners, inebriated with criminal pleasures, and forgetful of the Divine judgment, are in a state as it were of lethargic insensibility, so that they never aspire after the mercy which is offered to them. But it is equally necessary for us to shake off such stupidity, and to reject all confidence in ourselves, in order that, being freed from every incumbrance, we (t) Isaiah lxi. 1—3. VOL. II. (v) Matt. xi. 28. (2) Matt. ix. 13. 2 H may hasten to Christ, all destitute and hungry, to be filled with his blessings. For we shall never have sufficient confidence in him, unless we entirely lose all confidence in ourselves; we shall never find sufficient encouragement in him, unless we are previously dejected in ourselves; we shall never enjoy sufficient consolation in him, unless we are utterly disconsolate in ourselves. We are prepared, therefore, to seek and obtain the grace of God, discarding at the same time all confidence in ourselves, and relying solely on the assurance of his mercy, "when," as Augustine says, "forgetting our own merits we embrace the free gifts of Christ; because if he sought merits in us, we should not come to his free gifts." With him Bernard fully agrees, when he compares proud men, that arrogate ever so little to their own merits, to unfaithful servants, because they unjustly claim the praise of the grace which passes through them; just as though a wall should say that it produces the sun-beams which it receives through a window. But not to dwell any longer on this, we may lay it down as a brief, but general and certain maxim, that he is prepared for a participation of the benefits of Divine mercy, who has wholly divested himself, I will not say of his righteousness, which is a mere nullity, but of the vain and airy phantom of righteousness; for as far as any men is satisfied with himself, so far he raises an impediment to the exercise of the grace of God. CHAPTER XIII. Two Things necessary to be observed in Gratuitous Justification. HERE are two things to which we must always be particularly attentive; to maintain the glory of the Lord unimpaired and undiminished, and to preserve in our own consciences a placid composure and serene tranquillity with regard to the Divine judgment. We see how frequently and solicitously the Scripture exhorts us to render ascriptions of praise to God alone, when it treats of justification. And indeed the apostle assures us that the design of the Lord in conferring righteousness upon us in Christ, is to manifest his own righteousness. The nature of that manifestation he immediately subjoins: it is, "that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." (w) The righteousness of God, we see, is not sufficiently illustrious, unless he alone be esteemed righteous, and communicate the grace of justification to the unworthy. For this reason it is his will "that every mouth be stopped, and all the world become guilty before him;" (x) because, as long as man has any thing to allege in his own defence, it detracts something from the glory of God. Thus in Ezekiel he teaches us how greatly we glorify his name by an acknowledgment of our iniquity: "Ye shall remember your ways (saith he) and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have wrought with you for my name sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings." (y) If these things are contained in the true knowledge of God, that, humbled with a consciousness of our iniquity, we should consider him as indulging us with blessings of which we are unworthy, why do we attempt, to our own serious injury, to pilfer the smallest particle of the praise due to his gratuitous goodness? Thus also when Jeremiah proclaims, "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him that glorieth glory in the Lord;” (z) does he not suggest that the glory of God sustains some diminution, if any man glory in himself? To this use these words are clearly applied by Paul, when he states, that "all the branches of our salvation are deposited with Christ, that we may not glory except in the Lord." (a) For he intimates, that they who suppose themselves to have even the least ground for glorying in themselves, are guilty of rebelling against God and obscuring his glory. II. The truth then is, that we never truly glory in him, till (w) Rom. iii. 26. (x) Rom. iii. 19. (y) Ezek. xx, 43, 44. we have entirely renounced all glory of our own. On the converse, this may be admitted as an axiom universally true, that they who glory in themselves, glory in opposition to God. For. Paul is of opinion that the world is not "subject to the judgment of God," till men are deprived of all foundation for glorying. (b) Therefore Isaiah, when he announces, that "in the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified,” adds also, "and shall glory:" as though he had said, that the end of God in justifying the elect was, that they might glory in himself and in no other. But how we should glory in the Lord, he had stated in the preceding verse; "Surely, shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength." Let us observe, that what is required is not a simple confession, but a confession confirmed by an oath; that we may not suppose any fictitious pretence of humility to be sufficient. (c) Here let no one plead that he does not glory at all, when without arrogance he recognises his own righteousness; for such an opinion cannot exist without generating confidence, nor confidence without being attended with glorying. Let us remember therefore, in the whole controversy concerning righteousness, that this end must be kept in view, that all the praise of it may remain perfect and undiminished with the Lord; because, according to the apostle's testimony, he hath bestowed his grace on us in order "to declare his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." (d) Wherefore in another place, after having declared that the Lord hath conferred salvation on us in order to display "the praise of the glory of his grace;" (e) repeating as it were the same sentiment, he adds; "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast." (ƒ) And when Peter admonishes us that we are called to the hope of salvation, "that we should shew forth the praises (or virtues) of him who hath called us out of dark- ness into his marvellous light;" (g) he evidently means that the praises of God alone should resound in the ears of the faithful, so as to impose total silence on all the presumption of the flesh. The conclusion of the whole is, that man cannot with (b) Rom. iii. 19. (c) Isaiah xlv. 23-25. (d) Rom. iii. 26. |