those outward Indications, as I fhall fhew when I come to confider the Signs of Humility. In the mean time, be thofe Indications true, or be they falfe, ftill they are but Indications. But as for Humility it felf, it is an inward thing, lodg'd in thofe inward parts, where God, as the Pfalmift fays, Pfal. 51. requires Truth, and makes us to understand Wisdom fecretly in the inner Man, the Recefs of the Soul, that Spirit of the Mind, Eph. 4. 23. which St. Paul makes to be the Seat and Subject of true Regeneration. There Pride Erects her Throne, Sits in Imperial State, and Exalts her felf on High, Crown'd, Waited upon, Attended, Courted, and Flatter'd by Self-love. And there also Humility has her Foot-ftool, a Low and Abject, but an Easie and Quiet Seat, that yields true Rest and Peace to the Soul; our own Nothing, and God's Fulness, being the best Center and Repose of the Creature. A 25. The Sum of this Account is this. Humility in the Primary Sense and Radical Notion of it, is a true and just Estimation of our felves, to think of our felves rightly, and as we ought to think, that is, to think of our felves as we are. But then because we indeed are Vile and Low, therefore Humility in the Secondary Senfe of it (which is the Senfe that now paffes for the ordinary No tion of Humility) imports a Bafe and Low Opinion of our felves. But then this Low Opinion of our felves, is not neceffarily to be understood as to our particular Excellencies, as if it were not confiftent with Humility, to think our felves poffefs'd of them when we have them, but that we think Lowly of our felves upon the whole, fo as not to value our felves upon thofe Perfections which we have, any more than if we had them not from a fenfe of our Dependency upon God, that we are nothing of our felves, nor have ány thing in our felves but what we have received. But then again in this low Opinion of our felves, we are to regard our felves chiefly as to the state of our corrupt Nature, and as a Root or Principle, in which refpect indeed we are nothing, as having nothing Originally from our felves. Then again, this low Opinion of our felves to which Humility obliges us, is to be understood Abso lutely as we are in our felves, and not only Comparatively, with regard to other Men, there being hardly any but who in this latter fenfe do, or may think meanly of themselves. Which low Opinion of our felves, that it may be indeed that Humility which Christianity requires, and to complete the Notion of it, must be as I have fhewn, not a tranfient Act, but a fetled and an abiding Habit of the Soul, tho thoroughly poffefs'd and affected with a Deep and Habitual Senfe of its own Vileness and Unworthiness. And this I take to be true Christian Humility. 26. To perfect the Account of which, I think fit to add thefe Two further Collateral Remarks. First, That Humility is the proper Vertue of a Creature. It is true indeed, that in the moft Large and Primary Sense of it, as it fignifies a true and just Estimation of ones felf, nothing hinders but that God may be capable of it. Nay, 'tis most certain, that he does and must poffefs it, as much as any other Perfection. For to think rightly, is an Abfolute Perfection of an Intelligent Being; one of thofe Perfections which the Schools call Perfectiones fimpliciter fimplices, that is, a Perfection that is purely and fimply fo; a Perfection wherein there is no Imperfection, and not only in a certain Kind, or as to a limited Respect. And therefore the most perfect Being must needs have it whoever wants it; fo that in this Senfe also we may securely fay, we are fure that the Judgment of God is according to Truth, as to himself, as well as to all other things. But indeed, if Humility be confider'd in the more ftrict and reduced Sense of it, and as it is commonly taken for a low Opinion of ones felf,fo God is not capable of it, but the Crea D 3 ture ture only. The Superexcellency of his Nature fets him Infinitely above it, and that even upon the former Suppofition, fince he cannot think truly of himself, without thinking Highly at the fame time to the utmost Degree. But then that Highly, though it would be Pride in us or in any Creature, is not so in him, because he cannot think of himself above what he is, nor confequently above what he ought to think. 27. The other Remark is, that Humility is that special part of the Duty of Man which refpects our felves. We talk indeed of Humility towards God,and Humility towards our Neighbour. And 'tis true indeed, there is fo much Foundation for this way of fpeaking, as that the Effects of Humility will be found to extend even to thefe, there being particular Duties arifing from it, wherein God and our Neighbour are concern'd as well as our felves, as I fhall fhew under a distinct Head for that purpose, when I come to treat of the particular Duties of Humility. But though there may be fome Variety in the Duties of it, yet I think 'tis plain, that the thing it felf properly fpeaking is but one, and that we our felves are the Proper and Immediate Subject of it; Humility being a low Senfe and Opinion of a Man's felf, according to the Measures above defcribed, and fo |