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How to be truly Humble. [ 928]
EPaminondas that Heathen Captain,* 1.1 finding himself lifted up in the day of his publique triumph, the next day went drooping, and hanging down the head; but being aked, What was the reason of that ••is so great dejection, made answer; Yesterday I felt my selfe transported with vain glory, therefore I chastise my selfe for it to day; thus did Hezekiah; thus David; thus Peter, and many others: And so must it be with every truly humbled Man;* 1.2 If he have not the proposed or fore-humility,* 1.3 to levell all his thoughts at the glory of God in the suppression of all self-conceit, nor the opposed or mid humilitie,* 1.4 to banish all selfe-confedence and presumption up∣pon his own strength, let him be sure to double the imposed or after-humility, ma∣king Pride it selfe to humble him the more;* 1.5 And thus it was, that the Psalmist doubles, nay trebles his words, Non nobis Domine, non nobis Domine, &c. feeling some thought of Pride (like some fly) alighting upon his Soul, he beats it away with a Not unto us O Lord; If it lights a second time, he flaps it off again, Not unto us O Lord;* 1.6 but if it comes the third time, he kills it dead with the next word, Sed nomini tuo, but to thy Name give the glory; This is the exercise of a threefold Humility, and if in any of these there be a failing, the best of our actions will be so far tainted, that there will be no remedy to supply that defect, but with doubling our after-humility, that as Pride grew up out of Humility, so Humility may spring out of pride again.