ERRAT A. P. 132. 1. 7. for is, r. in. P. 153. 1. 25. r. does. P. 155. 1. 6. r. deference. P. 156. 1. 27. r. Pufillitas. P. 216. 1. 27. 1. effectual. P. 268. 1. 2. r. deference. P. 278. 1. 12. r. hal- low. P. 362. 1.1. r. Pedegree. P. 365. 1. 8. r. Example. P. 395. 1.3. Note, that the words in Pfalm 18, though in the Print, refer'd to Pfalmist, was by me refer'd to St. Austin upon that Pfalm. P. 408. 1. 26, and 27. For leaves, г. leave. Thefe are the chief Errata, befides a few falfe Pointings which (1) A Practical Treatife CONCERNING HUMILITY. CHA P. I. An Account of the Nature of Humility, Shewing what we are properly to Understand by it. "T HOUGH the Happiness of Heaven be Annexed to our doing the Will of God upon Earth, and not to the bare knowing of it, according to that of our Bleffed Lord to his Difciples, If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them, John 13. 17. Yet fince as Practice is the end of Knowledge, fo Knowledge is the means to Practice, and we cannot fo perfectly do our Duty, unless we B first first rightly understand it; it will be neceffary for every Man that intends the performance of his Duty, to take care that he be first rightly Inform'd in the nature of it, and as the Apostle Exhorts, that he be not unwife, but understanding what the will of the Lord is, Ephef. 5. 17. And therefore, fince Humility is a part, and a very Fundamental part of that Will, 'tis the concern of every Christian rightly to understand what it is, and what it requires, and to have a clear Notion of it fetled in his Mind, not fo much for the Notion's fake (though that be not to be defpised in a Creature whofe Character and Distinction is Reafon) as for the better direction of his Practice in a Vertue of fo great Excellence and Importance. This therefore is what I fhall firft endeavour to give an Account of. 2. By Humility is I think generally underftood a low or mean Opinion of our felves, and of our own Perfections and Endowments, whether Intellectual or Moral, whether Natural or Acquired. When a Man is cheap and vile in his own Eyes, is not High-minded, but thinks meanly of himself, to which perhaps fome would add, and is content that others fhould do fo too. For there is a double view of Humility given us by a Reverend Author, according to the Two Vices to which he confiders it as Oppofed, Pride and Vain-glory. To Pride, as it fignifies a mean Opinion of our felves, and to Vain-glory as it fignifies a Contentedness with being thought meanly of by others. This Humility, fays he, is of two forts the First is the having a mean and low Opinion of our felves; the Second is the being content that others fhould have fo of us. The first of these is contrary to Pride, the other to Vain-glory. Now it is true indeed, that this Contentednefs is opposed to that Vice which we call Vain-glory; but how it comes under the Formal Notion of Humility, so as to make a fpecialty of that general, or how Humility it felf can be oppofed to two Vices which are not to it in the Relation of Excefs and Defect (the only Cafe wherein any Vertue can stand oppofed to two Vices) I find it easier to Inquire than to Comprehend. It seems a clearer way of proceeding, to confider this Contentednefs of being meanly thought of by others, rather as the Effect of Humility, even as its contrary Vain-glory is of Pride, than as a fort of it and accordingly fo I fhall confider it in the Sequel of this Treatife. As alfo to confider Humility it felf as oppofed only to Pride, and not to Vain-glory, and accordingly fo I fhall Apply my felf to confider it. And fince thus confider'd, it is generally made to confift in a Senfe of our own Meannefs and Unworthinefs, B 2 nefs, or low Opinion of our felves, I fhalf' there leave it where the Judgment of the World has placed it, not defigning to give any new Notion of Humility, but only fo to ftate, limit and explain, that which is commonly receiv'd, that we may in fome. measure rightly understand what we all fo highly concern'd to Practice. are 3. In the First place then, when it is faid that Humility confifts in a low Opinion of our felves, I fuppofe we are not to underftand this in a Primary and Immediate, but in a Mediate and Secondary, or if you will, not in a Direct, but in a Consequential Sense that is, that it obliges us to have a low Opinion of our felves, not directly, but as that is the confequence of fomething elfe, to which it does directly oblige us. For the Radical Notion of Humility, and that which is Original in it, and of the first Conception of it, I take to be this, to think truly and justly of our felves, to think of our felves as we ought to think, to think of our felves as we are, neither higher nor lower, neither better nor worfe. For there may be a Fault on that fide too, though there be not fo much Danger of it, nor fo much Mifchief likely to arife from it; and the proper Bufinefs of Humility is to hold the BalJance even between the Extreams, and fo to adjust the matter, that there may be no Ex tra |