Book 3, Chapter 11 — Marks of a Humble Heart

Maxims to know a simple, humble, and true Heart.

105. Encourage thy self to be Humble, embracing Tribulations as Instruments of thy Good; rejoyce in Contempt, and desire that God may be thy only Refuge, Comfort and Protector.

106. None, let him be never so great in this World, can be greater than he that is in the eye and favour of God: and therefore the truly humble Man despises whatever there is in the World, even to himself, and puts his only trust and repose in God.

107. The truly humble Man suffers quietly and patiently internal troubles, and he is the Man that makes great way in a little time, like one that sails before the Wind.

108. The truly humble Man finds God in all things; so that whatever contempt, injury or affront comes to him by means of the Creatures, he receives it with great peace and quiet Internal, as sent from the Divine Hand, and loves greatly the instrument with which the Lord tryes him.

109. He is not yet arrived at profound Humility that is taken with Praise, though he does not desire it, nor seek it, but rather avoids it: because to an humble Heart praises are bitter crosses although it be wholly quiet and immovable.

110. He has no internal Humility who doth not abhor himself, with a mortal, but withal a peaceable and quiet hatred: But he will never come to possess this treasure, that has not a low and profound knowledge of his own vileness, rottenness and misery.

111. He that is upon excuses and replies, has not a simple and humble heart, especially if he dost this with his Superiours: because replies grow from a secret pride that reigns in the Soul; and from thence the total ruine of it.

112. Perfidiousness supposes little submission, and this less humility; and both together they are the fewel of inquietude, discord and disturbance.

113. The humble heart is not disquieted by imperfections, though these do grieve it to the Soul; because they are against its loving Lord: nor is he concerned that he cannot do great things; for he always stands in his own Nothing and Misery; nay, he wonders at himself, that he can do any thing of Vertue, and presently thanks the Lord for it, with a true knowledge that it is God that doth all, and remains dissatisfied with what he does himself.

114. The truly humble man, though he see all, yet he looks upon nothing to judge it, because he judge ill only of himself.

115. The truly humble man doth always find an excuse to defend him that mortifies him, at least in a sound intention: Who therefore would be angry with a Man of good intention?

116. So much (nay more) doth false humility displease God, as true Pride does; because that is Hypocrisy besides.

117. The truly humble Man, though every thing falls out contrary to him, is neither disquieted nor afflicted at it; because he is prepared, and thinks he deserves no less; he is not disquieted under troublesome Thoughts, wherewith the Devil seeks to torment him, nor under temptations, tribulations and desertions, but rather acknowledges his unworthiness, and is affected that the Lord chastises him by the Devil’s means, though he be a vile instrument; all he suffers seems nothing to him, and he never doth a thing that he thinks worth any great matter.

118. He that is arrived at perfect and inward Humility, although he be disturbed at nothing, as one that abhors himself, because he knows his imperfection in every thing, his ingratitude and his misery, yet he suffers a great Cross in induring himself. This is the sign to know true humility of Heart by. But the happy Soul which is gotten to this holy hatred of it self, lives overwhelmed, drowned and swallowed up in the depth of its own Nothing; out of which the Lord raises him by communicating Divine Wisdom to him, and filling him with Light, Peace, Tranquility and Love.