aChriftians Growth. in the Pocket, among huge and manywinds, Then to brin%judge mentforth to viElory, that is a vie ory indeede. Laxly, as God doth it to advance his owne grace, and con- found the devil, fo for holy ends that concerne the Saints them- felves : As, 1. To keep them from fpirituallpridg. He trailed the Angels that fell, with a full and compleat 1}ock of grace at firft, and they, though railed up from nothing a few dayes afore, fell into fuck an admiration of themfelves,- that heaven could not hold them, it was not a place good enough for them ; [They.left] (the text layes) their owne habitation and firf eflate, 7ude, ver. 6. Pride vom the condemnation ofthe devil', i Tim.3.6. But how much morewould thishave beene an occalion of pride to a foule that was full ofnothing but fin the other day, tobe made perfetl pre- fently ? perfecly to juaifie us the fir(day by the righteoufneffe ofanother, there is no danger in that, for it is a righteoufneffe without us, and whichwe cannot fo eafìly boaR of vainly ; for that faith that apprehends it, empties us fira of our felves, . and goesout to another for it. But Santlification being a work wrought in us, we are apt to dote on that, as too much upon excellencie in our fettles ; how much adoe have poore belee- vers t© keepe their hearts off from doting upon their owne righteoufneffe, and from poring on it, when it is (God wot) a very little ? They mua therefore have fomething within them . to pull downe their fpirits, that when they look on their fea- thers, they may looke on their feet, which Chriff (ayes are í1a1!. defiled, john r 3. t O. 2. However, if therewere no filch danger of fpirituall pride upon fo fudden a rife, (as indeed it befalls not infants, nor filch foules as dye as Toone as regenerated, as that good thiefe) yet however Godchinkes it meet to ufe it as a means to humble his people this way even as god left the Canaanites in the land, tovexe the Ifraelites, and to humble them. And ro have beene throughly humbled for fin here, will doe the Saints no hurt a- gaina they come toheaven, it will keepe them Nothing for ever, in their owne eyes, even when they are filled brim full ofgrace . and glory. For a. nothing humbles fo as finne. This made him cry out, D 3 Oh.
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