VE R s.to. An ExpojititJn, with Notes then aQ-high eftti-t~':. And fo before inen, as Auguftine faid, He is ' agreat man that iJ not lifted up .becaufe of his greatnefs: ·You are not better then others byyour e/l~tte, bnt your meek.pefs; The Apo!Hespo.f{effed all thingJ, though they had nothing; They have more then you; if they have an humble he~rt. · ; , • Oh(ervat. 3· 3. Thu.t the wa) to be hnmble.is to count t~e . '*or.lds a.dvantages , our abafement: The poor man muft glory m .that he ts exalted, . but the rich, in that he.is m.de low. Honours and riches do but fet us beneath other men, rather then above them , an~ do rather a- ' bate from you, then addany thing ro you; ancf: it may be you have ' /efs of the Spir:it, becaufe.you.have more ofthe World; God cloth not tife to flow in both,ways. Wdl then, Get .this minde in the midfi of you_r abun.Jance, 'tisnothing what you do at other times; /11m dispraife 'that WhiG·h they want, as the Fox the Grapes, and . fimple men, learning: Bot when you are rich, can you glory in that;•ou Arc made low, and fay, all rhis is but low, in regard of the · Sainrs priviledges? This would keep the heart in a right frame, fo - that you could !ofe wealth, or k.fep it; if you lofe it, you do but lofe a part ofyour abafement; if you keep it, you do not l<eep that which fetteth you the higher; or the neerer to qod; This is, to pejfefs all things M ifyou poffeffed them not, I Cor. 7· 3-0. Not to.have them inyour hearts, when you have them inyo.11r houfes: and 'the truth is, this is the way to keep them ftdl, .to be bumble in the pof[e!fion of them; Matth. 23. J2. Who[oever jha/1 exalt / him/elf~ {hall be abafed, ~ndhe that fhatl humble him[tlf, jha/1 be exalted: Riches will be your abafement, if you do not think.. · themfo. · Obfervat.'4· 4· lfWe Would be mP~de low in thhnidfl ofworldly cnjoyments, . . we jhould confider the uncertainty of them; This i:; the Reafon rendered by the Apofile, Bccaufe. M the flower ofthe grafs he foal/ pafi away : We are worldly, becaufe we forget theworlds vanity and our own tranjitorinefs, Pfal. 49· I~. Their inward th~~tght is, that their hortfes foal! continue for ever, ,and their dwelling places t(j all generations; they call their Lands after'their own n~tmes: Either we thmk, that we !hall live for ever, or leave our riches to thofe that wiUcontinue our memory for e'Ver; that is, to our children, which are but the parent multiplied .-tnd continued; which is, as one faith, nodofa .eternittU, a kPotty eternity , when our threed is fpun_out anddoue, their threed is knit to it 1 and fo we ,, ) ·
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