264 The Proud and Scornful S ER M. for their proper exercife in a fair enquiry X. and feeing by his wickednefs he fo provoke eth God, grieving his fpirit who teacheth men, and giveth them underftanding, how is it poflible he fhould find wifdom ? All the application I fhall make, is only to exhort you to humility, as a molt ne- ceffary qualification for your increafe in ufe- ful knowledge, and in every chriftian vir- tue ; God giveth grace to the humble. There is no difpofition more becoming our reli- gious profeffion and charaEter as difciples of Chrift, who hath commanded his followers to imitate him, and learn of him, for that he is meek and lowly in heart, and declared that one of the heft preparations for enter- ing into his kingdom is humility, which he reprefenteth by the emblem of the harmlefs innocence and unambitious fimplicity of a child, Matt. xviii. 3. having called a little child, and fet him in the midit, he Paid, except ye be converted and become as little children, ye (hall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whof ever, therefòre, (hall bum- ble himfelf as this little child, the fare is greate /l in the kingdom of heaven. There may be miftaken notions concern- ing this as well as other chriftian virtues, It is far from confifting in any fuch fenti- ments
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=