Baxter - BJ1441 B3 1673

Things that feem to be Pride and are not. -all. But fame k.tzowledge is mccff..,ry and tmrcji(lible, a~d. we cannot avoid it: .And that which is good mufi be valued,and we mull. be thankful for 1t. Humll1ty doth no more requ1rc that a wife man think his knowledge equal with a fools, or ignorant mans, than that a found man r ..ake himfi:lf to be fick. 4· Whena wife man valucth the ufeful knowledge which God hath given him, above all the glory and vanities of the world, wluch are mdeed of lower worth, thJs ts not Prtde, bur a due efiimation of things. 5· When a wifo "!ll~ defirer~ that others were of !JU mind, for their omt f.Obd, and the Duple~: eO: propagating of the truth, thJs IS not Przde, but Charity and love of truth; Elfe prc<:~chers were the Hunuh:~~: proudefi mw , and Paul had done ill in labouring fo rn~:~cb for mens converfion, and f:tying ro Agrip– ~~r~~~\t~n pa, A&s 26. 2~· [I nwtld t~ GrJd that not only_ thou, but a!fo aD t~at hear me .this da;~, were both Cl/1mrJjt f.rnlla: <JtLa: and al1togetbcr juch tl! I am, except thefe bondt ]. 6. When an tnn~cent man IS conkwus of his inna– c.x rmonc po- ·~enc)•,. a1~d a boly per fin~ is co~C~ious of ~is holinefi, and affured. o.f his !late in grace, and rtjoyceth~ in. tms quam tx. H, and IS thanJiful for It, th1s IS l)Ot Prlde, but an excellent priVIledge and duty. If Angels rejoyce at ~~~~~~~1the convufion of a finmr. (Luke I 5· ) the fimur hath reafon to rejoycc himftlf: And it it be a fin to Aitera gux be unthanlz(ul tor our dally bread, m.u~h more for grace and the hope .of Glory. 7· When we value htcid:a, fcrvi- our good name, and the honour that IS mdeed our due, as,we do other outward common mercicsi not daq; ~~u.l ell: for themfe.lvLs, bur fo far as rher honour God, or t~n~ to rhe good of orhers, or the promoting of ~~2~~5 ~:~:: tru~h .or pu~ty among men, defir1~g. no.mor.e tha~ 1s mdeed our due; t~or ovtr-valuin~ it as rhat ex nuone ex~ wh1c[l.we cannot fp.lre, but fubrmrung 1t to .the will of God, as that wh1ch we can be wahour; this ercccur ~ non is.not Pridr, but a right eflimation of the thing. um~n cura f:~ro~:~f~::~l~t:l;;a~;;;.. r;;t, ~ ;e~.q~~3~v~r~~~es J opus efi ro!unt..tis. Na~1 ficut virtum per u ·ioncm cognofcimus, iu per di-. Thcoutw:trJ §. 7• The oHtward forming! which are oft mifiaken for the figm and fruits of Pride by others, are ~f-P;~d~1~h~t fuch as tbefe. J , When a Magiftrate or other Govcrnour doth maintain the hMour of his place, which aunot it. is necdfary to his fucccsful Govemment; and liveth according tO his degree: When Princes, and Rulers, and Mafiers, and Parents, do keep that dijlance from their fubjeC\:s, and ffrvants, and fc:holar[; and children, which is meet and nc<.dful to their good, it is u!Ually mif-judged to be their Pride. 2· When a finncr i5 convinced of the necefficy of Holine(l in a time and place where it is rare; and infidelity or prophancfs and ungodlincfs is the common road, rhe neccffary fi~gu/arity of fuch a ·one in giving up himfelf to the will of God, is commonly charged on him as his pride : As if he were pr()ud that cannot be cemented to be damned in Hell for company with the motl; or to defpife falva– tion if moll: defpife it , and to forfake his God wheb rnof\ forfake him ; and to fcrve the Devil when ~;::.~~~!sa moll men ferve him. Ifyou will not fwear, and be drunk, and game, and fpend yam time 1 even the man may Lords day, in vat;lity and fenfua.licy, as if you we~e afraid of being favcd, and as if it were your bu– pr.aife hi~fdf f)mefs.to work out your damnatton, the world wtll call you proud and fi~Tgular, and think.. it jlraMe !' 1 tbour mcur· that yuu run not with them to excefi of riot, fpealzing evil of )ON, 1 Pet. 4· + You lhall quickly he~r ~~ ~~~~;? rhem fay, Ewhat,will you be wif:r d~an all the Town? \Vhac a Sa~nt! \.Yhar a holy precifian is this?) blamed and When Lot was grieved for the fihhmefs of SQdom, they fcvrn htm as aproHd coJIIroUtr, Gen. 1 9 . 9 , fuR~reth re- ['This om fellow came in to fjourn, a11d he will nrrds he aJudgt]. And what r.hought they of Noab pt!l::Jch f~r . that walked with God in (o great fingu/arity, when the world was drowned m ( and for) their !'tll{;d~tS", ~s wickcdnefs? '.Vhen Davi(l humbltdbiJ (out with fajling, they turned ir to bi.r rrproach, Pfalm 69. ro. ~~~i1f;ah1 ~1elf: & 35• 13. Efpecially when any of the fervants of Chrilt do prefs tqwards thehighcji dej.ret of holinefs, &c.p.t;. 3o4• they Ch .. d) be fure to be accoumed Proud and FiJ'pocri.Jes. And yet they accu{e not thu child or fervant of Pride who exceileth all the reil: in pleaji1tg them, and doing their work! Nor do they take a fick man eo be proud, if he be carefuller rban others to recover his he<~lth. But he that will do moft for Hca:.Jen, and moft carefully avoideth fin and Hell, and is mof\ ferious in his Religion, and moll ·induftrious to pleafe his God, this man 01al1 be accounted Proud. 3· He: 1hat will not fOrfake his God and betray the truth, and wound his confcicnce by willful fin, but will do as Daniel and the three confdfors did, Van. 6. & 3· and anfwer as chey anfwered, will be accounted Proud. But it is no Pride ro prefer God before nmt; and w fear dlmnacion mar.: rhan imprifonment or death. The army of Martyrs did nor in Pridt prefer their tJwn judgemems before their fuperiors that condemned them ; bur they did it in obedience ro God and trurh, when that was revea_led to babes, which was hid from the wife, and prudent, and great, and noble of the world. 4• When thofe that arc faithful to the honour of Chrifis fovcr~inty, dare not approve of Papal ufurpations, againfi: his Laws, and over his Church and the Confciences of his Subjects, they tltall by the Popi!h ufurper5 be called Proud and dtfpijir~ of Government; as if aV[t.,prr of the Kingly powet lhould callus proud becaufe we dare not confcnt to hi1 pride; or call us 1rtJytorJ JOr not being Tr3)•tors as he is himfclf. 5· When a man that hath the fcnfe of the matters of God and mens falvarion upon his heart, is zealous and diligenr to teach them to others, and if he be a Minifier, be fervent <i.nd laborious in his minifiry, he is called Pr,md, as one that mull needs have all men of his mind : Thoubh compaffion to fouls, and aprnefs to teach, and Preaching inHantly in fealOn and our of fCafOn, Le h!s necetfuy duty required of God. And what is tht Minillry for but to dllnge mens minds, and bring them to rhe full obedience of the truth ? 6. Ifa man undertlandeth the truth, in any poinr of piuinity, better than mort others, and l~oldetl1 any truth which is not there in credit, or commonly received, he {hall be accounred Ptoud, for pre~ fuming to be fo fiog1.dar, ·and feemin§ wifer than thofe that rhink they are wili:r than he. But Humi- . ~

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