Bi the Graft of Chrif. I. It bringeth us under the actual promife of the Spirit : For though there be a workof the Spirit, which caufethus to Believe, before our acîual faith in nature, yet the further gift of the Spi- rit for Mortification , is promifed upon Condition of our faith. And upon the performanceof that Condition, we haveright to the thing promifed. It is by faith that we fetch ftrength from Chrift for he conqueft of this and all other enemies. If we could believe , thefe mountains would be cart into the Sea ; andall things are pofiible to us, if we could believe, Mark 9. 23. a. Thebelieving Meditationof the Crofs of Chrift, doth make us apprehenfive of the Vanity and Enmity of the world, and fo doth kill our efteemof ir,and afeâion to it. For whenwe con- fider how little Chrift did fet by it and howhe made it his work profeffedly to contemn ir, this will tell ús how to think of it our felves. For doubtiefs the judgement of Chrift was true : He was able todifcern between good and evil :. If it had been valuable, he would have valued it. He wouldnot have contemned it, if it had not been contemptible. Hecould havehad better ufage in the world,if he haddeuired it,and thought it meet. But he would thewus by his Example as well as by hisDoctrine, how to judge of it, and what to expea from it. If you law the wifeft man in the world tread a thingunder feet in the dirt, or throw it away; you would think it werea thing of no great worth. When you are tempted to fee too much by your credit, and to fin againft God for the efteemof men, remember that Chrift Made himfelf of no reputation, Phil. 2.7. And can your reputa- tion be lets then none ? How did he value his honour with men, that gave his cheeks to be (mitten his face to be fpit upon , his head to be Crowned with thorns, and his body to be arrayed contemptuoufly like a fool , and at late to be hanged as a con- temned thing among malefactors on the Crofs ; to be re- viled by thofe that paffed by, and by him that fuffered with him? Learn hereof him,that all of us muff learn of, how far to fet by your honour inthe world. Are you tempted to fet by the riches and full provifion or pof lemons of the world ? Remember how Chrift fet by them ; When he might have had all things , and refufed to have a place to lay his head. When [ he wat rich, yetforyour fake., he became poor , that le through hid poverty might be rich , a Cor, 8.9. And 55
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