¢60 The Life of Faitb. hath the gold Ring, and the gay apparel, while they flight the b: it and wifen that are poor : The) blejs the Covetous whom the Lord abbarreth, PfaI. r o. 3. And they think if they be poor. and low themíclves, how brave a thing is it tobe high and rich : And had far rather be rich than gracious, and be higher in the world, than to have a lowly mind. But the humblehave learnt ofChrift to be meek and lowly, Math. it, 29. and arc till learning it of him more and more Theyhad rather have Pauls heart, that countedaß things as lofs anddung for Chrír, and learned to aboundand tofifer want, and in every _ifate to becontent, than to be lifted up with worldly vanity. They know that it is better to be ofa bumble [pint with the lowly, than to divide thejpoils with the proud, Prov, 16. 1.9, And as thebrother of low degree (being a fanftified Believer that can ufe all for God) mutt rejoyce when he is exalted ; fo mutt the brother ofhigh degree, when he is made low, Yam. g., 9, io. They pitty a Dives in his purple and fik, more than a Lazarus at his gates in rags. They with not too eagerly for fo dangerous anexaltation, fromwhich they fee fo many ter- ribly caft down. They much more honour a poor Believer, than a pompous Griner. For in their eyes a vile perjon is con- temned ; but they honour them that fear the Lord, Pfal.15. 4. 7. The high - minded are athamed of low employments : If they be teen doing fetch work as is accounted bate, or proper to poor inferiourperlons, they think they are d thonoured : If the proud fort of the Patiors ofthe Church, had been Cent as Paul and the Apofiles, to travel about the world on foot, and to preach the Gofpel in their humble felt, denying terms, they would have Paid that this was an unfuffcrable drudgery ; and Chritt muti have provided more encouraging rewards oflearn.. ing, or elfe he fhould have been no Mailer of theirs. Yca a fer- vant that is proud, will difdain the loweft works of your fees vice, as if it were a difgrace tohoop to low, But the lowly do learn ofChriti another leffon. He !loopt to wafh and wipe the feet of his Difciples, to teach them what to do toward one another. Not as the Pope dothonce a yea r wafh tome poor mens feet, by a Scenical ceremony (For Piety and Charity arc both turned into imagery and, ceremony by Sa- tan, when hc.would deßroy thetas) but feirioufly to inftruá: his
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