434 L'pbe¡ians, Chap.4. V z R. z, fwered that he cared not how vile and low he made himfelfe to ho- nour God. And howdid it this wayprevaile with our bleffed Saviour, who to ferve his heavenly Fatherand accomplifh his will inthe redem- ption ofmankind, though bee were in the forme of God and equal! with God, yet he emptyedhimfelfe ofhis glory , made himfelfe ofno rut. b,7. ¡ reputation, tooke on himsheformeofa fervant, andbumbled him/clfe unto the death, even to the death of the Croft. And thus humility fhewes it felfe towardGod. Toward men, thefeare the fpeciall things wherein it doth appeare. Firft, it dothnot affed,nor feeke after praife and ho. nour,cior, the outward frgnes of it. It is not as a point of pride in the Scribes and Pharifees, that they loved to jet up and donne in their long Mar. z;. 5,6,7. gowns, to weare theirfringes longer andtheir phylatieries broader then or- dinary, tohave theuppermofi (late in their Synagogues, andchiefeft roome Mach. s. at flails, tobefaintedandbowed to in the (!reefs andmarket , tobee called Rabbi, and held the only matters of Ifrael', that they delighted ro heare Luke 2Q. 25. themfelves praifed, and toolltrder that theirpraifes fhould be publifh- ed with found of trumpet, and would praile themfelves rather then goe without praife; which is taxedas an Epidemical! difeafe amongft Prov.eo. e. men by Solomon: Many men will boaft, every one of his ownegood- neffe. Humility then teachethmen to walke inanother ftraine, not to affeâ fuch outward fignes ofhonour amongft men, nor to be lifted up therewith out ofthemfelves and above others. But if theyhave them, according to their place and parts given them,to entertainethem withmodefty andwithout exaltingof them. felves thereupon: If they have them cot, not to ftrive ncr contend thereabout. An humble man will rather put them off from him, as Peter did the Centurions honour offered him, then affèt t them, as Ha, man did the bowingofevery knee unto him; and goe away with leffe then his place may challenge, rather then makeany contentions forthe fame. The like it is in praife, which humilitywill not leek after , nor will an humbleman take pleafure to heare his praifes fet forth by o- ther. His opinion that he bath ofhimfelfe is fomean; that he thinkes little praife due unto him. And farreit is from him then to chaunt his ownepraifes. Doewe begin topraife ourfives again r and , wee praife a. 2 :. not ourfelves (faith Pail.) He will goe without it rather then beg ir, or proclaitrte it himfelfe: If his workspraife him not, hismouth (hall not. Andyetit may be that anhumbleman may fpeakhis ownepraife, but he coinmeth to it unwillingly, he doth it bafhfully: het is forced to it by themalicious and unjufl calumnies of adverfaries, where it is ra- therthe glory of God and credit ofthe Gofpell which throughhis fides is ftruckcn at, then his owneeftimation that doth make himplead for him felfe, and perhaps fpeak hisowne praife; or ifit be a care ofhis owne good name that he have fome refpeét unto, yet it is not that lee may be counted fome body among men, but that he maydoe the bet. ter ferviceuntoGod, and doe the more good among men in his cal- ling , whereunto a good eftimation and report cloth much availe: Which loft or abated, a man ofgood partsand gifts isas a knife which is Luke 20.46. s Cor.;.t. &
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