ephefiani, Chap. 4. 4.41 Paradifc , a goodly creature , but very rare. Let us then labour to thew forth this humility in all out Converfa. í y Y tion,and carry our felves humbly toward God and man: Now therefore as the elea1 ofgod , holy and beloved, put en humblenéffe ofmirde, yc. col;. rz. We cannot without it walke worthy of our holy calling. It is a tweet grace a gracious ornament, a goodly piece of that goldenvelure, wherein the been fiords at the Kings right band. Chrift therefore calls on us to lcarne it of him, Learxeofine,for I am meek and lowly in mit'i '7 heart, &c. till we have learned this of him, wehave learned nothing of him, or nothing which will doe us good. And what good 4311 wee have ofthis! We (hall have(faith Chrift) refunto ourfollies. Wee (hall fettle our hearts in peace and enjoy much quietneffe in our Celves. For this is the workof humility that it will expell or calme in us thoCc turbulent paffions of anger, revenge , hatred, &c. Which like boifte- tous windes raife (formes in our hearts, and difturbe our peace. And as when thewindes are laid, theayre iscalme: So will;our foules be at refs and peace in great wrongs and difgraces when theft pafïionsbee kept downe. Whereas the heart ofproud men is as the fea which is of it (elfe ofan unquiet difpofìtion, and betides doth lye open t'o winds and [formes from without: And as there is little or no ccrcaine calme in the Sea; fo [mall quiet in the heart of a proud man. Secondly, we (hall have themore peace without with others: for whence come contentions abroad, but from pride?onely bypride doth Prov. 13. to. a man make contentions, that is the make.bate. Humility is a maker and maintainer ofpeace, as which is taught of lovenot to be provoked, but to fuffer, beare and forbeare in all things. Thirdly,we fhallbe by it the moreufefull in our places and with our graces unto men: for by it we are made the more willingto ferve: The boughes which arebelt loaden with fruit, hang downward,and we can with the moftcafe gather thefruit from them high trees arecommon- lyfruitles,and what growes on them is hard to comeby, it hangeth fo high above our reach, So have we more goodof the humble, as who havemolt good in them, and doe loop to conìmunicateit tous. Such as are proud have for themolt part leaft true good in them, or look fo high,that the fruit they beare cannot be reached of Gods poore people. Fourthly, Imay adde the high favour which they (hall attaine unto with God; For to whom doth the Lord looke, but to the lowly ? înd LCa pf l 378.6 withwhom cloth he dwell, but with the humble f irit to revive the fame? y' sr6:5. This is a fingular priviledge, anhigh dignity which wee may oppofe agaiuft all the fcareofcontempt and being neglr ted amongft men, if we walk humbly, what matters itwhat men efteem ofus, if it pleafe the Lord tohave a more gracious refpett ofus? And if he vouchfafe to come tovifit our Poore cottages, our poore lowly hearts , it nerd not trouble us that men paffeby us . And I dare to fay that salmon did not more delight to be in his fummer Palace, the foreft of Lebanon, or towalke in his goodly gardens, fet with flowers ofall forts, or Or- chards plantedwith treesof all fruit , then the Lord doth delight to Qq 3 dwell
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=