455 / 808
VIER.
_.
8phefians,
Chap.
4.
is
of
a
good temper and pretty
keen
edge, but without
a
handle
to
cut
with; or
a
piece
of
good
fine
cloth, whofe
colour
is
faded,and fo
is
the
leffe
faleable: filch was
the
cafe
of
holy
lob
praifing himfelfe againft
the
foule afperfions
which
his
friends laid upon
him,
lob'.
z9.3ó.
And
of
bleffed
Paul defending himfelfe againft
the detractions
of
the
Palle
Apofties,
z
Cor.r
I.
22.
Humility
wil
digeft
and put up
much contempt
,
fo
it
be but
of
a
mans
owne
perfon As
a
child
is
not yet
taken up
with
any great
thoughts
of
his
birth,
place
or
wealth,
and fo
paffeth
over the more
lightly
reproaches
or
contumeliesdone
him by his
followes:fean
hum-
ble man
is
but
mean
in
his
own fight,&
is
therefore the
leffe
moved at
contempt;
and none can have
a
lower
efteem
of
him
then
he
hath
en-
tertained
of
himfelfe.
Or
ass
it
doth
nothing detradt from the prise
and
worth
ofa
pearle,
if
a
dung-hill
Cock
negle& it and fcrape it afide as
of
no
worth or
tire
for
him: So it
is
no difparage
went to the
true grace
and goodneffe which
is in
an
humble man, ifcarnall perfons,who
can-
not
difcerne
of
fuch
things, contemne and reproach him.
With
what
filence and
quietneffe of mind did our Saviour
Chrift put
up
thofe
in-
finite
reproaches
and
contempts which were
offered
him, at
all
which
he
did
not
fo
much
as open
bis
mouth!
When
Davids enemies
fpake
ma-
ny
evil(
things againfthim,
he was as one deafe
that
heard
not
,
as
dumb:
and
held
his
peace.It
was
no fmallcontempt which
was put upon
the
A-
ponte
Paul by
the
Corinthians,
at
the mitigation
no
doubt
of
the
falle
Apoftles,that
he was
little
betterthen a
mad
man
and
betides
himfilfe,
which yet
he makes
light of.
Notwithftanding humility
will,and indeed mull (titre
At
forte
con-
tumely,
and
contempt, when
it reaches
further then
a
mans
owne per
-
fon,
and
redounds to
his
place,
calling and
authority, to
take away
that
refpeEl in
publique which
is
due unto
him,
and
fo
to
make him
the
leffe
ferviceable and
profitable
in
his
place.
Thus
Eli/ba was fo
much
moved
at
that
infolent reproach
of
the
Children
mocking
him
and
cal-
ling
him bald-pate,
that
he
curfed them
in
the
name
of
the
Lord.
Humility
doth
aright value
and efteem
of other
men , and will
make
us
ready to
ferve
them,
if
occafion be , even beneath our place
and
condition.
None
better
keeps
thole
precepts
of
the Apoftle then
the humble
man, that
we
/hould
efleem
others
better then
our
[elves, and
that in
giving
honour
we
fiould
preveit
one
another.
As therefore
hee
doth
willingly
and
without indignation
afford unto his fuperiours
the
honour,
refpeEt and
fervice due
unto
their:
fo
he
doth not
defpife his
inferiours,
but acknowledgeth what good
is
in
any
of
them,
Both ufe
them with
refpe
1,
tender
and maintaine
their credit and efteem, not
Peeking
to oblcure othersthat
he may
fhine
and rulealone.
The
Sunne
lends
of
his
light to the other flarres, that they
may
Thine
in
their time
and
proper orbs
:
fo
doth
an
humble
man
not take
pleafure
wholly
to
eclipfe
others parts and credit, but
is
ready
to
communicate
of
that
credit
and
reputation
which
hee
hath tó others even
his
inferiours,
if
they
have any
worth
in
them,
to
bring
them into
account and main-
taioè
4
Ois
2.
Efay.ç;;
y.
Pfal.;Y.
zCor.S.sr;
z
Kings
s.s;.
04.
3
Mild.
;:
Rom.,
2.10.