The Spiritual life, andIn-being me tell you this : that look what that is wherein you do Humble your (elves before the Lord, therein the Lord will exalt you. Doeft thou humble thy felf before the Lord in regard of thefe outward things? There will the Lord Exalt thee. Doeft thou humble thy felf before the Lord in regard of thy Parts, and thy Gifts ? There will the Lord exalt thee. Doeft thou humble thy felf before the Lord in regard ofthine ownGraces? and thine own Obedience? and thineown Righteoufnefs ? Therein will the Lord ex- alt thee. Ye know that john the Baptift faid concerning Joh 3.30 Chrift, He mull increafe, but I muff decreafe. And faiesYam job.1.27 again concerning our Savior Chrift, Wbofefhoe-latchet Iam not worthy tounloofe : Or, whole Jhoos Iam not worthy to carry. Mark how he humbles himfelf toJefus Chrift : And mark Mata 1. how Chrift honors john ; Oh ! (faies Chrift) There's not a IT . greater among women, than John the 13aptifi : Chrift exalts Mae.S.S him. And fo faies the Centurion, Oh ! Lord, I am not worthy that thou fhouldefi come under my roof. Mark how he humbles himfelf here before the Lord Chrift : And mark Verf. i o. what our Savior (ales of him, I tell you,, I have not found fuel, faith, no not in lfrael. So that lookwhere thou Hum- bleft thy felf, there will the Lord Exalt thee. Soul ! doeft thou define therefore, that the Lord would Exalt thy Gra- ces,that thy Gifts and Graces fllould be increafed ? Hum- ble thy felf there, and learn to Deny thy felf in fpiritual things ; not only in regard of outward, but in fpiritual things ; that you may fay, I live, yet not I. gatell. But you will fay, This it a hard thing : What may we do, that we may be able to deny our felves infpiritual things ? Firft, Never perform any Duty, but as often as thou canft, refle& upon thyperformance, and obferve the De- feets thereof. When ye write a Letter, after ye have written it, you reade it over : Or what ever ye write (almoft) if it be ofany concernment, after ye havewritten it, then you reade it over; and ifye find any thing amifre, then ye blot it out, and whenye have done, ye take your fand-box,and throw dull upon it ; or ye go to the Chimney, and take a flies
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