Chap. 3 3. An Expóition upon the Book cf o a. Verf. IS. 3Z i themmuch lower. While we confider fin in a twofáld notion, how fhould it humble us ? Firfi, as dwelling or abiding in us ; Secondly,. as aged and brought forth by us in either ofihefe wayes ; look on fin, and the heart mull needs come down:. ; thus poyfon may expel!.poyfon,.the remembrance of fin abiding in us and aeled by us, may be a flop to the further .aging, asof all e- ther fin>, foefpecially of this fin, pride. Seventhly, Let us be muchin the meditation of Chrift hum- bling and abating himfelfe for us. What can kill pride, if the, humblings of Chrifl doe not ? O how may we fchoole and cate- chife our proud foules with the remembrances of Chrifl in his a- batements I What ! an humble Chrifl, and a proud Chriflian ! an humble Matter, and aproud Difciple I did Chrisl empty himfelfe. and make himfelfe of nn, reputation , and fhall'-we who are but emptinefle be lifted tap with a reputationof our felves,or with the. reputation which others have of us ; did he abafe himfelfe to the forme of a fervant, and fhail. we lift up our felves ,..as if we rein ned as Kings ! he humbled himfelfe and became .obedient to death, eventhe death of the Croife;.and what have we to glo- ry inbut theCroffe of ourLord ].efus Chrift.( Gal: 6.14.) ifwe bave any thing tobe proud of ,'tis the Crofle of Chrifl, God for bid (faith Paul) that Ifhouldglory (or rejoyce and triumph)' fave in the Croffe ofour Lord fefus Chraf, ., whereby Iam crucified, to the world, and the world. to me. Think often and much of the humblings of Chrift, acid then you will think of your felves as meere nothings. This is the moft effeguall means, through the Spirit, tobring downe the fwellings of our hearts, and to hide, pride from man. Thus muchof the fecond defigne of Chrifl in (peaking toman in dreames and vifions of the night; the third, followeth. Vert. x8. He keepeth back.hisPole from the pit, and his life from perifhing by the(word. This verfe holds out another gracious intendment of God, in revealing himfelfe toman by dreames and vifions of the night. He doth it thereby togive man warning and wifdome to prevent and efcape that deft u lion which is,ready to fall upon him. He keepeth backhis [axle from thepies firne:
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