Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

830 7h.at meare citizens of heaaen. p a.Cor.t.9. with heauenly creafures; as the Apolile tef +ifie th, p Te knee} (faith he) the grace of oar Lord !elite are, that he being rich foryour f4e:became peore,that ye by hispouertiemight be made rich.The Ike contempt he alto fiewed ofworldly pleafures, (pending his time in watching, andpraying,preaching, and teaching; in wearifotne Tourneys, and fore trauell,accoun- tingit his chicle pleafuretopleafe his heauenly Father, and Io64 34 even his q meate and drinke to doe his will. Finally, in all things our Sauiour Chrifi humbled hitnfelfe,fetting light by worldly profperi tie, in comparifon of that glorie which was referued for him with his Father. Whole example we alto arc to imitate,as the Apofile exhorteth vs`! Lei (faith he) the fame mindc be in you, that war euen in Chrifi lefus, who being in the forme e f Çod, thought it no rebberie to be equal! with God : but he made himf elf of no reputateon,and teale on him the forme of ei feruant,and was made like vat a men, and Was found in'hope as a man. lie humbled htmfelfe and became obedient onto the death, euen the death o f the crof/e; wherefore God bat h ago ex- alted htm,and giuen him a name aboneeuery name.O why ther- lorefhould wee ambitioufly afpire vnto honours, feeing the fonne ofGod himfelfe was content for our fakes to bec thus abafed ? Why fhould the feruant defire immodcratly to bee advanced, when his Lord and Mailer was thus humbled ? Why fhould wee greedily lecke after thofe riches which Chrifi Iefus the w ifedonte of his Father contemned ; feeing if they had been abfolutely good, and worth the hauing, he who is Lotd of heauen and earth, might haue abounded with them? Why fhould wee dote vpon voluptuous plea- fures,feeing our Sauiour Ipent his time in ainfull labours, and attained vnto the eternall ioyes of hisfathers kingdom, by trauelling in the vnpleafant way of troubles and aflli- &ions? In a word, why fhould wee adore the world as our earthly idoli, and fet our hearts and affeaions vpon thofe mornentanie vanities, when as all the faithfull from time to -time,hatteby the contempt of them entred intoeuerlalhing ,a,olorie? Why fhould we dreame ofhauing a fpeciall difpen- .fationand priuilege,aboue all the ref+ ofGods faithfull chil- dren, and thinke that wee may cleauc and cling vnto the world