Ofhumiitie. graces ofGod, inpreaching, praying and admonifhing, we Iauenoebeen lei carefdl and fo the neerer to fomefall, and vafiteer to receiue fomenew benefit, vnttll the Lord by humbling of vs bath prepared vs with Come new desire. And hereupon commeth it to paffe, thatwhen wehaue beenfo,nelong time bathed, and asit wereenbalmed, withfoute inward feelings and outward fruitesof the holy Ghat., we haue been correaed for that felfe-loue, and buffeted wichfome priuie pridedwelling in theflefh, byfotne grieuous'dth pride deadnes and dulnesof thefpirit, humbling vsunder the hands of God, as it did the A- efit. poftleFasi. Now as wehaue bythefe examplesof others, andexperience in our tildes i..Coraz. proued,that an hautie mmde goeth beforedeftruEtion : foon the contrarie wewill prone, (vfing noneother order but that before fetdowne) that beforehonour goeth lowímeffè. Saul before he wasexalted and aduauncedto thefcepter,hid:himfelfein great humilitie, salt. as one that thoughthimfelfe vnworthiefo great a dignitie, and lb afterwardwasexalted. Ahab though a molt wickedman, humbling himfelfe at Eliasrebuke, wasnot purifhed Ahab. in his owneperfon, but in hispofteritie. Rehoboambeing humbledwith hispeople, was Rsa"."' mo ?. exempted from thatplague, which otherwife was liketohaue fallenvpon bun. But this we may behold more in godly, werefeathofereuelationsanda a- so'`7 Y g. Y P PP r.xing ritionsofAngels, whichinformertimes happened to thefathers being humbled :orwhe- ther we confider other gracesof God in like efface beftowed upon them, Abraham was r.King.,z zç: humbled, Ifaacwas humbled, Jacob washumbled ; then camethe promife,then appeared themedye io Angels, then receiued theyvifions. fofeph thoughhehad goodgraces ofGod, yet ieatfthe Abraham, violence of vnbridled youth fhould carrtè him away, he was humbled, the iron prarced 7faac. hisfoule, his feete were inthe ftockes,hisplacewasamong theitnprifoned : yet after tome ',cob. timeof triall hewasexalted,' notmeanely,but very highly, ofesalbeit he had fome in- Iefepb. Itin4of the Lord that he fhould be the gouernour of theL speople, betides his fortie `7lofer. yeeres in the court, had fortieyeerestrauaile in the defart, nd afterwardwasaduanced. After Sr David hadreceived manypledges of Godsfauourtowardshim,as being.annoyn- Dadg ted king,and in that heobtained greatviEtories in ouennatching the Beareand theLyon, r° inonerthrowing the furious Philifline, afterhe had'cured the raging fpiritofamad man, byhis fweetemuficke: yet as one not fuficientlyprepared fortheworke ofthe Lord, he was preferred byhumilitie. Ifwe confiderdollthe kings ofIuda and Terufalem, as ofEtc- Eafkiah, kiah, lofah, Afa, and others, we than feehowEzekiah weptfore, confeftedhis fumes, and 144,_'('' was muchhumbled,before thehealthofhis bodie wasreftored untohim. loffah before the Efai.38. Lorddid vfehimin the reformationofhis Church, hadhis heart broken. Yea,before the 2..Cro.34.r5i. Apòftles receiued that great gift, the fending downe of the holy Ghoft vpon them, they 17. werehumbled with the Iewes, they were fhaken withagreat winde, and afterfo folemne apreparation, theywereenduedwithfweetegracesofthefpirit. Andthroughoutehe . whole vòlmtte of thebooke of God it is manifeft, that when the Lord would ppeare by Eechre1. vifions orAngels tohis holy people, hehumbledflefh and bloodbefore, as wefee in lacàb, £ti abeth, Ezechiel,Zacharie,Elizabeth,andMarie thebleffed virgin. lane Now to cometo the reafons why the Lord inwifedome vfetli todeale with his on this Yvberefore manner:wemufì know thatthereforethe Lordrefufeth the feruiceof theproud, becaufe the Larde thenweare vnfit toglorifie his riame, weare vnprofitable to doe good vnto ourbrethren, i humbleth we arevnpreparedby pride to recnueany mercieatthehands ofGod. And no marueile : Inc reehaen beheserat for howfhouldwelookethat God fhouldput honour vpon vs invfingvs andourferyicé, he/month when werefufeto glue the glorieof hisownegraces tohim againe ? Andwhy fliouldnot esdcronth hedifhonour vs with thewant of hisgraces, whenwe fodifhonour him with abiding his an m graces t Again, feeingvfüally fiuti is ourweldoingtoothers, as is ouraffe&ionand com- paffion tothem that needeour helpe, and thepride ofourowne abundance benummeth races. Vs, and maketli vs fenceleirein the wants of öthers; how canwe findeour hearts aright to any good dutie to our brethrens neceffrtie, whenfor want of humilitie and tender af. feEìion we haueno regardof their wants, norfeeling of their toiferie? Befides, ifwhen we areputt vp witha perfwafronofperfef2ion, and reft in thefecuritie ofour prefentfafe- tie, we are entangled and fettered thatwe cannot humble our (clues in prayer beforethe Lord ; how fhall we thinkeourfelues to becapable ofanyWelling from the Lord, wliofe H 4 due.
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