ciYfsffaJl,ing of Ckriff., 139 make him in head of all friends, companions, applauders, and approvers to his foule. What hindered the parents of the blind man from profeßing Chrift, frommaking men- tionof Chrift having done fach amiraculous curtefie to their t Ioh. a:. childe ; but their overprizing of man , they L feared the 9' .7ewes, they were loth to difpleafe the jewes , unwilling to lofe their place in the Synagogue among the J'ewes. Why did not the Rulers, which with a dogmaticall and hiftoricall faith beleeved in Chrift, code* Chrift ? why did they not deny all for Chrift ? why did they not open- ly profeffe and exalt Chrift ? u becaufc of the Pharifees they u ïoh t a:42. did not confefe him, leaft they should be put out of the Sy- 4' nagoe, for they loved the praife of men more than the praife of God. We can never rightly value Chrift, till we have learned to height and undervalue man , the vaine and empty favour and applaufe of man. Here W can ye beleeve Iuh, ç.44, (faith Chrift ) how can ye embrace me , dedicate your felves to me, and partake of me : Which receive honour one of another, and feeke not the honour whichcommeth from God onely ; the foule never gaines fweet and gracious communion with Chrift , which efteemeth and doats on the fellowloip of tinfoil men. x He that cannot x;Luk.r4.i6. hate father and mother with a comparative hatred, that can- not rejecft the fellow{hip, friendship, and applaufe of car- nall men for Chrift, can never come to Chrift ,never be a true 1)ifciple of Chrift, never have the fweet enjoyment of Chrift. 5. A carnali iudgine and mifiaking of Chriff. Men doe not difcerne nor conceive of Chrift aright, they learn net Chrift as the truth ù in bim,they misjudge the knowledge of Chrift, efteeming it zfoolifhnefJe, vaine, idle, unprofita- ble knowledge, whereas this is a excellent, and fuperlative knowledge, tranfcending all the knowledge and wifedome of the world, as the Sunne the gloe-worme,,they difcerne not the love of Chrift any more then the dead doe the warmth of the Sunne, being b alienated from the lite of b Eph.4.19. God, and part feeling, they tafte not any fweetneffe, they feele not any comfort in Chrifts love, whereas his love is fweeter , S,Níif}akinb of Chrif: yEph 4.27. $ i Cor, 2,14. a Phil.j.&.
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