3..o The Mnoritie of the Saints. ,,Pra1.5x,q. infinnea, they haue in them the feedeofall naitgheinetTh,which fo l'cotte as they beginne to beeof any a&ion,and capacity, theweth it felfe : yet intheir infan- cle, yea and for the molt part in their fielt yeeres, they are fame from high thoughts, far from thofe conceitswhichmay breed in them either good opinion of themfelues, orcontempt ofothers. Wefee that Gentlemens,and Noblemens children, when they be yet but young,canfort themfelues in play,and thelike oc- Cartons, with the childrenofpoore men, andare as goodfelloweswith them for thewhile, as may be,withouteither fcorning them,orexpeaing any reucrence or precedence from them r and ifany be of force more lierne and Curly humour, he as forthwith accounted proud, and hated by theref, which are inage his equals. This isa frgneof the freedome ofthat age from haughtineffe.Thelike lowhnellè ofdilpofrtion is required in all Godschildren. Humility is the very firft flepvnto Chriftianity. Amanthat is not humbled,and taught even to carry averymane and bale opinion touching himfelfe, is not fit for any onegooddurie. Godoffe techaboundant mercyvnto vs in his Sonne Chrift Iefns , euen the treafuresof heauenly grace, and the riches ofhis bounty : now the manwhole heart is not beatendowne, is notfit to recciue it. Tell him o£thegoodneffe ofGod, what cares he forit, fo longas he feelernot the need ofit ? Preach to himof the plen- tiful]redemption, which is procured by Chrifts death, and what doth heefteeme it?for he bath nofilch feeling,that itis a wofull thing tobewithout it.Therefore Godref,Jteth theproud, faith the Apoffle,he paffeth themby, that thinke thuswell of themfelues,andareburied intheir owne fecurity, but he giuergraceto the hum. o tPet.íS bk.. Hepale the hungry withgood things P. Hee hark pronounced them happy, p Luk.1.53, which doc tbir or ri hteou nos q The acrd ces ofGod, area contrite Brat a broken q Marh.5.5. g Î f f .% , k pfaf, a.x7. beast, O Godthou Wile not deffi»fer. And, TohimwillI looke,eueh tohim that ispoore, Itfa.64.a. andofa contriteJpirit, :ánd that trembátháemy words r Againe, asan vnhumbled heart isunfit toreceiue the offers ofGods mercy inChrift, fo for the outward meanesof grace (themioiftery and preachingofGods word (beeis vnfit tobee partaker of it. IndeedeGod bath fanátified the publike miniltery, to bee the c a Cot. rat, meaner tofeat chore whichbeleeue , yet he whicheither is fenfleflÿblockilh, with- out any apprehenfon ofhis owne ignorance, or of the excellency of heauenly knowledge : or elfe is wifein his owne conceit, thinking himfelfetoogoodto be initruiled,well he maycomeandgo, and therebybe hardened in hispride,(God in inflicegiuinghim otter varo it)but that he fhould profitby ir,either for the in. ereale of his knowledge,or for the comfort of hiscófcience, it is a matter vtterly u c Cór. ;.zo. vnpofsible: becaufethe Lord(who knaves the thoughtsof the mindto beingvaine a) * Rom. s.na. path threatned to turneall that Teeming wifedome'into folly W, and bath made hispromifes ofguidinginiudgement, of teachinghis Way,ofrevealinghisfecret,only o PC.z5.9,14 to thole which aremeek!, whichfearehim, which be humble%, whichhaue learned y t Cot.;. x a. tobeeoinefooles, thatthey may be wife Y. The word is compared tofeede ° : now :/1",11::43: as the feede can take no good root in the ground, vntill it be turned v with the g' g 61er.4.q plough : foneither can ttieword takeany place,butïna' rent andbroknbheart. Proceedeyet further with a mannot humbled, fromthehearingof the Word to theexercife ofprayer. How is it pofsiblethat he fhouldbeany thingbuta for- mall prayer,anda lip-labourer, that knowernot by perfonall feeling howvnwor. thyacreaturebee is, in refpesof the glorioufnelfeofGodsMaieity 3 that per- ceivesnor the multitudeof his owne wants? that feechnot,and bewailethnot the nakedneffeof hisownt fouler fo that his heart within him is become as the:hirfly ct1h3. yt. lendr,whicheuengapethtoberefrelhedwith theformerandthe latter rained.How 4141.5.7. can hebe trudy thankefoll, whichhath not beeue taught by thr fightofhis owne emptineffe,to acknowledge all good things to fetch their beginningfrom the Lord ? foalto, howcananvnhumble perfon comereverently to theLords Ta- ble,whenas,notfeeling themifetieand anguilhofawoundedconfcience,he bath nodefitefo Nut anAbramsofGods fanentfealedvnto hisfoule? Thus wee fee,
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