4 Th::vfc. t.Ru!co( 112ppmcnc. f Luk,.S,1o. 'f· lj/n Bxpojition qfChrijlr ! M.wh.5·\ ~----~~--~~~~~--~~~----------~ ~ o . ;. _ i many timu, 1Yitb the crof{e in rhU world. A nqgoodnef{c in rhei"t' hearu, thq defjulirein them~ ~ \ VVhercby hcc !hikes at the roorc of their carfel!ll's,andflicwholly tq the mercy of God in Chr~/l, 1 . nallconccir, who pbccd true happincffcin forgracc audcomfqrt, 4J La::::..ar,m did toDr.;esl , ounvard rhings,:md looked for outward peace gateJforoutwardrclecfe. and profpcrinc vpon the recciuing of the GoSeeing Chrift dorh lhus fer out the pedOn vrc:. ,. !' fpcl. that is truelv bletfcd let vs fee whcthrr we be ,~ Trbll 1~fom As this is the fcopc of the doChinc follow.. in the number ofthe'fe poorc ones. Indeed \\'t poucmc. ing, fo it fiands vs in hand to learnc the i3mc, hau.c many poorc among vs, fomc that by ex- :md to fin de e:mcricnce hereof in our O\o\'OC ccf\c and ryor hanc fpent their fubllancc-, 3nd I hearts, that true 'comfort and felicity is :1ccom... others that through idlencffe incrca(c their · panied wtth manifold mii'b:ries in this life. 1n- \~ant; as rhc wandring.beggcrs,:~. finnet"nll and / dccdc carnal! wifdomc- dc'cmcth them happie dtfordcrcd people, who ioync thcmfclues to 1 that cnioy outVI.'Olrd pence, wealth, & plcafure: no <;'hurch :.butno?cofthe(c can b_¥ _tl~cir po- ! but this conceit mufl: be rcmooued, and uc-rucmakcJUfi d:ume to true fchcltle. The ~ Chrifis doChinc embraced, who ioyncth true blc~ed poore, arc poorc in fpirit, ~nd this po... 1 happinc{fe with the croffe. Secondly, this fer... ucrttc wcmufl:finde in our hearts, tfwc would I ucthtotea~hv.spatienccin affiiC.lion; for it is B knoweour.fclucs to bee rruely happic: but Gods will t? temper h:1ppines and the croffe after triall, this will be found much ·wanting: together: now this puts life into an affi.iCl:ed forfirH, ifmen liue outwarCiy ciuillj and keep foule, to think that Chrill: v•ill hauc his fclicithemfducs from grotfe finnes, thisthouglu of tic inioyed and fclr in out'Nard mifC1'ie. Thus pride takes place in their hearts, rhat they are much of this head of doChine in gcnerall,novv righteous, and they perfwadc thcmfelucs vvith we come to the branches thereof. the u young man in the Gofpcl, that they can u ~bt. 19.1o. kccpe Gods commaundcrncms. Secondly,let v-3- 13/ejfedarethepoorcin JPirit: for theirs u thek.jngdome of heaum. Here is Chrifi~firfl Ruleconcerning happi.– neffe; "''herein obferuc rwo points: fidt, the' parties bldfed, the poore in fpiri flr fecondlJ., wh~;rcin this bieffcdnc{fc confifis, for their.s is C the k..!.ngdome ~fhcauen. Before we come to tbefeparts fcucrally,notc in a word, thefonne of fpeach here vied; they that are !odd~ by humane realotl "'~ill rather fay, Mtj[ed are the rl"ch,for theirs are the kjngdomesofthc worldt But Chri!there fpeakschcllat contrary;faying, h!~ffedare thepoore, for thetrs i,· the k.J.ngdome of /;eartew, which is infinitely better then all the kingdomes of the world: whereby \VC may fee that the wifJome ofthis world is foolifhneffe ·with God, o.nd the ordinarie conceit of manJ A:u:oppolitc to the fauing doChine caught by Chri!l. Bte/fed "'' the poore i• ffiirit. The word tranO.cedpoor<,doth properly fignifie abegger, •D one rha:: bath no outward nccdf.uies, but by •'ift from others! but here it is more l:trgcly :;ken, not onciy betokening thofe that want outward riches, (for f S. Lu!,s oppofcch theft poore to the rich in thU world) but alfo thofc– that arc any way mifera~lc, wa:ming inw:1rd ot· outward comfort :and tuch an one was Laz..tr– rtM, [ th~tt lq begginl at Dives gatcJ, Wh:lt is meant by poore infpirtt, is plaincly expoun– ded lft.66, z. where the Lord faith, I will look._e to bim tbat is poore, and ofa contrite fpirit, a'id that tremhletbat my words. Chiifls meaning then is rhis, that thoftpooteare/;leffi·d., wbo by mc.me.r ~f tbcir dzftrefj't, through "ii'Ant of omward cemfort.r, are hfought to fee their j fi!!!!!.:..r, and thcirmifcrie.r tbcrebl; fo tU jin~mg I - worldly wants befall men, in body, goods, or name, and they arc gricued; yea., their foules arc full of{orrow: but fOr fpirituall wants, as biindndfcof rnindc, hnrdncffc ofhcarr, vnbe.. liefe, and difobcdicnce, their he:trts are ncucr touched. Now whence comes this, but from thatptidc of heart, whereby they bklfe themfelucs in their efiatc, and thinkc zll is -....veil with them in rcfpt:Cl: oftheir foules?fo that true it is, pouertie of fpi!·it is hard to befound. Wee thtreforc mufi fearch our fclucs, :nd labour to fc-dc our (pirituall wantS f and looke how La- ~arm lay for his bodic,at Drvcs gates; fo mufl: we lie at Gods merde gate in Chnft, for our foules, abandoning this pride of heart, and acknowledging t}lat there is no goodnelfcin vs ofour felues; fo~r theflraite gate of beauen cannot tcceiile a fwclling heart that is puffed vp with prid. And to induce vs vnto this good dutic, let vs confider the gracious promifes ·made to them that be poore in fpirit; x thc:y :c Pf.,t 7 M. arc called Gods poore: y bee think$th on them: y Plal.p.•r· though heamn he Gods throne, and the earth his foorftotJle,.JetJvillheez look.; to him that M -z lfa.f 6.:. pooreand ofa contritefpirit: yea, the Lord will a dtYe!lwtth him that U ofa comritc and lr.·ok!n ;1 If.t.j7.tJ.. heart : b Chriflcame to preach the.rJadttdings of b Luk..pS. the GofPelro thepoore: yea, ' the Lordftlkth the c Luk.t.H· htmgrie (that is, thcpoorc and hungrie foulc) . withgood things, htet the rich hufends emptic alVAJ. Let thefe and many fuch fauours with God, which they cuioy .prouoke vs ro become poorc in fpirir. Secondly, arc the-y blcffed that be poore in ~:~oJ~tic. fpirit? then here all poore and wretched pcrfons in thcworlcl,maylearnc ro make gooci vfe oftheir wants and dillreffes; they mutl confiderthem as the: hand ofGod vpon them, and therebybe leddc ro t.he ''iewe of their 1inncs: and by lhe conhdrration of their -~nqes, _ b: b1ought
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