Of.Spirituall Ppverty. I07 worth at all , but tobe of a dejeded bite mind. Gods childrenare not fo,therare none more cou- ragious then they,when they are called to it. It is not this povertyof fpirit, to have no goodneffe at all. But tobe poor in fpirit,is a (late and difpofiti- on offoule, thathath force goodneffe, wherein they fee awant of further goodneffe:they have fo much goodneffe and worth, as to fee an unworthi- neffe in themfelves, and a greater worthineffe out ofthemfelves. Theyare fenfible of their own want, and feezhey have not meanesof fupply in themfelves, and they fee an ail fufficiency out of themfelves, in God,in Chrift; they fee aneceiTiry ofdependance for fupply out of themfelves is their whole condition till they come to Heaven. DI a word, this poverty is a fight ofour owne no thingnelfe in our felves, and betides that, our owne inability; and a fight of fufficiency out of our felves, and a defire of ir, and likewife a hopeof fupply from thence, whichhope carries us to en- deavour,and to'waiting, till we he have fupply. Thiswillbetter'appeare,ifwe diflinguifh ofthis poverty in fpirit by the two degrees of it. There is a poverty of fpirit, beforewe are in the areof grace, before we are in Cn a i s r:anda povei ty after. Thepoverty before weare in the flare of grace, is, when God by his Spirit, together with his wordand worke ofcorreelion,dothopen the eyes of our foules to fee what we are by nature , what we are in our felues. It is a workeof Gods con- vincingSpirit togive us a true view into our owne condition What it is. z Degrees of this poverty, Before we are in Chria.
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