524 An Expofition upon What he. pour is. How en. studied. dub [honour] fignifie ? and what it is to goe one before another in giving of honour ? S a L. Honour fignifies a good opi- ni on conceived of others, and outward- ly teftified by words, geftures, deeds, &c. The grounds or begetter of this o pinion be there 4. Firft, authority, pub - lick in Magiftrates or Minifters, private in parents or mafters.Secondly, dignity, or any thing wherein another excelleth; as to be a creature, a man, a Chriftian,a childe of God, a member of Chrift, &c and to each of thefe there belongeth ho- nour and certain reverence. Thirdly, gifts,outward of the body, or inward of the mind, either naturali, civill,morall, or fpirituall, and theologicall, as faith, hope, love, repentance, &c. Fourthly, merits, when any deferve well, of Schools, or Church, or common- wealth,by publicke benefits,as that Cen- turion did, Luke 8.4. There be the caufes of a good opinion : many be the fgnes ofit,to thew it by,amongft which vaig theBonnet , bowing the knee, Raffling before them,rifing up,relievin g them; Adatth. a;. 6,7. it is fire} to have a lowly opinion of our ¡(elves. Secondly, to thinke better of others then of our (elves. Then we go before others in gi- ving honor,when inferiors do both in heart and a&ìions begin firft to honour and falute their fuperiours:when equals lithe who (hall prevent and begin, firft, provoking to reverence and honourable refpe&s. Iaftly, when fuperiours do fo take the honour due unto them, in re- gard of their place, as they could be pleafed to preventeven their inferiours out of an humble affeetion, might they do it without offence and breach of good order ; whereofin focieties there is a fpeciall care to be had. What it it to goe be- tote other in giving honour. TI:Morsi nus. Hatdoth the firftrcords of thin Text contain ? S a L. An exhortation to induflry and diligence in doing all duties both towardsGod and men which are not to be performed flothfully,becaufe God dothnotlove fuch as doe their woike grudgingly and negligently. All fuch (hall hear at the lait day, Take that faothfull fervant, and bind him hand and foot : but to the faithfull whereof diligence is a part) it (hall be f,id,Come good and faithfull fervant. Therefore whatfoever'isinour hands to doe ( as Solomon faith) wee are to doe it with all readineffe and indufiry, if we will pleafe God and avoid his judgements.. Example of this readineffe in bufneffe, we have in Abraham, G.n. 18. 6. and Gen. 24. in his fervant, who in the bufi- nefi-e of .lfaacs marriage was, diligent. Alfo in Mary, Luke 11.39. and Chrift the Lord,and in the Apoftle Paul, who mot} induftrioufly did the workes of their calling. Here we are to take heed of two extreames : the one is of too much diligence, when we bufie our felves much in things not partaining to us. This is curiofity, condemned by Paul I The'. 4. a a. the other is too much flowneffe or fluggi(hne(fe in our own duties, when we doe our things as it were fleepingly, like that idle fer- vant in the Gofpell, that hid his talent in a Napkin : or like that fluggard men - tioned,in Pron. 26. 13. that fought vain delayes and exudes to keep him from his duty, 'There is a Lyon in the way. Some are flow, being of an heavy mould, and dull by nature; others through unwil- lingneffe to doe any good, thefe be the worfe. T a M. What is commended unto us in the next fentence ? S a L. Fervency of fpirit : in which is a precept contrary to the former,and injoyneth not readineffe alone, but ear - neftnefhe to both in Religion to God, and charity to man : and withal.' it tea - cheth whence this earneftnetfe or fer- vency cometh, namely, from the fpirit of hap.12 Diisl.00ua VII. nerf. II, I2. Not flothftr(1 to doe fervice, fervent in fpi- rit, ferving the Lord, rejoycing in hope, Miens in tribulation , continuing in prayer. xExtrumes of diligence Eervencie or mat.
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