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The seuenth thing required vnto a godly life is, that all the Christian duties which we performe, bee done in humility and lowlinesse of spirit; for this is a grace most acceptable vnto God, which will mooue him to inhabite in vs as his Temples by his holy Spirit, for hee dwelleth with him,
that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to reuiue the spirit of the humble, and to reuiue the heart of the humble ones. It mooueth him to bestow all other graces, and inlargeth our hearts that they may be fit to receiue them; for the meeke will he guide in iudgement, and the meeke will he teach his way. And this Argument the Apostle Peter vseth to perswade vs to bee clothed with humility: Because God resisteth the proud, and giueth grace vnto the humble. It is the ornament and signe of all other graces, and of all Christian du∣ties, whereby we may know whether they be counterfeit and hypocriti∣call, or in sincerity and truth: for the oyle of sauing grace, and the water and winde of pride, will not mixe together, and therefore we must bee emptied of the one, before we can be replenished with the other. Accor∣ding to the song of the blessed Virgin; He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away. So that if we would be inriched with Gods graces, and be strengthened by his Spirit vnto the duties of a godly life, we must, as we increase in them, increase also in humility, and as our Sauiour hath taught vs, When we shall haue done all those things which are commanded vs, we must acknowledge that we are vnprofitable seruants, who haue done nothing but that which was our dutie to doe. To which purpose let vs of∣ten meditate of the imperfections and corruptions of our best actions, which might iustly mooue the Lord to reiect them, and vs also for them, if in the seuerity and strictnesse of his iustice he should looke vpon them. Let vs thinke not onely of the good we doe, but also of the euill which we commit, and the good which we leaue vndone, and then there will be no place for pride, but rather for that bitter and lamentable complaint of the Apostle, That which I doe, I allow not; for the good that I would, I doe not, but the euill which I would not, that I doe; O wretched man that I am, who shall deliuer me from the body of this death? Let vs consider not so much how farre we haue proceeded in the Christian race, but rather how much re∣maineth, and how farre we yet come short of the goale of perfection, ac∣cording to the Apostles example, I count my selfe (saith he) not to haue ap∣prehended; but this one thing I doe, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching foorth to those things which are before, I presse towards the marke for the price of the high calling in Christ Iesus. Finally, though we had attai∣ned vnto some perfection, yet there were no place for pride, but rather for the greater humility, seeing wee are the more indebted vnto God for his aboundant grace and bounty, for (as the Apostle saith) Who maketh thee to differ from another? And what haue we that we haue not receiued? now if thou diddest receiue it, why doest thou glory, as if thou hadst not receiued it? For who is proud of his debts? or the more puffed vp, the more hee is obliged to another? And as we must in these respects in our greatest perfection bee humble towards God, so also towards our brethren, whom wee seeme to haue out-runne in the Christian race; seeing we haue out-stripped them, not in our owne strength, for naturally we are alike, dead in trespasses and sinnes, and the children of wrath as well as they, but it is Gods free grace that hath put this difference betweene vs; which if we be humble and meeke in spirit, he will daily continue with increase, but if wee waxe proud of our gifts and progresse in the wayes of godlinesse, and boast with the Pharise of our good deeds, preferring our selues before others whom wee thinke
doe come farre behind vs; God, who abhorreth pride aboue all other vices, because it most impeacheth his glory, can stint his bountie, and withdraw his strength, he can put a thorne in our foot which will stay our speed, and cause the messenger of Satan to crosse vs in our course, and by his buffet∣tings to hinder vs in our race, till we haue learned to be more humble. As on the other side, hee can inrich those whom we haue most contemned with a large measure of sauing grace, and put such vigour and vertue into them by his holy Spirit, that they shall as much out-strip vs in the wayes of godlinesse, as before we seemed vnto our selues to haue out-runne them.
Esa. 57. 17.
Psal. 25. 9.
1. Pet. 5. 5.
Luk. 1. 53.
Luk. 17. 10.
Rom. 7. 15, 19, 24.
Phil. 3. 13, 14.
Eph. 2. 1, 3.
Luke 18.
2. Cor. 12. 7.