'Yet fuch as do fer their Hearts upon it; thus do make to themselves a Curfe of it. And when it ferves only to feed their Avarice or Luxury, Yea, as the high Wall and ftrong Garifon, to protect 'em in their Cruelty against the Cries of the Needy, and their Impiety against the Commands ' of the Almighty; This cleaving to their adored Idol, keeps 'em from the World's 'Redeemer And fo wrapping themselves up in their putrid Muck, they are out of 'all Fitnefs for God's Holy place. Thus 'the Riches are kept indeed to their Owners hurt, as well as to the Poors Wrong: When instead of Sympathy and Mercy to fuch as are in Neceffity and Mifery, Confidering and Compaffionating their cafes, and reaching out to cloath their Backs and fill their Bellies, and ease their Grievances; rather frowning and rating, taunting and threatning, racking and oppreffing; to fadden their hearts, and Exafperate their Wounds, and Grind their faces.

And thus Dives goes down to be tormented in the Infernal flame; Becaufe fo hard-hearted to the diftreffed Beggar. And he that grudg'd to give. a Scrap, when his own turn comes to Beg, fhall not have a Drop: But find Judgment without Mercy, because he would fhew no Mercy.

And do not fome find it as hard to Forgive an Injury, or ftoop to an Enemy, as to part with their Money, for Relief of 'the Needy? To Love them that hate us, 'To render Good for Evil, and Overcome 'their Evil with Good; O what Hard fayings are thefe to the moft? Therefore fo Few do Enter. And they that are Refolv'd upon it, muft ftrive for it; and Deny and Streighten themselves, to Pleafure and Benefit others.

CHAP. IX.

of Humility, the Fourth part of the

TH

Gate.

"Here remains that Humility, which yet wants not its Straits and Difficulty: Which to Overcome, We must learn of our Lord to be Meek and Lowly in Heart. Mat. II. 29. And go and fit down in the Lowest Room, Luk. 14. 10. What he said, he did: When he came into this World, (at his Birth,) Lying in the Manger: And when going out of the World, (at his Death, ) on the Crofs. O where could he be Lower, Coming in,or Going out? And in hisLife, he was not fo well Provided here, even as

the

the pooreft Animals: Not having where to Lay his Head, Mat. 8. 20.

Whoever then, or how Great foever thou art, Man, Think thy felf fit for the Lowest place. And for that fee a Reason, Gal. 6. 3. He that thinks himself to be Something, when he is Nothing, deceiveth himself. Mark: It is not only Poor, or Illiterate, or Ignoble; but Nothing. And what's Below that? So muft he Sink down in his ownThoughts, that would Rife High, and Enter the Houfe of God.

But muft there not then be Princes and Prelates, Rulers and Superiors in the World, Some Above the reft? 'Tis true; There muft. And yet every one muft be for the Loweft Room, and Wait the Lord's call, to come and fit up Higher. Not Thruft into Places, nor Contend for Precedence: Yea, even when fet on High, yet be Low in Mind. According to that, Ecclus. 3. 18. The Greater thou art, the more Humble thy felf: And thou fhalt find Favour before the Lord. Be fure, none fo Great as they that are Great with God. And with him, the Better are the Greater. And they are the Better, that moft Excel in Virtue. For they are not Places, nor Titles, nor Riches, that make men Good, but Virtues And the more Virtuous, the Better men. Yea, among Vertues alfo, That Humility has the Precedency, we learn from our

G 3

Lord

Lord himself, who makes it the way of Rifing to Dignity; Mat. 23. 12. He that shall bumble bimfelf, fhall be Exalted. So his Apofles, Jam. 4. 10. Humble your felves in the fight of the Lord, and he fhall Lift you up. And I Pet. 5, 6. Humble your felves under the mighty band of God, that he may Exalt you in due time. For he is the Judge to put down one, and fet up another. And the Distinctions here among Men, will foon be all at an end. But you know not who shall be Higher or Lower For ever. 'Tis beft then to fit Loweft, and make thy felf even the Servant of all.

But, alas, Who follows this Pattern, or obferves this Precept of our Lord? For what do men more struggle, than for Precedence in the World? And what a work have fome, to make Peace, between them that are to pieces about Points of Honour ? Yea, how can fome Arrogate to themselves even that of the moft High? Ifa. 42. 8. My Glory will I not give to another. God only is above the Virtue of Humility; Because nothing is Above Himself. But any man, that counts it Below him, does by that means, but Lofe all the Honour which he afpires after. And makes himself the Slave of a very Vain humour. In fuch striving 'to be thought Some-body, He makes himfelf too well known for a very Impertinent Body: The Wolfhipper of an empty Idol,

which is Nothing: Only enough, to

make Fools venture their Lives and their Souls; And rather leave themfelves no place in the World, or in Heaven, than give Place to any Competitor upon Earth.

O Vanity of Vanities! How has this Smoak of Vain-Glory put out their Eyes! And yet we are Chriftians: Are we ? And do we remember to what a Lord we belong? How was he Called? A man Gluttonous, and a Wine-bibber. Matt. 11. 19. A Samarita, and one that had a Devil. Joh. 8. 48. Who through Beelzebub the Prince of the Devils. did caft out Devils. Luke 11. 15. And yet no one heard from his mouth, fo much as Thou Lyeft, or any thing like it. But when be was Reviled, be Reviled not again: When be Suffered, be Threatned not. I Pet. 2. 23. But from what has been faid, 'tis too plain, That for Humility, as well as for Faith, Hope, and Charity, The Gate is fo Strait, that Few do enter.