The Beatitudes, Discourse · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
MATTH. 5.….
Bleſſed are the Poor in Spirit.
HAving ſpoken of the general notion of bleſſedneſs, I come next to conſider the Subjects of this bleſſedneſs, and theſe our Saviour hath decyphered to be the Poor in Spirit, the mourners, &c. But before I touch upon theſe, I ſhall a little Preface or Paraphraſe upon this Sermon of the Beatitudes.
1. Obſerve the Divinity in this Sermon, which goes beyond all Philoſophy; The Philoſophers uſe to ſay contrarium contrarium expellit, one contrary expels another; but here one contrary begets another; poverty uſeth to expel riches; but here poverty begets riches; for how rich are they that have a Kingdom? mourning uſeth to expel joy; but behold here mourning begets joy. They ſhall be comforted. Water uſeth to quench the flame, but the water of tears kindles the flame of joy. Perſecution uſeth to expel happineſs, but here it makes happy. Bleſsed are they that are perſecuted. Theſe are the ſacred Paradoxes in our Saviours Sermon*Evangelicam Philoſophiam à Parado…is inchoavit Dominus. …nd. Cl…..
2. Obſerve how Chriſts Doctrine and the opinion of carnal men differ. They think, beati divites, bleſſed are the rich; The world would count him bleſſed who could have Midas wiſh, that all he touch'd might be turn'd into gold. But Chriſt ſaith, Beati pauperes, bleſſed are the poor in ſpirit. The world thinks, Bleſſed are they on the Pinacle; but Chriſt pronounceth them bleſſed who are in the Valley; Chriſts reckonings and the worlds do not agree.
3. Obſerve the nature of true Religion; Poverty leads the Van, and Perſecution brings up the Reare. Chriſtianus quaſi Crucianus. Every true Saint (ſaith Luther) is heire to the Croſſe! Some there are who would be thought religious, diſplaying Chriſts Colours by a glorious profeſſion; but to be poor in ſpirit, and perſecuted, durus hic ſermo! they cannot take down this bitter pill; they would weare Chriſts Jewels, but wave his Croſſe; theſe are ſtrangers to Religion.
4. Obſerve the certain connexion between grace and its reward; they who are poor in ſpirit, ſhall have the kingdom of God; They are as ſure to go to heaven, as if they were in heaven already. Our Saviour would encourage men to Religion, by ſweetning Commands with Promiſes; he ties duty and reward together. As in the body, the veines carry the blood, and the arteries the ſpirits; ſo one part of theſe Verſes carries Duty, and the other part carries reward. As that Scholar of Apelles painted Helena richly drawn in coſtly and glorious apparel, hung all over with orient pearl, and precious ſtones. So our Lord Chriſt having ſet down ſeveral qualifications of a Chriſtian, poor in ſpirit, pure in heart, &c. draws theſe heavenly vertues in their fair colours of bleſſedneſſe, and ſets the magnificent crown of reward upon them, that by this oriency, he might the more ſet forth their unparallel'd beauty, and entice holy love.
5. Obſerve hence the concatenation of the graces, poor in ſpirit, meek, merciful, &c. where there is one grace, there is all. As they ſay of the Cardinal vertues, virtutes ſunt inter ſe connexae, the vertues are chained together; ſo we may ſay of the graces of the Spirit, they are link'd and chain'd together; he that hath poverty of Spirit, is a mourner; he that is a mourner, is meek; he that is meek, is merciful, &c. The Spirit of God plants in the heart an habit of all the graces; the new creature hath all the parts and lineaments; as in the body there is a compoſition of all the Elements, and a mixture of all the humours. The graces of the Spirit are like a Row of pearl, which hang together upon the ſtring of Religion, and ſerve to adorn Chriſts Bride: This I note, to ſhew you a difference between an hypocrite, and a true child of God: The hypocrite flatters himſelf with a pretence of grace; but in the mean time he hath not an habit of all the graces; he hath not poverty of ſpirit, nor purity of heart; whereas a child of God hath all the graces in his heart, at leaſt radically, though not gradually. Theſe things being premiſed, I come in particular to thoſe heavenly diſpoſitions of ſoul to which Chriſt hath affixed bleſſedneſs: And the firſt is, POVERTY of SPIRIT.
Bleſſed are the Poor in Spirit.
Chryſoſtom and Theophylact are of opinion that this was the firſt Sermon that ever Chriſt made, therefore it may challenge our beſt attention. Bleſsed are the Poor in Spirit. Our Lord Chriſt being to raiſe an high and ſtately Fabrick of bleſſedneſs, lays the foundation of it low, in poverty of Spirit; but all poverty is not bleſſed *Non omnis paupertas beata. B…ugenſis.. I ſhall uſe a four-fold diſtinction.
1. I diſtinguiſh between Poor in Eſtate, and Poor in Spirit; there are the Divels poor, poor and wicked; whoſe cloaths are not more torn than their conſcience. There are ſome whoſe poverty is their ſin; who through Improvidence or Exceſs, have brought themſelves to want; theſe may be poor in Eſtate, but not poor in Spirit.
2. I diſtinguiſh between ſpiritually Poor, and Poor in ſpirit; he who is without grace, is ſpiritually poor; but he is not poor in Spirit; he knows not his own beggery. Rev. 3.17. Thou knoweſt not that thou art Poor: He is in the worſt ſenſe poor, who hath no ſenſe of his poverty.
3. I diſtinguiſh between Poor-ſpirited, and Poor in ſpirit. They are ſaid to be poor-ſpirited, who have mean, baſe ſpirits, who act below themſelves. 1. As they are men; ſuch are thoſe Miſers, which having great Eſtates, yet can hardly afford themſelves bread; who live ſneakingly, and are ready to wiſh their own throats cut, becauſe they are forced to ſpend ſomething in ſatisfying Natures demands: This Solomon calls an evil under the Sun. Eccleſ. 6.2. There is an evil which I have ſeen under the Sun, a man to whom God hath given Riches, ſo that he wants nothing for his ſoul of all that he deſireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof. Religion makes no man a Niggard; though it teacheth prudence, yet not ſordidneſs. 2. Who act below themſelves as they are Chriſtians, while they ſinfully comply and proſtitute themſelves to the humours of others; a baſe kind of mettle that will take any ſtamp; they will for a piece of ſilver part with the jewel of a good conſcience, they will be of the State-Religion; they will dance to the Divels Pipe, if their Superiour commands them; Theſe are Poor-ſpirited, but not Poor in Spirit.
4. I diſtinguiſh between Poor in an Evangelical ſenſe, and in a Popiſh ſenſe; the Papiſts give a wrong gloſs upon the Text; by Poor in ſpirit, they underſtand thoſe who renouncing their Eſtates, vow a voluntary poverty, living retiredly in their Monaſteries*Monaſteriis, & Caenobii… Pauperes. Bellarm.; but Chriſt never meant theſe; he doth not pronounce them bleſſed who make themſelves poor, leaving their Eſtates, and their Callings, but ſuch as are Evangelically poor.
Well then, what are we to underſtand by Poor in ſpirit? the Greek word for Poor, foreign, is not only taken in a ſtrict ſenſe for thoſe who live upon Alms*Ad extremam inopiam reducti. Beza.; quibus nihil ſupereſt; but in a more large ſenſe, for thoſe who are deſtitute as well of inward as outward comfort: Poor in ſpirit then ſignifies thoſe who are brought to the ſenſe of their ſins, and ſeeing no goodneſs in themſelves, deſpair in themſelves, and ſue wholly to the mercy of God in Chriſt*Qui ſerio cordis affectu pauperiem ſuam agnoſcunt, ſpem & fiduciam in una miſerecordia Dei propter Chriſtum repoſitam habent. Paraeus.. Poverty of ſpirit is a kind of ſelf-annihilation; ſuch an expreſſion I find in Calvin; The poor in ſpirit (ſaith he) are they who ſee nothing in themſelves, but flie to mercy for Sanctuary; ſuch an one was the Publican, Luk. 18.13. God be merciful to me a ſinner. of this temper was Saint Paul, Phil. 3.9. That I may he found in Chriſt, not having mine own righteouſneſs; theſe are the poor which are invited as Gueſts to Wiſdoms Banquet: Prov. 7.3, 4. Here ſeveral Queſtions may be propounded.
1. Why doth Chriſt here begin with poverty of ſpirit? Queſt. 1 why is this put in the fore-front? I anſwer, Anſw. Chriſt doth it, to ſhew that poverty of ſpirit is the very baſis and foundation of all the other graces that follow*Totius a …ificii fundamen. Avendanus.: You may as well expect fruit to grow without a root, as the other graces without this; till a man be Poor in ſpirit, he cannot mourn: Poverty of ſpirit is like the fire under the Still, which makes the water drop from the eyes; when a man ſees his own defects and deformities, and looks upon himſelf as undone, then he mourns after Chriſt; the ſprings run in the vallies, Pſal. 104.10. When the heart becomes a valley, and lies low by poverty of ſpirit, now the ſprings of holy mourning run there. Till a man be Poor in ſpirit, he cannot hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſs; he muſt firſt be ſenſible of want, before he can hunger; therefore Chriſt begins with poverty of ſpirit, becauſe this uſhers in all the reſt.
Queſt. 2 2. The ſecond Queſtion is, What is the difference between poverty of ſpirit and humility? Anſw. Theſe are ſo like, that they have been taken one for the other. Chryſoſtom by poverty of ſpirit, underſtands humility*foreign. Chryſoſt. in loc.; yet I think there is ſome difference; they differ as the cauſe and the effect. Tertullian ſaith, none are poor in ſpirit, but the humble*Nulli, pauperes ſpiritu niſi hamiles. Tert.; he ſeems to make humility the cauſe of poverty of ſpirit; I rather think poverty of ſpirit is the cauſe of humility; for when a man ſees his want of Chriſt, and how he lives on the Alms of free-grace, this makes him humble; he that is ſenſible of his own vacuity and indigence, with the Violet, hangs down his head in humility; humility is the ſweet ſpice that grows from poverty of ſpirit.
Queſt. 3 3. What is the difference between poverty of ſpirit and ſelf-denial? I anſwer, in ſome things they agree, in ſome things they differ. In ſome things they agree; for the Poor in ſpirit is an abſolute ſelf-denier; he renounceth all opinion of himſelf; he acknowledgeth his dependance on Chriſt and free-grace; but in ſome things they differ; the ſelf-denier parts with the world for Chriſt, the poor in ſpirit parts with himſelf for Chriſt; i. e. his own righteouſneſs; the poor in ſpirit ſees himſelf nothing without Chriſt, the ſelf-denier will leave himſelf nothing for Chriſt: And thus I have ſhewed what poverty of ſpirit is. The words thus opened, preſent us with this truth.
Doctr. That Chriſtians muſt be poor in ſpirit; or thus, Doctr. Poverty of ſpirit is the jewel which Chriſtians muſt wear. As the beſt creature was made out of nothing, namely, light; ſo when a man ſees himſelf nothing, out of this nothing God makes a moſt beautiful creature; it is Gods uſual method to make a man poor in ſpirit, and then fill him with the graces of the Spirit; as we deal with a Watch, we take it firſt in pieces, and then ſet all the wheels and pins in order: So the Lord doth firſt take a man all in pieces, ſhews him his undone condition, and then ſets him in frame.
The Reaſons are:
1. Till we are poor in ſpirit, we are not capable of receiving Reaſon 1 grace; he who is ſwell'd with an opinion of ſelf-excellency and ſelf-ſufficiency, is not fit for Chriſt; he is full already; intus exiſtens prohibet extraneum; if the hand be full of pebbles, it cannot receive gold; the glaſs is firſt emptied before you poure in wine; God doth firſt empty a man of himſelf, before he poures in the precious wine of his grace; none but the poor in ſpirit are within Chriſts Commiſſion. Iſa. 61.1. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; he hath ſent me to bind up the broken-hearted; that is, ſuch as are broken in the ſenſe of their unworthineſs.
2. Till we are poor in ſpirit, Chriſt is never precious; Reaſon 2 before we ſee our own wants, we never ſee Chriſts worth; poverty of ſpirit, is ſal & condimentum, the ſawce which makes Chriſt reliſh ſweet to the ſoul; mercy is moſt welcome to the poor in ſpirit; he who ſees himſelf clad in filthy rags, Zach. 3.4, 5. what will he give for change of rayment, the righteouſneſs of Chriſt? what will he give to have the fair Mitre of ſalvation ſet upon his head? when a man ſees himſelf almoſt wounded to death, how precious will the balm of Chriſts blood be to him? when he ſees himſelf deep in Arrears with God, and is ſo far from paying the debt, that he cannot ſum up the debt, how glad would he be of a ſurety? the Pearle of price is only precious to the poor in ſpirit; he that wants bread, and is ready to ſtarve, will have it whatever it coſt; he will lay his garment to pledge; bread he muſt have, or he is undone: So to him that is Poor in ſpirit, that ſees his want of Chriſt, how precious is a Saviour! Chriſt is Chriſt, and grace is grace to him; he will do any thing for the bread of life; therefore will God have the ſoul thus qualified, to raiſe the price of his Market, to inhance the value and eſtimate of the Lord Jeſus.
Reaſon 3 3. Till we are Poor in ſpirit, we cannot go to heaven: Theirs is the Kingdom of heaven; this doth tune and prepare us for heaven: By nature a man is big with ſelf-confidence, and the gate of heaven is ſo ſtrait that he cannot enter; now poverty of ſpirit doth minorare animam, it doth leſſen the ſoul, it pares off its ſuperfluity, and now he is fit to enter in at the ſtrait gate. The great Cable cannot go through the eye of the Needle; but let it be untwiſted, and made into ſmall threads, and then it may: Poverty of ſpirit untwiſts the great Cable, it makes a man little in his own eyes, and now an entrance ſhall be made unto him, foreign, Richly into the Everlaſting Kingdom, 2 Pet. 1.11. Through this Temple of Poverty we muſt go into the Temple of Glory.
SECT. 1.
Uſe 1 Uſe 1 IT ſhews wherein a Chriſtians riches do conſiſt; namely, in poverty of ſpirit. Some think if they can fill their bags with gold, then they are rich; but they who are poor in ſpirit are the rich men, they are rich in poverty. This poverty entitles them to a Kingdom. How poor are they that think themſelves rich! how rich are they that ſee themſelves poor! I call it the Jewel of poverty. There are ſome Paradoxes in Religion that the world cannot underſtand; for a man to become a fool that he may be wiſe, 1 Cor. 3.18. to ſave his life by loſing it, Matth. 16.25. and by being poor, to be rich; Reaſon laughs at it; but, bleſſed are the poor, for theirs is the Kingdom; Then this poverty is to be ſtriven for more than all riches; under theſe rags is hid cloth of gold; out of this carcaſſe comes hony.
SECT. 2.
Uſe 2 IF bleſſed are the poor in ſpirit, then by the rule of contraries, Curſed are the proud in ſpirit, Prov. 16.5. There is a generation of men who do commit idolatry with themſelves; (no ſuch idol as ſelf.) They admire their own parts, moralities, ſelf-righteouſneſſe; and upon this ſtock graft the hope of their ſalvation. There are many are too good to go to heaven; they have commodities enough of their own growth, and they ſcorne to live upon the borrow, or be beholding to Chriſt. Theſe bladders the Divel hath blown up with pride, and they are ſwell'd in their own conceit; but it is like the ſwelling of a dropſie-man whoſe bigneſſe is his diſeaſe; thus it was with that proud Juſticiary, Luke 18.11. The Phariſee stood and prayed, God I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjuſt, adulterers, or even as this Publican; I faſt twice in the week, I give tythes, &c. Here was a man ſetting up the top-ſail of pride; but the Publican who was poor in ſpirit, he ſtood a far off, and would not lift up ſo much as his eyes unto heaven, but ſmot upon his breſt ſaying, God be merciful to me a ſinner; This man carried away the Garland; I tell you (ſaith Chriſt) this man went down to his houſe juſtified rather than the other; Saint Paul before his converſion thought himſelf in a very good condition, Touching the Law blameleſſe, Phil. 3.6. He thought to have built a Tower of his own righteouſneſſe, the top whereof ſhould have reached to heaven; but at laſt God ſhewed him there was a crack in the foundation, and then he gets into the Rock of ages; Phil. 3.9. That I may be found in him; There is not a more dangerous praecipice than ſelf-righteouſneſſe; this was Laodicea's temper, Rev. 3.17. becauſe thou ſayest I am rich, and have need of nothing, and knoweſt not that thou art wretched and miſerable, &c. She thought ſhe wanted nothing, when indeed ſhe had nothing. How many doth this damne! we ſee ſome ſhips that have ſcaped the rocks, yet are caſt away upon the ſands: ſo ſome who have ſcaped the rocks of groſſe ſins, yet are caſt away upon the ſands of ſelf-righteouſneſſe; and how hard is it to convince ſuch men of their danger! they will not believe but they may be help'd out of the Dungeon with theſe rotten rags; they cannot be perſwaded their caſe is ſo bad as others would make it. Chriſt tells them they are blind, but they are like Seneca's maid who was born blind, but ſhe would not beleeve it; Ait domum eſse coecam. The houſe ſaith ſhe is dark, but I am not blind. Chriſt tells them they are naked, and offers his white robes to cover them, but they are of a different perſwaſion; and becauſe they are blind, they cannot ſee themſelves naked; how many have periſhed by being their own ſaviours! O that this might drive the proud ſinner out of himſelf; a man never comes to himſelf till he comes out of himſelf; and no man can come out, till firſt Chriſt come in.
SECT. 3.
Uſe 3 IF poverty of ſpirit be ſo neceſſary,Trial. How ſhall I Uſe 3 know that I am poor in ſpirit? Anſw. By the bleſſed effects of this Poverty: which are;
1. He that is poor in ſpirit is weaned from himſelf, Pſalm 131.2. My ſoul is even as a weaned child; 'tis hard for a man to be weaned from himſelf. The Vine catcheth hold of every thing that is near, to ſtay it ſelf upon. There is ſome bough or other a man would be catching hold of to reſt upon; how hard is it to be brought quite off himſelf! The poor in ſpirit are divorced from themſelves; they ſee they muſt to hell without Chriſt; My ſoul is even as a weaned child.
2. He that is poor in ſpirit, is a Chriſt-admirer; he hath high thoughts of Chriſt; he ſees himſelf naked, and flies to Chriſt, that in his garments he may obtaine the bleſſing. He ſees himſelf wounded; and as the wounded Deere runs to the water, ſo he thirſts for Chriſts blood, the water of life. Lord, ſaith he, give me Chriſt or I die; conſcience is turned into a fiery Serpent, and hath ſtung him; now all the world for a brazen ſerpent; he ſees himſelf in a ſtate of death; and how precious is one leaf of the tree of life, which is both for food and medicine! The poor in ſpirit ſees all his riches lye in Chriſt, wiſdome, righteouſneſſe, ſanctification, &c. In every exigence he flies to this magazine and ſtore-houſe; he adores the all-fulneſſe in Chriſt. They ſay of the oyle in Rhemes, though they are continually almoſt ſpending it, yet it never waſts. And ſuch is Chriſts blood; it can never be emptied; he that is poor in ſpirit hath recourſe ſtill to this fountain; he ſets an high value and appre…iation upon Chriſt; he hides himſelf in Chriſts wounds*In vulacribus Chriſti dormio ſecurus & requieſco intrepidus. Aug.; he bathes himſelf in his blood, he wraps himſelf in his Robe; he ſees a ſpiritual dearth and famine at home, but he makes out to Chriſt; Shew me the Lord (ſaith he) and it ſufficeth.
3. He that is poor in ſpirit, is ever complaining of his ſpiritual eſtate; that look as it is with a poor man, he is ever telling you of his wants, he hath nothing to help himſelf with, he is ready to be ſtarved; ſo it is with him that is Poor in ſpirit; he is ever complaining of his wants; I want a broken heart, a thankful heart; he makes himſelf the moſt indigent creature; though he dares not deny the work of grace (which were a bearing falſe witneſs againſt the Spirit) yet he mourns he hath no more grace: This is the difference between an hypocrite and a child of God; the hypocrite is ever telling what he hath; a child of God complains of what he wants; the one is glad he is ſo good; the other grieves he is ſo bad; the poor in ſpirit goes from Ordinance to Ordinance for a ſupply of his wants, he would fain have his ſtock increaſed. Try by this if you are poor in ſpirit; while others complain they want children, they want Eſtates, do you complain you want Grace? this is a good ſign; there is that maketh himſelf Poor, yet hath great Riches, Prov. 13.7. Some beggers have died rich; the poor in ſpirit, who have lain all their lives at the gate of mercy, and have lived upon the Alms of free-grace, have dyed rich in faith, heirs to a Kingdom.
4. He that is Poor in ſpirit, is lowly in heart: Rich men are commonly proud and ſcornful, but the poor are ſubmiſſive; the poor in ſpirit rowle themſelves in the duſt, in the ſenſe of their unworthineſs: I abhor my ſelf in duſt, Job 42.6. He who is poor in ſpirit, looks at anothers excellencies, and his own infirmities; he denies not only his ſins, but his duties; the more grace he hath, the more humble he is, becauſe he now ſees himſelf a greater debtor to God; if he can do any duty, he acknowledgeth it is Chriſts ſtrength more than his own: Phil. 4.13. as the Ship gets to the Haven more by the benefit of the wind, than the ſail: So when a Chriſtian makes any ſwift progreſs, 'tis more by the wind of Gods Spirit, than the ſail of his own indeavour; the poor in ſpirit, when he acts moſt like a Saint, he confeſſeth himſelf the chief of ſinners; he bluſheth more at the defect of his graces, than others do at the exceſs of their ſins; he dares not ſay he hath prayed or wept; he lives, yet not he, but Chriſt lives in him: Gal. 2.20. He labours, yet not he, but the grace of God, 1 Cor. 15.10.
5. He who is poor in ſpirit, is much in prayer; he ſees how ſhort he is of the ſtandard of holineſs, therefore begs for more grace, Lord, more faith, more conformity to Chriſt: A poor man is ever begging; you may by this know one that is Poor in ſpirit, he is ever begging for a ſpiritual Almes; he knocks at heaven-gate; he ſends up ſighs; he poures out tears; he will not away from the gate, till he have his dole; God loves a modeſt boldneſs in prayer, ſuch ſhall not be non-ſuited.
6. The poor in ſpirit is content to take Chriſt upon his own terms; the proud ſinner will article and indent with Chriſt; he will have Chriſt and his pleaſure; Chriſt and his covetouſneſs; but he that is poor in ſpirit, ſees himſelf loſt without Chriſt, and he is willing to have him upon his own terms, a Prince as well as a Saviour. Phil. 3.8. Jeſus my Lord. A Caſtle that hath been long beſieged, and is ready to be taken, will deliver up on any terms to ſave their lives; he whoſe heart hath been a Garriſon for the Divel, and hath held out long in oppoſition againſt Chriſt, when once God hath brought him to poverty of ſpirit, and he ſees himſelf damn'd without Chriſt, let God propound what Articles he will, he will readily ſubſcribe to them▪ Acts 9.6. Lord, what wilt thou have me do? He that is poor in ſpirit, will do any thing that he may have Chriſt; he will behead his beloved ſin; he will with Peter, caſt himſelf upon the water to come to Chriſt.
7. He that is poor in ſpirit, is an Exalter of free-grace; none ſo magnifie mercy, as the poor in ſpirit; the poor are very thankful: When Paul had taſted mercy, how thankfully doth he adore free-grace! 1 Tim. 1.14. The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant; foreign, it was ſuper-exuberant; he ſets the crown of his ſalvation upon the head of free-grace; as a man that is condemned, and hath a pardon ſent him, how doth he proclaim the goodneſs and clemency of his Prince! ſo Saint Paul diſplays free-grace in its orient colours; he interlines all his Epiſtles with free-grace; as a Veſſel that hath been perfum'd, makes the wine taſte of it: ſo Paul, who was a Veſſel perfum'd with mercy, makes all his Epiſtles to taſte of this perfume of free-grace; they who are poor in ſpirit, bleſs God for the leaſt crumb that falls from the Table of free-grace.
SECT. 4.
Uſe 4 LAbour for poverty of ſpirit: Chriſt begins with this,Exhort. and we muſt begin here if ever we be ſaved; poverty of ſpirit is the foundation ſtone on which God layes the ſuperſtructure of glory. There are four things may perſwade Chriſtians to be poor in ſpirit. 1. This poverty is your riches; you may have the worlds riches, and yet be poor; you cannot have this poverty, but you muſt be rich; poverty of ſpirit intitles you to all Chriſts riches. 2. This poverty is your Nobility*Nobilis in… pia mentis humilitas. Auſtin.; God looks upon you as perſons of honour; he that is vile in his own eyes, is precious in Gods eyes*Tanto eris apud Deum, recioſior, qua…to fueris in oculis tuis deſpectior. Iſiod.; the way to riſe, is to fall; God eſteems the Valley higheſt. 3. Poverty of ſpirit doth ſweetly quiet the ſoul; when a man is brought off himſelf to reſt on Chriſt, what a bleſſed calm is in the heart! I am poor, but my God ſhall ſupply all my need, Phil. 4.19. I am unworthy, but Chriſt is worthy. I am indigent, Chriſt is infinite. Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I, Pſal. 61.2. A man is ſafe upon a Rock; when the ſoul goes out of it ſelf, and centers upon the Rock Chriſt, now it is firmly ſetled upon its Baſis; this is the way to comfort; thou wilt be wounded in ſpirit, till thou comeſt to be poor in ſpirit. 4. Poverty of ſpirit paves a Cawſey for bleſſedneſs. Bleſſed are the poor in ſpirit. Are you poor in ſpirit? you are bleſſed perſons, happy for you that ever you were born! If you ask, Wherein doth this bleſſedneſs appear? Read the next words, Theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.