man in the world, he muft go daily & continually to Chrift to fetch new fupply, or he cannot fubfift. The poor condition that we are now in,in refpect of what Adam was in,may be fet out in this fimilitude A man that is fet up to trade with a flock, and to is able to go on in his Trade, and hath skill in it, his father lets him go on till fuch time as he proves an ill husband, and breakes, and loofes all and runs into debt: yet his father afterwards takes pity on him, will tet him up againe, but fo as he will not truft him with the ftock any more, he will give the ftock into fome erufty friends hand, and his ton fhall goe every day to give an account to his friend; and to fetch money from him, and to returne to him every day, because his father will not truft him any more. This is juft our condition, In Adam we did receive a stock of grace,& God inabled us to goe on and trade with it for himfelfe, but all mankind fell in him, we turn'd bankrupts, we lost thar ftock, now the Lord is pleafed to fet up again thote that he hath chofen for himselfe, to trade againe in a way of godlinefle; but fo, as God will not truft his frock in their hands; the stock therefore of Gods grace, it is now in Chrift, in our head, and we must have fupply dayly from him: And this is the poore condition that we are in; This fpirituall poverty even of the Saints.

Secondly, The poverty of the Saints confifts in this: The graces that they have are but mall: Godly men and women though they have grace beftowed upon them, yet for the most part it is fo fmall, as they can scarce know whether they have grace or not (I fay for the most part it is fo :) Now that's a poore condition, thou art a very poor creature, for though Thou haft grace, yet it is fo little as you cannot tell whether you have any or no: Though God hath given thee grace, yet how often art thou at a ftand in thy thoughts about thy grace, whether there be any or no in thy heart, thy grace is like a lit tle fpark wrapt up in a heape of embers, fo that the maid is raking a good while before the can fee it: ô how long art thou a raking many times in thy heart, in the examination of thy heart, before thou canft fee one fparke of grace, fo as thou canft fay, this is a fparke of true grace :furely thou art but poor chen.

Thirdly,

Thirdly, Even thofe that are godly they are very poore,for they are alwayes needy, we ufe to fay of a man or woman that is alwayes in want, and alwayes complaining, furely they are poor people: Why now all godly people, they are alwayes needy people, alwayes in want, alwayes complaining, though indeed they have caufe to be thankfull too,yer they have cause of complaint in themselves, and therefore poore.

Fourthly, Their fervices are very poore fervices that they doe performe, all their duties and fervices that they doe when they doe but look over them, what poor things doe they fee they are how unworthy to be tendred up unto fuch an infinite great and glorious God as the Lord is: They are afham'd of the best of their fervices they are fo poor, when they confider how unbefeening they are for fuch a God as they are to tender them up umo: They are poor in their duties, in their fervices.

Fifthly, Take them at the beft and they are very poore and weak, but ordinarily yea alwayes there is fuch mixture in what they do, as it doth deferve to be rejected, confidering how mingled both graces and duties are with corruption and evill, their fervices are a poor thing indeed: So poor, as were it not for the Covenant of grace, the righteousneffe of Chrift and his . merrits, it were impoble but that the Lord fhould caft all that comes from the beft man in the world as filth and dung back agame in his face.

Sixthly, Againe, Poore are the very Saints, the godly, for little remptations doth overcome them, at leaft unfettle them, and put them out of frame, though they have not fuch poore fruits as we fpake of before, to be led like fooles by every evil tempration, to that which would ruine them, yet thus farre they are poor in fpirit that little temptations do unfettle them, and put them out of frame; ô how often hath it been fo, you carmor but be confcious of this, that when God through his grace hath put you into frame, yet a little temptation hath put you out of temper againe; It may be thou hast been with God, and haft had fome comfortable communion with him, and thou comft our of thy clofet, or chamber, and feeft but fomething

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amiffe in the Family, and it puts thee quite out of frame againe; what is this the foule that was with God, and in oyed fuch Communion with God but it may be an houre ago, and yet at every little thing in the Family is prefently out of frame; what a poore (pirit is this; Even the Saints are very poore, for they are quickly put out of frame, and unetled by (mall temptations.

Seventhly, Poore they are farther; For they have but litthe ability to helpe others; There are very few Godly people have ability to do any more but even to keepe life and foule together, (as we ufe to fay) it's even as much as ever they can do to live and to hold their own, to maintaine their peace with God;But to be able to be usefull to others among whom they live, that very few are. What a deale of doe have many Godly people to live themfelves, to maintaine what once they have had, they are ever and anon afraid that they shall one day even perith: As poore people that have even but from hand to mouth, they thinke, why though I can get bread now, yet I know not where I shall have it to morrow,or next week: furely we shall come to beggery one day; Godly people live at such a poore rate for the most part, as they are little ufefull unto others, and have much adoe to provide for themselves. Now here you fee the poverty of Spirit,- Firft, what our fpirituall poverty is naturally, that hath been opened the laft time: And now even what the fpirituall poverty of the Saints

is.

But you will fay, This doth not make them bleffed that they are thus poore; this is part of their misery.

That's true; It's part of their mifery that they are poore: But yet bleffed are they that are throughly apprehenfive and fencible of this fpirituall poverty of theirs, that come to know this their poverty,and come to be throughly affected with this their poverty, they are bleffed: There be few in the world who come to understand what their poverty is; where's the man or woman that knows the poverty that we are In by nature? And then for poverty in refpect of weakneffe of Grace or otherwife, this is taken little notice of: But now bleffed

are

are they that doe apprehend this, and are fencible of it: Therefore that you may underftand who the bleed one is that Chrift fpeakes of, we muft now turne our thoughts to Confider of the behaviour of the foule; or the workings of the heart in the fight and in the fence of this spiritual poverty, which makes him to be thus bleffed. Now for that there are many particulars which I thall goe over briefly.

As in the first place, A man that is poore in fpirit truly, fo as to be bletfed; is fuch a one as looks upon himielfe as vild and meane, whatsoever outward excellency he hath, yet I am a vild and meane wretched creature in my felfe, in refpect of this poverty of mine: God hath given me indeed an eftate above my Brethren, to live comfortably in the world, ö but what am I in refpect of my spiritual ftate! I that am richer, and have more comings in then others, how many poore fervants of God that live in a meane Condition outwardly, yet do honour God more in one day, then I doe in a moneth, it may be in a yeare; God hath more fervice from them in a moneth perhaps, then he hath from me in a year, or feven yeares; he looks upon himfelfe as meane and vile, no-withftanding any outward excellency, whatfoever parts of nature that he hath, why yet he lookes upon himselfe as meane in comparison of others: ô this is an excellent thing indeed, for a iran that hath excellent parts, and yet fees another to have more Grace: perhaps there's fome poore man or woman that hath more humility, and more Faith, and more fweetnefle,and more favourineffe in their Converfation, and more holinefle, and more heavenly mindedneffe, now he lookes upon himfelfe as meane in comparison of that other, though perhaps he is learned, and of efteeme in the world, yet because he fees others to excell in Grace, he lookes upon himselfe meaner and lower then they: why here's a man poore in fpirit that is pronounced bleffed.-Some men are proud of their vices, but the poore in fpirit is humble at the fight of his Graces Carnall hearts are puft up with that that should make them alhamed, but a gracious heart fees enough in his Graces to make him humble; In his love,knowledge, Faith; In that that is his beft

parts,

parts, he fees enough to make him humble, and blefled are fuch

poɔre.

Secondly, Hence he thinks it not much if he receive not fuch respect and honour as others doe; why though God by his providence order things fo, that others have refpect and honour, and many incouragements in the world: I have no cause to envie, nor to be troubled,I have rather caufe to wonder at what I have; 'tis not for me to expect fuch Incouragements as others have, for I am a poore creature. Thus you know foore people whofe hearts are fubdued by their pover-, ty, when they fee others that are brave in the world, I, they may doe thus, but 'tis not fo for us: So thofe that are poore in firit, when they fee others that God bleffes, and have respect and honour; he then thinkes thus with himselfe, but it is not for me to expect this, I am a poore vile creature.

Thirdly, One that is poore in fpirit, is one that doch admire at every little good that he doth receive, that it is fo much; It wonders at every affiction that it is no more, every mercy he thinkes it very great, and is very thankfull: and every affiction he wonders it is fo little, quite contrary to the world; They are troubled their afflictions are fo much, and that their mercies are fo little; but a poore fpirited man, he wonders that his mercies are fo much, and that his afflictions are fo little; and therefore is thankfull for every little: foore people whofe fpirits are fubdued with their poverty, give them but a half-penny, they are thankfull; fo a poore fpiriced man or woman, he admires at mercy, and is thankfull at every thing that God affords to him; and if there be an affliction, he doth not murmure and repine, but wonders that God doch lay his hand fo tenderly upon him as he doth.

Fourthly, A poore fpirited man is one that is often craving; he is a praying man, a beggar, that is often begging for an almes: There's none that are truly poore in fpirit, but are great praying Chriftians; God alwayes heares from them, and God is not weary of fuch beggars. In the 18 Pro. 23 v. The pore feth Intreaties; and fo in the 10 Prov. 14. Now fich kind of men as can live without prayer, and can go day after.

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