A godly and learned exposition or commentary upon the three first chapters of the…A godly and learned exposition or commentarie vpon the three first chapters of the…

For the first; Christ making Ignorance the cause of their Pride, teacheth us that Pride is not the first sin, that ever was in the world, as many both Papists and others have thought. True it is, Pride is a great and mother sin, and the cause of many foul iniquities: but yet Ignorance is a mother sin, whereof Pride springeth. The cause why any person swells with pride in himself, is Ignorance of his own natural estate. By this then we are taught to learn to know our own estate, what we are by nature in our selves without Christ, for that is the way to pull down our hearts. For this cause the Prophets of God, used to call men, To a searching of themselves, Zeph. 2.1, when they would bring the people to humility and grace, that men seeing their estate, by reason of their sins to be damnable, might be humbled and caused to forsake themselves, and come unto Christ. And surely till such time as men be humbled for their sins, they will never get sound grace, but be as the proud Pharisee, hypocrites and dissemblers though they have much knowledge. But when a man hath searched his natural estate, then besides knowledge of himself come other most excellent graces, as humility, the fear of God, and true obedience with good conscience. And therefore first of all, let us labour to be acquainted with our own estate in our selves & with our personal sins, & with Gods judgments ⟨p. 204⟩due unto us for them. For this is the ground of true grace. The spots and blemishes of our bodies, we can soon espy, and wipe away: and why should we be less careful of our souls, which be far better?

For the first; Christ making Ignorance the cause of their Pride, teacheth vs that Pride is not the first sin, that euer was in the world, as many both Papists and others haue thought. True it is, Pride is a great and mother sinne, and the cause of many fowle iniquities: but yet Ignorance is a mother sin, wherof Pride springeth. The cause why any person swelles with pride in himselfe, is Ignorance of his owne naturall estate. By this then wee are taught to learne to knowe our owne estate, what wee are by nature in our selues without Christ, for that is the way to pull downe our hearts. For this cause the Prophets of God, vsed to call men, To a searching of themselues, Zeph. 2.1, when they would bring the people to humilitie and grace, that men seeing their estate, by reason of their sinnes to bee damnable, might bee humbled and caused to forsake themselues, and come vnto Christ. And surely till such time as men bee humbled for their sinnes, they will neuer get sound grace, but be as the proud Pharisie, hypocrits and dissemblers though they haue much knowledg. But when a man hath searched his naturall estate, then besides knowledg of himselfe come other most excellent graces, as humilitie, the feare of God, and true obedience with good conscience. And therefore first of all, let vs labour to be acquainted with our own estate in our selues & with our personall sins, & with Gods iudgmēts