Thus much of Gods battles against the proud. Here Peter leaveth the proud with this brand in their forehead, This is the man whom God resisteth: then he turneth to the lowly, and comforteth them: But he giveth grace to the humble; as if he should say, you are like John the beloved Disciple, which leaned on Christs bosom: John 13. 23. though God resist the proud, yet he will not frown upon you: but when he resisteth them, he will give grace unto you, as if he should say, the proud are without grace, for God giveth not grace unto the proud, but to the humble, according to that to Isaiah 66. 2. To him will I look, even to him that is poor & of a contrite heart, and trembleth at my words: therefore Learn of me (saith Christ) to be humble & meek: ⟨p. 447⟩1as though the humble and meek were his scholars. Therefore God must needs love the humble, because they are like his son: they shall have his best gifts, of which he saith, 2. Cor. 12. 9. My grace is sufficient: as if he should say, he which hath given you his grace, can he deny you any thing? as Christ saith, He which hath given us his Son, will he not give us all things with him? Therefore grace may be called the gift of gifts, because all gifts come with grace, as the Court goeth with the Queen. Therefore fear not to be humble, least you be contemned: for all the promises of God are made to humility, and yet men fear to be humble, lest they should be contemned. Humility did not make John contemptible, but when he refused the name of a Prophet, Christ saith, that he was more then a Prophet, Mat. 11. 2. Humility did not make Moses contemptible, but as he was the mildest man upon earth; so he was the greatest upon the earth, Numb. 12. Humility did not make David contemptible, but when he humbled himself, he said unto Micol, I will be more humble yet, and lowly in my own sight, yet thou and thy maids shall honour me, 2. Sam. 6. 22. As Christ ceased not to be a king because he was like a servant, nor to be a Lion because he was like a Lamb, nor to be ⟨p. 448⟩God because he was made man, nor to be a Judge, because he was judged: so man doth not loose his honour by humility: but he shall be honoured for his humility, as the Son was honoured when he was humbled, Luk. 15. 8.
Thus much of Gods battailes against the proud. Heere Peter leaueth the proud with this brand in their forehead, This is the man whom God resisteth: then hee turneth to the lowly, and comforteth them: But he giueth grace to the humble; as if hee should say, you are like Iohn the beloued Disciple, which leaned on Christs bosome: Iohn 13. 23. though God resist the proud, yet hee will not frowne vpon you: but when he resisteth them, he wil giue grace vnto you, as if hee should say, the proud are without grace, for God giueth not grace vnto the proud, but to the humble, according to that to Esay 66. 2. To him will I looke, euen to him that is poore & of a contrite heart, and trembleth at my wordes: therefore Learne of me (saith Christ) to be hūble & meek: ⟨p. 447⟩1as though the humble and meeke were his schollers. Therefore God must needes loue the humble, because they are like his sonne: they shall haue his best giftes, of which hee sayth, 2. Cor. 12. 9. My grace is sufficient: as if hee should say, hee which hath giuen you his grace, can he denie you any thing? as Christ saith, Hee which hath giuen vs his Sonne, will he not giue vs all things with him? Therefore grace may be called the gift of gifts, because all gifts come with grace, as the Court goeth with the Queene. Therefore feare not to bee humble, least you be contemned: for all the promises of God are made to humilitie, and yet men feare to be humble, lest they shuld be contemned. Humilitie did not make Iohn contemptible, but when he refused the name of a Prophet, Christ saith, that hee was more then a Prophet, Mat. 11. 2. Humilitie did not make Moses contemptible, but as he was the mildest man vpon earth; so he was the greatest vpon the earth, Numb. 12. Humilitie did not make Dauid contemptible, but when he humbled himselfe, hee said vnto Micol, I will be more humble yet, and lowly in my owne sight, yet thou and thy maides shall honour me, 2. Sam. 6. 22. As Christ ceased not to be a king because he was like a seruant, nor to bee a Lion because he was like a Lamb, nor to be ⟨p. 448⟩God because he was made man, nor to bee a Iudge, because he was iudged: so man dooth not loose his honour by humilitie: but he shal be honored for his humilitie, as the Son was honoured when he was humbled,
- 1Mat. 11.
