The excellency of a gracious spirit Delivered in a treatise upon the 14. of…The excellency of a gracious spirit Deliuered in a treatise upon the 14. of…

But what say you? if you thought it were not from this pride, and conceitedness you speak of, then you would think it were well; then you would join in justifying of them, if you were sure it were from a choice, excellent spirit in them.

But what say you? if you thought it were not from this pride, and conceitednesse you speake of, then you would thinke it were well; then you would joyne in justifying of them, if you were sure it were from a choyce, excellent spirit in them.

Well then, let Gods servants rejoice in this, that they know it is not from pride, that it is not from humour, that they run not into excess of riot as others do, but from the ⟨p. 158⟩work of God upon their spirits, and this witness they have for themselves, this they have to encourage themselves in, that if the men of the world did but know their principles from whence they work, as they know them themselves, even they would justify both them and their ways. But further, we must know there is a way of God that is real, that tends to life; what ever way it be, this is certain, it must be different from the common course of the world; and if this be not it, in which Gods people do walk, tell us what is that way, and we will walk in it. The Scripture tells us, the way to life is narrow, and that few walk in it; and the other way is broad that tends to death; we cannot therefore but fear, when we see the mark of a way that leads to death. Christs flock is but a little flock, Luke 12. 32. Fear not little flock: there are two diminutives in the Original, the word translated, flock, signifies a little flock; but ⟨p. 159⟩¹that the exceeding littleness of it might appear, Christ adds another word, so the words are, Fear not little flock. And S.