The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as…

2. Extreme poverty of Estate: The second thing he suffered in this part of his life, was grievous poverty and want of the ordinary comforts and possessions of life, so as he complains, The birds of the air have nests, and the foxes have holes, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head, Matth. 8. 20. And we read that when he was to ride in triumph, as it were, into Jerusalem, as the King of Zion, (Zach. 9. 9.) he was fain to ride of a borrowed Ass, and the foal of an Ass, Matth. 21. Now this meanness of Estate he endured ⟨p. 322⟩for these reasons. First, He became poor, as the Apostle said, that he might make us rich, 2 Cor. 8. 9. He wanted earthly things, that he might enrich us with heavenly things. Secondly, our King comes to us thus meek and lowly, hiding his Majesty, and applying himself to the mean cond•••on of his servants, that he might entice us to seek more heartily those great things of our salvation from him, Zach. 9. 9. And from hence we may learn divers things. First, we should know and acknowledge this grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and bless his blessed poverty, that hath opened a way for such riches for our souls, 2 Cor. 8. 9. Secondly, such as are rich should learn not to contemn poor Christians for their poverty, seeing Christ himself was poor; and withal they should imitate Christ, even to make themselves poor (as it were) through their abundant liberality to the distressed Saints, as Paul urgeth it 2 Cor. 8. 9. And further, they should not place their felicity in the possession of worldly things, seeing the Heir of all things, and the fountain of all happiness, did by willing poverty so trample upon the glory of the riches of the world. Thirdly, such as would follow Christ in this world, must hence learn not to seek great things from his service in earthly things: for so our Saviour urgeth this point, as you may read