p That meremoral and cáuálf vertues are to be contemned. which they arife; for they are either inward, and in our felues; or outward in fome externall worldlyobie&: The inward eitherarife from fortething in our foules, or in our bodies;the tentations of the former kinde refpe&,either vertues,or fome other gifts and ornaments ofthe foule. By vertues I vnderfland not thofe which are truly religious graces andholy duties ioyned-with the kuowledge,loue, and feare ofGod ; but thofe morali, ethicall and civill ver= tues,which are in a man vnregenerate before his comer- fion,whichmay well be reckoned as parts ofworldly pro. fperitie,feeing there isno earthly comfort,norworldly hap- pineffewithout them..The which in thisdifcourfe I.purpofe not to take flri&ly, but to comprehend vnder thisnamethe facultiewith the fun&ion, the internal! habitewith the .ex- ternal a&and operation;all which in themfelues aregood, as being the gifts ofGod,either which wee haue naturally andordinarilybellowedvpon vs in our creation, or more extraordinarilywrought in vs by Gods fpirit,whichmay be called peculiar gifts, ifwe refpe& the former,becaufe they are not bellowed vponall that are vnregenerace ; but are vfually by diners called the common gifts of theSpirit,be- ing oppofedtofan&ifying andCaning graces,becaufe they are commonto the ele&with the reprobate. But howfoe- uer they aregood, as Gods gifts,and in their ovvne nature, yet theyarenot good in vs, becatífethey are imperfeet and mingled with corruption,nor good tovs,becaufe Satan, the world,andourown finfull flefhábufing thern,doraifeout of thëamofl dangerous tentation namely, thatbecaufe they excel! all other worldly things,-and weeexcel! in them the ordinarie fort ofmen, thereforewee mull fo dote on them, andouerweene their worth,as though our chiefe happines confifled in them,negle&ing in themeane timeall fan&ify- ing graces as needleffe, becaufethefemorall and ciuillver- tues were fiiflîcient forour faluacion. And thus the whole fe&of the Stoicks were abufed& deluded in ancient times, andherewith the Papiits in our owne timesare (though not quite blinded, yet) fhrewdlybleered; and amongíl our felues many worldlings,andvnregeneratemen, are pitifully snaked,
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