113 Bt, tie. eueredfrom tracvcrtste,is to be contemned. eo:Yetourmcn,nrtthroes h the ftt!rofthegal<l,but of-them-Info to' itintinio. Now lei} flaouìd thinke that but few fall in.. to this follic,lct them.know,that as many areguiltie ofit, as vfe greater,cureand labour, and (pend more time inprocu. ring, or, preferuing, this fading beatific, then in attaining Gods fauour,the graces ofhis ipirit, or in vling the meanes of their otcne.faluation; for as we preferreour-ends,foallo themeanes accordingly which leadeveto them. And thushaue: I (hewed how this gift ofGod is abufed seauticis brrt.a veto euill,and becomtneth thggroundofdiuers tentations, .ift,common wherbySatanand thewotl od ,,.tough the corruption ofour with thebtatiiP flcfh,allurethvs to Gnne; a tnfl which,that wemay bear- creaeres.. med,let vs not,ifwe want it;°immoderately delire it, and if, we haue it,letvs take heedthat weebe not ouertakenwith pride,nor let our heartsand affe6lions vpon it, preferring it before fpirituall and fauinggraces, and themeanes of our owne faluation. Yea,when it commeth in comparifonwith thefe, letvs !came to defpife and contemne, lotheandab,,, horre it,as becomming through abufe,a fnare ofthe diuell;" wherebyhe hindereth vs from going forward in the wayof faluation. Butbecaufe the moll that haue it, doechus abufe it,and in (lead ofbeing madebetter,andmore thankful] vn. toGod,become morevain andproud, wantonand wicked, let fuchknow,that whatfoeuer beautie is in it owne nature, to them it is ofno worth or excellencie, altogether vnprofi- table ; yea, veryhurtful] and pernicious,both to themfelues and others. And firll that it is of no value, or excellen- cie,beingfeueredfrom vcrtue and true godlinefle; it may appeare,in that it is common to man with thebrutifh crea- tures;andwhat excellencie is in that, in which the honeand greyhound,the peacocke and fwan,doe allo excel]as well as he? yea,of what worth is it,feeing even the flowers of the field,as the role and lilie, doe in the beautieof colours goe farre beyond him ? and therefore mansexcellencie isnot in this,whcrein he is exceeded by fuch meane creatures,but in theright vfe offanélified reafon, and in the hidden vermes Tjibilin ber7ÿs ofthemind., Forat there isnothing more excellent inbeaffs, pla refrains quamgood Tit then flint which isoatwardlyfeene.aneldi(corned,fa inman there is
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=