140 That bodilyflrength is of fmallworth and excellencie. Iob;6.t9. he revardeth not them that excell inflrenQth: and as the P1àI- Pfal.147.rc. millfpeaketh, he bath no Ñ'eafterein theflrenóthofan horfe, neither delighted., he en the legges ofman. And therefore hee maketh this allo oneofhis common gifts, whichhe giueth to the reprobate,as well as to the eleel, andvntobeafts (and that in farce greater meafure)as well as votomen.Howvaine therefore are thofe who are proud of fuch bale vanities? wherein many wicked men match them, and .many.beafls doe farce excell them; how little good hauethey in them, when theyare faine to glorie in that, in which when they haue attained vnto the greatefl meafure which poffibilitie incourageth them to delire, yet theycome farrefhort of gi. ants amongmen,andofthe horfe,bull,lion,and manyother among the brutifhcreatures?To this purpofe Chryfo.3lome demandeth; vfrt thouftrong(faith he) andart thou therfore Fortis es,eirat- proud?whythe thing *herein thouglorieflis hate,for the lion is tumfapis ? At hardier then thou, and the here fironger; yea robbers, theeues, res vilr/frma; andrufans,and thine awneferuantihereinexcellthee,anddoeil nam toand lea eft thou thinkthis a thing efleemeabkor praife horthie? The like aperf4t4r,6.c. allo may bce laid,ofniinblcnes, a6uiuitie, and fwiftnes. For Homil.adpop. when in nimblenesand a6huitie thou exceedefl all men, yet 40.totn.i. an ape doth farre furpaffe thee; and though thoucouldeft runncas fwiftlyas Afahel,yet the Tillie Harc would far out- ftrip thee. Seeing therefore-God hath vouchfafed thee the honour ofa man,glorie not in that wherein the beansexcell thee,and feeinghehath made theeaChriftian, abufe not fo much theworth ofthine owne excellencies, as(letting afide . all thy better parts)tobe proud ofthatwhereinPagans and allo bonoviere Heathens haue ottermatched thee. But (as one faith)erhen dumaddt,cum thou haftthis lirength,vfeitwhilefiit i-prefent; andwhen itis abTic ne requi- abfnt,neuer muchdeftreit. Senfl. da Againe, let vsconfider that if it were ofany worth and 4 Setï.3. excellencie, yet it is not muchtobe eflee+ned,becaufè it is That beditie momentanie,and offuch fhort continuance; for oftentimes ftrengthisme. itisby a weekes ficknesweakened and impaired,euenin the mentanie,and primeofyouth,and fo forfaketh vs,as Toone as it bath but fa- butoflhort ton- lutedvs,as though it had only come to take leaue:ouryouth- tlnuatse, fullyeeresandperfeétageremainingasweakeanddecrepit, 35
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