3 T 4 Ofthevanitieofworldy paver andautberítie. fan6iifying grace,or fiunifh our heart with one verrue; yea commonly this worldly power rather oppofeth againl} grace,keeping it fromentring where it is not, andnipping, curbing, and fuppreffing it where any (cedes thereof are fowen; whereas they who are weake and contemptible, beingmanured byGods husbandmen, doe like gentle and light grounds, bring foorth fruitfull increafeofvertue and goodneffe ; whereas the other,like fliffe and prongclay, do choakeand buriewhatfoeuer good feeds ofgrace are com- mitted to them. And as this is tobe obferued in feuerall per- fons,fo alto we may note a great difference in the fame men in thefe different eflates : for howmany haue we feenc,who before they haue had preferments,haue been humblc,ccur- teous, religious, and inriched with many graces and good parts, who being aduanced to dignitie andauthoritie, are changed with their eflate, becomming proudand infolenr, difdainfull andcontemptuous, irreligiousand prophane, or at leaf cold and negligent in all goodduties, the power of Godsword becomming vnpowerfull veto them, and their zeale being cooled, when thiswinde ofvaingloriehathbut Eccleßanata&alittle blowne vpon them ?And this difference is obferued adulta perfecu -by an Ancient in the Bate ofthe primitiue Church,which cionibus,creuar being borneand come to fome age and flrength,did grow pa martyrys co- i renata rfl,dre. n the middefl ofperfecutions, and was adorned with the Hieronym.de crowneofmartyrdome : but after it had Chriflian Princes viva Malchi. induedwithpower to defend and prouide for ir, it increafed epifl.tom.t. with riches, but decreafed and declined in vertue and all goodneffe.Neither doth this power and authoritie helpevs at all in ourwarfareagainl ourfpirituall enemies ; for thefe principalities and powers cannot be oucrthrowne with hu., manemight; and thefe flefhlyweaponsare farce tooweake for this fpirituall incounter ; yea rather it betraiethvs vnto danger,feeingwe aremore aptto truflvnto it,when we find our owne might,and italwaies faileth vs whenweemoil: re- lic vpon it. Itdoth not intitle vs to true grcatneffe, and the sima2nafive- chiefemagnificence of a Chrifiian; whichBoth not-confll: ri : non b,nus in abilitie to doe much, but in a willingnefre to doe that el is,fed f bona which is good neither will doing of great things makea magrtrts. man
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=