3 t 8 Ofthe vanitieofworldpower andauthoritie. wing their dependancie vpon God, they begin to waxproud ofchemlelues, and thinking it too bale to fullaine theplace ofGods deputies, they afpirethemfeluesvoto the fupreame foueraignetie, and rebellioufly affeëi diuine honors. So Ne- bwehadxezerbeing byhis greatncspuffed vp with pride, for- gatehimfelfe to be a man, and wouldneeds haue his image worlhipped byall his people;and this wasvfuall among the Heathen Potentates, who ambitiouflydefired to be deified, and tohaue theirfiatues and images ereaed, votowhich di. nine worfhipwas to be imparted. And thus i"zziah, howfo. s.C4rron.xó.t6 euer he was a Princeof the betterfort, yet when hee grew mightie, it is laid ofhim, thathis heart was lift vp to his de- flru&ion. Andas it makethmen proud in relpe&ofGod ; fo in refpeEl ofinen,moll infolent, difdainfull and tyrannicall. Renè potentiam It is true indeed, that thofe who vfe their authoritie well,do exocet qul¡cit keepe an humble mind in an high eflate,like the Sun, which Far sllam¡spor the higher it is,theleffeit feemeth,anddo notfomuch looke eulpase:igi, & at their Iùperioritieofflate and order, as at the equalitie of fritcoin ilia c.e- their naturall condition ; and confidering that all by nature tents aquabtate arecanal! and that it is finne which maketh this difference componi. Greg. Moral.hb.z6. offuperioritie.and inferioritie betweene them,therfore they cap.19. aduance their power to beare fway ouer their vicesrather then ouer theirperfons,and whilefi they rememberthat they punifh finne, they donot forget that it is punifhed in their brethren. Nether do they (as one faith) dig much reioyce to Grcg.Moral. rule ouer men, as that theymay profit themby theirgouern_ iib.xr,cap. rt. nient, knowing that the ancient Patriarks were not fo much Kings ouermen, as Pa (torsouer fheepe,andthat when God Paid to Noahand his fonnes increafe andmultiplie, and fill the earth, adding that theirfeare and dread fhould be ouer the beafis, fowles and fifties, lice doth not fayalto that it should be ouermen, bccaufe mans terrour fhould be ouer beat'sandnotouer men. Although indeed holy gouernours delire to be feared oftheir fubieóis; but it is when as they fee that they donotfeare God, that at leali they may be re- firained fromfinne by this feare ofman,who do not fland in awc ofGods judgements : and therefore theyarenot proud ofthis feare, in which they teamnot theirowne glorie, but the
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=