3 28 Ofthe vanitie ofrnorldlynobilitie. whichwherefoeuerit isfound, is to be reverenced andre; fpecìed with double honor, both for the greatneffe which theyhaue from their ancef ors, and for the goodneffe which Isin themfelúes; yea andfomuch more for this then for the other, asgoodneffe excelleth greatnes, in the iudgement of 1t?inimè dens eft who arefeafonedwith true wifdome. Neitheris this true acceptorperfs. nobilitie much relpeékd and valuedamonnf} all good men nàru n;nt cto only ,but it isafro moll acceptable vntoGod ; for howfoeuer ¡amen ñ b i the Lord isno refpe6ierofperfons, but regardethvertuein plus',facet : an the begger, as well as in the King; yet he more refpe6feth fine rinia play and rewardeth the venuesand good parts whichhe findcth claret t &c. in truenobilirie, then in the common fort; partly becaufe Berard.adi_ they moreglorifie him, and do more good to his Church, Sophia being moreexemp,arie,.drawing on their inferiours to their imitation; and partly becaufe theyhaue fironger tentations to draw themalide out oftheir courlèofgoodnes: and ther- forc whentheycontinue in the right way, and after amore dangerousconflia, obtaine a more glorious vié}orie then privatemen, it is nomaruaile ifrhey hauea greater reward, and richer crowne allotted unto them. 4.Seçi.4. The other kind ofnobility is worldly andimperfeé},when That rvarldly as menare enobled only for the vertuesand deferts oftheir nobilirie¡sof ancef}ors, having no worth or good parts in themfelues, no wortboreX_ ,wherein they do in an degreeresemble their predeceffors; ieüencie. but retainingonly their name, titles, armes and honors, do wholly degenerate from them in their venues and good qualities. The whichnobilitie, howfoeuer it.rnaketh aglo- rious fhew in the world, yet is it in truthbale and contemp- tible,as being no truenobilitie, but abaflardly and degene- rate offpring, or butas a dead truncke,which retainch fome outwardforme or fhape, but wanteth vertue andgoodnefle which is the foulethereof, whereby it f a uld halm it chicle effence and being, without which it fòone rotteth andpe- rifheth. And this is that worldly, maimed, and lamenobili- tie, which isto benegle6led and contemned: firf},becaufeit is ofnoworth orexcellencie veto any, being fevered from teuevenue and godlineffe, in that they have loft the chicle andformall difference, whereby they were firfl aduanced aboue
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