Ofthe vanitieofworldly nobilitie. 3 37 cient, there being no hiflories that make mention ofany common-wealth,whichwasconflitutedlong after the com- mon-wealth ofIfrael: for whereas all writings and records weremeerely fabulous among the Heathens before the wars ofTroy; the learned haue found that this warre was long af- ter the fetling ofthe ¡late ofIfrael, when as they had lephthe for their ludge. Finally, there was neuer anynation, ho could fo plainly and diflinêtly íhew theantiquitieoftheir houles and kinred, by reafonofrhat exact diuilon oftheir tribes, families and inheritances, which was rcligioutly ob_ ferued among them.But yet what did all thisnobilitie ofthe people oflfrael auaile them, when as degenerating from their anceftors, theylotl their vernies, the truelife and fouie oftheirnobility, and became vicious andpolluted with all mannerofíinne?Surely notliiiigat all; for do not the Pro- phets ofGod notwithflanaingall this (looking vnto what they were,andnot refpenlingfrom whom they were defcen- Efai.r.k.to. ded) call them the feed ofthe wicked,corrupt children,peo- pie ofGomorrah?Do theynot tellthem,that the curfed Ca- naniteswere theirkilned, their father anAmotite, and their Ezech.t6.3. motheranHittite?Yea doth not lohn the Baptifl go further, calling them a generationofvipers, and charging them no more to challengeAbrahamfor their father,feeing they no- thing refembled him in his faith andother vertucs?And doth Matth.3.7.9. notour Sauiourhimfelfe difgrace themwith the fame title? and when they gloried in their nobility, becaufe they were Matth.rz.34. effbrahamsfeed, Bothnot he tell them,that ifthey were the children ofAbraham, they would do the workes of sAbra- Iohn 8.44. ham, and plainly affirmeth that they were thechildren ofthe diuell, becaufethey did his will, and refembled him in per- forming their wicked lulls? So fit-tall account haue Chrift and hisProphets made ofthis worldly nobility, being feue- redfrom vertue and polluted with vice and wickednes.Nei- therisit any marucllifthat nobility which is deriued from earthly parents,doth nought profit thofe who do not imitate theirvertue, whenaskinred andconfanguinity with Chrift Ieftishimfelfe, whowasnotonly man, but alto the glorious SonneofGod, did notat all auaile thofe, who were not as Z. nette
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