Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

Qftbe vanitie of vorldIgtorie. 295 pérfonages j or finally in high aduanccment and preferment, to places and offices ofgreateff dignitie and royaltie; or in the concurrence ofall, or fome of there together : all which are vaine, and of no worth, or true excellencie, as we (hall plainly perceiue, if we do take but a flight view of them fe- uerally.And firli for fame and vaine- glory,which is nothing elfe but the applaule oche multitude, whereby they magni fie and extoll a man out of their opinion ofhis worth and ex- cellencie, if we examine it, we fhall find both that it is fall and counterfeit, and an that it is vaine and vnprofitable:for it is not that true honor before defcribed, confifling in good name and ellimation of the godly and vertuous, for true worth and defert; but the clamour of the common peo- ple,extolling thofe, whom in a fudden opinion they thinke worthie : which is not like that, referred to Gods glory and the fpirituall good of the partie; but being arrogated to themfelues as their own due,it wholly tendeth to puffe them vp with pride, and a fond opinion offelfc excellencic. And therefore Peeing it isfalfeand counterfeit, how glorious foe- uer it appeares, it is not to be valued,butto be contemned as bale and forged. For as when we fee perlons on the .flage in Chryfo7l.-Ho= glorious and royall apparell,and muchmore richly adorned, mil.ad pop.q;. then fuch as are great Princes and potentates in truth,yet we tom+ do not reuerence or much refpe& them, becaufe we know that they are but perfonated,and onlygreatby apifh imitati- on : fo how goodly a thew foeuer this vaine glorie maketh, yet feeing it is not the true glorie ofa Chri(lian, but a falfe i and counterfeit fhadow thereof, its to be negle6led:and contemned. But as this fame and glorie of the world is fall, fo allo vaine and vnprofitable ; as it may appeare at the firfl fight, if That worldly if we do but confider of the name, which by common trad- glorie ie vaine Lion is given vnto it : for although all worldly things arefull bled vnprofi:a- efvanitie, yet this glorie peculiarly bath this title of vaine prefixed vnto it, as challenging it veto it felfe by a certaine kind ofproprietie,or fingular eminencie,as though howfoe- Fa venter uer all things are yet nothing in comparifon of this tF! g vaine, g p vmbraeft,pibg vaine gloric.For what in truth is this falle fame and glorie of eft. V 4 the