Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

Of the vanitie of priaritie and prefermen tr. 307 rather that we may haue fotneplace in Gods kingdome;and thinke vrith our (clues what ( haine and confufion it will bring, to thofe who hauing in this life had the higher} places among men, (hall in the life to come manger their pride, be thru(ldowne into one of the loweflplaces of hell, and haue the Diuels: and wicked fpirits iufültiug oiler them. The fourth branch of worldly honour is aduancement 4.Sei.I I. and preferment,the which either refpeaeth perfons, or pla- ofthe vanieie ces and dignities : the former is, when as men are extraordi- ofPrinces fa- narilyaduanced into the fauour and eflimation of Princes nears and great Potentates of the world; which howfoeuer it is to be efleemed in it fclfgood,when as it is obtained bylaw - full and honcfi meanes, yet it degenerateth and becommeth euill vnto thofe who afpirc vnto it as their chicle goodneffe; in their iudgements preferring, in their affe6iions defiring, and in their pra6life leeking,the fauourofmortal and earth. ly Princes,before the fauour and lone ofthe immortali and heauenlyKing :which is the cafe ofal thofewho vfe wicked and vnlawfullcourtes, either to gaine,or retaine their lone; as lying,diffembling,hypocrifre, fycophancie, fanning, flat - terie,and other filch diuelli(h arts and policies.But howfoe- uerChrifiians are much to account of the loue oftheir Prin- ces and rulers, when as hauing it, they may alto retainethe loue and fauour ofGod, becaufe they are his Deputies and Lieutenants vpon earth : yet when there is fuch oppofition betweenethem, that both will not Hand together,(as it al- waies hapneth when either it cannot be gotten or kept but by finfull and wicked meanes) then is this fauour of great Potentates to be lightly eileemed,yeato be contemnedand reieaed,that wee may retaine the fauour and loue ofGod; according to the example of the three children, who how - foeuer they were in chiefe fauour and etlimation with Ne- bwchadnezer, yet when they could not enioy it Bill,vnleife they would offend God, by committing idolatrie, in wor- (hipping his image,thçy fit his fauour at nought,and regar- ded not his difpleafure and fierce wrath: asalfo inlohnthe Baptifi, who though hee were in good accountwith Herod, X 2 yet