Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

3 z z Of the vanitie of W orld y power and authoritie. Non malapate- good and punilh the euill.To which purpofe one faith, that ftae, fedisqui power itfel feis not eaill; btube that ahufeth hispower andautho_ male vtitur po- ritie ; it is not:ail:borotiethat is cuill but ambition i finally, thus tetras, &c. farre forth the ordination ofpower to from God, that he is to he n Luc. accounted the miniffer o od who doth v e his ower ell an d cap.4.Tom.S. fCl f P } ; therefore it is not the fault of the office, but of the miní3ter, nei. thercatsthe ordinance ofglodde leafe,buttheaElionofhimwho doth illadminifter it, The Emperourgiueth honor, and hath his due praife; burl f any abufe this honor conferred ripen him, it is not the fault oft be5neperour, but of theinferiourJudge. what fhalt we fay then ? it isgoodto vfe power, and todefîrehonor:good 1 fay,if it be lawfully conferred,and riot ambitioufy /oatched.But yet as I Paid of the reli ofworldly ble(lings,fo ofthis, it is not good abfolutely and immutably, but oían indifferent nature in refpe& of the vfe, good to thole that make good vfe of it, Dluitta, paten- euill to thofe who abufe it veto euill.So one faith,tharriches, tia,robrq,io power andflrength, are the tnitrumentsofvertue to thofe that ftramentarunt vfe them well, although they haue no true felicitie in themfelues virtutis retlè and therefore he is ne leff-miferabfe who abu feth them, then bee vtenti who taking afword into his bards to fight again.ft hirenemies,doth $afildeInuid.turnetht point hereo a arnfthimela to his oWneruine.Vnto Plomil.rr. f g f f , which abufe we are naturally moflprone, partly whited We fet our hearts and affeólións morevpon ir, then vponour fpi_ rituali aduancement, to be the fonnes ofGod,and heires ap- parant ofhis kingdome, and therefore take more pailles in getting, and more care in keeping this earthly preferment, then that fpirituall and heauenly aduancemenr, ofwhich we are readie to make forfeiture, by vfing fiufull and wicked meanes for the compaffing of the other;partlywhilefi be- ing puffed vp in pride,we glorie in ourpower and authority, defpifing and contemning thofe -who haue not attained to the height of our preferments ; and partly by putting too Much tru(I and confidence in it, as though we were able-to hand in ourowne firength, and to outface and difcounte- nanceany dangerby our owne power. But that we maynot too much efleeme, affe &, feeke, or glorie in this authoritie and power, but may learne todefpife whatfoeuer portion thereof we haue in our felues, in comparifon of out fpiritual priuiledges,.