Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

3 T 4 Of the vanitieofworldy paver andautberítie. fan6iifying grace,or fiunifh our heart with one verrue; yea commonly this worldly power rather oppofeth againl} grace,keeping it from entring where it is not, and nipping, curbing, and fuppreffing it where any (cedes thereof are fowen; whereas they who are weake and contemptible, being manured by Gods husbandmen, doe like gentle and light grounds, bring foorth fruitfull increafe of vertue and goodneffe ; whereas the other,like fliffe and prong clay, do choake and buriewhatfoeuer good feeds of grace are com- mitted to them. And as this is to be obferued in feuerall per- fons,fo alto we may note a great difference in the fame men in thefe different eflates : for how many haue we feenc,who before they haue had preferments,haue been humblc,ccur- teous, religious, and inriched with many graces and good parts, who being aduanced to dignitie and authoritie, are changed with their eflate, becomming proud and infolenr, difdainfull and contemptuous, irreligious and prophane, or at leaf cold and negligent in all good duties, the power of Gods word becomming vnpowerfull veto them, and their zeale being cooled, when thiswinde ofvainglorie hath but Eccleßanata&alittle blowne vpon them ?And this difference is obferued adulta perfecu -by an Ancient in the Bate of the primitiue Church,which cionibus,creuar being borne and come to fome age and flrength,did grow pa martyrys co- i renata rfl,dre. n the middefl ofperfecutions, and was adorned with the Hieronym.de crowneofmartyrdome : but after it had Chriflian Princes viva Malchi. indued with power to defend and prouide for ir, it increafed epifl.tom.t. with riches, but decreafed and declined in vertue and all goodneffe.Neither doth this power and authoritie helpe vs at all in ourwarfare againl ourfpirituall enemies ; for thefe principalities and powers cannot be oucrthrowne with hu., mane might; and thefe flefhly weapons are farce too weake for this fpirituall incounter ; yea rather it betraieth vs vnto danger,feeing we are more apt to trufl vnto it,when we find our owne might,and italwaies faileth vs when wee moil: re- lic vpon it. It doth not intitle vs to true grcatneffe, and the sima2nafive- chiefemagnificence of a Chrifiian; which Both not-confll: ri : non b,nus in abilitie to doe much, but in a willingnefre to doe that el is,fed f bona which is good neither will doing of great things make a magrtrts. man