Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

Of the vanitie ofworldly nobilitie. ;3 ) it unfit for their nobility and greatnes,to adioyne themfelues with the vulgar people, and that they fhould itnbafe their honor too much by comming into the publike congregati- on, they content themfelues with their Chaplaine, as t j.. elm with his Leuite, and not induring the publikc Miniarie, where finne is reproued without refpeó ofperfons, and the confciencefearched to the bottome;they commit themfelues ouer tin his cure, who having his prefent meanes and future hopes wholly depending vpon their, dare not fay any thing that may incurre their difpleafure;nor yet apply any falues to their feared fores,which might cure the to the bottone, be- caufe they would coo much vex and trouble their delicate and wanton patients; but only fuch healing falues as draw ouer the fore afaire skinne of carnali fecurity, but leave the core behind, & neuer free them from the inward putrefaEli- on. And this (I doubt not to fay) is one chicle and fpeciall caufe of the irreligion and prophanenes of the nobility of thefe times, becaufc they negle& the ordinance ofGod in the publike Miniaery of the Word, which is the ordinary meanes ofconuetfion and faluation, and either do not at all performe this outward feruice unto God, or elfe after their owne fafhion, without power orprofit, making himlelfe of their charge, veto whole charge they commit themfelues; their remain, before they make him their fhepheard, and to depend vpon them for his bodily nourifhment and meanes oflife, before they will depend vpon him for their fpirituail nourifhment & the food of their foules,which they wil haue cooked after their owne fafhion, and fitted to their dainty pallet with their owne pleating fauce,or elfe he is lure to lofe their fauour,and with it the fruit ofall his labours,and all the hopes ofhis tedious feruice, and bafe dependancie. Secondly, this worldly nobility which is feuered from 4.Sec1.13. vertue, doth but di fgrace thofe that haue it, and when they That nobilitie by their worth are notan honor vnto it, itbecommeth a dif- feucoed frara honor vnto them ; for it is vnto them as a light which not vutre,di1 ra- onl draweth mens c es to looke vpon them, but allo doth tetb th)e that Y Y P hauit. confequently difcouer their vices and deformities, and let them out to the publike view:euery onebeing apt to obferue Z the