5e6 Chap. 6. ACertamentarie upon that men are ofthetrafetues mecrenothingsIs he rioth.ngthat is created rafter the image ofGod,ir holincife and righteoufnes? Are Princes and Potentates 'nothing that are cal:edGods in , fcripture?Arc they nothing that Prophecie, and vvnrke mira cles? Anfw. Paul fpeaketh not of the gifts ofGod, bellowed vponmen, but ofthe tncn themfelucs: and of them, not as'' they were in the (late ofinnocencie before the fall , but as they are nove in the (lateofcorruption &Apollafie,or in the age ofgrace,as they are considered of,in,and by thernfelues. Thus men fpirituall nnen,arenothing of thernfclues: (for ofthem e- to fpecially the Apoétic fpeaketh, as it may appears out of the fiat verte.) For firft,all areby nature the children ofwrath , and fire. brands oflicll.2.the gifts of God bellowed upon vs whether ofnature or ofgrace,are not ours,biit Gods,the gluer ofihctn. is Therefore noman mayarrogate more vntohimfélfe, then an- other in regard ofthem , fecing all ofvs are but flewards,and the things we haue arebut talents,left vs to imploy to our ma- tters aduantage.If thou hall receivedrhon.,(faith Paul)why baa- f1ef, thou thy felfe,as though thou loadfl not receiuedthena ?s. Be it 20 that a man be in Chrift and fancîified, yet he hath no greater right to the merits ofChrift , nor greaterpart in themsthen he which is kffefanetifìed:for though fanEtificationbath degrees, and acertaine latitude,yet'uilification hath none. So that a mä is in trueth nothing of himfelfe. t. Becaufe he hath his`bceing 25 and beginning ofnothing, and tendeth ofhis ow:e nature to corruption,and nothing.2.In that betsnot that whichhe ima- gineth himfelfe to be. 3.Thouh hehaue fouie gifts and gra- -cesofGod,yet is he nothing , becaufe he is farte .íhort of that whichhe ought tobe.'.Cor.8.2. Vpon thefe confiderat.ions 3o Abraham acknowledgeth himfelfe to be but dt>fl and ales, Gent S.27.Dauid comparing himfelfewith the-magnificence ©f Saul,fai th, What am 1,or,rrhat is myfathers haute? i Satz. i 8. I 8.Naywhether we confider manabfolutely in himfelfe,or re- -latiuely in refpeEEof other creatures, as thole gloriousbodies, ;5 the funne, tnoone,ftarres , we may fay with theProphet Da :uid, Lord*hat is rrran,that thons art mindefull ofhim, or the loom -ofman, that thou re arde(1 hiragfPfal. 8.4. Paul confefièeth hitufelfe to benothing,in,of,or by himfelfe: but by thegrace ofGod (faith_he) lam that 1am, i .Cor. r .t o. lvtñv x7tòu, ,rpEx7év. JasaaCceaus. - ..---
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