Thus let us cull out the best patterns: be our delight to the Saints on the earth, and such as excel in virtue, Psal. 16.3. Now every Saint excels in some virtue: o•• excels in knowledge, another excels him in faithfulness, a third excels him in zeal, a fourth excels him in humility, another excels him in that Christian virtue, yea, Christs virtue; Forgiving of wrongs: and yet a poor man may out-go them all i• an admirable patience, 1 Cor. 12.29. Now as when Paul had propounded many […] graces; he concludes; Desire you earnestly the best gifts. Take the best of every […], and so make up an excellent man: learn of him zeal, of him knowledge, of him patience. A proud Dame will propose to her self the fashion of such a woman for h•• apparel, of another for her attendance, of another for her diet, of another for her carriage, of another for her place and precedency; of none for humility: Now as ••e that takes the worst of every woman, will make her self an extreme bad woman. So she that gathers obedience from Sarah, wisdom from Rebecca, chaste love from Rachel, faith from Mary, hospitality from Martha, humility from Anna, charity from Dorc••; she shall make her self a most excellent woman; Delicias humani generis, the joy of men, the delight of Angels, and the beauteous Spouse of Jesus Christ. All these were the properties of that good wise Solomon speaks of; and in what woman soever you find them, you may say with him; Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou s•• mountest them all. These be good patterns to follow, as we pray for our Sovereign, that not only he may be like some former Prince, but have the virtues of them all: the courage of Joshua, the heart of David, the head of Solomon, the zeal of Josiah, the integrity of Hezekiah, &c. So all those eminences which we find in the ancient Saints, we desire to be concentered in our own heart. He that would plant a garden, borrows here a choice flower, there an herb, there a plant; till at length his own surpasseth all the rest. But alas; where is this imitation of goodness to be found among us? we are led by whom we are fed, without respect to him that feeds both them and us. Some spoil many of Gods creatures to confer all on their own creature, which is some ••cking cur that they have dressed up in high fortunes. Now, Quid non summa nequiti• poterit in summa fortuna?
Thus let us cull out the best patternes: be our delight to the Saints on the earth, and such as excell in vertue, Psal. 16.3. Now every Saint excels in some vertue: o•• excels in knowledge, another excels him in faithfulnesse, a third excels him in zeale, a fourth excels him in humilitie, another excels him in that Christian vertue, yea, Christs vertue; Forgiving of wrongs: and yet a poore man may out-goe them all i• an admirable patience, 1 Cor. 12.29. Now as when Paul had propounded many 〈…〉 graces; he concludes; Desire you earnestly the best gifts. Take the best of every 〈…〉, and so make up an excellent man: learne of him zeale, of him knowledge, of him patience. A proud Dame will propose to her selfe the fashion of such a woman for h•• apparel, of another for her attendance, of another for her diet, of another for her carriage, of another for her place and precedencie; of none for humility: Now as ••e that takes the worst of every woman, will make her selfe an extreme bad woman. So she that gathers obedience from Sara, wisdome from Rebecca, chast love from Rachel, faith from Mary, hospitality from Martha, humility from Anna, charity from Dorc••; shee shall make her selfe a most excellent woman; Delicias humani generis, the joy of men, the delight of Angels, and the beauteous Spouse of Iesus Christ. All these were the properties of that good wise Salomon speakes of; and in what woman soever you find them, you may say with him; Many daughters have done vertuously, but thou s•• mountest them all. These be good patternes to follow, as we pray for our Soveraigne, that not onely he may be like some former Prince, but have the vertues of them all: the courage of Ioshua, the heart of David, the head of Salomon, the zeale of Iosiah, the integrity of Hezekiah, &c. So al those eminences which we find in the ancient Saints, we desire to be concentred in our own heart. He that would plant a garden, borrows here a choice flower, there an herbe, there a plant; till at length his own surpasseth all the rest. But alas; whereis this imitation of goodnesse to be found among us? we are led by whom we are fed, without respect to him that feeds both them and us. Some spoile many of Gods creatures to confer all on their own creature, which is some ••cking curre that they have drest up in high fortunes. Now, Quid non summa nequiti poterit in summa fortuna?
