The excellency of a gracious spirit Delivered in a treatise upon the 14. of…The excellency of a gracious spirit Deliuered in a treatise upon the 14. of…

Suetonius tells of him, that he was wont to use this speech, That none should go away sad from speaking with a Prince. Excellent things are likewise reported of Trajan, he was accounted a pattern ⟨p. 225⟩of upright dealing, in as much as when a new Emperor was afterwards elected, the people were wont to wish him The good success of Augustus, and the uprightness of Trajanus: and yet the persecution of Christians under him was very grievous. It is likewise said of Antoninus Philosophus, that he was of such a sweet temper, that he was never much puffed up in prosperity, nor cast down in adversity.

Suetonius tels of him, that hee was wont to use this speech, That none should goe away sad from speaking with a Prince. Excellent things are likewise reported of Trajan, he was accounted a patterne ⟨p. 225⟩of upright dealing, in as much as when a new Emperour was afterwards elected, the people were wont to wish him The good successe of Augustus, and the uprightnesse of Trajanus: and yet the persecution of Christians under him was very grievous. It is likewise said of Antoninus Philosophus, that he was of such a sweet temper, that hee was never much puft up in prosperity, nor cast downe in adversitie.

Thus we see, men may have excellent gifts of morality, and yet all these but as the flowers that grow on brambles, far different from those graces of this other spirit that we speak of, which only grows upon the tree of life: As many a fair flower may grow out of a stinking root, so many sweet dispositions, and fair actions may be, where there is only the corrupt root of nature. It is true, learning and morality are lovely, they are pearls highly to be esteemed, they are great blessings of God; but there is a pearl of ⟨p. 226⟩price that is beyond them all, which the true wise Merchant will labour to get, and will be content to sell all to obtain, as