Moses his choice with his eye fixed upon Heaven, discovering the happy condition of…

Secondly, this rebukes those that can see no excellency ¹in those that are godly, more then in others: and if they be afflicted, they look upon them, as the prey of the malice of wicked men, and a poor contemptible people, and pass them by, and see nothing in them to be worthy of any respect. As it was said of Herod, when Christ came to him, he thought to have seen miracles wrought by him; and because he appeared as a mean man, Herod slighted him; and so men that judge according to the flesh, if men be great in the world, or have such a one to ⟨p. 217⟩be their friend, they like that well, but if he be ragged, and mean, they pass him by, as not respecting of him. As Hospinian tells us of the dogs, that kept the Temple of Vulcan, If any came to the Temple with brave clothes, they would let them alone, but if they came in ragged clothes, they would tear them all in pieces: So men of the world, if they see men in good clothes, and prosper outwardly, they are somebody; but for this godliness, and preciseness, they have no skill in it, and therefore despise it, and look contemptibly upon it. So it was with the Samaritans, as long as the people of the Jews were prosperous outwardly, they would challenge acquaintance, and affinity with them, but if they were in affliction, then they would fall off: but St. Paul did not so, for (says he) Henceforth know I no man after the flesh.

Secondly, this rebukes those that can see no excellency ¹in those that are godly, more then in others: and if they be afflicted, they look upon them, as the prey of the malice of wicked men, and a poor contemptible people, and pass them by, and see nothing in them to be worthy of any respect. As it was said of Herod, when Christ came to him, he thought to have seen miracles wrought by him; and because he appeared as a mean man, Herod slighted him; and so men that judge according to the flesh, if men be great in the world, or have such a one to ⟨p. 217⟩be their friend, they like that well, but if he be ragged, and mean, they pass him by, as not respecting of him. As Hospinian tells us of the dogs, that kept the Temple of Vulcan, If any came to the Temple with brave cloaths, they would let them alone, but if they came in ragged cloaths, they would tear them all in pieces: So men of the world, if they see men in good cloaths, and prosper outwardly, they are somebody; but for this godliness, and preciseness, they have no skill in it, and therefore despise it, and look contemptibly upon it. So it was with the Samaritans, as long as the people of the Jews were prosperous outwardly, they would challenge acquaintance, and affinity with them, but if they were in affliction, then they would fall off: but St. Paul did not so, for (says he) Henceforth know I no man after the flesh.