The Method of Grace

It is therefore a great design of the enemy of mankind to corrupt persons of eminent rank and quality both in religion and morality; and by their influence and example to infect and poison the whole body politic: and his ⟨image 4⟩success herein deserves to be greatly lamented and bewailed. Persons of eminency are more especially ^fobliged to shun base and sordid actions. Hierom professed ^ghe saw nothing desirable in nobility except this, that such persons are bound by a certain kind of necessity not to degenerate from the probity, or stain the glory of their Ancestors. But alas! how many in our times have not only exposed Christianity to contempt, but obscured ^hthe glory of their own families, and the Kingdom in which they had their birth and breeding; so that if you will take right marks of your way to Heaven, you will have little direction from those of your own rank, but as ⁱMariners take their direction at Sea, by looking up to the Heavens, so must you. In this general corruption it is very hard to escape infection: many (as Salvian complained) ⟨image 4⟩^kare compelled to be evil, lest they should be accounted vile: and incur the offence of God, to avoid the slights and censures of men. Although there is no more reason why they should be offended at the rational and religious pleasures, you and other pious Gentlemen take in the ways of godliness, than there is that you should envy the sinful pleasures they take in the ways of wickedness. It was an excellent Apology that Tertullian made for the Christians of his time against the Gentiles, ^lWherein (saith he) do we offend you, if we believe there are other pleasures? If we will not partake with you in your delights, it is only our own injury: we reject your pleasures, and you are not delighted with ours.