How chanced this? How
came it thus? Because there were no children of light, no children of
God amongst you, which, setting the world at nought, would study to
illustrate the glory of God, and thereby shew themselves children of
light? I think not so, certainly I think not so. God forbid, that all
you, which were gathered together under the pretence of light, should be
children of the world! Then why happened this? Why, I pray you?
Perchance, either because the children of the world were more in number
in this your congregation, as it oft happeneth, or at the least of more
policy than the children of light in their generation: whereby it might
very soon be brought to pass, that these were much more stronger in
gendering the evil than these in producing the good. The children of
light have policy, but it is like the policy of the serpent, and is
joined with doveish simplicity. They engender nothing but simply,
faithfully, and plainly, even so doing all that they do. And therefore
they may with more facility be cumbered in their engendering, and be the
more ready to take injuries. But the children of this world have worldly
policy, foxly craft, lion-like cruelty, power to do hurt, more than
either _aspis_ or _basiliscus_, engendering and doing all things
fraudulently, deceitfully, guilefully: which as Nimrods and such sturdy
and stout hunters, being full of simulation and dissimulation before the
Lord, deceive the children of light, and cumber them easily.
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