sensibly delighted. But grace seeks consolation in God alone, and to have delight in the highest good above all visible things.  Nature manages everything for its own gain and profit.  It cannot without payment do anything, but for every kindness hopes to obtain either what is equal, or what is better, or at least praise or favor, and to have its works and gifts and words much valued. But grace seeks no temporal thing, nor desires any other reward than God alone for wages, nor asks more of temporal necessities, except so far as these may serve for the obtaining of things eternal.
Nature rejoices to have many friends and kinsfolk. It glories in noble place and noble birth, smiles on the powerful, fawns on the rich, applauds those like itself. But grace loves even enemies, and is not puffed up with multitudes of friends; nor thinks anything of place or of high birth, unless there will be the greater virtue. It favors the poor rather than the rich, sympathizes with the true man, not with the deceitful. It is ever exhorting good men to “eagerly desire the greater gifts”,† and by virtues to become like to the Son of God.
Nature quickly complains of want and of trouble; grace with courage endures need. Nature turns all things back to itself, strives and argues for
