158 Gen. 17. Godswrath many times more violent than 'ailing. Pfat. t;5. The power ofa liuely faith. Vpon theThurfeday after well enough contented with Pharaohs feruitude , as long as heeallowed them ftrawfor theirbride. What littleallowance wouldcontent them then in Gods houfe? Thecouetous rich Mizer in the Gofpell beeing inHell, beg'dbut one drop of water,MitteLazarumvt intingat extremumdigiti fuisendLazarus unto mee, that beemay but dip his finger, &c. Hee was difcreet in his delire, forone onely drop ofwater fromHeauenwill quench the flames ofthat vaft burning lake ofHell. Abrahambeingbut aparticular man , God was willing to make him famous intheworld;and for this end he addedto his namebut one only let- ter,Nonvltravocaberis Abram,fedAbraham,Thy name fhall benomore calledAbram, but Abraham. This nonada, this thing asit wereofnothing,whichGodbeftow- ed upon him, wasenough tomakehim profperand thriue in the world, & tobe the fiocke androot of filchan illuftrious Linage , as the world hadneuer fine the like. 0mulier, magna eftFides tua ; fiattibificut ev*. owoman,great is thyFaith . Our Sauiourmight as well hauePaid`, Thyhis- militie, thy perfeuerance, thy wifedome,thypatience, the acknowledgement of thine-owne miferie,& thy confeffmg thyfelfe tobe but a Dogge. But I acknow- ledge thee (faith Saint Augufine) to befo worthiea woman, that I much won- derat thy worth; and the more I thinkeon it,the more I reftaftonifhed : Thou didit knocke, call,andbegge ; well therefore didit thou deferue,that thedoores of thySauioursbowells and tender compaffion should bee opened vnto thee. Theyare, and he anfweres to thy fute , Fiat tibi f cut vis Bee itvnto thee as thou trosdafl haue it, notlimiting thee to awhat,orahow but as thouwilt thy felfe. Thou defiref,that I fhould free thy daughterfrom the torment of the Deuill, doe thoufree thydaughter, d leaue it to thee todoe it , Iaffìgneouer my power andauthoririe vntothee. O mygood Lord ; how calme art thounow growne, howmilde, how gentle to thispoore fillywoman r' thee bathgot the mafferie of mee,fhee bath quite ouercome mee, I wasnot able tobeate her off, the came within meand forcedme to yeeld, andwhat willthreatnings or brauings auaile mee, beeing thusvanquiflied t' TheHeauen is woont to fhow it felfe fearefull andterrible at the beginningof fomegreattempeft, throwing out thunderand lightning , hideous to behold, but atlait it ends in amildefhower,that makes the fields fertill,and inricheth the earth . Fulgara, inpluuiamfait, Hee turnes thelightning and thunder into raine. The horror of that difmall Deluge,endedin abeautifull Rainebow . Saint t_4aßenfayth, That God dealethfometimes fo with finners. Martiflea, dr- viiiificat,deducitad infernum, & reducit, Hee mort f- eth,andhequickneth, hededucethvs to Hell,andreducethvs fromHell. lofephwas in agreat ragewithhis brethrenat the firft,and feemed to bee inexorale, noting them tobeSpies andTheeues,but thiswas but diffembled difpleafure, &more violent than lifting : Andas water beeing reprefledandrefrained in it's courfe dothmore impetuouflyrife andfwell ; fohis great pittie that he had of them; and the loue that hebarevnto them,burft fourthat lait into tearea,andbeingnot able any longer toconceale himfelfe from them , hee telles them as well as his fnobbing and fobbing would interruptinglygiuc him leaue,Egofumfratervefer, lam yourbrother, &c. So ourSauiour Chrift, didditfemblehimfelfe in thisbu- fineffe,turningher offfooftenas hedid, till beeing notable tohold outany lon- ger,hefayd vntoher,o mulier, magna eft fides tua , (iat tibifacetvis ? O woman' great it thyFaith,be itvino theeas&c.Nunquidebltaiifcitrsr mifereri Dens,oat confine-. bit
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=