256 Gds abfcnce from vs, is no thing elfe but his conniuinp at ourftnnts. From Gods conniucnce growesour prefumption, and hisfeue- G ds wrath the longerde- ferred,the fiercer. God is abletomake of man what hepleafëth. VponthcFrydayafter 'goe clafping and conrpaffingthe fame about. And inanother place the Angelis aske, Who is this that commethvp atof theWilderneffe,leaning vpon her Welbeloued? Yee need not wonderfomuch atit, forit is the Vine,whichdefereth to be ioy- ned inperpetuall loue withChrift ; and hauing fo good a prop , it cannot but reach tothehigheft part of Heauen. Inaword, Thoumaift, ôLord, moldplan like a peeceof' waxe ; ifthou wilt,thoucanft make aDeuill of him,as thou didft ofFuchs ; and if thou wilt, thoucanft make anAngellofhim , as thou didft of JohnBaptift : Thou canft makea juft manmount aboue the Clouds,and to forevp tothe higheft part of Heauen ; Andon the contrarie, thou canft maxe a (inner to flakedowncas low as thedeepeft dungeon inHell. Peregréprofeauseft. Andhewent into afirange Gountrie. When the Scripture faith, That God fleepeth, or is afarre off, it is (according toSaint Bap) a reciprocal! kinde of Language. Norare we thereby tovnderftand, that God either fleepeth, or is farre off, For he is neverfarrefromanyofvs ; but it is thou that art farre off, and it is thou that fleepeft,whenthou dooft depart from fucha Citie , orwhen going tofea, thou leaueft the land ; it being thou that leaueft the land,andnot the land thee :for that remaines hill immooueable. Iuftfo ftandsthe cafe between God and thee ; but is befitting his authóritie, to behold things as if they wereafarre off; for in the notifying ofhis prefence, theWorld inoneday wouldbe turned quite topfi-turuie. This made him fayvntoMores, Irisnot fit that I fhouldlead forth thisPeople,and betheir Captaine &Commander ; for their impudencies would obligeme tomake anendof themat once. For fuch is the wickednelfe of this World, that it is as vnable,as vnfitting to abidehis prefence : And there- fore abfentinghimfelfe, he faith, Peregr?profefba eft. Hee dothbeare with our iniquities, heBothpatientlyexpel ouramendment, heedoth difl'emble his dif- plcafure, anddothmake as ifhe did not feewhat we did. From whence grow thefetwo inconveniences : Theone, Ourboldnefl'eandprefumption ; It wighe longeremy Lordwill come. And thisfalfe prefumptionmakes anaughtie feruant careleffe and negligent; Becaufe I heldmypeaceandPaidnothing, andfor that I f emeelnot tope theme,the wicked haveforgot that there isaGod. The other, The rigour-and feueritieofthe punifhment wherewith Goddoth recompencethishis flackeneffe and long tarrying. Saint Gregoriecompares the wrath of God toa Bow, which the more it is bent, the fironger it (hoots it's Shaft. He may vnbend itfora time,butthat is bur tomake thedraught the !Iron- ger, when he takes it againe intohis hand. Excitateae'tanguam dormient Domi_ ntes, tanguampatenscrapulous á Vino, 6. percufit inimicos inpofleriora. Heecom- pares him here toa fleepingman, and one that hath dranke hard ; whoif heebee valiant, and aBout manin deed, if his enemiesmake a May -game ofhim in his fleepe,and offer toabufe him, theywereas goodawake a fleepingLyon ; for he no fooner opens his eyes, but he prefently takes notice of theirill dealing to- wards him ; and whenhe hath once rowfed vp himfelfe,vents his choker, and executes his vengeance. Ile went to owe! . Hence grew the mifchiefe of there Renters; for they thought with themfelues; That their Lordbeinggoneinto a farreCountrie, it -would be longbefore he would return to require thefe his Fruirs.So that al our hurt proceeds fromourprefuming,that we (hall line folong, that we may laugh andbe metricas long asour youth lafteth,& afterwards haue timeenough tore- pent
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=