Rearons why estheNwouldnot doe the third Sonday in Lent. Ser.19. tholemiracles the Nazaritsderived. 323 him. And this pooreWiddowwoman hauingin all her houfe nothing more in the world but a littlemeale , onely with one words (peakingof the Prophets mouth,fpent agreat part thereof inmaking a Cake for him,bakingit on theem- bers; repairingEliaahis prefent necefftie with the hazardofher owne lifeand herformes : and hauing fomuch reafon as the hadonher fide , to doubt ofthe Prophets promife, That (he (hoyldneither want meale nor oyletill it fhouldrain in Ifraell. For Elias not being able to fuccourhimfelfe, theemight veniewell fufpe&with her felfe, How he (houldbe able torelieueothers.Thiswas agreat andwonderful) excellencie ofFaith ; it is much celebrated by S. Ambrofe and SaintChryfoîrome,; andour Sauiour Chrift counterponeth it to the incredulitie of Nazareth. The fecond example is of*lamas the Syrian,whobeleeued that the-flaueof Ifrael,who told him,There wasa Prophet in Samaria that couldcure himofhis Leaprofie : andcraning leaue of the King, becaufe he was Captaine general' of all his men ofWarre, he came tothe LandofIfraellto feekeout Elifha,bringing great giftsand richprefents along with him : and waffling himfelfe in Iordan feunn times;Ythough at firft hebeleeued,that withhiswordonely hee was able tocurehim) heleft with his difeafe,the errour ofhis Idolatrie. In aword hee well deferued that the _Prophet fnould Neale him ; but thofe Leapers of his owne Countrie didnot deferuethelike fàuour, for their incredulitie.Andother Cities receiuingthe benefit ofhis miracles, thefe that were his owneNatiues miffedof them. Thewordvludiuimusdothcondemnethem : For thisalone was fufficient for theirFaith,Fidesex auditu,Faithcomesbybearing ; and the Gen- tiles had noother teftimonies. Betides, Nazarethwas made partaker ofmanypowerful teftimonies ; a§ that teftimonie of S. /ohs, ofthatvoyce from the Father; of thecommingdown of the Holy-Ghoft in the likenetfe ofa Doue ; as alto thofe Teftimonies of the Scripture, whichwerefeene to befulfilled in him ; befides the teftimonieofhis Do&nine, For he taught them as one hawingauthoririe , andnot a6 the Scribes. And Math.. no. the teftimonieofhis life, that was foblameleffe, that (as Thom.« faith) it did qualifiehis Do&nine. So that his life was a greater te(timonie than his Do- &rine;and hisDo&rine, than his Miracles : And hee that will not beleeue the more,will hardly beleeue the le(fe. The fixt, Innot (hewing anymiracles amongft them,hee (hewed therein the cod romtiates more louetohis Countrie : Forif thefe his miracles would haue done Naza- neuermoreour reth anygood,this their accufationmight haue feeined fomwhat iuft ; but being wnhnd; than that theywouldhaue turned to their hurt , andbeeing thatthis their enuie to- de- flies e de- wards him,would froma great goodhaue drawne greater hurt,and from agreat quert.. fauour,greater ingratitude,andmoreincredulitie; the le(fe hedid,themorewas his loue. Thisdidour Sauiourvtter bySaint John, IfIhadnot done thole worker which noneafter euerdid,theyfhouldhate nofinne. AndbySaint c lfathewourSaui- Mat,z6. our faid the likeof ludaa , It hadbecne goodforhim thatheehadneuerbeeneborne. AndSaint Peter faith ofhim that was conuerted, That for toput hishand to =.Per... thePlough,andafterwards to looke backe, it had beenebetter for him, that he hadneuerbeguntowalke in thewayof godlineffe.S.Augeine faith,That God grants vsmanythings when he isangrie withvs, which when he is friends with vshedenies vs.So that he (hewed himfelfeagreater friendto theNazarites,by denying them thofe miracles which theydefired, than if he had granted their requea ; becaufe they wouldhaue rentedbut for their farthercondemnation. L4''' TheSemant thatknowes his Matters will,anddothit not,(hall bee beaten with Z many
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