Theheauenl}.Gnd why the third Sondayin Lent. Ser. 2.3. 401 allcd theWater oflife. Colts, before they begin tobreake them, vfìng themverie gently, andfinoo- thingand ftroking them with the hand. Saint vlugn1tine vnderftandcth by this gift, the waterof Life; andby thc:water of Life, the holy-Ghoft. And he al- ledgeth in fatiour of this fence; that place ofSaint lohn , ¡foxymanthirfleth, let him cameontomeand drinke. He that beleeueth inme, as theScripturefaith,out ofhis belliefhallflow RimersofliuingWater. Arid the Euangeliftaddeth, That our Saui- our vttered this fentence,Concerning theSpirit, which Beleeuersfbould receiue.S.Cy- rilvnderftandeth thereby, the Graceof theholy-Ghoft;7heodoret, theWord of God ; S.vdmbrofe,Baptifine. The proportionconfifteth in three things : The firft, That aslining Water doth enioyan infeperable vnion with the fountain fromwhence it flowcth;whenceit followeth,thatit canneuerbedried VP, nor haue any euill fauour,Iike thofedeadwaters ofyour Cifrcrncsand your ftandingPooles,which are dried vp,ftinke andputrifie,& breed filthievermine: So in like manner thegraceof the holy-Ghoft, theWord ofGod,andthe blef- fedSacraments, inioy the felfe fame vnion with that firft beginning from whence they proceed. Thefeçond,Thatas your liuing waterdoth enioy akind of life, & vnceffable motion, (for whichcaufe theScriptureattributeth thereunto the aélions oflife, The Floods are ri l en, theFloods hauelift vp their voice, thepads f v p their wastes, tF'rcc'ry / s r. 8"c.) So the grace of the holy- Ghoft, theWord of God, and the bleffedSacra- ments,caufe in theSouk theeffefs of life. The third, That as your liuing,Water doth afcend to theaggth of it'sbirth andBeeing ; fo the Grace ofthe holy-Ghoft, the Wordof God, and the blef- fed Sacraments afcendvp euenas highas toGodhimfelfe, becaufethey had their birth& Being fromGod, he beingthe Springor Wel-head from whence they had theirriling ; Fiet in eofinsaigtiafileentis in vitameternam. Ifthouknewefi thegift of God .< Fiat; hec fetteth downe the originall ofall Ignorance a op: ill ; which is, our notknowing 'orour want ofknowledge : According to ma;necaut: o that ofPope Clement,inan Epiftieof his to the Councell ofToledo. And it is au oureu;lt. a molt Allred truth, Thatthe firft ftep toil, is the ignorance ofgood. Salomon faith, Without knowledge the mindis notgood. Heecalls it theLoowledge of the Pron,19, foule, which is the onely thing that imporrethvs for Hcauen : As for the knowledgeof the World, and the wifedorne thereof, it is but foolifhncflewith God. Secondly,hedoth not fay,If thou didit but knowwho it is that talkethwith All that Man thee, thou wouldíLhaue giuen him water without asking thee for ir,& wouldft can giue unto haue offered himtodrinke, of thineowne accord : though comparingManwith code, is pra;fe him for God, Man cannot be ftidtobeftowany thing onGod byway ofgift or donati what he rece;. on ; all that good córrefpondencie whichcanbeheld onmans parr, is to (hew ueth from him himfelfe thankeful forthe fauourswhichhereceiueth fromGodshand.IfGod (hallgiue me wealth,he doth it to theend that I fhould feruehim ; ifhegiue me honour,hedoth it to the end that I (hould maintain his caufe,&c..Anna, Samuels mother End, o Lord,if thou wilt leoke on thetrouble ofthy handmaid, and remember I sam.t. andnotforget thynehandmaid, but giue veto thynehandmaid manchild, then will I giue him t ntothe Lordall thedayes of his life. NorBoth this earths pouertie owe ought more for tholefauours which we haue from Hcauen. This made Saint Auguflinetofay,Deiquodiubes, 6, iubepod vis. And the truthofthis isgroun- dedvpon that which is deliuered inthe Taft Chapter of the firft oftheChronicles, when as Dauidand the Princes ofthe peoplemadea plentiful) rich Offeringof threethoufand talents ofgold, feuen thoufandof f luer, andas manyofother L 1 3 mettais,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=