Cur thankfu'ncflc' theon`g, the fourthSonday inLent. Ser. 28. motiuc of Gedsbounty. Siloamwere not ableofthemfelues to give fight to this-blindman; but I be- leeuc (laid theblind man) that they will worke this góodeffet`t vponme : Hee might hauewilledmeto doe that which might hauecarryedwith it a greater reafonofhope ; But the fheepe (faithChryfelogt s) muft. goc tohis feeding, and his folding,whether it (hall pleafe the fheepheard to leadhim forth. The fchol- lermuftlearncthatwhichhismafterteacheth him. The ficke patient muft bee ruled by hisPhyfitian. He hath libertie (faith Saint Chryfafioaíae) to fpeakevnto his Phyfitian, that he will doehis belt to cure him, but not to prefcribe him the Phyfickcthathe íhillminifler vntohim. The like courfe wee are totake with the heauenly Phyfitianofourfoules : For it were aftrange kindofvnmannerli- neffe in vs, befides our diffidence torelye vpònanearthly Phyfitianthat canon- ly cure our bodies, andnot put ourtruft in God , who can cure bothbody and foule. TheChirurgiancomes to thee with Cauteries,andlayes corrofiues to thy fores,thou patiently indureft it,and not once openeft thy mouth, and fhalt thou notaswell beare, &c. Thirdly, he cxprefta great dealeof thankfulneffe. Saint Bernardapplies this vertueto thofe wordsofEcclefiaffes,Therimers comeoutoftheSea, andreturnmuch betteí6edbacke again to thesea ; as giuingthankes for the water which they recei- ued : for the acknowledgingofone kindnes, is thedrawing onofanother. And ifthofe riuers fhould haue refted thenifelues contented with the waters they had receiued, and not hauepaid the Seahis due Tribute, thatbounty wouldnot haue beenebeftowedvpon them. In like mannerthofe good things whichwee enloy,flowfromGod,thatimmenfe Sea of goodneffe,and they areagaine tobe rettirnedunto God throughour thankfulneffe; andwhenthat ebbethin vs,the other neuer floweth from him, Cefatgrationamdecurfasa,vhi non ellrecurfiee. The raine from heauenarifeth fromthe vapours,oftheearth : And whenthere areno vapours, there is no raine. Saint Augufinedefiredof God , That hewould bee pleafcd to reueale the fecretsofScripture vnto him, promifingin requitall of fo great a fauour, a perpetual! acknowledgementthereof. Confiteor tihi quicguidin- veneroinlibriatuis. Ecclefaflicua commending thenoble Adsof Daniel', as his wreftling with beares, tearing the iawes ofLypns, killingof Gyants, andouer- comming the Philiftims, he concludeth, That all thefe things fucceeded lucki- ly with him,bccaufe he wasthankefull to the Lord, and dire&ed his heart vnto him,and eftablifhed theworflhipofGod. Fourthly, before our Sauiour Chrift had giucn this blindman theeyesofhis foule, heproceeded fairely, maintainedChrifts honour againft thePharifes that oppofed it. And this, as I may fo tearme it,his honourablecarriage prepared the way fo r him to artaine to the heigth ofvertue. The Romans had two Temples adioyningeach toother, (asS. Auguffin reports it) the oneofHonour, theother ofVertue : But no mancould come veto that ofVertue, vnleffe he firft paled through that of honour. Andvalcrrua (Maximus relates veto vs, That tM. t.31arcelltaaRoman Sena- tor, being defirous to buildone fole Temple to Honour andVertue,thePriefts would not permit himto doe it ; Alleaging,That it was not fit, for ifbychance any miracle fhould happen in that Temple, they were not able to auow, to' which ofthe two itought tobeattributed.rofeeph fledfrom the inticements ofhis wantonand lafciuious Miflrefle,forthat it was anoffence both to God, and his owne honour, uemodopoffum hoc malumfacere? My Lord hath truftedme with all his whole houle, if I fhould befalfe veto him, I fhould hazard my happines inheaucn, andmy honour odearth. Ina word , the AdesofHonourarefome- S C 3 times 485 Sickepatients may pray ,but not prefcribc. Ecal.q7.
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