Fonseca - Houston-Packer Collection. BX1756.F66 D5713 1629

500 Better to fuller with the Saints, V-pon theFryday after than to be dignified with Sinners. plotted the death of our Sauiour Ghrift;as alío in regard of thofe othercircum flances,That the deceafedpartie was nobly borne,and that manyofgood Qua- litie came tovi fit him in his fickenefl'e,and did weepe andbewaile his death,did ourSauiour performe this myracle. Amongfl all thofe.myracles which our Sa-,, our Chrift wrought,Saint Augufline giues tothis thefirft andpruneplace : and indeed it feemes to beanepitome and fhort fummeof all thofe other myracles hewrought in the wholecourfeof his life ; for inthe refurrethon of one that is dead, there is giuen fight to the Blind,eares to theDeafe, a tongue to the D±imbe, feet to the Lame, motion tothe Paraliticke, &c. And therefore Saint john withthis myracledoth (as it were Phut vp andgiuea chofe to theproouing of'his Diuinitie. A certaine manmaaficke named Lazare a,&c. Thereforehit Sifers fst Into him. Here we may confider the good aduifement anddifcretion ofthis noble paire of Sifters. Whencj(are Magdalentrcatd of the reparation of her ownLouie, fhewent herfelfe in perfon,paflingthrough aworld of inconueniences ; but for the reftoration of her brother to his bodily health, the thought it would be fufficientandferue theturnewellenough,tofendher Seruant with a letter to our Sauiour. The Worldlingforthehealthof his bodicwill round the world ; but will not !titre a foot for his foules health For toefteemeof thingsas they are, and ro giue them their trueNveight , and to put euerie thing in it's proper place, is not onely the markeof aprudent,but ofapredeftinated perfon.Ægypt taxed Mofes of ingratitude (as Phylonbath noted) in his life, for that beedid tcr- goePharaohs Pallace, refufed tobecalled the íbnneofPharaohs daughter, and chofe rather tofuffer aduerfitiewith the PeopleofGod, chore poore Ifraelites, than toweare the Crowne of ./Egypt and toenioythe plcafures of the Court; efteeming (asSaint Paul faith) therebuke of Chriftgreaterriches thanthe trea- luresof ./Egypt. But firft of all, he was.not vngratefull ; for concerning thofe good bleffings which heenioyed, hewas morebound to God forthem than to the King. Secondly, hefhewedhewas no fooleindoingashedid ;for,betteris one crumme of bread inthe Lordshoufe, thanall the profperirieof the world without it ; Than toenioy (tovfc Saint Pauls words) thepleafuresoffinefor a feu- fon. i hadratherhea Doare-keeper(faithDaxid) in the houfe of the Lord, than to dwellin Tabernaclesoffanners. Nazianzenreporteth, That the Emperour Yalta; offering Saint Baft! hisfauour, and tobe a friend vnto him, ifhe would but bee a friend toEndoxina the Arian;he told him,Thathe fhould highly efleeni ofthe Emperoursfauour and-friendfhip,but beewas to efieeme more ofGods. Saint Au ufltnefaith, That AdamdideatoftheApple,Necontrifiaretdelitiu, &c.leaft he (hould grieuehis Loue; notled alongwith carnal l concupifcence, but with a friendlyaffe&ion. Sutingwith that ofSaint Paul,That Adamwas not decciued, but thewomanwas deeeiued : but it had beene better for Adamto haue difplea- fed hiswife,than to grieue the fpirit,as Saint Paulfpeakethofa finner.Ina word, fathers,mot hers,chi ! dren,wiues,friends,and all ourkindred and acquaintance, are robe had in leffeeflemmethan our foules, and our God. And therefore Marie Magdalenwent in perfon forto feekeoutChrift,for her God, and for her foule ; but did notfo for her brother. Behold, he whom thou lauef! isJieke,Vie. TheSaintsdoe much ponder the dif- cretion of this letter. The firft confrderationis, It's briefenef land fhortnefle of ftile; Imaginati- on cannot delirean elegancie more briefe, nor abriefeneffe more copious. Apa. leim fcotfes at the long and fpatious Orations which the Priefts made of their Syrian

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