Thevnfpeakeableloueand labour Paffion Sonday. ofChrift in recovering aloft foule. Ser. 35. folne richand well deuoted Almes-giuer ; nor doth the Sunne fetchfort-tatty turnes through the world, as the Sonneofrighteoufneffe doth to recóuer a loft foule. Saint cIugutene before hehad got out of his errour, faid, Circumaolî- tabat â longemifiricordia tua, Thy mercydidflye about afarreof Sinne Both feparate vs fromGod,and remoouesvs farrefrom him. Longs ápeccatoribw Sahel, Salua- :ion itfarrefrom the wicked. But hismercy though it moodaloofeoff, yet his eye did (till watch ouer me, which isa great argument of Gods loue towards mee. And fromhence it arifeth, That there is great fèafts and ioy made in heauen for one foule that isconuerred5 like vnto thofe congratulations, and fellow-feelings which the Shephearddefireth othersfhould entertain hint withall, when hee hark foundhis loft fheepe. Great is the Shepheards ioy when he lindes his loft fheepe. Butthis ismore efpecially verified in God, itbeing his Delitis, efecam JI4'.c hominum.Thendolt thou walkwith great delight and contentmentthrough thy foules Temple, when thou doeft contemplate the high myfteries thereof; Then doeft thouwalke through thy vnderftanding,when thou art zealous in the loue thereof; Thendoeft thouwalke through thy will, whenthou doeft call to Mind the greatbleffings from Gods bountiful' hand, with a defire to be thanke- full and feruiceable vnto him ; Then doeft thou walke through thy memorie, when thou doeft occupie thy felfe in holy thinges ; Then doeft thou walke through thyeyes, When thou doeft exercife thy felfeinworkes ofpittie; Then doeft thouwalke through thy hands,when thoudoeft make a bed forthe poore, and bindvpthe wounds of the wounded ; Then doeft thouwalke through thy tongue, when thou giueft wholefomecounfell to thy brother. Inaword, then doth thy foule take her cafe& reft,fitting-as it Were ona Throne,and ona !suing Altar,farre better than that which is made offtone;forone tingle filth offered vp upon this Altar, is ableto preuailemore thanmany on any other Altar. Iefsee walked. Thatour Sauiour Chrift fhould vie fo manydiligences for a foule that is predeftinated for heauen, it is well andgood ; but for fuch a repro- bate people as this, thathe fhould take fuch paines, it is but loft labour. God calledvnto (Mofes, Paying, Coe andfpeake wooPharaoh, that he let mypeoplegot ; But 1know that hee willnot let themgot. What fayesClemens I., lexxandrinus ? O Lord,ifthouknoweft fo much, Why doeft thou put thy felfe to fo vnnece(fary atrouble Whydoeft thou loofe fo much timeeWherunto there is giuen a two- fold anfwer. Firit,That he that is ofa pittifull nature and kind condition, doth notcontent himfelfewith the iuftifyingofhis caufe, but vfethall poffrble means to remedy whatis amiffe, and to fee all things right. S. Bernarddid labourassit were with might and maine, as no Gaily-flax could tugge more atinOare, to reducea Monke that hadviolatedhis Ordersand gone affray and when a friend of his toldhim, What meane you to meddle in fo thankleffe andhopeleffe an Office, anda cafe fodefperate,where there is nogood tobee donee This man isflowne out fo farre tochecke, that he will neuerbereclaimed. Towhom Saint Bernard mildly anfwered,Istwrrecipioconfelationem, oìbiratràr vida defolationem, I take no confolatidn, where fie my brothers deflation. A tender hearted mother takes careofher fonneinadefperaredifeafe ,vfing all kind ofdiligences, though they proouevnprofirahle. Secondly,Saint Barnardlaith, That God doth not oblige Prelats, thatthey cure (inners, but that they procure tocure them. He doth not rewarda Preacher accordingto the goodthat hehath done , but according to the paines that hee harh taken ; and he citesthat place ofSaint Paul, Iham labouredmorethanyeall. He 561 Chrift omits no meaner e- ven to reclaim the Reptobats ifit might be. Esod,;. t. Cor.tS
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