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

616 east. t. The conuesdbnofthe Theefe in allrefpcbs miraculous. TheConuerfion of change, that a high-way robber, condemnedhere to the Crop, fhoteldin the turningofa handcome to confefeChrifl. In this cane action did all the attributes of Goddune and fhewthemielues in amoftglorious manner; and efpecially his wifedome,in making thefeextreames tomeet and ioyne together fo on thefodaine, and asit were in an inflant. Ecclefiaftesfaith, That there is a time to bee borne , and a rimeto dye5a timetoplant, anda time to plucke vpthat Which is planted; atime toflay , and a time to heale ; atime to breake downe, and a time to build ; atime toweepe, and a time to laugh : All thefeextreames did his wifedome knit and linke together. In thisaaionmeetethofe twoextreamesof beingborne, and of dying ; for as much as wee feethisrheefe dye to the world, and to bee borne anew toChrift. (Andthe death of therighteous, theChurch (tiles it abirth.) Thole ofplanting,and plucking vp that which isplanted ; becaufe grace is here planted in the fouleofthecheek , and Gnneplucktvp. Thofeof flaying, and healing fcr that ourSauiour Chrift receiues thefe mortali wounds in his owne bodie,and healcththole ofthe theefe. Thofe of building,and breaking downe thatisbuilt ; Inregard that the bodyof finne is deftroyed , and the building of grace isfetvp in him. Thofe ofweeping and laughing; in that theThee fe doth now bewaile his finnes , and laughes forioy to heart the gladfome newes of heauen. In aword, themore incurable that the difeafes arc which a Phyutian cureth, themore (faith Saint e.vinguliine)is his skill and cunning to be commen- ded. Gods omnipotencie, was likewifefeene herein: Saint Chryfoftome faith, That it was fo great a Miracle,thattheSunne fhDuld be darkened,that the earth fhould trembleand !hake, that the ftones fhould daíh their heads one againft ano- ther, or that the vayleof the Temple fhould bee rent in twaine ; as was the in- lightningof a blindvnderltanding , the mollifying of a hardand flonie heart, and the remoouing from the foule,the vayle of it's ignorance. And the truthof this may verywed bee prooued by t Majes hisrod, to whofe Empire, though theearth, the fea, the elements, light, darkenefle, and all creatures whatfoeuer were obedient, yet could it not mooue hard-heartedPharaohs breft. Helikewife difcouered his omnipotencie, in making the Thee'fean inftru- neent toreuenge himfelfe ofthe Diuell, of the Pharifees, of Pilat , andof the people. Of thediuell , who (as Saint t,Cmbroft faith) had blafoned it abroad to the world,and triumphedgreatly therin,Tharour Sauiour Chrift hauingbut twelue Apoftles,he liadwoononeofthem from him ; perfuadinghim,thatitwere the better life of the two tobe atheefe,than anApoftle : butfor a ludo ,apoore bafe theefe,which (tole but blankes and farthings, from the pouertie of that facred Colledge, Chrift wona theefefrom him, which had fpent his whole lifein the diuels fcruice.andhadcommitted many famous robberiesandnotorious thefts. Theeuesare the diuell; weapons : but our Sauiour Ch rift being the ftronger of the two, tooke from himthe greateft theefe in theworld, leauing himwith his owne (wordconfoundedand a(hamed, l hastecompared theeâ my Lone to the troupes ofhoras inPharaohs charriots. Salomon hadgreat ftore of horfes of the 2Egyptian race for to furnifh his charriots, and to feare his enemies (as the Frenchvfe to wage warre againft Spaine withSpanifh Genners,) He thenfaith, that asSalomon made war againf} the Ægyptians,with the horfesof Ægypt: fo the Churchcon- foundeth the diuell with his owne Armes, which are theeues and robbers. Confounding and making afhamedPilat, the high Priefts, thePharifees, and thepeople,with the tongueofatheefe.Tbere is not any thing in the world more infamous'

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