66 zee. papa. fee. 1. depet.d. Paul. Eafil. Efar,,, oyc Pfal.71. Aug.lib. 1. de cìuu. cap. S. sezerarb.yka >'e banisvìris. caps. Gods Eyes howto be drawnuntov ThcCh°teha.h, Vpon the Saturday ed boughesand branches cut off : Manywilde Treesof'vnfauorie Fruits , by the art ofgraffingare reduced to apleafant relifh. Of SaffronPliny faith, That the more it is troddenon, thebetter itfpringeth : Thegraine ofMuftard, the more it isbruifed andbroken, the greater ftrength it difcouereth : And the Church, the more itis perfecuted, themore it profpereth. Andas Mariners arewoont to fay,that at ka the worst (forme is acalme ; fo wee may fay ofthe Church, that it's greateft perfecution is tohaue no perfecutionatall. Era, fets it downe for a threatning, That God willleaue offtoprune anddreffe his Vine anymore , Di- mittamearn, & non putabitur,nec fadietur. For whena Vine is pruned, for one branchit puttethforth ten : And theChurch,by oneMartyr being cut off,giues a plentiful) encreafe oftwo hundred conuerted Chriftians. Pope Leo, Saint Betfsl, and SaintChryfoftomeprofecute this Doctine moreat large, in the vnfol- ding of theaforefaid Parables. Laftly,for theirfakes that looke thereupon, and behold at full the perfecu- Lions of the Church. For as to the righteous,theprofperitie of the firmer is a (tumbling blocke ofoffence ; Hic labor eft anteme : So to the finer, the perfe- cution of the juft caufeth great fcandall. Both thefe are vndoubted truths,both hard to beevnderftood, butharder farre tobee perfuaded. But Godatllicteth withperfecutionsthe thing whichhemoft loueth whichis his Church ; and profpereth thofe her enemies,which hateher,to theend,that men might there- bylearn and vnderftand , that neither thofeeuils which theChurch fuffereth, are true euils ; nor thofebleflingswhich the other inioy,truebleflings . And this isproouedoutof Saint Augaftine in his Booke De Ciuit. Dei ; and out of Seneca in that hisBooke, &are bent virie. Sothat thewicked, though that hee inioyagreat dealeofprofperitie,wee arenot tocame itas a bleßîng; nor for that the righteous fuffermuch aduerfity, are we toaccount itacurievnto them: Butought rather toapprehend, that perfecution is fortheir good, inregard that ourSauiour Chrift glues it vsas a rewardfor our greatferuice. Etomnis poire- liguerit patrem, matrem,&c.centuplum accipiet cumperfeecutionibus,i.Andenerie one that(hall haue left father er mother &c. Shallreed:se a Landrethfold,eaishPerfeeuti- ens. Saint t.Marke,and Saint Cyprian, bothaffirme, that perfecutionputteth vs in a kindofpoffeflionof that glorie which weehope forhereafter,at leaf}itgiues vsan alFurance thereof. And this is madegoodby this comparifon.The Good, the Scripture ftileth by the name of Wheat; and the Wicked are tearmed Chaff'. Now,it is the Fanneofperfecution, that doth feuer theWheatfrom the Chaff'. Viditeos laborantes inremigando. Heefaw them toyledin rowing.There are two things which ffeale away Gods eyes, and filch them(ifI mayvie that phrafe) from forthhis head. Theone is, y an humble and promptobedience : Theorher, the trouble and torment which we fullerfor his fake. Touching the fir(}, notable is that place ofAbraham,whofe obedience didfo draw Gods eyes vntohim, thatthat place where he was refol- tied toperforme the Sacrifice, remained with this name,Domintes videbit, The Lordevillfee. Touching the fecond, There is not anyhunger nor humanemife- rie, whereonGods mercie hath not hiseye fixed,nay,Imayboldly fay,faftnai- led thereunto. To c aofe God fpake out ofa Buffi ; O thougreat Godof hea- uen andearth, abufh is no fitting chaire for thy glorie, or thy Maieftie ; Who made thee thus to alterthyThrone t Vidiaffliliionem Populi mei inEgypto,ihaue feene theaffiaionofmyPeople in',Egypt. Another Tranflation hath it, Videncia vidi,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=