Page images
PDF
EPUB

Fourthly, that" fidelis temeritas" be not his general; for that will bring but "seram pœnitentiam.” Fifthly, that "infidelis prudentia" be not his secretary; for that is "anguis sub viridi herba."

To conclude; as he is of the greatest power, so he is subject to the greatest cares, made the servant of his people, or else he were without a calling at all. He then that honoureth him not is next an atheist, wanting the fear of God in his heart.

MEDITATIONES SACRÆE.

203

OF THE WORKS OF GOD AND MAN. GOD beheld all things which his hands had made, and lo they were all passing good. But when man turned him about, and took a view of the works which his hands had made, he found all to be vanity and vexation of spirit: wherefore, if thou shalt work in the works of God, thy sweat shall be as an ointment of odours, and thy rest as the sabbaoth of God: thou shalt travail in the sweat of a good conscience, and shalt keep holy day in the quietness and liberty of the sweetest contemplations; but if thou shalt aspire after the glorious acts of men, thy working shall be accompanied with compunction and strife, and thy remembrance followed with distaste and upbraidings; and justly doth it come to pass towards thee, O man, that since thou, which art God's work, doest him no reason in yielding him well pleasing service, even thine own works also should reward thee with the like fruit of bitterness.

OF THE MIRACLES OF OUR SAVIOUR. "He hath done all things well."

A true confession and applause., God when he created all things saw that every thing in particular and all things in general were exceeding good; God, the word in the miracles which he wrought, (now every miracle is a new creation, and not according to the first creation) would do nothing which breathed not towards men favour and bounty: Moses wrought miracles, and scourged the Egyptians with many

« PreviousContinue »