The flowers of Lodowicke of Granado. The first part. In which is handled the conuersion of a sinner. Translated out of Latine into English, by T.L. doctor of phisicke

The preface of the Collector, vpon the succedent chapters of the benefites of GOD.

CHAP. 6. (Book 6)

ALthough Vertue bee by it selfe prayse-woorthy, and without it nothing may be laudable, neither may there bee any thing more amia∣ble, and that more allureth men to good lyfe then the same: yet so are the manners of this world corupted, that the most part of men striue

who shall out-strip other in the race of iniquitie: the desire of sin dail••e increaseth, and shamefastnes dail•••• decreaseth; and so is wickedness•• publiquely set to sale, that it preuai∣leth in all mens harts, whereas in∣nocence is not rare, but nothing a•• all. For which cause, that which men ought to doe willingly for the loue of honestie and vertue, to that now, by manie reasons and arguments, promises and threatnings, they are partly without intermission to bee inuited, partly to bee compelled: that leauing vices, they may followe vertues, and renouncing the world, with more cleannesse of life, they may wholy and onely incline to the seruice of God.

Neyther is vertue so weake, ney∣ther this matter so poore & naked, that it wanteth diuers & effectual ar∣guments to incite and perswade the performance heereof. For whethe•• we consider things past, things pre∣sent, or things to come: all of these eyther allure or compell vs to ver∣tue and the seruice of God. Of the future wee haue already spoken, wheron if a man wil seriously think,

••nd like a cleane beast chewe the ••nd, hee shal finde sharpe poynted goades infixed thereby in his mind. To things present and past, pertaine ••he blessings of God, of which some wee haue already receiued, other∣••ome wee receiue daily, all which both by theyr goodnes compell vs ••o obey God, except wee will be in∣grate, & inuite vs by their profit, that the streames of benefits might flow more bountifully, which otherwise would be dryed vp. For ingratitu••e, as S. Bernard testifieth, is a burning winde, drying vp the fountaines of pietie, the dewe of mercy, and the floods of grace. Yea, and whē a cer∣taine old Souldiour beeing called in question, was in danger to loose his cause, hee publiquely came to Au∣gustus Caesar, praying him to stand by him in his cause: Caesar gaue him presently a selected aduocate out of his company, and commended the clyent vnto him. Hereat the souldier cried out; But I Caesar when thou wert in danger in thy Actian warre, ••ought not for a deputy, but fought for thee in person, & therwith disco∣uered his scarrs. Caesar was heereat

ashamed and vndertooke his cau••••, fearing least he should not onely be thought proud, but also vngrateful▪ Such impressions and motiues, haue the memory of benefites receaued▪ If so great a Caesar were so much mooued, by a common souldiers wounds receiued in his behalfe, that he rewarded one curtesie with ano∣ther, why shoulde not, I say not the scarres, but the death also of so great a Maiesty wherby we are redeemed, preuaile with vs, most abiect wret∣ched men? and this one is so great a benefit, as why should I speake of the others which are infinite? Whe∣ther therefore wee respect honestie and profit, whether their contraries heereby we are inuited, thereby in∣forced to followe Vertue, and to addict our selues to the seruice of God.

But the diuine benefits although they are infinite, yet may they be reduced vnto fiue kindes, namelie: Creation, Conseruation, Redemp∣tion, Iustification, and Predestinati∣on: Of which fiue kindes of bene∣fites we wil orderly intreat. For this cōsideration is profitable for diuers

causes, especially for three, which are thus rehearsed by our Authour.

If we may belieue Aristotle, good∣nes is amiable by it selfe,* 1.1 for euerie one is diligently fixed on the loue of himselfe. As therefore men by naturall inclination are louers of themselues, and of theyr owne pro∣fit, so when they manifestly perceiue that all that which they haue, is of the meare liberality and voluntarie gift of God himselfe, and their eter∣nall Benefactor, they are suddainly inclined to the loue of him, from whom they know theyr graces are receiued. Hence it is, that amongst all considerations which are auaila∣ble towards the attainement of the loue of GOD, thys is most effec∣tuall, which setteth before our eyes the d••uine benefits. For euery seue∣••all benefite receiued by vs, is as it were a Fornace or burning fire, kindling by his cleere flames, the loue of almighty GOD in vs. And consequently, to meditate on many benefits, is to kindle many fires, by whose ardent heate, our harts are more and more inflamed with the loue of God.

For this consideration is profitable, to the ende that a man desirous to serue God, may be the more excited to his seruice, and become more forward, when he shall consider the great obligation whereby he is tye•• by so many benefits which he hat•• receaued from God For if a Parra••, a Larke, and other birds and beasts, doe for this cause (no otherwise then if they were beasts endued with rea∣son) aunswer th••m, and obay them in all those thinges which they are commaunded to doe? How more requisite is it that they doe the like, who haue receaued farre more be∣nefits, and haue greater iudgement to acknowledge the same. For when a man with great attention recko∣neth vp with himselfe of the one part, the multitude of the benefites which he hath receaued from God, and on the other part calleth to re∣membrance the multitude of sinnes by which hee requiteth the diuine bounty, howe can hee but blush? howe can hee but setting the white by the blacke, knowe which is the better? that is, not vnderstand, the greatnesse of his malice, compared

with the greatnes of Gods goodnes, which bounty hath not so manie yeares intermitted to doe good vn∣••o him, that hath neuer ceased to perseuer in wickednes.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Out of the 7. tract. lib. 1. of prayer and meditation.