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 Argument.

The benefite of Redemption exceedeth all eloquence, and were rather to be adored then expressed, rather men had neede of some certaine know∣ledge thereof. Man by sinne was made like vnto the deuill: GOD might haue left him in damnation like the deuill, but hee would not: Hee turned his wrath into mercie, hee sent not an Angell, but he him∣selfe comming after an vnspeake∣able manner, redeemed him. Hee was admirable in his comming, & for that man is much indebted vn∣to GOD, yet much more for the meanes of his redemption, which comprehendeth the whole passion of Christ. Christ died not for one, but for all, & this increaseth the debt.

CHAP. 10. (Book 10)

IT is recorded amongst ancient Writers,* 1.1 of a famous Painter, that depainting the funeralls of a certaine Kinges daughter, shad∣dowed about the circuite of the heirse, many of her kinsmen & al∣••ies, standing with sad and afflicted

lookes, next them her mother more pensiue then the rest: but when he came to delineate the Father, he co∣uered his face with an artificial kind of shadow; expres••ing thereby th••t Art was deficient in this place: by which new e inuention hee expessed the greatnes of the dolor. After the same manner, all our vnderstanding, art, & eloquence are defectiue, in de∣claring this vnspeakable benefite of our redemption. For which cause perhaps wee might haue done farre better, if wee had worshipped the same with silence, that in some ma∣ner by this deuice wee might ex∣presse the greatnes thereof. The be∣nefit of our creation is vnspeakable, but of our Redemption more ad∣mirable: for God created all things with the onely beck of his will; b•••• for mans redemption hee trauailed thirty and three yeeres, he shed h••s blood, neyther had he either mem∣ber or any sence which was not ex∣cruciate with a perticuler greefe. It seemeth therefore that an iniurie should be done to so glorious a mi∣stery, if any man shoulde imagine that he could expresse the same with

humane tongue What therefore sh••ll I doe? shall I speake, or holde my peace? I must not be sil••nt, and I cannot speake. Howe may it bee that I should conceale so immesu∣rable mercy? and howe may I ex∣presse a mistery so sublime & ado∣rable? It is ingratitude to conceale it, and to speake thereof, it seemeth rashnes & presumption. For which cause I ••es••ech thee (ô my God) that whilst I am to speak according to my rude vnderstanding, of this thy immesurable glory, thy holie Spirit may moue and moderate my tongue, like the penne of a ready writer. After that man was created, & setled in the Paradise of del••ghts, in high dignity and glor••, yea & by so much was boūd to God by straight bonds, by how much he had recea∣ued more greater benefites at his hands; he becam vndutiful & rebel∣lious▪ & of those things from which he ought to haue takē greater cause of loue towards his Creator, of the same he tooke greatest occasions to betray him. For that cause was hee thrust out of Paradise, & thrust in ex∣ile, yea & allotted to infernal paines;

to the end that hee that had been•• made companion with the deuill in sinne, should be also associate with him in punishment. Helizeus the prophet, said to his seruaunt Giezi, Thou hast taken siluer & rayments from Naaman,* 1.2 therefore Naamans leprosie, shall cleaue vnto thee and thy seede for euer. Such was the iudgement of GOD against man, who whē he had affected the goods and riches of Lucifer, (namelie his pride and ambition) it was iust and requisite that he should be infected with the leprosie of the same Luci∣fer, which was the punishment of his pride. Behold therefore man made like vnto the deuill.

Nowe the diuine iustice might haue left man by al right in this mi∣serable estate, euen as he left the de∣uil without any contradiction & ex∣postulation: yet would hee not doe so, but rather did the contrary, chan∣ing his wrath into mercy, & by how much the more iniury he had recei∣ued, by so much the more grace would he shew his loue to mankind. And whereas also he might haue re∣paired this ruine, by an Angell, o••

Archangel; he would com himselfe. But how? in what form cam he? & howe redeemed hee vs? What hu∣maine tongue wil expresse this vnto vs? Whē as he might haue com in maiesty & glory, he would not, but he came in great humility & pouer∣tie. Christ established such friendship betwixt God & vs, that not only god forgaue man all his sin, receiued him into his fauour, made him one and the same with him by a straight cō∣nexion of loue, but (that which ex∣ceedeth all greatnes) he made such a similitude & correspondence be∣twixt himselfe & mans nature, that amongst all thinges created, there might no such cōformity be found, as are the Deitie and humanitie, for they are not one & the same only in loue & grace, but also in person.

Who durst euer but haue hoped, that that so wide wound shold haue been closed after this manner? who might euer haue imagined, y^t these two things▪ betwixt which there was so much difference of nature & of∣fence, should so closely bee vnited? not in one house, not at one table, not in one grace, but in one and the

same person? What two things may be thought more contrary thē God and a sinner, and what is more neer∣ly annexed or more commixt, then God and man? There is noth••••g more high then God (saith S. B••••∣nard) & the••e is nothing more ••ile & abiect th••n du••t, of which man is fo••••ed. Notwithstanding, God de∣scended vppon the earth, with such humilitie, & ascended with so much sublimitie frō the earth to God, that what soeuer God did, the same the earth is sayd to haue done, & what∣soeuer the earth suffered, that like∣wise God suffered. Who wold haue said to a man when hee was naked, & assertained that he had incurd the displeasure of our Lord, when hee sought retyring places in Paradise wherin he might hide himselfe▪ who I say woulde then haue said to him that the time should one day com wherein this so vild substance shold be vnited with God in one and the same person? This vnion is so neere and faithfull, that at such time as h••s humanity was to be dissolued, which was at the howre of his passion, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 was rather strengthned then weake∣ned.

Truly death might seperate the soule from the body, which was the vnion of nature: but neither could he separate God from the soule, or draw him from the body; for such was the vnion of the diuine person, that what is apprehended once with so firme an vnion, it neuer will for∣sake: And all these th••nges GOD would so doe, that by this benefite he might inflame vs with more loue towards him, and by this example, more straightly oblige vs vnto him.

Now therfore, if thou art so much indebted to thy Redeemer, for that in his own proper person he would come to redeeme thee, how much owest thou for the means it selfe, by which hee redeemed thee? vvhich meanes most assuredly was mixed with mighty griefes & tribulations. Truly it is a great benefite if anie King shoulde forgiue a thiefe that punishment which he ought to suf∣fer for his offence. But that the king himselfe, shoulde suffer himselfe to be tyed to the post, and receiue the stroakes vppon his owne shoulders, that shold be an vnspeakable bene∣fi••e, & a bounty beyond cōparison.

Ah my Lord, for the loue of mee thou wert borne in a stable, & l••••d in a harde manger, for mee wer•• thou circumcized the eight day, for me flying into Egipt thou wert ba∣nished seauen whole yeares, and for me thou sustainedst diuers persecu∣ons, and wert prouoked by diuers mockings and infinite iniuries. For my sake thou fastedst, watchedst, ranst hether and thether, sweatedst, weptst, and enduredst all miseries in thine owne experience, which my sinnes had deserued▪ when as yet thou wert without all sinne, and de∣ceite was not to be founde in thy lippes; yea, when thou hadst not of∣fended, but wert offended: thou for my sake wert captiue, and nowe presented before this, nowe before that Iudges trybunall seate: before them wert thou falsly accused, bea∣ten with buffetings, spet vpon, moc∣ked, whipt, crowned with thornes prouoked with blasphemies, and lastly, crucified.

* 1.3Lift vp the eyes of thy minde to the crosse of his passion, and see the stroakes, behold the wounds▪ reg••rd the dolours, which the Lord of Ma∣iestie

suffered there; because euery one of the wounds, each stripe, and agonie are seuerall benefits, and they most mighty ones: Behold that in∣nocent body wholy besprinkled with blood, full of wounds & stripes, altogether torne, brused, and broa∣ken: beholde the blood flowing from euery side. See that most ho∣lie head through too much waight bending and reposing on his shoul∣ders: See that diuine face, which the Angels desire to looke vppon, how defiled it is, watered with riuers of purple blood, and one the one side faire & gracious, on the other, foule and bespotted. Behold the browe of that faire young man, which was wont to delight the eyes of all those that beheld him, howe now it hath lost the flower of all his fauour. Be∣hold the Nazarean, purer then milk,* 1.4 crimsonner then olde Iuorie, fairer then the Saphire. His face is more blacke then coales, so that his owne friends know him not; Looke vp∣pon his pale mouth, his blew lipps, his tongue almost dumb, how hee moueth them to obtaine remission and indulgence, euen for those that

••orment him. Finally, fixe thine eyes vpon all parts of his body, and thou shalt not see any one of them free from stripes and dolours. From the sole of the foote, to the ver••e crowne of the head, there is nothing whole in him, euery where mays•• thou behold wounds▪ stroakes, and blewnesse. That most faire browe, and eyes clearer then the sunne, are now obscured, blind, and dead, at the instant conflict of death. His eares which were wont to heare the hea∣uenly H••mnes, now l••sten the slaun∣ders, reproaches, and blasphemies of sinners; His well formed armes, and so long, as that they can encom∣passe the whole world, are now ou•• of ioynt, & distended vpō the cross••. Those hands which created the hea∣uens, and neuer did man iniurie, are pierced with rough nailes, and af∣fixed to the crosse His feete which walked not in the wayes of ••inners, are mortally wounded and trans∣fixed. And aboue all this, beholde on what bed hee lyeth, and where that celestiall Spouse sleepeth a•• noone-dayes, how narrow it is, how hard it is, not yeelding him a place

to rest or recline his head vpon. O golden head, how doe I see thee for the loue of me, so faint and wearied? O most holy body, conceaued by the holy Ghost, how doe I see thee for my sake so cruelly wounded, and so hainously handled? O sweet and amiable breast, what meaneth this so deepe wound? why is this win∣dow opened? what meaneth this a∣boundant issue of blood? O wretch that I am, how doe I beholde thee pierced for my loue with so huge a speare? O rough & vngentle crosse stretcht forth, relax thy bowels that that rigour may relent which his na∣tiuity gaue? O hard nailes, doe not crucifie those his hands and feete: Come rather to mee, and wound my heart, for I am hee who haue sinned, hee hath not offended. O good Iesu, what hast thou to doe with th se dolours▪ what alliance is there twixt thee & this bitter death, these n••iles this crosse?

T••uly (sayeth the Prophet) hys bu••inesse is another mans,* 1.5 his la∣bour pertayneth vnto him. For what thing is more ••lvenated and ••straunged from lyfe then death?

from glory, then punishment? from exceeding sanctity and innocence, then the image and similitude of a sinner? Truly that title of our Lord, and that figure is very farre estran∣ged from thee?* 1.6 O very Iacob, thou obtaynedst thy fathers blessing in another mans coate, and a forraigne habite; for assuming to thy selfe the similitude of a sinner, thou hast gotten the victory ouer sinne.

* 1.7But if ò man it shall seeme vnto thee that thou art not indebted so much to God, by reason that he di∣ed not for thee onely, but for all the sinnes of the worlde, beware least thou be not deceaued: for so dyed he for all, that hee died likewise for euery one in perticuler. For all those for whom he suffered are so subiect to his infinite wisedome, and as if present obiect to his eyes, as if all of them were comprehended in one. And vvith that his immeasurable charity he embraceth all in generall, and euery one in special, and so hath he shedde his blood for all, as if for one. To conclude, so great was his charity, that (as some Saints say) if one only amongst all men had been

guilty, he would for him also haue ••••ffered all that, which he endured for the whole world. Consider ther∣fore and wey in thy minde, howe much thou owest to this Lord, who did so much for thee, and had done farre more, if greater necessitie had required it. O haynous ingratitude, o hardnes of mans hart? Truly thou art most flinty, if thou art not affec∣ted with so many benefits, if for so many dowers thou doost not be∣stowe thy selfe vpon him. There is not any thing found in this worlde ••o hard, which is not mollified by some cunning. Mettalls melt with fire, and by the same iron is made ma••leable: The hardnes of the A∣damant is broaken vvith Goates blood: But thou ô hart of man, art harder then any stone, harder then iron, harder then Adamant: when as neither the infernal fire can break thy hardnes, neither the cunning of the most mercifull Father, mollifie thee, neither the blood of that im∣maculate Lambe, can make thee tractable.

Saint Ambrose writeth of a cer∣taine dog, that barking and howling

a whole night long, lamented his Maister, who was slaine by one of h••s enemies. In the morning many men assembled about the course, and amongst the rest he also arriued who had slaine the man. The dog beholding the murtherer, as••a••••ed him, and l••aping vpon him began to bite him; and by this meanes the offence of the ma••queller was ma∣nifested. What wilt thou therefore say, ô man, if a dogge be so faith∣full for a bitte of bread, and so in∣tirely loue his Maister? Doth ingra∣titude so much please th••e, th••t in the lawe of gratuitie thou wilt suf∣fer thy selfe to be conquered by a dogge?

And if this brute beast were incen∣sed with so much ire against him that sl••w his Maister: why art not thou likewise incensed against those tha•• ••lew thy Lord & Sauiour? Who are they? Forsooth thy sinnes were the causes of the death of the Lorde. These cruell executioners had n••uer had so much force or power against Christ, except thy sinnes had armed them. VVhy art thou not there∣fore angry, why whettest thou no••

thy furie aga••nst those that slewe th•• Lorde? VVhy is not thy loue encreased towardes him, when as thou seest thy Lorde slaine before th••ne ovvne eyes, nay more for thy sake? VVhy art thou not an∣gry with thy sinnes, which put him to death? Especially, because thou knowest that there was no other en•••• of all his savings, deedes, and ••o••m nts, then that hee might kin∣dle in our hearts, a wrath and hatred ag••••nst sinne.

He suff••red because he might slay 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and that hee might restraine ••he power both of our handes and feete▪ hasting after iniquities, hee would that his handes should bee fastned to the Crosse. VVith what ••ace th••refore darest thou liue so, that all Christes labours and sweats shal be spent in vaine for thee, whilst thou wilt remayne in that serui∣tude, from which he deliuered thee by the shedding of hys precious bloode. It cannot bee but thou shouldst tremble at the very naming of sin, when as thou seest that God suffered most terrible torments, to the ende that hee might destroy

and abollish the same? What could hee doe more to with-drawe men headlong running after wickednes, then that GOD himselfe should be sent to encounter them hanging on a Crosse, who will be so rash that he dare offende God, when before him hee seeth both Paradice open, and hell with gaping mouth? yea, and which is farre greater then both to behold God hanging on a crosse▪ Hee that is not mooued with this spectacle, I know not truly by what other thing he will be moued.

¶ All this Chapter is taken partly out of the first booke of the Guide of a sinner, chap. 4, partly out of the first of Prayer and Meditation, the 3, chap. Of the 7. tractate, on which places he purposely handleth our re∣demption. Thou shalt finde many things also touching this matter in the life of Christ, and in the booke of the Catechisme.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ex duce pec∣cat. li. 1. ca. 4
• * 1.2

  4. Reg. 1.
• * 1.3

  Out of his 1. book of pray∣••r & 〈…〉〈…〉 3.
• * 1.4

  Thenor. 4.
• * 1.5

  Esay, 24.
• * 1.6

  Gene. 17.
• * 1.7

  Ex duce pe••∣••••t, lib. 1. cap. 4.