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.

Notwithstanding the most grieuous & diuers commination of the diuine iu∣stice, & the great rewards which are promised to those that are studious of vertue, the greater part of men follo∣weth wickednesse. The cause of this mischiefe is, the generall error of men, which perswadeth thē, that all the re∣wards of vertue doe appertaine to the world to come: That vertue heere i•• ••••dious, difficult, and poor••: without hauing in this world ••yther reward or sollace: whereas it hath many worthy priuiledges, which the godly enioy i•• this world, but very many miseries & contrary calamities, where-with the wicked are exagitated.

CHAP. 13. (Book 13)

NOt without cause might a man ask this question, why amongst christians that be∣lieue all these thinges, and confesse y^• which hetherto hath beene spoken, there are found so many who neglecting vertues, follow vices? that euill hath not one only roote, but many & diuers. But amongst others, and they not the

least, is this; A certaine generall er∣ror in which the men of this world liue, beleeuing that all that which God promiseth to the louers of ver∣tue; is reserued for the future life, and that in this present world none of these are to bee exspected. For which cause, whereas man dooth highly affect reward, and is chiefely drawne by profit, and is not moued but by things present; yea, and such things as are obiect to the exteriour sences: when he seeth nothing pre∣sent, hee setteth light by that which is to come. So seemeth it that the Iewes did in the time of the Pro∣phets. For when Ezechiell by the commaundement of God proposed vnto them great promises, or de∣nounced vnto them dire commina∣••ions, they hist, and after a contemp∣tible sort disdained all things saying; The vision that this man seeth is of a long date,* 1.1 and he prophecieth of times far hence. So likewise mock∣king the Prophet Esay▪ they con∣temned his words,* 1.2 and said: Com∣maund, and recommaund▪ send, and send againe; exspect, and reexspect, exspect, and reexspect a little there▪

a little there. This is one of the chiefest reasons which calleth per∣uerse men from the obseruance of the commaundements of God, per∣swading thēselues that in this world there is no reward prefixed for ver∣tue; but that all things are reserued for the world to come. This consi∣dered that great wise man, when he said;* 1.3 Truly because the sentence is not speedily pronounced against the wicked, without any feare the ••onns of men perpetrate wickednes. And another wise man addeth▪ That a∣mongst all things that are done vn∣der the sunne, the worst is, and that which giueth greatest occasion to the wicked of committing sin, that euils fall vpon the iust, as if ••hey had done the works of the wicked; and the wicked somtimes liue so ••ec••••e∣ly, as if they had done the deedes of the iust, or because all things are e∣quall to the iust, & the impious; the good, and the euill; the cleane, and the vncleane; to him that offereth sacrifice, and him that con••emneth it; As the good man▪ so also the sin∣ner; as the perlu••ed▪ so likewise he•• that speaketh truth. Where-〈◊〉〈◊〉

he sayth. And the harts of the son•••• of men are filled with malice and contempt in theyr lyfe, and hereaf∣ter they shall lead vnto hell.

But that which Salomon heere speaketh, the euill & wicked them∣selues confesse in the Prophecie of Malachy, saying▪ Vaine is hee that serueth God,* 1.4 and what hath it pro∣fited, that we haue kept his precepts, and that wee haue walked circum∣spectly before the Lord of hostes▪ We therfore call the arrogant bles∣sed, because they are builded vp do∣ing impiety, tempting God, & yet are saued. These things say the wic∣ked, and these are they that ••hie••••ly de••ayne them in their impietie. For, (as S. Ambrose sayth) they thinke it to be a hard matter, to buy they•• hope by their perrill▪ that is, to ob∣tayne the future blessings, by the hazarde of the present, and to giue that which is in theyr possession, for such thinges as seeme as yet to bee very farre from them.

To roote out that pestilent error▪ I knowe not truly from whe••ce •• beginning may be more commo∣diously taken, then frō those wo••••••

and teares of our Sauior, with which ••e in times past bewept that misera∣ble Citty of Ierusalem, saying: For if thou also hadst knowne,* 1.5 and that ••ruly in thys thy day, those thinges that belong to thy peace, but nowe are they hidden from thine eyes, Christ knewe on the one side, that with himselfe, all the graces and ce∣lestiall treasures descended vppon ••hose of Ierusalem, and on the other side, he saw the blind and miserable people, ignorant thereof, & vnwil∣••ing to know it; and therefore that ••n vtter ouerthrow attended them. For thys cause deploreth hee them. The like cause haue wee to bewaile the louers of thys world, whilst here wee see the pulchritude of vertue, ••nd the wonderfull graces & great ••iches that attend thereon. There, ••owe farre these thinges are remoo∣••ed and hidden from the eyes of men, drowned in earthly thoughts, ••s also in what sort vertue changeth ••er place; and dispersed thorow the ••hole world, findeth no place se∣••••rely to dwell in.

O if God would open the eyes of ••hese men, that they might see the

••reasures▪ ritches▪ peace, liberty▪ light, tranquillity, delights, fauours, and goods, which follow vertue euen as slaues euen in this life, howe much would they esteeme her? with how great desire would they aspire ther∣vnto? with howe great study, with how many labou••s would they seek her? But nowe all these thinges are hidden from their eyes, and they be∣hold nothing but the externall sem∣blance of vertue, not tasting the in∣teriour sweetnes thereof, and there∣fore think they that there is nothing in the same that is not hard, difficult, ane vnsauorie: deeming this mon•• currant, not in this present, but the future life: yet if there be any good therein▪ thy suppose the same to ap∣pertaine to another world, not vn∣••o this.

But thou whatsoeuer thou art th•••• so thinkest, why considerest th•••• not the assistance that GOD ha•••• prepared for vs to ouercome th•••• difficulty, of which sort are the ver∣tues infused, the giftes of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Ghost, the Sacraments of the ne•••• law, with many other graces and ••••∣uine helps, which are vnto vs as 〈◊〉〈◊〉

Oares and sailes to the shippe, and wings to the birds. Thou oughtst to haue remembred that God not onely promised his, the goods of glory, but also of grace: those for the future life, this for the present: according to that of the Prophet; Our Lord will giue grace and glo∣rie, which are like two cofers furni∣shed with all blessings, the one for this life, the other for the future. If the wo••ld and the deuill for the ser∣uices which their followers doe vn∣to them, bestow so many kindes of fauours, pleasures, and delights, at leastwise in appearance: Howe is it possible that God should be so nig∣gard to his friends and faithfull mi∣nisters, that hee should leaue them hungry and thirsty in the midst of their labours & tribulations? Heare what God aunswereth to the lamen∣tations of the wicked by the mouth of his Prophet. Conuert and see what there is betwixt the iust and vniust,* 1.6 and betweene him that ser∣••eth God▪ and him that serueth him not: So that God is not contented with the prerogatiue which the iust shall haue ouer the vniust in the fu∣ture

life, but in the present (he saith,) Conuert, and see: as if he said. I wi•••• not that you should exspect the fu∣ture world, that you might knowe the glory of the good, and the ex∣cellencie of blessednes: But turne now, and see also in this life, the dif∣ference which is betweene good and euill: the ritches of the one, and the pouerty of the other: the ioy of the one, and the sadnes of the other: the peace of the one, and the wa••re of the other: the light in which the one liueth, and the darknesse in which the other walketh; and the•• truly shall you know, that the con∣dition of the iust, is more blessed then you suppose.

But if the way of vertue seemeth barren and horrid to thee, what is i•• that the diuine wisedome sayth of of her selfe: With mee are ri••cher and glory, great wealth and iustice: I will walke in the wayes of iustice, in the midst of the pathes of iudge∣ment, that I may enritch those that loue mee, and that I may fill the•••• treasures. What ritches, what good•• are they? except of his heauenl•••• wisedome, which exceede all the

••••••ches of this worlde: which are ••••stowed on them, who walke in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wayes of iustice, which is the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vertue whereof we now speak. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 if heere there be not found rit∣••••es more excellent and wealthie, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 those which the worlde pro∣••••••seth; why did the Apostle giue ••od thankes for the Corinthians, 〈◊〉〈◊〉: That in all things they were 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ritch,* 1.7 terming them absolut∣•••• ritch, signifying that others are 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to be called ritch, but the ritch this world.

¶ Out of the first book, chap. 11. the Guide of a sinner.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ez••c••. 2.
• * 1.2

  Esay, 28.
• * 1.3

  ••ccles. 8.
• * 1.4

  Mala. 3.
• * 1.5

  Luke. 19.
• * 1.6

  Mal. 3.
• * 1.7

  1, Corin. ••.