A heavenly treasure of confortable meditations and prayers written by S. Augustin, Bishop of Hyppon in three seuerall treatises of his meditations, soliloquies, and manual. Faithfully translated into English by the R. F. Antony Batt monke, of the holy order of S Bennet of the Congregation of England

Of the surpassing great charity of the eternall Father towards mankind. CHAPT. XV.

O Infinite mercy, o inestimable chari∣ty thou hast giuen thy sonne, to de∣liuer thy seruant, God hath beene made man, that man might be freed from the

power of the Diuell, when he was vtterly vndonne. How kinde a louer of men hath thy sonne our Lord God, shewed himselfe to be, who thought it not enough to haue debased himselfe so lowe as to haue taken humaine fleshe for vs of the immacu∣late virgin Marie, vnlesse he had like∣wise sustained the torments of his passion, pouring forth his bloud for vs, and for our saluation.

Our good God hath come, being moued thereunto through his goodnes and mer∣cy, he hath come, he hath come to seeks and saue that which was lost, & cast away. He hath sought the sheepe that was lost; he hath sought and found it, and as a merciful Lord, and vnspeakeable louing shepheard, he hath on his owne shoulders brought it backe to the foldes of his flocke.

O charity, o pitty! Who euer heard the like? who is not astonied at this soe fee∣ling an affection of his mercy? who is not through admiration, almost striken into an extasie? who is not moued with gladnes, through this thy excessiue charitie, where∣with thou hast loued vs? Thou hast sent thy son, in the likenesse of flesh subiect to sinne, that he might conuince sinno of sin∣ne, & that we might become iust in him. For he is the true immaculate lambe, who hath taken away the sinnes of the worlde,

who by dyinge hath destroyed our death, and by risinge againe hath raised vs to life.

But what recompence can we giue thee (o good God) for these soe greate benefits of thy mercie? What praises, or thankes giuinge? Albeit we had the knowledge and power of the blessed Angels, yet could we not make any requitall answerable to thy soe greate loue and goodnes; yea, if all our members were turned into tonges, yet woulde our poore abilitie be no way sufficient, to render thee those prayses, which thou hast deserued. Soe that thine inestimable charitie, which thou hast shewed towardes vs, being altogether vn∣worthy, proceeding frō thy meere good∣nes and mercy, doth surpasse all the know∣ledg and learning that either is or may be. For that thy sonne our God, hath not takē the nature and essence of Angells, but the ••eede of Abraham, becomming like vnto vs in euerie thinge, setting aside onely sinne.

Taking therfore vpon him the nature and essence of man, not of Angells, and glorifying the same with the stole of his sacred resuriection and immortalitie, he hath caried it aboue all the heauens, aboue all the quiers of Angells, aboue the Che∣rubins and Seraphins, placing the same at the right hand of thy maiestie: the Angels

praise it, the Dominations adore it, and all the Vertues of heauen stand trembling, in beholdinge him that is placed aboue thē, God and man.

This verily is my whole hope and con∣fidence. Because in him, to witt, in our Lord Iesus Christ, each one of vs hath a part, each one of vs hath flesh and bloud. Where therfore a part of me doth raigne, there I trust to raigne my selfe; where my flesh is glorified, there I assure my selfe to be likewise in glory: where my flesh hath rule and dominion, there I suppose to rule my self. Although I am a sinner, yet I do not despaire to be partaker of this grace and fauour. And albert my sinnes doe hin∣der me, yet my substance doth require the same: although my faultes doe exclude me, yet the participation of the same natu∣re doth not repell me. For God is not soe cruell, as that he can forgett man, and not remember him, whom he carieth about him, and whom for my sake he seeketh to bring to saluation.

Verily our Lord God is very milde and mercifull, and loueth his flesh, members, and bowells. That flesh of ours loueth vs, which is in Iesus Christ our most sweet, gratious and louing Lord God, in whom we haue already risen, and ascended into heauen, and doe already sitt in glorie with

the celestiall spirits. In him we haue the prerogatiue of our bloud, for that we are his members and flesh, and he likewise is our head: by whom our whole bodie is composed, according as it is written Bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh, & two shalbe in one flesh: And noe man at any time hateth his owne flesh, but cherisheth and loueth it. This is a great mysterie, but I (saieth the Apostle) speake it of Christ, and of his Church.