The Christians zodiake, or, Twelve signes of predestination unto life everlasting written in Lattin by Ieremie Drexelius.

The third Paragraph.

THE Grecians doe commend that celebrated saying of theirs, ne quid nimis, not too much of any thing; but thou, O Lord, hast ex∣pressely commanded, mandata tua custodiri nimis, that thy commande∣ments should be very much observed. God would have all his servants so ready and prompt at every command of his, at every beck, as they should never passe a day, no not so much as that whereon they should suffer the greatest affliction, without repea∣ting over this short sentence a thou∣sand times both in heart and mouth, quod vult Deus fiat, be it as it pleases God; and by this meanes the will of men so vertuously disposed be∣comes to be the will of God himself, since they hold themselves constant to this resolution, never to will any thing which may be displeasing to his Divine Majesty; whence it comes that whatsoever they desire, they obtaine, since they desire nothing else than onely to conforme them∣selves to the will of God, as know∣ing

that to be most true which St. Hierome writeth unto Paula upon the occasion of Blella's death. God is good, (saies he) and therefore of ne∣cessity being so good as he is, al must be likewise good, which he ordaines; neither can men of God receive a∣ny thing in ill part, which is procee∣ding from so good a God. Are they in health? they render than ••s then to their Maker for it; are they disea∣sed? even in this they acknowledge and praise their Makers will; are they deprived of their dearest friends? they cannot but bewayle so sad an accident, but yet in remembring that God hath disposed it so, they beare their losses with an equall mind; hath death ravished away an onely child? a losse how ever grievous, yet to be sustained, since he who lent it, de∣mands it back againe; are they o∣vertaken with extreame poverty, or more grievous infirmity, afflicted to be contemned, and opprobriously dealt withall, subiect to a thousand inluries and scornes? For all this you shall never haare them utter o∣ther words, but sicut Domino placuit, ita factum est, ita bene factum, etiam in hoc laudetur Deus. God hath done as it pleased him, and thrrefore hee

hath done well, for which cause even in this be he likewise blessed and praysed; Benedictus Deus in aeter∣num, God be blessed for ever. Who∣soever are fastned to God, as by an Anchor with such a Will as this, doe awayt their latest houre with all se∣curity, and account all misfor∣tunes in the meane time for short, which with so fortunate an end are to be clo∣sed up.