Divine considerations treating of those things which are most profitable, most necessary and most perfect in our Christian profession by John Valdesso.

CONSID. CX.

That the principall gifts are not understood, untill they be possessed.

A Most great testimony of Christian life is this, that according as a christian man goes perfecting himself in his christian customs, so he goes clearing himself in his christian concep∣tions. Nay I hold for certain, that the selfsame christian spirit which goes perfecting him in his customs, goes clarifying him in his concepti∣ons; insomuch that it can be hardly under∣stood, whether the clarification in the concepti∣ons comes from the perfection in the customs, or the perfections in the customs come from the clarification in the conceptions. And therefore it is sure to say, that both the one, and the other comes from the christian spirit, which doth mar∣vellously work both the one and the other in them who accept the Gospel of Christ. This I have said to this purpose, that I having under∣stood that the christian businesse is not science, but experience, and having by many compari∣sons

procured to make some persons capable of this truth, I have never remained satisfied in my mind; in such manner that it seemed to me that I had expressed after mine own manner my con∣ceit, untill now that having in mine own judge∣ment comprehended it with more clearnesse, it seems to me that I am able to expresse it better. And so I say, that between the believing, and accepting the christian things, Faith, Hope and Charity, with humane wit, or with a christian spirit; I know the difference, which I know be∣tween accepting, and approving those three morall vertues, Magnanimity, Valour and Li∣berality, and having them indeed. I say, that as there be men, who hearing others speak of these three morall vertues, and of the perfection of them, albeit they do not know them in them∣selves, yet do approve them and accept them for good: so there be also of those men who hear∣ing speak of those three gifts of God, Faith, Hope and Charity, and of the perfection, and efficacy of them; albeit they do not know them in themselves, yet they do approve them and accept them for good, believing that they who accept the grace of the Gospel, do enjoy the re∣mission of sinnes, and the reconciliation with God through Christ, and approving the hope with which they expect the felicity of eternall life, and the love with which they love God above every thing, and they love their neigh∣bour

as themselves. And I say further, that as whilest they, who approve those three morall vertues not possessing them, albeit they willing∣ly heare talk of them, through the desire which they have to possesse them; yet it is not so much as that it gives them entire satisfaction: nay ra∣ther, when they look upon themselves, and find themselves without them, they grieve themselves, and are malecontent, and so much the more as it seems to them that the vertues are more per∣fect, because they do more loose the hope of be∣ing able to obtain them: so likewise they, who approve these three gifts of God not possessing them, albeit they rejoyce to heare speak of them, through the desire which they have to possesse them; yet is it not so much as that it gives them entire satisfaction: nay rather, when they look upon themselves, and find themselves without them, they grieve themselves, and stand male∣content, and so much the more as it seems to them that the gifts are the more perfect, because they so much more loose the hope of obtaining them. Further I say, that as when it should happen, that those men who approve the three morrall vertues not possessing them, should come to possesse them, knowing themselves magnanimous, valiant, and liberall; they would affirm that they never well understood what thing these three vertues were, and would after a much other manner rejoyce to hear speak of

them, knowing them to be in themselves: and albeit it would grieve them when they knew themselves imperfect in them, yet it would not grieve them that they should be so perfect as they are. So likewise when it befalls that the men who approve the three gifts of God not pos∣sessing them come to possesse them, because God gives them unto them, knowing themselves en∣dued with Faith, with Hope, and with Charity, they affirm that they never well understood what these three gifts of God were, and do most fully rejoyce and satisfie themselves to heare speak of them; and so much the more, inasmuch as they speak more highly of them, because they know them in themselves. And albeit they are sorry, and grieve themselves, when looking upon themselves they know themselves imperfect in them, yet it grieves them not that they be so perfect as they are; nay rather they are con∣tent, and (if it were possible,) they would adde unto them much more perfection. So much is the satisfaction which they find in believing, hoping, and loving. In this manner I under∣stand, that as none is capable of knowing what it is to be magnanimous, or valiant, or liberall, but onely he who hath magnanimity, valour, and liberality: so none is capable of knowing what Believing, Hoping, and Loving are, but he who through the Christian spirit hath the gift of Faith, Hope, and Charity. And so it

comes to passe to be so true, that a man may as it were touch it with his hand, That spirituall and Christian gifts are not understood untill they be possessed.

In this discourse I understand all this.

First, that it being true, that none are cap∣able of the gifts of God to understand them, but they onely who have them, it appertains to every person that would understand them, first to demand them of God, and not to think that he understands them untill that he know them, and feel them in himself, as the magnanimous knows, and feels magnanimity in himself.

Secondly, that they may say that they know, and feel the gifts of God in them, who find en∣tire satisfaction, when they heare others speak of Christian matters; and albeit they are sor∣rowfull, and grieve themselves, when they see themselves imperfect in them; yet they rejoyce, and content themselves that they should be so perfect as they are; considering that by how much they are the more perfect, by so much the more doth the glory of the Gospel of Christ, and of God come to be illustrated, and so much doth the basenesse and the vilenesse, the infirmity and the weaknesse of man come to be more known.

Thirdly, that as one in being magnanimous hath magnanimity in being valiant hath valour, in being liberall hath liberality; so in ones ac∣cepting the grace of the Gospel, he hath Faith,

and is Just, and in desiring the day of judge∣ment, hath Hope, and is holy; and in Loving God and his neighbours, hath charity, and is pious.

Fourthly, that as the magnanimous doth not loose his magnanimity for twise or thrise fal∣ling into pusillanimity, except he neglect him∣self in such manner that forgetting to be mag∣nanimous he becomes pusillanimous. And what I say of the magnanimous, I say of the valiant, and of the liberall. So the just man by Christian faith doth not loose the justice of Christ for committing two or three iniquities, except he neglect himself in such sort of the Faith, that forgetting himself of his being just by faith he become unjust. And that which I say of the Just, I say of the Holy through Hope, and I say of the Pious through Charity: so if one demand of me saying, whether I believe, that he who hath by the gift of God Faith, Hope and Cha∣rity, can come to loose his justice, his Holinesse, and his Piety, which he hath gotten with Faith, with Hope, and with Charity. I say unto him, that if it be possible that he should come to loose his Faith, his Hope and his Charity, it will be also possible, for him to loose his Justice, his Holinesse and his Piety, these being the effects of those. And I say unto him, that I hold it for more difficult, that one who hath by the gift of God, Faith, Hope and Charity, should

deprave himself in such manner, that he should loose them, and with them should loose his Justice, his Holinesse, and his Piety; then it is for another, who is by naturall gift magnani∣mous, valiant, and liberall, to come to make himself so pusillanimous, so fearfull; and so co∣vetous, that he should loose his magnanimity, valour, and liberality. And I will say moreo∣ver unto him, that as it is a secure thing for the magnanimous, valiant, and liberall to live upon his guard, suspecting himself, that if he should grow negligent, he might come to loose his magnanimity, his valour, and his liberality: so likewise is it a secure thing for the Just, Holy, and Pious to live upon his guard, suspecting himself, that if he should grow negligent, he might come to loose Faith, Hope and Charity, and with them Justice, Holinesse, and Piety. It is very true, that I shall hold him for much more secure, who by the inward spirit shall be assured that he can by no means come to loose his Justice, his Holinesse and his Piety, then that other, that alwayes lives upon his watch suspi∣cious of himself. For I understand that the se∣curity which is divine, mortifies, and kills all the desires of sinning, as that which is humane quickens them, and kindles them. And I un∣derstand also, that the suspecting, which is as it were a fearing, even when it is of the holy spi∣rit, being a thing proper to the Hebrews, is a

thing of imperfect Christians; it being proper to the perfect Christians who have much Faith, much Hope and much Charity, to say with S, Paul, who shall seperate us from the love of Christ? Rom. 8.

Here I will adde this. That as Liberality is so annexed to Magnanimity, that he cannot be magnanimous that is not liberall; so Hope and Charity are so annexed unto Faith, that it is im∣possible that he should have Faith, who hath not Hope, and Charity; it being also impossi∣ble that one should be just without being Holy and Pious. But of these Christian verities they are not capable, who have not experience in Christian matters, which they onely have, who by the gift of God, and by the benefit of Christ have Faith, Hope, and Charity, and so are Pi∣ous, Holy, and Just in Christ, and do attend to comprehend that Piety, that Justice, and that Holinesse, in which they are comprehended, be∣ing like unto God, and to the Sonne of God Jesus Christ our Lord, AMEN.