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

CONSID. XXV.

How pious persons may resolve themselves when God calls them to any change of place, or state of life, and when not.

A Very great part of Christian piety, as I un∣derstand, consisteth in this, That a man should never dispose of himself, nor put his own will in execution, nor say in his thoughts, This would be well for me, if so be he have not some evident signe of the will of God: In such sort, that when the state wherein he finds himself, the place, or the manner of living shall become wearisome to him, & there shall come thoughts into his mind, that This or that thing would fit him well; he shall presently say, But what know I, if this would be good for me? God is he, who knows what is good; and since he knows it, to him I offer and resigne my self, that he should set me in it; and in the mean space I will believe, that that which is best for me, is to continue in the state wherein I am. With this resolution a man condemns the judgement of humane wis∣dome and reason, and renounceth his naturall light, and enters into the kingdome of God, resigning himself to the regiment and govern∣ment of God.

Furthermore I understand, that albeit to some Saints of the Old Testament, and to others of the New, God hath manifested his will as it were by words; yet the common language now,

with which God speaks to the pious, is to put into their hearts that which they should do, and afterwards to necessitate them to do it, or to fa∣cilitate the execution thereof: In such sort, that when a pious person shall feel himself moved to change his state, place, or manner of living, or whatsoever other thing, in which he shall be doubtfull whether it be a motion of the Spirit, or of the flesh; if he shall see himself necessita∣ted to put it in execution, or shall find much facility in executing it; he shall take it, that God declares his will unto him by this means; and holding that demonstration for a sufficient token of Gods will, he shall not doubt to put it in ex∣ecution. If he shall haue the will, but neither the necessity, nor the facility, he shall keep him∣self quiet; and if so be he shall have the neces∣sity, or the facility, and not the will, he shall likewise abide quiet; saying, If this be the will of God, he will put it into my will, that I should put it in execution. In this he shall so much more assure himself, inasmuch as I understand and hold for certain and firm, God is so jealous of them that attend to this piety, that even then whē they are so much solicited by sensual appe∣tites, & by humane affections, that they come to desire to put their own wills in execution. God himself hinders them, to the intent they should not come to deprave themselves, except when he means to punish them; letting them fall in∣to

that which they desire, because they hold it a good thing for them; as he punished David in the case of Bathsheba; and this punishment is very terrible; which as I understand doth not consist in the execution of that thing which a man desires, but in the knowledge of the in∣convenience wherein he finds himself to be fal∣len after the execution. In these like cases also pious persons know the will of God, but it is that will of his which is with wrath and with fury; and so they do confirm themselves in this matter, and think that nothing befits them, but that in which they find themselves: And they stand attentive to heare the language of God, when he moves the will, and facilitateth and necessitateth the execution thereof. With which language I understand that God also speaks unto the impious, as he spake to Nebu∣chadnezzar, and as he spake to Darius and Cyrus, and as he spake to Titus and Vespasian. But there is very great difference in that which they that are pious do, and in that which they do that are impious; forasmuch as they neither knew, nor do know the will of God, and there∣fore albeit they did it, yet for all this they did not serve, nor do serve God therein. But the pious, because they know the will of God, and knowing it put it in execution, they serve God therein. And inasmuch as they who are such, do set themselves to all their

works with this knowledge, they do as I un∣derstand, in all things serve God. Those are they who believe, and put on Gods righteous∣nesse executed on Jesus Christ our Lord.