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

CONSID. XXX.

That God in communicating spirituall things unto us, dealeth as in giving the fruits of the earth.

SEtting my self sometimes to reason with God, I say unto him in this sort: Wherefore Lord, when thou callest a person to thy king∣dome, doest thou not make him presently feel his justification? Wherefore doest thou not pre∣sently give him the holy Spirit, which should rule and govern him? And why doest thou not shew unto him thy presence? To this it seems to me, that he makes answer to me, saying, For the self same cause, that I do not make the grain as soon as it is sown, to spring, so that it may be reaped. This, say I, is the curse of sinne: And this other matter, saith

he, is also through the curse of sinne. Again, say I, Since thou hast done it with Saint Paul and with some others, why doest thou it not ge∣nerally with all? For the self same cause (re∣plies he) that I have sometimes given men bread to eat without causing it to grow by the ordinary way, willing to shew my omnipotency both in the one and in the other. As those per∣sons (say I,) Lord to whom thou hast given bread by extraordinary wayes, do more ac∣knowledge that bread from thy liberality, then those other, who have it by ordinary wayes; even so also, all thine elect would more acknow∣ledge all their inward gifts from thy liberali∣ty, if so be thou wouldest do with them that which thou didst with Saint Paul, rather then guiding them, as thou guidest them, by an or∣dinary way. I will (saith God) that both the one and the other should acknowledge from me that which they obtain by the ordinary way; and that so much the more, as it seems to them∣selves, that they get it by industry and labour. For in this thing I will that they should morti∣fie the judgement of their humane wisdome, which mortification should not be necessary, if they had these things by extraordinary way. I will have the labourer to labour the ground, and to sow his seed, and I will that he shall at∣tribute to me the fruit of all his labours. I will likewise that spirituall persons labour and

endeavour what they may, and yet I will have them submit themselves to believe and to love, and so get justification, and the holy Spirit; and I will that they attribute all unto me. And hold thou it for certain, that as the labourer should prove himself very rash, that should think to gather much grain, having the rain at his command when he pleased, and the Sunne when he pleased; so likewise should that spi∣rituall person be very rash, who would hope to encrease much in piety and holinesse, having the inspirations in his own power when he would. Whereupon hold for certain, that he doth take the better, who freely in all things, and every where leaves it for me to do, without opposing himself in any thing, and without sup∣posing to govern by himself that which ought to be governed by me. With these Considera∣tions I put my mind in quiet, when I find it impatient, and not well enduring to expect God; referring and submitting my self in all things and every where to my God; being as∣sured that he doth govern and will govern me in this Christian businesse, according to my ne∣cessity, through his onely begotten Sonne Jesus Christ our Lord.