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

CONSID. LXXIX.

How perillous the errours be, which men commit, pretending piety.

I Hold that amongst those errours, which we, who are the sonnes of God, by committing may offend God, the greatest are those, which are committed pretending piety. That this is true, I see as well by the rigorousnesse, with which God hath punished these errours as it is read in holy Scripture; as also because it ap∣pears in the Scripture, that God hath with his hand (as it were) restrained them who have been his, not consenting that they should fall into these kind of errours; not having done the same in other errours, wherein they have had intention to satisfie their appetites, and affections.

Of the rigourousnesse, with which God hath punished them who haue erred preten∣ding

piety, he might principally give testimo∣ny, who willing to hold up the Ark of the Testimony, 2 Sam. 6.6, 7. which to his see∣ming was about to fall, died instantly: And Saul who was deprived of the kingdome of Israel, and perpetually of the grace of God, for the sacrifice that he made to God for the victory that he had against certain nati∣ons, of which God had given him command, that he should not leave any thing alive, which should not passe the edge of the sword, 1 Sam. 15.

Whereupon if any shall demand, saying, Why then hath not God used the same ri∣gorousnesse with others, who have erred more perniciously, pretending piety, as a man might say of Saint Paul, who before he was a Christian, pretending pietie persecu∣ted and slew the Christians? I will make an∣swer, First, that hitherto God hath not gi∣ven me the account thereof. And I will say, that God doth not use this rigorousnesse, ex∣cept with them, who are of the number of his. And Saint Paul when he was in that er∣rour, was not in the number of those who were Gods; the Hebrew people having then left to be the people of God; and therefore his errour was not punished as that of Uzzahs, nor as that of Sauls.

That God hath restrained with his hand

his elect, not suffering them to erre in piety, albeit he have suffered them to erre in other things; serves me for a most effectuall example that which is written of David, who preten∣ding piety, desired to build the Temple of Je∣rusalem, and God did not consent thereun∣to, because it was not his will, that he should build it unto him; and therefore he should have erred, if he had builded it. And the same pretending to satisfie his appetites with Bathsheba, caused her husband to be slain, and did with the wife what pleased him; to which matter God set no impediment at all.

In like manner Saint Peter not pretending piety denyed Christ, and God permitted it; and pretending piety he would not converse with the Gentiles, and God did not permit it. As likewise he did not consent to it, that Saint Paul should go, where he pretending piety would have gone, untill that pretence of his became not his, but of the holy spirit which abode in him.

And I hold it certain, that the most continu∣all and ordinary temptation, with which pious persons are tempted is this of pretending piety, in which the angel of Satan transfigures him∣self into an Angel of light, making that to seem piety, which is no piety. But pious per∣sons may comfort themselves with two things: the one is, that against the temptations of the

angels of Satan, they have the illuminations of the holy spirit, who discovers the deceit of the malignant spirit. And the other is, that God u∣seth to restrain with his hand the pious, that they should not fall into this kind of errour, it being so much contrary unto true piety. And together herewith, the pious ought alwayes to stand watchfull, so as the angell of Satan com∣ing transfigured into an Angel of light, they may know him, and guard themselves from him.

Three things here offer themselves to me. The first, seeing the errour is so great, which is com∣mitted by men pretending piety, every man ought to go with more regard to do those things with which he pretends piety, then to do things with which he pretends his proper satis∣faction.

The second, that those who are elected of God, do not erre pretending piety through the illuminations which they have of the holy spirit, and because God restrains them with his hand. It is a great signe of piety, and of the election of God, not to erre pretending piety.

And the third, that then a man erres preten∣ding piety, when he doth a thing, wherewith by himself alone he thinks to satisfie God, and to oblige God. As if I should chastise my body, not with that intent, with which S. Paul saith he chastised his, that is, to hold it in servitude, and subjection to his spirit; but with intent

to merit by that chastisement, which I do on my self. Amplifying this comparison throughout all the outward things which men do, it it easi∣sily understood, when they erre pretending pie∣ty. And I return to say, that he who shall feel himself directed by that way, through which he doth not erre pretending piety, he may certifie himself, that he is the sonne of God, and con∣sequently brother of the onely begotten sonne of God Jesus Christ our Lord.