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A36356
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A sermon preach'd before Their Majesties in their chappel at St. James's the 25th. Sunday after Pentecost, November 17th. 1686 by J.D. of the Society of Jesus.
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J. D. (John Dormer), 1636-1700.
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1687
(1687)
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Wing D1928; ESTC R8587
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8,533
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32
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so much influencing Planets Sun and Moon his Eyes to the Stars his waking to the Day his Sleep to the Night the Circulation of his Blood to the constant returns of Rivers to the Sea from whence they sprung the rest of the Body to the Earth All well But can the Body alone that debasing part of Man with Truth and Justice be termed Man You 'l tell me no And if not though the Body may be stil'd a little World Man cannot It is below his worth and greatness Man if a World he is a great one and this World which encompasses his Body confronted with Man is but little It is not vainly to boast it is not to Hyperbolize it is to raise a just conceit of a Soul so much depress'd in our esteem I say all this and I say no more than what reason upholds Will you have the proof I draw it from what is undeniable For if we speak even of greatness in extent in which this World seems to exceed That is greater which containeth that which is contained is less on this account the Body is called a little World because enclosed the enclosing World the greater Is it not so can any deny it None I take then for granted what none deny and upon this bottom carry on my Discourse Doth not the mind of Man outreach the narrow limits of the Earth Doth it not upon the wings of speculation soar above the Heavens Doth it not survey measure and gather the World in a Thought This large this vast this immense Universe doth it not bind it within a few lines doth it not imprison it in a paper doth it not cast it in a Map The revolutions of the Spheres and motions of Stars doth it not confine them and lay them before your Eyes in a Globe In this like unto its Divine Maker of whom become a new born Infant to redeem us the Church sings Mundum pugillo continens in his little fist he bears a World. And have not I just cause to say the Soul of Man is greater than the World I say nothing of the power of his memory making things past to be present I mention not the force of his Intellect transcending the grossness of Bodies and working upon Spiritual Beings and Abstracts walking in the spaces of Gods Immensity and questioning possibilities I let alone the natural Appetite of the Will ever bending and aspiring to Eternity all evidences of its refined spiritual and immortal existency I contain my self within the bounds of a palpable way of Reasoning and am confounded when I consider the mean value we frame of a Soul the high esteem we nourish of this World as if our whole rise and increase depended on the progress we make in it Alas Alas its Men that enoble the World the World cannot enoble Men If the Kingdom of Heaven be like unto a Mustard-seed as to increase this World is like to a Mustard-seed without increase For compared with Heaven this World is smaller than a Mustard-seed I wish it had the virtue to quicken our Reason that it has to open our Brain Give me leave once more to reason it thus Have you never address'd your self to a Sun-Dyal to ask the hour of the day You have and that often Know then that very shadow which counts each minute in every moment gives light to this important Truth Your ador'd Earth what is it think you O Idolaters of Terrene greatness compared to Heaven Take notice I beseech you of what the Dyal makes out This Earth in comparison of Heaven even in bulk and extent is less than a Mustard-seed Let not the proposition I so boldly advance surprise you I impose not upon you I vent nothing but real Verity Consult the Learned they 'l inform you it is no more than the point of a Needle than the Centre of a Circle they 'l farther instruct you that on this supposal the whole Art of Dyaling relies The Art as experience makes out when rightly practis'd never faileth never deceiveth nor can the ground on which it depends be fallacious Ah Mortals Mortals it is not this lower World it 's your deluded Ambition is great This Earth on which your Glory builds this Sea on which your Avarice Sayls is but an Attom is but a Point in paragon of Heaven Punctum est says the moral Philosopher in quo bella geritis it is but a point on which you War O Romans it is but a point on which your Martial Forces draw up March and Randezvous it is but a point on which your War-like Instruments resound It is but a point over which your Victorious Eagles fly Subdue Countries Fetter the Liberty of Nations Colour your Purples in the blood of Dying Monarchies Let Europe Asia and Africa draw your Triumphal Chariots Let America when known bring up your Glorious Train you 'l then be Great you 'l be Masters you 'l be Lords of a World terrarum Domini You 'l have gain'd your point And what is it what is it a point a point for no more is the World to Heaven then a point punctum est make much of little since you know not to make much of what is Great Heaven your Soul God. But so many Empires are past the point remains no more theirs Ecce gentes quasi stilla situlae exclaims the Prophet Isa chap. 40. ver 12. Behold the Nations like a drop of a Bucket A drop a drop behold the increase of the Adorers of the World the drop is often puff'd into a bubble a pleasant sight to the Eye but soon breaks and vanishes ecce Gentes behold your Nations your Gentiles your Heathens your livers without the fear of God forgotten of Heaven aspiring to nothing but Earthly Promotion they rise with the inconstant Bucket of Fortune to drop and plunge into a deluge of Misery Punctum est and if the main if the whole be but a point what must it's Divisions and Sub-divisions Sections and Sub-Sections prove to be Your Cottages your Rights of Common your Copy-holds Free holds Tenements Mannors c. what are they but the Fractions of a point in one removal from nothing And yet and yet How many how many injurious to Themselves unmindful of Heaven ungrateful to God spend their desires consume their loves and cast away their thoughts on transitory Trifles and Joys As if enslaving themselves to Flesh and World so far beneath the noble Nature of a Soul could add to their greatness What Suits what Animosities what Feuds what a living like Canibals even amongst Christians what endeavours to depress and devour each other and all for the small part of a point Punctum est and that not durable I have contained my Discourse within the bounds of Natural Reason But if you 'l have the true value of a Soul open the Eyes of a lively Faith see your Creator become a Redeemer see your God dying upon a Cross and remember that Blood that Death of
Infinite worth are the Price and Ransome of your Soul. A little respit and I come in my second part to solve an Objection of a Worldling Simile est Regnum Coelorum Grano Sinapis The Kingdom of Heaven is like to a Mustard-seed IN my first part I have made it my endeavour to set forth the disparity that runs between this World and a Soul and by consequence That Man cannot aspire to an increase by levelling his thoughts at any thing this World affords a world so little so vain so unconstant But I fear a Melancholly dumpish Fit has seiz'd you so are you out of humour with the World Methinks I hear one of those say who affect Wit by a nauseous drolling at Piety I apprehend you Preachers heat your selves to little Purpose We are of a cooler temper we have not so much of the Mustard-seed as to take snuff at the World for every Impression threat of Hell or name of Heaven Heaven and Hell are things remote We live in the World to rise and increase And to this end we study to foot sure Faith and Religion we know have a fair stroke for the other World but have forfeited many a Loyal Life Estate and Fortune in this we have a Family to provide for our selves We must live according to our Birth and Quality In a word make Piety and Religion our increase and Interest upon Earth and we will soon be Saints for Heaven You have spoke like what you are with much Prophanity little Wit and no Reason By all which the coolness of your temper discovers it self Heaven and Hell you tell me are things afar off and I would have you know that Heaven is no farther off than you 'l make it and Hell perhaps is nearer than you think it You say you live in the World great news I thought you had liv'd out of it For those that live in the World like Men and govern themselves with Faith and Reason are sensible they are placed here to serve God and work their Salvation You 'l foot sure and can there be sure footing in the slippery way of Vice You are to provide for a Posterity and are you therefore to neglect an Eternity But you must live according to your Birth and Quality And at the holy Font of Baptism were you not regenerated to be the Heirs of Heaven and qualified to be the Children of God You bid me make Piety and Religion your Interest upon Earth and is it not the greatest of Interests that by the pious Exercises of True Religion you may purchase the unvaluable Treasure of Heavenly Bliss But your meaning is make Piety and Religion your way to Riches Honour and Greatness upon Earth and then you 'l be Saints for Heaven I understand you In place of your buying Heaven youl 'd have Heaven buy you But let me tell you Heaven admits of no such Saints who will not venture the few and vain satisfactions of this World to secure their Soul the possession of God and a happy Eternity Quid prodest homini It 's our Saviour expostulates the case with too rash Followers of a Sinful World si totum mundum lucretur animae vero suae detrimentum patiatur What is a man profited if he gain the whole World and lose his own Soul Mat. 16. ver 26. A pressing Instance quid prodest where is the profit where the Income where the pretended increase suppose one gain the World and lose his Soul Answer if you can The proposal is clear and urging Where the loss is so much exceeding you 'l tell me as that of the Soul is there can be no profit in the gain even of a World. You speak well it is the current and obvious Exposition abundantly confirming the present Truth Yet spending several reflexions upon these words Something methinks I discover in them more then at the first sight appears For as the case is stated the same Man is the gainer the same the loser a gainer of the whole World and a loser of his Soul. Should you question me quid prodest where is the profit I should incline to answer in not being a loser of both World and Soul because as the case stands though loser of his Soul he 's gainer of the World. A fallacy a fallacy supported only by the ignorance of what the loss of a Soul is And Christs words furnishes me with this retortion By the loss of his Soul he loses himself now the gainer being the same as the loser both are lost and themselves being lost they are at a total loss At the loss of a World loss of Soul loss of God O what losses Let World then be forfeited so it be with the saving of our Soul and the gain of Gods favour It is but just no loss but an increase Mis-interpret me not as if I were for the neglect of Employments and Concerns I know the good government of the World requires Application to Worldly Affairs I am not ignorant that pretensions to increase of Fortune by way of Virtue and Merit are Duties justly challenged by Gods Vicars at your hands But then be pleased to remember your first obligation is to God your chief imployment to regulate your proceedings by his Laws from Him you had your Being from Him you must have your increase Religion is not to be sway'd by Interst but Interest by Religion Passion is not to govern Reason nor Reason to question Gods Commands Justice must neither be daunted nor brib'd by what this World may propose In a word for a point and less than a point be it Earthly Honor be it Wealth be it Pleasure we are not to lose our Soul to our everlasting loss decrease and perdition Otherwise you will repent when it is too late and when your Tears will only water and not wash away the Guilt of a Sinful Life Too late too late the Unrighteous cry out in the Book of Wisdom Chap. 6. ver 7. Lassati sumus in via iniquitatis perditionis We are tired out in the way of Iniquity and Perdition Ambulavimus vias difficiles We have walked rough ways Viam Dei ignoravimus We knew not the way of the Lord Too long deferr'd a Repentance forced by Anguish and Torment but no Remedy Lassati sumus We are tired And why If Sin and Iniquity tired you why were you not tired with Iniquity and Sinning Vias difficiles Ambulavimus You have trod hard ways And why did you not foot the easier paths of Righteousness to the peace of your Conscience and quiet of your Souls Vias Domini ignoravimus We were ignorant of the ways of the Lord And how so Was not the way of the Lord revealed and open to you as well as to others Fond Complaints Fruitless Excuses Affected Ignorance You would not know what you would not perform you hated Truth to embrace Vanity Interest was your Religion Ambition your Guide and not Piety Prophanity your Rule and not