ungodly man curseth Satan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he curseth his own soul as if they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but one soul as if there were not only an identity of nature but of persons for it is the Soul of the man Animus cususque is est quisque Cicero that is the Person of the man And if Satan therefore acknowledge himself an accursed creature because deprived of this divine love what think you must not that man be also accursed who is of so near cognation to him that if he curse him he curseth his own soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes Gregory Nazianzen What a cursed wretch must that man be that is separated from the pure fountain of all blessings who is hated by that God who is Love it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ajax nay whose very Blessings are cursed by the God of Blessings Malachy 2.2 What a cursed wretch that neither can nor dares pray to heaven for a blessing nay whose very prayers are such an Abomination to the Lord that they pull down Curses in stead of Blessings As the Philosopher said to the debauch't Marriners praying in a great storm Oh Wretches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hold your peace lest we all be cast away if the Gods perceive you to be sailing here What a cursed wretch whom all the Creatures pursue and rise up in arms to his ruine and confusion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he armes the whole creation Wisd 5.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the revenge of his enemies as Jonah will tell you to his cost God is pleased to send him to Nineve and he forsooth in a pettish humour is hoysing up his sailes for Tarsus and see what comes of it The Windes and storms rise up in a fury and the Seas swell with rage against him the ship though of that bulk that it could carry any thing else Omnem rem vehere potest navis praeter fugitivum yet cannot the fugitive Prophet but over-board he must and there is a Whale ready to receive him into her wide jawes and there he is intombed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were in a living Sepulchre to let him and all the world see that he that flies from the ever living God flies to his own death And howso ever that jugling spirit casts mists before their eyes and fools them with a conceit of pleasantness and deligh in the wayes that are farthest off from the strictness and severity of holiness yet sayes Greg. Nazianzen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is a most divine truth that the waies of wicked men are full of hells 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and I sayes Plato if I were a Law-maker I would impose a severe penalty upon that man that should say that there are â—ome men that are not so pious indeed as they should be but they live merrily Soul eat drink and be merry sayes the rich Farmer Luke 12.19 But it was as great a mistake of the fool to think that such a soul could be merry as it was that it could eat or drink Soul be merry Foolish man how can such a soul be merry that is so taken up with the love thoughts of earth that is therefore so fain to wander abroad and busie it self about other objects 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch because its afraid to look homeward and to behold its own ugly self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how can such a soul be merry or take joy in it self or any thing else that is divided from him who is the pure fountain of joy Yet that 's not the worst of it neither but 2. That man that does not love the Lord Jesus Christ must needs be in a cursed wofull condition because he shall be eternally separated from his blessed and blissefull presence And so my Apostle does assure us 2 Thess 1.7 8 9. The Lord shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels and shall in flaming fire take vengeance on them that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord. No wonder he saith they shall be eternally destroyed who shall be eternally separated from him who is salvation it self And that it shall be so himself hath told it before-hand his very sentence shall run Depart from me Matth. 25.41 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Into fire eternall fire an heavie sentence this sayes St. Chrysost yet nothing so heavie as the former part Depart from me this is dreadfull indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there 's more horror contained in that word then in all the fire and brimstone and tortures of Hell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it s that Poena damni that eternal loss of his blessed face that makes Hell so terrible to the Saints Depart from me Lord sayes Saint Peter whither shall we go but unto thee Thou hast the words of eternal life John 6.68 Nay Thou art 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Word that is eternall life And what death must surprize us if we depart from Thee who art Life it self What darkness if we depart from Thee who art Light it self Into what a cursed Hell must we be plunged if we depart from Thee who art Blessedness it self Depart from me no wonder he adds ye cursed If such a departure from such a blessed presence be not a curse I pray tell me what is And see how this blessed Lord payes them home with their coyn For did not those Wretches that did not love him first bid him depart from them and cry out we will not that he should reign over us would they part with one lust for his sake that parted with heaven for theirs nay did they not so hate him that they advanced their base lusts into his glorious Throne and made them their Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For without doubt sayes Macarius whatsoever it is that carries away the principall love of any mans heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is that mans God And if that be not a prodigious departure from him what is And if so I must appeale to themselves whether that his dismissive sentence Depart from me be not very proportionable and just Oh what curse what hell can be bad enough for that man that dethrones the Lord of Glory nay enthrones in his stead Avarice Ebriety Envy Pride Luxury nay the very spirit of Darkness And yet to see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how prodigiously mad impiety makes its Idolaters there is not one of a thousand of these cursed Wretches but flatters himself with an hope that he shall hereafter be eternally blessed with the enjoyment of Christ in Glory How enjoy Christ in Glory and yet so shamefully to renounce him as not to love him its impossible as impossible as that himself should be forsworn Dost thou not hear God himself
you Christians either love Christ as becomes Christiās or els take not upon you the glorious title of Christians Christians and yet not love Christ what a prodigy were that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who can with patience see Apes in the habit of Nobles sayes Lucianus Who can brook with the impudency of such Hypocrisie To see sayes Julianus the Emperour people pretend to be adorers of Jupiter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hospitall Jupiter and yet themselves in their actions more inhumane and barbarous then the Scythians to see them flock into Jupiter's Temple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to sacrifice to him and think 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have done him such honour and service as passeth when in the interim they grumble to part with one Farthing to relieve their poor neighbours want what inconsistencies and incongruities are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when I look upon them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I cannot but be extremely amazed And the truth is sayes Plato there cannot be any more extreme Injustice then that any man should seem to be Just and Pious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato when he is not so indeed Reader I know not how the case stands with thee but if thou dost not love Christ sincerely I shall wish thee to forbear the name of a Christian either to lay claim to it or any priviledges belonging to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes Greg. Nazianzen None that loves not Light but must be heir of Darknesse And so you see here my Apostle wisheth such a black fate to all such If any man love not c. For the more clear illustration of which words I shall discusse these two Quaeres 1. What he means by these aenigmaticall terms Anathema Maran-atha 2. Why he lets fly such Thunderbolts against that man that does not love the Lord Jesus Christ 1. Let him be Anathema what is that It is a word that is cloathed with Death or rather it is lethalis arundo an arrow that is steept in the gall of Dragons that strikes with death wheresoever it lights It is of the same deadly rankling nature that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of old in the Synagogue which say the Jewish Doctors was the second species of Excommunication and much more dreadfull then the first the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nidui separation or remotion adquatuor passus not suffering any man to come within four paces of him that was under that censure which my Apostle expresseth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 5.11 not to entertain such persons with any civil familiar discourse that they might be ashamed but this of Anathema is a degree higher and a more direfull kinde of Excommunication amongst them and in which for the greater Solemnity of it there were Curses out of the Law of Moses and direfull Execrations added to it It is a word that exposeth to all kindes of dreads and deaths as Josephus observes of those whom the Esseni a pure Sect amongst the Jewes cast out of their Congregation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being taken in some notorious sin whosoever was thus cast out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cōmonly he came to some fearfull death And therefore the Primitive Church used to put on mourning habits and to wall over them that were to be excommunicated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as over them that were dead sayes Origen for so was the Apostolicall constitution sayes Clemens Every one that is irreclamable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apost Constit. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turn out of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with grief and mourning And so my Apostle calls it in expresse terms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 5.2 to lament and mourn and 2 Cor. 12.21 I am afraid least when I come I shall bewail many amongst you that have sinned and have not repented Doctor Hammond that is as that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does interpret it I shall be forced to exercise severity among you to inflict Censures on them So that you see it s no laughing matter as this prophane Age of ours makes it that stands no * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lucian more in awe of this Apostolicall Thunder then of the snuff of a Candle No is it no more formidable then so is not Death terrible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Why this Anathema whensoever it strikes if it be not reverst by thy repentance it cuts thee off as a sacrifice to Vengeance Exod. 22.20 He that sacrificeth unto any god save unto any god save unto the Lord ut Anathema perditor or as the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him die the death Nay it exposeth thee not only to the Jawes of Death but also of Hell and that spirit of hell that rangeth up and down like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour Let him be Anathema let him be stript of all protections and blessings of all good Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Basil nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him be exposed not only to all the fiery darts and plagues of the Divine Fury but to the black paws and fangs of that Infernall Spirit whose sole imployment it is sayes Macarius nay delight and pleasure sayes Clemens Alexandrinus to imbrew his hands in bloud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Macarius Homil. and to plunge all souls into the same gulf of damnation with himself Let such an one be delivered up to Satan sayes my Apostle 1 Cor. 5.5 If that be not a dreadfull sentence that may shake every corner of thy heart what is An Excommunicat person what object more ruthfull and calamitous The very Heathens pointed at such an one that was excluded their Temples as Caput diis inferis sacrum a Wretch given up into the proper possession of the infernall Fiends and looked upon him as such a malignant that if any should kill him he was not obnoxious to judgement because his soul belonged to those spirits below And such it seems by the manner of expression did cursed Cain take himself to be Now am I cast out from the presence of the Lord and every one that meets me will murder me And such a Wretch is every one that does not love the Lord Jesus Christ in my Apostles account Let him be Anathema Nec amet nec ametur ab ullo let all mouths be opened against him the mouth of Heaven and Saints to curse him the mouth of Hell and Devils to devour him So that you see that word is black and dreadfull enough and able I should think to fright the stoutest heart of them all 2. But what is that other Maran-atha You would little think by the interpretation thereof there should be so much Horrour in it as there is It is a word compounded of the Syriack and Hebrew Maran signifies the Lord Atha signifies venit is come or is coming put them both together The Lord is come or The
Lord is coming Instruct me Oracles what is the meaning of this Some will have it to be a tacit rouzing of his Corinthians out of their supine lethargy prodigious forgetfulnesse of their duty to their Lord and Master An allusion to Scholars in the absence of their Master playing the wantons of a sudden one of them spying the master coming gives the rest warning of it To your books Scholars the Master is coming so the Apostle here To your lesson of Love Corinthians Maran-atha The Lord is coming Others will have it to be a patheticall adjuring of them by the loving coming of the Lord to reciprocate love to him again Others will have it to be an Apostolicall exprobration How not love the Lord Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Chrysost Dominus venit salutis iste Dominum vementem non amat adeo perfidus ingratus Pet. Marr. Why this Lord came down from heaven out of mere love to save him and yet is he such a monster of ingratitude as not to love him Fy upon him let a curse yea and let shame light upon him Which I confesse I do rather embrace then any of the former interpretations yet there is another which I shall rather commend unto you then this also which sayes that the Apostle alludes to the originall form of Excommunication used in the Church of the Jewes which they called Sham-Atha and was the highest degree and with which sayes our learned Doctor this Maran-atha is coincidental Dr. Hammond For Sham that is no other then Shem our blessed Lord whose name is Wonderfull Esay 9.6 The Angel of the Covenant in the midst of whom is my name Exod 23.21 and Atha as here is coming And so St. Jude expresly tells that it was the very Thunder-bolt that old Enoch shot at such like prodigious Monsters in his time Jude v. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord is coming with his holy myriads to execute judgement upon all that are ungodly and to convince them of all their ungodly deeds and words Nay the word runs ' in the praeteritum tempus as this of my Apostle does 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes holy Enoch Marā-atha sayes S. Paul the Lord is come whereby is implyed the Certainty of his glorious coming to the confusion of all such graceless wretches so sure as if he were come already So you see the interpretations of these Riddles clear as if they were wrote with the Sunne-beams And now let the Atheisticall scoffer at the power of the Church take them home with him and tell me nay rather himself whether this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two-edged Sword may not make deep wounds and gashes in that carnall soul of his If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema cursed from the presence of the Lord let him not be thought worthy to come where the Lord hath to do Maran-atha a cursed wretch of that deplored hope that the Church knows not what to do farther with him but is enforced to bind him over to answer that high indignity at that great generall day of Assizes and to expose him to the dreadfull sentence of that Lord himself whom he hath so contemned and incensed who shall be Judge and who he may be sure will pay him home nay and that suddenly too Maran-atha the Lord is coming to render vengeance and execute Judgement upon all such ungodly wretches as doe not love him Which is the first Quaere what is the meaning of those abstruse obscure words Anathema Maran-atha Yet before I can dismisse them I shall be seech the to fixe thy eye upon this glasse and therein take an exact view of the ill-favourednesse and uglinesse of that man that does not love the Lord Jesus Christ Thou seest the Apostle useth two words of diverse languages to expresse his horrid and wofull condition Let him be Anathema Maran-atha as if he would have it ingraven on his fore-head in such characters that all Nations both Jewes and Gentiles might read it running The Observation is obvious and evident yet such that I should think it should make the man to tremble There is no such cursed creature under the Sun as that man that does not love the Lord Jesus Christ Rather then he shall escape my Apostle here disciplines both Jew and Gentile to thunder out curses against him in their own dialect This is such a Truth that the Devil himself whose very propriety is lying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psellus confest it when by an holy man exorcized and conjured out of a poor man whom he had possest for being demanded his name he answered I am that cursed creature who am deprived of Love I hope then no Christian will deny it and if there be any such I doubt not but to convince them ere I have done If any man love not the Lord Iesus Christ he must needs be accursed First because he cuts himself off from him that is the Fountain of all blessings here for the present and secondly because Christ will cut him off from all enjoyments of himself hereafter in the life of Glory 1. Accursed he must be because he flies off from him that is blessed God for ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plotinus à quo procul abesse est esse minus from whom the more that any man is at a distance the lesse he is a blinde man could say And he that does not love Christ must needs be at a great nay an infinite distance from him because he hates him Hate him Horresco referens I cannot but tremble at the very expression it 's a very sad yet infallible Truth for so himself hath said it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two Lords you cannot serve Matth. 6.24 for you must hate the one and love the other It is a plain case sayes Cusanus two loves cannot be equall especially where there is no subordination but contrariety of Objects as in the present case Christ and Mammon and therefore he that loves the one must of necessity hate the other as being divided from that one which he loves Does he so does he hate Christ then separated from Christ he must needs be for as Love is of an uniting nature so Hatred is of a dividing Your sins have divided betwixt me and you saith God Esay 52.2 Alas alas sayes Gregory Nazianzen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is not the least sin that I hugg in my bosome but it estrangeth and divorceth me from my God especially that damnable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hatred of God this must needs estrange the soul from God because it is of an heterogeneous nature frō him it is the very assimilation of the Devil who is therefore called Satan because he is an hater of God Hatred is no other then the participation of the satanicall nature and transforms the soul into Satan himself if you 'l believe the Wise man Ecclus 21.27 When the
loves thee that rather then fail he will die to winne thy love No fond wanton lover of them all sayes Saint Chrysostome though his brain be by the heat of love enfeavered to an high degree of frenzie that is so all on fire with the love of his Mistress as the Lord Iesus is with the love of thy Soul He so loved thee as that he exposed himself to thousands of Wounds not onely made by Men or Devils but by the heavie hand of Divine Justice and interposed his own sacred breast to receive so to stave them off from thee Homines Quid miramini nisi stupes citis quod Deus tam affectuose amet creaturas Euseb Niremberg St. Bern. quid miramini Ah Men what is it that ye can stand amazed at if you do not at this that God should so affectionately love his creature that Deus tantus tantillos tantum tam gratis so great a God should so much love such little inconsiderable worms Shew me such another wonder of love if you can That condescension of Iesus sayes Nirembergius that stupendious humbling of himself to Death Philip. 2.7 and emptying himself of Glory was such a transcendent master-piece of Love that should any man have either imagined any such thing or wished that so it might be before himself was pleased to reveal that great secret The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head preces blasphemiae crederentur votum sacrilega voluntas that thought of his had been blasphemy and that wish horrible sacriledge What an impudence were it if a Rebell justly sentenced by the Judge to tortures death should put up a Petition to the King to lay down his life and to suffer the penaltie of the Law for him what rude and prodigious Impudence were this And yet such was the Love of our Redeemer Jesus Christ the King of Kings he humbles himself to Death nay the death of the Cross the most ignominious and cursed kind of death and that for us Men who for our Rebellion were damned to eternall death nay and that before we ever what did make it our suit to his Majestie nay and before we ever durst have thought of any such horrid request It was a love unto death it self and that is the strongest of all Loves Greater love then this sayes my Apostle can no man have then to lay down his life for another That is the Grand Love without all doubt and all compare that is the charitas superlativa the greatest of all And yet here is one circumstance that makes this superlative love of Christ to us Men more then superlative it was a love of anticipation such a love that not onely exceeds all imaginations and desires but prevents all which is the most kindly of all loves the best kinde of love And sure it must speak us the worst of all creatures Nimis durus est animus qui si non impendere nec rependere vult S. Aug. if we should not answer such a love as this with love If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ How not love him who so loved Man as to die for him rather then Man should die the death That were brutish Brutish nay worse for the most savage of Brutes love those that love them the very Lions and Tigres do so Amant a mantes Leones amant Tigres S. Aug. and yet If any man not love the Lord Jesus Christ who so loved man as to die for him that were devillish Devillish nay worse then devillish sayes Nirembergius for there is not so great a tie or ingagement of love upon the Devils as there is upon us Men the Lord Jesus did not die for them but for us Men and for our salvation eripere de faucibus to rescue us out of their furious jawes If they hate him they hate onely their Creatour but if any of us men be so wretched we do not onely hate our Creator but our Redeemer we hate him that poured out his own bloud to redeem us Say now thou Monster whether thou beest not confounded with shame and whether my Apostle could do less then to thunder out his confounding Anathema against thee Which is my first kind of Arguments for the shaming of thee out of that thy peevish and more then devillish humour viz. the condescensions of Christs Love to us 2. If thou beest not shamed if thou please to take a view of those supereminent Glories Superexcellencies that shine in him I shall challenge thee if thou canst choose do not love him But now my sweet Jesu how shall I be able to display the radiant beams of thy Glories whose Intellect is cloathed or rather clouded with Reason and Reason with Phansie and Phansie with Sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which seeth nothing but shadowes and delusive dreams Alas the brightness of thy Glory dazels me and the more bright that shines the more it leaves me in darkness nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dionys Areop and the more that my eye is thus dazeled and darkned so much the more clearly does it see thee I can never more fully see thee then when I see thus much that I cannot see thee never till then do I comprehend thee indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Damascen but when I comprehend that thou art altogether incomprehensible Reader I beseech thee help me out in admiration The Prophet sayes He shall be called wonderful Esay 9.6 and so well he may sayes Hierotheus For howsoever that glorious Majesty condescended to be clad with the base rags of our flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet which is the wonder of wonders in the very naturals which he borrowed from us he was super-naturall in our very estentialls he was super-essentiall as his walking upon the Sea testifies to the astonishment of all No wonder he is stiled Wonderful for indeed there is nothing spoken of him but speaks a Wonder That he should be born 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Chrysost who is Eternitie it self be made Flesh by whom not onely all Flesh but all Principalities and Powers were made nay made of a woman nay and that a Virgin this is such a Wonder that the very Angels descend from Heaven to see a greater wonder below nay such that God himself seemeth to wonder at it Ier. 31.22 The Lord hath created a new thing upon earth a Woman shall compass a Man A new thing why is that such a wonder Yes and thy self shalt say there was never any such if once thou see what woman that is and what that man That woman is such a woman as is a Virgin saith the Prophet Esay such a woman as never knew man Esay 7.14 You may think this strange for so did that Blessed Virgin her self when an Angel told her she should bring forth a Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how can this be seeing I know not a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Ioan Metrop Very strange a Mother and yet never knew man a Virgin and yet compass a man Nec alia mater decebat Deum nisi virgo nec alius filius decebat virginem nisi Deus Petr. Blesens Esay 40.12 And yet look upon that man that is compassed by her it 's infinitely more strange It is no other then he that measures the waters with his span and comprehends the heavens with his fist it is he whom the heavens of heavens cannot comprehend saith Solomon and that he who is incomprehensible should be comprehended within the narrow womb of a Virgin if this be not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Damascen the onely new thing either under or above the Sun what is Never was there such a demonstration of the power of the Deitie as this saith Saint Basil that the lesser should comprehend the greater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bas that the Daughter should conceive and bring forth her Father the Sheep her Shepherd the Creature her Creatour was there ever such a wonder as this And so not onely his Birth but his Death how wonderfull was it which gave such a deadly wound not onely to Death in token whereof many of the dead arose out of their Sepulchres but also to him that had the power of death devested him of his power threw him out of his Temples silenced his Oracles What a triumphant expression is that of my Apostle Coloss 2.15 Having spoyled Principalities and Powers he made a shew of them openly as his captives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 triumphing over them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Cross It was such a rout that Ignatius sayes the Devill never since either hears or sees the Cross 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he is all in a shaking and trembling And then his whole Life what was it else but miraculis fulgens a very Theatre of miracles What think you of giving eyes to the blind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sibylla life to the dead hearing to the deaf speech to the dumb He did such wonders that Amelius Platonicus crieth out Sure God hath put on our humane nature and therein doth shew the world the Majestie of the Divine nature And Agbarus King of Edessa sayes Eusebius wrote a letter to him wherein he concludes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of these two Either Thou art God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Son of God that doest those things that I hear of thee And yet If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ How not Him whose Birth and Life and Death and all Actions speak nothing but Wonders Not love Him that is so full of such Excellencies that the very blind can descrie the glories of the Deitie shining through the cloud of our flesh which he assumed It s impossible thou must either deny that * Matth. 8.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Chrysost which the Devils durst not his Divinitie or else thou must be ravished with love of him Or if that varietie of his Excellencies allure not cast thy eye upon the variation of the glorious Resemblances which my Apostle here runs upon The Lord Jesus Christ What a divine philtrum and charm of love is wrapt up in every of these Titles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 able to melt hearts of iron into love The Lord that speaks a soveraign Power He is Lord of all sayes Saint Peter yea and so sayes every creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all stoop to the Sceptre of his Imperiall command 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Archylus Fire and hail snow and vapours depths and all dragons winde and storm all fulfilling his word Psal 148.8 nay so the Angels above Could I not now if I would command a legion of Angels saith he nay and the very Devils below Lord in thy Name the Devils are subject to us He is a Lord of that Power that he bears up all things Heb. 1.3 who if he should withdraw the influxe of his Power but one moment we should all instantly sink into our old Chaos again It is good for me to cleave to the Lord sayes David and he said wel in it sayes S. August for if he cleave not to him to himself he cannot Domine si vis ut recedam à te da mibi alium Te alias non recedam Lord if thou wilt that I depart from thee I must beseech thee to give me another Thee otherwise I shall be very loath to depart from thee And yet If any man love him not fly off in his love from him who is a Lord of that power that he can so easily if his wrath be kindled dismiss him into the lake of fire and brimstone what desperate folly is that But if his Power make no impression in thee see what that other name Christ will do He is not onely Lord but Christ Which is a name sayes the Spouse that breaths forth nothing but Aromatick odours and rich perfumes Thy Name is as an ointment poured out Cant. 1.2 and therefore the Virgins love thee and All thy garments smell of Myrrh Aloes and Cassia sayes King David and Thou art anointed with the oyle of gladness above thy fellows Prae consortibus pro consortibus for thy fellows too that it might drop upon all that breathe after the fragrant Sents thereof It s this Christ this Anointed that perfumes all not only our Persons but our Prayers and all other actions and makes them odoriferous and acceptable to his Father It s he onely that is the sole delight of all the Divine Senses nothing delicious to his palat but what is seasoned with the gall of his Son nothing melodious to his ear but what sounds with the name of this his eternall Word nothing lovely in his eye but what is seen through this spotless glass of Beautie nothing pleasing to his smell but what is sented with the rich odours of this his Christ or Anointed This is my beloved Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whom I am well pleased Matth. 3.17 And yet If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ How not love him without whom he cannot be lovely not love him without whom he may not draw near to the presence of God but must be struck with a javeline of death If any man not love Christ without whose sweet unctions Hell it self exhales not a more odious noysome stench then every man must What Vultures are such Wretches quibus etiam Alabastrum unguenti plenum putere videtur that are rather drawn with stinking carrions then such precious sovereign Perfume Yet if this will not allure thee what thinkest thou of him as Iesus which very word speaketh and breatheth forth nothing but love sayes Saint Bernard Mel in ore melos in aure Spell the letters and there will resound in thine eares a Saviour O quam dulce nomen what musick so ravishing And yet If any man not love the Lord Jesus