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
for the procuring of it For the most part if we desire that any should love us we make choice of such as are most lovely Alas Ego horror odium totius mundi I am such an horrid odious deformed monster that all thy creatures rise up against me and threaten my confusion What a condescension is this that thou selectest me for one of thy lovers who deserve thy love less then the very Devils themselves And yet what sayes my Apostle If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ How If any man not love him when its mans greatest honor that Christ vouchsafeth to give him leave to love him nay when if he do love him Christ gains nothing by it but all the advantage accrues to the man himself I will appeal now if thi be not a foule shame and if thou dost not deserve this Anathema Maran-atha Yet 2. There is a greater condescension then this He hath not onely condescended to give us leave to love him but rather then fail of our love he hath made us capable of loving him The Philosopher gave God thanks that he made him a Man and not a Beast and so must thou or else thou art worse then a beast and so well maist thou if thou wilt but take a reflext view of the super-eminent dignitie of thy Nature above the rest Why Man saith Epictetus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if thou be think thy self of thy naturall dignitie it s a great blemish and derogation to thy honour if thou stoop to the love of any thing below the Deitie whose very Image is stampt upon thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What a lovely character doth Philo give of Man He is saith he the most lively and lovely Idea of the Archetypall Life and Beautie the most amiable picture of the most amiable Deity And indeed sayes Socrates he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the onely Creature under the Sun that is capable of religion of knowing and of loving God none other but Angels are so Which made the Prophet break out into admiration Lord what is man that thou shouldest so honour him Thou hast made him little lower not many degrees lower then the very Angels Cast thy eye upon thy self dost thou not see a most vivacious will and sagacious understanding shining within thee as in those Angelicall Spirits And why thinkest thou did he so condescend to bespangle thy soul wiâ—h those glorious powers why with that vigorous understanding but that as an Eagle thou mightest soare up and gaze upon that most bright and dazzeling Sun of Glory and why with that will but that upon that clear view of his resplendent Brightness it might as those Angels be inflamed with love Nay not onely hath he imprest in thee a vertuall capabilitie of love but see with what art he contrives to imprint an actuall capacitie of love else why I pray doth he present thee with so many tokens of his love but to win and gain thy love The heavens declare the Glory of God sayes the Kingly Prophet not onely the Glory of his Power but also of his Love What a glorious Love was that to enlighten thee here below with Stars as it were with so many radiant glittering Diamonds The heavens I and so doth every creature under the Heavens proclaim the wonderfull love of God to man Look where thou wilt thou art surrounded with flames of his Love mirabile est si non ardeas sayes Cusanus it were strange if thou shouldst not be set on fire if not sure thou must needs be a diabolicall Salamander Diabolicae sunt Salamandrae qui tantis ignibus non calesiunt Cusanus Nay why else but that he might enamour thee on him doth he send thee so many Love-letters transcribed by the Prophets and Apostles and those speciall pledges of his Love the Sacraments sealed with his own bloud Nay why else doth he send down his glorious Spirit that Architectonicall Chymist of Love but that he might by his sacred breath blow up those dead cinders of thy affections into sparkes and those sparkes into flames and those flames into perpetuall burnings Nay why else did this Jesus himself the bright Sun of Love come down from his sphere of Glory and condescend to be shut up in the dark lantern of our flesh but that he might even burn and overcome thee with love of him as he was with love of thee Here is an enforcement upon thee Love him now thou must otherwise thou art prodigiously un-naturall Every creature loves that which is like it self Ecclus 13.15 the Wise man observeth that to be the very Law of Nature which the very Brutes keep inviolable and so will man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he will cleave to his like and yet what sayes my Apostle If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ How not love him that is so like him that he is cloathed with the same nature with man No man hateth his own flesh and yet If any man not love the Lord Jesus Christ who is flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone I 'le appeal whether such a man be not opprobrium naturae a shame and disgrace to nature Anacreon the Poet tells how there had been an hot duell betwixt Love and himself a long time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love saith he grapled with me with all the skill and strength that he had but all that would not do he had too rough a piece to encounter with what doth he then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in a furie shoot his arrowes thick and threefold at my breast but all they were disappointed by my prudent retreat and flight At last having thus emptied his Quiver of all his store very slyly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he darted himself into my heart and then alas what could I do else but yield 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oh Love thou hast got the victorie I may not I will not resist thee any more And I pray thee is it not thy case and every mans How many vollies of his Arrowes did the Lord Jesus that God who is Love it self send after thee how many tokens of his Love and that in such a prodigall manner that as if he had emptied his Quiver he cries our What could I have done more for my people then I have done and at last when all would not make any impression see if he doth not shoot himself into our very humane nature see if by the force of love he be not transformed into a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lucian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Venus said to Cupid Love see what Miracles thou dost who hast power over God himself and canst turn him into what shape thou pleasest And yet If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ What not him that was so overcome with love to man that he condescended to become Man and that to
enforce man to the love of him If he will not love him as God he must love him now because he is become Man like himself and yet if any man not love him Say now whether that man be not filius mortis qui hoc fecerit an heir of this Apostolicall curse and death which doth such an unnaturall thing Not love him who made him capable of love who if he had pleased might have made him a stock or stone or brute neither capable nor sensible of love nay not him who himself was therefore pleased to be made Man that man might be constrained to love him as being of one and the self-same nature with himself Not love him who is not onely God but Man nay not him who so loved man that he hath wedded mans nature to his own divine glorious Person nay not him who is the very Principle of all Love and Love it self If this doth not speak the man a Monster and set up an high aggravation against him what will How if any man not love him without whom he cannot love himself or any thing else For that I hope thou wilt not deny because himself hath asserted it Iohn 15.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without me ye can do nothing He doth not say saith St. Augustine Sine me parum potestis without me ye can do but little or but difficulter very hardly no but nothing at all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not so much as speak a good word or think a good thought 2 Cor. 3.5 No but whatsoever vertue or grace shineth in us they are streams flowing onely from that fountain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his fulness we all receive John 1.16 If thou invoke him it s but an echo of that voice of his first calling thee If thou see him it is not so much an aspection as a respection Just as an Image in the Glass sayes Ficinus that is imprinted there by the face looking into it that Image does not look back upon the Face except the Face first look forward upon the Image and in that the Image does seem to see the Face it s nothing else but that the Face does see the Image And so if thou love Christ it is nothing else but the reflection or resultance of that beam of love that was first trajected or darted from that pure fountain of Love It s most certain Love him thou canst not no nor any thing else nisi amore ipso prius inflammatus except that supreme wheel set that inferiour wheel of thine upon that motion How is it possible that any man should affectare extra charitatem love without love love without him that is the very principle of all Love If thou canst not I must now appeal if thou be not a prodigie in nature if thou return hatred to him who therefore made thee capable of love that whatsoever thou lovest might be in order to him Were not that a monstrous Glasse that should return a Frown for a Smile and Ugliness for Beautie And is not the same thy case if thou return to the Lord Jesus Christ hatred for love What love any thing rather then him without whose influxe neither could that thing be nor couldest thy self love it Nay hate him by whose vertue thou lovest that whatsoever it be which ingendreth that hatred How shamefully unnaturall is this How doth every thing in nature cry out upon thee For there is nothing but naturally returns to its originall Cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Procl Aquae in tanium ascondum in quantum descendunt and alwayes sayes Proclus the revolution comes home to the devolution the ascension to the first descension The rivers run to the Sea sayes Solomon Eccles 1.7 why because they first flowed from the Sea The face in the glass looks back to the face looking on the glass why because it borrows all its being and grace and features from it The sparks of fire ascend or fly upwards why because they first came from above The beams of the Sun rebound back to the Sun why because they were streamed thence Alwayes in nature there is a return of all things to their originall Cause Vnaquaeque res repetit suam originem Mars Ficinus Why now Love is a flame of Christs own kindling and whither should it ascend but to its own proper Sphere Love is a beam that was first shot from Christ the Sun of righteousness and a stream that originally flowed out from that immense vast Ocean of all Graces whither should it retire or return but to him And yet If any man not love the Lord Jesus Christ How not love Him who is the very pure fountain of Love What a prodigious unnaturall wretch is that man Let him say himself whether my Apostle could do less then let fly his thundering Canons at him Yet that is not all But 3. There is a greater condescension of his Love to man yet He hath not onely vouchsafed to give thee leave to love him and to make thee capable of that love but himself is the first that what ah what am I about to say Loquimur stupemus inde non tacemus unde tamen cloqui non vâ—lemus St. Leo. that which though I cannot express yet can I not be silent himself is the first that condescends what to love us first Nay higher yet though that in the judgement of Saint Iohn be an high condescension he condescends to sue to us for our love 1 Iohn 4.10 nay and sends Ambassadors to agitate nay to intreat our love 2 Cor. 5.20 We are Christs Ambassadors saith my Apostle as if God besought you by us we beseech you in Christs stead be ye reconciled unto God Canst thou hear this and â—hy heart not be moulten into Love at least not strucken with Admiration Be ye reconciled unto God and we beseech you nay God by us beseecheth what condescensions are these One would think considering who began the Quarell thou shouldest rather beseech him to be reconciled to thee then that he should beseech thee to be reconciled unto him Compare the Persons He who God an infinite Majestie at whole presence the mountains tremble Beseecheth whoÌ„ Thee a poor silly Flea a Worm Marcus Imperat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little Soul carrying about thee a dead piece of flesh Weigh the circumstance of Time He beseecheth thee when when there is any thing of such Loveliness in thee that is worth the Beseeching no but when thou art wallowing in the goare when God knowes there is no such un-lovely and unsighty piece A strange condescension this as if a King should fall in love with a poor leprous Damosell and send Ambassadours to woe and beseech her to entertain his Majesties love But now consider the manner of his beseeching thee and that must needs swallow thee up into astonishment He beseecheth how by writing thee Love-Letters in his own Bloud He so passionately
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
How not love him that is his Saviour that hath not onely redeemed him from Hell but purchased Heaven for him It is impossible What I hope thou art not so abhorrent from nature that thou wilt court thy own Death or Ruine nay or wish it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot but rather wishest and lovest thy salvation Dost thou so and yet not love him who is the Authour and finisher of all salvation How can this be Every man loves light and yet if any man not love the Sun the fountain of light no man but loves salvation and yet if any man love not Jesus the fountain of salvation What incongruities nay what impossibilities are these Thou must either deny Jesus to be a Saviour which would be little comfort to thee or renounce all pretences to any love or wishing well to thy self which were very unnaturall or else thou must love him The love of thy Iesus will constrain thee to it nay the very love of thy self must Et ipsam animam sayes Saint Bernard I would hate my very soul Et ipsam animam odio haberom si non diligeret meum Iesum if it should not love my Iesus Nay Aristodemus an Heathen hearing Philosophers arguing the provident care of the gods and love to man cries out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apud Xenoph. Oh if I were assured of that sure I would not so slight and vilipend them as I do And yet If my man any Christian man love not the Lord Iesus such a loving God to man that rather then man should perish came down from Heaven to save him it cannot be Oh man how canst thou mind or think of any other love when such a Iesus is to be loved or if thou dost such a morall impossibilitie how canst thou denie I appeal to thy self my Apostles censures of Anathema Maran-atha to be very justly inflicted on thee And yet that is not all I have to say to thee But 3. Take along with thee but three Principles which I shall tell thee and sure they must convince thee and evince thy love and enforce thee to love the Lord Jesus Christ if thou resolve to love any thing 1. None can chuse but every man must love that which is beautifull this no Devill can deny 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato For indeed sayes Plato Love is not love if it be not of that which is lovely Love is nothing else nisi pulchritudinis desiderium sayes Cusanus but breathing after the enjoyment of Beautie and sayes Ficinus * Amor tanquam ejus finem fruitionem respicit pulchritudinis Mars Ficinus it acquiesceth in the enjoyment thereof as in its end No man can properly love any thing but what is beautifull and what is so none can chuse but must love it and therefore it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proclus because sayes Proclus it is so lovely that it draweth all eyes to stupour and admiration of it as Lucian brings in young Paris so ravished at the sight of fair Helena that he thought he could not enjoy himself though a Prince and Heire of famous Troy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lucianus nor could live unless he enjoyed that Beautie And Pindarus sayes of the lovely Theoxenus that he that gazing upon that august and comely face of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not surprized with amazements and inflamed with loves and desires he must have an heart of Adamant or Brass Beautie is of that force that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it transports all that look on it out of themselves and rapts them with a divine furie saith Proclus And there may be some reason for it sayes another Philosopher Marsilius Ficiuus for indeed it is no other then divini luminis imago a very image of the divine light imo vultus of the divine countenance and who can choose but must be ravished at any the least glimpse of the Deitie Why now Christ is ipsa essentialis pulchritudo Beautie it self the very essentiall Idea and pure sampler of all beauties he is that Beautie that beautifies and bespangles all the severall spheres of the whole Universe with all whatsoever gracefulnesses or comelinesses glitter in them that adorneth the Angelicall mind with its beautifull order of Ideas the rationall soul with its golden chain of Reasons active Nature with its varietie of seeds and the lowermost Orbe of all passive Matter with all its severall forms that you see the Lilie so cloathed Matth. 6.29 that Solomon in all his royaltie was nothing comparable to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is this absolute Beautie that so cloathes that and and all other things with their amiable complexions and comely shapes sayes Cusanus and they all are nothing else then so many severall adumbrations of this one absolute Beautie who is the comprehension of them all as Unitie is the complication of all Numbers and Number is nothing else then the explication of Unitie In Number is all Proportion in Proportion is all harmonicall Order and therefore all the Beautie that results from that order and proportion must needs be wrapt up in Unitie in a more eminent manner He is such a Beautie that the very Angels sayes S. Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1.12 are greedy to peep into nay such a Beautie that God himself proclaims from his most excellent Glorie that he is ravished at the sight of him This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased And yet what sayes the Apostle here If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ How any man not love him that is such a Beautie that God himself takes a wonderfull complacencie in him No man but loves what is Beautifull and yet If any man not love him who is so Beautiful that he is Beautie it self Thou must either deny him to be such a Beautie which Hell it self dares not or point out some other that may be compared and stand in competition with him or else thou must be enforced to love him But is there any other indeed No thou art grosly deluded if thou fancie any thing to be a reall Beautie here below it is merely sayes Boethius imbecillitas oculorum the weakness of thy eyes that fools thee into that conceit hadst thou but one pierceing eye thou wouldst see that that which thou takest to be such a peerless beautie there were not vilius sterquiliniū a more loathsome dung-hil then it Nay Diana her self sayes Lucian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that famous Lady of Beautie being suddenly by Actaeon spied naked as she was washing her self in a bath for fear lest he should tell tales abroad of her cleanliness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 she opens the mouths of his own hounds upon him to stop his Alas whatsoever Beautie thou meetest with here it is no other then an exile shadow of Beautie The Sun that is so resplendent and 〈◊〉
powre out these Execrations upon thee 1. Do but seriously consider the condescensions of Christs wonderfull love to thee and see if they will not put thee to the blush if thou answer not his love with love Secondly Take but an exact view of the stupendious excellencies that shine in him and tell me if they may not draw 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most iron heart And then Thirdly Do but chew a while upon a few principles of reason which I shall tell thee and which thou shalt not deny and then tell thy self whether thou art not enforced to love Christ if thou mean to love any thing 1. The condescensions of Christs love to thee are three 1. It s a great condescension in him that he will vouchsafe to give thee leave to love him That such a Majestie that loves himself infinitely because he is an infinite Lovelyness nay with reverence let me speak it that cannot do more to himself then love himself that he should vouchsafe the same priviledge and honour to Man well mayest thou cry out with the Prophet Lord what is man that thou shouldest so honour him An high condescension this if thou bethink thy self what man is the best of them all no such lovely piece as to invite such a Majestie to bespeak their love Look upon man with a spirituall eye and there is no such leprous creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the soal of the foot to the crown of the head there is nothing but Boyles and Botches and putrifying Soares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no Toad so odious and ugly as man if he be lookt upon out of Christ look upon him with a naturall eye and there is no such despicable and forlorn creature What is Man I le tell you what sayes Gregory Nazians he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pile of Dust and puff of Winde Nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes Pindarus Man is a dream of a shadow Nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes Aeschylus a shadow of smoke What is Man Why sayes the Prophet every man is altogether vanity Nay it runs in the originall every man is every vanity imagine what vanitie you will Man is that Man is a mere comprehensive vanitie Is he so Pellis morticina vas putredinis fomestineae cibus vermis Petr. Blesensis then what a condescent is this that such a glorious Majestie should stoop to be loved by such a poor Frog crawling out of the pool as S. Bernard terms him And what a shame is it if thou dost not love him when it is thy greatest honour that thou maist love him The condescension will appear greater yet if thou consider who is the greatest gainer of the two if thou shouldest love him What I hope thou wilt not imagine that Christ wisheth thee to love him as if he were at any great loss or distress if thou love him not or that he getteth any thing by it if thou love him No but all the gain and advantage will redound to thy self To be sure its impossible that any thing should be added to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot for he is Perfection it self and nothing can be added to Perfection sayes the Philosopher He is such a super-in-undant Fountain sayes Philo that he breakes out with the streams of his goodness upon all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo Iud. but receives nothing back again from any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to better himself therewith Nay it were no less then Blasphemy to have any such conceit of the Deitie sayes Hierocles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whosoever thinks by honoring or loving God that God is any way the better for it he doth prodigiously forget himself as if he were better then God himself Alas saith the Prophet My goodness reacheth not unto Thee and My Prayer shall return into my own bosome Yea and so shall all our other services whatsoever If we love him all the Advantage shall redound to our selves if we do not love him all the Loss will be our own all the mischievous and fatall consequents will light upon our own pate And so if thou be not wilfully blinde to thy own Ruine thou maist perceive by that complaint of his Ierem. 2.13 They have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and digged unto themselves broken cisterns that will hold no water As if he had said I do not complain as if this their revolt were any damage to my self for what is a living Spring the worse if people will not draw water out of it but that which troubles me is their own miscarriage and prodigious Folly that they should forsake me that so they may perish with thirst that they should fly from me that so they may fall headlong into the Devills mouth It is a plain case there is no such policy for a man if he wish well to himself and love himself as to love God Amare Deum est amare seipsum saith S. Augustine to love God is to love himself as to hate God is to hate himself Oh what a sweet and lovely and loving precept is that Thou shalt love the Lord thy God Illud jubet quod è re nostra maxime est he commands us to do that which makes most to our own advantage It is out of pure love to us that he would have us to love him he doth it upon no other designe but that upon our loving of him he might crown us with blessings So that I should think it were strange if any man should now hum and haw and be at a Quandary with himself whether he should love Christ or no if he doth any thing wish well to himself Were not that man a Monster who being thirstie should not onely expect that drink should be put into his mouth but be threatned nay hired to let it down his throat And yet such is the love of this our blessed Jesus He is pleased to present the cup of Love to thee and rather then fail of thy admittance thereof he intreats thee to pledge him nay will hire thee to it Si amabis dabo coelum none shall out-vie me or bid more for it then my self I will give thee heaven where are all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psalm 16. deliciousnesses and delectabilities and if that be not enough I my self who am the comprehension of all things desire able will be thy Reward Nay rather then fail if fair words and glorious promises will not prevail he comes with an holy violence Psalme 9. 12. If a man will not turn no ho with him but will still go on in that his froward humour he hath drawn his sword sayes the Prophet as if like a passionate lover he set the point at his breast and will enforce him to love him Nirembergius breaks out Quid mibi tibi O bone Iesu ut me ames Blessed Jesus what is my love worth that thou shouldst use such violence
Metropol that man might ascend into the participation of his divine nature Blessed Apostle can any man be so wretchedly cursed as not to love him who was made a curse that man might be crowned with blessings So it seems by the manner of his expression nay so it s too too evident by the generall demeanour of thousands that glory in the title of Christians St. Martin walking in the fields by himself of a sudden fell into lowd cryes and weeping and being asked by one that passed by and over-heard him the cause of that his lamentation I weep saith he to think that the Lord Jesus should do so much for us men yet not one man of a thousand so much as mindes him or thinks of him Thinks of him nay indeed where is there amongst us one of a thousand that does not either by base apostasy and schismaticall dissention or by fraud and rapine or per jury and other scandalous actions dishonour him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expose him to the obloquies of Jews Heathens Ecce quinam sunt qui se Christianos vocant See what manner of people they are who term themselves Christians as Lactantius brings in the Heathens upbraiding them in his time Si Sancta Christus docuisset Sancta à Christianis fierent Qualis Secta tales Sectatores Quomodo bonus Magister cujus tam pravos videmus Discipulos Sure had their Christ taught them better they would be better then they are how can we think the Master to be good whose Disciples we see to be so bad He that looks upon the lives of Christians amongst us at this day must conclude as Doctor Whitaker Aut hoc non est Evangelium aut nos non sumus Evangelici Either there is no such Christ as the Scriptures speak of or else those that professe Christ are not so good Christians as becomes them Never Age pretended more to the knowledge of Jesus Christ and never Age exprest lesse love to him if Obedience be the argument of it as himself implyes Never more light and never lesse heat It 's the epidemicall malady of this our Enthusiasticall Age that the Spirits are dispenst not into the hand and feet but they fly up into the tongue and brain and people conceit as the old Gnosticks that there is no other ingredient to salvation then refined speculations of Evangelicall mysteries which is a damnable Cheat that the Devil hath put upon them and which if I were at leasure might be easily convinced of most grosse absurdities from the very heathen Philosophers 1. Gratius est Deoamari quam prospici the Deity takes a greater complacency to be loved by us then to be known why so for in knowing God we give nothing to him but in loving him we give him quicquid sumus possidemus all that we are and all that we have 2. It is possible that we may know God and yet be never the better nay the worse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Corinth 8 1. for many times knowledge puffeth up with pride There is none more knowing then the Spirit of pride who is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But love him we cannot but must be the better why so because sayes Plato the soul by the force of love not of knowledge is made divine as wood by the heat not the light of fire is transformed into fire And then 3. There is none but will graunt that pejus est Deum odisse quam ignorare it 's infinitely worse to hate God then to be ignorant of God then it must follow by undenyable consequence that it 's by many degrees better to love God then to know him And if you scruple at these blinde mens reasons I will tell you what my divine Apostle says in this case 1 Cor. 13 1 2 3. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of Angels and have not charity I am become as sounding brasse or a tinkling Cymball And though I have the gift of prophesy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have not charity I am nothing And then what think you of that saying of St. James 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—am 2.19 Thou believest that there is one God thou dost well and so do the devils themselves nay they go a degree further the devils believe and tremble It 's a plain case sayes Cusanus diabolica est fides credere non amare that is no better then a devilish faith that believes only and does not also love Lucere novit Lucifer iste ardere non novit that Lucifer knowes excellently what the light of knowledge is but not what the flame of Love therefore is said to have his chair in the North. ideoque cathedram ponit in Aquilone Petrus Blesensis And for all that I perceive it 's generally our case in these Northern parts if not I could wish some would do me the favour to shew me such an one as Arrianus said to the Stoicks of his time You talk much and glory in the profession of Stoicism but I beseech you do me the courtesie to shew me one that is a true Stoick indeed shew me one that smiles upon the rack that can look upon the grim visage of death without the least perturbation of spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gratifie my old eys with such a lovely spectacle as I never yet could behold So shal I say to you Christians You talk much of Christ and pretend much to the love of Christ and it were pitty of your life if you should not love Christ but I pray you bless my eyes with the sight of any one that loves Christ indeed shew me one that is one spirit with Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epictetus that loves those things that Christ loves hates those things that Christ hateth shew me one that dresseth himself at that spotlesse Glasse of beauty that purifieth himself even as he is pure that draweth all the lines of his life according to that glorious Sampler of vertue and holinesse Shew me but one such Christian as Clemens Alexandrinus describes his Gnostick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who lives a pure holy life merely out of pure love to God who will not violate the least divine law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though he might have the priviledge of impunity nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though he might upoÌ„ that conditioÌ„ enjoy the joys of the blessed above Alas where shall we meet with such a lovely object But if it be not so with you if you do not imitate Christ for shame pretend not to the love of Christ if you love him not preteÌ„d not to the life no nor name of Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For shame says Epictetus to his Stoicks either live as Stoicks or leave off the name of Stoicks So shal I say to
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
swear the contrary Heb. 3.11 I sware in my wrath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if ever they enter into my rest What then Nay there is all but it s such a dreadfull Aposiopesis as I should think should shake every vein of thy heart As it he had said if ever they come where I have to do then say I am no God I am perjured But suppose there had bin no such oath I shall ask thee First with what modesty Secondly with what reason couldest thou expect to come into the presence of that Majesty What impudence were it for such a soul as black as hell to dare to approach near such a resplendent brightnes As Mercurius told Charon in Lucian requesting him to shew him Iupiters Palace above How sayes he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that such a Caitiffe as thou whose conversation hath been altogether with black shades and impure ghosts shouldest set thy foot in that pure Palace of Light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what a dishonour and derogation were that to the place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what harmony is there sayes my Apostle betwixt Light and Darkness There is such an absolute contrariety and heterogeneousness betwixt their natures that they are incompatible and inconsistent sayes Proclus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever is of another and discrepant nature from light must needs stand off at a great distance from it Iohn 1.5 And that light shined in darkness sayes St. Iohn of Christ and the darkness comprehended it not Indeed it were strange if it had sayes Cusanus ubi nulla basis lucis where there was not the least base or foundation for that light to fasten upon And sure as light cannot comprehend darkness so neither can darkness comprehend light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 6.9 Be not deceived sayes my Apostle neither fornicatours nor idolaters c. shall ever inherit the Kingdome of God No sayes an Heathen but those that would be immortally happy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antisthenes they must live holily and justly There is no happinesse of the Soul but onely in its immediate union with God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proclus as of the eye with light sayes Plato no nor can the soul ever be in a capacity of that happy union 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 except it be first transformed into the same nature with the Deity sayes Proclus What thinkest thou do not these Heathens speak reason may they not put thee to the blush thou wretch who art so unlike to God that thou hatest him who is Love it self and all that is lovely and yet with a shameless confidence lookest to enjoy the beatificall vision of him in Glory How and yet not love him with what congruitie of reason canst thou think so But suppose thou shouldest come to that glorious sight which yet that it is impossible those blind men have told thee it would be so farre from being any advantage of happiness unto thee that it would be as * Quid pravis mentibus imprecer◠Opes honores ambiant Etcum falsa bona gravi mole paraverint tunc vera cognoscant bona Boetius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Julianus Imperator hideous and horrible as hell it self thou wouldst so burst with very envy to see his infinit Glory whom thou didst so hate thy case would just be the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the soar eye gazing upon the Sun as Hierocles instanceth which is so far from being a comfort that it proves a torment to it And now if thou hast any further maw to it go and spit out all the virulencie thou canst against the Lord Jesus and let thy rapine and malice against his poore Members 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and impious confounding of Heaven with Earth things sacred with profane proclaim to the world that thou hatest him Yet sayes Diphilus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I must tell thee thou foolest thy self if ever thou thinkest to sneak away without vengeance and confusion How is it possible when the very presence of him who to the Saints that look upon him with pure eyes is an infinite delectable light will be to thee as the light of the Sun is to those that see it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through a cloud that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither purely nor clearly it doth not seem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pure light Julianus Imperat. but fire its an observation of one of thy fellow-haters of Christ if thou wouldst know what fire my Apostle tells thee to thy confusion Heb. 12.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a consuming fire What thinkest thou now canst thou conceit any comfort in the approach to such a presence dost thou not clearly see an inevitable necessitie of thy forlorn cursed condition Oh sayes our blessed Saviour if the eye Matth. 6.24 which is the sole light of the body if that be darkness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how great is that darkness The application is easie but withall very dreadfull If the presence of Christ who is Life it self prove Death to thee oh how great will thy death be If the presence of him who is Happiness it self and Salvation it self prove a Torment to thee and Damnation oh how great will thy torment and damnation be If the presence of him who is the very Joy and Bliss of Saints and Angels prove a Curse to thee oh how great and inconceivable will thy curse be And so you have the first quaere what is the meaning of those abstruse tearms Anathema Maran-atha 2. Why this Apostle comes with these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 direfull Thunderbolts and lets them fly abroad against such wretches that anathematize themselves by that their not loving our blessed Jesus What saith he to these very Corinthians shall I come unto you with a rod 1 Cor. 4.21 or rather in love and in the spirit of meekness How sweetly he recollects himself and the truth is there is no such loadstone to attract love as love Generosa est mens hominis facilius ducitur quam trahitur Seneca and no such ready way to win upon the noble mind of man as the spirit of meekness and without doubt there is nothing more symbolicall and suitable to the Evangelicall spirit of this Apostle And it may seem strange at the first view that such a Barnabas Son of Consolation whose sacred lines use to flow with grace and peace should become such a Boanerges and come upon them with such terrible Thunders Anathema Maran-atha Yet if thou please whosoever thou art that art so unhappy as not to love the Lord Jesus Christ with a little patience to hear what may be said to shame thee out of that hellish fury and to draw thee nay and enforce thee to return to the love of him I shall appeal to thy self as a rationall creature whether S. Paul could do less then
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so excessively beautifull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apud Xenoph that if any man dare impudently gaze upon it he indangereth his eyes yet is it but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes Plato an image nay a shadow of the Deitie And that intelligible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Divine Light which is the Arche-type and Fountain of all saith Philo doth as far exceed in lustre and brightness that visible Light that so dazles our eyes as that Light doth Darkness it self Nirembergius thinks the Spouse alludes to or implies some such thing by that her expression I sought him whom my soul loveth by night Nox est respectu Domini splendor rerum venustarum all the beauties of Sunne and Heavens and Stars and Angels are but Night in respect of Christ and were they all contracted into one Beautie yet what were it compared with him turpis obscura esset how obscure and unlovely would it appear But si tantum umbra lucet quantum lux ipsa if his very shadowes seem so bright and glorious in thy eye oh how bright and glorious must the Fountain it self shine And yet what sayes the Apostle If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ Very strange But without doubt the reason is because he is so immerst and sunk into sense and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the Hedge-hog sayes Clemens Alexandrinus rowling altogether in flesh that he is inclosed with that he cannot rise up into the sublime speculation of spirituall Beauties but entertains the same if not lower imaginations of them as he doth of sensuall and carnall Why do we dote so fondly upon this world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was the saying of an heathen woman Why 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it glitters with many gaudie gaities but it would not so had we but the least insight into that other above Oh if once our eyes were blest saies Plato with the sight of Beautie it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we did behold it in its own puritie and complexion * as it is in it self not as here mixt and stained with flesh and bloud and over-laid with cerussaes and paintings and daubed with Apothecaries drugs but in its own genuine hue and bright flame what then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we would not then think that glistering Gold and sparkling Diamonds or beauteous Ladies were it and oh how would the sight thereof inflame all with love that behold it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he most divinely And you may well think so saith Hermes when as the very glimpse thereof hath so rapt some out of themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they never were themselves again till they came to the full enjoyment thereof Come sayes holy Monicha Volemus in Coelos fideles volemus in Coelos come Christians let us get us to our wings and fly up to our blessed Jesus ut quid hic agimus what make we here below when he is above what joy can we take in his absence And so holy Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Love is crucified and there is not in me any such fire as can take any pleasure in preying upon these carrions and sordid pleasures below but there is a pure water leaping up down in me and whispering unto me Up Ignatius get thee up to thy Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And oh now saith he how I long to be thrown into the jawes of those Lions which I hear roaring for me and if they will not dispatch me the sooner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will enforce them to it by violence that so I may enjoy the sight of my blessed Jesus And yet If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ what not love him that is such a Beautie that the Saints with chearfullness run through any kindes of deaths so to have the sight of him No man but loves that which is lovely and yet if any man not love him who is so lovely that he is loveliness it self Thou must either deny him to be the Brightness of Glory Heb. 1.3 and so give my Apostle the Lie or thou must be enforced to love him O cor meum quomodo non te evellis post tantum deco rem Nuremberg O my heart sayes Nirembergius why doest thou not pluck thy self up by the very roote after so great a Beautie which is the first eviction 2. No man can choose but he must love that which is good This cannot be denied for there is that naturall cognation betwixt man and goodness sayes Plato that there is not any thing else which man loves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but what is good insomuch that if their hands or feet be so gangren'd that they seem naught they are willing to have them cut off That which is good is not onely diffusive of it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but attractive of all others it drawes all by its genuine splendour nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it drawes by a kindly violence as the Sun doth all eyes to love and admiration sayes Proclus For is Truth is the adequate object of the Intellect so is Goodness of the Will and as the Intellect cannot properly understand any thing but what is true so neither can the Will love any thing but what is good and what is good it cannot but love if at any time it doth unhappily embrace that which is evill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist it does not therefore embrace it because it is evill but because the Understanding being deluded does represent it under the notion of good otherwise it is impossible that Vice should impose upon us Non nisi virtutis sub umbra decipiunt vitia Seneca if it did not come in the habit of Vertue if the Will decline good it is because that good seemeth evill and the very declining good Goodness hath such a sweet force upon the Will that the very shadow of it enforceth the Will to court it and to make love to it And this saith the Platonist is the very reason why both Beautie so allures the Eye and Harmonie so ravisheth the Eare Beautie because it is nothing else but a visible Goodness for there is all the difference between them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Procl Goodness is an inward Beautie and Beautie is an outward Goodness displaying to all eyes the loveliness that is shining within and so as Beautie is a visible Goodness so is Harmonie bonitas audibilis an audible Goodness which therefore is so highly delightfull because of the huge complacencie and pleasure that the soul takes in Goodness wheresoever it meets with it through what organs soever it is conveighed then which sayes Marcus Antoninus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is nothing does more harmonize with its nature or is more suitable and agreeable Why now Christ as he is essentiall Beautie so he is
essentiall Goodness as the spotless glass of Beautie so sayes the Wise man he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisd 7.26 the Image of the Divine Goodness or as Saint Iohn characterizeth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very Idea and Reason or pure Sampler of all things which are no other then contracted Images of that most absolute one And if so then you may irrefragably conclude sayes Philo that that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that originall Sampler whence all created beauties and goodnesses were so drawn out to the life must needs be in himself infinitely more lovely and good For no effect can possibly rise up to the dignitie of its primordiall cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever vertue or excellencie is shining in any subordinate cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proclus must needs be in the highest in a more eminent and exuberant manner preexistent nay and that so supereminently sayes Ficinus that what belongeth to those Effects cannot properly be attributed to their higher cause as to say Heat is hot Wisedome is wise Light is lightsome Goodness is good what defective nay and derogative predications are these Joy sayes the Areopagite wheresoever it glanceth it affects with marvellous chearfulness yet we cannot properly say that Joy it self is affected with chearfulness or is joyfull but is so Joy as passeth all imagination If there be any goodness in the Creature how infinitely more must there be in the Creatour so as exceeds all apprehensions Why callest thou me good sayes Christ to him that had a conceit that he was but a mere man Why callest thou me good who lookest not upon me as God as well as Man There is none good but God Good nay God is so good that he is Goodness it self saith Hermes there is such a reciprocall identitie of God and good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that if thou sayest that any other thing is good but God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou art impious or that God is any other thing then good thou art impious again And yet what saith the Apostle If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ How not love him that is the eternall Son of God that is 1 John 5.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very God sayes Saint Iohn blessed God for ever saith my Apostle No man but loveth whatsoever hath but the appearance or shadow of Goodness nay and cannot but love it and yet if any man not love him who is the very essence and substance of Goodness Goodness it self it cannot be Thou must either turn an Arrian and blasphemously denie his Divinitie which not onely Angels have proclaimed but the very Star at his birth and the very stones rocks and monuments at his death and the very windes roared out upon the Sea and Devils upon on the Land or else thou must be enforced to love him And were it not that sad experience speaketh the same that my Apostle here I should think it an uncharitable censure and supposition that there should be any such monstrous man that loves not such a lovely God Man Very strange that man a rationall creature whose very Reason will dispense with the love of nothing but what is good Nemo adeo alienus à lege naturae est ut malum qua malum eligat Senec. and will tell him he offers violence to his nature if he do should yet forsake the very Principle and End of all good and fall in love with mere superficies and shadowes thereof and with foolish Ixion embrace an emptie Cloud in stead of bright Iuno For so the verie Pagans shall tell thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Plotinus all these things that thou so dotest upon here and all-to-begoddest what are they but mortall nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plot. and mortiferous and senselesse loves of Idols or livelesse Images Nay saith Plato whatsoever thou lookest upon here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato is a mere Dream 〈◊〉 that man is onely awake that seeth that he seeth nothing else but Dreames 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Plutarch alas we are here onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as those that are surprized with dead sleeps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch and our soul doth grasp and groap at that which is divine and good indeed merely as in a dream And yet if any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ not love him that is the very Ideall Fountain and reall Veritie of all that is worth the loving and if his love preâ—… bâ—fore him onâ—â— verisimilitudes and shadowes fleeting shadowes nay which therefore sayes Gregory Nazianzen that divine Wisedome out of an holy Policie made so fleeting and unstable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Naz. that we might not so foolishly fixe our love upon them how irrationall is this Cast a piece of bread to a dog sayes Nirembergius will he be so foolish as to leave the substance and fall upon the shadow For shame sayes Saint Chrysostome let not us rationall creatures be so mad as to run after that which flyeth away from us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Naz. and to flie away from him who remaineth one and the same blessed God for ever For shame shall we never learn to distinguish betwixt Light and Darkness Shadowes and Substance Moments and Eternitie Apparences and Realitie Why man saith Menander 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if thou be onely a mortall creature and that soul of thine shall expire as that of the beasts then go and mind and love onely such as are like thy self But if thou be a divine creature and hast such a soul as is immortall then why dost thou not minde and love such things as are suitable to thy noble nature If Goodness be the naturall object of thy Will Cum aliqua non amentur nisi quia bona sunt pudeat iis in harendo non amare bonum Ipsam unde bona sunt and the Will cannot love any thing else but what is good for shame man sayes Saint Augustine let not thy affection so adhere to created Goodnesses that thou neglect the Fountain whence they were all derived If these blurred lines so delight why then should not He that is the pure Copie of all If such streames nay dropps please thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epicter why should not He infinitely more who is the infinite Fountain of all Thou must give a reason why not or else reason it self telleth thee thou must love him No man but naturally loveth what is good either reall or apparent Iesus is Goodness it self That is the second Eviction one more and I have done 3. None can choose but must love his owne perfection and happiness This I presume thou wilt not denie for it is an inviolable Law of Nature sayes Aristotle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Happiness carrieth the votes of all even of the Wizzard Balaam himself As that which we naturally breath after is
and perfect and yet If any man not love him who is happiness it self and perfection it self What sad contradictions are these and how irrationall What thinkest thou now of it Is it not reason that thou shouldst love the Lord Jesus Christ Art thou not enforced to it when every thing in nature crieth out upon thee if thou do not Thou must either shew some other object that can perfectionate thy love and ennoble it or thou must renounce thy naturall reason or else love him thou must for that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes Epictetus an inviolable law of reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that whatsoever appeareth the best that be loved best and then sayes another Heathen thou must know that that only may be esteemed best 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marcus Imperat. which makes thy self best that is just wise free holy and without all doubt saith a third that is a truth that is evident to every man * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proclus what that whatsoever it is that makes man happy it must be something that will assimilate him unto the Deitie rather then what will make him un godlike and that must needs make the man therefore happy because by that assimilation he riseth up into the highest perfection sayes another Heathen as if a liveless picture should be assumed and advanced into the same vigorous degree of liveliness and loveliness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plotinus with that majestie which it resembleth All this is reason is it not Now point me out or single out any one object here below if thou canst that will raise thee to that divine perfection I will tell thee what one of these Heathens saith in this case If the rationall soul stoop to the love of these materiall treasures or brutish pleasures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plotin it descendeth and debaseth it self infinitely and its an unhappie fracture of her noble wings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and precipitation of the soul If thou doubtest the mans judgement yet what can be more infallible when it is the very nature of love Transformat in imagines istarum rerum quas amamus Raym. de Sab. to transform the soul into the image of those things which it loves and there is a Text that implieth so much They are become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hos 9.10 abominable like those things which they have loved Si terram amas terra es If saith Saint Augustine thou lovest Earth thou art Earth and so whatsoever else And if that be not an embasing of the soul to degrade it and transform it into such low elements of such inferiour natures to it what is What is it then that will beatifie and elevate the soul into its primordial state of perfection Why saith he its a wise recess and retreat of the soul from all loves of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plotin and affectionate converse with these things below and an holy flight and retiring unto him onely who is onely Christian dost thou hear this without a blush Le ts see now what canst thou pretend to love that 's worth the while besides Jesus Christ Whatsoever it is that is less then a God Quicquid minus Deo menteÌ„ Dei capacem non implet Bern. Si aliud praeter Deum habeo nec aliud plene possideo nec Deum Deus qui non deficit solus mihi sufficil Euseb Niremb Et hoc adepto beata quo amisso misera fit anima S. Aug. that cannot possibly fill up the vast chasms and immense capacities of the soul that 's sure and if so then take joy in it it cannot that 's as certain no nor can it be said properly to enjoy it saith S. August for that onely can it enjoy which can terminate the restless motions of its desires and which being once attained the soul is happy which being lost it is miserable and wretched And if there be any thing else then the Lord Jesus the loss whereof will undo you then go and love it with all thy heart and soul strength and spare not But say in sober sadness is there any such indeed There is little signe saith Longinus when it is the greatest argument of a great mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Longinus to look upon them with the eye of disdain and contempt as poore small nothings and he instanceth in those things which the world adores as the great gods Riches Honours Principalities If there be any thing that will satisfie the soul it is more then Solomon could see who had his eyes in his head and could tell better then another as having a full experiment of all He cries out Vanitie of vanities emptiness of emptinesses and all things are vanitie and vexation of spirit Vexation of spirit that they must needs be because First they are emptinesses â— they can no more fill up the spirit or soul then a drop of water can fill up the huge Ocean no morâ— quench the natural desires of the soul then a little water can the thirst of a man inflamed with a feaver nay they are so far from that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isid Pâ—lus as that they inflame the more they vex them as the Tick vexeth the Oxe or the Indian Gnats do the Lions which sitting on their eye-browes cause them to scratch themselves blind Secondly A vexation of spirit they are because they delude the man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arrianus which no man can endure and put a cheat upon him promising huge contentments and pleasures and when he hath run through them all he findes no more satisfaction in them then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an hungrie stomach doth in the reaking fume of a ladle or dreaming of a banquet The spirit must needs be vexed to be thus deluded and gull'd in its expectation And thirdly A vexation of the soul they must needs be because they are of an heterogeneous and extrinsecall nature to this our spirituall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a gross mistake saith Plotinus if thou takest any of these material things to be the good which thou naturally seekest or to be thy good indeed or to be loved by any but fools and if sayes Marcus Antoninus thou be drawn to any of their loves thy motion is violent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as those Puppets that are set on motion by gins of iron or wire that are of another and extrinsecall nature That soul that is moved by any other principle then God who onely can move it naturally because he onely iâ— that soveraign Good and Truth wherein the Will and Understanding can acquiesce is dragged by unnaturall principles and therefore by violent No wonder then he calls it a vexation of spirit that puts the soul to a most torturing violence and turneth it out of its naturall biass Nay Epictetus will tell thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that as none but base and servile spirits wil desire things impossible so none but such as dare proudly to fight with God will love any thing that is of a distant and strange nature from him And yet what saith the Apostle If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ How not him such an incomparable and comprehensive perfection that all things else are but mere emptie Vanities and Nothingnesses Not love him that is that absolute necessarie One that is both the Principle and Middle and End of all Pluralities all the myriads of all created Beings and entities both in Heaven and Earth that absolute One or Unitie Qui habet hoc unum habet unum universale that is so one that he is all so that if any man seek rest in any thing else he cannot possibly find it because he seeks it not where it onely is he seeks it not in one but in another and therefore otherwise then he should and otherwhere then it is What folly what madness is this For so the Prophet putteth them both together Psal 75.5 I said unto the fools deal not so madly Here is the folly and madness of men they runne after Riches and Pleasures and Honours and run themselves out of breath in their hot pursuit after them and the more they runne after them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plot. the more they runne from him who is the veritie and realitie of them all Which is that frenzie that himself inviteth the Angels to stand agast at Jer. 2.13 Be astonished ye Heavens They have forsaken me the Fountain of living Waters and have digged unto themselves Cisterns that will hold no waters As if he had said If there were any other Fountain besides my self that could stay or satisfie their thirst I could dispence with that their revolt from me but now that there is no other such but my self that they should forsake me and run to the Creatures that are mere emptinesses this is that offendeth and astonisheth me Ah wreched and mad man sayes Cusanus no man that seeketh any thing but pretendeth to seek something that is good and he that seeketh good and forsaketh God what doth he but run away from that which he seeketh And if this be thy case I cannot but wonder at thee nay I hope thou wilt now begin to wonder at thy self to be sure thou mayest not canst not any more wonder at my Apostle for his Anathema Maran-atha nor at me if I dismiss thee with the saying of an honest Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diogenes Why pretendest thou to live if thou think much to love him by whom thou livest FINIS