A Key Opening Mysterious Texts of Scripture, Collection of sermons 4 · Sermon 36
THE DEVOUT SOULES MOTTO, A Sermon preached in Saint Peters Church in Lent; Anno 1613. THE XXXVI. SERMON.
PSAL. 73.25.
Whom have I in heaven but thee, O Lord? and there is none upon earth that I deſire beſides thee.
Right Worſhipfull, &c.
THe words which ouraLuke 12.49. Saviour ſpake concerning the iſſue and ſucceſſe of his preaching, may ſerve fitly for a preface to my intended diſcourſe upon this Text: Ignem veni miſſurus inter vos▪ & quid volo niſi ut accendatur? I come to put fire among you, or rather in you: and what is my deſire, but that by the blaſts and motions of Gods Spirit, and the breath of my mouth it may preſently bee kindled, and burne in your hearts? Burne it will not without fuell; take heed therefore, ſaithbIn opuſc. Cave ne injicias quod fumum aut foetorem miniſtret. Bonaventure, what you caſt into this fire to feed the flame: for if it be groſſe, impure, and earthy matter, the flame will be obſcure, and the fume unſavoury; but if it be refined, pure, and celeſtiall, the flame will be cleare, and the fume a ſweet perfume in the noſtrils of Almighty God. Nadab andcLevit. 10.1. Abihu ſmoaked themſelves for offering ſtrange fire upon Gods Altar: but wee are like to burne in unquenchable fire, if wee offer not continually the fire I am now to treat of, upon the Altar of our hearts: and yet it is a ſtrange fire too; for it giveth light, yet burneth not; or rather it burnes, yet conſumeth not; or rather it conſumes, yet impaires not, but dilateth and enlargeth the heart. Other fire burnes blacke, and marreth the beauty of the body; but this contrariwiſe giveth beauty to the ſoule. for as SaintdMor. in Job l. 18. Non clareſcit anima fulgore aeternae pulchritudinis, niſi hic arſerit in officinâ charitatis. Gregory rightly obſerveth, the ſoule ſhineth not with the brightneſſe of everlaſting beauty, that burneth not in the forge of charity. With this beauty God is ſo enamoured, that SainteDe dilig. Deo. Major eſt in amore Dei, qui plures traxerit ad amorem Dei. Bernards obſervation is true, that he is greateſt in favour, and in the love of God, who draweth moſt to the love of God. If we deſire to know, ſaith SaintfAug. Enchirid. ad Laurent. c. 117. Auſtine, what a man is, wee enquire not what he beleeveth, or what he hopeth for, but what he loveth. A man may beleeve the truth, and be a falſe man: he may hope for good things, and yet be exceeding bad himſelfe; but he cannot love the beſt things, but he muſt needs be good: he cannot affect grace, if hee have not received ſome meaſure thereof; he cannot highly eſteeme of God, and not be high in Gods eſteeme. As the love of the world maketh a man worldly, and the love of the fleſh fleſhly; ſo the love of the Spirit makes the children of God ſpirituall, and the love of God partaker of the divine g2 Pet. 1.4.nature: for God is love. Now, ſaith Saint Paul, that is, in this life, abideth h1 Cor. 13.13.faith, hope, and charity; but after this life, of theſe three charity onelyonly remaineth. For when we have received the end of our faith, which is the ſalvation of our ſoules, and taken poſſeſſion of the inheritance which we have ſo long expected by hope, faith ſhall be ſwallowed up in viſion, and hope in fruition; but then love ſhall be in greateſt perfection. Our truſt is, that we ſhall not alwayes walk by faith, and our hope is, that we ſhall one day hope no more; we beleeve the end of faith, and hope for the end of hope; but love no end of our love: but contrariwiſe deſire, that it may bee like the ſoveraigne object thereof, that is, eternall and infinite. To leap over this large field at once, and compriſe all in one ſentence concerning this vertue, of which never enough can be ſaid: Love brought God from heaven to earth; love bringeth men from earth to heaven. In which regard it may not be unfitly compared to the ladder, at the foot whereofiGen. 28.12. Jacob ſlept ſweetly, and in his dreame ſaw Angels climbing up by it to heaven. For upon it the religious ſoule of a devout Chriſtian reſteth and repoſeth her ſelfe; and by it in her thoughts and deſires ſhe aſcendeth up to heaven, as it were by foure ſteps or rounds, which are the foure degrees of divine love.
1. To love God for our ſelves.
2. To love God for himſelfe.
3. To love God above all things.
4. To love nothing but God, or in a reference to him.
Firſt, to love God for our ſelves or our owne reſpect, whereunto wee are induced by the conſideration of his benefits and bleſſings beſtowed upon us, and continued unto us.
The ſecond is to love God for himſelfe, whereunto wee are moved by the contemplation of the divine eſſence, and his moſt amiable nature.
The third is to love God above all things, whereunto we are enclined by obſervation of the difference between God and all things elſe.
The fourth is to love nothing but God, that is, to ſettle our affections, and repoſe our deſires, and place our felicity wholly and ſolely in him. To which higheſt round or ſtep of divine love and top of Chriſtian perfection we aſpire, by fixing our thoughts upon the all-ſufficiency of God, who hath in him infinite delights and contentments to ſatisfie all the appetites of the ſoule; whereof the Kingly Prophet David was fully perſwaded, when lifting up his heart to God, and his eyes to heaven, he calleth God himſelfe to witneſſe, that he deſired no other happineſſe than what he enjoyed in him, ſaying,
Whom have I in heaven but thee? Theſe words may admit …f a double conſtruction:
1 Either that David maketh God his ſole refuge and truſt:
2 Or that he maketh him his chiefe joy and whole hearts delight.
For the firſt ſenſe, viz. Whom have I in heaven but thee for my refuge, and ſtrength of my confidence? we are to know that in heaven and in earth there are other beſides God; in heaven the elect Angels, and the ſpirits ofkHeb. 12.23. juſt men made perfect; in earth there are men and the creatures: yet a religious ſoule repoſeth no confidence in any of theſe. Firſt, not in the creature in generall, for it islRom. 8.20. ſubject to vanity: not in riches, form1 Tim. 6.17. they are uncertaine; Charge the rich in this world that they truſt not in uncertaine riches: not innJer. 9.23. wiſedome, or ſtrength, or power; nor in the favour of oPſal. 146.3.Princes, nor any childe of man, for there is no helpe in them. I will yet aſcend higher, even to heaven, and to the Angels and ſoules there. For whatſoever power, or ſtrength, or helpe may be in them, we may not put our truſt in them. 1 Not in the ſoules of Saints departed; for they pEſay 63.16.take no notice of our affaires here, neither have we any order to addreſſe our ſelves to them: Abraham is ignorant of us, and Iſrael acknowledgeth us not: q2 Kin. 22.20.Good Joſiah ſeeth not the evill which befell his ſubjects after his death. 2 Not in Angels; for though they excell in ſtrength, and are miniſtring rHeb. 1.14.Spirits, ſent forth to miniſter for them who ſhall be heires of ſalvation, yet we have no charge to worſhip them, or relie upon them for our ſalvation. Nay, wee are charged to the contrary, both from God and from themſelves; from God,ſMat. 4.10. Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him onelyonly ſhalt thou ſerve: and,tCol. 2.18. Let no man beguile you in voluntary humility, and worſhipping of Angels: and from themſelves alſo,uApoc. 19.10. & 22.9. And I fell downe at the feet of the Angel that ſhewed me theſe things, and he ſaid unto me, See thou doe it not, I am thy fellow ſervant, worſhip God.
For the ſecond ſenſe, viz. Whom have I in heaven but thee for my chiefe joy and ſole hearts delight? we are to know that the faithfull ſoule is wedded to God, and like a loyall Spouſe caſteth no part of her conjugall affection upon any but him. Love ſhe may whom he loveth, and what he commandeth her to love, for him, and in him, but not as him: if ſhe doth ſo, ſhee becommeth Adultera Chriſto, as St. Cyprian ſpeaketh, and may not be admitted to ſing in Davids quire, or at leaſt not to bear a part in this Antheme, Whom have I in heaven but thee, O Lord?
No more than the life of the body can bee maintained without naturall heat and moiſture, can the life of grace be preſerved in the ſoule without continuall ſupply of the moiſture of penitent teares, and a great meaſure of the heat of divine love, wherewith we are to conſume thoſe ſpirituall ſacrifices of prayer and praiſes, which we are now and at all times to offer, lifting up pure hands and hearts unto God. To kindle this ſacred fire, I have brought you a live coale from the Altar of incenſe, Davids heart, ſending up ſweeteſt perfumes of moſt fragrant and ſavourie meditations.
This coale the beſt Interpreters ancient and later, conſpiring in their expoſitions blow after this manner: St.uHier. in hunc locum. Ne que in coelo ne que in terrâ alium praeter te quaeſivi. Jerome thus, I have ſought none in heaven or earth beſide thee. xCalvin. Praeter Deum nihil in coelo vel in terrâ appeto.Calvin, I deſire nothing in heaven or earth but thee. yCajetan. Te ſolum in coelo & in terrâ volui.Cajetan, Thee alone I affect in heaven and in earth. zMarlor. Nihil tecum amo.Marlorat, I love nothing with thee. And moſt effectually*Mollerus. Te pro & prae omnibus theſauris aeſtimo. Mollerus, I eſteeme thee in ſtead of and above all treaſures: as if he ſhould ſay in more words; Others lay up treaſures upon earth, but heaven is my treaſurie, and God is my riches; he is my lot, as I am his purchaſe; he is the onelyonly ſupporter of my crowne, and crown of my joy, & joy of my heart: upon him I ſet my whole delight, in him I repoſe all my confidence, to him I addreſſe all my petitions, from him I expect all my happineſſe: all my hope is in his promiſes, all my comfort in his word, all my wealth in his bounty, all my joy in the light of his countenance, all my contentment in his love: above him, without him, beſides him I love nothing; but all things in him and for him. Lord let me live out of the world with thee, but let me not live in the world without thee. For I make no reckoning of any thing in the world in compariſon of thee, nor of all the world without thee: take away all things from me ſo thou giveſt me thy ſelfe; for if thou takeſt away thy ſelfe, thou takeſt away all things. O let me therefore quickly enjoy thee in heaven, for even whileſt I am upon earth my heaven is in thee. Here I cannot hold on my Paraphraſe, but muſt needs breake off with that paſſionate exclamation of St.aPoeliciſſimam animam quae Deo ſic à Deo meretur affici, ut per unitatem ſpiritus in Deo nihil amet niſi Deum. Bernard, O thrice happy ſoule which by God and his grace art ſo affected with God and his love, that in God, in whom all things are to be had, thou deſireſt nothing but God himſelfe.
By this bright blaze of the words you may eaſily diſcerne the parts; which are two,
1 A higher ſtraine of notes aſcending, Quis mihi, &c.
2 A lower of notes deſcending, & tecum non optavi, &c.
Or if you like better to change the terms of muſick, which is the rhetorick of ſounds, into the termes of rhetoricke, which is the muſicke of words; this ſentence conſiſteth of
1 A paſſionate interrogation, Whom have I in, &c.
2 A confident aſſeveration, And I deſire none, &c.
In both I obſerve,
1 The convenience of the order, Whom have I in heaven, and then, I deſire, &c.
2 The proprietie of the phraſes have and deſire; have in heaven, deſire on earth: nothing to be deſired, but to be had in heaven; nothing to be had, but to be deſired on earth.
3 The varietie of the Prepoſitions praeter and cum, I have nothing but thee: I deſire nothing with thee, for the reaſon aſſigned bybPaulin. in Bib. Patr. to. 5. p. 1. Omnium conditor, cui nihil eorum quae fecit valet aequari, non dignatur cum his quae condidit aequari. Paulinus; God, who made none of his creatures in any degree equall to himſelfe, will have none made of like unto himſelfe.
Whereupon it enſueth, that there is fulneſſe of delight and contentment in God, and that there is no ſolid delight and contentment for the immortall ſoule of man but in him; and conſequently, that we are to ſet our heart, and ſettle our love, and ground our repoſe, and repoſe our felicity wholly and ſolely in him, withcAug. confeſ. l. 10. Cum quo ſolo, & de quo ſolo, & in quo ſolo anima intellectualis verè beata eſt. whom onelyonly, and in whom onelyonly, and through whom onelyonly the underſtanding ſoule of man findeth and everlaſtingly enjoyeth true bleſſedneſſe. Of which uſe of the doctrine, and doctrine of the notes, and notes of my Text, whileſt I treat briefly, I humbly entreat Almighty God to aſſiſt mee with his Spirit, and you to ſupport mee with your patience.
Firſt, of the order. As God firſt created the heaven, and all the hoſt thereof, and after the earth and earthly creatures; ſo in our deſires we ought firſt to aime at heaven and heavenly objects, and after wee have fixed our thoughts, and ſettled our affections upon them, to have an eye to the earth, and take order for the things of this life. God hath placed the heaven above the earth, and ſhall we by our inordinate deſires ſet the earth above the heaven, advancing things temporall above thoſe that are eternall? this were to overthrow the order of nature, and breake the golden rule laid down by our Saviour,dMat. 6.33. Seeke yee firſt the Kingdome of God, and his righteouſneſſe, and all theſe things ſhall be miniſtred unto you. Firſt, lift up your eyes and your hearts to heaven, and ſay with David, Whom have I in heaven but thee? and then tell us what or whom you deſire, or deſire not upon earth.
Have I in heaven, or deſire on earth. The Tranſlaters might have retained the verbe have in both members: but in regard of the deceivableneſſe and uncertainty of earthly goods and poſſeſſions, they change the verbe have in the firſt member into deſire in the ſecond, have in heaven and deſire on earth, not deſire in heaven and have on earth: for in preciſe truth there is nothing which a religious ſoule can deſire, but ſhee hath it in heaven: and on the contrary, nothing to be had that is firmely poſſeſſed and enjoyed, which ſhe deſireth on earth; Heaven is the place of having, the earth of deſiring or craving. When an old man being asked of his age, anſwered in the Latine phraſe, Octoginta annos habeo, that is, I have or reckon upon fourſcore yeeres: a Philoſopher ſtanding by tooke him up, ſaying, Imò tot annos non habes, what ſaiſt thou, I have or reckon upon foureſcore yeeres? juſt ſo many yeeres thou haſt not; for in numbring the dayes and yeeres of our life, whoſe parts are never all come till they are all gone, we uſually count upon thoſe yeeres onelyonly that are fully paſt, which we therefore have not, becauſe they are paſt and gone; even as he that taketh a leaſe for terme of yeeres, after he hath worne them out, hath no more terme in his leaſe, or eſtate in his living; no more may any man be ſaid to have thoſe yeeres good, which hee hath ſpent in the leaſe of his life. Much leſſe may he be ſaid to have thoſe that are to come, becauſe they are not yet, and hee is altogether uncertaine whether they are to come or no. For all that hee knoweth, this day the leaſe of his life may expire, this houre his laſt glaſſe may be running, at this very moment and point of time the threed of his life may be cut off. Now if wee cannot be ſaid truely to have any part of our time, how can we have any part in things temporall? if the leaſe of our lives, by which we hold all our earthly goods and poſſeſſions, be of ſo uncertaine a date, let our common Lawyers talke never ſo much of poſſeſsions and eſtates, and firme conveighances and perpetuities, and ſeverall kindes of tenures, they ſhall never perſwade mee, that there is any ſure hold or good tenure of any thing ſave God and his promiſes: it is impoſſible that wee ſhould have any eſtate in things that are altogethereCyp epiſt. l. 2. Nec fiduciam praebent poſſidentibus ſtabilem, quae poſſeſſionis non habent veritatem. unſtable. Hereof it ſeemeth Abraham was well adviſed; for though he were an exceeding rich man, yet we reade of no purchaſe made by him, ſave onelyonly of afGen. 25.10. cave in Machpelah, for him and his heires to hold, or rather to hold him and his heires for ever. If any man ever knew the juſt value of all earthly commodities, it was King Solomon, the mirrour of wiſedome, and yet he, after he had weighed them all in the ſcales of the Sanctuary, found them as light as vanity it ſelfe. Omnia ſub ſole vanitas; ergo ſupra ſolem veritas, as rightly inferrethgPaulin. in opuſc. Paulinus: If all things under the ſunne are vanity; therefore the verity of all things is above the ſunne, viz.
In heaven. Whom have I in heaven but thee? that is, thee I have, and none but thee in heaven. I deny not that which SainthTract. 50. in Johan. Habes Chriſtum in praeſenti per ſignum, in praeſenti per fidem, in praeſenti per baptiſmatis ſacramentum. Auſtine affirmeth in expreſſe termes, that we have God many waies with us in this life; for we ſee him in his workes, we heare him in his word, we taſte him in the Sacrament, we feele him by the motions of the Spirit within us, we touch him by faith, we embrace him by love, we relye upon him by hope, we have private conference with him by prayer: yet all this is nothing to our modus habendi, our manner of having him in heaven. Then a man may be truely ſaid to have a lordſhip, mannour, benefice, or living, when he entereth upon the fruits thereof, and receiveth the crop. The Lord is indeed our lot and portion even in this life; but we cannot reap the thouſanth part of the profits and delights he hath in himſelfe, and will afford us hereafter. They to whom hee moſt imparteth himſelfe, and communicateth his goodneſſe here, have but a taſte onelyonly of the tree of life, a weak ſent of the flowers of Paradiſe, a confuſed noiſe of heavenly muſicke as it were afarre off, no more than a glympſe of the ſunne of righteouſneſſe, but a blaſt of the Spirit onelyonly, an earneſt-penny of their wages; yet ſuch a taſte as more ſatisfieth them than a royall banquet furniſhed with all the delicacies the ſea or land can yeeld: ſuch a ſent as they will not leave for all the ſweet odours of Arabia: ſuch a noiſe as they would not miſſe the hearing thereof, for all the conſorts in the world: ſuch a glympſe, as is to be preferred before the full view of all the Kingdomes of the earth, and the glory of them: ſuch a blaſt, as more refreſheth the ſoule, than a conſtant gale of proſperous fortune: ſuch an earneſt-penny, as they would not loſe for the treaſures of Solomon. This taſte, this ſent, this glympſe, this blaſt, this earneſt-penny, the Kingly Prophet David ſo exceedingly deſired, that he compareth the ardency of his affection to the thirſt of a Hart, either long chaſed, or after he is ſtung with the ſerpent Dipſas, that ſets all his throat on fire. As the iPſal. 42.1, 2.Hart brayeth and panteth in this caſe for the rivers of waters to coole his heate, and quench his thirſt, ſo panteth my ſoule after thee, O God. My ſoule thirſteth for God, for the living God; when ſhall I come and appeare before God? Of this thirſt of the ſoule they onelyonly can ſpeake feelingly, who have been longkCant 2.5 Stay mee with ſlagons, and comfort mee with apples: for I am ſicke with love. ſicke with the Spouſe in the Canticles, who feeling her heart faint, and all her vitall faculties faile, cryeth out, Stay mee, &c. that is, hold life in mee with cordiall waters and ſoveraigne ſmells; for I languiſh, I ſwoune, my ſoule is running out of the doores of my lips after him, whom ſhe incomparably loveth above all things in heaven and in earth; yet ſhe ſeeth here nothing but his backe parts, that is, obſcure ſhadowes and reſemblances of him. And if ſhe be ſo enamoured with theſe, how will ſhe be raviſhed at the ſight of his countenance? if ſhe take ſuch contentment in the contemplation of his image in a mirrour, how will ſhee be tranſported, when ſhe ſhall ſee him face to face, and bee united to him ſpirit to ſpirit? if ſhe take ſuch pleaſure in pledging him in the bitter cup of his paſſion, what will ſhe take inlPſal. 16.11. drinking of the rivers of pleaſures, that run at his right hand for evermore? To borrow a ſtraine of the Schooles, for the cloſing up of this ſweet note, Hic Deum amamus amore deſiderii, at in coelo amore amicitiae, Here we love God with a love of deſire, there with a love of friendſhip; here we deſire to have God, there we have our full deſire: and ſo I fall into the maine doctrine of the Text, That there is fulneſſe of delight and content in God. Quid eo avarius eſt, cui Deus non ſufficit, in quo ſunt omnia? Can we deſire larger poſſeſſions than immenſity? a ſurer eſtate than immutability? a longer terme of yeeres than eternity? Let SaintmDe vitâ contemplat. l. 2. c. 15. Quid poteſt eo eſſe foelicius, cujus efficitur ſuus conditor cenſus, & haereditas ejus dignatur eſſe ipſa divinitas? ſi modo ſanctis operibus eum colat, omnes fructus ex illo percipiet. Proſper ſpeake, Who ſo fortunate, as he whoſe Maker is his fortune? who ſo rich, as hee who poſſeſſeth him that poſſeſſeth all things, whoſe lord is his lot, and his owner part of his goods? Howbeit, becauſe we cannot perfectly ſurvey, much leſſe take full poſſeſſion of this our large or rather infinite inheritance, in this life, Mollerus conceiveth theſe words not to be uttered in an exultation of ſpirit, raviſhed with the contemplation of God; but rather as a prayer to this effect: O that I had thee in heaven; as when the Prophet demandeth, Who will ſhew us any good? wee take the meaning to be, O that any would ſhew us ſome good: & in like maner, in the ſecond of Samuel, Who n2 Sam. 23.15.will bring mee water out of the fountaine? that is, O that ſome would give mee a draught of it. Notwithſtanding I ſee no reaſon why wee ſhould vary from the moſt generall interpretation of theſe words, which is, that they containe a proteſtation, not a prayer, and carry this ſenſe: O Lord, I am ſo raviſhed with thy beauty, and ſatisfied with thy love, that I deſire nothing like unto thee, nay, nothing but for thee, nay, nothing but thee. With which expoſition that ſtraine of Paulinus perfectly accordeth, though ſet in a more dolefull key, when the barbarous and ſavage Goths had invaded the City of Nola, ranſacked his houſe, rifled his coffers, and tooke away all that he had; he yeelded not to the ſtreame of ſorrow, which might have carried him into the gulph of deſpaire, but ſtriving againſt it, hee lifteth up his hands and head above water, praying to God after this manner:oAug. de civ. Dei l. 1. c. 10. Domine, ne excrucier propter aurum & argentum; ubi enim ſunt omnia mea tu ſeis: ibi enim habebat omnia ſua, ubi eum theſau…r…are ille monuerat, qui haec mala ventura praedixerat. Lord, let not the loſſe of theſe things vexe mee, or diſquiet my ſoule: for thou knoweſt where I have laid up all my treaſures, to wit, in thee: for, whom have I in heaven
But thee? Theſe words are not expreſſed in the originall, yet by comparing this with the latter clauſe, And in earth I deſire nothing with thee, are neceſſarily added to ſupply the ſenſe.
Yea, but you wil ſay, how might David truly demand, Whom have I in heaven but thee? Is there none to be had in heaven but God? are there none that walk in the ſtreets of the celeſtiall Jeruſalem paved with gold? do none dwell in thoſe glorious tabernacles that are not made with hands? do thoſe twelve precious gates ſerve onelyonly to beautifie the holy City? doe none enter in at them? ſurely, if theſe dark & low rooms are ſo well filled, it is not like thoſe large, faire, & lightſome upper roomes are void? the sky is not more richly decked with gliſtering ſtarres, than the throne of God with celeſtiall lights: out of queſtion there are innumerable regiments, bands, & royall armies of Cherubins & Seraphins, Archangels & Angels, Saints & Martyrs; yet the faithfull ſoule hath none of theſe, or rather none of theſe hath her, but hee whom they all ſerve, who hath vouchſafed to make her his Spouſe, & marry her to himſelf in righteouſnes: in none but him ſhe hath affiance, to none but him ſhe addreſſeth her prayers, for none but him ſhe keepeth her heart; him ſhe ſerveth as her lord, obeyeth as her king, honoureth as her father, & loveth as her husband; and in this reſpect may truly ſay, Whom have I in heaven but thee? WhenpXenophon. Cyr. poed. l. 3. Cyrus took the king of Armenia & his ſon Tigranes, & their wives & children priſoners, & upon their humble ſubmiſſion, beyond all hope, gave them their liberty & their lives; in their return home, as they all fell on commending Cyrus, ſome for his perſonage, ſome for his puiſſance, ſome for his clemency; Tigranes asked his wife, What thinkeſt thou of Cyrus? is he not a comely & a proper man, of a majeſticall preſence? Truly, ſaith ſhe, I know not what maner of man he is, I never looked on him. Why (quoth hee) where were thine eyes all the while? upon whom didſt thou then look? I fixed mine eyes (ſaith ſhe) all the while upon him (meaning her husband) who in my hearing offered to Cyrus to lay downe his life for my ranſome: In like maner, if any queſtion the devout ſoule, whether ſhe be not enamoured with the beauty of Cherubins & Seraphins, Angels or Saints: her anſwer will be the ſame with that of Tigranes his wife, that ſhe never caſt a look on them, becauſe her eyes were never off him, who not only offered to lay, but laid down his life for her, & ranſomed her with his own bloud. Whom ſhould ſhe have in heaven but him, who hath none on earth but her? Intus apparens prohibet qMercenarius in phyſ.extraneum, the veſſell that is full of balſamum excludeth all other oyles or liquors: the ſoule that is full of God, and full with God, excludeth the love of all creatures, and accounteth them as nothing in compariſon, as we may ſee in S. Paul, rPhil. 3.7, 8.What things were gaine to mee, thoſe I account loſſe for Chriſt, yea, doubtleſſe I account all things but loſſe for the excellency of the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt. And in holy Ignatius theſHieron. catal. viror. illuſt. Ignis, crux, beſtiae, confractio oſtium, membrorum diviſio, & totius corporis contritio, & tota tormenta Diaboli in me veniant, tantum ut Chriſto fruar. ancient Biſhop of Antioch, who when he was ready to be ſtript and thrown naked to the Lions, brake out into this paſſionate ſpeech, Take away all from mee, and come what can come upon mee, fire, croſſe, beaſts tearing my fleſh, parting of my members, breaking of my bones, and contrition of my whole body, and all the torments that man or divell can deviſe, onelyonly that I may enjoy Chriſt. That which Origen delivereth concerning the nature of Manna, that it anſwered to every mans ſeverall taſte, we have good warrant of Scripture to affirme of God, who ſatisfieth with infinite delicacies all their appetites who long for him. Doe they thirſt for grace? he is ſo full of grace, that of his tJohn 1.16.fulneſs we all receive. For glory? he is theuPſal. 24.10. King of glory. For wiſedome? in him are all the treaſures of wiſedome & *Coloſ. 2.3.knowledge hid. For peace? he is thexEſay 9.6. Prince of peace. For beauty? he is*Pſal. 36.9. fairer than the ſons of men; grace is powred into his lips. For life? with him is the yPſal. 45.2.Well of life, and in his light ſhall we ſee light. For joy and pleaſures? in his preſencezPſal. 16.11. is fulneſſe of joy, and at his right hand there are pleaſures for evermore, wherewith hee quencheth all the thirſty appetites of the ſoule. Philoſophy teacheth, that the underſtanding naturally thirſteth for truth; the will for that which the underſtanding apprehendeth to be good, the affections for glory and felicity, the ſenſes for pleaſure, the eye for beauty, the eare for harmony, the ſmell for ſweet odours, the taſte for delicious meates, the touch for amorous embracings: all theſe thirſts God doth ſatisfie and quench after this maner, viz. the thirſt of the underſtanding with his wiſedome, of the will with his goodneſſe, of the affections with his glory and bleſſedneſſe, of the ſenſes with his nature, which containeth in it the quinteſſence and perfection of all delectable objects. For as God is in all things, ſo all things are in him after a more excellent maner than they are in themſelves: in themſelves they never were without imperfection, nor are ſince the fall of Adam without impurity and corruption; but in him they are perfect without defect, pure without pollution, permanent and ſtable without any ſhadow of change; in regard of which their eminent manner of ſubſiſtence in him, they change their names and appellations: and as that which in earthly bodies is matter, the Philoſophers call forme, or*Zab. Phyſ. lib. de coel. materia formalis in heaven, and parts degrees, and beauty light or clarity, and qualities influences; ſo that which is accident in the creature, is ſubſtance in the Creator: and that which is called beauty in us, is majeſty in him; life is immortality, ſtrength omnipotency, wealth all-ſufficiency, delight felicity, affection vertue, vertue nature, nature all things: For aRom. 11.36.of him, and through him, and in him are all things, as the grand maſter of Philoſophy diſcerned by the glimmering light of reaſon, ſaying, that it is manifeſt, that the Deity is in all things, Ariſt. mor. ad Eud. foreign.and all things in it: in him the underſtanding apprehendeth all truth, the will all good, the affections all vertue and glory, the ſenſes all pleaſure, the deſires all contentments; and therefore it followeth,
And I deſire nothing in the earth with thee. The heart reſembleth a perfect triangle, but the figure of the world is circular, and no more can it ſatisfie the heart of man, than a circle can fill a triangle. God onelyonly, who is a trinity in unity, can fill all the corners of this triangle of his owne making. For nothing can delight the ſpirituall nature of the ſoule, but a pure ſpirit: nothing can content the ſoveraigne faculty of the underſtanding, but a ſoveraign object: nothing can ſatisfie the infinite deſires of the will, but infinitum bonum; which muſt be infinite foure waies:
1. In power, to remove all things that may be offenſive or hurtfull to us.
2. In bounty, to ſupply all thoſe good things that may bee delightfull or uſefull to us.
3. In eſſence, to furniſh us with infinite variety of delights.
4. In continuance, to perpetuate unto us the infinite variety of continuall delights and contentments.
Now, what is there in heaven or in earth thus ſpirituall in ſubſtance, ſoveraigne in place, infinite in power, goodneſſe and eſſence, everlaſting in continuance, but thou, O Lord, whom, becauſe we have in heaven, we deſire nothing on earth? What ſhould we deſire there, where wee find nothing to fixe our thoughts, or afford us any ſolid comfort or contentment? Who can aime ſteadily at a moving mark? or build firmly upon ſinking ſand? or hold faſt a vaniſhing ſhadow? or reſt himſelf upon the wings of the wind? as impoſſible is it to lay any ſure ground of contentment, or foundation of happineſſe in the unſtable vanities and uncertaine comforts of this life. How can they fulfill our deſires, or ſatisfie our appetites, which are not only empty, but emptineſſe it ſelfe? How can they eſtabliſh our hearts, ſith they are altogether unſtable themſelves? How can they yeeld us any true delight or contentment, which have no verity in them, but are ſhadowes and painted ſhewes, like the carved diſhes Caligula ſet before his flatterers; or the grapes drawn by Zeuxis, wherewith he deceived the birds? The beſt of them are no better than the apples of Sodome, of which Pliny and Solinus write, that they are apples whileſt you behold them, but aſhes when you touch them: or like the herb Sardoa in Sardinia, upon which if a man feed, it ſo worketh upon his ſpleen, that he never leaveth laughing, till he dyeth through immoderate mirth. Honours, riches, pleaſures are but glorious titles written in golden characters; under them we find nothing but vanity: under the title of nobility nothing but a brag of our parents vertue, and that is vanity; under honour nothing but the opinion of other men, and this can be but vanity; under glory but breath and wind, and this is certainly vanity; under pleaſure butbEraſ. Apoph. Demoſ. Non emam tanti poenitere. repentance & folly, and is not this vanity? under ſumptuous buildings, rich hangings, & gorgeous apparrell, but oſtentation of wealth and outward pomp, & this is vanity of vanity. Nobility in the originall of it is but the infamy of Adam: (for it knew not Hevah till after his fall & grievous prevarication) beauty the daughter of corruption, apparrell the cover of ſhame, gold & ſilver the dregs of the earth, oyles & coſtly ointments the ſweat of trees, ſilkes & velvets the excrements of wormes; and ſhall our immortall ſpirit, nobly deſcended from the ſacred Trinity, match ſo low with this neather world, and take theſe toyes and trifles for a competent dowry?
And let this ſuffice to be ſpoken to the words for their full explication; let us now heare what they ſpeake to us for our further uſe and inſtruction.
1. They ſpeake to our faith, that it be reſolved upon God only.
2. To our devotion, that it be directed to God only.
3. To our love, that it be entirely fixed on God only.
1. True faith ſaith, Whom have I in heaven but thee to relye upon?
2. True religion ſaith, Whom have I but thee to call upon?
3. True love ſaith, Whom have I but thee to ſettle upon?
No Papiſt can beare a part with David in this ſong, ſaying, Whom have I in heaven but thee, O Lord? for they have many in heaven, to whom they addreſſe their prayers in generall, & often ſolicite them upon ſpeciall occaſions: as for raine, for faire weather, in a common plague, in danger of child-birth, in perills by ſea, in perills by land, for their owne health and recovery, and for the ſafety of their beaſts & cattell; as appeares by the forms of prayers yet extant in their Liturgies, Offices, Manuels, & Service books. Doubtleſſe theſe monopolies were not granted to Saints in Davids time; for he had recourſe every-where to God immediately for any thing he ſtood in need of: neither had the ancient Fathers any knowledge of ſo many new maſters of requeſts in heaven, to preferre their petitions to God: for they addreſſed themſelves all to one Mediatour betwixt God and man, the man Chriſt Jeſus, who ſitteth at the right hand of his Father, to take all our petitions, & to recommend them unto him. I can make no other conſtruction of the words ofcLib. 8. cont. Cel. foreign. Origen, Wee muſt religiouſly worſhip or invocate none but God and his only begotten Son. We muſt call upon none but God, ſaithdHieron. in Prov. l. 1. c 2. Neminem invocare niſi Deum debemus. Jerome. eTertul. apol. c. 30. Quaecunque hominis & Caeſaris vota ſunt, haec ab alio orare non poſſum, quàm à quo ſcio me conſecuturum, quoniam & ipſe eſt qui ſolus praeſtat, & ego familus ejus qui eum ſolum invoco.Tertullian goeth farther on our way, We can pray to none other but God: whatſoever is to be wiſhed for Caeſar, as he is a man or a Prince, I cannot begge it of any other than of him from whom I know I ſhall receive what I aske, becauſe he alone can performe it, and I his ſervant depend upon none but him. But what ſtand I upon the teſtimonies of two or three Fathers? the whole Synod offTheod. com. in 2. ad Coloſ. Synodus Laodicea lege prohibuit, ne praecarentur Angelos, ubi agit de oratoriis Michaelis, & eos perſtringit qui dicebant oportere per Angelos divinam ſibi benevolentiam conciliare. Laodicea condemneth the ſuperſtitious errour of ſome, who taught, that we ought to uſe Angels as mediatours between God and us, and to pray unto them. And for Saints, who have no more commiſſion to ſolicit our buſines in heaven than Angels, howſoever it pleaſed the ancient Church to make honourable mention of them in their publike Service, as we doe of the bleſſed Virgin, the Archangel, the Apoſtles & Evangeliſts; yet S.gAug. l. 22. de civit. Dei c. 10. Martyres ſuo loco & ordine nominantur, non tamen à Sacerdote qui ſacrificat, invocantur. Auſtin cleareth the Chriſtians of thoſe times from any kind of invocation: The Martyrs, ſaith he, in their place and ranke are named, yet not called upon by the Prieſt, who offereth the ſacrifice. Invocation is the higheſt branch of divine worſhip, and they who bow downe to, and call upon Saints, conſequently put Saints in Gods room; & beleeve in them: Quomodo enim invocabunt, in quos non credunt? How hRom. 10.14.ſhall they call on them, on whom they have not beleeved? They who call upon Saints deceaſed, & hope for any benefit by ſuch prayers, muſt be perſwaded that the Saints are preſent in all places, to heare their prayers, and receive their petitions, and that they underſtand particularly all their affaires, and are privie to the very ſecrets of their hearts; and is not this to make gods of Saints?
iMart. epigr.Qui fingit ſacros auro vel marmore vultus,
non facit ille deos: qui rogat ille facit.
Yea, but ſay our Romiſh adverſaries, had you a ſuit to the King, you would make a friend at Court, & employ ſome in favour with his Majeſty to ſolicit your affaires; why take ye not the like courſe in your buſineſſe of greater importance in the Court of Heaven? We anſwer:
Firſt, becauſe God himſelfe checketh ſuch carnall imaginations, and overthroweth the ground of all ſuch arguments by his holy Prophet, ſaying,kEſay 55.8. My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your waies my waies. Therefore we are brought to the preſence of kings (ſaith S.lAmb. in ep. ad Rom. c. 1. Itur ad reges per tribunos, & comites, quia homo utique rex eſt, ad Deum quem nihil latet promerendum ſuffragatore non eſt opus, ſed mente devotâ. Ambroſe) by lords & officers, becauſe the king is a man; & all cannot have immediate acceſs unto him, neither will he take it well, that all ſorts of people at all times ſhould preſſe upon him: but it is not ſo with God: he calleth allmMat. 11.28. Come unto mee all that labour, &c. unto him, calls upon all tonPſal. 50.15. Call upon mee in the day of trouble, and I will heare, &c. call upon him, & promiſeth help &oJoel 2.32. Whoſoever ſhall call upon the Name, &c. ſalvation to all that ſhall ſo do: neither need we any ſpokeſ-man (ſaith he) to him, ſave a devout and religious mind.
Secondly, admit the proportion to hold between the King of Heaven and earthly Princes, yet the reaſon holdeth not: for if the King appoint a certain officer to take all ſupplications, and exhibit all petitions unto him, hee will not take it well, if we uſe any other; but ſo it is in our preſent caſe, God hath appointed us apJohn 14 3. Whatſoever ye ſhall aske in my Name, …hat will I doe. Ver. 6. I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man commeth to the Father but by mee. Mediator not only of redemption, but alſo ofqRom. 8.34. Which maketh requeſt for us. incerceſſion, who is not onlyrHebr. 7.25. Wherefore he is able to ſave them to the uttermoſt, that com… unto God by him, ſeeing he ever liveth to make interceſſion for them. able, but moſt willing to preferre all our ſuits, & procure a gracious anſwer for us: for we have not an high Prieſt, which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without ſin: let us therfore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Wee know not whether Saints heare us, or rather we know they heare us not: Eſay 63.16. Abraham is ignorant of us, and Iſrael acknowledgeth us not. If they heare us, we know not whether God will heare them for us; but wee know that our Saviour heareth us, and that God alwaies heareth him when he prayeth for us: John 11.42. I know that thou heareſt mee alwaies.
Yet our Saint-invocators have one refuge to flye unto, and they hold it a very ſafe one: We call upon the living, ſay they, to pray for us; why may we not be ſo far indebted to the Saints departed, who the further they are from us, the neerer they are to God? If it be no wrong to Chriſts interceſſion to deſire the prayers of our friends in this life, neither can it be any derogation to his Mediatourſhip to call upon Saints deceaſed Of this argumentſBellar de ſanct. beatit. l. 1. c. 19. Bellarmine as much braggeth, as Peleus of his ſword, Profectò iſtud argumentum haeretici nunquam ſolvere potuerunt, the heretickes, ſaith he, were never able to untie this argument. I beleeve him, becauſe there is no knot at all in it. For,
Firſt, we do not properly invocate any man living, foreign, we call to them to aſſiſt us with their prayers, we call not upon them, as putting any confidence in them. When at parting we uſually cōmend our ſelves to our friends, and deſire them to commend us to God in their prayers, we require of them a duty of Chriſtian charity; we do them therein no honour, much leſſe performe any religious ſervice to them, as the Church of Rome doth to Saints deceaſed.
Secondly, when wee pray them to pray for us, wee make this requeſt to them, as co-adjutors, to joyn with us in the duty of praier, not as mediators, to uſe their favour with God, or plead their merits, as Papiſts do in their Letanies, adjuring God (as it were) by the faith of Confeſſors, & conſtancy of Martyrs, & chaſtity of virgins, & abſtinence of monks, & merits of all Saints.
Thirdly, God commandeth the living to have a fellow-feeling of one anothers miſeries, and tot2 Cor, 1.11. Phil. 1.4. C…l…ſ 4.3. 2 Theſ. 3.1. Heb. 13.18. James 5.16. pray one for another; but he no where layeth ſuch an injunction upon the dead to pray for us, or upon us to pray to them:
Fourthly, we have many preſidents in Scripture of the faithfull, who have earneſtly beſought their brethren to remember them in theiruPhil. 1.19. Gal. 4.3. 2 Theſ. 3.1. Philem. 22. Heb. 13.18. prayers; but among all the ſongs of Moſes, pſalmes of David, complaints of Jeremy, and prayers of Prophets and Apoſtles, you ſhall not find any one directed to any Saint departed; from the firſt of Geneſis to the laſt Verſe of the Apocalypſe, there is no precept for the invocation of Saints, no example of it, no promiſe unto it.
Fifthly & laſtly, we entreat not any man living to pray for us, but either by word of mouth when he is preſent with us, or by ſome friend, who wee know will acquaint him with our deſire, or by letters, when we have ſure meanes to conveigh them to him, whereby hee may underſtand how the caſe ſtandeth with us, & what that is in particular for which we deſire his prayers. All which reaſons faile in the invocation of Saints deceaſed: for wee have no meſſengers to ſend to them, nor means to conveigh letters to the place where they are, neither are they within hearing, neither can we be any way aſſured that they either know our neceſſities, or are privie to the ſecrets of our heart. For the Mathematicall glaſſe, wch ſome of the Schoolmen have ſet in heaven, wherein (they ſay) the Saints in heaven ſee all things done upon earth, to wit, in God, who ſeeth all things; it hath bin long ſince beat into pieces: for I demand, Is this eſſence of God a neceſſary glaſſe, or a voluntary? that is, Do they ſee all things in it, or ſuch things only as it pleaſeth him to preſent to their view? if they ſee all things, their knowledge muſt needs be infinite as Gods is, they muſt needs comprehend in it all things paſt, preſent & future; yea, the thoughts of the heart, wch God peculiarlyxApoc. 2.23. I am he that ſearcheth the heart and reines. aſſumeth to himſelf: yea, the day of Judgment, which our Saviour aſſureth us no man knoweth, not the yMat. 24.36Angels in heaven, nor the ſon of zMar. 13.32 But of that day and houre knoweth no man, no not the Angels that are in heaven neither the Son, but the Father.man, as man. If they ſee only ſuch things as God is pleaſed to reveale unto them, how may he that prayeth unto them be aſſured, that God wil reveale unto them either his wants in particular, or his prayers? how can he pray unto them in faith, who hath no word of faith, whereby hee may be aſſured either that God revealeth his prayers to them, or that God will accept their prayers for him? Certainly, there was no ſuch chryſtal inſtrument as Papiſts dream of, to diſcover unto Saints departed the whole earth, & all things that are in it in the time of Abraham, Iſaac, or Joſiah: for St. Auſtin in his book de aCap. 13. Si parentes non interſunt, qui ſunt alii mortuorum, qui noverunt quid agamus, quid ve patiamur, & ibi ſunt ſpiritus defunctorum ubi non vidunt quaecunque aguntur, aut even…unt in iſtâ vitâ hominibus.curâ pro mortuis, out of the ſecond book of Kings, & the 63. of Eſay concludeth, that ſith kings ſee not the evils which befal their people after their death; & ſith parents are ignorant of their children, without doubt the Saints departed have no intelligence how things paſs after their death here upon earth. So far is it frō being a branch of their happines, to know the paſſages of human affaires here, that S.bJerom. in epitaph. Nepot Foelix Nepo ianus qui haec non audit, non videt. Jerom maketh it a part of their happines, that they are altogether ignorant of them: happy Nepotian, who neither heareth nor ſeeth any of thoſe things, wch would vexe his righteous ſoule, & do cauſe us who ſee & hear them, often to water our plants.
By this which hath bin ſaid, any whoſe judgements are not fore-ſtalled, may perceive the impiety of that part of Romiſh piety which concerneth invocation of Saints; it is not only needleſs & fruitleſs, but alſo ſuperſtitious, & moſt ſacrilegious: for it robbeth God of a ſpeciall part of his honour, and wrongeth Chriſt in his office of mediatour. When he holdeth out his golden ſcepter unto us, & calleth to us, ſaying, Come unto me, come by me, I am the way, ſhal we run to any other to bring us to him? ſhall we ſeek a way to the way? ſhall we uſe mediatours to our mediatour? this were to lay a like imputation upon our Redeemer, to that which S.cDe civit. Dei l. 1. Interpres deorum eget interprete, & ſors ipſa referenda eſt ad ſortes. Auſtin caſteth upon the heathen Apollo, the interpreter of the gods needeth an interpreter, & we are to caſt lots upon the lot it ſelfe. Let it not ſeem burthenſome unto you, my deare brethren, that I ſpeak much in behalf of him, who alone ſpeaketh in behalf of us all: we cannot do our Redeemer a worſer affront, we cannot offer our mediatour a greater wrong, than to goe from him whom God hath appointed our perpetuall advocate & interceſſor, & imploy Saints in our ſuites to God, as if they were in greater grace with the Father, or they were better affected to us than he. Have we the like experience of their love as we have of his? did they pawn their lives for us? have they ranſomed us with their bloud? will he refuſe us, who gave us himſelfe? will he not powre out hearty prayers for us, who powred out his heart bloud for us? will he ſpare breath in our cauſe, who breathed out his ſoule for us? ſhall we forſake the fountain of living water, and draw out of broken ciſternes that can hold no water? ſhall we run from the ſource to the conduit for the water of life? from the ſun to the beam for light of knowledge? from the head to the members for the life of grace? from the king to the vaſſall for a crowne of glory?
But I made choice of this Scripture rather to ſtirre up your devotion, than to beat down Popiſh ſuperſtition; therfore I leave arguments of confutation, & ſet to motives of perſwaſion. Look how the Opal preſenteth to the eye the beautifull colours of almoſt all precious ſtones; ſo the graces, vertues, & perfections of all natures ſhine in the face of God to draw our love to him: among which, two moſt kindle our affection, vertue and beauty; nothing ſo lovely as vertue, which is the beauty of the mind: & beauty, which is the chief grace and vertue of the body. To give vertue her due, wch is the firſt place, we ſpeak not ſo properly, when we ſay that God hath any vertue, as when we attribute to him all vertue in the abſtract, all wiſdom, all juſtice, all holines, all goodnes. Goodnes is the rule of our will, but Gods will is the rule of goodnes it ſelfe: we are to doe things becauſe they are juſt & good; but contrariwiſe things are juſt & good becauſe God doth them; therfore if vertue be the load-ſtone of our love, it wil firſt draw it to God, whoſe nature is the perfection of all vertue. As for beauty, what is it but proportion & colour? the beauty of colour it ſelf is light, & light is but a ſhadow or obſcure delineation of God, whoſe face darkneth the ſun, & dazleth the eies of the Cherubins, who to ſave them, hold their wings before them like a plume of feathers. A glympſe wherof when the Prophet David ſaw, he was ſo raviſhed with it, that as if there were nothing elſe worthy the ſeeing, & it were impoſſible to have enough of ſo admirable an object, he crieth out,dPſa. 105.4. ſeek his face evermore; not ſo much for the delight he took in beholding it, as for the light he received from it. For beholding the glory of God as in a mirrour with open face, we are changed into his image, & after a ſort made partakers of the divine nature. ô my ſoul, ſaith a Saint of God, mark what thou loveſt; for thou becommeſt like to that wch thou likeſt, Si coelum diligis, coelum es, ſi terram diligis, terra es, audeo dicere, ſi Deum diligis, Deus es; if thou ſincerely & perfectly loveſt heavenly objects, thou becomeſt heavenly, if carnall, thou becomeſt ſenſuall, if ſpirituall, thou becomeſt ghoſtly, if God, thou becomeſt divine. Let us ſtay a while, & conſider what a wonderful change is wrought in the ſoule of man by the power of divine love; ſurely though a deformed Black-a-moor look his eies out upon the faireſt beauty the world can preſent, hee getteth no beauty by it, but ſeems the more ougly by ſtanding in ſight of ſo beautiful a creature: the ſun burns them black, & darkeneth their ſight, who long gaze upon his beams; but contrarily, the Sun of righteouſnes the more we looke upon him, the more he enlighteneth the eies,Poulin. in opuſc. Illum amemus quem amare debitum, quem amplecti chaſtitas, cui nubere virginitas, &c. & maketh them fair, & their faces ſhine who behold him, as Moſes his did, after he came down from the Mount where he had parley with God. O then let us love to behold him, the ſight of whoſe countenance will make us fair & lovely to behold: let us conform our ſelvs to him, who wil tranſform us into himſelf: let us reflect the beams of our affection upon the father of lights: let us knit our hearts to him, whom freely to love is our bounden duty, to embrace is chaſtity, to marry is virginity, to ſerve is liberty, to deſire is contentment, to imitate is perfection, to enjoy is everlaſting happines. To whom, &c.