No physician hath as yet distinctly written of it as of the other; all
acknowledge it a most notable symptom, some a cause, but few a species
or kind. [6304]Areteus, Alexander, Rhasis, Avicenna, and most of our
late writers, as Gordonius, Fuchsius, Plater, Bruel, Montaltus, &c.
repeat it as a symptom. [6305]Some seem to be inspired of the Holy
Ghost, some take upon them to be prophets, some are addicted to new
opinions, some foretell strange things, de statu mundi et Antichristi,
saith Gordonius. Some will prophesy of the end of the world to a day
almost, and the fall of the Antichrist, as they have been addicted or
brought up; for so melancholy works with them, as [6306]Laurentius
holds. If they have been precisely given, all their meditations tend
that way, and in conclusion produce strange effects, the humour
imprints symptoms according to their several inclinations and
conditions, which makes [6307]Guianerius and [6308]Felix Plater put too
much devotion, blind zeal, fear of eternal punishment, and that last
judgment for a cause of those enthusiastics and desperate persons: but
some do not obscurely make a distinct species of it, dividing love
melancholy into that whose object is women; and into the other whose
object is God. Plato, in Convivio, makes mention of two distinct
furies; and amongst our neoterics, Hercules de Saxonia lib. 1. pract.
med. cap. 16. cap. de Melanch. doth expressly treat of it in a distinct
species. [6309] Love melancholy (saith he) is twofold; the first is
that (to which peradventure some will not vouchsafe this name or
species of melancholy) affection of those which put God for their
object, and are altogether about prayer, fasting, &c., the other about
women. Peter Forestus in his observations delivereth as much in the
same words: and Felix Platerus de mentis alienat. cap. 3.
frequentissima est ejus species, in qua curanda saepissime multum fui
impeditus; 'tis a frequent disease; and they have a ground of what they
say, forth of Areteus and Plato. [6310]Areteus, an old author, in his
third book cap. 6. doth so divide love melancholy, and derives this
second from the first, which comes by inspiration or otherwise.
[6311]Plato in his Phaedrus hath these words, Apollo's priests in
Delphos, and at Dodona, in their fury do many pretty feats, and benefit
the Greeks, but never in their right wits. He makes them all mad, as
well he might; and he that shall but consider that superstition of old,
those prodigious effects of it (as in its place I will shew the several
furies of our fatidici dii, pythonissas, sibyls, enthusiasts,
pseudoprophets, heretics, and schismatics in these our latter ages)
shall instantly confess, that all the world again cannot afford so much
matter of madness, so many stupendous symptoms, as superstition,
heresy, schism have brought out: that this species alone may be
paralleled to all the former, has a greater latitude, and more
miraculous effects; that it more besots and infatuates men, than any
other above named whatsoever, does more harm, works more disquietness
to mankind, and has more crucified the souls of mortal men (such hath
been the devil's craft) than wars, plagues, sicknesses, dearth, famine,
and all the rest.
Give me but a little leave, and I will set before your eyes in brief a
stupendous, vast, infinite ocean of incredible madness and folly: a sea
full of shelves and rocks, sands, gulfs, euripes and contrary tides,
full of fearful monsters, uncouth shapes, roaring waves, tempests, and
siren calms, halcyonian seas, unspeakable misery, such comedies and
tragedies, such absurd and ridiculous, feral and lamentable fits, that
I know not whether they are more to be pitied or derided, or may be
believed, but that we daily see the same still practised in our days,
fresh examples, nova novitia, fresh objects of misery and madness, in
this kind that are still represented unto us, abroad, at home, in the
midst of us, in our bosoms.
But before I can come to treat of these several errors and obliquities,
their causes, symptoms, affections, &c., I must say something
necessarily of the object of this love, God himself, what this love is,
how it allureth, whence it proceeds, and (which is the cause of all our
miseries) how we mistake, wander and swerve from it.
Amongst all those divine attributes that God doth vindicate to himself,
eternity, omnipotency, immutability, wisdom, majesty, justice, mercy,
&c., his [6312]beauty is not the least, one thing, saith David, have I
desired of the Lord, and that I will still desire, to behold the beauty
of the Lord, Psal. xxvii. 4. And out of Sion, which is the perfection
of beauty, hath God shined, Psal. 1. 2. All other creatures are fair, I
confess, and many other objects do much enamour us, a fair house, a
fair horse, a comely person. [6313]I am amazed, saith Austin, when 1
look up to heaven and behold the beauty of the stars, the beauty of
angels, principalities, powers, who can express it? who can
sufficiently commend, or set out this beauty which appears in us? so
fair a body, so fair a face, eyes, nose, cheeks, chin, brows, all fair
and lovely to behold; besides the beauty of the soul which cannot be
discerned. If we so labour and be so much affected with the comeliness
of creatures, how should we be ravished with that admirable lustre of
God himself? If ordinary beauty have such a prerogative and power, and
what is amiable and fair, to draw the eyes and ears, hearts and
affections of all spectators unto it, to move, win, entice, allure: how
shall this divine form ravish our souls, which is the fountain and
quintessence of all beauty? Coelum pulchrum, sed pulchrior coeli
fabricator; if heaven be so fair, the sun so fair, how much fairer
shall he be, that made them fair? For by the greatness and beauty of
the creatures, proportionally, the maker of them is seen, Wisd. xiii.
5. If there be such pleasure in beholding a beautiful person alone, and
as a plausible sermon, he so much affect us, what shall this beauty of
God himself, that is infinitely fairer than all creatures, men, angels,
&c. [6314] Omnis pulchritudo florem, hominum, angelorum, et rerum
omnium pulcherrimarum ad Dei pulchritudinem collata, nox est et
tenebrae, all other beauties are night itself, mere darkness to this
our inexplicable, incomprehensible, unspeakable, eternal, infinite,
admirable and divine beauty. This lustre, pulchritudo omnium
pulcherrima. This beauty and [6315] splendour of the divine Majesty, is
it that draws all creatures to it, to seek it, love, admire, and adore
it; and those heathens, pagans, philosophers, out of those relics they
have yet left of God's image, are so far forth incensed, as not only to
acknowledge a God; but, though after their own inventions, to stand in
admiration of his bounty, goodness, to adore and seek him; the
magnificence and structure of the world itself, and beauty of all his
creatures, his goodness, providence, protection, enforceth them to love
him, seek him, fear him, though a wrong way to adore him: but for us
that are Christians, regenerate, that are his adopted sons, illuminated
by his word, having the eyes of our hearts and understandings opened;
how fairly doth he offer and expose himself? Ambit nos Deus (Austin
saith) donis et forma sua, he woos us by his beauty, gifts, promises,
to come unto him; [6316]the whole Scripture is a message, an
exhortation, a love letter to this purpose; to incite us, and invite
us, [6317]God's epistle, as Gregory calls it, to his creatures. He sets
out his son and his church in that epithalamium or mystical song of
Solomon, to enamour us the more, comparing his head to fine gold, his
locks curled and black as a raven, Cant. iv. 5. his eyes like doves on
rivers of waters, washed with milk, his lips as lilies, drooping down
pure juice, his hands as rings of gold set with chrysolite: and his
church to a vineyard, a garden enclosed, a fountain of living waters,
an orchard of pomegranates, with sweet scents of saffron, spike,
calamus and cinnamon, and all the trees of incense, as the chief
spices, the fairest amongst women, no spot in her, [6318]his sister,
his spouse, undefiled, the only daughter of her mother, dear unto her,
fair as the moon, pure as the sun, looking out as the morning; that by
these figures, that glass, these spiritual eyes of contemplation, we
might perceive some resemblance of his beauty, the love between his
church and him. And so in the xlv. Psalm this beauty of his church is
compared to a queen in a vesture of gold of Ophir, embroidered raiment
of needlework, that the king might take pleasure in her beauty. To
incense us further yet, [6319]John, in his apocalypse, makes a
description of that heavenly Jerusalem, the beauty, of it, and in it
the maker of it; Likening it to a city of pure gold, like unto clear
glass, shining and garnished with all manner of precious stones, having
no need of sun or moon: for the lamb is the light of it, the glory of
God doth illuminate it: to give us to understand the infinite glory,
beauty and happiness of it. Not that it is no fairer than these
creatures to which it is compared, but that this vision of his, this
lustre of his divine majesty, cannot otherwise be expressed to our
apprehensions, no tongue can tell, no heart can conceive it, as Paul
saith. Moses himself, Exod. xxxiii. 18. when he desired to see God in
his glory, was answered that he might not endure it, no man could see
his face and live. Sensibile forte destruit sensum, a strong object
overcometh the sight, according to that axiom in philosophy: fulgorem
solis ferre non potes, multo magis creatoris; if thou canst not endure
the sunbeams, how canst thou endure that fulgor and brightness of him
that made the sun? The sun itself and all that we can imagine, are but
shadows of it, 'tis visio praecellens, as [6320]Austin calls it, the
quintessence of beauty this, which far exceeds the beauty of heavens,
sun and moon, stars, angels, gold and silver, woods, fair fields, and
whatsoever is pleasant to behold. All those other beauties fail, vary,
are subject to corruption, to loathing; [6321]But this is an immortal
vision, a divine beauty, an immortal love, an indefatigable love and
beauty, with sight of which we shall never be tired nor wearied, but
still the more we see the more we shall covet him. [6322]For as one
saith, where this vision is, there is absolute beauty; and where is
that beauty, from the same fountain comes all pleasure and happiness;
neither can beauty, pleasure, happiness, be separated from his vision
or sight, or his vision, from beauty, pleasure, happiness. In this life
we have but a glimpse of this beauty and happiness: we shall hereafter,
as John saith, see him as he is: thine eyes, as Isaiah promiseth,
xxxiii. 17. shall behold the king in his glory, then shall we be
perfectly enamoured, have a full fruition of it, desire, [6323]behold
and love him alone as the most amiable and fairest object, or summum
bonum, or chiefest good.
This likewise should we now have done, had not our will been corrupted;
and as we are enjoined to love God with all our heart, and all our
soul: for to that end were we born, to love this object, as
[6324]Melancthon discourseth, and to enjoy it. And him our will would
have loved and sought alone as our summum bonum, or principal good, and
all other good things for God's sake: and nature, as she proceeded from
it, would have sought this fountain; but in this infirmity of human
nature this order is disturbed, our love is corrupt: and a man is like
that monster in [6325]Plato, composed of a Scylla, a lion and a man; we
are carried away headlong with the torrent of our affections: the
world, and that infinite variety of pleasing objects in it, do so
allure and enamour us, that we cannot so much as look towards God, seek
him, or think on him as we should: we cannot, saith Austin, Rempub.
coelestem cogitare, we cannot contain ourselves from them, their
sweetness is so pleasing to us. Marriage, saith [6326] Gualter, detains
many; a thing in itself laudable, good and necessary, but many,
deceived and carried away with the blind love of it, have quite laid
aside the love of God, and desire of his glory. Meat and drink hath
overcome as many, whilst they rather strive to please, satisfy their
guts and belly, than to serve God and nature. Some are so busied about
merchandise to get money, they lose their own souls, whilst covetously
carried, and with an insatiable desire of gain, they forget God; as
much we may say of honour, leagues, friendships, health, wealth, and
all other profits or pleasures in this life whatsoever. [6327]In this
world there be so many beautiful objects, splendours and brightness of
gold, majesty of glory, assistance of friends, fair promises, smooth
words, victories, triumphs, and such an infinite company of pleasing
beauties to allure us, and draw us from God, that we cannot look after
him. And this is it which Christ himself, those prophets and apostles
so much thundered against, 1 John, xvii. 15, dehort us from; love not
the world, nor the things that are in the world: if any man love the
world, the love of the Father is not in him, 16. For all that is in the
world, as lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and pride of life,
is not of the Father, but of the world: and the world passeth away and
the lust thereof; but he that fulfilleth the will of God abideth for
ever. No man, saith our Saviour, can serve two masters, but he must
love the one and hate the other, &c., bonos vel malos mores, boni vel
mali faciunt amores, Austin well infers: and this is that which all the
fathers inculcate. He cannot ([6328]Austin admonisheth) be God's
friend, that is delighted with the pleasures of the world: make clean
thine heart, purify thine heart; if thou wilt see this beauty, prepare
thyself for it. It is the eye of contemplation by which we must behold
it, the wing of meditation which lifts us up and rears our souls with
the motion of our hearts, and sweetness of contemplation: so saith
Gregory cited by [6329]Bonaventure. And as [6330]Philo Judeus seconds
him, he that loves God, will soar aloft and take him wings; and leaving
the earth fly up to heaven, wander with sun and moon, stars, and that
heavenly troop, God himself being his guide. If we desire to see him,
we must lay aside all vain objects, which detain us and dazzle our
eyes, and as [6331]Ficinus adviseth us, get us solar eyes, spectacles
as they that look on the sun: to see this divine beauty, lay aside all
material objects, all sense, and then thou shalt see him as he is. Thou
covetous wretch, as [6332]Austin expostulates, why dost thou stand
gaping on this dross, muck-hills, filthy excrements? behold a far
fairer object, God himself woos thee; behold him, enjoy him, he is sick
for love. Cant. v. he invites thee to his sight, to come into his fair
garden, to eat and drink with him, to be merry with him, to enjoy his
presence for ever. [6333]Wisdom cries out in the streets besides the
gates, in the top of high places, before the city, at the entry of the
door, and bids them give ear to her instruction, which is better than
gold or precious stones; no pleasures can be compared to it: leave all
then and follow her, vos exhortor o amici et obsecro. In.
[6334]Ficinus's words, I exhort and beseech you, that you would embrace
and follow this divine love with all your hearts and abilities, by all
offices and endeavours make this so loving God propitious unto you. For
whom alone, saith [6335]Plotinus, we must forsake the kingdoms and
empires of the whole earth, sea, land, and air, if we desire to be
engrafted into him, leave all and follow him.
Now, forasmuch as this love of God is a habit infused of God, as [6336]
Thomas holds, l. 2. quaest. 23. by which a man is inclined to love God
above all, and his neighbour as himself, we must pray to God that he
will open our eyes, make clear our hearts, that we may be capable of
his glorious rays, and perform those duties that he requires of us,
Deut. vi. and Josh. xxiii. to love God above all, and our neighbour as
ourself, to keep his commandments. In this we know, saith John, c. v.
2, we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his
commandments. This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments;
he that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love, cap. iv. 8, and
he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him; for love
pre-supposeth knowledge, faith, hope, and unites us to God himself, as
[6337]Leon Hebreus delivereth unto us, and is accompanied with the fear
of God, humility, meekness, patience, all those virtues, and charity
itself. For if we love God, we shall love our neighbour, and perform
the duties which are required at our hands, to which we are exhorted, 1
Cor. xv. 4, 5; Ephes. iv.; Colos. iii.; Rom. xii. We shall not be
envious or puffed up, or boast, disdain, think evil, or be provoked to
anger, but suffer all things; endeavour to keep the unity of the spirit
in the bond of peace. Forbear one another, forgive one another, clothe
the naked, visit the sick, and perform all those works of mercy, which
[6338]Clemens Alexandrinus calls amoris et amicitiae, impletionem et
extentionem, the extent and complement of love; and that not for fear
or worldly respects, but ordine ad Deum, for the love of God himself.
This we shall do if we be truly enamoured; but we come short in both,
we neither love God nor our neighbour as we should. Our love in
spiritual things is too [6339]defective, in worldly things too
excessive, there is a jar in both. We love the world too much; God too
little; our neighbour not at all, or for our own ends. Vulgus amicitias
utilitate probat. The chief thing we respect is our commodity; and what
we do is for fear of worldly punishment, for vainglory, praise of men,
fashion, and such by respects, not for God's sake. We neither know God
aright, nor seek, love or worship him as we should. And for these
defects, we involve ourselves into a multitude of errors, we swerve
from this true love and worship of God: which is a cause unto us of
unspeakable miseries; running into both extremes, we become fools,
madmen, without sense, as now in the next place 1 will show you.
The parties affected are innumerable almost, and scattered over the
face of the earth, far and near, and so have been in all precedent
ages, from the beginning of the world to these times, of all sorts and
conditions. For method's sake I will reduce them to a twofold division,
according to those two extremes of excess and defect, impiety and
superstition, idolatry and atheism. Not that there is any excess of
divine worship or love of God; that cannot be, we cannot love God too
much, or do our duty as we ought, as Papists hold, or have any
perfection in this life, much less supererogate: when we have all done,
we are unprofitable servants. But because we do aliud agere, zealous
without knowledge, and too solicitous about that which is not
necessary, busying ourselves about impertinent, needless, idle, and
vain ceremonies, populo ut placerent, as the Jews did about sacrifices,
oblations, offerings, incense, new moons, feasts, &c., but Isaiah
taxeth them, i. 12, who required this at your hands? We have too great
opinion of our own worth, that we can satisfy the law: and do more than
is required at our hands, by performing those evangelical counsels, and
such works of supererogation, merit for others, which Bellarmine,
Gregory de Valentia, all their Jesuits and champions defend, that if
God should deal in rigour with them, some of their Franciscans and
Dominicans are so pure, that nothing could be objected to them. Some of
us again are too dear, as we think, more divine and sanctified than
others, of a better mettle, greater gifts, and with that proud
Pharisee, contemn others in respect of ourselves, we are better
Christians, better learned, choice spirits, inspired, know more, have
special revelation, perceive God's secrets, and thereupon presume, say
and do that many times which is not befitting to be said or done. Of
this number are all superstitious idolaters, ethnics, Mahometans, Jews,
heretics, [6340]enthusiasts, divinators, prophets, sectaries, and
schismatics. Zanchius reduceth such infidels to four chief sects; but I
will insist and follow mine own intended method: all which with many
other curious persons, monks, hermits, &c., may be ranged in this
extreme, and fight under this superstitious banner, with those rude
idiots, and infinite swarms of people that are seduced by them. In the
other extreme or in defect, march those impious epicures, libertines,
atheists, hypocrites, infidels, worldly, secure, impenitent,
unthankful, and carnal-minded men, that attribute all to natural
causes, that will acknowledge no supreme power; that have cauterised
consciences, or live in a reprobate sense; or such desperate persons as
are too distrustful of his mercies. Of these there be many
subdivisions, diverse degrees of madness and folly, some more than
other, as shall be shown in the symptoms: and yet all miserably out,
perplexed, doting, and beside themselves for religion's sake. For as
[6341]Zanchy well distinguished, and all the world knows religion is
twofold, true or false; false is that vain superstition of idolaters,
such as were of old, Greeks, Romans, present Mahometans, &c. Timorem
deorum inanem, [6342]Tully could term it; or as Zanchy defines it, Ubi
falsi dii, aut falso cullu colitur Deus, when false gods, or that God
is falsely worshipped. And 'tis a miserable plague, a torture of the
soul, a mere madness, Religiosa insania, [6343]Meteran calls it, or
insanus error, as [6344]Seneca, a frantic error; or as Austin, Insanus
animi morbus, a furious disease of the soul; insania omnium
insanissima, a quintessence of madness; [6345]for he that is
superstitious can never be quiet. 'Tis proper to man alone, uni
superbia, avaritia, superstitio, saith Plin. lib. 7. cap. 1. atque
etiam post saevit de futuro, which wrings his soul for the present, and
to come: the greatest misery belongs to mankind, a perpetual servitude,
a slavery, [6346]Ex timore timor, a heavy yoke, the seal of damnation,
an intolerable burden. They that are superstitious are still fearing,
suspecting, vexing themselves with auguries, prodigies, false tales,
dreams, idle, vain works, unprofitable labours, as [6347]Boterus
observes, cura mentis ancipite versantur: enemies to God and to
themselves. In a word, as Seneca concludes, Religio Deum colit,
superstitio destruit, superstition destroys, but true religion honours
God. True religion, ubi verus Deus vere colitur, where the true God is
truly worshipped, is the way to heaven, the mother of virtues, love,
fear, devotion, obedience, knowledge, &c. It rears the dejected soul of
man, and amidst so many cares, miseries, persecutions, which this world
affords, it is a sole ease, an unspeakable comfort, a sweet reposal,
Jugum suave, et leve, a light yoke, an anchor, and a haven. It adds
courage, boldness, and begets generous spirits: although tyrants rage,
persecute, and that bloody Lictor or sergeant be ready to martyr them,
aut lita, aut morere, (as in those persecutions of the primitive
Church, it was put in practice, as you may read in Eusebius and others)
though enemies be now ready to invade, and all in an uproar, [6348]Si
fractus illabatur orbis, impavidos ferient ruinae, though heaven should
fall on his head, he would not be dismayed. But as a good Christian
prince once made answer to a menacing Turk, facile scelerata hominum
arma contemnit, qui del praesidio tutus est: or as [6349] Phalaris writ
to Alexander in a wrong cause, he nor any other enemy could terrify
him, for that he trusted in God. Si Deus nobiscum, quis contra nos? In
all calamities, persecutions whatsoever, as David did, 2 Sam. ii. 22,
he will sing with him, the Lord is my rock, my fortress, my strength,
my refuge, the tower and horn of my salvation, &c. In all troubles and
adversities, Psal. xlvi. 1. God is my hope and help, still ready to be
found, I will not therefore fear, &c., 'tis a fear expelling fear; he
hath peace of conscience, and is full of hope, which is (saith
[6350]Austin) vita vitae mortalis, the life of this our mortal life,
hope of immortality, the sole comfort of our misery: otherwise, as Paul
saith, we of all others were most wretched, but this makes us happy,
counterpoising our hearts in all miseries; superstition torments, and
is from the devil, the author of lies; but this is from God himself, as
Lucian, that Antiochian priest, made his divine confession in
[6351]Eusebius, Auctor nobis de Deo Deus est, God is the author of our
religion himself, his word is our rule, a lantern to us, dictated by
the Holy Ghost, he plays upon our hearts as many harpstrings, and we