and because it is a case that concerns the Jews particularly I shall say no more then what I find in a learned Jew of later times but of great esteem Manasse ben srael in his treatise De Resurrectione where preferring the resurrection of the dead in point of glory to the comming of the Messias he hath these words Although it be certain that at the comming of the Messias the glorious Name of God shall be exalted yet as certain it is that it will not be with such glory and magnificence as it will bee at the resurrection of the dead For neither is it indeed so great a miracle if the Messias shall subdue many Kingdomes and Nations when as it is well known that some of very mean quality and from obscure beginnings have attained to Kingdomes and Empires and have been Lords of divers Countries Whereas at the Resurrection c. So much of Christ his humility in relation to the opinions of ancient Heathens and what may be said of it in point of humane reason As for Christ's sufferings our next particular were we to speak of his death and crucifixion particularly we could not but take notice of a notable passage of Plato's a prediction we might call it much insisted upon and deservedly by some Ancients as Theodoret Eusebius and some others The passage is that in the second of his Common-weal where proposing the character of a perfect just man among other things that such a one must undergoe that his righteousnesse may be approved to God and men to the utmost he doth mention Crucifixion But having to doe here with sufferings in generall onely it shall be sufficient in generall to say that as to despise pleasures and worldly greatnesse whereof we have spoken so patiently to endure and if occasion be willingly and readily to undergoe what ordinary men most dread and flie hath always among the wisest of men been deemed an argument of truest generosity and noblenesse of spirit and not onely so but by many also an argument of Gods love and favour As for the first part of my assertion that patiently to endure and readily to undergoe all manner of crosses and calamities belongs to true magnanimity because no man that hath read any thing in ancient Authors will make any question of it I shall not need any proofs to make it good But that crosses and calamities should be an argument of Gods love and favour may not without some reason seeme either a meer paradox of the Stoick or a secret of the Christian philosophy There be indeed in the writings of those Philosophers that were called Stoicks divers expressions to be found to this purpose that goe beyond all that I have read in the most rigid and resolute Christian Authors Might I take the advantage of such I should not need to seek any further at all But because the Philosophers of that sect were charged by many to hold things contrary to nature and common sense though themselves did extreamly disclaim it and as confidently boasted of the contrary that their doctrine was altogether founded upon nature and which is more drew after them a great part of the world yet I will not altogether rely upon them but farther add which I conceive to be very observable that some whom from all Antiquity the Heathens generally honoured as greatest Favourites of their most honoured Deities were set out unto them as greatest sufferers in the whole course of their lives Such were Hercules the son as they feigned of Juppiter of whose labours who hath not heard and Vlysses of whom Maximus Tyrius conformably to what others have written of him more at large recordeth that God forced him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. to wander and to beg and to wear rags to be kicked and reviled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the love that he did bear unto him which puts me in minde of Epictetus his famous Distick concerning himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epictetus a slave in my body maimed No man ever poorer of the Gods beloved This Epictetus a poore man indeed whilest he lived when he dyed of all worldly goods left after him but one poor Lamp but such a name and such a reputation with it as made his memory sacred to the greatest of the earth so that this very Lamp for his sake became very precious and proved a competent patrimony to them that sold it Hitherto we have spoken of Christ his Exinanition in relation to Christ himself as he was the Son of God what in point of humane reason might be said of it or for it against the scoffs and exceptions of men pretending to reason and common sense as also for the further satisfaction of some weaker Christians We are now to treat of it in relation to us and first as it might tend to our instruction or confirmation of faith There is not any point of doctrine more necessary to be known beleeved and pressed among men then the doctrine of the immortality of the soul and of a judgement after this life It is the main fundamentall of all piety and godlinesse If the dead rise not Let us eate and drink for to morrow we die was Saint Pauls inference though perchance not so much his own sense and inference properly as the sense and inference of the generality of men transferred upon himself Nonne melius multò fuisset Cicero De Senect How much better were it for us to passe our lives in ease and quietnesse without either labour or strife if so be that the soul be not immortall indeed It was the speech of one but the sense of most ancient Heathens as partly from their lives and partly from other speeches and expressions tending to the same purpose might be collected Now one main argument used by ancient Heathens to perswade themselves and others that it was so indeed that the soul was immortall and that there was a judgement or somewhat answerable to a judgement after this life was as the prosperity of wicked men so the troubles and miseries of the vertuous and godly in all ages of the world even among the Jews when the condition of temporall rewards was more absolute then since the light of the Gospel it hath been by all sorts of men noted and observed For said they the Sun the Moone the seasons of the year and other works of God sufficiently teach us that there is a God who hath created and appointed these things and as it would be against common sense to doubt of the being of a God so is it as much against sense that is those common notions of humane reason whereby men are naturally guided to discern between that which is morally good and evill just and unjust to doubt whether God himself from whom we have received these notions be good and just Now then since we see plainly that in this world there be many just men Eccles 8.14 unto whom to use the words of
They that are not acquainted with the state of the world as it was in those days when certainly it was in many respects at a farre greater height of glory and outward splendor then now it is will not understand the pertinency though most proper of it self of that instance of victories obtained at solemn games and prizes His intention was certainly to goe to the highest of humane glory that his expression could reach or his phansie pitch upon and such was the glory of those solemn victories he speaks of For first to help them a little that are not acquainted with Antiquity what was done there was not done in the sight of one Nation or Kingdome onely but in the sight and concourse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the whole earth as ancient Authours testifie And such was the honour of the Conquerors and such their priviledges that they were not after their lives onely some of them worshipped as Gods but even in their life time accounted most of them almost every where to use their own word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as gods or equall unto the gods And it is further observable that the most famous Epocha or computation of times that ever was among Heathens the Olympiades was taken from these sports and victories as if they had been the thing wherein the world was most interessed or which to take notice of it most concerned it As Aristotle so others al or most that I have seen make this the proper character of true magnanimity not to admire that is Dionys Longinus in praestantissimo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 libello elegantissime 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et paulò post 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as by others it is expressed to despise all those things which by ordinary men are highly prized and esteemed Now the considerations upon which they grounded this contempt of the world were these especially First the short continuance if not of the objects themselves of glory which this world presented unto us yet of that fruition of them this our mortall life doth afford being compared to eternity Quae verò aetas longa est saith one of them What age of man is long Or what is it indeed that to mortall man can truly be deemed and tearmed long But a very little while agoe we were boyes then young men and behold how old age whilest we were in our race suddenly even before we could think or suspect hath overtaken us And this we call long because old age to us is our utmost bounds For so it is that according to the measure of continuance allotted by nature unto every thing so is age generally accounted either short or long Aristotle writes of certain little creatures about the River Hypanis which from some part of Europe doth flow into the Pontus which live but one day Of these little creatures therefore such as live till about the third or fourth houre after noon past dies in good age but those that live to the going down of the Sun decrepit especially if it be a Summers day when the dayes are at longest Let us compare our longest age with eternity and we shall finde their lives and ours to come much to one reckoning Despise we therefore such fopperies for what else to call or how more gently to tearm things that are so light and vain I know not and let us account true courage and magnanimity despising all humane things and wholly set upon the pursuit of vertue the sole happinesse of man So another and he might speak with more authority as being then in actuall possession of as much greatnesse and splendor as the whole earth could well afford or ever did afford unto one man a puissant Prince and Monarch Marcus Aur. Antoninus Imperator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 5. C § 19. Often meditate saith he how swiftly all things that subsist and all things that are done in the world are carried away and as it were conveyed out of sight For both the substances themselves we see as a flood are in a continuall fluxe and all actions in a perpetuall change and the causes themselves subject to a thousand alterations neither is there any thing almost that may be said to be now setled and constant or at a stand Next unto this and which follows upon it consider both the infinitenesse of the time already passed this is spoken by him as a Heathen who did not know the beginning of the world nor beleeve perchance that it ever had a beginning and the immense vastnesse of that which is to come wherein all things are to be resolved and annihilated Art not thou then a very fool who for these things art either puffed up with pride or distracted with cares or as for a thing that would trouble thee for any space of time to speak of canst find in thy heart to make such moanes Another main consideration that induced them to this contempt is the smalnesse or pettinesse if I may so speak of the earth the principall object of mortall men's cares and affections in respect of the whole world or Universe A consideration not grounded as some might happily surmise upon the meer subtilty of Astronomicall speculations or extravagant boldnesse of rhetoricall amplifications but upon such evidences of common sense and reason as any rationall man with very little search and study is capable of Yea and to this very end God and Nature in the language of ancient Heathens have made man capable of such knowledge and contemplation that he might not set his minde upon the earth or earthly things it being very improbable if not impossible that he that hath a right apprehension of this Universe and useth himself as becomes him now and then to elevate his thoughts to such contemplations should be much taken or affected with things so vile and contemptible as all sublunary things will be found compared to the Universe and so much inferiour to the divine temper and constitution of mans soul and understanding Quid enim videatur ei magnum in rebus humanis cui aeternitas omnis totiusque mundi nota sit magnitudo So Tully and the same in another place Idemque cum coelum terras maria omniumque rerum naturam perspexerit in hac ille magnificentiâ rerum atque in hoc conspectu cognitione naturae Dii immortales quà m ipse se noscet quod Apollo praecepit Pythius quà m contemnet quà m despiciet quà m pro nihilo putabit ea quae vulgò dicuntur amplissima that is The same man when hee shall understand the nature of the Heavens of the Earth the Sea and all that belongs unto them in this magnificence of things in this sight and survay of nature good God! how will he as the Oracle commandeth begin to know himself how will he contemn and despise and account as nothing those things which among men ordinarily are in greatest account and esteem and the writings of ancient Grecians that write of
Philosophy are full of such passages It is so certainly And if there be not among men now adays as certainly there are not such examples of heroick spirits and of true magnanimity as have been in former times among the Grecians especially it may very probably be conceived that one maine reason of it is because the Mathematicks Astronomy and Astrology were so called anciently are not so generally studied as they were formerly among the Grecians especially For it is one thing to hear in ordinary talk as it is commonly talked that the Earth to the whole Universe is but as one point which many may conceive to be but an hyperbolicall speech as if wee called a little man an atome in comparison of a great mountain another thing upon certain grounds of sense and reason Ptol. Mâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 1. § 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as by Ptolomy and other Mathematicians it is demonstrated to know it and apprehend it clearly as clearly as every ordinary capacity doth apprehend that one single faâ—thing is no very considerable thing little more then nothing in comparison of such a sum as for example of one hundred thousand English pounds These things therefore whoever shall rightly consider and understand as he looketh upon a Common-wealth of Ants or Bees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anton. De Scipso l 7. § 3. Formiâ—aruÌ„ iste discursus est in angusto laberantium Quid illis nobis interest c. Sen. Nat. Qu. l. 1. in Praef. it is the similitude used by divers upon this occasion where he seeth great stirring and pains taking much carrying and running to and fro so will he look upon the ordinary cares and distractions frights and fears hopes and joys of such among the sons of men whose mindes are wholly set upon the world and have no further aim A third consideration that induced them to this contempt is because this world in the ordinary course of the world affordeth nothing so great and glorious but the basest and vilest of men are as capable of as the most generous and deserving Wise Solomon observed it and he made a good use of it it made him thinke the lesse of his own greatnesse Eccles 9.11 I returned saith he and saw under the Sun that the race is not to the swift nor the battell to the strong neither yet bread to the wise nor yet riches to men of understanding nor yet favour to men of skill but time and chance hapneth to them all Eccles 9.11 These worldly goods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how base 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Solomon of the Heathens Quae turpissimo cuique ac contemptissimo lenoni ac lanistae possunt contingere saith Seneca which may be in the power and possession of some abominable loose liver some common strumpet or some ravenous and bloudy Tyrant It once troubled Pliny the later a man of great learning and great place in the Roman Common-wealth very much when he observed what honourable titles the Senate of Rome whereof himself had the honor to be a member had conferred upon such a slave furciferum as he cals him as Pallas was what honourable Edicts and Declarations they had made in his behalf such indeed they are to be seen in Pliny as scarce any the most renowned for valour or wisdome or noble descent whom former times had known had ever obtained It did put him upon this contemplation the best use indeed that can be made of such objects quà m mimica inepta essent quae interdum in hoc coenum in has sordes abjicerentur how vile and contemptible such things must needs be which were cast sometimes upon such dunghils Tacitus writes of this Pallas that he had an estate of ter millies which doth amount to such a vast sum of money as might now suffice to be a ransome for many great Kings By this appears what account wise Heathens made of the greatnesse of this world and if this contempt of the world became them well and was esteemed in them an effect of truest magnanimity whose hopes neverthelesse for the most of them went not beyond this world how much more upon their own grounds must it become him who both as he was the Eternall Son of God from all eternity had in himself all fulnesse of infinite content and blessednesse and in the beginning of times had created Heaven and Earth the Heaven to be his throne and the Earth his foot-stool Esay 66.1 and as he was made flesh in the fulnesse of times yet even then was so united to eternall Majesty that even then he was the Lord â—f glory and so much the more the Lord of glory because he had it in himself and from himself wholly not from any outward adventitious lustre That infinite disproportion betweene the least glimpse of Eternall Majesty and the greatest glory this earth doth afford how could it better appear upoÌ„ earth then in contempt of the earth He that had the substance in himself should he seek after the shadow Cui nihil ad augendum fastigium superest Plia Sec. in Panegyr ad Trajanum hic uno mode crescere potest si se ipse submittat securus magnitudinis suae Hee that is at the height of Majesty and Greatnesse if he will yet be greater and higher he must abase himselfe shewing his Greatnesse in that more then in any thing that he can abase himself with security This was counsel once given to a great Prince and Emperour by a great Orator Heathens both and this we may say was the case of Christ It was most proper to him above all men to magnifie himself in his humility who was so farre above all men as being both God and man Were there no other argument to perswade men against the opinion of the Millenaries this would much move me An earthly Kingdome of a thousand years They must think better of the Earth then I doe and a thousand years a longer time then I can conceive it who propose such a Kingdome as a great thing to him who is Lord of Heaven and Earth to whom a thousand years are as yesterday when it is past and as a watch of the night Psal 90.4 There is not any thing that more enhaunceth the credit of men in the world then the reputation of valour and the fame of Conquests and Victories The Scriptures themselves seem to goe this way too Gird thy sword upon thy thigh O most mighty c Thine arrows are sharp c. Psal 45.3.5 c. which speeches and divers others of the same kind were intended of Christ And the Jews grounding partly upon such places of Scrip ure and partly upon their own fond thoughts imaginations did promise themselves such a Messias that should not onely be a King but a Warriour also a great Conqueror Of this because approved histories of al ages nations are sufficient to inform us what to think of it