for when Maximus says of those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my love is crucified that perhaps it was a familiar sentence to him so it looks says that eminent Prelate and might be used by him in his speeches as well as writings and adds that Dailleé's argument from thence that because the words are in one of his Epistles therefore they could not be spoken by him though it be the same argument which himself after uses is a frivolous distinction and unworthy of Dailleé But who will believe continues he that this was a familiar expression of Ignatius I answer S. Hierom did and Sophronius and I think S. Chrysostom Simeon Metaphrastes Baronius the Lord Primate and others But who can imagine that ever these words were spoken by him before his Condemnation I answer that no man certainly is so mad as to suppose this Apophthegm used before his Sentence but that between it and his Execution in which time he writ all his Epistles both that speech My love is crucified and this I am Gods Corn c. might be frequent in his mouth as testimonies of his courage and love to Heaven first written by him and afterward on all occasions spoken which at last that a Ubi supr p. 87. si quâ—â— fuerint post ea decantata c. excellent man seems to grant And this answer both vindicates the Ancients and yet gives no assistance to Dailleé's Hypothesis and of this opinion after I had finisht this did I find the Learned b Life of S. Ignat. sect 8. p. 106. Dr. Cave to whose industry and diligence the Church owes the reparation of many of her ancient ruines XXXI In his Epistles I am accosted with unaccustomed demonstrations of Christian gallantry and an ardent zeal and such longings for Martyrdom as argue a soul strongly transported with the love of Jesus and immortality an infinite care of his disconsolate and widowed Church of Antioch which in every Letter he recommends to the prayers and assistances of those Churches to whom he writes but especially to S. Polycarp but above all a most holy vigour and earnestness against Heresie and Schism there being not one Epistle wherein he takes not care to condemn the Heresies of that age to discountenance Schism and Faction and passionnately to recommend Obedience to the Prelates of the Church And since The View of Antiquity handling this subject ex professo hath given us so poor an account I will take leave to transcribe a few passages to that purpose XXXII The great design of his Epistle to the Romans is to engage the Christians of that Church Epist ad Rom. p. 21 23 24 25. Ed. Usser Lond. 16â—7 not to use any means to hinder the consummation of his course by Martyrdom telling them that such an act of Charity would be a great piece of injustice to him that he never till the sentence of condemnation past on him began to be a true Disciple of Christ beseeching them by their prayers to hasten the day of his dissolution assuring them that he would invite the wild beasts to devour him that neither the fire nor the Cross nor the teeth of those ravenous and untamed Lyons that neither the breaking of his bones the racking of his joints the bruising of his body and on the head of all this the utmost torments that Satans malice could inflict would signifie any thing so he might enjoy his Master Jesus that were he Lord of the ends of the earth and all the Kingdoms of the world combined into one Empire for him they neither could tempt nor profit him that he had rather dye for his beloved Jesus than be Monarch of the Vniverse for what is a man profited to gain the world and lose his soul that he longed for no one but him that dyed for him and rose again that he was a passionate lover of death for his love was crucified that he was not satisfied with corruptible nourishment or the pleasures of this life but only desired the bread of God which came down from heaven the bread of life which is the flesh of Jesus Christ the Son of God born in the latter age of the world of the seed of David and Abraham that he longed for no other drink but his blood the great testimony of the invincible Charity of Jesus and the means of attaining to life Eternal Which last passage I am inclinable to believe hath its relation to that good old Custom of giving the Sacrament of the Eucharist as a Viaticum to dying persons XXXIII Id. ad Ephes p. 7 8. Against the Heresies of the Age he is very smart Be not deceived my Brethren Adulterers shall not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven and if they shall dye who do these things in the flesh how much more they who by impure Doctrines corrupt and prostitute the honour of the holy and chaste Faith for which Jesus was crucified Such a polluted person shall be thrust into unquenchable fire and all they that hearken to him I beseech you therefore Brethren and yet it is not I but the Love of Christ which intreats you make use of no other but Christian Food and abstain cautiously from the strange Plant which is Heresie There are many Time-servers who embrace the Lord Jesus and believe proportionably to the advantages they receive by the Faith Men that give an envenom'd draught Ad Trallian p. 18. mingled with what makes it luscious and palatable which he that is ignorant greedily swallows to his own Damnation keep your selves charily from such which is easily done if you avoid Pride and self-conceit and unite your selves inseparably to the Lord Jesus to your Prelate and to the Ordinances of the Apostles Ad Smyrn p. 35. Of which Hereticks he tells us that they denyed the Passion and Resurrection of our Saviour and as they had forfeited the Faith so they had lost their Charity took no care of the Poor of the Widows or the Orphans had no Prayers or Celebration of the Eucharist among them of whom though Mr. H. p. 19. tells us that Menander Basilides and others are named by Ignatius yet I must aver that though he means them yet he no-where expresly mentions them but rather professes Ibid. that he will omit the giving a particular account of them not thinking it fit to remember the names of such Infidels till they had repented XXXIV Nor is his Pen less keen against Schism Ad Phâ—adelph p. 28. 30. You being children of the light flye all Schisms and false Doctrines where your Shepherd is there do ye as Sheep follow him for there are many Wolves Abstain from all noxious Plants which the Son of God never cultivated because they were not planted by his Father Be not deceived Brethren if any man be a follower of a Schismatick that man hath no inheritance in the Kingdom of God for where there is division and wrath in that place God hath no residence
next Afflictions but in the end was smitten in his body with an uncurable frightful disease and to make his griefs insufferable must endure the bitter and wretched Consolations of his Wife whose great business it was to wound his Soul proportionable to the Inflictions of his Body moreover his best Friends were as he says miserable Comforters who when they saw his griefs but understood not the mystery of Providence thought his punishment not a Tryal of his Virtue but Vengeance on his Crimes and this they not only thought but never blush'd openly and severely to reprove him for it ' and that so unseasonably that had he been plagued for his Offences there was more need to smooth and alleviate his sadnesses by comfortable Discourses In this condition was Job and these were some of the first Dispensations of Providence towards him there was a Combate between Virtue and Envy the evil spirit striving to overcome all that was good in him and his Piety exerting it self to preserve its Rights inviolable Satan endeavouring to smooth the way to Vice by the punishments of the just Virtue that its Followers might retain their Integrity and triumph over their Calamities But what all this while did he that gave him Oracles from the whirl-wind and the Clouds who is slow to wrath but earnest to be compassionate who does not suffer the rod of the Wicked always to rest on the lot of the Righteous lest the Righteous learn Iniquity In the end of his Engagements God with a loud Voice pronounces him a Conquerour and discloses the Mystery of his Chastisement Thinkest thou O my Servant that I had any other intentions than that thy Righteousness should be made manifest This is a Plaister for thy Wounds a Crown for thy Combats a Recompence for thy Patience For what followed was perhaps inconsiderable though they seem great Blessings to some and design'd to satisfie the Ambition of men of narrow Souls when he received double for whatsoever he had lost Nor is it therefore so very wonderful that George the Usurper should fare better than Athanasius But this would have been a greater miracle if this good and just man had never been tryed in this fire of afflictions nor is this so prodigious had not his tryals been of so long a continuance he went into banishment from this place and ordered the affairs of his exile with an admirable decorum for he confin'd himself to the godly Monasteries of Aegypt where the holy men weaning themselves from the world and falling in love with a desart enjoy a more intimate familiarity with God than those that are turmoiled with the affairs of this life some turning Hermits living remote from all Society and conversing only with themselves and God and claiming acquaintance with no other part of the habitable world but their cell others living in charitable fraternities are both Anchorets and Fryars dead to all other men and concernments which in the midst of the world both create and suffer disturbances and by their often changings cheat and trepan us while their Monastery is the world to them in which they provoke each other to virtue by a holy emulation With these good souls this great person conversing as he was the great Mediator and Reconciler of all other Controversies imitating him that by his blood made peace and united those that were opposite so he reconciled the solitary life with the sociable manifesting that the Priesthood was a friend to true Philosophy and that the study of wisdom wanted the inspection of the Prelate So he harmoniously cemented both sorts of life coupling a contemplative activeness with practical meditations to perswade men that a Monastick life doth more consist in the gravity of mens manners than the retirements of the outward man Of which opinion was David that man of great Employments yet much a lover of solitude if the assertion of his be demonstrative and credible ††Ps 141.10 sec Sepâ—â—ag 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I live retired until the day I must go hence For this reason they that excelled others in virtue were so much the easier conquered by his reasons by how much they out-went others and they that contributed a few ordinary endowments to fit them for the perfection of the Priesthood were recompenc'd with greater abilities to make accomplisht Monks What he advised them became a Law what he forbad them was execrable his assertions were like the Tables of Moses and the reverence paid him greater than what is due to the Saints For when some rude Villains hunted after this holy man as after a wild beast and could no where find him these Asceticks would not vouchsafe to speak to them but stretched out their necks to the Souldiers Swords as if they were in jeopardy for the sake of Christ reckoning if they could suffer any thing for the preservation of so good a man that it would be of great weight to beautifie their Philosophick Profession and more sublime and extraordinary than all their fasts and humicubations and other acts of mortification which were their delicacies Among these men did our Patriarch lead his life and experimented the truth of that passage of Solomon that every thing hath its season for this reason he conceal'd himself for a while as one that fled from the face of an Enemy and a furious War that he might appear with the greater splendour in the season of peace which a little afterward happened but the factious Pseudo-Patriarch by reason of this long retirement of Athanasius runs through all Egypt and acted by the violences of his impious mind makes his thievish Incursions into Syria and ravages as much of the East as was possible setting upon the infirm and weaker brethren the inconsiderate and the dull as a torrent carries with it all that it can sweep away imposing upon the simplicity of the Emperour for my reverence for his sacred Character forbids me to call it levity for to say the truth he was very zealous but not according to knowledge he next purchases the favours of the Courtiers men that loved money beyond Christ for the Goods of the poor were his bank and treasure imployed to wicked and unlawful purposes and among them the effeminate and the Eunuchs men that are no men whose Sex is doubtful but profligate manners most notorious who being deputed primarily to the oversight and custody of Women it is a wonder to me how the Roman Emperours ever concerned them in any masculine Employments So prevalent was this Servant of the Devil this Seedsman of Tares this Harbinger of Antichrist employing for this purpose the tongue of the most eloquent of the Bishops of that time if I may so call him who was not so much an Heretick as an envious and ambitious man for I shall willingly conceal his name but he stood instead of the hand and was the Leader of the Faction seeking the overthrow of the truth by the prevalence of his money
to be burnt XX. These Temples in the days of peace were f Aster Amisen ubi supr pompous and beautiful and magnificently adorn'd and that not only in the curiosity of the Structure but in new and additional Ornaments the good Presbyter g Hier. Epitaph Nepot Tom. 1. p. 25. Nepotian spending much of his time in sprucing the Martyria with divers Flowers and Boughs and Branches of the Vine and with whatever lookt handsomely and decorous and to this was added afterward in some places h Paulin. Natal 9. S. Foelic the History of the Old and New Testament or of the Martyrs Life done in picture but the greatest Ornament that they boasted of were the Reliques of the good man there deposited for as it was i Conc. Carth. 5. Can. 14. unlawful to meet at any Coemetery where no Martyrs Reliques were entomb'd so k Paulin. Ep. 11. ad Sever. p. 149. Ep. 12. p. 168 172 c. without some or other such remains of the Saints they would seldome in the fifth Saeculum consecrate a Church and probably the day of the Martyrs death was pitcht on for the time of its dedication for those times the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were also made Festival and observ'd a Naz. Orat 43. p. 697. by an antient and excellent Law at which time says S. b Ibid. p. 704. Greg. of Nazianzum the Martyrs are more than ordinarily pleasant and from their bright Thrones convene the people that love Jesus to hear an account of their generous and Christian demeanour And this gave the first rise to our Wakes which like the Agapae at the Coemeteries are now much degenerated from their Original Institution XXI They were also curious in instructing the world how benign and compassionate God was to them in easing their pains in plaguing their persecutors in revealing their Reliques and working miracles at their Tombs their torments were so far from sitting uneasily on them that they voluntarily courted them and rejoyc'd under them and when they were condemn'd usually cry'd out Deo gratias God be praised S. Ignatius resolv'd and S. Germanicus actually did incite and allure the wild beasts to devour them and Apollonia leapt into the fire S. Laurence felt no pain on his Gridiron nor Theodorus the acute twitches of his Rack and other inflictions but full of joy continued singing a Psalm and how could he but be chearful c Sezoâ—â— â—â—la supâ— that had his Assistant-Angel at his side wiping off his sweat and refreshing his tired and parcht limbs by pouring a cooling shream on him God gave them wisdome to confound their Adversaries and that prudence and courage made them active and bold and enabled them to d Chrys Tom. 5. p. 491. tread on burning Coals as on a Bed of Roses and sport themselves in the midst of the flames like those that danc't at a Revel so unconcern'd were they at all the contrivances of Satan they flockt to Martyrdome as Bees to a Hive and were more passionately eager to die for Jesus than men now-adays are for Preferment or a Bishoprick their Reliques were reveal'd by Miracle so e Naz. Orat 18. p. 284. S. Cyprian's Body was discover'd the remains of S. Gervasius and Protasius were reveal'd to f Aug. Confess l. 9. cap. 7. S. Ambrose S. Stephen's to g Phot. Cod. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 199. Lucian the Presbyter of Cephargamata the Prophet h Sozom. l. 9. c. 17. Zecharies to Calamerus and the forty Martyrs to the Empress i Id. l. 9. c. 2. Pulcheria to omit many other examples That Miracles were there wrought hath been already evinc't for even in the days of k De C. D. l. 22. c. 8. S. Austin such supernatural effects succeeded in the Name of Christ at the memories of his Saints and he makes it good by the story of a Daemoniack cured at the Church built to the memory of the two forementioned Saints of Millain in the Village Victoriana but thirty miles from his own See Hippo and how God punisht their Persecutors is every where obvious in the antient story XXII Besides their Anniversaries the Church gave them daily an honourable commemoration at the holy Altar and that by an Apostolical Tradition says a Chrys Tom. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Act. p. 736. Tom. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 928. Tert. de Coron Mil. c. 3. pass Cypr. Ep. 34. p. 37. Aug. contr Faust Manich. lib. 20. c. 21. l. 22. c. 10. c. S. Chrysostome not as the Dead are now prayed for in the Church of Rome for so neither do they make supplications for the Martyrs says b Proleg in Martyrol Rom. p. 7 8. Baronius for the Sacrifices there offer'd for the Martyrs had relation to the Eucharist then administred for when in that Sacrament the death of Christ is remembred the death of his Martyrs is also minded as of Souldiers with their Captain to testifie their inseparable union to their Master and the Church Triumphant to the Srcrifice of Alms then given to the Poor and of solemn Thanksgiving to God for the example of the Martyrs hostiae Jubilationis as c Ep. 12. ad Sever. p. 175. Paulinus elegantly expresses it and wishing themselves partakers of their Crowns the prayers of the Church then used for them relating to the joyful Resurrection of the whole man at the day of Judgment and the Consummation of bliss d Field of the Church append 1. p. 754. vide Calvini Ep. 87. ad Prot. Angl. p. 167. For it was an ordinary thing with the Antients in their prayers to acknowledge and profess that the thing was already granted and perform'd which they desired and that the Martyrs were already carried into Heaven in a Chariot like Elijah and yet beseech'd God notwithstanding to accept of their voluntary devotions and affections So S. Austin prays for his Mother Monica Nazianzen for his Brother Caesarius and S. Ambrose for Valentinian the Antients using to pray for their Brethren and Friends on the days of their Obits and for the Martyrs on their Anniversaries as if they had been but then in departing and in danger of Hell for as on the day of the Nativity and Circumcision c. we speak to God as if God had then sent his Son into the world c. and yet mean not as the words may seem to import that Christ doth then newly take flesh c. but that he is born to us and we are made partakers of his Birth so they desire that which is then wanting to the holy men as if the Anniversary were the day of their actual Martyrdom This was the belief of the ancient Church till e De verb. Apest ser 17. St. Austin introduc'd a new Opinion that who so prayed for a Martyr did an injury to a Martyr which place f Decret l. 3. tit 33. c. 5. Pope Innocent the
a man who would omit no Specimen of industry and providence for my advantage for the first time of my acquaintance with him which I may call the first and most happy day of my life when the true light began to beam in upon me his great business was to fix me here who were full of thoughts of returning to Berytus or into my Native Country as wild beasts or birds or fishes entangled in a net are restless to escape to this end he moved every stone and set on work every engine and exerted the strength of his Eloquence celebrating Philosophy and its Proselytes with many and pertinent praises that those only live like rational creatures that order their Conversations aright and first study to know themselves That nothing is truly good but what we ought to follow and nothing properly evil but must be shunned upbraiding the want of Learning and the whole herd of ignorants which like bruit beasts know not so much as what themselves are having their understandings eclips'd neither being able to discern between good and evil nor desirous to be instructed who sordidly pursue and fall in love with wealth or honour or bodily health as the chiefest good accounting these things their only darlings and studying nothing but the little arts by which these are acquired doting on the Sword or the Gown the clamors of the Army or the noise of the Bench rejecting the care of their minds and reasons their noblest part and this makes men dull and enslaves them to sloth and vicious habits It is impossible to express how many such perswasives he made use of to exhort me to the study of Philosophy with much frequency and earnestness his words by a strange violence piercing my soul for he was Master of an excellent faculty of perswading that with much sweetness he necessitated me to believe him At first I wavered and my resolutions were loose I desired to be a Philosopher but I had not yet conquered all difficulties but I knew not how tâ— leave him for every day I found my self chain'd faster by his most rational Lectures asserting that it was impossible to be pious towards the great Governour of the World without Philosophy with which blessing God had of all the Creatures only adorned man that both the wise and unlearned might be capable of its precepts and every man who had not altogether lost his reason in a deluge of madness and folly he therefore affirm'd that it was an impossible thing to be a lover of piety for any man but a Philosopher and by these and many other such advices was I insensibly charm'd tamed by his art and setled under his tutorage as firmly as if the hand of heaven had fastened me there Nor did I only admire but infinitely love my sage instructor not with a light and desultory but with a strong and invincible affection created in me by his wisdom and debonair carriage by the reason and allurements of his discourses who sought not to trepan but to enrich my soul with the treasures of Philosophy after the most dexterous kind and insinuating method that can be imagined not only instilling into me those notices which other men are capable of but admitting me to a participation of those peculiar blessings wherewith God had accomplish'd him above all other men even his heavenly instructions which were Lectures of piety that found many Auditors but none whom they did not subdue and conquer to the love of holiness for who can resist the eternal King of whom when men are passionate what is obscure and unintelligible to all others becomes to them perspicuous and easie to be described Thus my love inkindled and grew strong both towards that most amiable reason that by its transcendant beauties charm'd the world and also towards this generous man its friend and interpreter as if some sparkles had taken hold of my soul and it so imperiously sway'd me that I easily perswaded my self to scorn not only all other arts and methods of discipline which might be more profitable for me and the excellent Laws of which I was a Student but even my Country and Relations both those with whom I now dwelt and those also whom I left behind me I courted and was passionate of nothing but Philosophy and this divine man that profest it 1 Sam. 18.1 and the soul of Jonathan was bound up with the soul of David for this I afterward read in holy Writ but I a long time before felt the same influences as plainly as they were written and as truly as if foretold by an Oracle for Jonathan was not simply joyn'd to David but their nobler parts their souls were united which can no way be forced to a disunion by the separation of those things that appear and are seen of men for the soul is a free agent and cannot be compelled though you confine it to a prison for there the primary reason hath its residence where the mind is and if it seem to thee to be under restraint that is the product of thy fancy nor can it be prohibited to adjust it self a lodging where it pleases for there only it may be believed to be where its powers discover themselves by their productions So that what I have suffered is most plainly illustrated by these few words the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David which can by no violence be disunited against their intentions nor with their own consent without difficulty for the power to loose those bonds of this holy love was not conferred on the less eminent and good of these persons whose mind was various and mutable as neither could he alone begin the friendship but in the firm and unshaken good man by whom alone this bond of amity could be truly knit so that holy Writ tells us not that the soul of David was knit to the soul of Jonathan but on the contrary that the soul of the worse person swayed by this passion was united to the soul of David for that which is better being self-sufficient is not inclinable to a conjunction with what is worse but that which is worse wanting the assistance of that which is better ought to build its dependances thereon that the more excellent part preserving its station might suffer no detriment by its communion with the inferior part and that what was in it self disorderly by this conjunction might be overcome So that to make such a conquest was the employment of the brave soul while the duty of the meaner person was to submit to those pleasing chains so as not to be able to escape them Such Triumphs hath this David gotten over me and captivated me beyond the possibility of flying and could I wander hence yet the knot is indissoluble which according to the sacred Scripture hath so bound up our souls His first undertaking was to besiege me till he compell'd me to consent to my stay in this place and then apply'd himself to