And from hence it is that Love makes Weak things strong, and turneth Cowardice into Valour 1and Meekness into Anger, and Shame into ⟨p. 107⟩Boldness, and will not conceive any thing too hard to undertake. The fearful He•, which hath nothing but flight to defend her self from the Dog, or the Serpent, will venture with courage against the strongest creatures to defend her little chickens▪ Thus Zeal and Love of God2 made Moses forget his meekness; and his Anger was so strong▪ that it brake the Tables o• the Law, and made the people drink the Idol which they had made. And this is wi•lly expressed by Seneca, that Magnus dolour iratus amor est, a great3 grief is nothing else but Love displeased, and made angry. It transporteth Nature beyond its bounds or abilities, putteth such a force and vigour into it, as that it will adventure on any difficulties; as Mary Magdalen would in the strength4 of her Love undertake to carry away the dead body of Christ (as she conceived of him) not considering the weight of that, or her own weakness. It hath a constraining virtue in it, and makes a man do that which is beyond his power; as the Corinthians, when they were poor in estate, were yet rich in Liberality. It makes a man impatient to be unacquainted with the estate of an absent friend, whom we therefore suspect not sufficiently guarded from danger, because destitute of the help which our presence might afford him. In one word, it makes the wounds and stains of the thing loved to redound to the grief5 and trouble of him that loveth it. He that is not jealous for the credit, security, and honour of what he pretendeth affection to, loves nothing ⟨p. 108⟩but himself in those pretences.6
And from hence it is that Love makes Weake things strong, and turneth Cowardice into Valou• 1and Meekenesse into Anger, and Shame into ⟨p. 107⟩Boldnesse, and will not conceive any thing too hard to undertake. The fearefull He•, which hath nothing but flight to defend her selfe from the Dogge, or the Serpent, will venter with courage against the strongest creatures to defend her little chickens▪ Thus Zeale and Love of God2 made Moses forget his meekenesse; and his Anger was so strong▪ that it brake the Tables o• the Law, and made the people drink the Idol which they had made. And this is wi•lly expressed by Seneca, that Magnus dolor iratus amor est, a great3 griefe is nothing else but Love displeased, and made angrie. It transporteth Nature beyond its bounds or abilities, putteth such a force and vigour into it, as that it will adventure on any difficulties; as Mary Magdalen would in the strength4 of her Love undertake to carry away the dead body of Christ (as she conceived of him) not considering the weight of that, or her owne weakenesse. It hath a constraining vertue in it, and makes a man do that which is beyond his power; as the Corinthians, when they were poore in estate, were yet rich in Liberality. It makes a man impatient to be unacquainted with the estate of an absent friend, whom wee therefore suspect not sufficiently guarded from danger, because destitute of the helpe which our presence might afford him. In one word, it makes the wounds and staines of the thing loved to redound to the grief5 and trouble of him that loveth it. He that is not jealous for the credit, security, and honour of what hee pretendeth affection to, loves nothing ⟨p. 108⟩but himselfe in those pretenses.6
- 1[…].〈…〉.
- 2Nam. 12 11. Exod 3• 19.
- 3S•nec. in Here O•.
- 4Vid. Pluta•. […].Vid. Pluta•. 〈…〉.
- 5No• •atiar me […] sc•re de eo quem imem. Plan. Epist.No• •atiar me 〈…〉 sc•re de eo quem imem. Pl•n. Epist.
- 6[Greek or Hebrew] Eur•pid. Helen.〈non-Latin alphabet〉 Eur•pid. Helen.
