A86527:134
Heautonaparnumenos
Heautonaparnumenos: or A treatise of self-denial. Intended for the pulpit; but now committed to the press for the public benefit.Heautonaparnumenos: or A treatise of self-denyall. Intended for the pulpit; but now committed to the presse for the publike benefit.
London: printed by W. Wilson for Richard Royston, 1646
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
For the Performance of this Promise; that will be evident in the Act of Self-denial. Which that we may see, you must know, that Happiness is the Fruition of and Union with God Himself: That that Union must be by Love, the Uniting affection. Now, if there be nothing in the whole world beside God and the Creature: If these two make up every thing, then certainly he that Denies and forsakes the Creature, must needs love God or not love at all. That the Will should not love at all is impossible, for then it should not be a Will, seeing to Will and to Love are both one: Therefore Denying the Creature, 1it must needs love God, therefore be United to Him, therefore be Happy.
For the Performance of this Promise; that will bee evident in the Act of Selfe-denyall. Which that wee may see, you must know, that Happinesse is the Fruition of and Ʋnion with God Himselfe: That that Ʋnion must be by Love, the Ʋniting affection. Now, if there be nothing in the whole world beside God and the Creature: If these two make up every thing, then certainly he that Denyes and forsakes the Creature, must needs love God or not love at all. That the Will should not love at all is impossible, for then it should not be a Will, seeing to Will and to Love are both one: Therefore Denying the Creature, 1it must needs love God, therefore be Ʋnited to Him, therefore be Happy.
Again, God being our Summum bonum (as we all grant) the Perfect Good; he must needs attract proportionable, that is, Perfect Love. If He does not attract such love every where, as 'tis plain He does not, very few loving God in Sincerity, there seems to be no other Reason of it, but this, the defect of mens sight, that they see Him not to be such, that is, their Perfect Good. Now of this. Defect there can be no other Reason rendered but this, The interposition of the Creature betwixt us and God, and our beholding and loving of it more then Him. These are the Clouds that hinder us from beholding and admiring the Glory of the Sun of Righteousness; this that [Greek or Hebrew],