The Agonie
The Unmeasured Depths
The philosopher's knowledge of the world is shallow compared to the vast, unmeasured realities of sin and love.
Philosophers have measured mountains, fathomed the depths of the seas, states, and kings, gauged the heavens with a staff, and traced the springs. But there are two vast, spacious things it's more important to measure—yet few people ever sound them: sin and love.1
The Agony of Sin
Sin is a crushing vise that wrings pain from the Savior on the Mount of Olives.
Whoever wants to know sin, let him go to Mount Olivet; there he'll see a man so wrung with pain that all his hair, his skin, and his clothes are bloody.✦ Sin is that press and vise which forces pain to hunt its cruel food through every vein.2
The Sweetness of Love
Love is a divine liquor that becomes blood for Christ and wine for the believer.
Whoever doesn't know Love should try it and taste that juice which a spear set flowing again on the cross; then let him say if he ever tasted anything like it.3 Love is that liquor, sweet and most divine, which my God feels as blood—but I as wine.
Read the original English
PHilosophers have measur'd mountains, Fathom'd the depths of seas, of states, and kings, Walk'd with a staffe to heav'n, and traced fountains: But there are two vast, spacious things, The which to measure it doth more behove: Yet few there are that sound them; Sinne and Love.
Who would know Sinne, let him repair Unto mount Olivet; there shall he see A man so wrung with pains, that all his hair, His skinne, his garments bloudie be. Sinne is that presse and vice, which forceth pain To hunt his cruell food through ev'ry vein.
Who knows not Love, let him assay And taste that juice, which on the crosse a pike Did set again abroach; then let him say If ever he did taste the like. Love is that liquour sweet and most divine, Which my God feels as bloud; but I, as wine.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Luke.22.39-Luke.22.44 — And he went out and proceeded, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. Luke.22.40 — When he came to the place, he said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation." Luke.22.41 — And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, Luke.22.42 — Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; but not my will, but yours be done. Luke.22.43 — And an angel from heaven appeared to him, strengthening him. Luke.22.44 — And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.
Notes
- 1 ↩Early modern 'staff' can mean a measuring rod (Jacob's staff) used in astronomy; rendered as gauging the heavens with a staff to keep the inventory of scientific measurement rather than a literal climb toward heaven.
- 2 ↩Source 'presse and vice' pairs a winepress with a clamping vise (modern spelling of 'vice'); both are crushing instruments. Kept as mechanical metaphors rather than moral 'vice'.
- 3 ↩Source 'set again abroach' means reopening a cask so the liquid runs freely; rendered as 'set flowing again' to keep the Passion/wine-press image without archaic cask jargon.
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