Or misconceiving somewhat of this speech [Cerinthus read and mused; one added this: "If Christ, as thou affirmest, be of men Mere man, the first and best but nothing more,— For see; Himself conceived of life as love, Fill up, make one with His each soul He loved : Thus much for man's joy, all men's joy for Him. Well, He is gone, thou sayest, to fit reward. But by this time are many souls set free, Nay, should His coming be delayed awhile, Say, ten years longer (twelve years, some compute) See if, for every finger of thy hands, There be not found, that day the world shall end, Hundreds of souls, each holding by Christ's word That He will grow incorporate with all, With me as Pamphylax, with him as John, Groom for each bride! Can a mere man do this? Yet Christ saith, this He lived and died to do. Call Christ, then, the illimitable God, Or lost!" But 'twas Cerinthus that is lost.] CALIBAN UPON SETEBOS; OR, NATURAL THEOLOGY IN THE ISLAND. "THOU THOUGHTEST THAT I WAS ALTOGETHER SUCH AN ONE AS THYSELF." |