terrour of all that are faulty But after having had this service from it he reserves it for the generall ruine of the world and to consume that proud building which was the Palace of sinfull man For when the number of the elect shall be accomplisht when the thrice happy ones who shall fill up the places left void by the Angels rebellion shall have finished their course and their labours and that Christs mysticall body shall have all the number which ought to compose it Divine Justice which cannot be satisfied but by the ruine of whatsoever hath been serviceable to sin wil command the fire to consume the world will drown all his works in a deluge of fire Then this Element mixing it selfe with the clouds wil kindle lightnings in all parts the air being set on fire by so many flames shall burn the whole earth which shall open her entrails to let loose those intestine flames which have devoured it for so many ages from the mixture and confusion of so many fires the generall burning of the world shall arise the mountains shall melt with heat and those great râ—ks where coldnesse seems to make it's residence shall be turned into Vesuviuses and Aetnaes the flames inanimated by Gods anger shall lay all Champians waste walls which resist the Thunder of the Cannon shall not be able to defend their Inhabitants from it's fury all the dead shall be made equall the guilty shall burn in one and the same fire and shall be reduced to the same ashes the Sun shall be darkned with smoak and did not the flames serve for torches the world should burn amidst darknesse all the rivers which bathe the earth shall be dried up in their Spring-heads The fire shall triumph over the waters in their channels and this victorious Element shall make it's Enemy which hath had so many advantages over it feele it's power The Ocean it selfe whose extents are so vaste shall see her waters converted into fire and the Whales burn in the midst of it's abysmes Forrests shall help to consume the little hils which bear them those proud mountains whose tops are always covered with snow to which the Sun in his greatest heats bears a respect shall vomit up flames together with their bowels and all those eminent places which command over the vallies shall see their pride buried in ashes all the guilty shall perish amidst this fire they shall finde hell upon earth and shall wish that the mountains might overwhelm them in their ruins to quench the fire which shall devour them The just shall be astonished to see the fire spare them to see the heavens work the same miracle for them as they did in days of yore for the three unjustly condemned Children and imitating the piety of those Innocents they shall sing Canticles of praises whil'st the wicked shall vomit forth blasphemies How horrible will the spectacle be to see the earth burn the sea consumed and whole Nature buried in a Sepulchre of fire this is the revenge which God will take of sin this is the satisfaction which his Justice will exact for our insolency and this is the last punishment which the creatures shall suffer for having been confederate with man The very Stars shall not be able to escape the rigour thereof that solid matter whereof they are composed shall be dissolved by heat and those beautifull parts of the world having the same destiny as gold and brasse have shall trickle down drop by drop upon the earth their having been serviceable to us in their light sufficeth to make them guilty their having received homage from us and accepted of our sacrifices is sufficient to make them receive this punishment God will not permit that that which hath been corrupted should rest unpunished and his holinesse joyned to his justice cannot tolerate that in Eternity which hath been prophaned in Time Jesus Christ himself was of this opinion he taught that this world did not belong unto him he imprinted in the Souls of his Disciples the horrour and contempt of this present Age and obliged them to wish for the Age to come of which he made himself be called the Father All the perfection of Christianity consists in these two points all vertues are composed of these two points and he is perfect amongst the faithfull who contemning Adams world doth incessantly thirst after Christ Jesus his world Though God be the Authour of them both he detests the former since it was prophaned by sin and since the devill hath submitted it to his Tyranny he hath given over the Sovereignty thereof unto his Enemies he suffers the Turk to possesse the best part thereof he permits his most faithfull servants to be persecuted he will not have us to receive more glory there than he doth and if we will follow his counsels and his instructions we must look upon it as a place of exile or as an Enemies Countrey I very well know he giveth Crowns to Sovereigns Lawrell to the victorious that he makes the Angels fight for Christians and that he arms the Elements for the defence of his Church but in fine his Kingdom is not of this world he will not govern in a world which he will destroy he pretends not to command in a State where his Enemy is worshipped and we must not love a world which he will punish because we have made it sinfull Let us expect that which he will give us let us long after that world which will arise out of the others ashes and let us not fix our fortunes in a Kingdom which shall perish when Jesus Christ shall revenge himselfe upon his Enemies 'T is true that it's ruine will be usefull to it and that it will reap advantage by it's losse for all Gods punishments are favours he puts obligations upon those that he punisheth his goodnesse turns their sufferings into salves and to be strucken by the hand of God brings both honour and advantage with it Death which destroys the body prepares it for the resurrection it changeth it's grave into a cradle and as the corruption of corn is the cause of it's re-assuming life we may say that the putrefaction of the body is in some sort the seed of it's mortality Purgatory which burns the soules of men doth purifie them the flames whereby they suffer prepares them for glory that which we esteem a punishment is a lovely penance and that which seems to retard their contentment serves only to advance their happinesse So shall the fire which shall burn the world contribute to it's perfection it shall perish only to become more perfect it 's beauty shall arise from it's being consumed by fire and this last deluge shall be of more honour and advantage to it then was the former the waters purified the world by drowning it this great havock was Natures baptisme and the same Element which did bereave her of her children did restore unto
body Nature which hath made him so vast hath made him so dull that he needs another fish to guide him he would fall foul upon the sands did not his faithfull Officer keep him aloofe from the shore and this inanimated Rock would bruise himself against the earth did not this guide advertise him of his danger to recompence his guide for so good an office he lends him his throat for a place of retreat and this living gulf serves for a Sanctuary to this faithfull guide The Dolphin is the Sovereign of the Sea he carries the Ensignes of his power in the noblest part of his body and Nature which hath given him dexterity to command hath placed a Crown upon his head to put a difference between him and his subjects he naturally loves man and as if he knew that he likewise were a Sovereign he helps him at the sea who commands upon earth he is delighted with musick though he be dumb he is not deafe and the love he bears to musick hath made him oft-times assist Musicians in shipwrack The earth is no lesse peopled then is the sea this fruitfull mother is never weary of bringing forth children nor of nourishing them all the parts thereof are fertill Desarts which produce Monsters produce food likewise to nourish them Forrests serve for retreats to wilde beasts the fields receive such as are necessary for mans entertainment and Towns afford shelter to such as we have reclaimed made tame either for our service or pastime every species is preserved by multiplying it selfe Nature repaires the havock made by death And notwithstanding the cruelty which men use towards those harmlesse beasts their number is not diminished Excesse in feasting cannot drain either the earth or sea these two Elements abound more in fruitfulnesse then we do in gluttonies and notwithstanding any debauches made yet at any time in any Countrey the fields were never depopulated Though man be the Sovereign of all the world he is much more absolute in the earth than either in the water or aire He rules over fishes and birds only by art and since they dwell in Elements which are not conformable to his nature he must use violence upon himself before he can fight against them He gets oâ— shipboard trusts himself to the perfidiousnesse of the sea to surprize fish He cannot come up to birds because of their swiftnesse his minde could never yet raise his earthly body to pursue them in the aire He sends bullets where he himself cannot go and putting division between these innocent creatures either by industry or deceit he makes the Gerfaulcon flie at the Heron. But he can do what he will with beasts he sets upon the fiercest of them in their Forts their dens nor thickets cannot defend them from his violence He reclaimes some to make use of them he strips others to clothe himselfe and cuts the throats of others to feed on This absolute power impedes not the beasts from having Sovereigns amongst themselves The Lion hath won this honour by his strength and courage all other beasts bear him respect at his roaring all his subjects tremble nor are Kings more re-doubted in their Kingdomes then is this noble Animall in Forrests Thus all things in the world are wisely ordered every Element acknowledgeth it's Sovereign every species hath it's laws and had not man disordered this great Republique all the parts thereof would yet enjoy peace and tranquility Yet they agree in what is requisite for the worlds preservation though their inclinations be contrary they keep fair quarter in their quarrels do not forgoe all sense of love when they exercise their hatred Fire agrees with water to compose all bodies and aire mingles it self with earth to give life and breath to all creatures Every Element useth force upon it's inclinations to agree with it's Enemy In birds the earth becomes light in beasts the aire waxeth heavy in fishes fire grows cold and water hardens in rocks if at any time they fall foul 't is always out of some good designe and divine providence by which they are governed gives them not freedom to wage war save for her glory and our advantage The obedience which they owe to God exceeds their own aversions and the Commandements which he gave them when he made them of nothing keeps them yet within their duties they do not make use of their advantages which one of them hath over the other and knowing very well that the worlds welfare depends on their agreements they appease their hatred to cause it 's quiet The fire invirons all the other Elements without consuming them it is content to burn such exhalations as come near it and to set such Comets on fire as do presage alteration in States or the death of Kings The aire doth inclose all sensible creatures the humidity thereof doth temper the fires heat and the earths drinesse Waters make no advantage of the scituation which Nature hath given it though it be liquid and raised above the earth it doth not passe his bounds the word of God gives it it's limits he who raised it up retains it and he teacheth us by this miracle that there needs no more to drown the world then to leave the sea at liberty The earth hath it's foundations laid upon the ayr this Element wherewith it is environed supports it The worlds Basis hath no other stay then the weight thereof that which ought to beat it down susteins it and it keeps equally distant from all the parts of heauen onely because it is the heaviest of all bodies But that which astonisheth all Philosophers and fils the wisest pates in the world with admiration is to see that the world which is but a point should be the center of the Universe and that all Creatures labour onely to adorn or to inrich it The heavens roul incessantly about this hillock of sand to beautifie the fields thereof The Sun inlightens it and cherisheth it with his beams this glorious constellation hath no other care then to make it fertill and if he be in perpetuall motion 't is that he may adorn it with flowers load it with fruits and enrich it with metals the Air forms no clouds nor rain save onely to water it And whole nature is busied in nothing but how she may oblige the least part of the Universe 'T is truth the earth doth thankfully acknowledge all these favours for as she owes all her productions to the Suns favourable aspect she in token of thankfullnesse thrusts all her fruits up towards him opens all her flowers when he riseth shuts them up when he sets and as if she were onely adorned to please him she hides all her beauties when he keeps far from her Though all these considerations make the worlds beauty sufficiently appear that it's creation is the most considerable part of it's excellency And he who knows not what means God used to produce it
consume the World corrupted by Sinne that he may make a new World THough Sinne hath wrought such havock in man as it hath brought darknesse into his understanding and malice into his will that it hath effaced out of his soul those inclinations which she had to vertue and that corrupting his nature it seems to have destroyed Gods goodliest workmanship yet do some glimmerings of light remain in the bottome of his soul which sin could never darken Idolatry which hath so long raigned in the world hath not been able to blot out the belief of the unity of God the Pagans have preserved this opinion amidst the worship of their Idols words have escaped from them which have given their actions the lie and when they followed the meer motions of Nature they spake the same language as christians do Though Poets made Hell to passe for a fable and that their pleasing fictions made a prison be despised whence Orpheus had escaped by musick and Pyrithous by force the people ceased not to apprehend eternall pains after death they had already cognizance of Devils under the name of revengfull furies they knew that the fire wherewith the sinfull were burnt could not be quenched that it was preserved without nourishment and as serviceable to the power of God it had operation upon the soul. Though the Devil to introduce licentiousnesse amongst men made them hope for impunity for their faults and that r Minos and Rhadamantus had not credit enough to terrifie Monarchs Nature more powerfull then fiction had imprinted in all men an apprehension of an universall Judgment there was no guilty person who did not fear it nor none miserable who did not hope it every one in the belief of this truth found either punishment for his fault or consolation in his misery when the oppressed innocents could not defend themselves against their Enemies they implored aid from that rigorous Judge which punisheth all sins and rewardeth all vertues In fine though the earths solidity might have made men confident though the water which doth inviron it might have freed them from the fear of a generall consuming by fire though so great a disaster had no certain proofs nor assured predictions yet they believed that the world should be consumed by fire that the seas should not be able to extinguish the flames thereof and that nature which had been cleansed by water should be purified by fire but they knew not the cause of this prodigie and the vanity wherewith they were blinded would not permit them to believe that this disorder should be the punishment of their sin yet the holy Scripture gives no other reason for it nor did it threaten us with the worlds ruine till it had acquainted us with the story of our misfortune As Adam had never lost his life had he never lost his innocency the world had never lost its adornment had it not lost it's purity As death is the punishment of sinfull man water and fire are the punishments of the corrupted world for though insensible creatures commit no sins and that guiltinesse presupposeth rationality yet do they contract some impurity by our offences the Sun is sullied by giving light unto the sinfull the light which shines as bright upon a dirty puddle as upon the cleerest river and which is not more undefiled in Chrystall then in mire is endamaged by our sins and ceaseth to be innocent when it gives light unto the guilty the air is infected by our blasphemies the earth cannot be the Theater of our vanity without sharing in our offences whatsoever is serviceable to our misdemeanors is polluted though the creatures are scandalized to see themselves inthral'd to our insolency yet do they incurre heavens displeasure and deserve punishment for having been imployed in our offences hence doth the sterility of the earth proceed hence was occasioned that deluge which did bury it in it's waters and from hence shall arise that universall fire which shall consume it in it's flames For Divine Justice seems to deal with sinners as humane Justice deals with the greatest offenders the latter is not contented to punish the guilty party in his own person but vents it's anger upon his Children and servants it believeth that whatsoever toucheth him is defiled that those who converse with him are either his Copartners or confederates and that to be allied to him is sufficient to share in his sin it mingleth the bloud of the children with that of the father it wraps up the innocent and the guilty in the same punishment and to make the fault appear more odious it punisheth whatsoever doth appertain unto the offender it spareth not even unsensible things it sets upon the dead after having punisht the living for it puls down the houses and demolisheth the castles of the enemy it makes rocks and Marble feel it's anger burns what it cannot throw down and as if the party offending did live in every thing that was his it thinks to kill him as oft as it beats down his buildings or cuts down his forrests it endevours to rob him of his reputation after it hath bereft him of his life and not to leave any token that may renew the memory of his person or of his crime Thus doth Divine Justice deal with sinfull man and Adam must confesse that heaven hath used this rigour in punishing his sin For after having past the sentence of death upon him it will have his grave to serve him for a funerall pile that time consume what the flames could not devour and that nothing remain of that body which was the prime piece of it's workmanship then either worms or dust it condemns all that come of him to the same punishment their whole guilt consists in their birth it is enough to make them guilty that Adam was their father God waits not till they have broken his Commandements to punish them he forestals the use of their reason and makes them miserable before their time to the end that they may be known to be guilty before they be born by an ingenious yet just rigour after having punisht this father in his children he punisheth him in his estate he makes his subjects revolt and because they are somtimes serviceable to him in their rebellion he bereaves them of their excellentest qualities and makes them together with their miserable Sovereign unfortunate he takes from the Sunne part of his light he takes the Government of Nature from the Stars he makes the earth barren and moveable he hides rocks in the sea and troubles the calm thereof by storms he formes maligne rain in the middle region of the air and corrupts the purity thereof to infect the whole earth he makes use of fire in Thunder and ordains it to punish offenders he inforceth this noble Element to descend contrary to it's inclination and fastning it to the matter which serves for nourishment to his anger he makes it the
as large as her liberty all the parts of man do naturally owe her obedience and even those which act out of necessity cease not to reverence her power She effaceth out of the memory those species which she hath been trusted with if you will except such Injuries and displeasures as are never to be forgotten the will to forget a thing is sufficient to think no more thereon She stops the understanding in all its operations after t is convinced by the Truth she suspends his judgment and by an absolute Authority keeps this Judge from pronouncing Judgment Though the imagination be not so indifferent and that her fickle humour makes her oft times start aside from her duty yet doth she allay her storms when her Sovereign speaks and if she have made any party in her heart she is the first that doth disâ—e them when the will commands The passions which are as rebellious as wild respect her authority and if their first motions be not submitted to her power t is because they are not capable of reason when their fury is over they return unto duty and wonne by love which is their Sovereigns only sonne they rank themselves under his Laws Though the sense do necessarily act and that they dispose of their objects in their operatâ—ons yet cease they not to pursue her order and to suspend their motions when that Queen commands the eyes close themselves to please her the â—ares become deafe to obey her nay those parts of the body which pretend to hold of her authority and to be led only by Nature do notwithstanding experience the greatnesse of her Power For though she cannot hinder naturall heat from digesting meat nor the Liver from sending bloud into veins yet she â—roubles all their workings and if Nature hold not Intelligence with her all her operations do but languish In fine the will is so considerable as man draws from thence his chief advantages a good wit may make his Company well liked of Imagination may make him a good Poet his hand may make him an industrious Artificer but t is only will that can make an honest man t is she that wins him the Title of vertues and Integrity which is the souls chief ornament is the pure work of this Noble Faculty Notwithstanding all this all Sciences busie themselves in ruling all the other powers of the soul not troubling themselves with the ruling of this Logick forms the understanding and teacheth us how to reason Rhetorike teacheth us the art of perswasion and furnisheth us with figures to set forth truth Astrologie contents our curiosity and raising us above the earth discovers unto us all that passeth in the Heavens Poetry heats our Imagination and burning it with a fire which doth not smoak makes it do things which triumph over death and time Mechaniek Arts make our hands cunning and teacheth them to imitate the rarest workmanships of Nature but the will is only formed by morality yet is she so free as nothing can inforce her Vertue hath not charmes enough to endue her with love and all the recompences which she can promise are not powerfull enough to bereave her of her Liberty Grace must come into the succour of Vertue Morality must be assisted by Religion to gain upon the will for since she is become criminall nothing can bend her she is the wâ—rse through her advantages her greatnesse makes her a slave her Power makes her insolent and her Liberty renders her a captive she is brought into a condition wherein whatsoever heightens her merit contributes to her misery and she is so ill dealt with by sin as she cannot recover her former perfect Liberty but by servitude but to the end you may not think I exaggerate her loss in the describing it I will shew her unto you in her greatest advantages and will demonstrate that since Adams sin all her perfections are prejudiciall to her As will is the Soveraign in man she respects the universall good and whilest the other faculties are only busied about their own particular Interests she takes care for the welfare of her whole State The understanding seeks only after truth and when he thinks he hath found it out he leaves further pursut Memory labours only after the reteyning of those species which are committed to her fidelity and when she hath acquitted her self thereof she thinks she hath done her duty The imaginations only care is to entertain commerce between the senses and the understanding the senses have no imployments but to consider objects and to give there opinion thereof to the imagination the passions themselves which are the motions of love have their exercises limited desire goes inquest after things which are absent or a far off Fear drives away dangers which threaten us hope flatters us by her promises Audacitie assails Enemies that injure us and choller furnisheth us with weapons to fight but the will is like a Queen in the midst of her State who rules all these disorders and remedies all that is faulty she listens to what the senses say calmes the fury of the imagination appeaseth the passions tumults gives ear to what the understanding counselleth and from the Throne where she sits gives out orders and pronounceth decrees When she is peremptory in what she says she is always obeyed her power as in God is Composed of her will and so long as she is not divided between her body and her understanding she seldom undertakes any thing which she brings not to effect The supream Authority is doubtlesse one of the wills chiefest Advantages and the generall care which she takes of the guidance of all the other Faculties of the soul is an excellent proof of her worthinesse but who sees not that this eminent greatnesse is accompanied with extream misery since she that can do all seeth nothing and that she who is so absolute is blinde for she discernes Truth only through borrowed eyes she must ask counsell of the understanding upon the advice of this faithles officer she must examine reports made by the senses stop the violence of passions and asswage the fury of the imaginations Objects corrupt the senses The passions suffer themselves to be guided by the imagination The understanding is perverted by opinion this blinde Queen amongst so many mutinous Subjects and so many interressed advices knows not what resolution to put on neither to what object to fasten her self imagine the miserable condition of a Prince who being blinde should have a great State to govern Provinces to rule Enemies to fight with Subjects to guide Treaties to conclude Rebels to punish and who to effect all this should have none but interessed Officers or ignorant Counsellors This is the deplorable condition of the will she hath a Dominion which though it be inclosed within man ceaseth not to be larger then the whole World she hath passions which are wilder then Tygers shee hath intestine seditions and wars abroad
to cure us without offending some of oursenses all her remedies are torments if she restore us to health we must undergoe pain ere we come by it she hurts us to cure us nor hath she yet found the receipt how to make her potions pleasing the sweetest things in her hands become either dead or bitter sugar and honey do distaste us when prepared by her and she is so unfortunate in all her designes as she weakens her remeâ—s when she thinks to make them appear pleasing Chyrurgerie which follows her as her handmaid out-bids her Mistresse for cruelty Tyrants are not so cruell as her officers she hath more instruments to afflict the sick withall than hang-men have to torment the guilty all her cures are effected by fire and iron she widens wounds to close them she cuts off some members to save the rest of the body she draws the stone out of the bladder with such torture as seems to equall that of the damned and she is either so cruell or so unfortunate as she cannot make men whole without making them Martyrs a life accompanied with so much pain cannot be very pleasing health so dearly bought cannot be much delightfull and a man must be stupid if he do not equally apprehend the malady and the cure We see nothing in the world which ought not to cause horrour in us The simples in our gardens call to minde our sicknesses the fairest of our flowers teach us that we either are sick or may be those drugs which we fetch from the furthest Indics are proofes of our infirmities our Ancestors world will not suffice to cure us we must seek for a new world to find new remedies in and if the desire of glory make the ambitious passe over unknown seas the desires of health make the sick discover forreign Countries Who will not confesse that man is sufficiently sinfull since there is no part of his body which is not threatned with sundry maladies and who will not confesse that he is very unfortunate since all his remedies are punishments and that he cannot buy his health but by the losse of pleasure 'T is true that if we more value Gods glory then our own interest we shall finde contentment in our pain for his justice is satisfied by our sicknesse his power appears in our infirmities and his mercies are seen in our recoveries He invents evills to punish the guilty he imployes our sicknesse to expiate our sins he makes as good use of a fever as of death to convert us he beats down the pride of Monarchs with punishments which taking their name from their weaknesse are called infirmities His power was admired in Egypt when he made use of little flies to overcome Pharaohs obstinacy men were astonished to see these small animalls set upon the souldiers of this great Prince that they wounded them deeply with weak weapons and that by their little Trunks more powerfull in the hand of God than those of Elephants they brought all that Monarches subjects to despair they were surprized when grashoppers made up a body of an Army in his State when they spread themselves overall his Provinces when they laid all his grounds waste eat up the eares of corn and left a fearfull so litarinesse which threatned the whole Kingdom with an universall Famine Men wondred when the frogs forsaking their marish grounds entred Towns and houses broke through the Corps du-Guards threw themselves into Pharaohs Palace and passing even to his private Closet whereunto he had withdrawn himself did in their croking voice upbraid unto him his pride and infidelity But this so mighty miracle comes short of that which Divine Justice shews in the sicknesses of the earthly Monarches grashoppers are not so dreadfull in his hands as are fevers and contagious diseases and if he appeared adorable when he revenged himself upon his enemies by flyes and frogs he is no lesse the same when he stings the nerves by the Gout When by a grain of sand he stops the uritaries or when by a vapour which assailes the brains he puts a period to the designes of the greatest Princes of the world Grashoppers are the works of his hands he imploys the beautifullest of all constellations to form them and he gives them meadows to walk in and disport themselves but sicknesses are the daughters of sin and mothers of death Being the spring of Rebellion they ought not render obedience to God and not being the workmanship of his Power they ought not to serve his justice yet he imployes them to punish the Rebels of his Kingdom he useth them as State Policies and not making use of fire or water he commands the Fever or the Goute to set upon Princes in their Pallaces to mow down their Subjects and to turn the most populous Towns into dreadfull desarts if these faithfull Officers doe sometime serve his Justice they are also sometimes serviceable to his mercy for sicknesses do losen us from the earth they bereave us of the use of pleasure and taking from us the power of doing ill they make us forgo the desire thereof they change the love we bear unto our body into a holy aversion they ruin sin whereof they are the effects and rendring obedience to Gods designs they cure the man by hurting the Malefactour The sixth Discourse That the bodies beauty is become perishable and criminall A Man must be blinde if he value not beauty her advantages are so visible as she is sure to have the better if her judges have eyes Beauty is the first perfection which is seen in any one and which steals away the heart of the beholders She doth so powerfull forestall the understanding as we cannot harbour an ill opinion of a handsome personage and since we are perswaded that the works of Nature are perfect we are apt to beleeve that she hath inclosed a fair Soul in a handsome body T is therefore that the Platonicks terme beauty the luster of Goodnesse and will have her to be the visible Image of an invisible perfection she hath such power over humane Judgement as good fortune cannot be expected where there is no handsomenesse Angels finde their contentment in beholding the beauty of God Devils think themselves onely unfortunate for having lost the hope of enjoying it and though it be the cause of their torments yet is the object of their desires This perfection ravisheth the will so readily as the sight of her is sufficient to make her be beloved she oft-times changeth hatred into love and to make her power appear she delights to make her Enemies her Lovers We have heard of a daughter that fell in love with him that murthered her Father the handsome comportment of this Prince blotted all hatred out of her heart and the beauty which appeared in his countenance forced her to love him whom by nature and reason she was bound to hate Barbarians bear respect unto her fair personageâ—
deteined in his body by art The least accidents do sever her from it a vapour doth suffocate her she is choaked with a little flegme and blood which is the seat of life is oft-time the cause of death whithersoever so miserable a creature doth convey himself she receives there new proofs of his weaknesse the change of climates troubles his health a new air incommodiates him cold water hurts his stomake the Sun which lights him scorcheth him and whatsoever is cause of good unto him is cause of Evil. In the State of innocencie grace linkt the Soul to the body death unseconded by sin could not break the chains the elements durst not assail him originall righteousnesse made them observe respect they appeased their differences lest they might trouble mans temper fire agreed with water to preserve his health there was as profound a peace in his person as in his state but since he forewent his duty grace abandoned his body to sin the elements had liberty given them to war one upon another man became the scene of their combates and after once he revolted from God he saw all creatures take up arms against him sorrow death set upon him he was sentenced to live in pain die in sorrow For the sweetest life bears it's punishment with it There is no rose which is not grafted upon a thousand thornes and how handsome soever the chains be which link the soule and body together they are both of them equally exposed to suffering The soule is more capable of sadnesse than of joy though she display her selfe to receive in pleasure yet doth she never taste it purely she weeps amidst her contentments she expresseth her joy by sighs and as if she were not accustomed to great happinesses she seems to suffer when she receives them Though she shut the doore upon sorrow yet suffers she her selfe to be easily siezed on by it though she resist it she cannot withstand it and as if nature had made her more sensible of misery than of happinesse a small displeasure is able to make her forget all her former contentments The body is not more fortunate than the soule for it hath not many parts which can tast delight but it hath not any one which is not capable of pain Pleasures do enter-shock and always leave some of our senses in languishment or need pains agree in their assailing us and though they should not come in a crowd one alone is sufficient to make it selfe be felt by all the parts of the body their straight union makes their mischiefes common and if the head suffer the tongue complains the eyes weep and the heart groanes Thus the happiest life is miserable and that moment passeth not wherein we are not inforced to bewail our innocency to condemn our sin Death comes in to the aid of pain and by an ingenious peece of cruelty agrees with life to augment our miserie For though they appear to be enemies they joyn in our punishment and joyn with Gods Justice to revenge God we live and die daily the change which makes us subsist is deaths taster this cruell one siezeth on us by degrees all the time we have lived is already gotten by him and the years which we hope to make use of are so many titles which he produceth against us As soon as we begin to live we begin to die Death shares with us in all the moments of our life it takes unto it selfe what is past because that is certain and leaves to us only what is to come because that is uncertain So as by a strange mis-fortune the increase of our life is the diminution thereof The farther we grow from our birth the nearer we grow to death our purchases are meer losses m and things are so disposed of since sin as we cannot count our years without either flattering our selves or lying T is perhaps for this reason that the Hebrew that holy language which the blessed shall make use of in heaven imployes but one and the same word to expresse both life and death with the difference of one only point to teach us that death and life are divided onely by that moment which unites them In effect life is nothing but a brittle chaine consisting of three links the past the present and the future the past is no more we retain but a weak remembrance of it all the vows we can make will not fetch it backe it is not void of doubt whether Gods absolute power which finds no resistance amongst his creatures can gather together the present with that which is past and unite these differences of times without destroying their essence The future time is not as yet hope which expects it cannot advance it and wisdom which hath an eye unto it cannot dissipate the obscurity thereof it is lesse at our disposall then the time that is past and for all the vain conjectures which we may flatter our selves withall we know not whether it shall come to us or we shall go to it the present time to say truth is in our power we are masters of it and it is the onely thing which we can say we possesse t is the onely part of our life which we are assured of and who promiseth himself more is either ignorant or impious But this present time is but a moment and this difference of time hath no parts time past time to come comprehend whole ages but the present consists but in an instant so as death and life differ only in a point these two which we judge so contrary are intertained by that moment which doth separate them Though I honour this imagination by reason of the gallantry therof and that respect which I bear to the Hebrew Tongue obliege me to reverence it yet me thinks it doth not sufficiently expresse the miseries of life whose alliance with death is neerer then is thereby represented death subsists only by life and life is only preserved by death they commence end together as soon as a man begins to live he begins to die nature which very well knows that two moments never subsist together Commands death to hurry away the one to leave to life the other that ensues As she doth with moments and houres so doth she with those years whereof the degrees of our life are composed She makes our infancie die to give life to our Boyish age she takes away a childe to substitute a man and robs us of our youth to make old age succeede Thus if we advance in life t is by the favour of death and we enjoy our last years by the losse of the former who will not praise death since it makes us live and who will not blame life since it makes us die who will not confesse that sin is very cruell since it accords these two enemies to our undoing and that for our punishment it hath turned a happy and immortall life into an
same countreys that which had divided them from others united them together and they imagined that 't was the will of heaven they should live under the same climate since it had given them the same language Men were not made the wiser by this memorable example there were some who joyning industry to vain glory endevoured to imitate the works of God and to make in this lower world an Epitome of the Universe This was a more refined pride and seemed more praise-worthy then the other since 't was more ingenious for Princes who built Tombs or Palaces had no hand in the work more then the bare desire the Architectours conceived the design the earth furnished the materials the people were at the expense and the handycrafts men contributed their labour thus was the glory divided and those bare away the most who certeinly deserved the least But when industry joyned with vain glory honour was no more divided he who laid the project employed no other hands then his own to effect the work Thus did ingenious Archimedes enclose whole Nature in a vessel of Chrystall he observed all the motions of the heavens in a brittle Globe and if he could not infuse influences into the stars which he there engraved he gave them at least light and beauty whosoever was in the midst of this in-animated Sphere saw the Sun arise above his head and the stars set underneath his feet this transparent globe did at one and the same time shew all the secrets of Nature and looking upwards or downwards one might there observe all the rarities of both the Hemispheres A certein Poet admiring the excellency of this work thought he could cause Jealousie in his Iupiter and in this belief made it be told him in his language that the hand of a man had equal'd Gods hand and that if it had as much strength as it had compendious adresse it might have formed a second Uuiverse But notwithstanding what the Poets say this Master-piece of workmanship did not survive it's author the same age saw the beginning and end thereof the ransacking of a Town put a period to this little world when Siracusa was taken by the Romanes Archimedes was there slain and his work destroyed Those proud Mausolaea which promised immortality to their builders are reduced to ashes as well as the bodies which they did inclose we do not know the places where their foundations were laid and of all the marble and porphiry which went to their composure nothing but smoak and dust remains of all the stately buildings which vanity hath produced none but the Pyramides of Egypt have triumphed over time Those mighty masses of stone remain yet intire the Theaters the Amphitheaters of Rome which were built so many ages after these miracles of Memphis are now nothing but ruines regarded for their Antiquity those proud portals and stately Theaters for which Romes greatnesse after she hath been so oft demolisht is still admited are onely receptacles for owles and nests for serpents And those Temples wherein heretofore so many Gods were lodged serve now onely to raise Romes wals But the Pyramides of Egypt stand yet firm upon their foundations Thunder bears respect unto them the injuries of time spares them and as if Nature knew that they were built by the labour of Gods people that they are the workmanship of their hands and that the Coement which fastens the stones together was steeped in their tears she preserves this work as a mark of their servitude and as an eternall monument of their glorious deliverance None of the other buildings could defend themselves against the elements if the sword have-spared them fire hath consumed them if water have not overthrown their foundations it hath undermined their tops and if rust have not spoyled them Time which consumes all things hath devoured them It is not fitting that the workmanship of men should be more lasting then that of God since Nature perisheth in any one of her parts that she preserves not her productions but by their losse there is no reason why edifices should be eternall since the world for being infected with sin was drowned by an universall deluge and shall be consumed by a generall fire 't is not fit that our Palaces which are but the inventions of pleasure or vanity should be of a bettercondition and man must learn by the ruine of his workmanships that guilty hands can make nothing which deserves not to be destroyed either by sword or fire The tenth Discourse That the greatest part of our pestimes are occasions of sin THough man had remained in the state of innocency he would have stood in need of some diversion or pastime his constitution which placeth him beneath that of Angels requires that his labours should be intermitted by some honest recreation and his mixture of soul and body doth not permit him to be always busied Nature which serves him for a rule endevâ—s some relaxation in her labours the earth rests in the winter season she sometimes sports her self for recreation and amongst her serious works doth some ridiculous ones which are her â—ions or extravagancies The sea is calm after a storm the winds wâ— with she was agitated leave her in quiet and those spirits which appear enemies to rest are lulled asleep in the bowels of the earth Though labour be naturall to man it needs relaxation his spirit is too weak to be always busied it is not of the nature of rivers or of the heavens which find their rest in motion as sleep repairs the bodies strength so doth recreation repair the like of the soul and change of exercise is to her a kind of recreation But in the state of innocency man found his delight in his duty he unwearied himself in considering Gods wonderfull works and natures beauties which had charms enough to recreate him had not power enough to seduce or corrupt him whilst he saw the stars he adored him who had given them their light and influences whilest he beheld the flowers he admired him who had made them so beautifull and delicate whilst he considered the earths fertility and the diversity of her productions hee bethought himselfe how so many miracles cost God onely the speaking of a word and how the nothing out of which they were produced did contribute nothing unto them but a blind obedience When he heard the comfort of birds or the noyse of the waters he rowsed up his soul to his Creator and 〈◊〉 he had understood the language of those creatures he sung his prayses who had made them speak In fine man was religious in all his recreations whilst he did divert himself he did actions of piety and Nature being mingled with Grace whilst he did unbend his cogitations he did some homage to his God But when sin had once corrupted his inclinations he served his recreation from his duty and took delight in nothing but offence All the remedies which
our senses and to content our minds The curious discover therein every day new beauties to satisfie themselves 't is a book which never wearies those that read it Every creature is a character which represents some one of it's Authors perfections and Infidels instructed in this school have framed unto themselves noble Ideas of the divine Essence In effect the spaciousnesse of the Heavens which serves for bounds to nature and which inclose all the works thereof in their extent do point out unto us Gods immensity who comprehends whatsoever he produceth and incloseth within his essence whatsoever he by his power doth draw from thence The earths solidity which serves for center to all the world and which grounded upon it's own weight cannot be shaken by storms nor winds is an Embleme of Gods stability who causeth all the alterations in the world without any change in himself and who by an unalterable act of his will rules all the adventures of our life The Suns light is a shadow of his and the prodigious activity of this glorious constellation which produceth metals in the bowels of the earth flowers and fruits in the fields clouds and meteors in the air and which by it's influences doth rule over all the productions of nature is the picture of that infinite power which shed abroad in all his creatures doth act with them and accommodate it self to their inclinations The incensed sea big with storms the waves whereof rise up unto the heavens and descend unto the depths her fury which threatens ships with wracking and the neighbouring fields with deluge is a fearfull draught of Gods anger who prepares torments for sinners and makes himself be dreaded by rebels who would not love his goodnesse In fine every creature is a looking-glasse wherein a man see the Lineaments of his Creator and where with but a grain of grace all rationall men may become faithfull So prodigious is the mightinesse of this work as 6000 years have not been sufficient to discover it avarice nor ambition have not been able to finde out the ends thereof there are yet whole Countries whether by reason of the extreamity of cold and the Seas vast extent no man ever yet came There are unknown desarts which mans curiosity hath not been able to penetrate and the Sun enlightens some part of the earth whereon no Conquerour ever yet set his foot Those who have gone round the world have not discovered it's profundity and though they be vainly perswaded that there is nothing so great which their understanding cannot comprehend yet are they bound to confesse that there be havens whereinto they never put and savage people whose language nor manners they understand not There is none but God alone who knows the greatnesse of his work every age discovers unto us our ignorance And though the earth be but a point yet doth it consist of so many parts as we may with reason doubt if what we know not thereof do not exceed for bulk and beauty it 's known parts That new world which our fore-fathers knew not is richer and of larger extent then ours It is so ravishing as it makes whole Nations quit their own Countries to conquer it the wealth thereof gives the law to all Europe the latter Kings of Spain have made more conquests with the gold thereof then all their Predâ—ssours have fought battels with the iron of their Mines Their overcoming of this part of the world hath made them overcome the rest their victories depend only upon it And did not the Indians dig up the entrails of Perve the Spaniards would not trouble the Peace of Europe 'T is true that these Provinces are so far distant from the Center of their State and the Sea which brings them the wealth thereof is so treacherous as they run hazard of being undone as oft as the Indian Fleet is in danger of shipwrack And Polititians are of opinion that so great a body the parts whereof are divided by so many seas can be of no long durance it only appertains to God to govern in a State the Provinces whereof though never so far distant are yet always united to their Sovereign and which though scituated in different Climates are still enlightened by the same Sun The beautifulnesse of this Kingdom is answerable to it's greatnesse nothing is therein to be seen which hurts the senses all the pieces whereof it is composed are pleasing their difference makes a part of it's beauty and the wit of man which is naturally criticall can finde nothing in this work to be found fault with Every part is so well placed as they are not to be altered without some disorder The Elements are lodged according to their deserts the earth as the heaviest makes the lowest story the fire as the lightest is nearest heaven the aire and water whose qualities have some resemblance are seated above the earth and beneath the fire The noblest of these Elements is the most barren it is so active as it will not permit any creatures to live in it The Salamander doth for a while resist it's heat and till his moisture which doth preserve him be dried up he delights in the fire but if he tarry long there his pleasure turns to pain and he there findes his death The aire whose purity comes nearest that of the fire is the abode of birds they cut this liquid Element with their wings they make new paths in those spacious Champians they therein breath with freedom and till man found out the art to kill them with his arrows they laughed at his Empire Their wings are oares which guide through this sea their taile is their rudder and when the storm is so great as they fear being born away by the fury thereof they take up stones in their feet and defend themselves against the Tempest Though they live at liberty they acknowledge a King which title the eagle hath won be it whether for that she flies highest or for that he can look fixedly on the Sun or for that he defends his subjects from birds of prey which appear to be the Tyrants of this part of the world The Sea abounds more in fishes then the aire doth in birds Their number is as prodigious as their shapes the species is there by miracle preserved and Naturalists who boast to know all things know not in what part of the fish her fecundity doth lie The Elements which give them their life being almost always in agitation war is there more frequent then peace and the abode of these Monsters is the picture of a State divided by Civill war Right consists there either in force or fraud the greater eat up the lesse and if the weak ones want nimblenesse to defend themselves they become a prey to the more puissant The Whale which doth for greatnesse equall mountains doth not govern in this Empire this great Colossus wants spirit to inanimate his
Ignores the rarest of all his wonders This great piece of workmanship had nothing but nothing for it's Materia all the different parts whereof it is composed had the same originall and this vacuum in-animated by the word of God brought forth the Heavens with their constellation the earth with all it's fields and the sea with all her rocks Nature which is so powerfull can do nothing of her self her works are rather alterations then productions she turns dew into flowers and rain into wine she multiplyeth all things without a miracle a few grains of corn in her hands prove a whole harvest and a few acorns sown in the earth do by her care become a Forrest but let her do what she can she cannot make any thing out of nothing and he who shall bereave her of the elements takes from her the means of exercising her power Art which boasts to imitate nature can produce nothing of gallant unlesse it have some subject to work upon a painter cannot finish a picture without colours nor can an Ingraver make the visage of an Heroe without brasse or porphiry The most skilfull Architects fall short if they be not assisted by Nature and their stateliest designs would be but uselesse Chimeraes did not the Forrest furnish them with Timber and the Quarries with marble to put them in execution But God makes all things out of nothing and when he operates as a Creator he draws all his works ex nihilo This is so admirable an effect of his power as prophane Philosophy cannot comprehend it And the learnedest of all her disciples chose rather to believe that the world was eternall then that it was made of nothing It is not hard to conceive how flames may arise from water and by what secret veins rivolets are drawn from out the barren bosomes of rocks Philosophy hath light enough to comprehend that all is in all things and that the variety of the parts of the world hinders not their communication But she cannot conceive without the help of faith that the whole world could proceed from nothing and that this nothing obeying the word of God hath produced flowers Constellations mountains and rocks There went but one moment to this great work and if we will believe the wisest of men heaven and earth were created in an instant there went six daies to their disposall and this comly order which we observe in the world was the work of a week but the matter was formed as soon as God had spoken the word and that which we call the creation of the world did last no longer then was requisite for the ordering of it Nature do's wonders which do surprize mens understandings her works deserve to be admired by Philosophers and she sometimes doth miracles which surpasse our belief but this wise work woman is slow in her productions she doth nothing without the aid of Time which is her Counsellor and Officer As she takes time to put on her resolutions so she never executes them without him she requires whole years to ripen fruits and stands in need of all the four seasons to bring them to maturity She requires a whole age to bring a forrest to it's perfection and Philosophers accuse her it being more speedy in her decay than in her increase she is precipitate when she leans towards her ruine there needs but a moment to overthrow her goodliest works but she is slow in forming even most common things and if she undertake to change mould into metall and to give it the Lustre of gold or the hardnesse of Iron she doth not finish this usefull Metamorphosis under many ages after she hath begun it But when God works of himself he doth not assubject himself to the laws of time the same moment which seeth the beginning of his work seeth the end thereof If this way of working were wonderfull it was no lesse easie for all this mighty work cost him but a word he made himself be understood by nihil and this nihil did obey him He spoke saith the Scripture and the ending his word was the beginning of the world this Commandement was followed by the effect thereof and far differing from that of earthly Princes who leave the execution of their commands to their subjects he accomplished all he had ordained We must yet further believe with divinity that this word was but mentall and that onely act of Gods will without other expression perfected all the beauty of the Universe and establisht the world where nothing was Contrary to the laws of Nature which suffers that soon to perish which she is not long in forming this admirable work indures numberlesse ages thousands of years are past since it's creation all kingdomes have changed their countenances and their governments a hundred times whatsoever of most glorious the hand of man hath erected is buried in ruines Cities which gave law to so many people are reduced to dust nothing remains of their greatnesse but a vain remembrance and their glory is so totally effaced as men dispute about the place wherein they were built But the world doth still subsist and seems not to draw neerer it's end for all it 's growing further off from it's beginning All it's principall parts are yet intire and though they be preserved by change yet are they always like themselves The Sun gives as much heat as at his birth Those so many Territories which he hath cherished have not diminished his heat and those who see him rise every day complain not that Time hath weakened his influences the sea nor earth have lost nothing of their former fruitfullnesse and what of Vertue the curse of God did leave in them is not weakened by the succession of so many years 't is true that if we compare the guilty world with the world when it was innocent we shall find a strange difference between them after having admired Gods power we shall be obliged to adore his Justice and confesse that rebellious man did not deserve a world which was onely made for man when obedient The second Discourse That all creatures have lost some of their perfections THere is not any one who doth not complain of the rigour which the creatures use towards man every one is sensible thereof and not any one seeks out the cause those who argue upon the works of nature wonder to find therein so much disorder and knowing that the Government thereof is subordinate to that of Divine Providence they cannot conceive why she should be so irregular some imagin that the world being cōposed of so differing parts can have no peace which is not interrupted by war that the quarrelling of the elements is necessary that their qualities cannot be so well tempered but that they must be always in opposition That the power of God cannot end their differences without destroying their inclinations and that a body which is composed of fire and water must of
find that in desarts which we want in cities and the bounds which they have prescribed to their desires renders them content in the midst of want the same tree may cloth and feed them the leaves thereof serve them for coverings and the fruit for nourishment Fortune can lay no hold upon their persons wheresoever they goe they carry all they have with them and Famine which doth depopulate whole towns cannot make the earth barren enough to infuse fear into them they are grown acquainted with hunger and cannot fear an enemy with whom they have so often fought Penitency hath lesse need of the creature then poverty hath she takes some pleasure in contemning them she rather loves to be persecuted then to be served by them and knowing that this world is but a banishment she despiseth whatsoever can retard her return into her deer country she incourageth penitents to fight against sin and sorrow to destroy the Father by his Daughters means and to procure Heaven by the losse of Earth Thus all the vertues teach us that all the creatures are corrupted that it is better to passe by them then to make use of them that it is safer to contemn them then to imploy them and that if Philosophy teach us the use of them Religion counselleth us their privation The seventh Discourse That Deluges and Earthquakes are the punishments of the World become corrupted WE must not wonder if Philosophers have argued so weakly upon the disorders of nature their not knowing the the true cause thereof being by reason of their ignorance of Adams sin they were of opinion that the evill was occasioned by the corruption of humours and raising themselves to no higher a consideration they took the punishment of our sin for a condition of Nature they thought that death was rather a law then a punishment and that the two parts whereof man is composed were severed when their chains were worn to peices through the long use of time or broken by the violence of sorrow they thought that the bodies rebellion was a necessary consequence of it's constitution and that the slave being of another nature then his Master it was not to be wondered at if he had other inclinations they were perswaded that the revolt of wild beasts was a meer effect of their fury and that man had no reason to complain thereof since he neither wanted Force to tame them nor Addresse to reclaime them Learning upon the same principle they thought that Earth-quakes and Deluges were onely accidents which found their causes in nature and which were as ordinary to the earth as heats and colds to those that are sick they thought that the wind or fire inclosed in the bowels of the Mother Earth caused the agitations thereof and that these two Elements endevouring their liberty did their utmost to break prison that those constellations which rule in chief over waters made the rivers swell and drawing the sea out of her bed covered the earth with her waves They prepared themselves for these accidents as for disorders which were inevitable and not troubling themselves with appeasing divine Justice which chastiseth men by these dreadfull punishments they remained opinionated in their Errours Ignorance would not suffer them to profit by these disorders and not knowing that they were Punishments they thought that Patience and Fortitude were the onely Remedies The common-people whose opinions were not so corrupted because they were lesse proud reverenced the heavens anger in her severe punishments and finding no means how to obviate so strange disasters they sought for safety in superstition and endevoured to appease the evill spirits with sacrifice but this new sin augmented the rage of heaven thinking to avoid it's Justice they provoked it's indignation and through a blind ignorance they incensed their Sovereign by fawning on their executioners Christians who are instructed in a better school confesse that these great disorders are the punishments of sin and that divine Justice made no use of them till we through our offences had despised his mercy indeed there was nothing but the hand of God alone which could overthrow his workmanship and loosen the earth from it's foundations to affrighten the guilty Were not the winds in-animated by his Justice they could not shake the center of the world the weight of this great frame would stop their fury and nature which loves to preserve her parts would not permit meer exhalations to commit such havock in her state she would open new passages to them to allay their violence and preventing these extraordinary convulsions she would either rend open her own bowels or else dissolve those vapours into rivers But God takes delight to agitate the world that he may intimidate men and that he may teach them by these Earth-quakes that the earth is not so much their abiding place as the place of their punishment Of all the animadversions which his Justice giveth them there is none more horrid or lesse evitable then this for what assurance can we hope for here below if the earth quake under our feet where can we think to escape danger if the most solid thing of all the world do shake and if that which susteins all things threaten us with sinking under our feet what Sanctuary shall we find to defend us from an evill which doth incompasse us round and whither can we withdraw if the gulfs which open themselves shut up our passages on all sides with what horrour are men struck when they hear the earth groan when her trembling succeeds her complaints when houses are loosened from their foundations when the roof falls upon their heads and the pavement sinks under their feet what hope is there to be had in so generall a disorder and what comfort can be given or received in so universall a disorder when fear cannot be fenced by flight Fortune is never so cruell but that she opens unto us some out let whereby to escape the evils which she sendeth us an enemy is beaten from the bulwark which he had possessed himself of earth-works are opposed to the thundering cannon winds which raise Tempests deliver us from them and after having a long time tost us too and fro they cast us upon the shore houses serve us for sanctuaries against the injuries of the air and shepheards cottages which are onely made of leaves and mosse save them from storms Firings which are so hideous follow not them that fly from them though fire be never so light it becomes slothfull when it betakes it self to a combustible matter and if man will resign his goods unto it he may secure his person Thunder hurts not those who hide themselves in caverns it 's boult doth onely grate upon the earth but doth not penetrate it it is stopt with the least resistance and some trees have the vertue to appease it's fury when the plague infects whole citties it may be shun'd by going into the countrey
change of air is a remedy for incurable evils and when Physicians cannot cure a stubborn sicknesse either by diet or letting blood they cure it by waters or by travelling There is no disaster so generall as doth assail the whole world at once Thunder frightens more then it hurts the plague whose mischiefs are so great may well dispeople towns but doth not throw down the houses though tempests do shatter ships yet some do escape their fury but the earth quake doth inclose whatsoever it overthroweth it openeth the earth wide as it swalloweth down whole towns it wageth not war with some few houses onely but with whole provinces it leaveth nothing behind it which can inform posterity of it's outrages more insolent then fire which spares rocks more cruell then the Conquerour who spares wals more greedy then the sea which vomiteth up shipwracks it swalloweth and devoureth whatsoever it overturneth Whatever stedfastnesse the places have wherein we live we cannot say they are exempt from this so dreadfull accident what hath befaln some parts of the earth may befall all the rest those which never were yet agitated are not unmoveable their condition is not better though they have been preserved from this disorder they ought to apprehend it because they have escaped it and those parts which have undergone it ought to fear it the lesse because nature hath consumed the forces thereof in shaking them Self-love doth abuse us if we perswade our selves that there are some parts of the world which are exempt from this mischief they are subject to the same laws nature cannot defend her workmanship against the justice of her Sovereign what happens not at one time may happen at another as in great towns one house fals after another so in the world doth earth-quakes succeed and France will one day suffer what Italie hath suffered the bravest parts of the world have not been able to secure themselves from it those which have been most populous and most abounding in fruit have been most subject thereunto and Asia whose beauty may make Europe jealous hath often been the Theater of famous Earth-quakes she lost twelve towns in one day Achaia and Macedonia have been sensible of this disorder and the most delightfull parts of Italie have seen their wals thrown down and their houses swallowed up amidst their greatest felicity Destiny seems to make the circuit of the world it sets upon those parts which it hath a long time spared and teacheth all sorts of people that no force can resist it's fury The Sea is subject to it's Empire and Marriners confesse that those storms are most dangerous which are occasioned by earth-quakes the Ocean is astonished when the element which serves it for it's basis will forego it it grows incensed and breaks it's bounds when the earth sinks under it's waters and goes to seck out another bed when that which nature hath given it appears willing to be it's Sepulchre In fine this misfortune is common to all kingdomes since man became criminall all parts of the earth are become moveable the parts thereof do dis-unite themselves since the division of the body from the soul and stedfastnesse must no longer be looked for in the world since innocency is banished thence by injustice This disorder is the punishment of our sin and reason together with faith doth sufficiently perswade us that the universe would never have been agitated with these furious accidents during the estate of originall righteousnesse Wherefore should Gods anger have armed the elements against his faithfull subjects wherefore should it have overthrown all his works to destroy innocent men why should it have overwhelm'd the inhabitants of the earth with the ruines thereof if they had not been sinfull why should it have buried those in the bowels of the earth who were not to die Let us then conclude that Earth-quakes are the effects of sinne and let us also make it appear that Deluges are also the just Rewards thereof We are bound by the holy Scripture to believe that that dreadfull disorder was not so much the effect of Nature as of Divine Justice that it was to punish mans insolency that the floâ—ds forsook their channels and that the world would never have been drowned had it not been infected with mans sin Nature could not have furnished waters enough to cover the mountains had not Gods anger imprinted in her a new fertility she could not have wrought so powerfully towards her own ruine unlesse he whose motions make her inclinations encourage her against her self all the Seas put together could not have covered the face of the whole world though their banks should have been broken down and that they should have been set at Liberty by the hand which holds them in they would not have had waves enough to have overflowed all the earth if those rains which made the waters swell came not from out the bosome of the clouds a Sovereign power formed the vapours which did produce them The same Justice which shall burn the world did drown it and let Philosophers say what they list that prodigious accident was not a meer effect of nature Nature is not powerfull enough to destroy what she hath not made that hand onely by which she is guided can disorder her those great disorders which draw along with them her generall ruine could have no other cause but the will of God Philosophy hath not been able to find out a cause for it she speaks of the deluge as of a fable and hath rather chosen to give all antiquity the lye then to betray her own ratiocination To say truth he that knows not sin cannot comprehend this disorder of nature to the belief thereof a presupposition is requisite that man is guilty that God is angry with him and that he will make use of his absolute power to punish him All other reason is too weak to prove so strange an accident though the world subsist by change and that the elements whereof it is composed are onely preserved by their opposing one another yet do not their combats tend to the ruine of nature the peace of the Universe is entertained by their divisions they sacrifice themselves for the publique good and violate their particular inclinations to prevent a generall disorder Fire descends to assist nature when she is set upon water mounts aloft to supply the place of vacuum which is the common enemy to all elements the earth opens her bowels and loosens her self from her foundations to suppresse the disorders which sin hath caused in the world but it is not to be comprehended how all the parts of the world should conspire natures ruine nor by what secret veins the sea could issue forth so much water as could drown her the sea even when incensed useth violence upon her self not to overflow the earth it remembers what order it received from God in the beginning it useth violence upon it self