begin and end that work for Man She straight with love inflam'd like light'ning ran From Heav'n to th' Earth and back again and so Incessantly still posted to and fro And never ceas'd till she had through-perswaded All Pow'rs that ever Heav'n and Earth invaded Not only those whose names y'have heard enrold But all the rest that Heav'nly functions hold As that high vertue low Humilitie And never-daunted Magnanimitie All wrong-enduring humble Patience And Fortitude Pow'r of Omnipotence These as was said and all the rest that dwell In heav'nly Pallaces were pleased well To bring their force and joyn in unitie To purchase Man that same immunitie That Mercie crav'd Loe then they all did meet And prostrate fell at the Eternals feet Commending all they had to be employ'd To save the Man that Sin might be destroy'd Yea severe Wrath that late so strictly stood To punish Man now vow'd to be so good As after worthy satisfaction tane For Mans offence she would thence-forth refrain Old torment to inflict for new offence Whens'ere he came in humble penitence The like did Truth all Graces did the like And kissing each heart-joyning hands did strike But Mercie here was the most joyfull Sister When all of them thus promist to assist her She weighed not what task she under-went Since to save Man they all had giv'n consent When God th'All-ruling King of Heav'n did see How sweetly they did all in one agree He let them know that now He was contented Man should be sav'd since they in one consented And here behold sayes this great gratious King I le now declare how this same wondrous thing Of Mans Redemption shall be brought-to-pass VVhich doth both Mans and Angels pow'r surpass Ev'n I that by my word the World did frame That dwell in light and am Light of the same That all things made whom Nothing can annoy That nothing need and all things can destroy That pow'rfull Word that true Selfe-Light of mine That out of darkness did creating shine I say that Self-same Word I 'le send to take Mans Essence Pers'nally and so partake VVith Man of humane Nature that so He Of divine Nature may partake with Me. And for this purpose loe A Virgin-Mother Shall by my Sp'rit conceive and by no other And when the Time of fulness comes bring-forth That heav'nly-humane Seed of inf'nite worth In whose Person two Natures shall be knit The God-head bodily Man-hood in it So God and Man yea God-Man shall He be The second Person of our Trinitie In whom all Graces really shall dwell With all Mans Pow'rs to make Him Men excell Whose office is our sacred will t' obey And for Mans breach therof Mans debt to pay In whom with Man we will be fully pleas'd All rigour of our wrath b'ing quite appeas'd No other Person th' Earth nor Heav'ns contain That able is such favour to regain Yea none can be the sinless Saviour Of sinfull Flesh save One of inf'nite Pow'r All pow'r therfore I 'le powre into his hand That He not only ever may withstand All Satans base malicious temptations Or all Mans vain and carnall inclinations But also may full satisfaction make For all Mans Sin when Iustice it shall take Which penalty that He may under-goe Ev'n Mortall-like to shame-full death and woe His sacred Body shall be basely bound Though Sin and Ill shall nere with Him be found For since He stands in Malefactors stead Iustice may justly Him to torments lead And since again that Sinners stand in Him As He is Righteous so count we them This is our will yea this have we decreed Wherby from servile state Man shall be freed And for these ends that He perform them all All our own Pow'rs shall serve Him at his call This gratious promise made most firmly stood A law unchangeable approved good To Man and to his whole succeeding Race As they t' have faith therin obtained Grace And though to Israel t' was first made known Yet was the light therof to th' Gentils shown They holding Him their glorious Consolation These their comfortable Expectation And thus for many Ages both were fed With saving-health from this Seed promised For soon as God this saving-promise made It made them live that to beleeve 't assai'd And that as well before CHRISTS Incarnation As after his most glorious Exaltation THE BLESSED MAN Setting-forth MANS FELICITIE In that His REGENERATION Is Procured Verbera sputa crucem Verbum patitur Caro factum Vt vivat Coelis morte solutus Homo MANS FELICITIE PROCVRED The Argument To cursed Death then CHRIST Himselfe doth give That blest in Heav'n Man freed from Death may live THis Christ was He that was that promis'd Seed That long was long'd-for who though God in deed Yet that He might be also very Man And so an equall Mediator ran Sun-like through all the Signes of humane race Appearing first in blessed Virgo's face VVho all the World contains was now contain'd VVithin Her happy wombe who still remain'd A spotless Virgin and anon the Mother Of her first Father Saviour and Brother A Virgin-Mother of a Son a Father The World nere had shall nere again have either When He was born such joy was at his birth That Heav'n and Earth did eccho with the mirth Yong Iohn un-born old Simeon halfe in 's grave Poore Swains rich Sophies in Him comfort have Sing then for joy sing still sing doe not cease For now is born the Saviour King of peace He was the richest He was poorest born Right Heir of all of all the most forlorn The great Creatour He poore little Creature Not made as God made Man of fleshly feature Maker of all lawes all lawes fulfilling Th' Author of all life to die most willing The fair'st of Men of Men the most defil'd Aye-King of Bliss of woe the cursed Childe Inf'nite each way each way He greater grew All good no ill all humane frailties knew Admired of the wise contemn'd of fooles Confuted greatest Doctors in their Schooles None ever spake like Him He spake so well Nor wrought yet was He counted Prince of Hell Whose words whose works who Mary-like do ponder Have all their hearts ev'n fill'd with joy and wonder He rais'd the Dead gave health gave sight to blinde Conquer'd the Devils calm'd both Seas and Winde Was alwaies doing good or suff'ring ill That so all right'ousness He might fulfill All vertues flow'd from Him all graces shin'd Clearly in Him in Him all Pow'r's combin'd He was the fountain of all harmless mirth With smiling cheeks yet nere sent laughter forth But tears alas and heavy sighes and grones And stripes and blows and scoffs from wicked ones Were oft his fare and stead of dainty diet Hunger and thirst and weariness for quiet Such though He was yet was his usage such Some lov'd Him dear some hated Him as much Concerning Him the World stood all divided Few thought him God
Mercy or what Attributes soe're But Heav'n Earth shall know what Truth affirms Iehovahs Zeal for Iustice sake confirms VVhen mighty Angels did them-selves exalt Down from the Heav'ns to Hels infernall vault I threw them instantly how than Can this proud worm this trait'rous cative-Man That hath not pow'r weak motions to withstand How can He scape the force of my strong hand For 'fore that Heav'ns should grant Man a remission And not on some equivalent condition Or that the Earth should yeeld Him nutriment By annuall-successive increment The fruitfull plains with barrenness I 'le strike And make his dwelling places Sodom-like The showring clouds I 'le turn to banks of brass And th' Earth to iron that so fruitfull was The flintie Rocks to shivers I will tear And kernell-sands to mightie mountains rear The gladsome day and rest-affording night That by their intercourse had wont delight I 'le turn to timeless motions never changing Their constant changes of unconstant ranging Among th' Infernall Furies where the Man Shall be tormented while those Furies can To plague Him thus is rightly to reward Him From which nor heav'n nor earth shall ever guard him Yea all the forces they are able make As thunder lightning famine plague earth-quake And whatsoever else as grave and hell Angels and Devils all I will compell To become furious Agents in the cause So strict and pow'full are Iehovah's lawes Thus as Truth said Mans state you may bewail But to redeem 't you never shall prevail Peace here-upon for Mercy could not answer She was through Wraths peremptory censure So speechless grown and heartless like to fall But Peace stept-in affected like to all And with soft speech did sweetly moderate What these her Sisters could not arbitrate First she began with mildest exhortation To move them to take-heed of emulation For that quoth she doth often kindle hate The bane of Bliss and ruine of a State We Sisters are in one we must consent And not by strict exactions once dissent We know our parts wherfore let be our care Them to discharge as it comes to our share You Wrath Truth Iustice ye desire no more But as Man sinn'd so Man be plagu'd therefore Well fear it not but constantly expect The constant God will duly it effect And Sister Mercy you desire no less Than for Mans Sin that God give forgiveness Desire so still that by importunitie God may be mov'd to grant him immunitie Which yet beleeve it may not prejudice Th' inviolable right of strict Iustice Nor any of our worthy Sisters dear VVho equally to God are seated near And though nor you nor I Iustice nor Truth Can see the mean wherby our God renu'th The broke estate of miserable Man Yet certainly our Sister Wisdome can For what soe're our Sov'raign God decrees She th'equitie therof alwaies fore-sees Yea she deviseth things beyond all thought And then propoundeth how they may be wrought And happy they whose actions she directs For only them in favour Gods respects To her therfore have ye recourse for this And ye shall see she 'll not devise amiss Herewith was Mercy inwardly well pleas'd Truth Iustice Wrath were ev'ry one appeas'd To Wisdome then they all referr'd the cause When she making a long but decent pause For Wisdome's alwaies slow to speak enclin'd She doth so duly ponder all in minde When she this controverted cause had waigh'd She orderly the same before them laid The one side pleads quoth she that since Man-kind From Life to Death by Sin are all declin'd Then Death due wage to all our God must give Else can nor Wrath nor Truth nor Iustice live If all Man-kinde the other side replies Must suffer Death for their iniquities No pitie had of any in Gods sight Then Mercy Pitie Peace are banisht quite So prejudiciall then since th' issue is That Man or sav'd or damn'd all is amiss Iustice if sav'd but Mercy if He die That th' one of these perforce from Heav'n must fly And many other of our Heav'nly train Shall therby base indignity sustain My doom is this To salve and keep all eav'n That Man by Death to Life by Hell to Heav'n Shall take his course T'enabl'Him for which end Let all the punishments Iustice can send Be all made good yea Sin and Death and Hell And whatsoever most with Evill swell Let all of them be made good unto Man And then let Wrath inflict ev'n what she can So Mercie may for Mans Sin satisfie And Iustice punish Mans iniquitie Most rev'rend Truth exactly shall appear And austere Iustice strictly dominere Consuming Wrath shall sweetly be appeas'd And all-preserving Mercy shall be pleas'd Remorsefull Pitie shall be highly praised And death-deserving Man to new life raised Contentment thus we Sisters all may have And all of us accomplish what we crave So God in all and of all shall be knowne The God of Life Death Glory Praise Renown No sooner Wisdome had this case decided But Heav'n and Earth who stood by Sin divided VVere both of them with wonderment astonisht At th'equity of what she had admonisht All things with joy 'gan instantly be cheared As soon as hope of reconcilement ' peared Twixt God and Man Yet Reason made this Quaere How Sin how Death how Hell so dark so dreary How these could be made good since for Mans fall They are the pain to plague the Man withall To second this saith Truth there 's none so good That ever yet did spring from tainted blood VVho Man 's depraved Nature could controule By changing Ill to Good to save his soule To change Ill into Good t is to create A work of inf'nite Pow'r wherefore no state Of finite force can be so virtuall As to make Death to Life effectuall By Sin Man did an inf'nite Pow'r offend Which none but inf'nite Pow'r can amend Neither can God Mans Mediatour be For who offended was by sin but He 'T is God in Iustice that looks for amends Therfore not He which satisfaction sends Who then is it that makes this Evill Good Nor God nor Man by Reason they 'r withstood T is I quoth Goodness I as Wisdome bod Will heale Mans sores and make all eav'n that 's od I 'le make his Evill Good his Death the way Wherby eternall Life attain He may I 'le yeeld my selfe my uncorrupted Essence To purifie his Soule his Sp'rite his Sense Yea here behold I offer all I have I 'le with-hold nought that 's needfull Man to save Quoth Truth again kinde Sister you doe well You offer more than Angels tongues can tell Yet cannot your beneficence alone Vnright'ous Man with right'ous God attone 'T is more to reconcile Man to his Maker Than one can doe who ere be th'undertaker When Charity who all this while attended Did understand how Goodness was commended For her kinde offer and withall did hear No one of th' Heav'nly Pow'rs sufficient were Both to
acceptance and your selfe to the Grace in Christ Iesus I humbly take my leave and rest Your Worships truly devoted IOSEPH FLETCHER TO THE LEARNED AND IVDICIOVS READERS NOt that I desire such Readers only doe I prefix this Epistle but only to desire if any such shall vouchsafe to reade this poore Labor that they would also vouchsafe to make a favourable construction of what they reade and to take-notice that I doe not hold that all the ther-in mentioned Decrees Consultations Iudgements c. were just so in actu as they are therin set-down or as the tenour of the Story may seeme to import For I have learned another lesson which I desire those that have not to learne and beleeve with me For mine owne part I know and beleeve that all things whatsoever that either have bin are or shall be so far as they have reference unto God the Primus Motor originall Author and principall Actor of them of whom through whom and for whom they have and receive their being and motion all secondary causes being contained within the sphere of their first cause I beleeve I say that being thus considered in God they have neither pâ—ius nor posterius first nor last because God is Alpha and Omega both first and last the first of Causes the last of Ends that is all in all they being in Him semel simul as one individuall substance or continued motion He being in Him-selfe Ens cujus centrum est ubique cujus circumferentia nullibi so that nothing can be besides Him He being of Himselfe every way infinite Vpon this ground all Gods Purposes Motions Actions whether in respect of the Creature necessary or contingent as also the subject wheron Hee workes yea and likewise the instrumentall Causes whereby He workes are all present unto Him because He beholdeth all things uno eodem intuitu at one instant there being no difference to Him at all betwixt things past and present and to come these being meerly and onely the distinctions of time But GOD who is Light and dwelleth in light which was and which is and which is to come the same yesterday and to day and the same for ever needeth not the distinctions of Time for the resolution and execution of his Decrees and Actions All things then being in God God in Himselfe is to be considered as a most rich beautifull and glorious Treasurie of such transcendent superexcellent and incomprehensible Nature Majesty Order as that not any Creature in Heaven or Earth is able to conceive how any one thing in Him is either decreed promoted or acted simply truly and as it is indeed for Creatures are circumscribed in all their faculties and powers and cannot goe beyond their extent For us then positively to describe define or determine any thing of Gods Decrees Consultations and Actions I meane ad intus or of his order of doing them as that first He did that afterwards this and last of all thus it is Satanicall pride and arrogant presumption so insearchable is his Wisedome and his waies past finding out Yet again the same insearchable things of God being considered quoad nos and referred to their visible and apprehensible Causes Ends Objects and Effects so they admit of prius and posterius and may be said to bee first or second according to the setled order of Nature Time or Being And upon this ground we may look upon the Actions of God as issuing or proceeding from Him in a most perfect comely and beautifull order and succession whereby Hee manifesteth his owne glory and advanceth the good of his Creatures And yet this acceptation distinction or interpretation of Gods doings ariseth from our owne weak capacities and apprehensions and not from the things of God them-selves for as we conceive and understand them to be or have beene done so doe wee judge of them and no otherwise Now for that we are weake to conceive and understand aright the wonderfull things of God as indeed the least worke of his is wonderfull in it selfe and infinitely surpasseth our imagination God therefore in mercy affords us many helpes to further us therein per corporalia spiritualia docens per visibilia invisibilia demonstrans and so speaketh to us of his owne immense and incomprehensible Resolutions and Actions in phrases and tearms sutable and agreeable to our owne weake capacities Not for that we are to conceive it to be just so and so with the Lord concerning that thing of which Hee speaketh and no otherwise but for that otherwise than so or so as He speaketh wee cannot possibly conceive it to bee He stoopeth to our infirmitie and speaketh to us concerning Him-selfe in our own dialect and giveth us leave to speak of Him and his Actions as wee doe of our selves and our owne And because we alwaies contrive and frame to our selves a methodicall order of what we doe before it bee done and cannot attaine to the consummation of our ends but by some orderly proceedings as by intentions meditations consultations endevours executions and the like so likewise we measuring the great works of God by the same compass we doe our owne doe conceive them to be begun and effected by such like passages and progressions as our own are as by decrees consultations resolutions or some meanes or other to ripen and bring them to their productions And thus it is that wee dare take-upon us to speake of Gods great workes of wonder as not to name any other of these of Mans Creation and Redemption both which we conceive to be on this manner First touching Mans Creation we conceive that God moved with zeale of propagating his own glory did take in hand even out of Nothing to frame and create Man as a fit matter or subject where-on to stamp and set the likeness of his owne Image that so Hee might communicate his owne everlasting Goodness to a Creature so qualified and endowed Which Creature notwithstanding so formed and enabled is not nor cannot be equall to his Creator in the excellencie of Goodness or power of Perseverance though for qualitie He partake of his Creators Goodness and for form He be made in his Creators Image And for this we conceive a double reason the one from God the other from Man from God because He is notwithstanding this his work of Creation that is of bringing another thing besides Himselfe into Esse and so into open view yet we say He is still infinite and so no whit lessened or any way impayred either in quality of Essence or in ability of perpetuity For all excellency or goodness is fontally in Him and what excellency or goodness soever is in any Creature it is but guttula illius formositatis bonitatis suavitatis quae est in Creatore which being severed from God doth therâ—upon instantly perish turne to nothing And therfore Man no longer bears the perfect qualitie of his Creators Image than that Hee continues in Him good and
a joyous Wife Yet as the most accomplisht Pourtrature Is but the bare Idaea of some Creature Which can by no means actually express The vitall Faculties ther-of much less Can finite Man th'Infinite adaequate In pow'r though inf'nite Pow'rs He actuate Man is in deed of the World but a point Yet points He out the whole World ev'ry joynt His Soule Sun-like the measurer of how'rs Gives Life and Sense to all the Bodies Pow'rs VVhich being sphaer'd in'ts Bodies organon And that though center'd in this Horizon Can send its winged thoughts from East to West And yet it Selfe immov'ably to rest His Minde 's a Mappe with such varieties fraught As in the greater World at large are taught Or 't is a shoppe where Vertues works are fram'd Which sent abroad they just wise good are nam'd His Intellect a cleare Prospective glass Attracts to Minde what shall be is and was Or 't is an eye to pry into the cause Of Natures secret work of Reasons Lawes His Reason Queen of all his Faculties Enacteth Lawes and Rules and Liberties Or 't is the scrutinie of Veritie Dispelling clowds of Ambiguitie His Will commands free as an Emperess Subduable by neither wile nor prowess Or 't is a Castle of Resolution Wher-in are Engines of execution His Wit 's a living well-spring of Invention Affording unto Will all due Attention Or 't is a Hand to reach from Memorie The things for use that ther-in hidden lie His Heart 's the Temple of all Reverence VVher-in the Graces keep their Residence Or 't is the sacred Altar of Devotion VVhen Grace and Will consent upon the motion His Conscience is a little God in h's brest To tell him of his Deeds what 's curst what 's blest Or it is else the sentence being found A secret friend or foe to cheare or wound His close un-seen Affections appear Like sparks blown-up with sorrow joy love fear Or else like greedie flames devour and wast Their Nat'rall forces whiles their fewell last His Inward Senses outwardly are blinde Discerning only what the Outward finde Much like neat inward Rooms dark like the night Till that with outward beams they be made light His Common-Sense is Senses Common-Hall Where outward Senses forms assemble all For all the Outward Senses serve I wis Their abstract forms to retransmit to this His Fantasie's a Childish Lord like pleas'd VVith Good or Ill when once on either seiz'd Or like a brainless Tyrant raging still 'Gainst Reason Consc'ence Right to have his VVill. His Memorie 's the store-house of the Minde To lay-up close what th'Intellect doth finde Or 't is his Register for after-times VVhere He records Mens Glories or their Crimes His Out-ward Senses are the known Cinque-Ports VVher-to and whence all knowledge safe resorts Or they are else each in their proper kinde So many sev'rall Touch-stones of the Minde The Sense of Touch all o're the Body spreads His Medium and so his Object reads For subtill Nerves twixt skin and flesh doe grow VVhich from the Brain diffusedly doe flow The Sense of Sight hath cristall eyes to see All visibles that in th' Horizon be VVhich like a seale doe true expression make Of th' outward forms which they doe inward take The Hearing through the Organon of Eares Once strook with Ay'r all sounds distinctly heares VVhich Eccho-like into the Brain resownd The qualities of each received sownd The Taste all savours by the Tongue receives Through its moist porie superficies VVhose liquid touch on wholsome feeding things To th' Power Nutritive his foyson brings The Smelling-Sense doth all such sents assume As doe the Nostrils through the Ay'r perfume VVhose object it embraceth or rejects As Good or Ill the Organon reflects His Body though in show a slender stemme Yet is 't of reall things the richest gemme Or for the Soule a curious built Pallace Lodging her Pow'rs each in a royall place His Head 's the watch-towre of that goodly frame Keeping a Sentinell o're all the same Or of this Microcosme the highest Sphaere VVhence his Soules star-like faculties appear His Speech is princely Reasons Messenger Making the Tongue his Hearts Interpreter Or 't is a Caracter wher-by He 's knowne As well as by his Face of all his owne His Face of outward beauty is the mirrour Yet striketh Brutes with a Majestick terrour Or 't is the Ensigne of his inward brest Displaying love or hate ther-in to rest His Hands the scale and sword of Iustice hold To render weale or woe to yong and old Or for himselfe they 'r servants ready prest Alwaies at hand to doe their service best His Feet the Basis wher-on all are builded Doe make Him stand no further help b'ing yeelded Or they are stedie Porters to convey Him When that He stirs what way his Mind doth sway him It were too much to tell what Powers reigne In h's sinews veins lungs lights blood livour brain But last of all of all things the Heav'ns under All these in One make Man the greatest wonder All these in One must needs be wonder great'st For ev'ry one 's a wonder ev'n the least Is 't not a wonder Man should be create Of Nothing That from thence to such estate He should be rais'd as to become partaker Of all that 's good In th' Image of his Maker That finite should the Inf'nite actuate That He in one thought should capitulate Things past and present and to come That He Should of this Vniverse the Sov'raign be And rule all things with Majesty and might And yet a naked and a little Wight That He of this world but a Point should be Yet comprehend the worlds varietie The Earth the Sea the Regions of the Ay'r Heav'ns altitude their distances compare The secret vertues of Earth-hidden Mines The ope aspect of Stars crossing the Signes VVhere th' Artick and th' Antartick Pole is fixt VVhere Zenith Nadir and their Center 's mixt The revolutions of the restless Sphaeres Whose un-eav'n motiōs make ev'n daies moneths years The circled Confines of the wide VVorlds center The Reign of Kings both where when they enter That He beyond the VVorlds circumference Should in his thought transcend and fix his Sense On that which all Sense and all thought exceeds O this great wonder breeds great wonder breeds All these great wonders are Oh then who can VVonder enough all these should be in Man O Men O Angels admire ev'ry how'r Admire and praise the great Creatours Pow'r That powred into Man such inf'nite worth That worthily no tongue can it set-forth Let Men let Angels set-forth what they can They can set-forth no worthier thing than Man So great So good So absolutely free That independent save of God was He. Perfect in all to perfect-up this storie Had He stood still H 'ad still stood full of glorie THE CVRSED MAN Setting-forth MANS
its accord without Mans care or sweat Now yeelds Him nought or things that are worth nought Till by his pains to goodnes they be brought He 's therefore forc't with sorrow and with toile For his reliefe to digge and till the Soile Lest by Life-wasting hunger raw-bon'd Death Through want of Bread do bring him to want breath The Living-creatures also once all tame Now refractary and all wilde became All things b'ing harmless now all harmfull grew And still than old more harmfull is the new For Natures selfe and all that 's naturall Vnnat'rally prov'd all unnaturall Thus all for Him and He for his offence Became accurst loe here Sins recompence But this not all for ev'n in h's Person He Is made a prey to endless miserie While that He lives Life Nat'rall in the flesh Diseases or inveterate or fresh Doe daily vex his Body more or less And crosses eke his Soule with care oppress For God who in bestowing gifts takes pleasure Doth look for a proportionable measure Of strict and exquisite obedience As homage due in lieu of recompence In stead of which when He beholds that we Delight our selves in thankless jolitie And wilfull disobedience to his Lawes Then loe in furious anger down He throwes Vpon our heads the fire-brands of his wrath That He for our destruction treasur'd hath He makes the Creatures of all kindes to swell With raging zeal each other to excell In prodigall effusion of their ire By thunder tempests lightning water fire The cristall Heav'ns whose kinde benevolence Mans life maintain'd by wholsome influence Left all their proper offices to powre Deserv'd destruction in a flaming showre Of fire and brimstone on a reachless Rout Whose sins for vengeance lowd to Heav'n did shout Thus Hell from Heav'n God sent to punish Sin A Hell in deed to those whose lot was in The fruitfull show'rs and mollifying Rain Forsook likewise their fructifying vain And fell so fierce at Gods just indignation That by an universall Inundation All living things and whatsoever grew Where all destroy'd of all kindes save a few Observe we here the different respects Of what Gods love and what his wrath effects It is our wealth if God in Mercy rain But if in Wrath alas it is our bain The Earth also that sluggish Element Not able longer through sad discontent To bear rebellious Sinners weight did cleave Asunder in the midst and so bereave Them of them-selves their houses goods and all For down alive into the pit they fall Since wrong to God dead things did thus aright O let us fear Gods all revenging might Who can as well by any other thing On careless Sinners dreadfull judgements bring As here by these For how did He alas Strike dead a company as they did pass Neare to the towre of Silo which did fall With violence on them and slew them all Not that they were of some abomination More guilty or more lewd in conversation Than other men that scaped that mischance But that his glory God might so advance Full many have the secret judgements been And still are many fearfull to be seen That God inflicts on Man by Sea and Land To show the pow'r of Gods reveng'ing hand All which undoubtedly for Sin are wrought Though that not alwayes unto light be brought For Sin no sooner had the pow'r t' invade us But to Gods judgements straight it subject made us Sometimes by Dearth by bloody Wars sometimes Sometimes by Plagues God punisheth our crimes Sometimes by Shame by Griefe by slandr'ous lies Sometimes by Lions Bears by Frogs and Flies Sometimes by mighty troupes of Rats and Mice And schoals of Wormes and huge armies of Lice Which little vermine are the full'st of wrath And fierce revenge as the old Poet saith The basest ever is the most severe Once having got the pow'r to dominere All other Creatures likewise of all kindes Both quick and dead have shown revengefull mindes 'Gainst Man for Sin so that He 's in that case That surely safe He 's not in any place His wife besides which is his other selfe Doth often play the Chang'ling and the Elfe Not caring how she vex nor how she grieve Him Wher-as with comfort she should still relieve Him And yet here-in she does but as did He He to Himselfe was foe and so is she His Children also blossoms of his strength His present hope of future joy at-length Doe often prove unruly and doe vex Him VVith rude exploits which inwardly perplex Him For He in them Himselfe beholds aright How sleightly He respected God All-might Preferring more his longing Wifes desire Than love of Heav'n or fear of Hellish fire Right so his Sons they think themselves so wise That folly 't were to follow his advise And as for Neighbour-people round about Him It is a world to see how they doe flout Him If He be great a King a Duke a Lord They basely praise his indiscreetest word If He be born a man of low degree They keep Him down in base servilitie If rich they rob Him lest too well He fare If poor then hang Him such but vermine are If He doe well through envie they doe carp If ill it is their tabret and their harp Let Him be great or good or friend or foe He wants not them that will procure his woe VVhat e're He be He 's not without this cross He 's sensible of griefe or pain or loss Now loe the Man that whilom was so neat So glorious so God-like and so great Is now become most vile yea most abhorr'd Of those Creatures of whom He was the Lord. As He to God rebellious was first So they to Him ere since He was accurst O cursed Man ô miserable wight On whom all plagues of Hell Earth Heav'n are light Both what He hath without or Him within Are all ore-thrown through guilt of deadly Sin Look-on his person look-on his estate That 's totally deprav'd this desperate So that He must in grievous miserie First spend his daies then die eternally From Grace and Glory being once depos'd To shame and woe for ever He 's expos'd For'ts not in Him to work a remedie B'ing quite depriv'd of all abilitie THE BLESSED MAN Setting-forth MANS FELICITIE In that His REGENERATION Is consulted-of by the Heav'nly POWERS Ejus commiserens Sortis Divina Potestas Vt redeat Civis consulit Exul Homo MANS FELICITIE CONSVLTED-OF The Argument Whose wofull state the Heav'nly Powers pitie And doe consult to bring Him to their Citie LOe then th' All able God the God of Love To help this helpless Wight Himselfe did move VVhich caus'd immediately ev'n with th'intentiō 〈◊〉 and sweet but yet a sharp contention Amongst the Pow'rs of Gods own Hierarchie Some said it could some said it could not be Some wisht it might but knew not how it could Some knew it could and also that it should About this wretch
thus sundry parts were taken As some would have Him sav'd so some forsaken Pitie 'gan first with tender-hearted speech For grace the God of all Grace to beseech On Mans behalfe repeating all the story Of his Creation how that He for Glory Everlasting not for everlasting Shame and woe was made in the beginning Albeit then He fell from that estate Yet sith O God thou diddest Him create After the likeness of thy selfe to be A living Image of Eternitie O then let not the Power of Sin disgrace This some-time glorious Man But show thy face Of Mercy unto Him and to his Wife And to their Progenie O grant them life Life of Glory But first the life of Grace So shall not Sin nor Death nor Hell deface Nor blot-out of thy Book of Blessedness Their silly Soules now drown'd with cursedness O hear ô help the glory will be thine All hearts will praise thy Mercy so divine Pitie had thus her speech no sooner ended But Mercy mov'd with Pitie condescended And urg'd the same before th' Eternals throne That favour might for Pities sake be showne Which Iustice swolne with angry discontent Oppos'd forthwith saying reconcilement Twixt God and Man without due recompence Were wrong to God to Me'twere just offence And therefore Sister Mercy said Iustice Before you plead for Man take good advice Enquire of Truth to know how the case stands If pardon may be had and at whose hands For take this as an Oracle most true Where wrong 's not satisfi'd no favour 's due Doe you forbear than Mercy straight repli'd To speak of Oracles let them abide In Truths all-knowing brest them to declare For resolution when Suiters repaire Nor think not Iustice think not that I fear That this my suit before Truth should appear For I to Truth to any or to all For their consent will give consent to call Hear then ô Truth to thee we doe appeal Doe thou to us this mystery reveal And say if not in me the power lies To work Man into Grace in h's Makers eies Or if that Iustice in it have a share Resolve us this speak Truth and doe not spare But sparingly did Truth begin to speak Pretending she for such task was too weak When she indeed to meddle in 't was loath Because shew knew she could not please them both O this desire to please doth often hide The secret truth when Right and Wrong are try'd But she nathles because they both desir'd her Spake to the point that Heav'n and Earth admir'd her I doe confess said she great pitie 't was That 'gainst his Maker Man did so trespass As that thereby deprived of all Good And with all Evill He depraved stood But for that fact that He Gods vengeance bear Eternally certes no pitty t' were For better t' were that Men that Angels all Should aye be damn'd than Gods decree should fall But Gods decree will constant stand for ever And Sin and Death will alwaies goe together To plead Mans pardon then sweet Mercy Dear Till Iustice be aveng'd doe you forbear For God did say to Man in that same day Thou dost transgress thou dost thy selfe betray To Death and all th'extremities of Hell Which to endure in wrath I 'le thee compell But God did jest the Devill Man perswaded Who from obedience was soon disswaded In earnest then that vengeance God inflict Vpon the Man it stands with Iustice strict For his Decrees God never will dissolve But aye fulfils what once He did resolve Nor can Man for his fault make God amends Since by his fault his Powers all He spends Nor is 't in you kinde Sister to releeve Him From all or any one of h's pains which grieve Him For it directly makes both against Me And 'gainst our Sister Iustice-Equitie Wherefore dear Sister Iustice stoutly stand Maintain thy right in this cause now in hand See thou yeeld not without due satisfaction To free the Man guilty of so foule action Which if you should you God dishonoured And cruelly your Selfe abolished And Me you banish from Gods Heav'nly throne From whence the beams of Truth have ever shone And then forth-with will lies and errours vile Gods glorious Chair eternally defile The summe of all dear Sisters then is this That either Man for what He did amiss Must satisfie which He can never doe Or else must suffer pain of endless woe This is the state which now doth best beseem Him You Mercy may bemone but not redeem Him The case once thus by sacred Truth made plain Made tender-hearted Mercy to complain That she her selfe if she be thus restrain'd From pardoning was needlesly ordain'd For only Man said Mercie needs me most VVhom since I may not help my pow'r is lost VVhat loss therefore to Heaven can acrue If all the Heav'nly Powr's I bid adue Or if likewise those glorious Angels all VVho glory in 't that they them-selves may call The Messengers and Ministers of Mercy Be banished from their society VVith other Angels who from Heav'n dismist May from their due attendance then desist O Heav'ns In all the works of Gods Creation To his great glorie his great Mercie shone And over all in all He doth preserve Mercie doth never from his Goodness swerve And when likewise He ought doth sanctifie Mercie doth still that blessing beautifie And shall not Mercy Mans Redemption move VVhen to have-mercy Mercy most doth love Creation chiefly power doth require And Preservation wisdome doth desire Sanctification Holiness respects Yet Mercie on all these her beams reflects And shall no Mercy in that office shine Which so restrictively I challenge mine Namely to pardon to remit forgive Oh! this is that which makes Mercy to live Which if in Iustice Heav'ns will take-away Mercy must dye and Mankinde must decay Father of Sp'rits ô doe as well delight Of Mercie to be God as God of Right This Sin faln Man raise-up t'integrity Or rase Me out from Heav'ns society What though He sinn'd alas He was but Earth Though dead in Sin thy Grace can give new birth Thogh griev'd w th pains O thou canst ' ford him ease Though Hell gape for Him thou canst Hell appease Thou mad'st Him Thee to bless eternally But damned Soules curse everlastingly What glory will from Him to Thee arise When He in burning Hell blaspheming lies Restore Him gentle God! Restore Him then Thou shalt be prais'd of Angels and of Men. And Me thou crown'st with glory and renowne When over all Wher-at Wrath 'gan to frowne And ere that she could end her supplication Thus cut her off with this sharp replication Our Sister Truth did tell you truth of late In saving Man Iustice you ruinate But though for Man so earnestly you crave Yet 't is a Crown belike that you would have Which so you get you nought at all regard Though Truth and Iustice have no honour spar'd Who notwithstanding are to God as dear As
all joyes in One conjoin'd Which fulness join'd to Him Him nere accloies And yet such fulness alwaies He enjoyes His Senses all on perfect objects feed His Faculties aright their actions speed His Appetities are all acquieted His Parts his Pow'rs are all engloried His Bliss is this He 's endlesly emploi'd In blessing Him Destruction hath destroy'd And op'ned-wide Heav'ns narrow gate to those That in Christs Death their hope of life repose No other Heav'n no other Help He hath To scape the Hell of Gods eternall wrath But to beleeve and by his life disclose That for Him Christ did dye and for Him rose In which Beleefe He lives and living dies And dying lives his life t'immortalize And in this Faith He 's confident to plead When He at Gods Tribunall shall hear read The Bill of his Indictment for h's offence Not guiltie Lord thy dear Sons Innocence And his most perfect-perfect observation Of all thy Lawes his upright conversation His bitter-bitter Passion on the tree O these ô these have paid Sins debt for me T is true indeed my Sins thy Wrath provoked Most dreadfull Iudge and I with guilt stood yoked To feel the smart of horrid Death and Hell But such sweet gladsome newes thy Truth doth tell That in thy Son sith Wrath and Mercy kist Wrath hitting Him in Iustice I am mist. Which double Iustice may be equall rang'd 'Cause Sin for Grace and Grace for Sin we chang'd Thy Son my Lord was perfectly so pure As had not I on Him my Sins fixt sure And clad my selfe with his bright-shining Grace Not Him but Me Death had had pow'r t' embrace Then stead of me sith Wrath seaz'd on thy Son He ther-by Death I ther-by Life have won This is my rest I rest upon my Lord Lord let me live according to thy Word The Man in this strong confidence of his In Life in Death no whit deceived is For God on Him in Mercy doth bestow What he to him for his Christs sake doth owe. First Life of Grace with some false woes opprest Next Life of Glorie with all true joyes blest Which woes are truly called false for why They vanish straight like mists or cloudy Sky And then come-in to make od reck'nings eav'n Th' eternall true substantiall joyes of Heav'n In th' Interim whiles He is militant In honest labours He is conversant Vsing the things with sober moderation That God affords Him for his Preservation Abusing nothing ord'ring all aright As alwayes being in his Makers sight If God give much He thanks the Giver much Or if but little yet His Heart is such As He 's content for that his little serves To let Him know 't is more than He deserves 'Mongst whom He lives He lives with warie eyes That He nor envie Rich nor Poore despise And with his Equals He just equall waighes Nor up nor down for fear or favour swaies To all He 's friendly humble charitable Iust constant chearfull patient peaceable And waits all turns when with heart hands voice He may or work or rest sigh or rejoice As turns and returns turn Him many waies So still He turns his heart to pray or praise The great All-turning God who for Mans good Turn'd Death to Life hard Rocks into a flood Whose Greatness is so good Goodness so great As Mans most worthy praise when most complete Is all-unworthy the all-worthy fame To blazon-out of Gods most worthy Name Nathles to doe his best Man stands resolv'd But wishes daily that He were dissolv'd That so He might send-forth some perfect strains Of perfect glory 'mongst the glorious Trains That spend their nere-spent time in holy layes Chanting-aloud their Alleluiahs Till when 'mongst Saints on earth assembled thickly He cryes to Heav'n ô come Lord Iesus quickly Lord Iesus come the end of all I crave I crave the end of all my Soule to save To save my Soule Lord Iesus no time spend Spend though to 'gin that time time cannot end FINIS Triumphans Eus tumidus tenuis fulsi cecidi resilivi Dives inops ingens sorte dolore fide The Light and glory of the Lord is risen upon thee Isai. 60. 1. As Man aspiring penitent I stood I fell I ris ' Most rich most poore most eminent In state through woe to Bliss The Creation of Man by God who is a Spirit Omnipotent Mans perfection being made in the â—mage of God rarely understood The image of God in Man expounded The 3 persons of the Trinity resemblâ—d by 3 faculties in the soul. Minde Will A Power to doâ— As 3 Persons and but one God so divers faculties but one Soule As no priority of Persons in the Deity so neither of faculties in the Soule The image of Gods infinitie in man Memorie Vnderstanding ProvideÌ„ce Mans Soveraignty The excellency of the Souleâ— facultieâ— Minde Intellect Reason Will. Wit Heart ConscieÌ„ce Affections Inward Senses Common-Sense Fantasie Memory Outward Senses Touching Seeing Hearing Tasting Smelling Body Head Speech Face Hands Feet Man aspâ—ring â—verthrew Himselfe and his posteritie The entrance of Sin The guilt and reward of Sin The effects of Sin in his Person In his Soule In his Body Manifested in his actions The wages of Sin Death temporall eternall wher-upon Man fleeth feareth God findeth him examineth his fault and proceeds to censure Satan The Serpent The Woman The Man for whose sake God curseth the earth the living creatures and all other creatures Man punished in his person by the creatures coelestiall accidentally intentionally By his Wife By his Children By his Neighbours Mans miserable condition Mans Redemâ—tion pâ—opounded and discust by the Heavenly Powers moved by Pitie granted by Mercy resisted by Iustice. They appeale to Truth Truth resolveth against Mercy and sideth with iustice Wherupon Mercy complaineth expostulateth prayeth Wrath interrupts Mercy and joineth with Iustice and Truth exalteth Gods zeal and threatneth Mans punishmeÌ„t Peace mitigateth Wrath pacifieth Iustice and Truth cheareth and animateth Mercy and admonisneth to refer the cause to Wisdome They applaud it Wisdome undertaketh it openeth it decideth it and ascribeth to every one their due Her decision is applauded Reasons Quaere to which Goodness answers Truth replieth that Reason is not yet satisfied for one alone cannot make satisfaction Whereupon Charity inciteth all the divine Powers to joyn in one for the business They all meet and promise assistance God approveth their consent and declareth how Mans Redemption shall be wrought by his Word incarnate to fulfill righteousness and to suffer punishment for Man For which work He promiseth to enable the Messias This promise was found effectuall upon the revealing of it both to Iew and Gentile CHRIST conceived and born Being one Person He is joyntly described in his Divine and Humane Nature His works His intertainment What the woâ—ld thought of Him few well most ill How dearly He was affected of those â—ew How the great ones band against him The Multitude at first applaud him but after to humour their great ones deride Him They watch attache arraign condemâ— and kill Him The end of his death Their manner of killing Him The effects of his death His Resurrection Ascension and Glorification His comming to Iudgment Mans Naturall parts refined Mans corruption Sin abâ—lâ—sâ—ed by Baptism and the Lords Supper The miseries of this life sweetned His death is made the way to eternall life where He is rewarded with joyes privative positive Hiâ— emploiment in Heaven His plea at the bar of Gods Iudgement The issue of his plea.