we conceiue them to be such simple men so fondly mistaken at their owne homes being neighbours and bordering vpon these hot climates where a few daies sayling would discouer the truth a truth so manifest and palpable as that they could not pretend any grosse ignorance let vs doe them no wrong but so esteeme of them as we desire our poâ—â—â—ritie may regarde vs. What a shame and dishonour were it to vs if future ages shall condemne vs for fooles and lyars and that our testimonie should be reiected in such things as concerne our times whereof triall and experience might informe vs without further reason or discourse Rather let vs wonder at the prouidence of God when the world was yet in her infancie and youth no maruell if heate did abound the earth as yet was vnpeopled and therefore men in those dayes had roome enough to make choice of their habitation and dwelling but now the world grones vnder the multitude and number of people the heauens doe likewise decay in their wonted strength And therefore now at length new Ilands appeare in the Ocean which before neuer were extant other Ilands and Continents are daylie discouered which were concealed from antiquitie places formerlie knowne to be excessiue in heate are made habitable by the weakenesse and olde age of the heauens the colde Zones are tempered either thorough thicke misty ayre or the stipation of coldnesse God preparing their bodies and giuing them food and clothing accordinglie Thus God in the beginning of the world out of his owne foresight and goodnesse did fit and temper himselfe according to the times and occasions giue mee leaue to speake after the manner of men though otherwise I know the immutabilitie of Gods nature as long as there was vse of Paradise so long it continued in state and perfection being once forsaken and destitute then followed the dissolution If the Ancients were strangers abroade and might easilie mistake yet in their owne dwellings and habitations their sense for want of reason would serue to informe them certaine it is that there was a great burning in Phaetons time though grounded I confesse vpon a fabulous historie yet for the truth of it signes and tokens thereof did appeare for many subsequent ages and strange it is among the heathen what preuention of fire did hereby insue inuenting a kinde of slate which might resist the violence of fire and therein reseruing and laying vp the hidden treasure of their writings and records against such a generall combustion whereas in these daies we neuer found the heate of the sunne to be such we neuer sustained any such dammage but that the coldnesse and moysture of the winter could easilie recompence our losse nay rather we haue iust cause to complaine of the sunnes weakenesse and that he is defectiue in heate notwithstanding that in this time of his olde age God hath appoynted that the sunne should enter into the hot signes yet both sunne and signes are defectiue in their power and cannot ripen our fruites in that manner which formerly the sunne alone did in the waterie constellations What a strange difference appeares in our seasons more then in ancient times we can not promise vnto our selues the like certaintie neither in our seede time nor in our haruest nor in the whole course of the yeere which they did for a wonder it is to heare the relation of old men in this kinde how they all seeme to agree in one complainte which certainely betokens a truth If you tell me of our corrupt computation of the yeere my answere is that the change is so insensible not a day in an age as that it makes no sensible difference yet herein I cannot excuse our selues for if the world should continue many ages our Christmas would fall out in haruest whereas certaine it is that the day was first appoynted according to Christs birth and Christ was borne neere solstitium brumale when the dayes were the shortest and then began to increase as Iohn Baptist was borne at Midsommer when the dayes were at the longest and then began to shorten to be a figure as Saint Ambrose obserueth that Christ should increase as Iohn Baptist decreased but now in these times our dayes are increased a full houre in length before the Natiuitie If still thou proouest wilfull and wilt not beleeue the Ancients but talkest onely of thine owne experience and particular knowledge it were to bee wished that thou shouldest trie all conclusions in Physicke vpon thine owne bodie that so thou mightest see onely with thine owne eyes and take nothing by relation from others if thou iudgest of times past by thine owne little experience thou canst not truely iudge of the workes of nature which haue in themselues insensible changes and alterations thou canst not see thy selfe growing yet at length thou perceiuest thine owne growth Suppose there were little alteration in this world it would then argue the newnesse of this world that it was created but this morning for as yet the Heauens haue not once seene their owne reuolutions it would likewise argue the excellencie of the workeman as in the framing so in the continuance of his worke for if the heauens should alwaies want some repayring and mending we might well thinke that the state of the Church triumphant were not vnlike the state of the Church militant alwaies requiring and calling for dilapidations yet in reason you shall easilie discerne the vndoubted tokens of the worlds ruine Now that I am falne to the generall dissolution of this world which shall bee performed by the rage and violence of fire according to the receiued tradition of the Ancients whereunto Scripture agrees and according to the opinion of the best learned Philosophers who ascribe the greatest actiuitie to fire and were it not for the situation as being aboue the rest of the elements and for that naturall inclination which it hath in it selfe arising out of an inbred pride as knowing his excellencie aboue the rest that being once out of his owne proper place it will not thus be supprest but will ascend with the greatest swiftnesse and expedition carrying the forme of a pyramise for the more easie penetration assuredly all the rest of the elements together conspiring could not incounter the fire Now fire hath this propertie congregare homegenea segregare heterogenea and therein doth figure out the last and finall iudgement wherein a separation shall be made of the Goates from the Lambes of the corne from the chaffe of the iust from the reprobate I cannot nor dare not prescribe the day and houre of that iudgement rather with patience I will waite on Gods leisure with my assured hope will expect to see my Redeemer in his flesh and in my flesh so descending as he ascended for herein we haue the testimonie of Angels This Iesus which is taken vp from you into Heauen shall so come as you haue seene him goe into Heauen Acts
affected as well to the one as to the other then might wee claime according to the course and rule of iustice an equall ballance Suppose with the Maniches that there were two distinct principles one of good another of euill yet both of them should be alike bounded in power and should share alike in their actions for otherwise in time the one would deuoure and extinguish the other but considering that there is onely one fountaine from whence whole nature proceeds and that the fountaine onely of good without any mixture of euill certainly this malignitie of nature proceeds not from her first institution but from some after accidentall corruption Secondly if many snares were laid to intrap vs and many euils counterfait and disguised in the habite of goodnesse should assault vs it would then stand with the prouidence and perfection of nature that if shee could not vtterly abolish them yet to frustrate their attempts to decline from those euils and to make the creatures more warie and cautionate but it falles out farre otherwise cleane contrarie whereas being placed betweene generation and corruption shee should equally partake of both according to rule measure proportion obserue the disparitie there is but one way of production one manner of birth a framing and fashioning in the wombe but there are infinite by-waies which leade to destruction and ruine fire water sword famine diuers and seuerall mischances many moneths are required for the constitution of a body but in an instant it is suddenly dissolued Suppose that any part of man were rotted or consumed this part vnles incision be made will vndoubtedly corrupt the whole body but why should not the whole body being greater in quantity indued with that actiue and soueraigne quality of heate rather endeauour and striue to regaine this one corrupted member and to restore it to perfection One man infected with the plague is able to inflame the whole City why should not the whole City rather being perfect and sound recall this one infected member One beast tainted with the murren destroyes the whole flocke and all creatures finde it a rule in their actions that Facilius est destruere quà m componere it is easier to pull downe then to build it is easier to deface then to perfect See here nature discouers her selfe or at least seemes to complaine of her owne wants shee is corrupted she is corrupted and therefore no longer to be held as a louing mother or as an indifferent iudge but to be accounted as a partiall step-dame wholly tending and enclining to corruption Thirdly to descend more particularly to the seuerall parts of nature the heauens and the earth seeme to conspire the one against the other for the greatest part of the yeere these inferiour bodies seeme to be frozen and congealed with coldnesse in the Sunnes absence or else to be scorched and consumed with heate by his ill neighbourhood and nearer accesse the least part of the yeere is temperate as likewise the least part of the earth is temperate and habitable either in regard of the climate or in regard of the soyle barren heathes high mountaines stonieâ—ockes wast desarts and wildernes I speake not of the huge Ocean which with her armes seemes to imbrace the whole earth and farre to exceed it in quantity but I pra'y what might cause the vnseasonable weather excessiue drought in the spring excessiue moysture in haruest the spring alwaies annoyed with an East winde which nippes the tender â—ud and the Autumne alwaies molested with a 〈◊〉 Westerne winde which scattereth the 〈◊〉 before they are ripened it should seeme that in the beginning God did square and proportion the heauens for the earth vsing his rule leauell and compasse the earth as the center the heauens for the circumference the earth as an immoueable stocke still obserues the saâ—â— distance the same scituation and place Whence â—omes the diuersitie the stormes and the tempests the famine the pestilence and the like can Magistrates and Rulers conspire to ouerthrow the State can Princes commit a treasonable act or is there opposition and factions in heauen as well as in earth amongst those simple and pure bodies consisting of the same quinâ—essence and nature and therefore in reason should not admit contrariety in their actions The Starres in generall intend the earths fruitfulnesse each one in particular hath his seuerall office and dutie if vertue be added to vertue and their influence together concurre it should rather further and perfect the action certainly some ouer-ruling hand and prouidence stirres vp these vprores and thereby intimates the reciprocal opposition as of the earth to the heauens so of the heauens to the earth but the root of this dissention first bred and is still fastened in the earth from whence proceeds the first occasion of these tumults Fourthly I will leaue the heauens and come to these lower regions for we are fallen we are fallen from the heauens to the earth and heere I will take a suruey of nature What is it that preserues naturâ— in the same state wherein she consists the Philosopher will tell you Discors elementorum concordia is it possible that a well ordered and a well gouerned state should onely be vpheld and maintained with banding and factions this seemes to detract from the prouidence for it stands with the condition of creatures to bee finite and to receiue bounds and limitations as in their nature so in their actions and qualities neither can it stand with wisedome or iustice that creatures should thus trespasse vpon creatures and offend each other without any sufficient vmpire or indifferent iudge to take vp the controuersie Shall I tell you the reason Man who was principally ordained for Gods seruice as all other creatures for man man I say breaking his owne bounds being nexus naturae vinculum it must necessarily follow that all the rest of the creatures which were bound and knit together in man should likewise be inordinate ouerflow their owne banks if the Captaine and guide first breake the ranke no maruell if the souldiers fall to confusion But in the meane time how stands the Deity affected to this alteration and change Metit vbi non seminaâ—it hee had neither part nor portion in mans sinne yet like an excellent Alchemist hee drawes water out of the hard rocke he turnes this sinne to a further manifestation of his owne glory hee created not the elements thus rebellious but leauing them to themselues then began the insurrection Now God like a cunning States-man so fortifies each partie and faction and in a iust ballance weighes out their strength that being equally matched the combate is so doubtfull as it prolongs the battell and at length in a time best knowne to himselfe hee shall no longer interpose himselfe as an vmpire but vnbridle them and giue them free power to reuenge their owne wrongs and worke their owne wrath and then shall follow the dissolution of nature Thus
course of this life Gods iustice doth not sufficiently appeare and rather then this iustice should suffer the least eclipse or imputation I will shake the foundations of the earth and proclaime a new heauen and a new earth And in the mean time to finde out the infallible effects of this iustice I will rake vp the ashes and in the dead embers of mans putrified and corrupted carcase I will extract an inuisible and immortall soule which being the suruiuor shall be liable to the paiments of debts and according to the sins or deserts according to the measure and extent of Gods mercie or iustice shall be a subiect capable of punishment or glorie Hauing spoken of the seuerall parts of his constitution now at length wee haue agreed vpon man wee haue laid hold on him and apprehended the partie now let vs proceed in our plea put in our bils and our articles and take our exceptions against him My first obiection is this All other creatures subsist as long as their forme subsists for the matter and the forme are both twinnes concelued in the same instant vnder the same constellation and therefore should haue the like continuance of being and the like successe in their actions Only in man you shall obserue the difference his soule is immortall made of a most durable metâ—all and yet contained within the brittle vessell of his weak flesh as if she were no part of man but did inhabit in Tents and in Tabernacles in the wildernesse alwaies remouing and changing her dwelling hauing no certaine mansion house to containe her What things are coupled in nature should necessarily symbolize and bee tied together by some band which should equally partake of both Here is the flesh and the spirit vnited but where is that band which being neither flesh nor spirit should partake of both and couple both where is the league or the amitie Here are no intelligencers assigned to their celestiall orbs no Angels conuersing with Angels but the flesh with the spirit corruptible with incorruptible mortall with immortall liue together vnder one roofe they are the household seruants of one man and are linckt together in one person whereas the Philosopher saith Corruptibile § incorruptibile differunt plusquam genere Things corruptible and incorruptible they do not differ in number they doe not differ in kinde but they seeme to belong to a diuers and a different world the world of eternitie and the world of corruption and therefore in reason should not admit any fellowship or societie betweene themselues much lesse be the members of one and the same corporation Me thinkes I call to minde the practise of the tyrant who was wont to couple the liuing bodies of men to the dead carkasses of others impar coningium that being not able to quicken and reuiue each other they might together corrupt and consuâ—e Here is the like tyrannie for it is strange and wonderfull much against the ordinarie course of nature either how such seuerall and different parts should be linckt together to make vp one subiect visible corruptible earthly according to the flâ—sh inuisible incorruptible heauenly according to the spirit or being once knit together and a league of amitie consisting in a mutual sympathie betweene both concluded what should at length cause the dissolution That man should die when the better part of man is yet extant that for want of the more ignoble and base part the vse of the bodie the soule should not be able to exercise her faculties either of growth and nourishment or of sense and motion but like a comfortlesse widow should be strictly tied to her thirds only the intellectuall part being her owne proper dowrie hauing gotten no surplusage to her estate by vertue of her mariage When the husband is once dead then is the wife let at libertie from the law of her husband but the soule is excluded from any second mariage and cannot couple herselfe to another she is inforced to a widowhood and cannot obtaine the like fredome in her choice which formerly she had in the time of her virginitie All nature the whole world cannot affoord the like president and therefore acknowledge that it proceedes from the corruption of man as a proper and peculiar punishment to man You will say that this property makes the difference of his nature as differing from all other creatures from the Angels in regard of his flesh from the beasts in regard of his spirit and therefore no marueile if this be proper and peculiar to himselfe as being the speciall difference of man and not any punishment of sinne This obiection proceedes from an error for the difference of man consists in the reasonable soule and not in the mortalitie or immortalitie of parts so I will proceede to a seconde argument If it seemes some kinde of disparagement that the immortall soule should bee contracted in mariage to the mortall flesh for mariage should alwaiâ—â— suppose an equalitie then me thinks nature should make some recompence in the noblenesse of mans birth Behold then I will describe the solemnitie of these nuptials after her first approch and infusion for many moneths the soule is kept prisoner in the wombe a place noysome for sent vncleane for situation a dungeon for darknesse As man himselfe is conceiued in sinne so is the soule concealed in shame the eyes will not dare to behold chaste eares would bee offended to heare let not any tongue presume to speake the vncleannesse of mans birth see how he crouches with his head on his knees like a tumbler wallowing in his owne excrements feeding vpon the impurest blood breathing thorough the most vncleane passages in so much that Christ who came to be spit vpon to bee whipt to bee troden to bee crucified onely for mans sake yet would neuer endure the basenesse of his conception I speake not of the foulnesse of mans sinne and concupiseence but of his naturall vncleannesse being the vndoubted token and signe of his sinfull condition I will no longer defile my speech with this subiect let the Anatomist speake for himselfe in his owne art En qui superbis homuncio terra cinis inter excrementa natus inter intestinum rectum vesicam Now when all things are fully accomplished ad vmbilicum vsque perductus I had thought that there should haue been some more conuenient dwelling and fitter for the entertainment of the reasonable soule for as the sensatiue hath more noble faculties then the vegetatiue so hath it more parts and more offices assigned for her seruice then why should not some difference and some addition bee made betweene reason and sense Man consists of a liuer for his nourishment of an heart for his vitall spirits of a braine for his sense this is all and all the beasts of the field haue as much But you wil answere me that man hath in this time of corruptioÌ„ as many parts as euer the first man is supposed to
weighty burthen of clouds at length we come to the fire which being kindled and preserâ—ed by the swift and continuall motion of the heauens as it drawes nearer and nearer the poles so is it more and more lessened and giues place to the middle region of the ayre which is therfore â—â—iled from the burning and scalding zoanes wheâ—â— instead of shewers they haue their morning 〈◊〉 and the sweet springs to bewater their drie and scorehed soyle For the truth and certainty of this deluge see how God did dispose in his prouidence that the Arke should rest vpon the mountaines of Ararat amongst which as I finde it reported there are the highest mountaines in the world and the most in number which was an vndoubted argument that this floud did ouerwhelme the whole earth and likewise these mountaines were furthest distant from the sea shoare that so it might appeare to after ages and succeeding generations finding the reninant of this Arke that the labour and industry of man neither would nor could transport the Arke thither but vpon sight thereof they might acknowledge and remember the great in-undation of waters for thus Nicholaus Damascenus an heathen man writeth that in a generall deluge one was carried in an Arke and rested vpon the top of these mountains whereon there continued a long time after certaine peeces and fragments of the Arke and this might bee the same which Moses the Law-giuer of the Iewes doth mention Many signes and tokens doe likewise appeare in nature which as they are the reliques so they serue as most vndoubted arguments and proofes of the deluge at this day there are found both in other nations and as I am informed in the I le of Man certaine trees which serue both for timber and fuell in such plenty and quantity so many fadomes vnder the earth as that by al probable coniecture they were there buried and couered in the time of the deluge God foreseeing the wastfulnes which man would commit in the spoyle of his woods like a prouident master of a family layes vp his store makes his prouision and keepes his wood-yard safe lockt and conceald vntill a time of necessity somtimes likewise in the bottomes of seas and waters where assuredly according to the coast and situation of the country there hath bin alwayes a fluxe of waters supposing the world in the state wherin now the world stands yet therin there hath bin discouered foundations of buildings which assuredly were ouerthrown in the generall deluge vpon the face of the earth I haue obserued rockes and stones seeming to hang in the ayre without any circumiacent earth whereas I did conceaue in reason that these hauing no certaine growth but only per iuxta positionem agglutinationem as the schooles speake the bosome of the earth was the fit wombe to ingender them and standing thus they did daily decay and decline and therfore certainly were not thus from the first creation but the conflux of waters hath vncouered them of earth hath left them there naked and bare to be the immoueable markes of the great deluge When I consider the barrennesse of the earth for many leagues together I cannot conceaue that it should be thus from the beginning being Gods owne immediat workmanship but that the salt waters haue caused this barrennesse and when I consider the strange different mould of one and the same earth as I haue often obserued sand vpon clay clay vpon grauel grauel vpon chalke chalke vpon sand c. Assuredly this diuersity neuer was in the first creation neither hath it since been effected by any influence or operation of stars but some general ouerflowing of waters hath caused this variety of mould and complection obserue how the goodnes or barrennesse of grounds followes certaine veines of the earth not according to the coasts of the heauens from East to West from South to North least you might ascribe it to the motion of the stars but commonly by a wreathed and crooked forme that you might rather ascribe it to the current streames of the waters but let vs dig vp the barren soyles and sometimes we shall finde out marle-pits which do vndoubtedly assure vs that God hauing first created the earth gaue it a fatnes in the vpper crust thereof but in the great in-undation of waters being spread and couered ouer with sand it is now baked and growne to a kinde of ripenes and melownes so that man vsing his labour and industrie God hath now ordained it to bee the compost of the earth to supply the barennesse of nature in this last and old age of the world let vs yet dig deeper and happily we may come to some cole-pits which consist of the oylie vnctuous substance of the earth which is laid and buried so deepe by the ouerflowing of waters in the time of the deluge as not being able to supply â—ap for the root of trees whereunto it was first ordained by nature it gathers it selfe to it selfe and hauing a long time of concoction without any great annoyance of waterie sappe God hath ordained it as a fit subiect for fuell which in these last dayes our wood fayling especially in these colde Northerne countries God hath very plentifully discouered and that which giues credit to this truth I haue obserued this in the cole-pits that where there hath been a moderate fall and descent of water there the cole hath been much weightier brighter and better as for mettals there is not the like reason in them for assuredly they follow the course of the heauens as they are framed by a speciall influence of Starres wherein appeares the goodnesse of God that in so painefull and such a dangerous worke poore man might obserue a greater certaintie in his labours I suppose likewise that the vn-euennes of the earth the hils and the vales were much caused by this generall deluge for ye shall obserue that the highest mountaines vpon earth carrie some proportion to the lowest bottome at Sea for as the greatest height is supposed to be sixe and twentie or seuen and twentie miles vpright so is the greatest deapth that God might obserue some kinde of proportion in the inequalitie seeing that both earth and water should make one perfect globe thus the fish of the Sea resemble in feature and â—orme the beasts of the field that so thou mightest acknowledge the same prouidence of God in both for certaine it is that all the terrible tokens and signes of Gods anger and wrath did accompanie the deluge and as the waters did swell aboue measure so the billowes and waues of the Sea did arise in a wonderfull and fearefull manner and these surely might well cause a great inequalitie in the earth and therefore you shall obserue that the hilles stand not alone but are contiguous and adioyning together as it were shelues raised vp with the waues and carried with the streame that it might
times for their meeting These things duly considered you shall find their expense was very excessiue Now take these with their prices and first for those things which were brought ouer into this kingdome Henry Bowet Archbishop of Yorke in the time of Henry the 5 spent in his house yeerely of Claret wine onely foure score tunnes this might seeme incredible were it not that it appeares by such euidence as cannot bee denied Now let vs examine the price of this wine I finde among the slatutes of Edw. the 2. which was long before that time that Vintners were appointed to sell their wine at twelue pence the gallon and not aboue we cannot reade nor cannot conceiue that since that time wine should fall in the price being none of our owne commodities so then supposing wine at twelue pence the gallon and considering that 26 pence then waied an ounce whereas now 60 pence goe to the ounce he then spent only in Claret wine if I doe not mistake in my reckonings 9304. ounces 8 13 which did theÌ„ amount to 1008 pouÌ„ds which foresaid number of ounces would now amount to 2326 pounds three shillings one penny at this time supposing wine to be at two shillings the gallon as now it is sold you may buy as much for 8064 ounces which would be worth 2016 pounds of our currant money so that you shall saue 1240. ounces 8 13 which heretofore the same wine would haue cost which number of ounces being reduced into pounds it will amount to 310 pounds three shillings one penny so that it appeares that wine is now sold cheaper by a seuenth part then heretofore it hath been which makes much to shew the plentie of their coyne To speake of our owne countrie prouision assuredly the prices of things doe not hold proportion and correspondencie to the weight and valuation of coynes as may appeare by that most excellent statute of rent-corne made in the behalfe of our Vniuersities which hath proued so beneficiall to Colledges And if you please to consider the almes-deedes and charitable beneuolence of former times as well in their money as in their victuals you may truly affirme that as they farre exceeded vs in the one so they came not much short in the other It shall appeare by this one instance Richard de Burie sometimes Bishop of Durrham in the yeere 1333 bestowed weekly for the reliefe of the poore eight quarters of wheate made into bread besides the fragmeÌ„ts of his house the offals of his slaughter-house and yeerely much clothing In his iourney betweene New Castle and Durrham he gaue alwaies by his own appointed order eight pounds in almes from Durrham to Stocton fiue pounds from Durrham to Aukland fiue marks from Durrham to Middleham fiue pounds They that succeeded these old Bishops in their wealth and abundance I hope will excuse our new and now Bishops if they be not so plentifull in their almes when as indeed they seeme to succede them only in the Cure the Pastorall charge and imposition of hands To conclude these excessiue prices of things do well argue a great scarcitie that the whole world is turned bankrupt though we to saue our owne credit can make the best shew for our honor reputations sake we can name huge summes of money but wee borrow vpon such base tearmes wee set our lands vpon such a racktrent that if the tenant payes one yeere he runnes away the next and therefore I am perswaded that men in letting out their lands in such manner doe not so much regard the present rent as a future intended sale of those lands after twentie or two and twentie yeeres purchase for otherwise they would neuer bee fed with words in effect and neglect their present securitie An other cause of our scarcitie may be besides the heauie iudgements of God whereof I wil not dispute our immoderate vse of the creatures men were neuer so delicate and curious in their diet or food as they are at this day neuer so wastfull in their expence the world did neuer so much abound with surfeits and drunkennesse heretofore they had their fastings as well as their feastings but this is superstitious forsooth Thus while some proue infinitly lauish dissolute and riotous the poore people of our land neuer sustained the like scarcitie and wants I might likewise accuse the euill disposition of men for in ancient times they knew not the art of monopolizing their meaning was honest and plaine but we are our crafts-masters the Landlord neuer ceasing from racking his poore tenants and the tenants must set an answerable price on their wares heretofore it was thought a poynt of conscience that euerie man should sell his commodities according to such reasonable rate as he himselfe could affoord them but now our conscience is inlarged and therefore wee must inlarge our price supposing that it is lawfull for euery man to make the most of his owne and to sell his owne wares to the greatest aduantage Thus euery man â—â—riues to raise the market and thus things are inhaunced to the great preiudice of many Lords who cannot alter their quit-rents and to the vtter vndoing of the poore Commonaltie when the labours of men and the drudgerie of poore people is not nor cannot bee inhaunced accordingly Now since the fruitfulnesse or barrennesse of the earth proceedes from the influence and disposition of the heauens in the last place I dare accuse the materiall heauens as being guiltie conspiring and together ioyntly tending to corruption Scripture shall warrant me the heauens shall waxe old as doth a garment Psalme 102. vers 26. Reason and all humane learning shall backe me for certaine it is that the Sunne hath descended much lower by many degrees then he was in the time of King Ptolemie the same Mathematicall instruments which agree together in all other dimensions doe vndoubtedly proue the diuersitie by vertue of perspectiue glasses we haue lately discerned spots and shadowes in the Moone and within our memorie in the yeere 1572. a true Comet did appeare in the eighth Heauen which as it had a time of beginning so had it a period and time of dissoluing And thus being mortall of our selues wee dwell in houses of clay the roofe of this world as well as the foundations shall together be mooued for wherefore serues the diuersitie of seasons the day and the night succeeding each other Summer and Winter the rising and setting of Starres the different and contrarie motions the various aspects and oppositions but that in some sort they partake of our nature and shall haue their part and portion with ours For proofe of this truth let vs compare times with times and so it shall better appeare the hot Zones heretofore adiudged by all the Ancients to be vnhabitable we know that now they are habitable and furnisht with people let vs thinke reuerently of the Ancients they were very wise and as I suppose far exceeding vs. Can
with the diuine iustice to set his owne enemies at enmitie within themselues and this serues as an vndoubted token and signe of corruption Hitherto you will say that I haue only insisted in generals and this supposed corruption did only appeare in reference and relation to others for true it is that euery thing chiefly intends his owne proper happinesse and perfection now as a meanes to obtaine this it desires to ouertop others that suppressing them it might exalt it selfe though I doe not approue this obiection for nature should be a well gouerned corporation consisting of many members and branches euery part according to his owne kinde should be ranked in his seuerall order and euery one in particular should principally and chiefly intend the perfection and preseruation of the whole as appeares by daily experience for the earth will ascend or the heauens will bow downe and descend rather then an emptinesse or vacuitie should bee admitted in nature and therefore euery thing should containe it selfe within his own bounds and not endamage his neighbours yet for your further satisfaction and contentment I will descend to particulars within themselues Are there not monsters in nature either defectiue or superabounding in parts or differing from the ordinarie kinde The Philosophers who fight most in natures defence to iustifie her actions say indeede that monsters doe much detract from the perfection of that particular nature but not of nature in generall A monstrous defence I confesse as if the generall did not implie the particular as if the whole could subsist without parts or that there could be a different condition of the whole from the parts But I pray' how doe they excuse nature in generall Forsooth though deformitie appeares in the error yet the varietie serues for the ornament then it should seeme that the Sunne consisting only of light for want of diuersitie should bee base and contemptible while euery plant and weede of the fields were highly esteemed for the various and delectable colours It should seeme that nature can no way set foorth her owne beautie but she must bring vgly deformed mis-shapen monsters vpon the stage of this world that so other creatures base in themselues yet comparatiue in respect of others deformitie might seeme beautifull Monsters are rare and seldom appeare to vs though Affrica be a fruitfull mother of monsters I will therefore come to the seuerall kindes in nature of the two sexes Certainly the males are the more noble as consisting of greater heate and of a better constitution but nature being more and more defectiue brings foorth the females in a farre greater number whereas in the time of mans innocencie in the state of perfection the number should haue been equall Not to insist in the sexes I will descend to their actions in the dumbe creatures You shall hardly discerne any tokens or signes of ioy solus homo est risibilis but for sorrow and griefe you shall finde very many and pregnant testimonies There is in euery creature vox naturae inclamantis dominuÌ„ naturae the voyce of nature calling vpon the God of nature vpon any wrong or iniustice sustained they seeme to complaine with their cries to the God and creator of nature And obserue how apt they are to complaine in so much that the very breathing inspiratio exspiratio seemes to my eares to haue the sound and note of a groane Scripture doth likewise witnes as much in effect the creatures being subiect to vanitie groane vnder the burthen of sinne Some creatuâ—es there are which out of compassion and pitie seeme to bee true penitentiaries as Doues quarum vox gemebunda est oculi lachrymabâ—les whose voyce is a groane whose eyes are fountaines of teares A worthie patterne for our example estote serpentes be wise as serpents to preuent the voyce of the Charmer but if once insnared estote columbae then let the sighes of a contrite heart the teares of a sorrowfull soule together with the flood of Iordane wash thy vncleannes thy filth and leprosie of sinne If the actions as fruites betoken corruption then I will further proceed and search out the roote of this corruption which I finde to be in nature her selfe for euery thing containeth in it selfe the inbred seedes of corruption and the more perfect the creature is the more apt for corruption as if corruption did belong to the perfection in this corrupted state of the creature or that nature were enuious and would not afford the one without the other The finest wooll soonest breedes the moth the most delicious fruite is aptest to perish the fairest beautie hastens to wither the strongest oake is most annoyed with the â—uie Lest thou shouldest thinke that outwardly the creatures were only annoyed and that the roote were sound and entire behold nature discouers her selfe and shewes the impostume to haue first bred in that radicall humour which is the foundation of nature for as it is in trees and in plants if any one branch or leafe doe miscarrie the roote is vnsound so is it in the outward workes of nature these being corrupted doe vndoubtedly argue the corruption of nature But you will say that all this doth onely argue a weakenes or imperfection but no punishment or corruption in nature for it stood in the will of the founder to make it more or lesse perfect as are the seuerall parts in respect of themselues Now suppose that all these imperfections were absent and that God should ordaine nature better by many degrees then now she is extant yet still there should bee limitations and bounds of her goodnesse and for want of a greater height of perfection wee might still challenge her to be in the state of corruption This obiection will faile if the premises be duly considered for my reasons are grounded vpon nature supposing the state wherein she consists and not in reference to any higher condition wherein she might haue been first ordained by God and therefore for the vpshot and conclusion I will vse this last reason Nature is able to bring nothing to perfection I speake in her owne kinde and in the state wherein she stands and therefore acknowledge euen in the same state her corruption and punishment for at first it stood with the wisedome of the founder according to the scope and marke aimed at and intended in the creation to impart vertue and strength to the creature hauing directed nature to these ends she should of her owne selfe attaine to those ends But see the corruption see how she failes in her purposes Man without education is like the dumbe beast sauage and wilde the dumbe beasts of themselues are meerely vnprofitable the horse must be taught to hold vp his head to learne his pace and must bee trained vp for the seruice of warre the trees want lopping pruning grafting the sweete and the bitter Almond doe not differ in kinde but onely in husbandrie and vsage plants
furnish't with heauenly and spirituall substances according to the condition of that place as is this elementarie world with bodies grosse and terrestriall the Philosophers shewing the worlds perfection by the diuersitie of creatures some materiall some spirituall c. as likewise by the various and strange motion of the heauens which being simple bodies should haue one simple motion and yet their motion being not simple not for the preseruation of themselues and that in their owne proper places where euery other creature hath rest peace and contentment doe hence vndoubtedly conclude that the heauens are moued by intelligences and in token hereof there are influences qualities not materiall the operation whereof cannot bee preuented by application of any other elementarie or contrary qualitie and such is the force of these influences as that the Moone being the weakest of all other planets in power yet is able to moue the huge Ocean without any corporall engine or instrument And surely the heauens can bee no otherwise moued then by intelligences which in effect are Angels for in nature no reason can bee assigned why they should moue not mouing for themselues but for others and therefore are moued by others or looking to them and to their outward forme no reason can be assigned why they might not as well moue from the West to the East as from the East to the West and the motion it selfe is so strange and so wonderfull that the minde of man being an intelligent spirit notwithstanding our studies our circles excentric concentric epicicle and the like yet wee cannot possibly describe the motion and trace out their paths but we must be inforced to vse impossible suppositiōs that the earth should turne vpon wheeles and moue with her owne weight or that there should be penetration of bodies which is a farre greater absurditie and therefore this strange and wonderfull motion must needs be effected by some intelligent spirits Thus the schoole of the Heathen did acknowledge as much in effect concerning the truth and certaintie of Angels as our Christian faith doth oblige vs for our beleefe Let vs descend from heauen vnto earth Consider how the elements themselues doe exceede each other in finenesse and rarietie and therein come neerer and neerer the nature of spirits insomuch that the fire and the aire are scarse sensible the sight not apprehending them Are there not motes which cannot be discerned but in the Sunne-beames and in euery dumbe creature is not the forme spirituall as being the more noble part of the creature though hidden and concealed hauing both wombe and tombe in the matter and therefore being impotent of her selfe wants a naturall instinct for her guide and direction If this forme were not spirituall then what penetration of bodies should be admitted how slowly should the actions proceed considering little wormes which in themselues and in their whole bodies are scarse sensible What should we thinke of their forme they haue varietie of senses of motion they haue varietie of parts of members of limbes and of ioynts or why should all qualitie bee immateriall were it not because they proceed from the forme which is immateriall as on the contrary quantitie is therefore extended and seemes to be grosse and terrestriall because it proceeds from the matter and i◠applied for dimēsions but of all qualities it doth more manifestly appeare in the obiects of our sight as colour and light which are diffused in a moment thorough the compasse of the whole world and finde no opposition in their passage Thus certainly the formes of things are substances immateriall but most especially for mans soule which is reasonable were it not freed and exempted from any elementarie composition it could neuer iudge aright of all bodies but according to her temperature thereafter should follow her censure thereafter her appetite and inclination so that the freedome of mans will should suffer violence If then you will suppose in man a true iudgement of things and a free libertie in his choice you must conceiue the soule as a spirit which is the ground and foundation of both whereby hauing onely the diuine concourse and assistance she is not carried with any naturall instinct as a dumbe instrument but is the roote and fountaine as of her faculties so of her actions If this soule bee spirituall then certainly immortall as being exempted freed from the opposition and contrarietie of elementarie qualities whichis the only motiue and inducement to corruption she comprehends and vnderstands things immortall some of them being bare and dumbe instruments ordained only for her vse and seruice suppose the Sunne the Moone and the Starres and therefore wee cannot thinke that she should be of lesse perfection as touching her time and continuance The desires of the soule are infinite shee intends nothing so much as eternitie this is naturally ingrafted in all of vs and nature cannot faile in her ends Consider the maine infusions which euery man findes in himselfe sometimes his minde either in dreames or in the strong apprehension of his owne thoughts seemes to presage euill and this euill vndoubtedly followes Seldome or neuer doe any great accidents befall vs but the minde seemes to prophecie and foretell such euents Consider againe the many visions and apparitions which from age to age haue bin discouered among the dead whereof the best authors the most learned and iudicious make mention For as I cannot excuse all superstition in this kinde so absolutely and simply to denie this truth were heathenisme and infidelitie The course and order of the whole vniuerse requires as much in effect For as the power of God hath alreadie appeared in the creation his wisedome in the disposing his prouidence in the preseruing of nature and so for the rest of his attributes c. so there must be a time when the iustice of God shall reueale it selfe which iustice as it is most commendable in man so is it much more eminent in God This iustice in respect of the whole world must onely bee exercised vpon man for all the rest of the creatures are carried with the violence and streame of their nature only man hath a discoursiue reason whereby he may consult of his owne actions and being once resolued he hath a free will for his owne choice and election and therfore man aboue all other creatures must be accomptable for his actiōs And to this end God hath giuen him this propertie that hauing once performed a worke he begins to reflect and examine things past that so it might serue either as a sampler for amendment or as a corosiue for repentance Vpon this due examination there followes either such a ioy and contentment as cannot arise from a sensitiue part nor cannot bee imparted to a dumbe beast or else such a terror such a feare such a sting of conscience as makes man aboue all other creatures the most miserable Now I confesse with the heathen that in the
not so comely in their outward 〈◊〉 â—hey are enforced to conceale their owne inward worth and if they be bold and aduenterous then natuâ—e will giue vs a caution caue quos natura notauit and the infâ—mie of their personage sildome procures loue especially among the multitude But if this wise man proues neither hard fauoured nor monstrous yet fleame and melancholy whereof his temper especially consists what Rhumes Catarres and diseases doe they cause in his body How do they breake out into issues and gowtes and seeme to hasten old age Odi puerum praecoci ingenio I hate a childe of a forward wit either he is already come to his last temper or else his climate must alter What is it or who is it that thou canst loue in nature on whoÌ„ thou might'st settle thy affection If faire and beautifull to fight Phisiognomie will tell thee that thou seest the whole man thou canst expect no further vse or imployment of his seruice if otherwise wise and deformed how canst thou loue him in whom nothing seemes worthy of thy loue We may call thy iudgement in question whereas in all other creatures the comelines beautie and fit proportion of the outward limbes signifies the good inward conditions Now at length to speake of the actions of mans body I will giue them the same entertainment which formerly I did to the faculties of the soule for as I am not malitious so I will not be paâ—tiall I doe heere accuse and challenge all the naturall actions of mans body to be tainted and defiled with corruption and in all of them the punishment of this corruption shall manifestly appeare All punishments may be reduced to these three heads 1. Dedecus sâ—u infamia 2. Poena seu castigatio 3. Serâ—itium seâ— captiuitas By the first he suffers losse in his credit good name and reputation and is put to open shame and infamie By the second he suffers detriment and losse in his owne flesh or in his owne substance and goods being chastised according to law By the third he seemes to be imprisoned and suffers losse in his freedom and libertie being tied to serue as a slaue These are the three generall heads whereunto the exercise of iustice doth vsually extend it selfe and to these three heads I will reduce all the naturall actions of mans body For the infamie and shame Whatsoeuer nature desires to be concealed hidden and dares not attempt it in the presence of others certainly she will neuer stand to iustifie the action but rather at first sight will easily confesse her infamie and shame Take the most naturall workes of man and you shall obserue that man is most ashamed of them as eating drinking sleeping yawning c. I will not speake of the most vncleane and secret parts some things may bee conceiued which may not be spoken Who euer held it any part of his commendation to bee a great eater or to sleepe while his bones ake Who euer went out into the open streete or to the market place to take a meales meate but rather would prouide a close cabinet for such necessarie imployments of nature Is nature ashamed of her most naturall actions then certainly it betokens a guiltinesse But you will ascribe it to the strict and austere profession of Christianitie which seeming ouer proud and haughtie for mans present estate disdaines to inhabite the earth lookes vp to heauen and therefore brandeth these actions with shame and contempt True indeed of all the sects in the world Christian religion hath alwaies been most famous and eminent for strictnesse of life and mortification of flesh which in my conscience as it hath formerly giuen the greatest growth to religion so the neglect and decay thereof in these our daies will be the greatest blow to religion But herein I will excuse our selues for not the Christian alone but the Turke and the Heathen both say and practise as much in effect You will then say that religion in generall agrees in this one point as teaching all men a maidenlike modestie to forbeare the outragious lusts of the flesh and therein sets the difference betweene man and beast and thus along continued custome may at length seeme to bee nature I cannot rest in this answere but I must fasten this shame immediatly vpon nature her selfe Obserue then not onely in man but likewise in the dumbe creatures Are not those parts which serue for excrement or generation concealed and hidden either in place and situation or else with feathers with haire or some other couering which nature hath prouided for that purpose in so much that you shall hardly discerne their sexe â— Hath she not appointed the shade the groue and the close night to couer and hide them she is ashamed of them they are vncleane to the sight but most absurd in the speech and both taught vs by a naturall instinct Wilâ— thou defile thy mouth with 〈◊〉 talke and shall that appeare in thy tongue which nature hath concealed in her basest parts Be not so base remember the noblenesse of thy birth and thy condition farrâ— aboue beasts stoope not so low as to touch or to kisse with thy lips and thy tongue those vncleane parts whereof nature her selfe is ashamed The infamie of these actions shall better appeare by this one instance Call foorth the incestuous or adulterous person I will here checke and correct him Thou beast worse then a beast for many beasts seeme to obserue the Rites and sanctitie of mariage seest thou not how thou hast sinned against heauen and against thine owne soule Doth not thine owne conscience accuse thee or thinkest thou that the close night or darknesse it selfe can couer or conceale thy sinne c. I haue no sooner spoken these words but behold his hart faints his speech failes him he trembles quakes all his blood appeares in his face as if the blood being guiltie to it selfe should step foorth and either excusing or accusing it selfe should wholly acquâ—â— the spirit For I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my spirit Or as if it were naturally ingrafted in man that without the effusion of blood there can be no remission of sinnes and therefore as farre foorth as the skinne will permit it the blood desires to make some recompence for the offence Suppose I were to examine a guiltlesse innocent man and to charge him with such crimes which he neuer attempted yet sometimes there will appeare the same tokens of modestie and shame Nature can be no lier she will neuer accuse her selfe vniustly though she may be innocent of this crime yet she acknowledgeth the roote to bee corrupted and thereby argues a possibilitie to commit the like offence she will not wholly excuse her selfe though she deâ—ies the particular fact Or as if there were such a society and mariage between sinne on the one part and flesh and blood on the other part that if sin
be conceiued in the heart thither flocks all the blood to helpe and further the conception Or if it be laid before the eyes thither is all the blood conuaied to meete it and to giue it the best entertainment Here is a shame here is a confession thou canst not be ashamed but of thine owne act and therefore needes thou must acknowledge thine owne corruption Indicio tuo quasi sorex perijsti Thou haddest no grace to commit sinne and thou shalt neuer haue grace to conceale sinne Hitherto we haue only enioyned man penance wee haue discouered his nakednes that so in a white sheete we might put him to shame Now let vs implore brachium seculare the temporall power for his chastisement and correction I will not speake of punishment imposed by mans law but willingly vndertaken by nature her selfe Why should fearefulnesse so much possesse man together with a continual expectation what euill might befall him were it not that it proceedes from a guiltinesse of conscience How often vpon any relation of the least mischance do we strike our breasts our thighes wring our hands stampe on the earth and then suddenly looke vp to heauen as if these outward annoyances could not any way concerne vs were not the roote of this corruption within our selues And therefore nature seemes to punish the roote to curse and defie the earth to acknowledge the guilt together with the iust and due vengeance of heauen If any greater misfortune befalles vs then we begin to teare the haire to bite the flesh to forbeare the societies of men to refuse the vse of our meate to neglect our naturall rest to denie all comfort to our selues and sometimes it proceeds vnto death When suddenly wee lay violent hands vpon our selues wee desire nothing so much as a perpetuall separation and diuorce betweene the soule and the flesh like the infinite hate of a deadly foe who could be content to wound his owne enemies thorough his owne sides No other creature did euer murther it selfe but onely man for no other creature did euer deserue it so much as man You will say that this ariseth from passions which are not incident to the wisest meÌ„ but who hath such absolute power in himself as that he can promise to himselfe staiednesse and constancie in his affections Or is it not a propertie of wise men that they should alwaies call themselues to accounts and accuse themselues as the wise man saith Sapiens est semper accusator sui This cannot be without a iust ground first presuming and presupposing an inward and secret corruption they are apt to suspect themselues whereas the foolish and ignorant conceiuing a casualtie and chance neuer dreame of iust iudgements But I pray' marke the disposition of mans body and you shall finde that our armes and our hands are fitter disposed to buffer our selues then to reuenge our enemies they are bent to our bodies and yet we cannot embrace our selues as if we were our owne greatest enemies whereas in all other creatures their owne hornes their tuskes their clawes their hoofes can no way offend themselues I will not speake how subiect and liable our nature is to many ill accidences and chances I will passe ouer all those diseases which doe not arise from any distemper or riot but euen from the complection it selfe and seeme to be hereditarie to whole mankinde as other proper diseases are intailed to certaine families and tribes Old age seemes to be a continued disease and therefore vndoubtedly is a naturall punishment of nature to her selfe My second part shall 〈◊〉 of this subiect But punishments should be publike and open both for the example of malefactors as likewise in natures defence to iustifie her actions Behold then wee are made a spectacle to God to Angels to men our punishment is therefore laid open and manifest to God to Angels to men How falles it out that by an instinct of nature in all our religious worship and seruice of God we first begin with the punishment of our selues Sacrifice I thinke is naturall to man that in liew of our hearts and for the sparing of our own blood we should offer vp the blood of others Before the Law was giuen in Mount Sinay there was a sacrifice for God hath imprinted this knowledge not onely in the Ceremoniall law but in nature her selfe that both nature and law might guide and direct vs to the sacrifice of his sonne so that a sacrifice is common to all nations common to all religions The Heathen at this day vse in their sacrifices the launcing of their flesh the spilling of their owne blood the scourging of their bodies appearing naked before their Altars The Idolaters of old time how cruelly they tormented themselues offering vp together with the best part of their substance their owne sonnes and their daughters in a bloody sacrifice The Iewes how strict were they in obseruing their fasts how curious in their washings putting on their haire-cloth and ashes The Christian in his seruice of God prepares himselfe with inward mortification and outward ceremonies the one serues as a potion of bitternesse to purge his inward vncleannesse the other as a plaister or salue to couer his vlcer as truly acknowledging that inwardly and outwardly wee are wholly corrupted and therefore both tend to edification For the Angels there are two sorts of them either good or bad but we scarce heare any mention of the good Angels of our guardian Angels for so Scripture saith God hath giuen his Angels charge ouer vs and Angels are appointed as Gods messengers for our ministerie If any extraordinary good doe befall vs we will rather choake it vp with vnthankfulnesse or attribute it to some secret and hidden cause in nature sometimes to a meere casualtie and chaunce rather then we will ascribe it to them as being guiltie to our selues that through our sinnes and corruptions wee doe not deserue mercie and compassion but iudgement and vengeance Whereas on the contrary for those euill spirits the firebrands and instruments of Gods wrath these are they which wee feare vpon euery occasion we can say apage apage auoide auoide abrâ—â—unciâ— tibi Sathana Many there are Wâ—â—ches Sorceâ—ers which haue entred a league and fellowship with those bad spirits and more are suspected to be of this confederacie and combination then happily there are For we are apt to suspect the worst in this kinde as being priuâ—e to our selues that wee deserue nothing but vengeance and generally these bad spirits they are the tempters and tormentors of whole mankinde And thus we seeme to bee ignorant and wholly vnacquainted with the instruments of Gods mercie but are daily frighted and astonied and indeed much perplexed and endamaged by them who are appointed for the execution of his iustice as if we did rather conuerse with them then with Angels of light which doth surely argue the fall and corruption of man How this punishment of nature
death but must patiently expect a time for his dissolution as there was a iust time appointed for his birth and natiuitie The only comfort in all bodily afflictions is the comfort of the soule to the members the patient forbearance and hope of amendment but if the soule her selfe be once distressed or distracted it lies not in the power of the dull and heauie flesh to asswage her but she will rather increase her paine vpbraid her moue her to impatience as the righteous Iob was strongly tempted by his wife to curse and forsake God Speaking of the diseases of the minde I cannot forget that I haue alreadie proued the eternitie and immortalitie of the soule and therfore am tied as it were by promise to iustifie my former assertions to excuse the same soule from all sicknesses inclining to death See here the wonderfull prouidence of God the naturall man by force of his owne reason acknowledgeth the immortalitie of the soule as touching the life and continuance and by the same reason hee likewise acknowledgeth the sicknesses and diseases of the soule morbi animi languores animi nothing is so commoÌ„ and triuiall among the heathen Philosopher as if I should say in effect that nature discernes a second death a death of sinne though not a second birth a generation to righteousnesse to the one nature is inclined and very fitly disposed and therefore sets it before her owne eyes in the other nature is defectiue and no way prepares man and therefore as blindfold she cannot behold it our inward corruption leades vs to sinne only sanctifying grace recalles vs from sinne man here rests vpon the face of the earth heauen is aboue hell is beneath set vp a ladder and he shall hardly climbe giue him wings it will not auaile him dâ—â— but open a pit and he shall fall with great ease though hee finde little ease in his fall In discouering the diseases of the minde I will tell you a greater miserie Suppose that any one man should turne franticke in a hot burning feauer and should perswade himselfe that his violent and vnnaturall heate did only proceed from his own strength of nature then he begins to buffet his keepers and will not lie still in his bed here is a double cause of griefe not so much for his sicknes as for his error and impatiencie Thus it befals many that are sicke in their minde who glorie and boast in their vices making their own shame their commendation either supposing â—â—others to bee like vnto them and sanctitie to consist only in the outward appearance or else condemning all others they will maintaine their own practice Populus me sibilet at mihi plaudo I care not what the poore people say of me quoth the Vsurer my substance shall vphold me when they goe a begging The adulterous man pleaseth himselfe with vncleannesse and begins to doubt whether a naturall act can be a sinne against nature The glutton will make strong arguments in defence of his riot Wherefore should nature supplie such plentifull prouision if he might not take it in abundance If he cannot wholly excuse himselfe yet he will lessen his sinne nihil non mentitur iniquitas sibi Whereas vertue is placed betweene the extreames vices doe now cluster together in such multitudes and throngs that vertue is either prest to death or wholly excluded vertue no longer appearing vices sit in the throne and vsurpe the chaire of estate On the contrarie vertue is sometimes reputed for vice and so loseth a great part of her happinesse which consists in due esteeme and reputation besides her attractiue power to draw all others to the imitation of her selfe The most reuerend Fathers of the Church haue been â—axed with ambition by the rude and base multitude the most strict mortified and seuere men haue been charged with a deepe hypocrisie and dissimulation the most magnificent and bountifull with popularitie and wastfulnes the most vpright and sincere in iustice with vaine glorie and pride Herein as I doe excuse the innocencie of one so I doe condemne the corruption of many they looking thorough painted glasses their own hearts being defiled cannot rightly iudge of the colours Hitherto we seeme to doubt of the diseases now at length if we conclude in generall that vertue is vertue that sinne is sinne and vice is vice then here is a second miserie that whereas all bodily diseases doe suddenly discouer themselues by their symptomes and signes and inforce the sick patient to confesse his owne griefe onely the diseases of the minde as are the inward thoughts of the heart they are secret they haue learned the language of equiuocation they walke disguised and will neuer acknowledge themselues to bee themselues for that euill spirit which hath taken away shame in the sinne hath put a shame in the confession of sinne The proud man feares nothing so much as left he should abase himselfe with too much humilitie charge him with pride and hee will make bitter inuectiues against it then he begins to apologize for himselfe how curteous and kinde he is in his entertainment how affable thus still he deceiueth himselfe for therein consisteth his pride And so for al others the diseases of the mind they are not open assaults but priuie conspiracies and therefore are secret such as will endure the wrack before they will discouer theÌ„selues or their own ends If the diseases once appeare and are made manifest sometimes there falles out a pitifull and a lamentable accident I haue seene many vertues resident in one heart like many Iewels all contained in one casket and yet all of them tainted deiected and cleane cast downe with one vice An excellent wit accompanied with honest and faire conditions attended on with comelinesse and beautie of members yet through a tractable nature is easily led away with ill companie and all his good parts are ouerwhelmed with a deluge of drunkennesse The braue courage and resolution which leaues nothing vnattempted that may tend to the seruice and honour of his countrie yet sometimes is inraged set on fire and all his good qualities are burnt and consumed with the furie of his own lust The great Clerke with his night-watchings and studies pining himselfe not vnlike his owne taper where the head wasteth the whole body in lightning others he consumes himselfe who indeed doth best deserue both of Church and of State laying the foundations of truth and pietie in the Church and building vp the walles of ciuilitie and obedience in the State yet sometimes with a fond affectation of singularitie he makes himselfe ridiculous Not to speake of any single encounter of vertue to vice many vertues knit and combined together may be foyled deiected and cleane cast downe with one vice sometimes they are choked vp with gluttonie incombred with couetousnesse grow rustie and dustie with sloth swolne and puft vp with pride cancard with enuie stretched vpon the racke of
themselues with their plentie It is not for temperance or Christian discipline but they spare that they may spare and in the possession of their wealth they make themselues slaues they place them aboue themselues and not beneath themselues they are not franke and free of them but intangled in them their wealth possesseth them and they doe not possesse their wealth for it is the property of a master to say to his seruants goe and they goe come and they come but heere they themselues are the drudges while their treasure is safely laid vp in their clossets and somtimes their minds are as griple and as much disquieted as if they did liue in the greatest penury wants I haue known a man who had not so little as twenty thousand pounds of his owne getting besides otherwaies a very large and plentifull estate being no way indebted yet this man died with the very thought and perpleâ—itie of his owne wants alas poore man it sâ—ould sâ—â—me hee died to sauâ—chaâ—ges Many men haue laboured much and trauelled far to get wealth suppose I should accompanie them I should not thinke my labour or trauell ill spent if I might but onâ—ly and barely know what is wealth for as yet I could neuer be resolued what it was to be rich or what competent estate were requisite which might properâ—y bee called wealth For heere in the countrey with vs if a mans stocke of a few beasts bee his owne and that he liues out of debt and paies his rent duly and quarterly we hold him a very rich and a sufficient man one that is able to doe the King and the countrey good seruice wee make him a Constable a Sides-man a Head-borough and at length a Church-warden thus wee raise him by degrees wee prolong his ambitious hopes and at last wee heape all our honours vpon him Here is the great gouernour amongst vs and we wonder that all others doe not respect him accordingly but it should seeme that since the dissolution of Abbeys all wealth is flowne to the townes the husbandman 〈◊〉 at a rackt rent hee fights with distracted forces and knowes not how to raise the price of the market only the Trades-man hath his Corporation hee can ioyne his wits and his labours together and professing the one he thriues by the other and therefore they are not vnfitly called Handi-crafts Now in the next market towne there are great rich men indeed for I heare it râ—orpted but I dare not speake it for a truth that there are certaine Tanners Chandlers and other trades-men some worth 50. pounds some 60. pounds some a 100. pounds a peece this is wonderfull for we cannot possibly conceiue how men by honest and direct meanes should attaine to such summes Indeed the poore people say that one got his wealth by the blacke art another found a pot of money in a garden which did somtimes belong to a Priorie and the third grew rich by burying many wiues for heere are all the possible meanes which wee can imagine of enriching our selues But now we are in the rode we haue but a few 〈◊〉 riding I pray' let vs hasten to London there is the Mart there is the mint all waters flow from the sea all waters returne to the sea there dwell our Landlords the countrey seâ—ds vp their prouision the countrey must send vp their rents to buy their prouisioâ— Now here in London vnlesse a mans credit bee goâ—d vpoÌ„ the Exchange to take vp fiue hundred pounds vpon his owne bond and that hee bee of the Liuerie and hath borne office in his Companie we doe not esteeâ—e him If an Alderman bee worth but twelue thousand pounds we pitie him for a very poore man and begin to suspect and to feare his estate lest this ouer-hastie aspiring to honour may breake his backe If a Nobleman haue great royalties and may dispend ten thousand pounds by the yeere yet we hold him no bodie in respect of the ancient rents of the Dutchie The Dutchy notwithstanding the augmentation yet is farre inferiour to the reuenewes of the Crowne these Northern kingdomes come short of the Southerne the Southern Princes are starke beggers in respect of the Indian Whether shall I flie in the pursuite of wealth I am now farre from home and it is not safe for me to trauell among Infidels I will rather thus conclude in reason if there bee wealth in this world it is either vpon the face of the earth or else in the bowels of the earth like treasure conceald and safely lockt vp in natures coffers I will therefore here stay my selfe and fall flat on the earth and heere I will solemnely proclaime it that the whole earth is an indiuisible point and carries no sensible quantitie in respect of the heauens Thus at length I will returne home not loaded with oare but being much pacified in minde and fully resolued that all wealth consists onely in comparison Now if it shall please God to supplie the necessities of my nature as he in his mercie already hath done God make me thankfull vnto him neither doe I despaire of his prouidence I will not compare my selfe with others but deeme my selfe sufficiently rich and if I should striue to be rich in comparison I should neuer be able to attaine mine owne ends Lay vp these money bagges from wealth I wil come vnto honour as others by wealth come vnto honour The glittering and gingling of gold seems to resemble honour which is a pretie noise a sound a kind of fame or report if it want meanes to support it it is like saleable stuffe which at first seemes beautifull to the eye but hath no substance to continue if any one be raised without merit hee shall bee sure to fall againe without desert As are the mindes of men of a mutable and changeable condition so is the foundation of honour weake and changeable especially in the multitude who alwaies iudge according to shewes and appearance and as they are soone gained with a cap so are they as easily lost with a frowne their loues follow not the honest â—â—tent but the happie successe of the action Times and fit occasions giue the first beginning to honour and as it hath a sudden rising so it proceeds not by degrees but commonly men doe outliue their good fortunes and seldome or neuer doe extraordinarie honours mourne at their funerals Especially in a subiect liuing vnder a Monarchy gratious with his Prince beloued of the people this double reference to the Prince to the people makes his state dangerous and almost desperate the one fearing and suspecting him the other laying to his charge all the distastfull actions of State for this man long to continue to hold fast with both hands taking his honour from aboue his loue reputation from beneath and thus to hang in the aire betweene heauen earth is a worke very difficult almost impossible When honour is at the best yet it
if in the middest of all thy ioyes the least griefe should assault thee suppose thou wert an absolute Monarch and haddest the gouernment of the whole world that thou diddest ride vpon the shoulders of men carried in triumph treading vpon thy captiues and slaues that thou haddest all carnall and al possible pleasures which nature could affoord thee yet if thy tooth did but ake if thy naile were but sore if thy little finger were scorcht with the fire for I will not speake of those more noble parts the eye the heart the braine the liuer and the rest assuredly thou wouldest iudge thy selfe a most miserable man and shouldest take little ioy or contenâ—ment in all those sports and delights Suppose thou couldest distill all thy pleasures and free them froÌ„ sorrow as it were separating their drosse so that many whole and entire perfections should bee linckt in thy person yet obserue how one ioy seemes to preuent ouertake and to extinguish the other WheÌ„ thou sittest at table to meate then farewell the delight which thou tookest in thy morning exercises sports now thou must intend to please thy daintie and delicious palate at length for feare of a surfet farewell the sweete sinne of gluttonie the afternoone will serue to visit to thy friends but as thou commest so there must be a time of departure as was thy ioy so must be thy sorrow the one will easily recompence the other Vpon thy returne thou callest to thy stewards and clerkes to see the accounts of thy house the ouerplus and surplusage of thy rents and estate this indeede reioyceth thy heart and thus thou passest from ioy vnto ioy the whole time of thy pilgrimage Suppose thou wert confinde to any one of these delights thou wouldest think thy life but a slauerie so then thy delight consists onely in the varietie Suppose any mans minde were not so stragling and extrauagant as thine but that hee could tie himselfe and limit his owne thoughts certainly he should receiue as much contentment in one as thou dost in many What doth this argue but only that man forsaking the fountain of all true goodnesse in whom all ioyes are together knit and vnited that enioying him alone wee might haue all fulnesse of ioy and contentment not by degrees not in varietie not in succession but altogether in euery moment of eternitie Man hauing lost this onely one good seekes againe for the same good in the shadow thereof thorough many chaunges and alterations and not finding the same good desires to please himselfe with varietie Suppose the whole day were spent in iolitie and mirth yet if thou diddest but want thy nights rest al were nothing Lord how thine owne thoughts would torment thee how long and tedious would the time seeme how often wouldest thou wish and expect the light of the morning then thou beginnest to acknowledge that of all the ioyes in the world there is none comparable to a sweete sleepe sleepe which refresheth the wearisome limmes renewes and quickens the faculties of the minde restores the bodie to her wonted strength it seemes as an excellent embleame of the last resurrection for in the day time our sports do proceed with consuming of our spirits the decay of our strength the weakning of our parts but sleepe must recompence all Haue I wrung out a confession Now giue me leaue to worke vpon it What is sleepe but the image of death a want of sense and of motion not capable either of ioy or of sorrow If our greatest contentment rest in our rest and sleepe bee our greatest blisse then our greatest ioy consists in the priuation of all ioy and in the want and absence of delights consists the perfection of delights As-much in effect as if I should say it were better to haue no ioyes at all then to be fraught and filled with ioyes for our ioyes are but toyes and the delights of this life are as the dreames of a shadow without stayednesse foundation or consistencie If there be any ioyes in the creature O the wonderfull ioyes of him that created hee is the fountaine of ioy and these are but drops he is the sunne of ioy and these are the rayes or the beames which he imparts vnto nature If I loue beauty I will first loue him and fasten mine eyes vpon him that is the fountaine of beauty and beauty it selfe if I loue honor or wealth I will looke vpon him who sits aboue in maiesty heauen is his throne the earth is his footstoole whose treasures are infinit who makes all things of nothing he can enlarge his owne Empire create many infinite worlds for his owne gouernment Hee that is proud of his owne wealth or his honor is indeed base minded to content himselfe with so base an element as the earth our pride and ambition lookes much higher aboue the starres where God sits in perfect glory where all the hallowes of heauen are clothed with happines and honor here is the marke and scope of our desires here we may claime our right by inheritance for here we haue our part and portion with them there is but little ioy in the creature all an infinitie to that little ioy and so thou shalt worship God in the creature let it not hinder our search or our hope for it is but an earnest or forerunner of that future ioy to secure vs of happines non ancillam ament qui dominam ambiunt if we come as suters to the Mistris let vs scorne to fall in loue with the handmaide This I speake supposing there were some ioy in the creature which if there were any thy minde might be transported and carried by the ladder or bridge of the creatures to the loue of thy creator For as it pleased God to ordaine a ceremoniall law differing from the naturall law according to the wisdome of his owne institution so assuredly the minde of man which delights in nothing so much as in mysteries may make whole nature a ceremony and all the creatures tipes and resemblances of spirituall things for thus the land of promise did figure out the heauenly Ierusalem and this I cannot dislike in the practise of any mans priuat deuotion But I must call to mind my first intention which was to proue that the ioy of the creature was only vanity and this shal appeare by these three circumstances 1. The variety of mens iudgements in the choice of their owne happines which certainly proceeds from the fansie for right reason hath but one only foundation and God will not admit any difference 2. This their conceited or supposed happines neuer consists in the present insomuch that man can neuer say vnto himselfe now I am happy but his happines is alwayes either past gon and already spent or els comming in expectation like some desperat debt when faire promises serue for our payment 3. Few or none will euer acknowledge themselues to haue bin happy but yet still are
in the Serpent for the enmitie seemes greatest betweene the most noble and basest creatures Man and the Serpent and that for the continuall remembrance of the first tentation Howsoeuer I doubt not but that it better appeares in those easterne countries wherein Paradise was first planted and wherein the kindes of Serpents doe much differ from ours yet I will now speake according to our Climate and Meridian Behold when in the pleasant moneth of May thou desirest to take the fresh ayre and to delight thy senses with the odoriferous breath of sweete flowers when the beautie of the Lilies and the pleasant varietie of colours shall allure thy sight as thou walkest securely by the way side or when thou dost solace thy selfe in the groue or the shade and there crownest thy selfe with the garlands of nature see see a stratagem a stratagem treason treason against thine owne person the base Serpent which neuer durst once appeare in thy sight to encounter thee now begins to trace out thy pathes and to bite at thy heeles a part which thou least suspectedst where thy hands cannot stoope down to helpe thee yet therein the strength and poyse of thy whole body consists if thou touchest or treadest thou defilest thine owne flesh And thus is euery man now become Iacob before hee can be Israel first his thigh-bone must be broken to acknowledge his owne weaknesse before he can partake of the blessing Wilt thou set vpon this Serpent and by opposing her seeke to defend thy selfe thou shalt finde it a very dangerous and difficult combate for see the guile and subtiâ—tie of thine aduersarie thinkest thou to insnare and intrap her with thy charmes and inchantments as birds and wilde beasts are taken with seuerall notes and cries she hath this property one eare she stops with her taile the other with the earth O the deafe Adder that will not harken to the voice of the chaâ—mer charme he neuer so wisely Dost thou expect that this poysonous creature should at length burst with her owne poyson she is priuiledged for her poyson serues to offend thee and not to annoy her venenum expâ—it vt bibat in the taking of her food and her sustenance she first disgorgeth her owne poyson and then againe resumes it as being prouided against man Wilt thou draw out thy sword and hew her in peeces see how she will stand in her owne defence totum corpus in orbem circumuolâ—it vt caput occultet her whole body must serue as a buckler to protect her head wherein life doth principally reside suppose she were cut and dismembred yet is she no way dis-inabled or impotent she may well leese part of her length and yet be no creeple If thou puttest her to flight habet viam tortâ—osam she will make such indentures in her passage that thou knowest not which way to follow and wheresoeuer she goes if she can make the least entrance with her head she will winde in her whole body the earth is her castle the hedges her buiwarkes take heed of thy selfe in the chase danger doth euery way appeare and yet no hope of a booty if thou hâ—st the conquest sometimes the sprinkling of her blood will infect thee but thou shalt neuer receiue any the least price of thy labour If time leisure would sâ—rue me I could proportion these seuerall properties of the serpent to the qualities of sinne and the deuill which first made choice of the serpent to be his agent and instrument against man but I will leaue this to euery mans priuate meditation as likewise on the contrary wherin our comfort consists that this serpent luâ—king about the heeles we shall one day tread on the head It may well feed vpon impâ—re and poysoned bloud but when it shall taste the pure and innocent bloud which shall issue foorth from the seed of the woman then behold byting at the frailtie of our flesh she shall bee insnared with the hooke of the God-head when both God-head and man-hood shall be linckt together by an inseparable vnion in the person of Christ who is that brazen serpent prefigured out to the Iewes A serpent appearing in the true shape and condition of sinfull man and yet a brazen serpent without sting without poyson reserued for continuance and perpetuitie the looking and beholding wherof being once raised vp in the wildernesse faith apprehending Christ crucified shall cure all those which haue bin stung by the serpent Thus you see the great encounter betweene man and the creatures the strange antipathie and discord betweene both Now let vs examine how the earth and the elements stand affected to man in this great diffention and to what party they incline not to speake of the burning and consuming fire the boysterous and vnresistable winde or ayre the roaring ouer-whelming seas or the earth which seemes to be the foundation of the rest to support this reeling world yet sometimes is strangely moued toffed whole cities are swallowed great foundations shaken nothing vntouched the fruites the hearbes and the flowers are tainted as if hell which consists in the bosome of the earth sent forth a flash of brimstone to infect this world I will passe ouer all these great generall iudgements but me thinkes in my passage I am detaind incompassed and apprehended by thornes that I cannot winde my selfe out of the snare or the bryars and therefore in the neâ—t place I must speake of the third punishment of mans corruption terraâ—ariet tribulos spinas Gen. 3. 17. 18. Cursed is the earth for thy saâ—e in sorrow shalt thou eate of it all the dayes of thy life thornes also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee c. Why should the earth bring forth brâ—ars and bâ—ambles vnprofitable thistles prâ—cking and hurtfull thornes noysome and vnsauory weedes are these the fruites of the garden doe the heauens sowe no better seede or is this crop worth the reaping to what vse hath nature ordained them suppose â—here were any vse yet could not nature furnish the earth with better prouision And this vse whatsoeuer it be is wholy vnknowne and therfore they seeme needlesse and vnprofitable to vs and certainly would much detract from the diuine wisdome and goodnesse were it not that they are rooted in that earth that earth which is accursed for sin and therefore brings forth bryars and brambles as tortures and torments for the iust punishment of sinne The earth was first created of nothing and as the earth was nothing in her production so if God had left the earth to it selfe it should haue produced nothing there should haue â—ollowed a priuatiue iudgement but no positiue punâ—shment poenadamni but not sensus It should haue bin like the fruitlesse sands or the barren rockes as not apt for graine so not plentifull of weedes or of thistles nothing should haue bin the fruite of that which is nothing in it selfe and was nothing in his first
light yet his minde is in continuall motion climing vp from earth vnto heauen a strange and violent ascent I confesse whereunto he shal not attaine without great labour and difficulty not without great perill and danger For his body is dried vp and withered before the approch of his age as if he had passed through the element of fire now at length hauing fast hould on the sun and the heauens he is carried round about the world with their motion viewing whole nature sed caâ—eat prâ—cipitium let him take heede least with the violent turning he bring himselfe to a gidinesse and leese himselfe in his generall search of the whole world Thus that profession which the trades-man and plow-man suppose to be the idle loytering profession assuredly it is the most painfull and laborious The Lawyer in opening the cause and deciding the right as it were appointing the iust bounds of euery mans possession shall finde it a more difficult labour then doth the husband-man in hedging and ditching his sences The magistrat in his gouernmeÌ„t is not excluded from toyle no man can bee freed from the curse in sudâ—re vultus nature her selfe seemes to teach vs this principle and to infuse it in the heart of man for in our idlenesse we are alwaies most imployed but it is in ill doing Nihil agendo malè agere discimus 〈◊〉 seemes to rouse and inforce vs to action in so much that all our sports and pastimes are in veritie and truth labours howsoeuer we may repute theÌ„ for recreations sports And therefore our natural rest or sleepe we must esteeme it a death we are laide in our winding sheetes our senses fayle vs somno sepulti wee are couered with darkenesse here is our death and after death beholde our resurrection wee were sowne in weakenesse wee shall rise againe in power the decayed spirits renewed our bodies strengthened and then wee returne to our seuerall callings and professions and thus our rest tends to our labours nature is defined to bee the mother of motion motion is the companion of life and an inseparable accident to the creatures in generall But I will tie my selfe more strictly to speake of the curse see then the correspondencie of Gods iudgements to the creatures in generall but especially to man in particular for the whole curse must fall vpon man and therefore God hath appoynted that the earth should bring forth briers brambles that so maÌ„ might be tied to vse his own labour for his sustenance and foode see here the same wisdome and prouidence of God appeares in both now I would gladly aske why should the earth bring forth naturally fruite fit for the nourishment of beasts and yet mans body consisting of like flesh should bee destitute of like foode Why should not the earth as well bring forth of her selfe graine corne wheate barlie rie without the yearely labour tillage and husbandry of man as grasse Apricocks Pomegranates Cherries which seeme to be as rare in nature and as difficult in production how shall man onely intend the glorie of his Maker and returne due thankefulnesse to his God and Creator for all his blessings which was the scope and end of his creation if these base offices this kitchen-businesse and seruice shall giue him a sufficient taske and take vp his time with imployments certainely Gods seruice was the end of mans making and this after-drugerie proceedes from the corruption of nature an accessarie punishment accompaning our sinne But I pray' let vs examine why should not the earth bee as beneficiall to man for his foode as to the rest of the creatures at first the earth without plowshare or harrow brought forth these graines suppose Barlie or Wheate why should not the beneuolence of nature appeare as well in the preseruation of them as in other fruites You will say that it proceedes from the excellencie of the graine this is your error for at first there was no greater difficultie in their production for there was nothing and therefore there could be no resistance of Gods power as not in the least so not in the greatest as it was in the production so should it bee in the preseruation the blessing was equally imparted to all crescite multiplicamini if more be required nature as she affoords the excellencie so she should supplie the defects and in their owne proper places and wombes you shall finde as easie generation of the sweete Almond the delicious Date the wholesome Nutmeg as you see in our common hedges of Crabs Slowes Blackberies and the like if all places serue not for their plantation acknowledge natures defect which is the scope and marke that we shoot at That a perfect drugerie might appeare in man suppose that a poore mans childe were now borne into the world at first either with his fathers labour or at the parish charge together with the charitie of well disposed people he must bee kept and sustained now hee is in the forme of a Beads-man in his blew coate and his blew cap holding vp his innocent hands vnto Heauen to pull downe a blessing vpon the heads of all his good benefactors and founders O all yee rich men of the world if euer pittie and compassion could mooue your hearts looke vpon these sillie poore innocent babes who neuer offended either God or man but onely in the sinne of their conception heere your charitie bestowed shall bee without exception for they cannot counterfeite they are young beginners giue them a stocke and like seede sowne vpon good ground it shall againe returne vnto you with full measure and thankefulnesse when at length hee comes to the age of ten yeeres then hee beginnes his taske hee must worke to purchase his owne foode to buy his rayments to get his strength his growth and his nourishment for nature onely supplies life she laies onely the foundation and this life must bee continued and prolonged by such meanes which he himselfe hath bought with his own labours now no man can worke without tooles the plough the mattocke the spade and these tooles must first bee prouided with his owne labours hauing both strength and tooles there must be a skill and cunning to worke and this skill is gotten by experience learning and his owne labours now he is sufficiently prepared of himselfe but where will hee worke either hee must first purchase his timber his stuffe or his ground or else he must drudge for another to worke in his vineyeard as if he were to create a new world for himselfe before he could take the possession of this world Let vs with compassion descend to the lowest degree and state of men that a man might be a drudge not onely to other men of the same kinde in the nature of a seruant that he might haue worke to imploy himselfe that with his owne honest labours hee might get his owne liuing but I say that he might bee a drudge to the dumbe
appeare that God in the middest of iudgement remembreth mercy for euen these hilles did serue as a speciall meanes by Gods owne appoyntment to allay the raging of the waters and againe to gather them into one common storehouse where they might bee hedged and kept within their owâ—e boundes The truth of this deluge to the Iewes and the Christians is sufficiently warranted by the diuine testimonie which is beyond all exception Wee are likewise able to trace the continued succession of times the discent of tribes and families from Noah and his Sonnes as likewise the plantation of nations the establishing of kingdomes and gouernments so that nothing is defectiue in this kinde to him that hath made but a small entrance in the studie of Chronologie as likewise the attempts of men soone after the deluge for preuenting the like in-undation as namely the building of Babell c. many things as yet appeare in their lawes and their customes especially places reserued for keeping of their auncient recordes so built as that they might be free from the annoyance of waters For the Gentiles their Philosophers considering that the world was vpheld by opposition and combate of elements and that the elements were not equally matched but doe fight vpon disaduantage for two of them are actiue and two passiue the actiue qualities farre exceeding the passiue in vertue power and operation hereby they did conceiue that there might be an ouerthrow and dissolution in nature either by water or fire which were therefore not improperly called the dreadfull and destroying elements whereby the opinion concerning the generall deluge was made the more credible which deluge was known vnto them by the name of Ogiges or Deucalions floud not but that I acknowledge there was a floud which happened in the time of Ogiges and another in the time of Deucalion but assuredly such things are reported of these two flouds which could not be competent or agreeable but onely to the vniuersall deluge and therefore I suppose that the deluge was called by the name of Ogiges or Deucalions floud because these gaue occasion and did rippe vp and renew the memorie thereof this I conceiue because certaine it is that Noah was called among the Gentiles the first Ogiges speaking of the floud which happened sub prisco Ogige and things which were past remembrance were called Ogigia this deluge is likewise mentioned by diuers most auncient heathen writers as by Berosus Chaldaeus Hieronimus Aegyptius Nicholaus Damascenus Abydenus and others according as both Iosephus and Eusebius doe proue Plato in Timaeo seemes to remember it and Berosus who was the most auncient writer among the heathen beginnes his historie from the floud in these words Ante aquarum cladem famosam qua vniuersus perijt orbis c. beyond which course of time no historie no author no monument is extant and that you may not thinke that this truth was fastened vpon the ancients or that their workes should heerein admit a fauourable construction the Heathen and Pagans at this day in Bresill and other countries of the West-Indies lately discouered in our age where neuer any Christian professors were knowne to teach yet they talke of the drowning of the world which happened in times past and they say that this was left vnto them by tradition time out of minde by the inhabitants of those places But why doe I thus trouble my â—â—lfe with the deluge behold I see a waterie signe in the cloudes containing in it selfe a great varietie of glittering colours as it were resembling the beautie of Nature which by a speciall indulgence of God shall preserue vs from the like in-undation of waters It proceeds I confesse from waterie and naturall causes and was before the deluge but not as a sacramentall signe or the earnest of Gods promise and couenant for th◠〈◊〉 is a ring before it becomes a mariage ring as things which consist in relation first presuppose an entitie in themselues Behold I say here is a bow but here is our comfort an emptie and a naked bow Where is the shaft it is alreadie shot and spent wee shall neuer neede to feare any further danger by this bow for to my sight and to my vnderstanding it is rather bent against heaueÌ„ then against earth I pray' obserue it aright it should seeme that God hath so disposed it that it might serue rather as a memoriall for God to put him in mind of his promise then as a terrour to man to strike vs with feare of Gods vengeance And therefore this bow shall serue as a bridge as a bow-bridge by which I will passe ouer this great in-undation of waters humbly praising and magnifying God that as the old world was ouerwhelmed by waters so God in his mercie hath appointed that there should be a regeneration by waters that the old Adam being washed and cleansed from sinne we might be receiued into the arke of Christs Church through the sanctifying waters of the holy stood of Iordan Hauing spoken of the first ouerthrow of the world by waters I cannot but in a word for similitude of argument though otherwise the iudgements shall bee wrought by different and contrary meanes speake of the second ouerthrow which shall be by fire in a generall combustion Behold then the earnest of this last iudgement when as Sodom and Gomorrha were consumed with fire from heauen that it might serue for euer as a remarkable token or the first beginning of a general combustion which threatens the whole world Vnto this day the place is vnhabitable fire and brimstone hauing left such a strong sent as might well argue the strange ebullition of their vnnaturall lust and as it was a lust which did not intend generation so was it the most vnnaturall act without any president or example of the bruite beasts for none of them are tainted with such vncleannesse And therfore behold their punishment carries a proportion and correspondencie to the offence whereas they should haue intended by an orderly course of nature the preseruation of their seed in the fruites of their loynes the propagation of their kinde and the continuance of their names and memories themselues taking a cleane contrarie course c. the remembrance hereof is most hatefull detestable and abominable to euery chaste and Christian minde Therefore by the iust iudgements of God these Cities were turned by their destruction into a strange lake which vnto this day is knowne by the name of mare mortuum the dead Sea wherein nothing can liue for proofe and certaintie whereof as trauellers at this time can testifie as much so many Gentiles Heathen and forraine writers doe witnesse the same truth as Galen Pausanias Solinus Tacitus and Strabo all of them testifying and shewing the particular wonders thereof But you will say that this iudgement is only proper and priuate to the inhabitants of those parts and that little trust or credit is to bee giuen to trauellers in
this kinde though herein I could easily conuince you for things shall speake for themselues and in euery nation there are many eye-witnesses of this truth yet behold for your further satisfaction in the darke and thicke cloudes how the thunder and lightnings are together encompassed as if wee could not separate these iudgements but that the one did carrie and portend the other and as it were giue place to the other For when the Sunne shall haue gathered out of the bowels of the earth a sulfureous matter fit and apt for combustion as much in effect as if I should say when our iniquities are come to a full height and ripenesse and that our sinnes are climed vp to heauen and there crie for vengeance cum calles obdurârint then behold he that sits vpon the cloudes doth together send foorth a lightning and a thunder for the decrees of God are inseparable though there may be degrees in their execution First the lightning astonisheth vs like an admonition or preparatiue to the subsequent iudgement ac si dicat caâ—e ne te fulmen interimat then followes the iudgement which is vnresistable Now if you please to consider this thunder and lightning as tokens and forerunners of the last generall combustion you shall finde the one a figure of the other and very fitly to resemble it by way of comparison But how am I falne at length to speake of water and fire as if the Deluge or the burning of Sodom could betoken the generall fall and corruption when as in deed they were the particular punishments of actuall sinnes proper and peculiar to the place to the times to the persons vnlesse what hath befalne them might serue as threatnings to vs and that the whole nature in generall cannot be excused from that which hath befallen any one in particular but I will not stand to iustifie my selfe indeed I was carried with the course and streame of the times considering things as they fell out according to their seuerall accidencies If herein I haue erred it is no great marueile for behold my tongue is confounded my tongue is confounded and therefore in the next place I will come to the next generall iudgement which concernes whole mankinde namely the confusion of tongues Genes 11. vers 7. Come on let vs goe downe and there confound their language that euery one perceiue not anothers speech c. This confusion of tongues first began at Babell and is now generally spread ouer the face of the whole world common and daily experience can witnesse the truth of the successe and the diuine testimonie shewes the first originall Eusebius likewise citeth at large the testimonies both of Abydenus who liued about King Alexander time and of Sibylla as also the words of Hestieus concerning the land of Senaar where it was builded and these Gentiles doe shew by reason that if there had not been some such miracle in the diuision of tongues no doubt but that all tongues being deriued of one as all men are descended of one father the same tongues would haue retained the same rootes and principles as in all dialects or deriuation of tongues we see that it commeth to passe but now say they in many tongues at this day wee see that there is no likelihood or affinity among theÌ„ but are al different the one from the other and thereby it appeareth that they were made diuers and distinct by some speciall miracle Herein the iustice of God appeares that seeing man desired to continue his owne memorie by the workes of his owne hands without any reference to the diuine power therefore God confoundeth their tongues that their speech and their language might faile them to record their owne acts and that they might neuer bee able to conspire or take counsell together when the one calles vp for timber the other breakes his backe in carrying vp stones one calles for his instruments and tooles but another brings morter to stop his mouth thus euery man either suspecteth himselfe to bee in a dreame or else accuseth all others of madnesse and follie and thus there is a dumbe silence of pratling creatures there is a noyse or a sound without sense or signification for want of one knowne and common tongue to interpret Thus the punishment was agreeable to the diuine iustice and very conformable to mans present state and condition for whereas our mindes are distracted with varietie of opinions and our hearts carried headlong to diuers inordinate lusts so the tongue should likewise bee confounded with many base and barbarous languages some of them very harsh in pronunciation that a man must wrong his owne visage and disfigure himselfe to speake them others without grauitie or wisdome in their first imposition consisting only of many bare and simple tearmes not reduced to any certaine fountaines or heads which best resembleth nature Many of them hindring mans thoughts and wanting a sufficieÌ„t plentie of words cannot significantly expresse the quicknes of inuention or liuelily expresse an action some giuing way to fallacies and sophistrie through Tautologies ambiguous words darke sentences others inclining to ribaldrie and luxurious speech all of them daily inlarged and refined as hauing not yet attained any perfection but still requiring the helpe of the pencill insomuch that within the compasse of a few yeeres you shall not know them to be the same languages Thus is man no counterfeit for he is inwardly and outwardly totally confounded For the large extent of this punishment it may well appeare by a due consideration either of place or time For all nations in the world seeme more to be diuided with tongues then with seas with riuers with bankes or with gouernments and in the same tongue you shal obserue a great diuersitie of dialects the Grecians speake diuersly their owne language Attice Ionice Dorice Take this one kingdome and you shall finde that Seuerne Trent do moysten the seuerall tongues of our people and make a great difference in one and the same language notwithstanding the prâ—eminency of the one aboue the other yet the meanest will not conforme it selfe to the best the Welsh suppose their owne tongue to be as honourable in regard of the antiquitie as the English doe daily seeme curious in filing and refiling of theirs Now in the succession of times it appeares that all the ancient languages which indeede were the fittest caskets to containe the Iewels of mysteries haue already failed either in the vse and speech of men as the Hebrew Greeke Latin Syriacke Chaldaick c. or else are wholly extinct and abolished As heere in England the Saxon tongue and the language of the Picts in Italy what tongues the Gothes and Vandols did speake and he that shall peruse our English Chaucer shall finde more difficultie in his words then in his sense And thus the confusion of tongues serues to bereaue vs of each others helpe we cannot partake with other nations in
infidelitie vpon all fit occasions he is ready to reuolt and dares vndertake nothing for feare of his death which hee holds for his greatest woe Thus I haue proportioned the seuerall punishments of the first sinne to the tenne plagues of Egypt I haue contracted them to the number of tenne though further happily I could haue extended them were it not that I desire to speake al things according to some rule and proportion But now I call to minde the last punishment in Egypt was mors primogeniti the death of their first begotten and this hath likewise some reference to the last punishment of sinne mors primogeniti the death of the soule which is the first begotten in man and Scripture doth intimate as much in effect for this very phrase morte morieris thou shalt dye the death might seeme to include a needlesse repetition or tautologie were there not a first death and a second death and both of them brused brayed and beaten together in this one morter morte morieris thou shalt dye the death Which words â—ound to my eares as if they did intimate the truth of a double death both proposed to man and man himselfe made subiect and liable to both yet the necessitie seemes to be imposed only for one The first iudgment hath relation to the first death thou shalt dye the death if you tell me of the Hebrew phrase and the manner of their speech then I doe much more magnifie God who hath so ordained the tongues and languages of men to expresse such a mysterie If you please to consider the circumstances and â—orerunners of the last and generall iudgement they cannot but greatly astonish man when the world shall now be growne to that old age as that her sight shall begin to faile her or sicke of a dangerous and desperate disease vndoubtedly approching to death her light shall be put out which was the first token and signe of life and therefore was created in the first place when the Sunne and the Moone shall be darkened and in this darknesse as if nature were poysoned with mans sinne not any part thereof shall be able to performe her owne office and dutie but all shall stand in an vprore the heauens with the elements the elements with the heauens and all together confounded Luk. 21. vers 25. Then there shall be signes in the Sunne and in the Moone and in the Starres and vpon the earth trouble among the nations with perplexitie the Sea and the waters shall roare c. These things might seeme strange and terrible to the carnall man but here is the least part of his terrour for when hee shall see the wrath of God hanging ouer his head hell opened beneath him damnation before him his persecuting foes behind him on his right hand the whole number of his sinnes accusing him on the left hand all the creatures witnessing against him within him nothing but feare tormenting himselfe with the sting of his owne conscience without him nothing but torture and the crie of his owne sinnes together with Gods iustice calling for vengeance O what a fearefull thing it is to fall into the hands of the euer liuing God! When as al the plagues of Egypt which certainly were strange and wonderfull yet by the confession of the Egyptians and by the testimonie of Scripture it selfe were onely wrought by the finger of God digitus dei hic est alas what proportion is there betweene the whole hand and the little finger But shall I tell you how to to auoide the hands of this euerliuing God then let vs first fall into the hands of a dead God amor meus crucifixus est Christus meus crucifixus est his blood is shed and therefore he will not require our blood he is weakened and cannot hurt his hands are nailed and cannot strike he is not fit to punish but to commiâ—erate here wee may safely approch without feare and vnder the shadow of his wings we shalâ— finde protection Hebr. 4. vers 15. 16. Wee haue not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sinne let vs therfore goe boldly vnto the throne of grace that we may receiue mercie and finde grace to helpe vs in this time of our necessitie Let vs call to minde what effects the preuision and premeditation of this last and great iudgement hath wrought vpon the dearest Saints of God the righteous Iob can testifie in the 21. Chapter What shall I doe how shall I escape when God shall come vnto iudgement The beloued Disciple though otherwise he had leaned vpon the bosome of Christ yet seeing Christ comming in iudgement he fell downe vnder his feete Apocal. 1. S. Ierome sets vp a stage and makes a liuely representation of this iudgement supposing himselfe alwaies to heare the noyse of the trumpet sounding in his eares Surgite mortui venite ad iudieiuÌ„ Arise ye dead come vnto iudgment S. Basill lets foorth this iudgement in place of a schoole-master to teach vs our selues and our owne wretched condition S. Chrysostome makes it a bridle to keepe vs from sinne within the lists of obedience Cyprian makes it a remembrancer of sinne for our repentance Vaepeccatis meis cum monti dicturus sum c. Woe be vnto my sinnes when I shall say to the mountaines couer me and to the deepe waters hide and conceale me to the earth swallow and ouerwhelme me that I may find some refuge in the day of Gods wrath Whither shall I goe from Gods presence if I flie vp to heauen hee is there if I goe downe into hell he is there also if I take vp the wings of a Doue and flie to the vttermost parts of the earth euen there also shall his power follow me and his iustice pursue mee whither shall I flie from Gods presence I will flie from God to God from the tribunall of his iustice to the seate of his mercie here is my appeale Call to remembrance O Lord thy tender mercie and thy louing kindnesse which haue been euer of old O remember not the sinnes and offences of my youth but according to thy mercie thinke thou vpon me O Lord for thy goodnesse Thus much for the expectation but I dare not proceede to the tortures and torments of hell S. Austine excuseth himselfe in speaking of that subiect and for my selfe I am afraid to thinke of them and therefore I pray' beare with me if I follow S. Austins example I had rather sound foorth the trumpets of Gods mercie then poure downe the viols of his wrath God preuent that in mercie which otherwise in iustice he might and should inflict vpon vs. If I should enter into this subiect I know not ho◠〈…〉 disquiet and perplexe the thoughts and consciencâ—◠〈…〉 â—â—â—nners quorum ego sum maximus of whom I am the chiefest and the greatest sinner But here is my
1. 11 the same in nature the same in power the same in mercy the same in true loue and affection Iesus the sonne of Dauid Iesus the sonne of Marie who was the propitiation for our sinnes and shall come againe in glorie to iudge both the quicke and the dead Yet sure I am that the time cannot bee long absent for all the signes of his comming doe already appeare when the hangings and furniture are taken downe it is a token that the King and the Court are remoouing nature now beginning to dacay seemes to hasten Christs comming to let passe many strong presumptions of our Diuines concerning the approach of that day these three proofes drawne from naturall reason doe easilie induce mee to beleeue it First looking to the generall decay of this world which argues the approach of this iudgement secondly to the great preparation for fâ—â—e which must then serue for the execution of Gods wrath thirdly the fit occasions seeming to hasten this iudgement c. Most certaine it is that if the world should continue many thousand yeeres and that wee should suppose that nature would decay in such sort as we are able to proue by demonstratiue euidence already she hath done assuredly nature of her selfe thorough her owne weakenesse would come to nothing and the world should not bee able to supplie mens necessities Suppose this one kingdome besides the generall barrennesse which hath befalne vs whereof wee may iustly complaine if we should commit the like waste in our woods as formerly wee haue done in this last forepassed age assuredly we should bee left so destitute of fuell of houses of shipping that within a short time our land would proue almost inhabitable for such things as require a great growth wherein man cannot see the present fruites of his prouidence husbandrie and labour for the most part they are alwaies neglected and it lies not in the power of one age to recouer her selfe thus out of the decay of nature we may almost expect a dissolution as by the signes and symptomes we iudge of a dangerous and desperate disease Thus you may obserue almost a like distance from the creation to the deluge from the deluge to Christ from Christ vnto vs as God ordaines euery thing according to rule order and measure after fifteene generations â—xpired you shall alwaies note in Scripture some great alteration and change Saint Matthew was therefore called from the receite of custome to cast vp this account in the genealogie of Christ as it appeares in his first chapter now at length in Gods name what may wee expect should befall vs Whatsoeuer concernes the kingdome of Shilo consummatum est it is already perfited wee must not looke for any further addition that which remaines it is the sound of the trumpet vt consummetur seculum that the world may be destroyed by fire Secondly fire shall bee the second ouerthrowe this Scripture and reason confirmes now certaine it is that God who hath first instituted nature hath so ordained her as she may best serue to be an instrument to worke his owne ends and purposes to shew a conformitie of the effects with the cause thereby to manifest his owne empire and rule which still he retaines in the creatures as likewise the obedientiall power whereunto the creatures are subiect that so may appeare how absolute and powerfull he is first to appoint the creatures then how gracious and mercifull he is to impart himselfe and to ioyne with the creatures in the same action Thus the waterie constellations did then gouerne and rule when the world was ouerwhelmed with waters now at this time and for a few hundred yeeres yet to continue the fierie constellations shall haue the predominancie and therefore credible it is that within the compasse of this time there shall happen the generall combustion Thirdly the dissolution of this world betokens a generall punishment the iudgement accompaning hath reference to our transgressions as in the first permission of sinne appeares the goodnesse of God who can turne our sinnes to his glorie either for the manifestation of his mercy or iustice so in this great tolerating of sinne appeares Gods patience and long suffering But now our sinnes are come to a full ripenesse now is the haruest and the weedes choake vp the wheate and therefore necessitie seemes to inforce and to hasten the approach of this iudgement that at length there might bee a separation of both though hetherto they haue growne vp together Thus Christs first comming in the flesh was to restore the decaied state of the Iewes for then hee was borne into this world when charitie was growne colde the Priesthood bought and sould for a price the Kings office extinguished the tribe of Iuda neglected the synagogue diuided into sects and schisâ—es and this is in some sort resembled by the barâ—â—â— of the earth for hee came in the winter season and hee was borne at midnight to argue the worlds vniuersall darknesse and ignorance So must it bee for his second comming he hath giuen vs a watch-word that the sonne of man will come at an houre when hee is not expected Luk. 12. vers 40. Now is that time when we doe not expect him we neuer thinke of iudgement of hell of fire of damnation Religion hath taken vp wings and is returned to heauen from whence she descended Men are now growne carelesse in their profession and liue after a sensuall manner like beasts we are now growne to the height and top of all sinne our sinnes our crying sinnes now crie for vengeance and therefore the time of his comming cannot be farre absent hee will take the best opportunitie like a theefe in the night we may then expect him when wee doe least expect him But I will leaue this as being not so pertinent to my purpose and grounded onely vpon coniectures c. Now I haue brought man to his graue and together with man the whole fabricke of nature you would thinke that at length I should discharge him I haue buried him deep enough I confesse for I haue cast the heauens and the earth vpon him and together with man intombed the whole world Yet giue me leaue in the last place to preuent one obiection for some will say that if the fall of man should appeare by the light of nature how should those great Sages and Secretaries of nature the ancient Philosophers be so much mistaken for the Schooles and all our Diuines hold that they were deceiued in the state of man supposing man to be in puris naturalibus without any thought of his fall without any hope of his recouerie I confesse indeede that the ancient Philosophers haue not mentioned the fall of man for they did onely looke to the present course and order of nature as liuing in the middest of Egypt they considered Nilus the depth of the waters the violence of the streame the ebbings and flowings but they regarded not
miracles to confirme euery point of our faith much lesse must wee expect miracles vpon all occasions for this were to tempt and prouoke God we must make a difference betweene laying the first foundations and the continuance of the building the needle must first passe thorow that the thread may follow after and theÌ„ there is no further vse of the needle Miracles must first introduce faith and lay the foundation then must the building be perfected by the practise of pietie and deuotion if wee should continually expect miracles then faith should lose her reward as S. Gregorie saith Fides non habet meritum cui humana ratio indies praebet experimentum Doest thou still desire to be an eye-witnesse of miracles and yeeldest nothing to the report and relation of others heerein thou must condemne thine own falsehood when thou canst not require that others should giue more credit to thee then thou doest to others though miracles haue failed yet wonders are stil extant for a wonder it is to see thy infidelitie as Saint Augustine saith Si quis adhuc prodigia vt credat inquirit magnum prodigium est qui mundo credâ—ate non credit For the manner of mans fall as I purpose to giue full contentment to the naturall man as farre foorth as it lies in my power so it shall appeare that nothing therein is related by Moses which might any way seeme absurd or improbable and in many things I will vse the same weapons of reason which formerly I haue done that so by demonstratiue arguments I might satisfie the vnbeleeuing man First for the vndoubted truth of our creation that the world was created of nothing which in effect is to proue that there is a God a Maker as euery thing in nature will necessarily inforce a creation so euery argument and proofe in mans braine will easily conuince this truth I doe heartily wish that my tongue may cleaue to the roofe of my mouth if euer I be found destitute of arguments in this kind and let my right hand forget her cunning if I be not able in euery creature to poynt out the footsteps of the Deitie In this infinite number of arguments I will onely make choice of these foure which I suppose to be inuincible to confirme this truth First if it seemes strange to mans vnderstanding which as it is a naturall vnderstanding so doth it onely respect the present course and order of nature that a thing should be the cause of his owne being and hauing no beginning of existencie should deriue his roote from eternitie Then certainly in things which are inconuenient the least inconuenience is to be admitted in reason either euery thing in his owne kinde must be the cause and author of his owne being or onely one thing which being infinite and all sufficient in it selfe must giue a nature and essence to all other existing creatures Now as is the difference betweene many and one so is the inconuenience lesse and therefore to be admitted in reason Secondly things onely sensible seeme to worke according to reason The birds in building their nests in making their prouision against the hard season the wilde beasts in their dennes their caues in the choice of their foode and in a subtiltie and craft for defence of themselues the stockes and the stones in desiring and seeking their proper places as being fittest for their preseruation and generally in the dumbe creatures there is a naturall prouidence and instinct for the protection and gouernment of themselues heere you see the actions of reason in vnreasonable creatures which therefore cannot proceed from themselues neither are these in themselues alone but likewise in relation to others Thus one thing seemes to bee ordained for another euery facultie hath his seuerall obiect proportioned to it selfe and in euery kinde there is a difference of sexe the one being fitted and referred to the other The Sunne is in continuall motion yet not for his owne vse neither knowes hee the vse of his motion being a bare and a dumbe instrument yet still he moues for the good of this inferiour world and therfore these things subsist not of themselues seuerally but were thus constituted and appointed by some higher supereminent and intellectiue Agent who did foresee and ordain the power of each other and had the perfect knowledge of both that so the inuisible Deitie might appeare by the visible creatures Thirdly supposing that the world had no beginning but that all things were from eternitie then must it follow that whereas the course of the Sunne containes thirteene reuolutions of the Moone yet the Sunne should haue as often finisht his course as the Moone hath changed her countenance for both should be infinite which indeed implies such a contradiction impossibilitie in nature such as cannot be admitted Againe in this inferiour world supposing the eternitie no reason can be assigned of that difference which appeares in neighbour and bordering countries lying vnder the same climate that one part should abound with mines more then another or should be fitter to nourish wilde and fierce beasts more then another the temper and mould of the earth should be the same the properties the same the qualities the same as lying in the same situation and distance from the heauens and yet notwithstanding there appeares a great diuersitie which wee cannot ascribe to any other subordinate cause but onely to the roote and first institution of nature that things were thus created different from the beginning Fourthly euery thing giuing it selfe his owne being should consequently giue vnto it selfe the best being thus if the creatures should subsist of themselues there should bee no further comparison among themselues but all should be best this comparison should not only be abolished in respect of other creatures but likewise in respect of their owne parts some parts should not be inferiour to others but all should be best Againe the qualities of creatures must be all alike bounded for if you will suppose that any one should be infinite then al must bee infinite if any one finite then all must bee finite for they must goe together hand in hand by equal paces and carrie a iust proportion As for example suppose that a creature weake and faint in self should haue an infinite continuance then certainly would it purchase and get vnto it selfe by infinite degrees an infinit strength and all other qualities should likewise bee infinite but reason and daily experience can testifie that euery creature is bounded in all other qualities finite in extension finite in power finite in goodnesse and therfore why not finite in continuance though wee in the shortnes of our own liues cannot discerne the first and last of the creatures We see likewise that they haue diuersitie of parts some more ignoble then others they cannot adde to their growth nor helpe their owne imperfections and in the creatures in generall there is a center there
must be watered and digged the earth mellowed and mended mettals purified and clensed and by whom shall all this bee performed if by a superiour agent then might it be done without disparagâ—ment but if a base and inferiour should vndertake to controwle and correct nature in her actions this were a high contempt and indignity Here are not second causes which require the concourse and influence of their first mouers but nature is to bee taught and instructed by her handmaid to receiue her last and finall perfection from her vassall and slaue that ill-fauoured ape mistrisse Arte forsooth the learned gossip which doth all things by imitation taking her grounds and principles of action from nature she must be sent for as a mid-wife to help the deliuerie and hence issues such numbers and troupes of Artes together with such infinite inuentions of men and among others the Chemicall Arte though it deserues high commendation being rare and wonderfull in her operations yet with her vaine-glory and ostentation shee hath greatly wronged and prouock't nature in so much that if nature were not wholly cast downe and deiected rather then she would endure the intolerable boasting and bragging of Mountebankes shee would attempt the vttermost of her power To conclude this one poynt considering first that nature so much aboundeth in euill secondly and is so much enclined vnto euill thirdly considering how the heauens stand affected to the earth fourthly how elements amongst themselues fifthly how mixt creatures one to another sixthly and in themselues what defects and imperfections there are seuenthly how Art serues like a cobler or tinker to peece vp the walles and to repaire the ruines of nature I hope it wil sufficiently appeare that she is corrupted and much declined from her first perfection which certainly was intended by the founder and by all probable coniecture was imparted to her in her first institution I could bee infinite in this point but indeed it is not so pertinent nor doth it so nearely concerne my text I haue already alleaged seauen arguments to this purpose seauen is a perfect number as I challenge a rest on the seauenth day so heere I will rest in my seauenth argument Now in this great vprore and tumult of nature when heauen and earth seeme to threaten a finall destruction giue me leaue with the Marriners of Ionas ship to cast lots and search out the first occasion of this euill Alas alas the lot falles vpon man man alone of all other creatures in regard of the freedome of his will and the choyce of his owne actions being onely capable of the transgression the rest of the creatures are wholly excluded from the offence the punishment I confesse appeares in them but chiefly and principally in man I will therefore descend from the great world to this little world which first set on fire and inflamed the whole for I should greatly wrong my selfe if I should loose so much time as to take a generall suruey of nature to wander in the desarts and caues of the creatures to search out their imperfections I will therefore tie my selfe to man and by man alone the fall corruption shall manifestly appeare My proofes and arguments I will dispose into three seuerall ranks first for such things which seeme to bee proper and peculiar to man in regard of his constitution whereof all nature cannot furnish vs with the like example and president and therefore wee may well suppose that they are the peculiar punishments of mans sinne Secondly I will speake of mans condition in generall and compare man with the beast of the field whereby it shall appeare that our misery is far greater then theirs contrary to the first intent and institution of nature wherein she gaue vs a greater dignitie and so consequently should impart a greater measure of happinesse Thirdly I will insist in those particular punishments of sinne which are related in Scripture to bee the punishments of the first sinne wherein I will shew the truth the certainty and I will examine them by the touchstone and light of our naturall reason Speaking of mans coâ—stitution it must be supposed that he consists of seuerall and different parts which appeares by his composition and dissolution the seuerall faculties resident in seuerall vessels the seuerall senses tied to their seuerall organs whereas if his nature were simple and not compounded it should admit no such variety of parts no such diuersity of functioâ—s but shall haue a state constant and stable homogeneall euery way like vnto it selfe If then man be compounded then assuredly nature requires the fewest principles as there appeares onely action or passion in man so more is not required in man saue onely the two seuerall fountaines of action or passion then let me spare my selfe a needlesse and vnprofitable labour for the whole world did euer acknowledge in man as in all other creatures matter and forme I will therefore lay downe this as a ground-worke or supposition that man consists of two parts a body sensible materiall corruptible and a soule intelligent spirituall and incorruptible for his body I will referre him to the triall of all your seâ—ses that hee is no shadow or phantasie but really consisting of a true body and such a body as tends to corruption if any man doubt of it I could wish that his pasport were made that with the whip and the scourge he might bee conueyed to Golgotha where he should finde sculles of all sizes For his soule that it is intelligent not guided or carried by the streame of nature as a dumb beast but able to discourse to gather one truth from another containing in it selfe the seedes of all knowledge If any man seeme to denie this I will not argue or conuince him by reason for hee is not capable of a reasonable discourse but for his punishment I will ranke him in the number of vnreasonable creatures among the bruit beasts c. Now if this soule bee intelligent then certainly spirituall as not consisting of any earthly matter which well appeares by the quicke apprehension the strange and admirable operations conceiuing things immateriall able to abstract things from their owne nature vnderstanding the grosse and earthly substance in a spirituall manner and howsoeuer the inclination of the flesh or the disposition of humours stand for these may moue and affect yet still shee retaiâ—es the Lordship and gouernment of her owne actions not violently carried by an instinct of nature but hauing a free-will in her owne choyce and election which vndoubtedly argues a higher descent a greater petegree and linage then these base elements can afford her or can proceed from a well tempered body That there should bee spirituall substances in generall let vs first flie aboue the conuexitie of the heauens where elements and elementarie bodies cannot ascend Can you conceiue that there should bee a vast wildernesse vnhabited vnpeopled lie naked and empty or rather