the consideration of man which consists not only in mans constitution and the view of his seuerall parts but likewise in respect of other creatures his goods or his substance and whatsoeuer else may befall him for euery thing in nature presents it selfe not only in it selfe but likewise in reference proportion to others Thus it is with a Prince or a subiect who must haue an eye both to his owne estate in particular and vpon what grounds tearmes he stands with his bordering neighbours Now giue me leaue hauing thus safely lodged man to take some further account of his life of his actions I will speak of his miseries in himselfe and in comparison with the rest of the creatures Before I dare presume to speake of our miseries I must first apologize for my selfe lest in a blinde deuotion I might chance to offend and seeking to draw others vnto God I my selfe might fall from God Blessed Lord God who seest the secrets of my heart and touchâ—st the strings of my tongue Lord thou knowest I do not 〈◊〉 dislike my present estate and conditiâ—n sure I am that thou hast done and permitted all things for the best I doe not here intend to dishonour thee to disparage the great worke of thy creation to vilifie and abase thy creatâ—res to set all things at nought rather O Lord I shall dâ—eme my selfe the basest worme vpon earth and al thy creatures good in their owne kinde according to thine owne approbation But O Lord thou knowest that I loue thee thou knowest that I loue thee inlarge my poore heart that so thou maist increase the measure of thy loue in my heart O blessed Lord God who art the God of loue and loue in thy selfe and imparting thy selfe doest together impart the loue of thy selfe guide me by the assistance of thy spirit that in relating these miseries thy goodnesse may better appeare hauing first created vs in happinesse our sorrow and 〈◊〉 appeare hauing iâ—stly fallen of our selues whereby sufficiâ—â—â— meanes and occasions may be offered with feare and trembling to work out our saluation Here is my intent O Lord and this thou knowest right well for thou seest my thoughts long before they are hatched forgiue me the 〈◊〉 of my thoughts forgiue mâ— the sins of my mouth and giue a blessing to thâ—se my labours let thy power appeare in my weakenesse thy glorie in my shame Amen Hauing thus made my peace with God I will now fall to my intended taske My second kinde of arguments seemes to be built vpon these three grounds and foundations 1. The mercie of God doth ouerflow all his works and all his attributes like oyle vpon liquours This is plaine for mercie begins his actions God workes vpon nothing therefore nothing could moue him to worke but his mercie Now if all things in man did â—auour of mercy it were a strong presumption that the same mercie still discouers her selfe in the continuance which did first appeare in the creation but if otherwise you discerne miseries and afflictions in man acknowledge the fruits of Gods iustice iustice which must necessarily presuppose some offence or else could admit no difference nor be distinguished from wrong and oppression Now iustice supposing an offence could neuer begin the action for we could not offend when as yet we were not and therefore acknowledge that the fruites of Gods iustice together with mans transgressions are both twinnes borne in one instant or at least producing each other and standing in a mutuall and reciprocall relation to each other the offence to the guilt the guilt to the punishment So that the punishment is not equall in time to the production of man first wee were existing before we were punished Especially considering that Gods intent in the creation was onely according to the nature of goodnesse vt sit communicatina sui ipsius to impart his owne being and attributes to the creatures but when I finde sorrowes and griefes in man I begin to enquire where is the originall for in God there is no sorrow no griefe no maladies no afflictions no diseases no death God did only desire to impart himselfe whence proceedes the malignitie were it not that some after-corruption hath stained mans nature The good wheate was first sowen then came the ill husbandman qui super-seminauit zizania who did abuse the freedome of his owne will to his owne shame chusing rather to die then to liue And here the thistle and cockle first began to appeare making man the creature of Gods mercie the fauourite of those times as I may so speak the obiect of Gods iustice the subiect of Gods punishment My second ground is this If miseries incident to our nature do befall vs in such number and measure as that they do â—arre exceed all our own ioyes in so much that our nature seemes to be ouerprest with their burthen and weight and that our conditioÌ„ should be farre better not to bee then to bee then certainly the state and condition of man is cleane altered and changed from the first institution thereof For it could not stand with the act of creation or the goodnesse of the Deity to make of nothing that which in effect is worse then nothing So God should descend lower then himselfe not perfiting but confounding the creatures and that nothing which was before the creation should not only beare comparison but likewise be preferd before the state of some creatures Now indeede the thought of mans miseries here in the course of this life seemed of that moment to the ancient and heathen Philosophers that it was generally held and concluded among them for a truth that melius est non nasci quà m nasci it were better not to be borne then to be borne So that a wise man might be excluded from sorrow he would neuer thirst after ioy to be dead we regard it not but to dye here is the torment For the beleeuing man and the true Christian who besides the miseries of this life which he acknowledgeth to be the rod of Gods wrath for the punishment of sinne is likewise perplexed with the feare and terror of hell where that rod shall bee turned to a serpent How many of them haue cursed the day of their birth How earnestly haue others besought their speedy dissolution Doth not Christ witnesse of that sonne of perdition that it were better for him if he had neuer been borne or that a milstone were chained to his neck and both cast into the bottomlesse Sea Is this a priuate and particular case and doth it only concerne Iudas Is not the number of the elect very small while whole troupes and infinite multitudes of reprobates though neuer so bold and confident of their owne righteousnesse are daily reiected And in the elect people of God what strange agonies and conflicts appeare betweene the flesh and the spirit Doth not the way to heauen lie by the gates of hell when men with
whole world if I lose mine owne soule or who shall deliuer me from this body of sin Of whom should I expect comfort and succour but of thee O Lord thou that died'st for my sinnes and rose againe for my iustification Iesu thou sonne of Mary Iesu thou sonne of Dauid Iesu thou sonne of God thou Lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon me for thou art my God my Sauiour my Iudge in whom I doe trust thou art my Aduocate with the Father not to pleade my right but in thy pleading to purchase my right for thou art the propitiation for my sinnes If there were any ioy or contentment here in this life the dumbe creatures who onely looke to the present should receiue a farre greater measure and portion then man Who hauing a presaging minde and well considering that sorrowes shall ouertake the greatest mirth extrema gaudij luctus occupat setting before his owne eyes the frailty shortnesse and vncertainty of his life and that in death his honour his wealth and all his delights must forsake him torments himselfe with thought and expectation hereof before the sentence be past or the blow strucken like poore prisoners who are more then halfe dead before the Iudges approch And hitherto hath appeared our torments consisting onely in the foresight the fearfulnesse and preuention of euill now in the present sustaining therof I shall not need to speake of the torture It may seeme to make for natures perfection that a man knowes not how to forget the more hee striues to forget the faster it stickes in the braine the more he desires to blot out it makes the greater impression like the bird which is insnared with the lime-twigges the more it struggles the surer it is held And this truly I doe ascribe to the infinite mercy of God for seeing man is by condition sinfull therefore according to the condition of his nature hee should suruay and view his owne actions both for his repentance and for his amendment And being not able to forget hee might much better conceiue that there is no forgetfulnesse with God and therefore still hee stands accountable he is not discharged nor cannot procure his quietus est out of Gods Exchequer and therefore must alwaies be ready to giue an account of his stewardship From this tenacitie of memorie together with his discoursiue reason proceeds such a sorrow that still he thinkes hee is tortured hee cannot endure to see the place of his torment hee hates the instruments together with their first occasion and his memory serues him much better for sorrow then for any other subiect of what nature soeuer The scholler when he hath forgotten all his lessons together with his play-daies and sports at schoole yet still hee remembers the least correction as the vessell longest retaines an ill sauour so you shall not easily release the mind of sorrow though the torture be past It should seeme that the soule being eternall in her selfe desires to make all things eternall or at least to prolong their continuance and being naturally more enclined vnto sorrow then vnto ioy according to her iust merits and deserts being therein conuinced by the euident proofe of her owne conscience shee laies vp heere for her selfe a treasure of sorrow as willingly vndertaking a state of mortification and penance that seeing and feeling the heauie rod of Gods anger she might safely and securely escape the seething pot of his wrath Thus our daily calamities seeme to haue the nature of serpents whose poyson consists in the fore parts and in the hinder parts they spit out poyson before they can creepe and this appeares by our fearfulnesse and expectation of euill they carrie poyson in their taile and leaue it behind them and this appeares by the strong apprehension of the sorrow past which renewes mans griefe when the griefe is declining In so much that I haue knowne diuers suddenly to faint and to be much perplexed calling to minde those dangers which they haue already safely and securely escaped and this is as proper and peculiar to man as is his reasonable soule From the powers and faculties of mans minde I will come to his passions doe not all these tend to his sorrow Loue is accompanied with ielousies suspitions and hate hope breeds enuie feares and vexations euery delight leaues griefe and remorse behinde it If a tragedie were made of all the seuerall passions of man which indeed are like so many factions or furies in the State all banding and trouping hauing both their fauorites and their opposites assuredly it would proue the most cruell and bloodie tragedie that euer past betweene tyrants especially considering that they are the houshold seruants of man and in a priuat family much more in one person there should bee the most perfect and best Monarchicall gouernment Not to speake how easily man is moued to these passions or how these passions stand in opposition to each other how they doe degenerate betweene themselues looke to the fruites and effects of each passion and you shall easily discerne the torment As for example immoderate loue alwaies begets the greatest neglect and contempt and being once prouoked it turnes to the deadliest hate As out of the most wholesome hearbs you may extract the worst poyson so in loue if the spirits begin once to euaporate and the fire decline by degrees there will follow such a coldnesse such a petrification as that the immoderate loue will turne to immoderate hate And herein I doe acknowledge the wonderfull workes of Gods prouidence for seeing that this totall and excessiue loue with all our heart with all our mind with all our soule is only due vnto God fecisticor nostrum domine propter te inquietum est cor nostrum donec veniat ad te if therfore man shall diuert the course turne the streame of his loue and wholly surrender it vnto the creature then hath God ordained that such loue being vniustly imparted should be iustly recompensed with hate I shall not heere need to insist in the variety of passions take any one of thē seuerally by it selfe Doth not choller exceedingly disquiet man shortens his dayes occasioneth many diseases and sometimes prouokes man to attempt such a rash and headie action as that in the whole course of his life following he shall neuer be able to make any due recompence or satisfaction Take the melancholie man do not his owne thoughts dreames and fantasies exceedingly torment him can he containe his owne imaginations but as if wee had not sufficient outward cause of sorrow he frames monsters to himselfe and these proue fearfull and horrid in so much that his haire stands vpright and a cold sweat possesseth his limbes when no outward danger appeares then he is frighted with his owne thoughts hee sees armies fighting together and thinkes hee is haunted with spirits and then hee cries out for helpe we are
and hauing once beene vanquisht yet could neuer bee admitted to the common libertie of subiects and therfore flesh and blood could not withhold it selfe or patiently endure such a bondage but vpon all occasions they did continuallie reuolte beholde this good King Henry descended from them bearing their name and therefore by them making his first entrance into this happy Kingdome in token and memorie whereof he gaue his eldest Sonne the name of Arthur it hath pleased God that since that time no people hath continued more loyall and obedient to their Princes then they So that now that which before was spoken more improperly and is at this time still carried in the Armes of our yong Princes 〈…〉 it is truely verified according to the letter God laughing at the counsells of men can erect the pillar of his prouidence in the vaine thoughts and cogitations of man Thus in his person we may consider the quieting and pacifying of that nation now being possessed of the Crowne whereas in humane policie his sworde might haue kept it as it was wonne by the sworde yet it should seeme that hee respected rather the good of this kingdome and the good of posteritie And therefore by the happinesse of his marriage hee 〈…〉 severall families by whose diuision so many bloodie batâ—ailes had beene fought our crueltie was practised vpon our selues our Townes became vnpeopled our land was left desolate and fourescore Nobles and Princes of the blood Royall were slaine and murthered so that mens mindes were daily distracted and vpon euery dislike of the present gouernement men had free refuge to that part which they conceiued might bee most for their aduantage miserable was the condition both for Prince and Subiect but now are the roses vnited the houses conioyned by a most inseparable bond for chaines and linkes of iron are not of such strength and force as are the bonds of mariage After the happinesse of his mariage followes the happinesse of his issue and succession for his issue male ending in females and gouerning this Scepter with great glorie and magnificence for the space of a fullage it pleased God so to dispose in his prouidence that this wise King being to place his two daughters in mariage the one into Scotland the other into France and question being made by some of his Counsell where the eldest should bee bestowed his answere was that hee had rather bring Scotland into England then carrie England into France as it were foreseeing in his wisdome like a Propheticall spirit the meanes and occasions whereby these Kingdomes might happilie be vnited and God blessed the successe accordingly For whereas since that time by all likelihoode and probabilitie this Kingdome should haue beene vnited sometimes to Spaine sometimes to France and once by an intended mariage to Scotland though otherwise so backt with violence and force as being more vnnaturall was therefore lesse acceptable to God but God who had appointed the vniting of these kingdomes had likewise appointed the meanes lest the greater should seeme to conteâ—ne the lesse therefore the lesser kingdome should containe in it selfe the right of inheritance to the greater And thus this good King being inferior to none either for valour for so hee attained his Crowne or for wisdome being trained vp in the schoole of Lewis the eleuenth hauing tasted both fortunes made wise by experience or for his iustice and pietie leauing behinde him full coffers and a plentifull treasure hee died for what should we expect but all happie successe from the Sonne of such a vertuous such a godly and most religious Mother as was the Lady Margaret Countesse of Richmonde Now in these our daies wee see the full accomplishing of all those blessings which were then onely in hope and expectation For in the person of our most gracious King besides all the blessings which were contained in Henry wee see the perfect vniting of these kingdomes God forbid that I should any way paralell or make comparison betweene the Graund-childe and his forefathers this were fitter to bee done betweene strangers yet sure I am that not in any one propertie our Soueraigne comes short of his Progenitors For being to vnite two seuerall Kingdomes it pleased God to giue him a disposition accordingly such an open and louing heart generally to all as being to gouerne people of diuers nations that for the truth of his loue and affection the whole World or at least this whole Iland might not improperly seeme to bee his natiue soyle such a bountifull and magnificent mind as hauing many kingdomes to be the obiects of his bountie that infinite and nuÌ„berlesse they are who haue found the sweete benefit of his beneuolence either for profit or honour or both besides his wisdome and learning wherein by many degrees hee hath surpassed all his Progenitors his gouernement being agreeable to his nature so milde so temperate that it seemes to be paternall as if Iacob were now amongst his sonnes and had the promised land in possession In so much that since his Maiesties most happie ariuall to this kingdome there hath followed such a generall Peace as that for such a time wee neuer enioyed the like for here amongst our selues not any one of our Nobilitie hath suffered death the subiects in generall haue enioyed such a free course of iustice and such a secure time that had it not beene for the monster of our age the most horrible treason that euer was inuented the Gun-powder plot assuredly we should haue much doubted whether it were possible for the minde of man to hatch any treason against so louing so gracious and such a mercifull Prince And in regard that this kingdome hath alwaies swaied a great part of Christendome and hath giuen lawes vnto others c. it hath pleased God that since his Maiesties comming to the Crowne many bloodie warres haue been appâ—â—â—sed by his most gracious mediation and notwithstanding that the occasions did often appeare which did seeme to threaten blood-shed and warre yet God in his mercy hath so preuented it as that there was neuer conceiued such a generall expectation of an vniuersall Peace to ensue And whereas not any Nation vnder the Sunne hath heretofore so farre preuailed ouer this Iland as the Danes by his Maiesties most happie Marriage wee are now secured from all feare and seeme to bee much strengthened by the alliance of a most stoute and warlike people in so much that both for the entire loue and brotherly affection to your Maiestie as likewise for the great honour of this Kingdome wee haue twice seene to our great ioy and comfort The most valiant and couragious Prince The high and mightie Christian the fourth King of Denmarke and Norwey first riding thorough our streetes in triumph but in a peaceable triumph since priuilie and vnexpectiuely surprising your Maiesties person for the truth of loue cannot alwaies stay the leisure to bee attended on with ceremonies And thus God to shew the perpetuall league and
willing ready to affoord it but we know not where to apply it for the disease consists in the phantasie Good counsell is the best helpe but alas he is vncapable of counsell he complaines that his head is all made of glasse that hee feeles his heart now melting away like waxe that mice are now eating and consuming his bowels Not much vnlike the simple pure sectaries of our age who in the point of the Eucharist beleeue things to be because they beleeue them Crede quod est est crede quod habes habes the body is there truly and really present because they apprehend it so by faith O the wonderfull power of their faith O the excellent curiosity of their wits which hath almost brought them to a fit of a phrensie And it is the more to bee lamented that the best wits should bee most subiect to these fits and in the most noble and deepest vnderstandings you shall most easily discerne some tokens and signes of melancholie But you will say that these are therefore the lesse because they consist in the phansie nay rather much greater for it is not the flesh but the mind which is capable of griefe and of sorrow the mind conceiuing them as true shee is alike affected therewith as if they were true indeed For all contentment consists in the minde and according to the apprehension thereafter followes the contentment but the iudgement together with the dignitie of the reasonable soule seemes to bee exceedingly disparaged as boasting of light and yet afraid of her shadow So that if with much labour and good persuasion you shall recall this wandering man it is to be feared that for euer he will bee ashamed of himselfe to thinke of his errour and will hide himselfe in sobriety hauing laid himselfe open with his madnesse and follie Not in himselfe alone shall man finde the fruites of these turbulent passions but being a sociable creature you shal obserue how they daily burst forth in his actions and conuersation among men If two cholericke men should conuerse together you might thinke that fire and brimstone consuming all others would likewise at length deuoure themselues Suppose that the cholericke and melancholie should enter a league you might as well conceiue that the two extreame elements the fire and the earth should moue together in one sphere The melancholie with the sanguine can haue no more affinity betweene themselues then dancing with mourning or feasting with fasting If melancholy bee coupled with melancholy assuredly at length there will follow a gangraena they will putrifie with sorrow and discontentment From this variety of temper and passions you would wonder at the great hate and enmity betweene men sometimes betweene Nations The Spanish grauity and staiednesse seemes to neglect and contemne the French leâ—ity and complements the fine and wittie Italian cannot endure the dulnesse homelinesse of the Dutch Nation somtimes naturall affection cannot asswage these passions From hence ariseth the disagreement and iarres between the old father the young Gallant his sonne for there are different inclinations proper to mens different complections and ages Youth strong in body wanting true wisedome and discretion to guide his owne strength age ripe in iudgement and true wisedome but hauing neither power nor ability to put her owne proiects in execution From hence obserue the different inclination of both the young man not considering the blessing and plenty of peace or the necessarie prouision for warre or the danger and casualtie of battell desires nothing more then the noyse of the drumme or the sound of the trumpet whereas the old counseller that intends nothing but safety and values other mens labours according to the weakenesse of his owne crasie body will accept of peace vpon any the basest conditions Thus hath God set a distance or difference betweene the powers of the body and the faculties of the soule whether it were to denie all men an absolute perfection in both so to abate the pride of our nature or else to tie al men together in a mutuall bond of loue by a necessitie of each others helpe that the blind might carrie the lame and the lame might direct the blind in his passage Well howsoeuer sure it doth argue that there is some antipathie and disproportion betweene the flâ—sh and the spirit which being coupled together in marriage and neither of them well able to subsist and liue of himselfe and both of them adding luster and beauty to each other assuredly this enmitie hath fallen since the first contract or solemnization of mariage Man being a sociable creature what is there in this world which he should esteeme more then his credit and reputation among men Pride was the first sinne of man and euery man is naturally enclined vnto pride as well knowing the dignitie of his condition and his height aboue other creatures and truly in right reason a generous and noble minde without spot of basenesse is most commendable For there are degrees of men and euery man in his owne place should bee most respectiue of his same and report then what a corrosiue were it to a vertuous and noble minde to sustaine wrongs iniuries reproches contumelies most vndeseruedly Notwithstanding many mens great deserts and endeauours yet shall they neuer attaine the loue and good will of the people for the multitude bellua multorum capitum like one vnreasonable creature with many heads hath herein the condition of dogs alwaies to barke at those whom they know not and where one whelpe begins all the rest will follow the crie Seldome shall you see any man deiected and cast downe whom they doe not instantly persecute and tread vnder their feete insulting vpon those who cannot resist and being like patient Asses to those who scourge abuse and delude them and thus they are iustly recompensed for their malice and follie Man being a sociable creature hee carries a greater reference and relation to others and therefore not in our selues alone not in our selues are the causes of our griefe but as if we were stubble very apt for combustion euery outward sparke serues to inflame vs. See how the poore mother laments for her gracelesse and dissolute child how the father bewailes the losse of his daughter which without his counsell or priuitie hath matched her selfe by the practice of his owne seruants to a knaue and an vnthrift how the parents mourne for the death of their eldest and most hopefull sonne how the vnkle is perplexed with thought of the poore orphants committed to his trust how the children finde want of their parents forsaken and desolate left to the wide world and to Gods onely protection the comfortlesse widow teares her owne haire when shee thinkes of her deare husband the whole kindred and family groane to see the waste of woods and the ruines of that ancient house from whence they are all descended but now fallen into decay by wardship or ill
sometimes for digets sometimes for hundreds sometimes for thousands so is it in mans valuation of his owne wealth In some parts of India copper is respected before gold and sometimes steele for their weapons and armour cannot be bought with the weight in siluer What strange difference and varietie haue I knowne in our estimation of Iewels and gemmes sometimes the Rubie sometimes the Pearle aswell as the Diamond growes in request for these must follow the course of the times And therefore generally he is reputed the wise man not who frames and fashions himselfe according to right reason but he that can square himselfe according to the condition of those times wherein hee liues for things are not accounted according to the truth and goodnesse of their nature neither are all things as they appeare but as they are esteemed among men And herein especially consists the regall power of man that as it is proper to Princes to make their own coynes and to proclaime them so as man himselfe accounts of the creatures or stands in want of the creatures thereafter they carrie their due valuation It is no marueile if we doe so much differ in our goods our substance and treasure for I do much more wonder how it is possible that man should so farre mistake himselfe in his owne person I meane concerning his comelinesse and beautie for I will not extend my speech at this time but onely to the sensible and materiall parts of man As for example with vs the sanguine and cleere complection the soft flaxen or browne haire the smooth skinne the blacke and quick eye are most commendable for the comelinesse of our parts but it should seeme that the greatest part of the world is not of our iudgement for the Aethiopians or Moores doe not esteeme him beautifull that hath not a blacke and sooty skinne a grislie hard-twisted and curld black haire great lips and albugineous eye from the Aethiopians if wee should visite the Indians there it should seeme the tawnie colour is most in request and the hard skinne tand with the Sunnes heate seemes to bee the faire and beautifull complection And thus we cannot agree vpon our owne colours the same fauour is not alike pleasing to all nations if wee should with a generall consent borrow our beautie from one common boxe then happily there would be some kinde of agreement but now in our naturall constitution see the great difference when euery man must fansie a set forme of beautie to himselfe and please himselfe with that beautie Thus I hope it hath appeared that whatsoeuer is best pleasing to man it is therefore best pleasing because man himselfe conceiues the greatest pleasure therein not because he is so naturally inclined not because he is moued with the truth of things according to their goodnesse for so all men should be alike affected reason is the same in all and euery other thing doth naturally incline to the best onely man hauing a free will to make his owne choice the libertie of his choice is not guided by nature or by reason but by his affection Otherwise we should not disagree in our fauour and comelinesse for the Owle will not boast of her beautie but is ashamed of her selfe We should not differ or vary in our goods or our substance but should iudge and esteeme all things according to the in-bred and naturall goodnesse for there are degrees in the creatures both in themselues and as they are fitted for mans present vse and occasions We should be all clothed alike as flowers and fruits of the same kinde haue alwaies the same colours our diet and food should be alike as it is to all other creatures whose nature is the same neither should wee so much dissent in our dwellings and habitations for birds in building their nests and beasts in making their caues seeme to obserue the same rules of art and proportion And therefore wee must either accuse nature of follie to iustifie our selues or else we must truly acknowledge that wee our selues are not carried according to the truth of things but in the strong apprehension of our owne fansie But heere is all the difficultie how I should weane man from these fansies I could wish that in all my dealings with men I might meet with reasonable creatures for then I should know vpon what grounds I might deale I might gesse how farre by all likelihood and probabilitie I should preuaile for wee are both squared to one rule the same reason would direct vs both But if I meete with vnreasonable men I know not what course to take being once out of the rode-way lost in the woods I know not where to make search for them and if by great chance I should ouertake them yet I cannot accompanie them thorough thickets and bushes but must reduce them againe to a great rode make them first capable of reason that so I might softly and leisurely proceede vpon my owne grounds To disswade the whole world from the pursuite of these vanities were a worke impossible for if I should speake with the tongue of men and Angels I should neuer preuaile they are so farre besotted inamoured made drunken with the immoderate loue of the creatures As if their stomackes were ouerlaid with new wine the fumes vapours and spirits ascending would choake vp the braine and hinder the right vse of their vnderstanding so is it outwardly with the creatures flesh bloud is wholly corrupted the world doth seduce them they behold nothing but vanitie but to him that shall recall himself I would vse these motiues First the meditation of God and his kingdome where God himselfe sits in perfect maiesty lucem inhabitat inaccessibilem gloriosus ante secula trinus vnus where all the hallowes of heauen sit vpon thrones clothed with glory hither send vp thy minde and thy spirit as Iosua sent forth his spies to discouer the promised land or as the Queene of Saba made a long iourney to see the magnificence of Salomons Court But heerein thou canst not bee ignorant of thine owne condition being indeed a pilgrime heere vpon earth in statu viae not in statu patriae thou mayest well mistake thy selfe in the meanes though otherwise thou desirest to attaine thine owne proper end If it were possible for man to behold God and truly to know him being indeed the very end of mans creation assuredly nothing should withhould him from the loue of his maker if the eye could behold the sunne we should neuer cast our eyes from the sunne as being the most beautifull obiect but this cannot stand with our weaknesse for now God is concealed as in the vaile of his manhood so thou seest not his hinder parts but onely his shadow in the creatures Secondly if for want of sufficient light being left to thy selfe thou still continue in darkenes and that the meditation of God together with all thy blessings receiued from God in the
in the blindnes and sudden assault of their lust when their bodies are happily vnited yet their mindes are separated and distracted there is no agreement in their disposition and this seemes rather a linking together of dead carkasses or beasts then an honorable estate of marriage eleuated to the hight of a mysterie in our christian religion There is nothing which breedes that distast in marriage setting only iealousie aside as when either of them do inâ—ermedle with the proper duties belonging to each other either to the distrust of the honesty or to the great disparagement of the wit and iudgement of each other both which must vtterly be abandoned and auoyded in marriage For man and wife liue in an excellent society they haue all things in common as wee should haue had in the state of our innocency and therfore no maruaile though marriage were first instituted in paradise and yet notwithstanding this community the offices of the house ought to bee diuided between both and neither of them should intermedle with the others affaires to the preiudice of either Which if we should admit we should not haue a perfect vnion according to order but the one should be swallowed vp and both be confounded as the parts of a mans natural body they haue their peculiar offices and duties notwithstanding they are parts of one man and as in the law there were diuers and distinct garments beloâ—ging to both and a sinne it was for a man to put on the womans attire whereby is signified the seuerall offices of both that there being a necessity of each other receiuing mutuall helpes from each other it might serue as a surer bond of their loue Thus in nature the man hath strength of limbes for his labour the woman hath weaknes yet cleanlines wherby is signified the seueral duties of both whereunto nature hath disposed them which ought to be reserued whole and entire to themselues thou that art a husband make thy selfe no Hermaphrodite to busie thy selfe and to prie into euery action dost thou distrust the honest and iust dealing of thine owne wife then blame thy selfe for thine owne choice remember that thou hast made a solemne act before God and the congregation which now thou canst not reuoke or recaâ—l wherin thou hast endowed her with all thy worldly goods For iealousie which so much disquiets and sets such a difference betweene the married couple I haue full often obserued that the loosenes of the husbands life giues him occasion to suspect his innocent wife as being guilty to himselfe and fearing least by the course of iustice his owne sinne should bee recompensed with his owne shame in the same kinde supposing his owne vncleannes to bee a naturall in-undation which hath ouerwhelmed whole mankind others though chast thorough the impotency and weaknes of their owne bodies yet their minde is impure and therfore they feare that in others which they do not finde in themselues Now for their punishment it â—â—ood with the iust iudgements of God that according to their adultery and fornication conceiued in their owne minde so they should perplex and torment themselues with their owne thoughts There is yet a third sort of men who out of the immoderat loue of their owne wifes doting vpon their beauty being totally carnall vxorissimi neither regarding the brightnes and glory of the heauens nor yet the shame reproch of this world they begin to be fond and iealous of their wises the excesse of their loue turnes vnto iealousie their greatest comfort proues their deepest discontentment and thus God laughes at the counsels of men who being the only true Good in whom and to whom â—ll our loue and affections should be tending and ending we diuerting the streame of our loue forsaking this onely one good as we are distracted in the truth of our loue so sometimes wee are distracted in the soundnes of our owne mindes and leese our selues in our owne loue when the fruits of our loue proue the fits of our frensie but O blessed Lord God who art the ioy and loue of our hearts leaue vs not to our selues for heere we offer vp our selues vnto thee take vs away from our selues into thy most holy protection let thy loue bee with our whole heart and without measure as thou thy selfe art good without measure and let the loue of the creature be guided by rule and proportion still to thy loue c. If this iealousie be conceiued vpon iust grounds yet stil I cannot excuse the husband for certain it is wherof we haue examples in Scripture that there may bee a foule abuse in marriage notwithstanding the holinesse and sanctitie of that high and excellent state yet there may be vncleannesse adulterous thoughts and actions may passe betweene the married couple and it is already concluded among the casuists that plures mariti abutuntur magis abutuntur statu suo quà m coelibes suo I fâ—are least the wantonnes of marriage may breed an ill disposition if thy wife be somewhat light and of euill report then I feare she hath bin brought vp in thy schoole she hath learned it of thee thou hast taught her this lesson I would not willingly defile my speech with this subiect only giue me leaue to taxe an ill custome of this world that in the seeking of our wiues we vse such speeches such gestures such actions such ribaldrie letters c. that it is to bee feared least yong woemen do heereby first learne to be harlots before they are wiues and therefore no maruaile if in the course of their liues they giue some cause of iealousie for heere the husbands haue giuen a bad example and laid an ill foundation c. Thus assuredly the greatest cause of complaint is in the husband who hath the gouernment of his wife who might in wisdome preuent his owne shame and should teach her a modest and chaste carriage but I know not what ill spirit hath set them at enmity whom God hath coupled together sometimes indeed the streame of the husbands loue being carried another way is apt to cast any aspersion vpon his wiues honesty and then he begins to practise with heretickes and to commend the law of liberty that after a diuorse it should be lawfull to marry againe and againe Heere you shall see large expositions written in defence thereof and the opinions of certaine Diuines Ministers Pastors SuperinteÌ„dents of the separated coÌ„gregations or the new Churches from beyond the seas thus they would seeme to haue a Catholicke consent together with such bitter inuectiues against all superstitious fasts calling all chastisements of the flesh sins against the body Here are their wholsome and sound doctrines their manifold and good vses their learned and excellent applications thus because God was incarnat appearing in the basenesse frailtie of our flesh though free from the sinfulnes and pollution of our nature therefore do these men desire to make religion not incarnat
appeares and well betokens the corruption As I haue made man the instrumeÌ„t of cruelty so I cannot alwayes altogether excuse him from the paine in her trauell and therfore here in the middest of sorrow I will bring forth a subiect of laughter I will set him vpon the stage I pray' obserue him aright Did you neuer heare of fathers which breed and beare their own children their wiues conceiue and the husbands who shuld be the only comfort in the time of their weaknes first begin to complaine of the sorrow Iuno Lucina fer opem I pray' send for the midwiues and let vs see what this great mountaine will bring forth forsooth his teeth ake his bones are crasie his eye-sight fayles him hee is troubled with rheumes sometimes with the megrime Physicke will not helpe him the times of the yeere will not auaile him but the poore man must expect his wiues deliuerie Hath God ordained this to shew the entire league and compassionat heart that should passe between man and wife and how they are both equally ingaged in the issue hath God appointed this to teach man and wife that the end of their loue should tend to procreation strange it were and wonderfull in nature were it not that the husband is the sonne of a woman and therfore partakes of her weaknes and imperfection partus sequitur ventrem and is in some sort lyable to her curse Heere you would expect of me that I should assigne and point out the causes of this fellow-feeling and strange affection between man wife happily I could guesse at some of them but for certainty I know none rather I would flie to the diuine prouidence beyond the reach and compasse of nature who for assuring man that he himselfe hath coupled them together and that both persons are but one flesh therefore he hath giuen them but one sense feeling of the same sorrow That as in their estate one and the same calamity doth equally befall them so in their persons one and the same misery doth equally attach them which God hath ordained by secret and hidden causes best known to himselfe that as many diseases are infectious and spred themselues by the company and society of others so here the same handie worke of God appeares to the astonishment of naturall Philosophy Will you yet presse me further to lay open the secret causes and hidden qualities of things suppose the sympathie and antipathie of creatures my answere is that these arise from the great conformity or contrariety of temper in the inbred qualities and naturall constitution in so much that you shall obserue that in such liuing creatures in whom there is an antipathie suppose them to be dead yet in their very carkases in the bones and the flesh as long as any spice of their temper remaines the contrariety will appeare in the different and contrary operations Now this contrariety appeares not in the contrary qualities alone but in the degrees of these qualities and in such degrees as they are best fitted and proportioned to each other nature it should seeme hath ballanced them and squared them out fit for the combat Now the degrees of things are infinit as time is diuided into infinite moments quantitie into infinit points so qualitie into infinit degrees and things infinit do not fall within the reach of mans comprehension neither are the formes of things subiect to our knowledge propter nimiam actiuitatem for as things are in nature compounded so in the vnderstanding of man they cannot be found simple the influence of the heauens is wholly vnknowne propter spiritualitatem as being no way materiall or sensible whereas all mans knowledge must presuppose the foundation information of sense And thus it is no maruaile if many things in nature be wholly vnknowne when as the forme is vnknowne the influence vnknowne the degrees of qualities vnknowne that so the first curiosity of mans knowledge might be iustly recompensed with blindnesse and ignorance Philosophy as likewise all other arts and sciences treates onely of things generall and cannot descend to things in particular with their parâ—â—â—ular degrees as for example we diuide this sublunary world into foure elements euery element into three regions here we consider two qualities one in extremitie the other remisse these qualities we diuide into foure seuerall degrees the Physitian he descends somewhat lower doubles his fyles deuides them into eight as may bee best fitting for his purpose and here hee stands and cannot march any further For compound bodies we consider their kindes their formes their constitution their properties their differences and common accidents we reduce nature which appeares confused to mans vnderstanding into a certaine method appointing the bounds of sciences to bee the meares for our gouernment and direction in the course of our studies and in euery science we consider the principles the subiect and the affections as far as God hath inabled man so far hath the industrie of man transported his knowledge yet we cannot descend to particulars God hath denied this perfection as it appeares for the obiects of the sense are singulars the obiects of the vnderstanding are vniuersals as the sense cannot exceed his own bounds and eleuate it selfe to the height of the vnderstanding so neither can the vnderstanding stoope downe to the sense God hath giuen vs an inspection of nature but no absolute and perfect knowledge of nature hauing reserued that for himselfe Hee that shall desire to bee better informed in these hidden and secret qualities I would referre him to those learned authors from whom I suppose he should receiue good contentment and satisfaction as namely Aristotle Albertus Magnus Zimara Fracastorius and others Now for this present instance why the husband should be thus affected in his wiues conception it is not vnknowne to al skilfull Musitians the great concord which is betweene the eights not onely for the sweete harmonie of musicke but if the Instrument shall be thus set and disposed for the purpose the one string being easily touched the other will likewise moue for companie assuredly between man and wife their loue and their affections concurring together there is likewise a greater sympathie and agreement in their naturall temper and constitution and therefore are fitter disposed to worke vpon each others body as kindred descending from one stocke are apter to infect and annoy each other in a pestilent disease Besides their constitution man and wife liuing together feeding on the same meates resting together and conuersing together as at all times so sometimes when their bodies are more apt to be tainted no marueile if some husbands and yet but a few for God gaue man his wife for his help not for his sorrow do partake in their passions Lest the enemies of learning the enemies of religion should here condemne vs and for this one defect being not able to make plaine demonstration of all secrets and hidden qualities
been the first fountaines of euill and first to haue infected the world with corruption Here wee must consider the different condition of creatures some bodies some spirits as euery thing is compounded of matter and forme and the forme it is which giues the existencie and indiuiduation these seuerall degrees of creatures make much for the absolute perfection of nature especially when as all bodies seeme to bee contained and continued within the circumference of the first body what should we thinke is aboue the conuexitie of the heauens an infinite vacuum rather acknowledge a want in mans vnderstanding then that there should want inhabitants in such an excellent region where the heauens are their footstooles to tread and walke ouer our heads where they are freed from all annoyance of creatures and partake only of happinesse As in great buildings the meanest and basest offices are alwaies beneath suppose the Kitchin the Seller the Buttrie the Pantrie but for the stately and magnificent roomes for entertainment suppose the dining Chamber the Galleries the Turrets and places of pleasure these are aboue and thus it is with vs in respect of the Angels the truth and certaintie whereof I haue already proued in the first part Now supposing these spirits their condition must bee alike with ours who are in some sort and in the better part spirituall as they were made of nothing so they must â—aue a determinate goodnesse in their nature faculties actions being spirits they had a freedom of wil God did herein make them like vnto himselfe as he was able to create of nothing so they might will when as nothing should moue them to will and hauing a limited vnderstanding which might admit error and darknes through their own pride they might will nothing that is they might will sinne for sinne is a defect a priuation a kinde of nothing in this their willing although they could not will themselues to bee nothing to destroy their owne condition for this were to vndoe that which God alreadie hath done yet they could will or rather bewitch themselues to bee worse then nothing for sinne is nothing and to be the seruant of sinne it is to be worse then nothing Thus in the Angels as well as in man in regard of their limited goodnesse and the freedome of their willes there was a power and capacitie or rather a weakenesse and impotencie to sinne and to fall And many of them sinned accordingly God in his wisedome permitting the sinne and thereby teaching all creatures what they are in themselues for as in the same kind of spirits the best creatures are extant so the worst and most accursed should likewise be found that no creature might boast of an absolute perfection that euery one might know himselfe and suspect his owne fall and that all our righteousnâ—sse is tanquam pannus menstruatus like a spotted and defiled garment Nothing can endure Gods triall and touch-stone for the Angels are not acquitted in his sight c. Now their sin was a dislike of their present condition and the aspiring to be equall and like to their Maker made of nothing hauing nothing of themselues yet they must contest with their infinite Maker for dignitie and superioritie whether it were that they did consider that there were three persons in one most holy blessed and vndiuided Trinitie which being a mysterie farre transcending the reach of all creatures they could not comprehend for fully to comprehend God is indeed to be God but might happily conceiue that the Deitie would admit of more persons or whether by â—he excellencie of their owne knowledge they did fitly gaâ—ther that as the creation was a worke of Gods infinite loue and as God was existent euery where according to the infinite extent of his owne nature so as an infinite effect of that infinite loue God should tye vnto himselfe some creature by an infinite band namely by an hypostaticall vnion and therefore some of them did claime and challenge this high prerogatiue aboue other creatures by vertue of their birth-right But herein did appeare their ignorance and pride for the creature was not to aspire to the height and dignitie of the Creator but the Creator was to descend to the humilitie and basenes of the creature neither was God to bee vnited to the angelicall nature though otherwise highest in order and condition but to descend lower to giue a more vndoubted token of that infinit loue euen to the humane nature and manhood Mans nature being the center in the middest of the circumference a little Microcosme in whom all the creatures are vnited things sensible partake in his body the intelligent spirits are combinde in his soule and thus God taking the nature of man sits in the very middest of his creatures imparting himselfe infinitly to all so farre foorth as it may well stand with the truth of his Godhead and with the state and condition of the creature Thus they might mistake in iudgement supposing there might be some probabilitie to effect it but I must chiefly and principally condemne their vnthankfulnes their pride their presumption which gaue way and occasion to this their error but hauing once committed so great a coÌ„tempt such a foule indignitie against God it could not stand with his iustice freely to pardon their sinne or to intend the meanes of their redemption as in his mercie hee hath performed to man for the Angels were the first creatures highest in dignitie and condition the great measure of their knowledge and graces was such as that we doe not reade that God did euer appoint them lawes but that it might bee supposed that they of themselues should bee wholly conformable to God Againe they were not tempted by others and therefore as the sinne could no way bee cast vpon others so being impotent of themselues to make any recompence they could no way receiue benefit by the satisfaction of others the state of the Angels was created such as that they were not capable of repentance they cannot change their mindes or their willes whatsoeuer they see they see in an instant whatsoeuer they desire their will is confinde to the first motion that they cannot alter or change their desire so that if once they shall make choice of the worser part in vaine may we expect that euer they should returne to the better Whereas the condition of man is mutable and changeable as capable of sinne so capable of repentance as hee falles of himselfe so hee may rise againe by the assistance of grace for God hath giuen him a discoursiue reason proceeding by degrees if now hee mistakes himselfe hereafter hee may bee better informed As the inconstancie of his nature may cause the alteration of his will so God fitly vsing this his inconstancie as it were working in euery thing according to that manner which is most proper and naturall to the thing may make it a meanes for the amendment and conuersion of