Notwithstanding that God is euery where yet for feare of annoyance which might redound vnto vs from the creatures wee are admonished to worship God aboue the sphere of the creatures our Church men and Priests as being a whole burnt offering consecrated to God are separated from the secular condition of men And in confessing our sinnes lest there should be some kind of delight in the remembrance of some sinne we are therefore enioyned a silence though otherwise confession seemes to bee necessarie to repentance To conclude the truth of our misery shall speak and discouer it selfe with our cries our grones and complaints and the vanity of al our worldly pleasures herein appeares when wee purpose to bee most merrie and iouiall then must wee lay aside our owne persons and grauity we must alter and change our owne shapes to make our selues capable of pleasures and delights Wee vse masking mumming enterludes Playes some strange and anticke daunces all which I commend as being honest harmelesse and lawfull sports though otherwise it may appeare that vsing these shewes wee haue but the shewe of true ioy and are very miserable and wretched in our selues that are inforced thus to transforme our selues to find out some pleasures Againe suppose that a mans whole life were spent in a continued shewe suppose that man wanted neither foode nor raiment and perswaded himselfe that hee were none of the ordinary sort of men none of the common ranke and condition but some great honourable Peere some grand-child descended from the great Oneale that Princes and Ladies haue died with their modesty for loue of him that all men doe either admire or enuie his vertues that with his wisedome he is able to settle and establish the gouernment of kingdomes I would gladly know what difference there were betweene this counterfeit and a true Peere All honour consists onely in reputation and esteeme and hath little ground-worke in nature the one is as confident of his honour as the other and both alike are perswaded animus cuiusque est quisque it is the mind which according to her owne apprehension giues al the contentment Now where is the difference There is as much I confesse as there is betweene errour and truth but all consists in the imagination and were there not some difficultie in a man thus to perswade and to flatter himselfe it were an excellent kind of delusion Thus truly acknowledging our miseries we are likewise enforced to confesse the rewards of our sinne and the fruits of Gods iustice yet calling to mind the mercies of God which ouerflow all his workes miserationes domini super omnia opera eius in this our wauering and slipperie state being fallen into the depth of sinne wee erect and lift vp a pillar of faith and hope which laying hold and apprehending the mercies of God doth assure our owne soules that there is a better world to succeed where true happinesse and a crowne of glory is reserued for Gods Saints And therefore these worldly pleasures being but shadowes and all our delight consisting onely in the fansie should not withhold vs in the pursuite of that true happinesse Herein I doe magnifie and acknowledge the goodnes and prouidence of God that as man in his condition is rather spirituall then carnall for his minde according to right reason should gouerne his flesh and as the last end of man the happinesse whereunto man is ordained and directed is wholly spirituall as is the knowledge the loue and the vniting with the Godhead so lest man should proue too much a slaue to his sense and his carcasse it hath pleased God still to permit that all mans delights and pleasures should reside in the fansie which is but onely a shadow of our true vnderstanding rather then any earthly ioy or contentment should truly and really possesse vs. And that you might not conceiue that this is my priuate opinion I will therfore in one word take a view what the Gentiles the Iewes and the Christians haue thought of this truth and what effects the meditation here of hath wrought vpon thē You shall then obserue that the consideration of mans present state condition moued the ancient Heathen Philosophers to take whole nature and to set it in a limbecke so to distill it wherein they found by the force of fire the vnresistable power of reason that all nature did either euaporate to a fume or a smoake which indeed is the vanity of the creatures or else did settle downe as the grosse and earthly part in the bottome and this is the misery of the creatures from hence proceeded two seuerall sects of Philosophers of different and contrary dispositions the one laughing at the vanity the other weeping at the miserie and both of them esteemed very wise in their owne generation But when the naturall light of reason is left to it selfe it is but a kinde of darkenesse for nature is partiall to her selfe and out of her owne loue to her selfe cannot wholly condemne herselfe I will therefore come to the Iewes whose eyes were better enlightened with Gods Law though they had but shadowes of mysteries and only types and figures of a true sacrifice yet were they sufficiently instructed how to condemne nature and they proceeded further then the Heathen Philosophers drawing nature to a greater height and making some better extraction and therefore they doe not content themselues with vanities but they acknowledge that there is a vanity of vanities when man doth please himselfe with his owne vanities So likewise there is not only misery vexation but vexation of spirit when man considers that these miseries heere vpon earth are the fore-runners of Gods heauie iudgements to come and therfore Salomon their great wise and potent King concludes I viewed mine owne workes to take some contentment in mine owne actions yet I found none but all was vanity of vanities and vexation of mind I am a Christian man and therein I doe humbly hartily and daily thanke God who of his mercy hath called me to this state of saluation And heere I doe constantly affirme that there is no ioy or comfort to man vnlesse it be to the Christian man whose God appeared in basenesse and misery And therefore for example and imitatton of that miserable God being all parts and members vnder such a mysticall head that there might be a conformity between the head the members ne sit membrum delicatum sub capite spinoso hee desires the like miseries and would willingly and readily imbrace the same passions as being the holy reliques of his God and in the course of his miserie acknowledgeth a diuine prouidence Gods holy hand correction and permission He is well assured that hee is the miserable man who offers wrong and iniustice to his innocent brother who hath iust cause to reioyce if he suffers the greatest misery vndeseruedly and considering that all miseries are tending and ending in death desiring
death as a passage or gate to a better life cupio dissolui esse cum Christo hee will bee thus faithfully resolued non sunt passiones huius vitae condignae ad futuram gloriam c. The miseries and passions of this life are not to bee respected in regard of that crown of glory which God hath prepared for his Saints Deo gratias THE FALL OF MAN THE THIRD PART OVt of the deepe haue I cried vnto thee O Lord Lord heare my voyce one deepe cals vp an other the depth of my sinne cals for the depth of thy goodnes the depth of my misery cals for the depth of thy mercy in stead of all my worldly vanities giue me O Lord the sweet comfort of thy spirit and the solid foundation of thy ioy guide me in these my darke and slippery wayes by the assistance of thy power Open my lips and my mouth shall speake forth thy praise kindle my heart that I may enlighten and enflame others conuert and confirme me that I may strengthen my brethren forsake me not O Lord in mine old age when I am gray-headed vntill I haue shewed forth thy glory and praise to succeeding generations heare me O Lord for thou art my God and my sauiour in whom I doe trust thou art the strength and horne of my saluation If there were no other argument to perswade me of the naturall corruption of man but onely the implicite and secret confession of man himselfe concerning himselfe together with the daily practice of his actions this were sufficient For in what course or condition of life would you suppose man wherein you should not finde an euident proofe of his corruption If man be solitarie and alone then you shall finde him melancholy discontented and in some dislike with himselfe as it were for want of others picking quarrels and fighting with himselfe now place him in the company and society of others and presently hee falles to banding and factions Wherefore serues such a number of fencing-schooles or the nature of combates and duels now at length reduced to the rules and forme of an Art and such as will not aduenture their bloud in a quarrell they must contend in suites of law to the impairlng of their substance Histories are daily written which discouer the subtilties and trickes of state but sure it is that there is as much false dealing close practises cunning suggestions dissimulation breach of promises and euery way as much dishonesty in a petty poore base paultry Corporatiō for the choice of their towne-Clearke their Bailiffe or some such officer as you shall finde among the great Bashawes for the vpholding and supporting of the Turkish Empire The whole world is distracted with factions and therefore surely the ould time was much to be commended in tolerating or rather giuing occasion to some countrey may-games and sportes as dancing piping pageants all which did serue to asswage the cruelty of mans nature that giuing him some little ease and recreation they might with-hould him from worser attempts and so preserue amitie betweene men Vpon the abolishing of these you could not conceiue in reason were it not that we finde it true by experience for sometimes things which are small in the consideration are great in the practise what dissolute and riotous courses what vnlawfull games what drunkennes what enuy hatred malice and quarelling haue succeeded in lieue of these harmlesse sports and these are the fruits which our strict professors haue brought into the world I know not how they may boast of their faith for indeed they are pure professors but sure I am they haue banisht all charity In our dealings and contracts with men sometimes we blame the complections and lookes of others solemnly protesting that we dislike their visage and will admit no dealings with them sometimes wee dislike their names sometimes the whole kindred the stocke and the familie sometimes the whole nation is condemned Whereas all this time we are much mistaken and deceiued for either the hate and dislike should be extended and generally comprehend whole nature whole mankinde for God sawe all the counsels of men that they were full of impietie and wickednesse or else we should contract our hate and begin first and principally to hate our selues as consisting equally with them of the same corruption But behold for our selues wee haue found out some lurking holes some retiring places some speciall priuiledge and indulgence proper to vs if all other goodly and godly pretenses doe faile then we can boast of our ancestors that we are descended from honest noble parents Which certainly we would neuer doe were it not that implicitly we confesse the basenesse and vilenesse of our owne nature in generall and therefore we seeke to couer and conceale our owne shame in particular Heere we vse scutchions and armes beasts forsooth must discouer our conditions and qualities they must shew our parentage whereas indeed the Prophet hath better described it radix tua generatio tua ex terra Canaan pater tuus Amoreus mater tua Cethea tuque ex corrupto semine thy father was an Amorite thy mother was a Cethit and thou art borne and conceiued in sinne all thy other coates are but counterfeit sometimes bought with a price let thy armory consist of a Lyon and of a Lambe the Lyon of the tribe of Iuda to enable thee with fortitude and courage and let the lambe of God teach thee true humility and meekenesse Now in our actions consider the enuie and malignitie of our nature how apt we are to offend each other and being once prouoked how readily we returne euil for euill how irreconcileable is our hate we crie for nothing but reuenge to preach of mercy and forgiuenes durus hic sermo this seemes to bee a hard saying though indeed it should soften our hard hearts habet musca splenem the meanest and basest vassall will meditate and thinke of reuenge if he sustaines the least supposed wrong from his master and Lord. It should seem◠that our nature being wholly inclind vnto euill we cannot forbeare to doe euill and in the suffering of euill we must needs repay euill according to the similitude and likenesse of our nature when both action and passion are performed by one and the same qualitie for heate working vpon heate the greater will allure and draw forth the lesse and it is onely christian religion which takes away the corruption of our nature and giues vs this precept to ouercome an other mans euill with our own good But you will say that common iustice requires as much in effect to returne euil for euil that the reward might be agreeable to the desert heerin consists your error that you suppose iustice which is a commendable vertue that it can reside betweene vices There is a proportion I confesse but an euil proportion in things that are wholy euill iustice would rather square out malum culpae to
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
THE FALL OF MAN OR THE CORRVPTION OF NATVRE PROVED BY THE light of our naturall Reason WHICH BEING THE FIRST GROVND AND OCCASION OF OVR Christian Faith and Religion may likewise serue for the first step and degree of the naturall mans conuersion FIRST PREACHED IN A SERMON since enlarged reduced to the forme of a treatise and dedicated to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie By GODFRFY GOODMAN her Maiesties Chaplaine Bachelor in Diuinitie sometimes a member both of Trinitie Colledge in Cambridge and of Saint Peters Colledge in Westminster Ne laeteris quia cecidi resurgam MICH. 7. 8. AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston and are to be sold by Richard Lee. 1616. TO THE QVEENES MOST EXCELLENT MAIESTIE OVR MOST GRACIOVS Soueraigne Lady and my most honoured Mistris Queene ANNE May it please your most excellent Maiestie THE scope and intent of Christian Religion seemes onely this to raise vp man from the deapth of miserie and sinne to the state of happinesse and saluation from whence he is fallen in effecting whereof the onely powerfull and all-sufficient meanes is Christ crucified God in our nature our nature with God God man reconciled in the person of Christ who was both God and man here is the great propitiatorie sacrifice For particular application whereof there is requisite in euery one Faith which supposing our naturall blindnesse and ignorance takes our selues from our selues placeth vs in God seeing him and beholding him we see no more then he himselfe hath reuealed Hope supposing our naturall distrust and fearefulnes notwithstanding the number and weight of our sinnes yet casts a sure and strong anchor vp into Heauen and there laies holde on Gods promises Charitie supposing mans naturall disobedience and rebellion desires a conformitie of the head to the members and of the members betweene themselues Thus Faith looks to the wisdome and truth of Gods nature stands astonied at the mysteries and takes all the articles of our Creede for her lessons Hope fastens on the mercy and goodnesse of God by the feruencie of Praier and the strong apprehension of the spirit making the Lords Praier her patterne and president Charitie considers the rule of Gods iustice desires to square all our actions according to leuell and lookes to the tables of the Lawe as her obiects Here is the fabricke of the Church Faith laies the foundation Hope buildes vp the walles Charitie giues it a couering for Charitie doth couer a multitude of sinnes but how shall mans naturall weakenesse attaine to these Theologicall vertues As in all great buildings so likewise here there are instruments and tooles appoynted to supplie our defects and these are chiefely and principally Sacraments and whatsoeuer else God hath commanded for his reasonable seruice This is in effect the summe of Christian Religion this is the summe of our ordinarie Catechisme Thus before wee can raise man he must first acknowledge his fall he that shall intend to make any buildings in Gods Church must lay the foundation in mans fall for this is the porch or first entrance which leades vs to Christian Faith and therefore speaking hereof I thought fit to speake to the capacitie of the naturall man herein I shall not need to straine his vnderstanding to impose a yoake of faith when as his owne reason shall reueale it in the substance though not in the circumstance This fall of man appeares in the miseries of man which being truely discouered may teach vs what wee are in our selues The greatnesse of our woe shewes the large extent of our sinne this world which we inhabit is but a vale of miserie the happinesse of this world is onely a painted miserie in this miserie we may acknowledge the great mercy of God who first created vs in happinesse and notwithstanding our sinnes hath still ordained vs to happinesse and in these miseries he hath giuen vs some ease as much as is befitting our present state and condition in sustaining these miseries hee hath inabled vs with patience and the holy comfort of his spirit and euen our greatest miseries hee hath taken vpon himselfe the more to teach him compassion and with his miseries to satisfie for ours Thus not onely the blessings and good gifts of God but likewise our miseries set forth his goodnes And thus as I haue endeuoured to shew the mercy and prouidence of God in generall to whole mankinde especiallie for our soules health and saluation so here making bolde to write vnto your Maiestie I could doe no lesse then take some notice of the temporall blessings wherewith God hath blessed vs aboue other people This blessing especially consists in gouernment whereby we receiue the fruites of peace of plentie of happines and liue securely vnder the protection of our Princes this blessing seemes to bee proper to this nation proper to this present age wherein wee liue for I will not speake how in former times this our Land was distracted with small principalities and gouernements when it should seeme the greatest part lay waste in borders and confines when the strength was diuided within it selfe I will onely beginne with the last age of our forefathers When as the dissention had long continued between the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster it pleased God so to permit that the house of Yorke staining it selfe with his owne blood when a cruell and mercilesse tyrant did murther most innocent and harmelesse Children and thereby vsurped the Crowne this tyrannie being likewise extended to others and a most reuerend Bishop being committed to safe custodie God remembring Ioseph in all his troubles his prison was his castle of defence and his close keeping did serue as a counsell-Chamber for secrecie where this reuerend Prelate together with the greatest lay subiect as it were a representatiue Parliament consisting of Lords Spirituall and Temporall Church and state together conspiring did there contriue the happy means of their deliuerie to bring in Henry of Richmond to suppresse this tyrant And God blessed the successe accordingly that so still the same goodnesse of God might appeare vnto vs which was once manifested to the Israelites vnder the tyrannie of Pharaoh where the poore innocent children were likewise put to death the crie of my afflicted people is come vp vnto my eares Exod. 3. 7. This Henry of Richmond being descended from the house of Lancaster did therein seeme to promise vnto the world all happie successe for men were well perswaded of that familie being all of them most eminent for great vertues and qualities as may appeare Hen. 4. for his behauiour and courtesie the Fifth for his valour and magnanimitie the Sixth for his iustice and pietie Now in the person of this Henry it is strange to obserue the prouidence of God whereas the Cambro-Britaines whom we improperlie call Welsh were the most ancient inhabitants of this Iland being excluded and exiled into the most remote and barren parts and there not suffered quietlie to rest but brought vnder yoake and subiection
whereby it pleaseth God to inlarge his owne kingdome to accomplish the whole number of his elect whereby they might continue their names and their memories and finde some comfort in their olde age leaue their posteritie behinde them to giue them a Christian buriall and to performe all other duties of children to parents This I could heartily wish but see the corruption of these times they turne this punishment to a point of their owne pride vaine-glorie and solemnitie their lying-in or bedding being performed in such state with such pompe so excessiuely costly and chargeable that I feare they haue little thought either of thankfulnes to God or of the punishment of sinne Now giue me leaue to relate some few accidencies which doe accompanie our conception whereof I may speake without offence Consider I pray' how duâ—â—ng the time of their conception while our parents are yet great what a longing and hungrie appetite possesseth them of things hard to be gotten most commonly vntimely and vnseasonable fruites sometimes of things vncleane and impure Is not this an vndoubted token and testimonie of that insolent and vnbridled appetite of the woman which first contrarie to Gods owne precept and ordinance seazed vpon the forbidden fruite But obserue I beseech you how this appetite and longing consisting onely in the fansie and imagination of the mother yet sometimes to the great wonder and astonishment of reason workes vpon the childe in the wombe and makes an impression answerable to the thing conceiued in the fansie the fansie can neither giue sexe nor beautie nor strength to the members yet doth it imprint a character answerable to the strong apprehension See heere a liuely patterne of the propagation of sinne there are hereditarie diseases of the bodie there are wants and defects proper to the minde there are infirmities and sins of both sin is intailed to our nature though it proceed froÌ„ the free-will and consent of man yet is it grounded in nature and therfore al the naturall actions of man are branded with sinne In the time of their deliuerie I haue heard it credibly reported and so I may affirme it vpon tradition that nothing so much asswageth their paine and giues them that ease as the cast-away skinne of a Serpent being fitly applied for that purpose I will not dispute of the naturall reason which assuredly consists in the strange antipathie betweene both only I do here blesse God that hath so ordained nature as it might best serue for a supernaturall end when all naturall meanes shall faile and cannot preuent a naturall griefe yet the remembrance and thought of the Serpent which was the first occasion of this griefe should mitigate this paine Here is a kinde of magicall inchauntment to heale wounds by the application of that sword which first gaue the blow like the Israelites in the wildernesse wounded by the Serpent they are likewise cured by the brasen Serpent It serues also as a memoriall of Gods great bountie and goodnesse that if God in this miraculous manner by changing the skinne renewes the age of the Serpent then certainly man in his issue hath some kinde of eternitie for the young childe seemes to renew the age of his parents And the poore mother calling to minde Gods mercie to the Serpent who was the first seducer and greatest offender may well hope for a greater measure of that mercie and in her greatest torments and griefe acknowledging the iust punishment of sin may expect a better state and condition when God shall renew al things change their old habits and restore them to their first perfection Thus are the present miseries of this life seasoned with the assured hope and expectation of a better world to succeed I cannot thus leaue the punishment in the mother but I must likewise trace it in the infant Comming into the world wee come with our heads forwards as it were stumbling into life which vndoubtedly argues our fall for our birth is praecipitium a break-necke as if we were cast headlong downe from some mount Being thus borne wee carrie the image and representation rather of slaine men then of men beginning to liue such effusion of blood such vncleannesse as could not possibly stand with the integritie of our first nature as if wee were borne vnder that law condition that needs we must dye and therefore wee came into the world that indeede we might goe out of the world Many are borne with caules on their faces which betokens their modestie and shame as if Adam should couer his nakednesse with leaues here wee are fast bound vp with swadling-cloutes for wee are captiues and prisoners borne vnder the slauerie and bondage of Egypt and for a time wee can doe nothing but crie to moue pitie and compassion all our rest consists in motion wee sleepe while the cradle is rockt and so in the succeeding course of our liues wee seeme to flatter our sâ—lues with ease and securitie when as indeede all things are in an vprore At length wee begin to open our eyes and to looke about vs and here we wonder and admire all things as being strangers arriued in a new-found world we are apt to place our loue on euery obiect and cannot direct our selues aright there is nothing which seemes pleasant to the sight nor any prety toy but straight we must crie for it it must be ours we must possesse it otherwise the whole house shall not bee able to containe vs no fruite of the garden must be excluded See heere whether that fruite which was gustu suaue visu delectabile would not againe serue to allure man Not long after our hearing and speech will serue vs then wee begin to hearken after old wiues tales and fables wee cannot be content with our food and our raiment but we must heare some stories of Liâ—â—s of Beares and the like old women and nurses forsooth they must relate them Lord what skilfull teachers wee haue gotten as if Adam were againe to be instructed by Eue and that wee should all learne our lesson and take aduice from the Serpent see how this curiositie of knowledge possesseth young children as much as euer it did the first Adam but more immediatly and especially resides in the womankinde whereas a maide should be mute she is not afraid to dispute she should be a cooke for her sexe she would buy a booke for her sects in liew of a mate she must illuminate if once she proues gossip then she proceeds to a Doctorship and she can be no mistresse vnlesse she know mysteries Thus they haue degrees of schooles among them and therefore may lawfully weare their hoods and their habits they are not content to follow their seuerall callings and professions wherein they might serue God since it was God that ordained them not content with our ordinary Catechisme which they in their wisedome call beggerly rudiments or some implicite faith but as if euery part were
comfort the merits of Christ the ransome and price of my redemption is infinit and doe as farre exceede the number and weight of my sinnes as the goodnesse and power of God exceeds my weaknesse and frailtie the mercie of God is infinite able to couer the whole multitude of my sinnes the hate of God vnto sinne is infinite and therefore he will leaue nothing vnattempted which may serue to cut downe the body of sinne the desire which God hath of my saluation farre exceeds mine owne desire of saluation seeing his glorie and the manifestation of his mercie which was the scope and end of my creation is a farre greater good then my particular soules health The greater my sins are the greater occasion may God take to manifest his mercie for God himselfe hath appointed my saluation not to consist in not sinning or to be free and innocent from all sinnes but in the repentance for sinne and in the satisfaction of his deare Sonne and therefore to assure mee of this mercie it is one of the Articles of my Creed which not to beleeue were not to be saued that I should bouldlie and confidently beleeue the remission and forgiuenesse of sins Yet conceiue me aright for some there are who laying hould to soone on Gods mercy as it were snatching at his mercy do indeed loose the fruits of his mercy when laying the whole burthen of their sins vpon Christ as it were making long and deepe furrowes in his backe themselues continuing in their owne sinnes in the impenitency and hardnesse of their owne hearts do indeed dreame of saluation My sinnes are innumerable yet before I was borne before they could be committed God did foresee them notwithstanding his foresight when hee might haue preuented my sinnes and left me to my first nothing yet in his gratious goodnes and mercie hee made and created me he hath giuen me my life my strength my health my senses my wit and al my temporall blessings together with the knowledge of himselfe the plentifull and powerful meanes of my saluation notwithstanding my sinnes be they neuer so great yet these are the tokens of his fauour the pledges of his loue the assurances of his promises and the earnest of my future happines Why should I then despaire of Gods mercy though I haue lost that sanctitie and holinesse wherewith I might be saued yet God hath not lost that vertue and powe â— wherewith he might saue a penitent sinner and behold the fruit of this power if I do but speake or name God it is God that speakes in my heart ipse praesens facit se quaeri I had thought I had lost him but behold he is present and inuites me to a banquet where he himselfe is the feast conuiâ—a conuinium Lord I am not worthy with the dogs to licke vp the crummes vnder thy table yet giue me O Lord that property of dogs that licking mine owne woundes I might heale mine owne sores that my tongue may serue to cleanse my vncleannes confessing my sinnes I may disgorge and cast out my sins where they shall lie as a heauie burthen vpon thy sonne for he hath taken vp my sinnes and borne mine iniquities my sinnes are no longer mine Mea sunt per perpetrationem Christâ— sunt quoad obligationeÌ„ satisfactionis indeed I committed them and so they are mine but Christ alone hath entred into bands for the discharge of them he hath canceld the hand writing of the lawe he hath satisfied the rigour of thy iustice by the shedding of his bloud by his death and passion and therefore O Lord thou wilt not demand a second payment of vs he hath imputed his righteousnesse to vs and thus euery true penitent stands rectus in curia acquitted in thy consistâ—ry Giue me leaue to compare my selfe that am the meanest of all men to Alexander the great and this my present treatise wherein I labour to shew the fall and corruption of man to the conquest of nature me thinks I haue subdued the little world and brought man as a captiue or slâ—ue through much misery and sorrow at length to the place of his execution and hauing now possest my selfe of the fairest fortresse or tower in nature man that is a little world I cannot here content my selfe but I begin to enquire whether there are as yet more worlds to be conquered and behold in the second place I will fall vpon the great world and I will attempt with Archimedes to shake her foundations to threaten her ruine in this generall corruption and dissolution of man for this punishment morte morieris though it principally concernes man yet the whole world cannot be exempted from it being directed and ordained onely for mans vse containing in it selfe the very same seedes and causes of death and destruction and as it is most fit and agreeable to our present condition that being corruptible in our selues we should likewise dwell in houses of corruption For proofe and demonstration wherof I must ascend from the indiuiduals and singulars to the species and kindes of the creatures and among all other kindes assuredly man is the most noble and therfore best deserues to be the subiect of our knowledge wee should be best acquainted with our selues which makes for the certainty of our knowledge and speaking of things which so neerely concernes our selues we should much desire to bee better informed in our owne state and condition now if the whole kinde and species of man seemes daily to decline and decay which shall appeare by the comparison of times past with times present of our selues with our ancestors then assuredly the whole world cannot be excused from corruption but as it dies daily in the singulars so at length it shall faile in the vniuersals and in the kindes of the creatures This truth seemes to relie vpon these three foundations 1. Man as all other creatures being immediatlie created by God as he comes nearer and nearer the first mould so is he more and more perfect and according to the degrees of his distance so he incurres the more imperfection and weakenesse as the streames of a fountaine the further they runne through vncleane passages the more they contract the corruption 2. It would implie a contradiction in nature if the parts and the whole were not of like condition but how wonderfull is the difference if you will suppose a corruption of the singulars and an eternitie of the kinde for whereas the recompence shuld be made by succession or equiualencie we must consider that succession may well prolong the corruption adding more degrees proceeding more leasurely but cannot wholie exclude the corruption 3. The generall intent and scope of nature wholie â—ends to corruption for I would gladly aske why should not nature either renew mans age or preserue him in a state of consistencie the answere is because the iuyce and sap which we receiue from our food or our nourishment is not