cognizance of the sinne so it leaues it not vnpunished omnis qui inuenerit me occîdet me Gen. 4. vers 14. Heere is our feare and notwithstanding that we proue runnagates that we shelter and hide our own lookes yet we carry a worme in our bosomes that accuseth vs and layeth these sinnes to our charge disquiets the thoughts and will not permit the soules rest and hauing thus committed and being thus tormented whereas reason should teach them that the only way to recompence for the sinne were to be sorrowfull and contrite to aske pardon and forgiuenes euen for his sake who died for our sins yet they will rather continue in their own filth and sin against the holy Ghost with a finall impenitency and say with that cursed Cain maâ—us est delictum meum quà m vt possit remitti my sinne is greater then it can be forgiuen And thus wheras before they sinned against the rule of Gods iustice now they begin to sin against the measure of his mercy to dispaire of his mercy as if his mercy were not infinit as well as their sinnes are infinit as if the price of our redemption were not sufficient to recompence for their sinnes though they haue lost all possible meanes wherby they might be saued yet God hath not lost that absolute power wherewith he might saue a penitent sinner This curse of man is so generall that whatsoeuer is or can bee spoken for the misery and punishment of man may well be included within the compasse of this curse peâ—ty Princes may well boast in the number and multiplicity of their dignities and stiles whereas the great Roman Emperour could content himselfe with the bare title of Caesar Augustus Sometimes a plenty breedes want and diuersitie of matter when men seeme to be distracted with multitudes of thoughts imposeth a silence many dishes and much variety of good cheere rather chokes then prouokes the appetite I must therefore limit my speech and setting a side all other fruits of this cuâ—se I will only insist in those two qualities which are proper and peculiar to man his reason which sets him aboue creatures his religion which makes him equall to Angels the one guiding nature the other sanctifying nature mans excellency consisting in both and if in both mans frailtie and corruption shall appeare then needes you must acknowledge the curse and such a curse as cannot descend to the dumbe creatures nor cannot ascend to the Angelicall state and therefore must needes be proper and peculiar to man For reason God hath giuen it man for these two vses first for discourse that men grounded vpon the same principles of reason should concur in iudgement and discerâ—e better see more and search further theâ— for the instant appeares to the outward sight therfore it is a shadow of Gods eternall prouidence and prescience wherwith God creating man made him according to his owne Image but now see the curse that hath befallen our reason quot homines tot sententia so many men so many mindes as if reason were not the same in all but that there were different and distinct rules and grounds of our reason As their are fiue senses according to the fiue seuerall obiects in our sensible nature so our reason forsooth must be infinitly multiplied according to the number of mens braines and the capacity of each vnderstanding our reason serues rather to discouer the diuersitiâ— of our opinions and iudgements then to inforce an vnitie of consent wheras all the rest of the creatures they haue senses alike they see alike feele alike taste alike and for their outward actions they are all carried with one and the same instinct of nature only in men their wayes are inâ—init their iudgements infinit in so much that you might well doubt whether they all consist of the same reasonable soule and for the dumbe creatures if you wil take their whole kinde together with their naturall actions they are much more reasonable more wise and prouident in their owne kinde then is man notwithstanding his reasonable soule You will suppose that I speake only of the promiscuous multitude and of such only whose wit will serue them to stir vp a difference or doubt but whose iudgement is too weake to reconcile the controuersie or you will thinke that I speake only of neighbours and woemen alwayes iarring and dissenting out of their enuie or of friends and kindred alwayes in suites of law in a point of their profit No verily but I will instance in the thrice renowned profession of learning how many sects of Philosophers haue the schooles afforded what infinit variety contrariety of opinions as among the ancients according to the number of elements there were Aristotelians who out of their puritie their light and eminency aboue the rest did seeme to resemble fier which hath now at length consumed the rest then followed the Platonists who like the element of ayre inclose all their light in the clouds or rather indeed do obscure and conceale it then comes the Stoicke who with the stricktnesse of his life seemes like a sea-â—aring man lies vpon boards and feeds vpon water and fish at length vp starts the Epicure who like a glutton runs ouer the face of the whole earth from market to market to make his best prouision to offer vp a fat sacrifice vpon the all-deuouring altar of his belly-god Heere are the foure first elements and from hence proceedes as great a difference in the opinions of men as there is variety in nature in so much that in the ancient monasteries what iars haue past between the Scoâ—ists and Thomists between the Reals and Nominals c. And at this time it is not vnknowne how Petrus Ramus a man of meane knowledge without any ordinary parts either of nature or learning yet through his owne impudency and pride desiring an innouation of all Arts to cast all things in a new mould to build his own fame in the ruins of others hath opposed himself not against any particular opinion but against the whole streame and current of all ancient learning ouerthrowing the grounds principles and rules of that most illustrious thrice renowned Aristotle whom all ages doe reuerence and acknowledge to haue bin natures chiefe secretary or best counseller of estate the father of all humane knowledge and that which is yet more strange this Ramus hath left followers and Disciples behind him who seeme to be like affected to the ancient learning reducing all things euen the very scope foundation of arts to their own fond inuention and barbarous innouation A shame it is that Colledges and ancient foundations should giue harbour to such a wretched brood who as they are first nourished vp in obstinacy and wilfulnes so they will proue to bee fire-brands in the Church who neglecting the fathers and all ancient orders and decency shall with their owne furious and witles conceits set the whole world in combustion
1. 11 the same in nature the same in power the same in mercy the same in true loue and affection Iesus the sonne of Dauid Iesus the sonne of Marie who was the propitiation for our sinnes and shall come againe in glorie to iudge both the quicke and the dead Yet sure I am that the time cannot bee long absent for all the signes of his comming doe already appeare when the hangings and furniture are taken downe it is a token that the King and the Court are remoouing nature now beginning to dacay seemes to hasten Christs comming to let passe many strong presumptions of our Diuines concerning the approach of that day these three proofes drawne from naturall reason doe easilie induce mee to beleeue it First looking to the generall decay of this world which argues the approach of this iudgement secondly to the great preparation for fâ—â—e which must then serue for the execution of Gods wrath thirdly the fit occasions seeming to hasten this iudgement c. Most certaine it is that if the world should continue many thousand yeeres and that wee should suppose that nature would decay in such sort as we are able to proue by demonstratiue euidence already she hath done assuredly nature of her selfe thorough her owne weakenesse would come to nothing and the world should not bee able to supplie mens necessities Suppose this one kingdome besides the generall barrennesse which hath befalne vs whereof wee may iustly complaine if we should commit the like waste in our woods as formerly wee haue done in this last forepassed age assuredly we should bee left so destitute of fuell of houses of shipping that within a short time our land would proue almost inhabitable for such things as require a great growth wherein man cannot see the present fruites of his prouidence husbandrie and labour for the most part they are alwaies neglected and it lies not in the power of one age to recouer her selfe thus out of the decay of nature we may almost expect a dissolution as by the signes and symptomes we iudge of a dangerous and desperate disease Thus you may obserue almost a like distance from the creation to the deluge from the deluge to Christ from Christ vnto vs as God ordaines euery thing according to rule order and measure after fifteene generations â—xpired you shall alwaies note in Scripture some great alteration and change Saint Matthew was therefore called from the receite of custome to cast vp this account in the genealogie of Christ as it appeares in his first chapter now at length in Gods name what may wee expect should befall vs Whatsoeuer concernes the kingdome of Shilo consummatum est it is already perfited wee must not looke for any further addition that which remaines it is the sound of the trumpet vt consummetur seculum that the world may be destroyed by fire Secondly fire shall bee the second ouerthrowe this Scripture and reason confirmes now certaine it is that God who hath first instituted nature hath so ordained her as she may best serue to be an instrument to worke his owne ends and purposes to shew a conformitie of the effects with the cause thereby to manifest his owne empire and rule which still he retaines in the creatures as likewise the obedientiall power whereunto the creatures are subiect that so may appeare how absolute and powerfull he is first to appoint the creatures then how gracious and mercifull he is to impart himselfe and to ioyne with the creatures in the same action Thus the waterie constellations did then gouerne and rule when the world was ouerwhelmed with waters now at this time and for a few hundred yeeres yet to continue the fierie constellations shall haue the predominancie and therefore credible it is that within the compasse of this time there shall happen the generall combustion Thirdly the dissolution of this world betokens a generall punishment the iudgement accompaning hath reference to our transgressions as in the first permission of sinne appeares the goodnesse of God who can turne our sinnes to his glorie either for the manifestation of his mercy or iustice so in this great tolerating of sinne appeares Gods patience and long suffering But now our sinnes are come to a full ripenesse now is the haruest and the weedes choake vp the wheate and therefore necessitie seemes to inforce and to hasten the approach of this iudgement that at length there might bee a separation of both though hetherto they haue growne vp together Thus Christs first comming in the flesh was to restore the decaied state of the Iewes for then hee was borne into this world when charitie was growne colde the Priesthood bought and sould for a price the Kings office extinguished the tribe of Iuda neglected the synagogue diuided into sects and schisâ—es and this is in some sort resembled by the barâ—â—â— of the earth for hee came in the winter season and hee was borne at midnight to argue the worlds vniuersall darknesse and ignorance So must it bee for his second comming he hath giuen vs a watch-word that the sonne of man will come at an houre when hee is not expected Luk. 12. vers 40. Now is that time when we doe not expect him we neuer thinke of iudgement of hell of fire of damnation Religion hath taken vp wings and is returned to heauen from whence she descended Men are now growne carelesse in their profession and liue after a sensuall manner like beasts we are now growne to the height and top of all sinne our sinnes our crying sinnes now crie for vengeance and therefore the time of his comming cannot be farre absent hee will take the best opportunitie like a theefe in the night we may then expect him when wee doe least expect him But I will leaue this as being not so pertinent to my purpose and grounded onely vpon coniectures c. Now I haue brought man to his graue and together with man the whole fabricke of nature you would thinke that at length I should discharge him I haue buried him deep enough I confesse for I haue cast the heauens and the earth vpon him and together with man intombed the whole world Yet giue me leaue in the last place to preuent one obiection for some will say that if the fall of man should appeare by the light of nature how should those great Sages and Secretaries of nature the ancient Philosophers be so much mistaken for the Schooles and all our Diuines hold that they were deceiued in the state of man supposing man to be in puris naturalibus without any thought of his fall without any hope of his recouerie I confesse indeede that the ancient Philosophers haue not mentioned the fall of man for they did onely looke to the present course and order of nature as liuing in the middest of Egypt they considered Nilus the depth of the waters the violence of the streame the ebbings and flowings but they regarded not
our abuse the punishment was the labour of man now man in stead of patience in bearing this yoake and obedience in vndertaking the taske and conforming himselfe to Gods lawe desires nothing so much as to frustrate the sentence of God and to auoid the punishment especially in these last dayes which is the ould age of the world we intend nothing more then our idlenesse and sloth sometimes vnder the faire shew of sanctity Whereas certaine it is that all honest callings and vocations of men they are Gods owne ordinance in performing them we doe God seruice bis orat qui bene laborat the workes haue the forme of a prayer as implicitly desiring God to concurre with his own meâ—nes they are likewise in the nature of sacrifices as being actions well pleasing and commanded by God himselfe thinke them not base do not neglect them with any foolish â—ansie conceit of thine own puritie for God hath appointed them and be shall one day take the accounts of thy labour in this kinde But the generall practise of this world is to giue ouer all painefull manuall and laborious professions and to desire to liue by their wits as if the state of man were wholy angelicall and that his hâ—ngerâ—oâ—ld bee satisfied with knowledge his thirst quenched with sweet meditation and his backe clothed with good precepts or as if euery part should ambitiously aspire to the perfection of an eye for schollers are inâ—â—â—it Lawyers innumerable Ciâ—ies swarme and abound with multitudes and euery company complaines of companie but trillage husbandry and manuall labour was neuer more neglected We doe not desire to gaine from nature so to benefit our selues and to enrich the whole kingdome but we desire with the finenesse and quiddities of our owne wits to gaine from others new offices must be erected and we must breed vp our children as Clearkes in some office and hence it is that our wants were neuer so great the trickes and shifts of many were neuer so shamefull and dishonest for they that know best to liue â—ioâ—ously in a wastfull course of expense knowe least what belongs to the labour and difficulty in getting if nature were as prodigall in her gifts as is their mindes laâ—ish and profuse I should commend their magnificence but it fals out far otherwise c. To leaue the professions of men I will only tâ—xe one of their actions a practise which is now growne common and vsuall and hath bin haâ—ched in these dayes altogether vnknowne or els vtterly detested and abhorred by the former and better times of our forefathers namely the inclosing of common fields when the land leeseth his owne proper and naturall vse God hauing ordained it for tillage wee must conuert it to pasture whereas corne is such a soueraigne and pretious commoditie being indeed the ground-worke of a kingdome whereupon all our plenty consists in so much that other wise and politicke states as the Florentines will suffer no corne to be at any time transported shall kingdomes bereaue themselues of their weapons and sell them to strangers heere is the staffe of life the staffe of bread Leuit. 26. 26. Heere is our best weapon shall we leaue our selues destitute of this weapon only thorough our owne sloth wherefore serue the inclosures but only to the inhauncing of the Lords rent and for the idlenesse of the tenant whereas certaine it is that better it were in a state for men to bee wholy vnprofitablie imployed then for want of imployment they should be left to their owne disposing wherein you shall finde not only the losse of their time but other vitious and dissolute courses as drinking gaming riot quarelling and sometimes seditious tumults Most certaine it is that the kingdome is heerby greatly impouerished for those lands inclosed are not able to maintaine such numbers of men so many horses fit for the seruice of war such prouision for our plenty in a foure-fold proportion as formerlie they did lying open and in tillage Where is the ancient strength of England how easily may we be vanquisht if in the best soyle townes shall be thus vnpeopled why doth our lawe so much intend tillage why doth our law preuent inmates and cottages if on the other side notwithstanding the increase and multiplying of people yet villages shall be ruinated and all must serue for the shepheard infinit are the inconueniences which I could speake of inclosures but I will conclude all with this one rule in lawe interest reipublicae vt ne quis re sua malè vtatur Many and great are the iudgements of God which from time to time haue followed the first authors and first beginners of inclosures but you shall giue me leaue to prophesie a iudgement That I may speake for this climat of England giue me leaue to compare this great kingdome to a body as in the middest of a body the heart is only the fountaine of all vitall bloud which it sends forth and conuayes in her conduit-pipes to all the seuerall parts of the body so me thinkes God hath ordained this kingdome that in the middest of it there should bee the heart the richest and faâ—â—est soyle which might send forth plenty of corne to all the bordering skirts which as they haue the benefit of waters for the carriage of their commodities so are they not in themselues such fruitfull corne grounds yet if any part of the world be sufficiently prouided with graine for the most part our sea-cost townes do share in their plenty whereas our in-land countries must only relie vpon their owne prouision and to that end God hath giuen them a soyle fit for that purpose Now seeing â—hat they haue such inclosures and that they haue wholly betaken themselues to their idlenesse and floth assuredly whensoeuer it shall please God to send amongst vs a punishment of hunger and famine there the death and penury shall be greatest from whence heeretofore wee haue receiued our greatest supply Thus man desiring to escape the punishment of God in his labour incurr's a far greater iudgement of God in his famine if hee will not sweat in his worke hee shall starue in his wants Giue vs grace O Lord strengthen and inable vs that we may labour according to thine â—rdinaâ—ce and iâ— thy mercy O Lord giue a blessing to our laboâ—rs that we may râ—ceiue from thee the fruites of our labour and 〈◊〉 vs O Lord from that heâ—â—y punishment of â—â—nger and fâ—mine Because the earth brought forth of herselfe 〈◊〉 and braâ—bles therefore was man tied to his hâ—â—bandry and laboâ—â—â— heere is the course of his life and profession now let vs come to his honor and dignitie which appeares in his gouernment hauing lost his absolute 〈◊〉 ouer the creatâ—â—es and they no longer tied to his seruice but assaulting and despitefully vsing their master and gouernor behould God laughes at the counselâ— of men instead of gouerning the dumbe beasts the rule and tyranny of man
appeare that God in the middest of iudgement remembreth mercy for euen these hilles did serue as a speciall meanes by Gods owne appoyntment to allay the raging of the waters and againe to gather them into one common storehouse where they might bee hedged and kept within their owâ—e boundes The truth of this deluge to the Iewes and the Christians is sufficiently warranted by the diuine testimonie which is beyond all exception Wee are likewise able to trace the continued succession of times the discent of tribes and families from Noah and his Sonnes as likewise the plantation of nations the establishing of kingdomes and gouernments so that nothing is defectiue in this kinde to him that hath made but a small entrance in the studie of Chronologie as likewise the attempts of men soone after the deluge for preuenting the like in-undation as namely the building of Babell c. many things as yet appeare in their lawes and their customes especially places reserued for keeping of their auncient recordes so built as that they might be free from the annoyance of waters For the Gentiles their Philosophers considering that the world was vpheld by opposition and combate of elements and that the elements were not equally matched but doe fight vpon disaduantage for two of them are actiue and two passiue the actiue qualities farre exceeding the passiue in vertue power and operation hereby they did conceiue that there might be an ouerthrow and dissolution in nature either by water or fire which were therefore not improperly called the dreadfull and destroying elements whereby the opinion concerning the generall deluge was made the more credible which deluge was known vnto them by the name of Ogiges or Deucalions floud not but that I acknowledge there was a floud which happened in the time of Ogiges and another in the time of Deucalion but assuredly such things are reported of these two flouds which could not be competent or agreeable but onely to the vniuersall deluge and therefore I suppose that the deluge was called by the name of Ogiges or Deucalions floud because these gaue occasion and did rippe vp and renew the memorie thereof this I conceiue because certaine it is that Noah was called among the Gentiles the first Ogiges speaking of the floud which happened sub prisco Ogige and things which were past remembrance were called Ogigia this deluge is likewise mentioned by diuers most auncient heathen writers as by Berosus Chaldaeus Hieronimus Aegyptius Nicholaus Damascenus Abydenus and others according as both Iosephus and Eusebius doe proue Plato in Timaeo seemes to remember it and Berosus who was the most auncient writer among the heathen beginnes his historie from the floud in these words Ante aquarum cladem famosam qua vniuersus perijt orbis c. beyond which course of time no historie no author no monument is extant and that you may not thinke that this truth was fastened vpon the ancients or that their workes should heerein admit a fauourable construction the Heathen and Pagans at this day in Bresill and other countries of the West-Indies lately discouered in our age where neuer any Christian professors were knowne to teach yet they talke of the drowning of the world which happened in times past and they say that this was left vnto them by tradition time out of minde by the inhabitants of those places But why doe I thus trouble my â—â—lfe with the deluge behold I see a waterie signe in the cloudes containing in it selfe a great varietie of glittering colours as it were resembling the beautie of Nature which by a speciall indulgence of God shall preserue vs from the like in-undation of waters It proceeds I confesse from waterie and naturall causes and was before the deluge but not as a sacramentall signe or the earnest of Gods promise and couenant for th◠〈◊〉 is a ring before it becomes a mariage ring as things which consist in relation first presuppose an entitie in themselues Behold I say here is a bow but here is our comfort an emptie and a naked bow Where is the shaft it is alreadie shot and spent wee shall neuer neede to feare any further danger by this bow for to my sight and to my vnderstanding it is rather bent against heaueÌ„ then against earth I pray' obserue it aright it should seeme that God hath so disposed it that it might serue rather as a memoriall for God to put him in mind of his promise then as a terrour to man to strike vs with feare of Gods vengeance And therefore this bow shall serue as a bridge as a bow-bridge by which I will passe ouer this great in-undation of waters humbly praising and magnifying God that as the old world was ouerwhelmed by waters so God in his mercie hath appointed that there should be a regeneration by waters that the old Adam being washed and cleansed from sinne we might be receiued into the arke of Christs Church through the sanctifying waters of the holy stood of Iordan Hauing spoken of the first ouerthrow of the world by waters I cannot but in a word for similitude of argument though otherwise the iudgements shall bee wrought by different and contrary meanes speake of the second ouerthrow which shall be by fire in a generall combustion Behold then the earnest of this last iudgement when as Sodom and Gomorrha were consumed with fire from heauen that it might serue for euer as a remarkable token or the first beginning of a general combustion which threatens the whole world Vnto this day the place is vnhabitable fire and brimstone hauing left such a strong sent as might well argue the strange ebullition of their vnnaturall lust and as it was a lust which did not intend generation so was it the most vnnaturall act without any president or example of the bruite beasts for none of them are tainted with such vncleannesse And therfore behold their punishment carries a proportion and correspondencie to the offence whereas they should haue intended by an orderly course of nature the preseruation of their seed in the fruites of their loynes the propagation of their kinde and the continuance of their names and memories themselues taking a cleane contrarie course c. the remembrance hereof is most hatefull detestable and abominable to euery chaste and Christian minde Therefore by the iust iudgements of God these Cities were turned by their destruction into a strange lake which vnto this day is knowne by the name of mare mortuum the dead Sea wherein nothing can liue for proofe and certaintie whereof as trauellers at this time can testifie as much so many Gentiles Heathen and forraine writers doe witnesse the same truth as Galen Pausanias Solinus Tacitus and Strabo all of them testifying and shewing the particular wonders thereof But you will say that this iudgement is only proper and priuate to the inhabitants of those parts and that little trust or credit is to bee giuen to trauellers in
their cloysters of recreation were places of burials for their meditation if they found themselues giuen to immoderate ioy their delight was abated with the sight smell of dead bones Thus liuing they were dead their mind was among the dead they conuersed with the dead and thus the meditation of death did prescribe vnto them answerable to a vale of miserie befitting a sinfull state a course of life in mortification and sorrow O death which doest astonish man with thy sight how fearefull is thy blow when wee shall goe and neuer returne or recouer our owne strength Soles occidere redire possunt at nobis nox perpetua dormienda est O death which in this last age of the world wherin sinne and iniquitie doe abound and religion seemes to haue taken vp wings and euery where to bee put to flight and indeede to haue gone vp to heauen from whence she descended yet death stands like a stoute champion to fight in defence of religion death stands at the backe of religion assuring vs that there must bee an end of this sinful state and of these worldly vanities and death is this end assuring vs that there must be a time for the manifestation of Gods iustice and death seemes to summon vs to appeare at his iudgement seat assuring vs that there is another world to succeede and death is the passage to that other world for otherwise in vaine should wee preach the mercie of God together with his promises in vaine should we teach the law of nature the instinct of nature the moral precepts the mysteries of grace the maiestie of God in vaine should wee preach humilitie to sustaine iniuries with patience to forgiue all offences to make restitution for wrongs in vaine should wee perswade men to spend whole nights in watchings fastings and prayers to repent in sackcloth and ashes alas alas these are all vnprofitable lessons to the worldlings let vs therefore leauing the force of Church discipline Ecclesiasticall censures Excommunications c. let vs implore brachium seculare the helpe of the temporall power to restraine sinne Remember thine owne death remember thine owne death if thou wilt not forsake the world the world shall at length forsake thee here is our last refuge to serue at a dead lift for the conuersion of a sinner here is no faith of things inuisible here are no strict rules of mortification here are no precepts which seeme to oppose the practise of mans naturall inclination but consider the state of thine owne body and the degrees of thine age how thou doest daily decline and learne to dye by the daily precedent experience and example of others Filimi memorare nouissima in aeternum non peribis My sonne remember thy last end and thou shalt neuer perish euerlastingly As it serues for a meanes of our conuersion so is it no lesse cause of great ioy and comfort to a well resolued Christian Cupio dissolui esse cum Christo Life is the only hinderance of our coupling with Christ this old house must first bee taken downe before the new building can be erected now death serues as a bridge or a passage to a better life it is a holie relique which first seazed vpon Christs bodie and at length shall befall vs we must dye with him that wee may raigne with him where the head hath already entred the whole bodie must follow But here is our comfort hee that stood in the forefront hath now abated the strength of our aduersarie he that sanctified all other creatures the earth with his blood the ayre purified with his breath the water washt with his washing the fire purged with his spirit in fierie tongues he hath likewise sanctified death it selfe by his owne death Death is now made a safe harbour vnto vs which before was the terrour of nature for as it was truly prophecied of Christ so is it verified in the members of Christ He shall not leaue his soule in hell nor suffer his holy one to see corruption Thus is death now become the sole sacrifice of a Christian man a free oblation at Gods altar wherein whole man is bequeathed vnto God wee commit our soules to his safe custodie and keeping wee leaue our bodies to be the dust of his Temple all our goods we dispose as he shall direct vs some by the course of nature which hee himselfe hath appointed some to pious and religious vses which hee himselfe hath commanded some to almes-deedes and charitable beneuolence according to that natural compassionate instinct which God hath imprinted in our hearts and as the present necessitie of these times seemes to require and what is so left wee leaue it not behind vs but it followes vs and ouertakes vs at heauen gates And thus is man become a whole burnt offering vnto God and that by the meanes of his death and therefore we may now securely triumph ouer death O death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victorie the sting of death is sinne the strength of sinne is the law but thankes be vnto God who hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. Death is the sole comfort in all my worldly miseries for it seemes to be the vpshot and period of my woe which if I shal once attaine as needs I must attaine then shall I be like the sea faring man who being arriued in the Hauen hath safely escaped the troublesome waues of this turbulent world the assurance and expectation whereof doth inable me with patience and fortiâ—ude For what can befall me Suppose losse of senses losse of limbes losse of substance losse of honour yet one thing remaines I shall dye I shall dye here is my comfort for here is the end of my woe What if the bloodie Tyrant shall sport himselfe in the shedding of my innocent blood what if the great states-man shall pick out some flawes and finde out some nice errors in my estate and thereby vnder the faire shew of concealements shall make me a bootie Sentiat hoc moriar mors vltima linea rerum My life is a pilgrimage the quicker my expedition is I shall sustaine the lesse sorrow Now this contempt of death giues the true Christian man such an excellent spirit such a braue courage and resolution as that indeede he proues the only good souldier thou maiest repose confidence in him for he will neuer reuolt or forsake a iust cause in his attempts thou shalt finde him valiant aboue measure for this resolution of death is his armour of proofe for conquer hee will and conquer he must though with his owne passion fearefull and terrible hee is to his enemies for hee that regards not his owne life is Lord of another mans life Whereas the worldling who hath placed all his happinesse here in the course of this life is indeed a base coward fearefull vnfaithfull performing his seruice onely to the outward shew carrying a heart full of
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