not so comely in their outward 〈◊〉 â—hey are enforced to conceale their owne inward worth and if they be bold and aduenterous then natuâ—e will giue vs a caution caue quos natura notauit and the infâ—mie of their personage sildome procures loue especially among the multitude But if this wise man proues neither hard fauoured nor monstrous yet fleame and melancholy whereof his temper especially consists what Rhumes Catarres and diseases doe they cause in his body How do they breake out into issues and gowtes and seeme to hasten old age Odi puerum praecoci ingenio I hate a childe of a forward wit either he is already come to his last temper or else his climate must alter What is it or who is it that thou canst loue in nature on whoÌ„ thou might'st settle thy affection If faire and beautifull to fight Phisiognomie will tell thee that thou seest the whole man thou canst expect no further vse or imployment of his seruice if otherwise wise and deformed how canst thou loue him in whom nothing seemes worthy of thy loue We may call thy iudgement in question whereas in all other creatures the comelines beautie and fit proportion of the outward limbes signifies the good inward conditions Now at length to speake of the actions of mans body I will giue them the same entertainment which formerly I did to the faculties of the soule for as I am not malitious so I will not be paâ—tiall I doe heere accuse and challenge all the naturall actions of mans body to be tainted and defiled with corruption and in all of them the punishment of this corruption shall manifestly appeare All punishments may be reduced to these three heads 1. Dedecus sâ—u infamia 2. Poena seu castigatio 3. Serâ—itium seâ— captiuitas By the first he suffers losse in his credit good name and reputation and is put to open shame and infamie By the second he suffers detriment and losse in his owne flesh or in his owne substance and goods being chastised according to law By the third he seemes to be imprisoned and suffers losse in his freedom and libertie being tied to serue as a slaue These are the three generall heads whereunto the exercise of iustice doth vsually extend it selfe and to these three heads I will reduce all the naturall actions of mans body For the infamie and shame Whatsoeuer nature desires to be concealed hidden and dares not attempt it in the presence of others certainly she will neuer stand to iustifie the action but rather at first sight will easily confesse her infamie and shame Take the most naturall workes of man and you shall obserue that man is most ashamed of them as eating drinking sleeping yawning c. I will not speake of the most vncleane and secret parts some things may bee conceiued which may not be spoken Who euer held it any part of his commendation to bee a great eater or to sleepe while his bones ake Who euer went out into the open streete or to the market place to take a meales meate but rather would prouide a close cabinet for such necessarie imployments of nature Is nature ashamed of her most naturall actions then certainly it betokens a guiltinesse But you will ascribe it to the strict and austere profession of Christianitie which seeming ouer proud and haughtie for mans present estate disdaines to inhabite the earth lookes vp to heauen and therefore brandeth these actions with shame and contempt True indeed of all the sects in the world Christian religion hath alwaies been most famous and eminent for strictnesse of life and mortification of flesh which in my conscience as it hath formerly giuen the greatest growth to religion so the neglect and decay thereof in these our daies will be the greatest blow to religion But herein I will excuse our selues for not the Christian alone but the Turke and the Heathen both say and practise as much in effect You will then say that religion in generall agrees in this one point as teaching all men a maidenlike modestie to forbeare the outragious lusts of the flesh and therein sets the difference betweene man and beast and thus along continued custome may at length seeme to bee nature I cannot rest in this answere but I must fasten this shame immediatly vpon nature her selfe Obserue then not onely in man but likewise in the dumbe creatures Are not those parts which serue for excrement or generation concealed and hidden either in place and situation or else with feathers with haire or some other couering which nature hath prouided for that purpose in so much that you shall hardly discerne their sexe â— Hath she not appointed the shade the groue and the close night to couer and hide them she is ashamed of them they are vncleane to the sight but most absurd in the speech and both taught vs by a naturall instinct Wilâ— thou defile thy mouth with 〈◊〉 talke and shall that appeare in thy tongue which nature hath concealed in her basest parts Be not so base remember the noblenesse of thy birth and thy condition farrâ— aboue beasts stoope not so low as to touch or to kisse with thy lips and thy tongue those vncleane parts whereof nature her selfe is ashamed The infamie of these actions shall better appeare by this one instance Call foorth the incestuous or adulterous person I will here checke and correct him Thou beast worse then a beast for many beasts seeme to obserue the Rites and sanctitie of mariage seest thou not how thou hast sinned against heauen and against thine owne soule Doth not thine owne conscience accuse thee or thinkest thou that the close night or darknesse it selfe can couer or conceale thy sinne c. I haue no sooner spoken these words but behold his hart faints his speech failes him he trembles quakes all his blood appeares in his face as if the blood being guiltie to it selfe should step foorth and either excusing or accusing it selfe should wholly acquâ—â— the spirit For I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my spirit Or as if it were naturally ingrafted in man that without the effusion of blood there can be no remission of sinnes and therefore as farre foorth as the skinne will permit it the blood desires to make some recompence for the offence Suppose I were to examine a guiltlesse innocent man and to charge him with such crimes which he neuer attempted yet sometimes there will appeare the same tokens of modestie and shame Nature can be no lier she will neuer accuse her selfe vniustly though she may be innocent of this crime yet she acknowledgeth the roote to bee corrupted and thereby argues a possibilitie to commit the like offence she will not wholly excuse her selfe though she deâ—ies the particular fact Or as if there were such a society and mariage between sinne on the one part and flesh and blood on the other part that if sin
and types fore-told by the Prophets and shadowed forth in nature by the vndoubted promises of God semen mulieris conteret serpentis caput so that my faith and religion wherby I looke to be saued was the faith and religion of Adam which I can deriue by a lineall descent from age vnto age shewing the expresse foot-steps and where the Church hath alwayes resided like a hungry dog thirsting after my saluation I can follow the sent and pursue the chase from the first day of the worlds birth for together with the creation of man was the end of mans creation and the meanes to obtaine this end Truth is most ancient as being of the nature of God and God himselfe is the ancient of dayes and in all our doubts of religion wee must still flie to the first institution an sic fuit ab initio vnto this present day being the 28. of February in the yeere of our Lord God 1615. dies dierum the beginning of our septuagessima wherein wee remember the first fall of Adam and the birth of a sinner For the controuersies in generall some there are which cannot bee reconciled and for these wee will mourne and lament and daily beseech God for their happy conuersion but I feare that a great part of the dissention proceeds from our selues who being now setled in a peaceable Church without persecution the truth of religion sufficiently appearing without any great opposition of Turkes of Iewes or of Heathen hauing now gotten respit and ease we do not so much intend the actions of zeale and deuotion as the point of our learning and the sufficiency of our knowledge which notwithstanding is not so proper and peculiar to Priest-hood as is the practise of Pietie wherein consists the height and perfection of a christian life some I say rather intending their studies then their prayers desiring to show the strength of their learning they must enter the combat of wits and heere they must seeme to dissent and to be irreconcileable while closly and vnder-hand they send forth their agents and messengers to treate of a peace and with a nice and quaint distinction can take vp the difference among themselues without shedding one drop of bloud while the world takes notice of their disagreement and being not able to iudge of their words of art and the trickes of their wit still conceaues them to be at deadly enmitie I know not what to say of their learning but I doe much condemne their dishonesty to make shew of difference when indeed there is none and the schoole learning it selfe which makes all things disputable howsoeuer I do highly commend it for wisdome learning and iudgement yet I feare it hath not proued so profitable and beneficiall to the Church as hauing stird vp those iars which it could neuer asswage like the action of the moone in our bodies in respect of il humors for man is easily prouokt but not so easily reconciled out of the frowardnes of our mindes disputations doe rather conceale then open a truth but it were to bee wished rather that the vulgar should neuer be acquainted with the controuersies then that thou shouldest thinke to make them such perfect and good clearkes as that they might truely iudge of the differences of them and of our selues I may truly say with the wise man Deus fecit hominem simplicâ—â— ipse se immiscuit innumerabilibus quaestionibus In these differences of religion I do acknowledges wonderfull and vnspeakable prouidence of God for some of them seeme to make more for Gods glory and for manâ—sâ—lâ—ation if they proceed without any great breach of christian charity the difference not consisting in any fundamentall and essentiall point of religion but such as may well stand with the text of Scripture the three Creeds all ancient councells and the continuall practise and tenent of the Church so that herein we shall not need to feare any shipwracke of faith wee shall not need to endanger our goods our limbes or our liues but rather to leaue them as disputable at schooles but now sâ—e the profit which redounds to the Church by these differences they teach man his owne weaknesse and how imperfect he is in things of highest perfection they haue raised vp many excellent wits profound learning and wonderfull industry in all manner of knowledge they haue made all more cautiâ—nat and 〈◊〉 in their own wayes least the aduersary should take any lust occasion of reproch not only our catholik reformed Churches but euen the present Abbies and Monasteries now extant in other notioÌ„s haue bin much reformed since the dissolution of ours they haue laid open the maine strength the rocke the foundation the pillars of our Christian religion soâ—h at men neuer had the like meanes for the increase and strengthning of their saith as they haue at this day the factions of each partie doe kindle the heat of their zeale in their own profession and of their charity one towards another as the intollerable hate of one common foe will knit together a firme league of amity which otherwise of it selfe would easily dissolue And therfore I will conclude that the Church at this present inregard of the many differences may fitly be shadowed forth in Saint Peters calling and in S. Peters reprehension Saint Peter who was called from fishing to be a fisher of men let his net resemble the Church the conuersion and taking of soules vpon the calling of Saint Peter his net brake but as the Diuines doe obserue it was to let in fish and not to let out fish and so the euent proued accordingly make I beseech you the application sometimes a schisme in the Church opens a wider gap to saluation that others may enter in who before dâ—â—st neuer approch for feare of the Cherubin which keepes the gate of Paradise with a fiery sword that is with fire and with sword Secondly Peters reprehension was that when many came to apprehend Christ all of them were not his enemies some came to behold him some to heare him some to compassionat him while others betrayed and apprehended him yet Saint Peter I will not iudge of his intention in the heat of his zeale drawes out his sword which he could not lawfully do and strikes off the eare of Malchus the eare is the instrument of hearing and betokens the sole meanes of mans conuersion but Christ heales vp the wound restores his eare rebukes Peter and threatens him hee that drawes out the sword shall perish by the sword he that abuseth the sword and often prouokes the secular power shall at length smart by the sword c. For the persecutions of the Church it is no maruaile though God doth permit them seeing that Christian religion inioyning man penaâ—ce for his finne seemes to bee a kinde of persecution such fastings such weeping such mortificaton such a strict and austere life that tyrannie itselfe could hardly impose a greater torment were it not
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
of truth that wheresoeuer or howsoeuer disposed still she carries the same stampe and stands alike affected to the maintenance of her selfe and is alwaies readie prest either to fight or to bee deposed in defence of her owne right Since man according to his condition is naturally lead by sense for want of a better guide I will take vpon me to conduct him from sensible obiects by the light of his owne reason to the knowledge of things spirituall and to this end I haue made choice of this text The naturall man cannot comprehend the things of the spirit of God Wherein I will shew first the insufficiencie of nature in attaining the least part of this heauenly knowledge Secondly how nature may rest satisfied contented and yeeld her assent to the mysteries of faith notwithstanding her owne ignorance this shall be the scope and intent of my speech But how shall I that am a naturall man presume to approch vnlesse I be guided by Gods spirit Now the meanes to obtaine this spirit is inuocation and prayer Prayer which is a naturall sacrifice taught vs by a naturall instinct and serues as a preparatiue to grace nature supporting grace tending and directed to grace the vessell and instrument of grace hath first ingrafted in vs preparatiue and disposing qualities to grace He that seasoneth and sanctifieth nature powre downe his grace and touch my tongue with a coale from his altar he that plaies the sweete musicke first tune the instrument let vs draw nigh vnto God and he will draw nigh vnto vs. Blessed Lord God c. IT hath been a long obiection of many wordlings and Atheists who conforming themselues to the loose condition of these times seeke by all possible meanes to weaken the grounds and foundations of our Christian faith that religion seemes too much to inforce the reason and vnderstanding of man that whereas by nature we haue some inward instinct some inbred principles and seedes of knowledge froÌ„ whence the reasonable and discoursiue soule drawes her certaine conclusions for our guide and direction here in the course of this life yet religion especially Christian religion seemes wilfully to oppose it selfe against the current and streame of mans nature it propounds precepts and rules of practise contrary to mans owne inclination mysteries of faith ouerthrowing the grounds of reason hope beyond all coniecture and probabilitie as if man could conspire against himselfe or that the testimonie of the whole world could preuaile against the cabinet-counsel and knowledge of his own soule as if that God which reueales the mysteries of grace were not the same God which first laid the foundations of nature To whom shal a man giue credit and trust if the inward light of his owne soule shall serue as a meanes to delude him vse the best motiues and perswasions yet still the Schoole holds that Iudicium vltimum practici intellectus determinat voluntatem Man according to the measure of his own knowledge giues his assent or dissent to be credulous and easie of beleefe is no token of the greatest wisedome If reason should be altogether silenced in the points of our faith theÌ„ God should moue maÌ„ not answerable to his state and condition but as a stocke or as a stone not any way concurring no labourer or fellow woâ—kman in the action Take away the groundwork of reason and discourse we shall neuer be able to put a difference between the infusions of grace and the delusions of error but all must be admitted alike for signes miracles and prophecies haue ceased which were wont to be the seales for the confirmation of the truth now to admit this were to leade the vnderstanding captiue a thing farre more detestable then was the slauerie and bondage of Egypt If this their accusation and complaint were iust if 〈◊〉 grounds of faith could not together subsist with the gâ—â—unds of reason but that there were an opposition and contrarietie betweene both howsoeuer I could not altogether excuse them for then I should vpbraid God with his owne workmanship how shall the vessell say vnto the Potter why madest thou mee thus yet certainly their case would seeme much more fauourable to the eares of an indifferent man and for my selfe I would humbly surcease my duty calling and desire God to vse the ministery of Angels for the conuersion of man for flesh and blood cannot preuaile against the naturall inclination of flesh and blood nothing can struggle or striue against nature the current and streame is so violent for nature is the foundation whereupon wee must build now if the walles or the roofe seeme ouer great or ouerthwart to the foundation no maruell if the whole building fall to decay The Philosopher will testifie as much Natura intus delitescens prohibet alienum bee the water neuer so scalding hot yet will it returne to her first and naturall coldnesse The Poet wil say as much in effect Naturam expellas furcâ— licet vsque recurret set the naturall man vpon the racke yet is it impossible that euer he should beleeue any thing contrary to the light of his owne reason this is a naturall inclination of nature to her selfe and it is no way contradicted in Scripture for the naturall law the Ceremoniall law and the Iudiciall law might together subsist and at this time the Morall law imprinted in mans owne heart is no way abolished now as is the will of man inclined to our actions so is our vnderstandings disposed to our faith both of them defectiue and neither of them opposite and therefore the Apostle doth heere place spirituall things much aboue nature farre transcending nature beyond the Sphere of nature but no way contrary or opposite to nature Thus by the grace of God it shall well appeare that reason and mans naturall vnderstanding are so farre from ouerthrowing the principles of Christian religion as that they seeme rather greatly to confirme and strengthen them See here the goodnesse of God though God needs not the testimonie of man the Sun at noone day needs not to bee discouered by the light of a candle yet for mans owne satisfaction and contentment hee requires the witnesse and testimonie of man Tabernaculum posuit in sole legem in corde truth is not repugnant to truth nature supports grace and as both of them proceed from one fountaine so the same God who is the author of both will not destroy his owne workes Sed agit secundum modum vnius cuiusque naturae If God requires faith in the vnderstanding conformity in the will then vndoubtedly the same God hath first infused in them an inclination to both Compare the vnderstanding to the eye suppose you were to apply some medicine some plaister or salue at the first indeed it seemes to put out the sight but at length it purgeth and cleanseth the eye naturall reason I confesse of it selfe is defectiue and cannot apprehend the mysteries of faith but being once cured
deales with man deceitfully so God frames out his iustice according to measure and rule that man might bewaile his owne punishment for committing the like offence for assuredly many tongues doe much hinder the diligent search of the truth It were to bee wished that we might speake the language of Adam where names were imposed according to the nature of things but now it should seeme there is a great difference for the most pleasing speech adorned with Metaphors and Figures is not the fittest for the discouerie of a truth and on the contrarie all the schoole learning which indeed is the very touch-stone of all truth and in it selfe is most wise and farre transcending the ordinarie capacitie yet suffers the shamelesse and malicious reproch of barbarisme for want of the elegancie of stile and all the first parents and authors thereof who indeed were the lights and lampes of all true learning as Lumbard Sanctus Thomas Scotus Occam yet are contemned and neglected by this poeticall and phantasticall age which delights more in words then in substance To giue an euident proofe of this confusion of tongues how plentifull are the schooles and how doe they abound with multitudes of distinctions all answers must end with distinctions which assuredly wel argueth that if the branches must necessarily be diuided to serue the present turne and occasion yet still the roote is confounded a great iudgement of God that man hauing forsaken the first fruite and hauing associated himselfe to the beasts of the field therfore he proues a stranger to himselfe to his brethren and forgets his owne mother tongue Indeede I haue heard it reported by authors that if a man were taught no other language then hee should speake Hebrew the same language which Adam spake in the beginning but I should as easily beleeue that if a man wanted all possible meanes to sustaine life that then hee should instantly recouer Ierusalem from the hands of the Turks and that God should there call all the tribes together or raise vp Adam there to conuerse and talke with him in the Hebrew tongue as that he should speake naturally Hebrew for the curse was generall in the confusion of tongues though speech be proper and naturall to man yet this or that language followes the franke and free imposition of man and hath no ground-work in nature That which gaue occasion to this opinion was this what language men should speake in Paradise or after the last resurrection supposing that language to bee naturall to man and certainly of all the toâ—gues extant Hebrew is the likeliest for it was of Gods owne imposition and framing before sinne had defiled man it contained the greatest and highest mysteries and of all other tongues seemes to bee the fittest arke to containe them Christ and his Apostles were Hebrewes first sent to the Iewes and then to the Gentiles Vpon the Crosse Christ vsed his owne tongue Eloi eloi lamasabacthani notwithstanding the tongue was vnknowne to the souldiers And in the Apocalyps although the booke was first written in Greeke yet the Angels song in heauen is there recorded in Hebrew but when I consider that man shall haue a higher state then was the state of Paradise and that his bodie shall be much more spirituall and his vnderstanding more illuminated then euer before for we shall then be like the Angels of heauen who speake to each other by directing the edge of their vnderstanding to each other as it were opening the glasses and casting foorth a light to each other Considering I say the different condition of renewing to a better state and continuance in the same state they must pardon me if I doe not affirme this as an vndoubted truth in mine owne priuate opinion From this diuersitie and varietie of tongues you shall obserue a great disorder both in the State and in the Church whence proceedes the enmitie betweene nations and the first occasion of reproch where doe they first begin to discouer themselues but onely from the diuersitie of the garbe and the language To see a poore Northerne man with his gaping wide mouth vsing his broad and flat speech brought vpoÌ„ the stage heere is a subiect of laughter for the multitude but I feare that this hate and enmitie betweene nations doth nourish and adde fuell to the hot strife and contention of the Church in the point of her controuersies or at least I may truly say that infinite are the contentions of the Church about words all which proceed from that curse of man the confusion of tongues which we cannot auoide but seeme rather daily to increase our own shame we fight about shadowes wee contend about words many doubts in Christian religion seeme to be grounded vpon the signification of words and tearmes of art how many Sacraments hath Christ ordained in his Church a question of words doe Sacraments conferre grace ex opere operato a question of words is honour due to the Saints a question of words and such like infinite questions Sometimes in the very exposition or interpretation of words being simple and first notions as the schoole speakes and no tearmes of art there are many great controuersies in Christian religion whether Christ in his sole and humane nature did really and truly descend into hell if wee could agree vpon the exposition of the word it would sufficiently resolue the controuersie or will you see an infernal state here vpon earth whether presbyteri should signifie lay elders or not it hath been much disputed by some men whose zeale is not according to knowledge Thus the holy Ghost being the pen â— maÌ„ of Scripture giuing the stile the words the method as well as the sense if any one of these be altered or changed it loseth the streÌ„gth of the Canon and therefore he that shall take vpon him to interpret Scripture doth only giue his owne exposition of Scripture which exposition being priuate and proper to himselfe I will regard it no more then the opinion of one priuate man so that if in my reading of the Fathers I shall obserue some generall agreement together with their learned iudgements though Scripture be not instantly quoted to that purpose yet I will respect it as much as I will the Geneua translation Lest other professions should thinke much of our iarres I will therefore in the second place instance in the wisedome of the Law what infinite suites are daily commenced when as the whole doubt ariseth from the extent and signification of words A Lordship hauing faire demaines a beautifull house many tenants great seruices and homage sold at a valuable price yet now recald againe caâ—t vpon the heire at common law for want of sufficient words to conuay it As I haue remembred the iust punishment for our sinnes so giue me leaue in thankefulnesse of minde to consider Gods prouidence in this our confusion of tongues And that especially to vs for God in his mercy intending
contentment that so their time and leisure might better serue them for the practise of zeale and deuotion But this great learned age hath found out a comparison wherin we might seeme to magnifie the Ancients but indeed very cunningly do presse them downe making them our foote-stooles preferring our selues before them extolling and exalting our selues aboue measure for thus it is said that we are like dwarfes set vpon shoulders of Gyants discerning little of our selues but supposing the learning and ground-worke of the Ancients we see much further then they which in effect is as much as that we prefer our own iudgements before theirs in truth in truth a very wittie comparison certainely it is either a dwarfe or a Gyant for it will admit no mediocrity But I pray' let vs examine it though I confesse that comparisons are not alwayes the best proofes first how these dwarfes should be exhaled and drawne vp to the shoulders of the gyants here is a point of great difficulty as yet not thought vpon â—or I must tell you my iudgement as in digging the earth some mettals are found and some are vndiscouered so is it in reading and perusing the workes of the fathers we may continually learne and daily finde out new mynes in their writings suppose these dwarfes to bee now set vpon the shoulders it is to bee feared least seeing so steepe a descent they will rather fall to a giddines then be able rightly to iudge of the obiects least they should be confounded with the multiplicity of learning in the fathers not able to fadome the depth of their grounds for wil you suppose that these Gyants should so infinitly exceed the dwarfes in length and in strength and yet will you equall them for goodnes and quicknes of sight I cannot stay long vpon the shoulders of Gyants for heere is but slippery hold nor yet vpon the feete of comparisons for these are but weake grounds and proofes let this one reason suffice it is a difference betweene actions voluntary and naturall that in voluntary such as are the actions of the vnderstanding no man can worke according to the vttermost of his power but when hee hath once spoken hee may speake againe and againe as much to the purpose so that hee which shall make himselfe perfect in an other mans worke yet can neuer therein so fully informe himselfe as the Author This difference likewise appeares in God whose vnderstanding being natural and essential hee vnderstanding and comprehending himselfe doth beget a word euery way equal to himselfe but suppose I pray' that these gyants should stumble or fall take heede of the dwarfe take heede of the dwarfe nay rather cries out the dwarfe I will guide and direct them and keepe them from falling if they will not vphold me then I will vphold them Here is presumption in deede here you shall see some expurgatorie index apostasia patrum errores conciliorum lapsus ecclesiae see here what great account they make of the Fathers and thus they can vse arguments to serue all turnes and occasions I am the more strict to iustifie the wits and learning of the ancient Fathers because I suppose it maks much for the certaintie and dignitie of Christian religion that our faith tooke no aduantage by other mens ignorance to spread it selfe and to get growth in the blindnesse of error but at the time of Christs birth all the liberall Arts did most florish there was a generall peace thorough the whole world the Romane Empire fully setled and established Poets Orators Philosophers Historians neuer more excellent For thus it stood with the prouidence of God that their wits and qualities might serue as trials and touch-stones of his truth to examine the seuerall miracles the mysteries and morall precepts of his law that both in themselues and in others they might be for confirmation of the saith that the power of God might likewise discouer it selfe for the greater the aduersarie and opposition is the more noble is the conquest and therefore God by the weaknes and foolishnesse of preaching confounding the strength and wisedome of this world did therein manifest a miracle to continue for all succeeding ages Now this faith as finding a strong opposition by learning and humane knowledge so in the Apostles it could not be accompanied with ignorance and therefore as God gaue theÌ„ the gift of tongues so vndoubtedly the knowledge of nature the same God being the God both of nature and grace for they could not demonstrate the one without some reference and relation to the other heere you see the Church planted Now in the great world as men came neerer the first mould so were they more perfect both for strength of bodies and continuance of yeeres that so they might intend a propagation of their kinde So was it in the growth of the Church the first Fathers which did neerer approch to the times of the Apostles had a greater measure of knowledge by the imposition of their hands that so they might bee better inabled and instructed for the conuersion of nations Thus the Prophets in the old law speaking of the florishing kingdome of Christ seeme to point at the times of the Fathers and as it were to seale them before hand and to proclaime them to the whole world as Orthodoxall and therefore as fit precedents and examples for all future ages and successions to follow so that to detract from the Fathers and the primitiue age were to detract from Gods prouidence and vnder colour of a naked text which may wâ—ll admit diuers expositions to draw all things to innouation and vncertaintie In the last place I will speake of the life and of the death both of our selues and of the Ancients As man comes not to that strength and growth which heretofore he did so vndoubtedly hee is sooner ripened and comes to that weaknesse which nature hath appointed him theÌ„ heretofore he did and being not of that sound constitution as the Ancients were he hath not that certaintie in the course of his life but vpon all occasions out of his weaknesse he is apt and ready to fall This I conceiue to bee the reason why our Gentrie in these daies should desire to match their children so young and that the children themselues should in the spring or morning of their age be so fit to ingender now for the length of our liues some haue been much mistaken supposing that it might be fitly gathered by the raignes of Princes in former times whereas indeede there is little heede to be taken vnto them seeing the time of their gouernment hath no relation to the yeers of their age but to the death of their ancestors or to the time of their election so that if you will suppose the predecessor to liue long the successor may likewise liue long yet raigne but a short time And heretofore Princes did more aduenture themselues in the danger of their warres then now they
naturall and hereditarie diseases which seeme to bee intailed to one stocke there are many vices proper and peculiar to one kindred see you not how diuers nations doe differ from others as in their forme and their lineaments so likewise in colour and properties Doth not one man sicke of the plague infect the whole Citie and is not the same infection alwaies aptest to taint the same blood then why should it seeme strange that the first man corrupted with sinne should taint his whole seed why should wee not suppose the poyson and malignitie of sinne to be of as great efficacie c Thus I hope by the light of our naturall reason the fall and corruption of man sufficiently appeares which I take to be the first principle and ground-worke of all our Christian faith and religion as S. Augustine saith in lib. 1. aduersus Iulianum cap. 2. Alia sunt in quibus inter se aliquando etiam doctissimi atque optimi regulae Catholicae defensores salua fidei compage non consonant alius alio de vna re melius dicit verius sed lapsus hominis ad ipsa fidei pertinet fundamenta quisquis in Christiana fide vult labefactare quod scriptum est per hominem mors per hominem resurrectio mortuorum sicut in Adam omnes moriuntur ita in Christo omnes vinificabuntur totum quod in Christum credimus auferre molitur Before I can presume to raise man necessarie it is that man should first acknowledge his fall and seeing his owne fall should therefore distrust in himselfe and in his owne naturall light and from this diffidence in himselfe should desire to be instructed in those waies which concerne his saluation Hee that is sicke wants a Physitian and if hee takes his owne ordinarie nourishment it will increase his disease he that is fallen and wallows in the mire the more he struggles and striues the deeper hee sinkes Let it suffice that being fallen and corrupted in our selues wee may rouse vp our spirits and looking to those few sparkes of reason which now lie raked vp in the dead embers of our nature wee may againe kindle and inflame them at the burning and shining lampe of our faith setting before our eyes that day-starre which springing from an high hath visited vs Christ Iesus our onely deare Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus who is the way the truth and the life the way to direct vs to the truth the truth to guide vs to life the life to giue vs full contentment of happinesse who is the way the truth and the life in whom wee liue wee moue and haue our being by whom for whom and through whom we hope and expect our saluation to whom with the eternall Father and the most holy spirit three persons and one God be all honour and glorie as before the foundations of the world were laid so in the beginning is now and euer shall bee world without end Amen Amen FINIS The Author to the Reader GOod Reader I must heere let thee vnderstand that the copie was not of mine owne writing wherby many things were defac't and omitted and liuing not in towne I could not be alwaies present at the Presse so that I confesse many faults haue escaped especially in the first sheetes being begun in my absence points displaced words mistaken peeces of sentences omitted which doe much obscure the sense As for example pag. 69. lin 6. these words are omitted viz. For if the horse knew his owne strength then followes but God deales herein with other creatures c. and many such like I was very sorrie to see that which was so meane in it selfe should be made worse but presently I called to mind that the subiect of my booke was onely to proue a generall corruption which corruption I should in effect seeme to disproue and denie vnlesse it might euery where appeare and therefore a necessitie did seeme so to ordaine it that it should first begin in the author then in the pen then in the presse and now I feare nothing so much as the euill and corrupt exposition of the Reader for thus there is a generall corruption How happie was I to make choice of such a subiect which seemes to excuse all the errors of my Pamphlet especially good Reader if I shall finde thy louing and kinde acceptance well hoping that all others will be charitable to me as I am most charitable to al others and so I commit thee to the God of charitie Knowells Hill the 4. of Iune 1616. G. G. The conuersion of the Gentiles The feare of a relapse The grounds of this feare The Magi. Naturall reason shall be our guidâ— The intent of the author A generall obiection Their â—alâ—e supposition A generall Answere The generall diuision of the Text. A more particular diuision of the Text. Who is the Naturall man More euill then good Nature more inclines vnto euill then vnto good The Heauens against the Elements The elements against themselues Of compound bodies Imperfect mixt creaâ—ures The Antipathie of creatures The Antipathie is not recompensed by a Sympathie Enmity in the same kind An obiection answered Females are more in number The actions of the creatures be token her sorrow The more perfect the creature is the more apt for corruption An obiection answered Nâ—ture brings nothing to perfection The summe of all the former reasons A transition to man The three parts of this Treatise That man is compounâ—ed Man consists of a body and soule The soule is a spirit Spirituall substances The Angels are Intelligences All formes are spirituall The immortalitie of the soule Gods iustice doth inferre the immortalitie of the soule That one part of man should be corruptible the other incorruptible The base intertainment of the reasonable soule That maÌ„ shoud haue no more parts then the dumbe beasts Mans senses are worse then the creatures The opposition betweene the flesh and the spirit No manner of subordination The reasonable soule not inâ—â—rmedling in the concoctions How the inward parts are disposed The soule and the bodie are strangers to each other An extasis Our infancie Sleepe Mad men Ideots The soule hath all her knowledge by learning The soule is hindred in her knowledge by the body The vnderstanding makes her owne obiects Our will is distracted How the boundlesse appetites of man do perplex him The disparitie betweene the obiects of the will and the will it selfe The faculties of the soule do disagree amoÌ„g 〈◊〉 Wits are not the same in all studies The gifts of minde and body can hardly together subsist 〈…〉 A 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 of mans body The most naturall actions are shamefull Not religion but natuâ—e makes them shamefull Our blushing The innocent man will blush Man punisheth himselfe Sometimes maÌ„ becomes a self-homicide The punishment of our selues appeares in our seruice of God How our punishment appeares in respect of the Angels How the punishment of our selues appeares to
meditation of the last iudgemeÌ„t hath wrought vpon many The author comforteth himselfe against the feare of damnation Antidotes against desperation A transition from the death of man to the death of the whole world The kinds and species of creatures do decay Three reasons why all the creatures doe decline The clothing and apparell of the Ancients compared with ours The Ancients more giuen to their sports then now we are Our food compared with the food of the Ancients The vse of Tobacco in these dayes Heretofore the constitution of mens bodies was better theÌ„ now it is Gods prouidence in mans actions A great change doth appeare in mans owne disposition The adoption of sonnes The resolution of the AncieÌ„ts Triall by combats There may be a change in the naturall instinct The Ancients were not so subiect to diseases as wee are The Ancients more apt to ingender New diseases proceeding from coldnesse and weaknes The difference betweene the Ancients and vs in the cures of our diseases The wits of former times did exceede ours A foolish comparison answered The small account which some make of the Fathers It cannot staÌ„d with the dignity of Christian religion to forsake the Fathers The Prophets confirme the doctrine of the Fathers The length of our liues compared with the Ancients The seas doe not affoord the like quantitie of fish as heretofore they haue done Mr Camden The earth is growne barraine As in the parts so in the whole A particular instance for this kingdome We haue not the like quantitie of hony now as heretofore Our grapes come not to that ripenes now as heretofore An obiection answered in Philosophie The excessiue prices of things and the scarcitie of these times A comparison betweene our times and the former for the number and multitude of men Bangor in Wales neere Wreâ—am Gods prouidence in â—â—e Turkish â—oâ—minions The great plenty of coine and of siluer and gold among the Iewes How the coine here amongst vs hath daily decayed in weight The great wealth of the Ancients The â—osts charges and fines were very large heretofore The great house-keeping of the Ancients Wine was dearer in ancient times then it is The plentie of their coyne appeared in their almes The corrupt dealings of this age in respect of former times We dissent from the Ancients in a case of conscience The materiall heauen tend to corruption The hot Zones made habitable The wonderfull worke of Gods prouidence The burning of Phaeton Naturall alterations are insensible Fire doth resemble the last iudgement The last iudgement approacheth The generall decay of nature hastens the iudgemeâ—t An equall distance of time in Gods iudgements The last iudgement shall be while the fierie constellations doe rule The necessitie of iustice in regarde of our sinnes seemes to hasten thâ—s iudgement Our fall is examined by Philosophâ—e A Science may presuppose her owne subiect The fall of maÌ„ is intimated in Philosophie The â—â—parated Idea of the Platonikes The transmigration of soules Our learning is a kinde of remembrance Proofes out of Aristotles Philosophie Bonum est transcendens Why priuation should be one of the first prâ—nciples All Arts and Sciences take their beginnings by occasion of mans fall Grammar Logicke Rhetoricke Mathematikes Metaphysicks The studie of naturall Philosophie supposeth our naturall ignorance The imperfection of Philosophie The reasonable and vnderstanding soule knowes not her selfe Morall Philosophie supposeth mans fall The complaint of Philosophers against nature The Metaphysicks are very imperfect How nature is corrupted appeares by Chimicall operations Chiâ—istrie shewes the ouerflowing of euill Proofes of the fall of Man borrowed from Poetrie The golden age did signifie Paradise The first sinne is shadowed forth in many of their fables The conclusion of this third part How this corruption of nature serues to instruct vs. Why the Author adioyned this Corollary Why by our reason we can not conceiue the manner of mans fall How we may be assured of the manner oâ— mans â—all How we must expect miracles Proofes of the Deitie and the creation Reason in vnreasonable creatures Impossibilities in the worlds eternitie Accidents which would follow the worlds eternitie The creation of the world proued by an instance The proofe of Moses his creation The time of Moses his creation An instance to proue the time of the creatioÌ„ Three vses of Phiâ—losophie The order obserued in Moses his creatioÌ„ There can be but one Creator The same wisdome appeares in all the creatures The end of mans creation The condition of man Other creatures ordained for man as man was for God There can be no God of Euill Man though innocent yet capable of euill That God might iustly suffer man to be tempted How we may discerne an outward tenâ—ation Where wee might finde the first fountaine of sinne The Angels might faâ—l The fall of the Angels Coniectures what mighâ— moue the Angels to sinne The sinne of the Angels was vnpardonable Man may repent but the Angels can not The office and ministerie of Angels The difference of good and bad Angels How all the creatures are knit together Why God did suffer man to be tempted The great separation betweene man and the diuell The Diuel and the Serpent enter a league That the Serpent should speake The degrees of this first sin Testimonies of the heathen concerning the speech of dumbe beasts The greatnes of Adams sin What sinnes Adam might then haue committed The wisdom of God must satisfie for the 〈◊〉 committed against it selfe Pride is the first sinne of the minde Gluttonie is the first of all carnall sinnes The punishment was the occasion of our blisse How it stood with iustice to punish the posteritie of Adam The measure of Gods iustice How the sinne is conueied to the postcritie of Adam Sinne is in the whole man not so properly in the parts There may be a generation among spirits An anima sit ex traduce How the soule should together worke with the seede As in heauenly bodies so in spirits A thing may be generated and yet not be corrupted It sufficeth that the soule was at first created The authors opinion is that anima creatur ex traduce The reasons which moue him Sinne is like an infectious disease The conclusion of this Treatise
with patcht peeces and broken sentences but that they might be heard ingeniously to speake for themselues For as we doe recommend the reading of Scriptures so let vs not neglect the best Commentaries and Expositions of Scriptures that so the heate of our zeale which now is wholy wasted in controuersies and oppositions might then be spent in the practise of pietie and deuotion c. Notwithstanding this my resolution yet I was easily moued and the rather because I doe not remember any booke written of this Subiect to publish this treatise Iâ— perusing whereof foure things there are wherewith I thinke fit to acquaint thee first though I confesse I haue herein made vse of other mens workes yet I did forbeare to set downe any quotations not that I desire to wrong them but that I think it vnfit when occasion did not moue me or necessitie inforce me there to vse many needlesse and idle quotations Secondly though the punishment and fall of man appeares chiefly and principally in respect of his preparation to grace yet my selfe supposing at this time that I speake only to the naturall man I thought fit to forbeare speaking of that subiect vntill first I should make it appeare that there is a sanctifying grace which is no way tyed or intailed to our nature which I haue reserued as a fit subiect to bee treated of in the third branch of my text Thirdly in the latter end of the second part speaking of the vanitie of the creatures if therein according to the condition of that subiect I shall somtimes intend though much against mine owne naturall disposition in this my long tedious discourse to giue thee some case and recreation I hope it shall proue no way offensiue no not against the seuerest and strictest discipline of the Church seeing I can therein iustifie my selfe by the practise and president of most deuout Fathers and others most reuerend Diuines in all ages Fourthly speaking there of many worldly vanities my intent is onely to discouer them to be but shadowes in respect of a true blisse that so euery man might fall into some dislike with himselfe yet I confesse that many things may and ought still to be continued considering the state and condition wherein we liue as namely the ceremonies of Honor c. My desire is that thou wouldest iudge of the whole by the whole of the parts by the parts for if the whole be taken together I hope I shall not be found wanting or defectiue to my intended scope If sometimes I prooue somewhat obscure God who knowes the secrets of my heart can beare me witnesse how free I am from the least affectation of obscuritie and therefore you must either blame my weakenes as not conceiuing things aright or not able sufficiently to expresse mine own conceits or else you must consider the subiect matter whereof I write which being very difficult in it selfe must necessarily admit words of Art to vnfold it To conclude I thought fit to continue this treatise in the same forme wherein it was first framed expecting that the God of truth should giue a grâ—â—ter blessing to the relation of a truth neither would my time or leisure permit me to alter it And if it shall please God that this booke finde happie successe so that some little good may thereby redound vnto Gods Church whereby I shall be the more incouraged to proceede in those parts which yet remaine though I purpose to giue full satisfaction as farre foorth as it lies in my power yet if possibly I can I will tye my selfe to the houre-glasse ingeniously confessing that as all other builders are commonly mistaken in their first workes so my selâ—e haue erred in laying the foundations or setting vp the porch of this building Thus being men of the same kind brethren descended from one stocke but especially as fellow-members incorporated into one body vnder one misticall head Christ Iesus in the most holy communion of his Saints well wishing and praying for each other I doe most humbly and earnestly beseech God that either thou maist receiue some smal profit by my labours or that thou maist bestow thine own labours elsewhere more profitably and so committing thee to his grace prouidence and protection I rest Stapleford Abbats the 3. of Iune 1616. Thine in all Christian duty and seruice Godfrey Goodman THE FALL OF MAN In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost our Creator our Redeemer our Sanctifier three persons and one God Amen 1. COR. 2. 14. The naturall man cannot conceiue the things of the â—â—irit of God THere is no mysterie in the whole course of Christian religion wherin I finde my selfe so much moued and affected with true ioy as when I consider the extent of Gods mercie in the calling and conuersion of the Gentiles for alas what aâ—ailes it mee to thinke of Gods maiestie wisedome â—ower iustice eternitie when all these attributes of God may turne to my terror and torture But when I consider the mercie of God 〈…〉 â—here is that transient propertie of God whereby all the rest of his attributes are imparted to the creatures and when I consider this streame of mercie not to be inclosed within the narrow passage of a few tribes not to be appropriated or monopolized to the sonnes of Iacob but to ouerflow the bankes to breake downe the partition wall together with the vaile of the Temple and at length at length at length to be-water the fruitlesse and barren soiles of the Gentiles so that with God there should be no longer any difference or acceptation of persons but together with the Sunne-shine and dew of the heauens his mercie should drop downe with fatnesse here is the sure anchor of my hope the fulnesse and consummation of my ioy And therefore the day of Epiphanie of all other daies in the yeere shall be the day of my greatest mirth and solemnitie wherein those great Magi those Princes and Kings being publike persons representing the whole bodie and state of the Gentiles presented themselues and were accepted of Christ and we in their loines descended from them together with them receiued the lot and portion of our inheritance Iaphet is now admitted to the tents and tabernacles of Shem heere is the kingdome of Shilo which admits no other limits or bounds of his empire then the compasse and circumference of the whole world blessed are the feete of them which brought vs such glad tidings of peace me thinkes I see the Angels descending and renuing their songs vâ—â—ng the same notes and dittie to vs which they did to the sheepheards Natus est vobis saluatoâ— A Sauiour is borne vnto you a generall peace is proclaimed on earth and good will towards all men extended neither can I containe my selfe but my ioy must burst into songs Hosanna Hosanna to the sonne of Dauid blessed be heâ— that coâ—â—s in the name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest sing Halleluiâ—
a tower of Babel heere vpon earth God confoundeth their tongues and brings their worke to confusion The best kind of intaile is to haue his goods honestly gotten to bring vp his children in Gods feare not to acquaint them with any wastfull course of expense to leaue a good report behind him the good wishes and furtherance of all his bordering neighbors and kinsmen to leaue his estate not intangled nor to ouer-trouble himselfe with these new strange conueiances to leaue it to the sole protection prouideÌ„ce of God Domini est terra plenitudo eius Lord I giue thee humble thankes for mine owne vse and employment and if my sonnes according to the flesh shall not succeede me then let thy sonnes according to the spirit be heires of thy promised land c. Me thinkes I see our Lawyers hold fast to the gentrie and therefore I must speake of them in the next place If the earth it selfe were stable constant assuredly they haue laid a very strong and sure foundation For as long as hedges and Cottages endure so long seisâ—â—es tenures and trespasses shall continue But here is the misery lex terrae simul cum terra ruet at the generall earth-quake and dissolution of this world when all hedges and Cottages shall fall then where shall we sue for a trespasse Notwithstanding that I am verily perswaded that they are as iust as vpright as free from briberie and extortion and euery way as sufficient and painfull in their owne profession as any other state in the kingdome For generally I can excuse none we must not expect a state of innocency in a world of corruption yet assuredly no state is more enuied or maligned then theirs which I cannot altogether ascribe to the corruption and ill disposition of others but euen their profession it selfe seemes in some sort to produce it As God speakes Vae Assur virgae furocis mei the instruments of iustice are alwaies fearfull but seldome doe stirre vp true loue and affection This enuie and hate to their persons hath raised vp many malitious slanders and hath laid many false imputations vpon the profession For thus it hath been the complaint of all ages leges esse telas aranearum vel quia iuridici sunt araneae vel quia muscas capiunt vespas dimittunt But I am not of their mind for I thinke that God in his prouidence hath so fitly ordained it as prophecying or prescribing a lesson that the timber in Westminster Hall should neither admit cobweb nor spider and God make vs thankfull for the free course of our iustice God forbid that other mens reproches and slanders should make them miserable Enuie may follow but shall neuer be able to suppresse or to ouertake the vertuous and innocent Then let vs consider them in themselues in their persons and in their profession The nicities and subtilties of Law as they doe infinitely exceed for number so they come neare euen for the difficultie of knowledge to the highest and profoundest mysteries of our Christian faith and religion The study it selfe is very difficult and harsh for the actions of men together with the circumstances being both infinite needs the course of their studies must likewise be infinite And as the â—â—ions of men are voluntarie casuall and on the one side â—â—oceed from an errour so this infinite course of their studies can neuer admit a right order or method which in all our naturall knowledge giues vs the greatest ease and contentment but heere onely the method of time according to the variety of accidents as things haue fallen out as cases haue been adiudged so their bookes of reports must serue to informe them Somtimes again the iudgements of those great Sages doe much differ and the Law doth altar and varie as it were ebbing and flowing according to the condition of the times and the seasons notwithstanding the root and foundation still continue the same in the heart Whereas nature can admit no such variety but is the same from her first infancie and institution and therefore our naturall knowledge our Philosophie hath descended to vs through a continuall succession of all ages without impeachment or contradiction Their practice may truly be called practice and nothing but practice for no state of life is so troublesome and laborious as theirs such daies of essoyne such daies of appearance so many writs so many actions so many offices so many courts so many motions such iudgements such orders that I protest before God if there were such trouble in purchasing heauen and procuring my eternall happinesse as there is sometimes in the recouering but of a rood of ground I should halfe despaire to attaine it What throngs and multitudes of Clients daily attend them I commend the wisedome of our forefathers who close by the hall erected a Church where they might take the open aire and find it as emptie as they left the other peopled and furnished How are they continually busied I could hartily wish that there were more minutes in the houre more houres in the day more daies in the weeke more weeks in the yeere more yeeres in their age that at length they might find out some spare time to serue God to intend the actions of nature to take their owne ease and recreation For now they are ouer busied in their brickes and their straw to lay the foundation of their owne names and gentility that teaching other men their land-markes and bounds they may likewise intend their owne priuate inclosures Welfare the Schollers contentmeÌ„t who if he enioy nothing else yet surely he doth enioy himselfe valuing himselfe aboue the price of the whole world and therin consists the greatnesse of his wealth vsing the turbulent waues of his owne passions and the sweet calme of his intellectuall faculties not distracted with any wandring imployments besides himselfe Before I can be dismissed the Court I pra'y giue me leaue to make one motion to the Iudges When they ride to their Assises all the whole countrey attends them for they beare the Kings person the Sheriffes the vnder-Sheriffes Bayliffes Constables Headboroughs all must waite vpon them with Halbards Pikes Billes while all the people stand gazing and beholding them Assoone as the great Assises are ended and their Lordships gone and departed then all this goodly retinue doth presently attend the condemned prisoners to guard them and to see the execution When I viewed and considered this me thought the Iudges were either like the condemned prisoners or the prisoners like them for both are attended alike we gaze and looke vpon both and both are alike carried to the place of execution The Iudges I confesse haue somewhat the greater distance and this distance is the sole difference for certainly they are carried the further they goe the neerer they approch to the place of execution notwithstanding they ride in their circuits yet they shall come to a period In euery great
sacrifice of beasts among the Iewes was an occasion of the idolatrous worshipping of beasts among the Gentiles Alas how many are perplexed with the variety and diuersity of sects not knowing how to resolue themselues whereas in truth and verity there can be no greater certainty or infallibility then in the immoueable foundations and grounds of religion if we shall detract from the wauering vncertainty of our own fancies and relie vpon the diuine testimonies the exposition and true meaning whereof by the daily practise of the Church consent of Fathers verdit of counsailes hath continually visibly and successiuely from Christ and his Apostles descended to vs. O happy happy thrise happy are the beasts of the field that are exempted from all these differences I will from henceforth betake my selfe to the woods and the groues and when I heare the chirping birds sing in stead of the communion of Saints I will ioyne with them in their quier they shall sing their notes and I will frame this dittie to the father to the son and to the holy Ghost three persons in Triâ—ity one God in vnity be honor and glory now and for eâ—er This difference in religion I suppose to be shadowed forth in the different and distinct sacrifices of Abell and Caine the one receiued the other refused hence proceeds the enmitie between both as betweene the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent the truth of religion the more it is pleasing to God the more it is vnpleasing to man in so much that no cruelty torments or persecutions shall bee omitted in the cause of religion Abel the first that died or was slaine suffered martyrdome for religion because his gift was acceptable to God he himselfe was more acceptable then his gift the one being accepted for the others sake and therefore he himselfe was to be offred vp in sacrifice to be the figure and type of him who was the propitiatoâ—ie sacrifice for our sinnes whose bloud speakes better things then the bloud of Abel who as he was the head of the Church so opened he the way as to heauen so to tribulation and persecution thorough which he ascended vp to heauen and if we looke to climbe thither we must passe the same way there must bee some conformity between the head and the members and thus God in his goodnes and secret wisdome permits that his vine-yard which his owne right hand hath planted and is bewatred with his owne blood yet the wild-boare out of the wood doth root it vp and the wild beasts of the field do deâ—oâ—re it Here you haue seene religion died in her own bloud but now I will tell you a greater mischiefe religion not persecuted which makes for her honor but maskt disguised and counterfeited which discouers her shame For many there are who colour all their sins and impieties vnder the faire cloke of religion thus not only our soules and our consciences our faith our hope our saluation but our liues our bodies our freedome our goods and whatsoeuer els may concerne vs all are subiect to ship-wracke vnder this religious tempest What murthers thefts treasons treacheries gun-powder plots massacres haue past among men for commendable actions vnder the vaile of religion what breaking of leagues among Princes what dispensing with othes what alteration of gouernments and last of all what infidelitie hath past between men vnder the colour of faith Caesar Tacitus Macchiâ—uel they were but babes and fooles in policy for they neuer learned this lesson how to lay the foundations of policie and to build vp the tower of iniquity with Church-stones To ground all factions in religion this is a monster newly hatched in our dayes in this last and worst age of the world as if the kingdome of grace did cleane ouer-throwe all naturall rights as if heauen could not subsist with the earth as if the Morall law were together abrogated with the Ceremoniall But O blessed Lord God keepe thy sheepe keepe thy shepheards keepe them as the aple of thine owne eye let Cain be accursed let him answer for his brother Abels bloud let him be a runnagate and neuer dare to approch neere thy vine-yard protect O Lord the tribe of Iuda and let not any violent bloâ—dy and trayterous hand touch thine annoynted My intention here is only to speake of the curse the vndoubted token of mans fall and corruption but I cannot stay my self needs I must craue pardon hauing opened the wound if I apply the salue while it is fresh and greene I may with great ease keepe it from festering heere I will giue thee some little tast of that which hereafter I may discouer more largely For if it shall please God that together with our most happy forefathers the great Magi I shall once safely arriue at Bethelem where I may but heare the child Iesus crie in the manger I will neuer leaue or forsake him but instead of the stâ—r which first conducted me to the place of his birth I wil then follow him as my ruler my guid and protector I will attend him in his flight vnto Aegypt thorough places of darknesse and ignorance and in the middest of persecution from thence I will returne againe vnto Galile where I will wait vpon him and set him before mine eyes to order my wayes and my footsteps and if in any solemne feast or great assembly I shal leese him then presently I will make inquisition I will goe backe againe to Ierusalem where I wil make search for him in the temple and there vndoubtedly I shall finde him sitting in the middest of the Doctors in medio Doctorum hauing his casting voyce and directing the Catholicke concent of many let me not therefore here preuent this happy occasion Only in a word the controuersies of religion assuredly they are such that if a man be of the least vnderstanding setting the feare of God before his own eyes and that he hath no turbulent spirit but intends charity piety and deuotion they doe not any way frighâ—en or molest him for necessary it is that there should bee scandals and woe bee to him by whom there are scandals Let it suffice that the faith of the Church of England which heere we professe was not framed yeasterday to serue the present turne and occasion by new vpstart and heathenish innouators when as Clearkes did seeme very learnedly to dispute yet a secret close policy did ouer-rule the conclusion but such a faith as all the Fathers imbraced all the councels approued all the learned Diuines confirmed in the Greeke Church in the Latin Church which all the Martyrs haue sealed with their bloud al the Confessors witnessed with their torments a faith confirmed by so many miracles taught by the Apostles first opened and reuealed by Christ qui erat splendor patris who was a light to enlighten the Gentiles and the glory of his people Israel This faith was prefigured in the law with sacrifices
that Gods holy and sanctifying spirit seemes to abate the sorrow besides the promises of God and the conformity of this building for the foundations of the Church were laid in the bloud of Christ and therefore necessary it is that in the rearing vp of the walles and the roofe the morter should likewise bee tempered with the bloud of his Saints and they appearing in their own bloud as it were clothed with scarlet should at length sit vpon thrones iudging and condemning the world of impiety For the cloakes and pretenses of religion what should I say the best things are soonest abused and this argues our corruption if thou findest desperat attempts couered with a religious habit then acknowledge in thy selfe how powerfull religion should bee for guiding and directing thee in the whole course of thy life when a counterfeit shew of religion shall moue others to vndertake such dangerous and horrible cruelties not without the losse of their limbes substance life the vtter vndoing of poore widowes and orphants the exposing of themselues to all manner of tortures fearefull to the behoulders and therfore much more terrible to the offendors and malefactors who suffer for their euill doing c. Whatsoeuer els may concerne religion I shall hereafter speake of it more largely to your further satisfaction As man was corrupted and all the creatures forsaking their first and naturall vse did serue for mans punishment and rebelled against him so it stood with the vniformitie of Gods iudgements that nothing should remaine vntouched no not the elements themselues being the first principles seeds foundations of nature for as man was totally defaced and had lost the image of God so this world though comming far short of that most excellent state of Paradise yet being Gods owne immediat work-man-ship and so still continuing God at length in his wisdome for our sins thought fit to deface it and behold the rule of his iustice when as the children of God were mixt with the children of men God sends a deluge of waters to confound them together Death is the punishment of sin that we might heerein acknowledge Gods owne handy worke the iudgement fell from aboue their graues were fashioned in the clouds and the elements did for a time change their situation and these were likewise confounded together and as in the creation the waters did flow vpon the face of the earth so now againe the whole world did seeme to goe backward and to returne to the first nothing Hence began a great alteration in nature and all things were changed to the worst the earth did decay in plenty and goodnes of fruits for immediatly after the deluge God did enlarge Noahs-commission and gaue him free power to feed on the flesh of the creatures the water likewise lost her naturall propertie of goodnesse and therefore Noah immediatly began to plant a vine-yard the ayre was more subiect to vapours foggy mists and darke clouds the fire with hot â—umes and exhalations ascending and turning to meteors was made more imperfect and impure the heauens themselues haue not freely escaped though these sublunary contagions could not infect the stars yet were they able much to hinder the goodnes of their actions and operations as likewise to eclipse and obscure their beauty some of them neuer appearing vnto vs as are those stars in via lactea others seeme twinckling titillantes through the thicknesse opacity and gloominesse of our ayre not giuing passage to their beames and all of them appeare short in beauty lesse in quantitie then indeed they are and assuredly are much hindred in their operations So that this generall deluge was indeed the generall confusion of nature and as it was the death of nature so nature her selfe could neither hinder nor hasten her owne death and being once fallen she could not raise her selfe by her own naturall power for howsoeuer the God of nature might well vse naturall meanes the watery constellations for the effecting of his good will and purpose yet surely these in themselues were not sufficient vnlesse you will thereunto adde Gods infinit power and his absolut authority for certaine it is that there was the lâ—ke coniunction of stars within our memory in the yeeres 1524. and 1588. If we should suppose that God did herein vse naturall meanes they might be numberlesse as the power of God is infinit and his wisdome vnsearchable yet such as reason the schoole of Philosophy do most approue are these First that before the deluge the earth was more leuell and framed according to a better rule of a Globe or a Center and therfore the water might with more ease couer the whole earth 15. cubits deepe this being supposed there might follow a transmutation and change of elements among themselues where the earth might bee turned into water and carrie according to the rule of Philosophy decuplam proportionem that euery ounce of earth might bee turned into ten ounces of water the water likewise might bee summoned to appeare out of the deepe to change her scituation to possesse the face of the earth according to her naturall course the whole element of water might bee raâ—ified that it might take vp a larger compasse and still retayning her nature might serue for our punishment the bordering region of the ayre might be condensed and thickned that it might serue in stead of choking waters and these might be raised and puft vp with hot fumes proceeding from the bowels of the earth which might make the boyling or scalding seas to swell aboue measure Thus infinit are the wayes and meanes which God might vse in this deluge I will here impose my selfe silence rather trembling at his iudgements then presuming to search into the depth of his counsailes I do much more wonder at the staying of this deluge how the floud should cease considering the nature of water is to flow vpon the â—ace of the earth for vs to conceaue that the sea is a sinke or a bottom that the waters are lower then the earth it is much against reason which denies the water and earth to make one perfect globe much against common experience when in the highest parts of their ships they see furthest and fiâ—st discouer the shoare thâ—ugh I confesse that the inequality of the earth is a speciall meanes to reduce all waters to one proper place yet I suppose that the wonders of God do manifestly appeare in euery element First in the earth subsisting in a centre like an immoueable stocke carrying the same distance to euery part of the circumference then the waters notwithstanding their roaring their continuall and strange motion wherein they seeme to threaten the earth yet are kept within their owne bounds not incompassed with a wall of iron or brasse but with a border of sands a weake bulwarke I confesse were it not that Gods power had first prescribed the bounds then followes the ayre strangely and miraculously supporting a
to make the Church-yard fat with the oyle of his flesh and to paue the high wayes with the sculs and bones of dead men Consider this inferior world consisting of the same different and contrary elements yet still continuing in the same state assuredly it is no greater difficulty to preserue man from death then to preserue the whole world from corruption for the same causes appeare in both the elements and the elementarie qualities and once in euery mans age they are equally tempered as it were the Equinoctial of his age Then why should there not be a state of consistencie in man as well as in the whole world or at least why should not the periods and times of his age the spring of his infancie the summer of his youth the haruest of his riper yeares the winter of his old age goe and returne according to the reuolution of times seasons and changes of the yeere which seeme to bee therefore onely allotted for the continuance and preseruation of mankind Not to insist alone in this sublunarie world strange it is that the heauens themselues which were onely ordained for mans vse should so long continue without change or alteration and man himselfe in the whole course of his life should not be able to see a reuolution that the superiour causes preseruing mans life should moue by a most certaine and vnchangeable rule as the diuine prouidence hath appointed them and yet mans life to which all is ordained should be most subiect and lyable to the greatest hazard chance and vncâ—rtainty But most strange it is that the heauens beiâ—g Gods blessed instruments to continue life quicken sense stir vp motion yet with their malignant and dis-astrous aspects should cause the ouerthrow of man yea sometimes of whole nations and kingdomes consider the end of mans creation which was the praise and glory of his maker which end is eternall as God himselfe is eternall then why should not those things which are ordained only to this end be of like eternitie and continuance God is not like man that he should be altered and changed that he should repent himselfe of his own workes and restore againe that vnto nothing which he himselfe hath once made according to his owne image neither is God the God of the dead but of the liuing being life in himselfe shall the dust rise vp and praise him shall his iustice appeare in the graue or rather shall the prayers the voyces and harmony of men ioynd with the quire and sweet melody of Angels sing prayses vnto him and magnifie his holy name which indeed was the scope and end of our creation thus not onely Christian religion but euen reason it selfe and mans owne knowledge seeme to preach this lesson that the end of nature man to whom all nature is ordained and directed should not end in nature and therefore death it selfe especially to man is a punishment of nature and in it selfe is most vnnaturall to man Especially when I consider how the better part of man the soule is immortal and vnchangeable as in her selfe and in her owne substance so in her qualities and actions now the life of man being only the worke of his soule and the sweet influence of his quickning spirit into the dull flesh I do much maruaile how this immortall spirit should bee the cause of our mortality for it cannot bee denied but that the soule receiues some kinde of perfection from the flesh for without the ministery of the body were not our members the soules vessels and instruments she could neuer exercise those excellent powers of sense and vegetation therefore in her separation though her state may seeme to be more perfect then it was during the time of her mariage or couerture with our flesh our corrupted flesh wherein iars and contentions did daily arise to the great disquieting of both yet certainly the soule hauing these faculties desires the free vse and exercise of them Which desire that it might not be frustrat and vaine doth in some sort by a naturall sequell inforce a last resurrection when the soule shall be re-united to a spirituall body better befitting it selfe and in the interim concludes that either man is vnnaturally compounded or that the separation of his parts must be wholly vnnaturall which I rather suppose seeing it makes much for mans dignitie and natures perfection the soule no way desiring a separation for as the state now stands there is a kinde of correspondencie if the flesh be corrupted the soule is likewise tainted with sinne here is a proportion though an euill proportion between both The â—oule desiring the continuance of this vnion why should she not be able to effect it she frames and fashions in the wombe all the members of mans body for her owne vse and seruice anima fabricatur sibi domicilium though Gods power appeares in our making yet God vseth meanes and these meanes can bee none other then the actions of the soule it selfe a baser agent God would neuer imploy in such an excellent worke and a greater worke-man all nature could not afford him Now the soule hauing thus framed the body if she dislikes any thing she must blame none but her selfe if all things be perfect and sound in the first fabricke and architecture of man then in the succeeding actions of life the soule is the first fountaine and the onely actiâ—â— principle of all seuerall operations for I receiue my temper my constitution my colour my digestion my nourishment my strength my growth and all from my soule If there be an error or fault I must blame and cast the aspersion vpon my soule that notwithstanding her owne eternity yet she should lead me to the paths of mortality for herein I dare bouldly excuse mine owne flesh my flesh is innocent if not of my sinne yet of my bloud and the soule is the sole murtherer for the body is onely subiect to passion as it please the soule to worke so it must suffer as the soule receiues the praise and commendation in the goodnesse of her actions so let her take vnto her selfe the shame and reproch in the defects and imperfections Though there may be I confesse some little difference in the appetites and inclinations of both proceeding from the different natures yet is there no opposition betweene both in regard of destroying qualities both of them being substances of a diuers kinde not capable of contrariety and therefore a wonder it is how they should be ioyned together or being once coupled how they shuld be set a â—under Can the â—oule first build this goodly tabernacle of our bodies and can she not repaire and renew the workmanship decayed seemes it not a worke of lesse difficulty to repaire then to lay the first foundation Can she bring forth a seede to propagate her owne kinde and so giue lâ—fe vnto others yet cannot preserue her owne life is she so prodigall of her best substance
and treasure that impâ—rting it to others she leaues her selfe destitute or how fals iâ— out contrary to the course and streame of nature that the better part of man being priuiledged and hauing a charter for eternitie yet man himselfe should see and taste corruption as if the whole did not inclâ—de the parts or that there were a different condition of the whole from the parts contrary to the whole course of nature and the wisdome of her first institution Suppose the soule should be defectiue in her actions as that for want of a full and perfect concoction the stomake should be filled vp with rawe humors which at length should seaze vpon the liuer and there breake forth like a spring or a fountaine and so bee conuayed in the conduit-pipes of our veines thorough the trunke of the whole body yet cannot the soule instantly recall her selfe and correct her owne error cannot heate bee allayed with couldnesse moysture with drought and euery distemper be cured with the application of his contrarie I cannot conceaue the reasonable soule to be a foole and therefore needs she must be a Physitian you will say that there is a great difficulty in the receiptes and therfore the life of man would hardly suffice to learne the remedy and cure but I pray' marke the art and industrie of man I am verily perswaded and I speake it by experience that mans body by the helpe of feare-clothes powders balmes and oyntments may bee preserued for the space of two hundred or three hundred yeeres in the same state and consistencie wherein now it is at least to the outward shew and appearance then why should not the like medicines inwardly taken preserue life for such a terme of yeeres why should not physicke growe to that ripenesse and perfection that knowing the nature of diseases the course inclinatioÌ„ of humors by application of coÌ„traries as it were vsing the tree of life in Paradise it might prolong mans age if not for euer giue him eternitie But see see corruption consists in the root in nature her selfe for physicke cannot worke but must first presuppose the strength and furtherance of nature left thou shouldest blame the Physitian or thinke the meanes which God hath appointed for thy health to be wholie vnprofitable behold thine owne nature is wanting and defectiue to her selfe If nature might faile in her particular ends yet me thinks the whole scope and generall intent of nature should not bee frustrate and made voide There is nothing so common and triuiall in Schooles wherein nature is best discouered as is this knowne and palpable truth Corruptio vnius est generatio alterius the death of one is the birth of another for nature consists in alteration and change and it would much disparage nature if there were such a death as did wholly make for her losse and no way redound to her encrease In all other creatures you shal obserue this truth Suppose a beast were slaine his body should be dissolued into the bodies of the elements his forme into the formes of the elements as both of them were first composed of the elements nothing should bee lost through the negligence of nature but all should be gleaned vp and very safely reserued for a new succeeding generation Now in the death of man the body is the sole bootie of nature she cannot seaze vpon the soule she cannot retaine such an inestimable treasure the soule is escaped as long as life continued in man the soule was vnder the iurisdiction and power of nature but the body being once dissolued nature hath lost her owne right and cannot intend any new generation by vertue of that soule A foule error of nature that hauing the soule once committed to her custodie and charge she should open the gates or breake downe the prison walles to lose such a iewell which was neuer gotten by her owne purchase nor cannot bee recalled againe with all her might and power so then in the death of man and so man alone the corruption and nothing but the corruption of nature sufficiently appeares I would not willingly speak of a punishment wherein the mercie and goodnesse of God should not together appeare with his iustice but when I haue once spoken of death me thinkes I am then come to the vpshot and conclusion of all beyond which I cannot extend any blessing I meane any naturall blessing for death is the end and period of nature yet giue me leaue to make these foure good vses of death 1. To reproue sinnes 2. To strengthen and fortifie the bulwarkes of Religion 3. As to giue comfort courage and resolution to the true Christian man 4. so to discomfort discourage and put to flight the infidell and heathen First death seemes to instruct man to preach vnto him the reformation of his life and thereby doth witnesse his naturall and inbred corruption the couetous man whose heart could neuer be touched or moued to take pitie or compassion by the cries and prayers of a poore wretch yet at length will howle and lament when hee considers that hee shall dye in the middest of his treasure and all his substance shall leaue him the oppressing tyrant stained with the blood of poore innocents shall knocke his owne breast teare his owne haire readie to shed his owne blood when hee sees the pale and liuelesse carkase of his persecuted foe to shew him his owne state and condition and being dead to threaten his death but it were to be wished if it might be spoken without offence that one might arise from the dead who might relate vnto vs the state of the dead and of the vanities of this life which passe like a shadow And to this end I haue heard it as a tradition of the Church that Christ hauing told the parable of Diues and Lazarus and the Iewes little regarding it to stirre vp faith in them as likewise in some sort to satisfie the request of Diues that one from the dead might instruct his brethren God raised vp Lazarus the brother of Mary Magdalen who might witnesse and testifie as much as Christ had reported I will not stand vpon the truth of this traditon though certaine it is that both these accidents fell out much about the same time The very bones of the dead being serued vp at a banket wil bee a fit sauce to season our immoderate mirth the tombes of the dead are for the instruction of the liuing monumenta monent mentem we tread vpon the flesh of our forefathers which is now become the dust of the Temple Death is an excellent meanes to stirre vp pietie and deuotion the mariners in guiding their ships must sit in the end to hold and gouerne the stearne and the end of euerything is the first in intension though the last in execution Hence it is that the religious persons in al ages were frequentes in cemiterijs alwaies busily imploied about the tombes of the dead
Heathen and hence they are called diuini Poetae many of their fables had some reference to the truth of a historie in scripture for as truth is most ancient so falsehood would seeme to bee the shadow of truth and to accompanie her thus all their sacrifices and rites carried some shew and resemblance of the sacrifices and ceremonies ordained by Moses As for example among the Iewes themselues you shall finde some spice of this corruption a brasen serpent was appointed as a meanes to cure their wounds and they fell at length to worship this Serpent a Calfe was slaine in sacrifice to pacifie God and in token hereof they set vp a golden Calfe for idolatrie now if this happened to the Iewes Gods chosen people who had the custodie of the law together with a continued succession of Prophets then what might be thought of the Gentiles let vs therefore search among their Poets what proofes and euidences there are yet extant of mans fall and corruption Certaine it is that they deriued their linage from the Gods and they generally held that the soule was diuinae particulaaurae and yet immediatly they forbeare not to speake of the warres which past betweene the gods and the gyants which well argues the opposition and defiance betweene the heauen and the earth as likewise of the strange opposition betweene the flesh and the spirit wherein the flesh seemes to conquer and vanquish hauing the stronger faction and being more powerfull ouer the will inclination of man video meliora proboque deteriora sequor And generally for the whole state of man it was the common complaint of those times that the world did daily degenerate Aetas parentum peior auis tulit nos nequiores mox daturos progeniem vitiosiorem when the Poets so often mention the golden age what doe they else but point out the state of mans first happinesse integritie and innocencie there they did conuerse with their gods for their gods did inhabit in groues gardens and fountaines as if man did then leese God when hee left the garden of Paradise quorum nascuntur in hortis numina this is not to be vnderstoode of garlike or onions but whose gods are as ancient as was their state in the garden then men were numbred among the gods to shew the conformitie of their wils or as our diuines holde there should haue been no death in Paradise but some happie translation then men liued free from the sweate of their browes contentique cibis nullo cogente creat is there was a sweete contentment and quietnesse of minde free from the disturbance of the bodie the fruites of the earth were not gotten with labour nature was not inforced the creation did still seeme to be continued in the production of creatures Would yee see the first sin of the first man shadowed forth in a fable Daedaâ—us would needes be flying but his wings were melted with heate and great was his fall man in the pride of his owne heart would eleuate and raise himselfe aboue the state and condition wherein he was first created â—ritis sicut dij yee shall be like Gods here is the height or exaltation which hee aimes at now marke his downefall praecipitium the breakenecke of man yee shall not dij but die like the beasts of the fielde here is the fruite of his pride but where is the curiositie of his knowledge Prometheus steales fire from Heauen fire may fitly be resembled to knowledge it kindleth it lighteneth it purgeth and is the highest and purest element these properties may well be agreeable to knowledge though not to the curiositie of knowledge but marke the euent Hinc noua febrium terris incubuit cohors as if the sentence wâ—re past morte morieris thou shalt die the death here you see man in himselfe Now for the rebellion of the creatures Actaeon hauing seene Diana the goddesse of wisdome naked with her nimphes straight he becomes a prey to his owne dogges now for the nature of man how it is altered and changed Deucalion is said to haue made men of the stones here you may see a new mould a hard and flintie complexion to conclude obserue their pleasures in the Elisian fields and you shall finde some reference to the garden of Paradise obserue their paines in hell and you shall see the punishment of sinne set sorth in a glasse wherefore should this be assigned vnto Tantalus vt poma fugacia captet were it not for the iustice and satisfaction of some offence committed in the vniust vsurpation of some forbidden fruite Thus I hope by the light of our corrupted reason it hath already sufficiently appeared not onely to vs Christians to whom our vndoubted beleefe which first wee receiued by faith might in processe of time seeme a naturall knowledge and so wholly possesse man as if it were imprinted in mans owne heart but likewise to the ancient Philosophers who were without the knowledge of the true God by the force of their owne reason as likewise to the ancient Poets in their fables and shadowes hauing first receiued it by tradition that many things doe daily befall man which could not happen in the first integritie and institution of his nature and were they not inflicted on man as the iust punishments of sin it could not stand with the goodnesse and iustice of the Deitie to impose them The consideration whereof may fitly informe vs first of the state wherein we are fixed a miserable and sinfull state and the hope of our happinesse whereunto euery man should aspire not to consist within the preâ—incts of this earthly tabernacle but to extend it selfe to a more eminent state of a higher nature and condition secondly reason discerning mans fall it may serue as an abatement to our pride that we might not presume too farre to prie into the high mysteries of Christian religion considering that corruption hath ouerwhelmed the whole man together with all his faculties both sensuall and intellectuall and therefore hee cannot raise himselfe of himselfe when as the ground-worke and foundation which sustaines the whole building is wholly corrupted thirdly as the first fall of man gaue way and occasion to the whole course of Christian religion so reason discerning this fall giues some testimonie to our Christian faith and as farre forth as shee can laies the foundation prepares the way to religion that so the truth of nature might beare witnesse to the truth of grace the one supporting the other the one tending and ending in the other Here I can do no lesse then magnifie the wonderfull prouidence and goodnesse of God for as the knowledge of a disease is the first degree to the cure so man by his owne nature seeing and discerning the corruption of his nature loathing abhorring and detesting this corruption might take some dislike with himselfe seeke for some helpe search for remedie and ease enquire for the Physitian Hee that opened our eyes to see
the corruption certainely intended our cure can wee conceiue in reason that wee should bee thus left to our selues left destitute of all possible meanes to relieue vs that God in his mercy hauing first made vs of nothing should notwithstanding that mercy suffer vs againe to fall vnto nothing it cannot be it cannot be here then I will first conceiue hope and rousing vp my spirits I will say with the Prophet Ieremie 8. 22. Nonne est resina in Gilead Is there not balme at Gilead Though I am inwardly sicke at the heart for all the faculties and powers of my soule are corrupted though I am outwardly sore wounded for all the actions of my bodie are tainted yet here is my comfort there is balme in Gilead there is balme in Gilead and balme hath this propertie that it may bee taken both inwardly as a soueraigne medicine to heale my maladies and outwardly it may bee poured into my wounds as an excellent salue to cure my infirmities here then I see there are sufficient meanes for my recouerie why should I perish But where at length shall I finde the Physitian Mee thinkes I am borne blinde conceiued in sinne and iniqâ—itie and I may truly say with the Iewes Iohn 9. 32. Since the beginning of the world it was neuer heard that any man did euer open the eyes of him that was borne blinde I must therefore ascend to some higher power and if I looke vp to the Angels they cannot iustifie themselues In angelis suis inuenit malitiam God spared not the Angels which had siâ—ned 2. Pet. 2. 4 and euen the best of them are but messâ—ngers and ministring spirits I will rather goe to the fountaine For where should I finde refuge but vnder the shadow of thy wings O blessed Lord God now in this time of darknesse this time of corruption wash mee with bysope and I shall bee whiter then snow cleanse me from all my sinnes my secret sinnes the sinnes of my youth the sinnes of my nature which together haue increased with the hayres of my head with the minutes of my age leade me forth in thy waies let thy word bee a lanterne vnto my feete and a light vnto my pathes and with thy powerfull assistance keepe mee from falling O blessed Lord God write thy lawes in the tables of my heart binde them as chaines to my necke as bracelets to my armes stirre vp and strengthen my weake faith that I may know thee to be the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent to be the onely propitiation for our sinnes hee is the word of thy truth the word begotten in thy vnderstanding from all eternitie thy onely begotten Sonne the wisdome and power of the Godhead now at length in the fulnesse of time become the sonne of man God in our flesh made like vnto vs in all things sinne onely excepted whom thou hast appoynted whom thou hast prepared before the face of all people to be a light to enlighten the Gentiles and to be the glorie of the people Israell Deo gratias AA The Corollarie IN the former treatise I did not only tie my selfe to speake of the Subiect which was the fall of Man the generall corruptioÌ„ of nature how creatures haue declined by degrees since their first beginning and institution but likewise to proceed in such manner forme as that my proofes might serue to inforce the naturall man by the light of his owne reason to confesse his owne corruption Now lest I might seeme to be wanting or defectiue to my intended scope lest I might seeme to confound the fall of man with the manner circumstances and accidencies of his fall and tentation therefore I thought fit to ioyne this present Corollarie to the Treatise making it to differ from the rest of the parts for here I must ingeniously and truly confesse though mans knowledge discerneth his fall yet by the same knowledge he cannot possibly conceiue the manner of his fall For in Christian religion such things as belong to our knowledge I will ranke in three seuerall orders First some things there are wherein nature her selfe may informe vs viz. to condemne the corruption of our owne flesh to practise the Morall law c. Secondly some things there are which though not appearing to reason at first sight yet being supposed and examined by reason they shal be found most probable and most agreeable to the grounds of reason Thirdly some things are of a higher degree much aboue the reach or comprehension of reason as are the secret and hidden mysteries of faith and heerein reason being naturally taught to humble her selfe shal acknowledge her owne darknesse and these things infinitly to transcend her naturall power To the second ranke and condition of things I will referre the manner of mans fall which reason cannot apprehend of her selfe for it supposeth matter of historie and this wee receiue not by our owne discoursiue reason but only by report and tradition from others In this historicall narration of mans fall we must conceiue the free-will and election of God which being no way determinated might impose lawes at his pleasure then the free consent of mans will which according to the circumstances and present occasions might incurre the breach of those lawes for punishment whereof the iustice of God might bee allaied and tempered with mercie according to Gods owne appointment without any certaine measure or rule Thus many wayes supposing the free-will and election both in the law-giuer and in the offender in the inuisible God and in the visible creature we can no more iudge of our selues or as I may so say prophecy of their forepassed actions then others can now probably gesse or coÌ„iecture at our future contingent euents for things which are not limited in nature reason cannot prescribe a certaine determinate course for their limitation As in generall for the whole scope and truth of Christian religion so in particular for this and all other accidents notwithstanding our ignorance yet the vnconstant and wauering minde of man may finde staiednes and be safely built vpon a sure rocke and foundation examining those grounds and assurances which wee haue for our Christian faith whereby the naturall and distrustfull man is fully resolued and perswaded by signes working of miracles euents of prophecies truth of histories succession of times the immediate and special prouidence of God whereby his Church hath continually been preserued and all other sects and schismes scattered and dissolued and could neuer endure the touch-stone insomuch that I may well say with Gamaliel Act. 5. 39. If this truth be of God then who can resist it Whereunto I will adde the generall consent and verdict of the whole world of Iewes Gentiles Turkes c. when as religion her selfe makes but one body of faith the seuerall parts and mysteries whereof as they are directed to each other so they serue to strengthen each other I shall not neede to bring
of Gods graces but iustice is alwaies seasoned with the spice of mercie in so much that in the paines of the damned Gods mercie still appeares for hee could by many degrees increase their tortures and torments as their sinnes and deserts doe iustly deserue and notwithstanding their paine yet still they retaine an entitatiue perfection Now to answere this doubt the father is punished sometimes in his sonnes the shame of the one redounding to the reproch of the other as you see it practised in our lawes where for the fathers offence the whole stock is attainted sometimes the sonnes doe share in the sinnes of their parents as furtherers and abbeâ—tors in his crime being then in his loynes and part of his substance Thus it was with whole mankinde in respect of Adam who was like a politike body and did sustaine the person of vs all and therefore as wee partake of his seede partake of his inheritance so it might well stand with iustice that we should partake in his punishment The punishment being such as hath been the occasion of a farre greater blisse such I say as rather includes a priuation of that originall grace which God first imparted to man then any great inherent malignitie in our nature whereby God intends our destruction and therefore seemes to bee some inferiour degree of our nature that man descending hee might ascend to a higher pitch of his happinesse How this sinne should be conueied to the postâ—ritie of Adam I finde it a very difficult controuersie much questioned by our Diuines and the rather because sin in it selfe is originally and primarily in the soule as being the fountaine of all our actions and therefore the onely subiect capable of sinne Now the Diuines together with the Philosophers agree that the soule is immediatly created of God and therefore being Gods owne worke and nothing but Gods it cannot be tainted with sinne Supposing this for a truth my answere is that sinne ought not to be tyed to the seuerall parts to the soule or to the body separatly but to the parts ioyntly together that is to the whole man and to the whole kinde as wee are the sonnes of Adam and then in his loynes actiuely in committing the sinne so wee are sinners Quid quaeris saith S. Augustine latentem rimam cum habeas apertissimam ianuam per vnum hominem peccatum in hunc mundum intrauit c. Why should we instance in the soule as it is created of God Why should we stand vpon the body as it consists of the elements But take this soule when it becomes the forme of man take this body when it becomes the vessell and instrument of this forme and then both are corrupted actions and qualities ought not to be ascribed to parts but to the compound or subiect Thus whole man is become sinfull the guilt remaines in the whole nature and the fruites of this sinne appeares in the contrarietie and opposition of parts the immoderate desires of the flesh the rebellion of the flesh against the good motions of the spirit serues for an vndoubted euidence to proue the corruption If it might be spoken without offence I would further discusse this one question whether the soule bee created or otherwise doth issue foorth from the soules of our parents an sit ex traduce It is a generall receiued opinion that the soule is immediatly created of God as being a spirit and therefore admitting no feede as being an immortall spirit and therefore free from generation growth nourishment or corruption Saint Augustine alone considering the descent of this originall sinne seemes to doubt of the soules first beginning and originall and therefore shrouding my selfe vnder his protection I may safely say that it is no inconuenience that there should be a generation among the soules of men notwithstanding their spirituall condition Did not God the Father beget his Sonne from all eternitie verbum in intellectu a word in his owne vnderstanding Doth not the holy Spirit proceede from the Father and the Sonne and might not the image of this Trinitie appeare very liuely in the creation of man for Adam God made his body of the earth and for his soule Deus inspirauit c. here was an immediate creation seuerally of both for his naturall temper could not yeeld him a forme as it did to all other creatures producant aquae reptile animae viuentis volatile super terram and againe Producat terra animam viuentem in genere suo reptilia bestias c. Adam thus created and cast into a dead sleep part of hiâ— flesh and why not part of his soule might as wel be taken for the creation of Eueâ— the rather to stirre vp loue and conformitie betweene both that they might be made one soule and one minde as they were made one flesh here God ceased from his labours and therefore wee expect no longer creation Abel being borne partakes of their flesh and why not partakes of their soule for otherwise the sonnes of men should not bee so properly sonnes nor tyed to those naturall duties towards their parents as are the dumbe creatures obliged to theirs Thus that one spirit should beget another it is the highest mysterie of our Christian faith and religion And it makes much for the absolute perfection in the worlds diuersitie for God is a spirit generating his Sonne and creating all creatures the Angels are spirits neither creating nor generating but being once created subsist alone and leaue no posteritie behinde them being all created at once and hauing a state of continuance in themselues the soules of men are created and being subiect to change and alteration in their state may beget other soules according to the condition of man which is to be generatiue in his own kind And thus Christ not onely in regard of his flesh which he borrowes from the first elements and hath his matter common with all the rest of the creatures but more especially and principally in regard of his soule hee is the Sonne of man descended from man to this soule the Deitie was first linckt and vnited and in this soule the hypostaticall vnion still continued notwithstanding his naturall death and the separation of his soule from his flesh this soule did truly locally and really descend into hell and here the prophecie was verified Semen mulieris conteret serpentis caput The Sonne of man hath conquered hell and damnation and lead captiuitie captiue which I could wish might most properly and literally be vnderstood This soule as all other separated soules had in it selfe a naturall desire and inclination to returne to the body which well argues that they are both twinnes and in the time of their separation the soules are still tyed to their naturall duties for Diues after his death could remember his brethren and yet they were not his brethren were it not that they did partake of the soules of their parents for