weighty burthen of clouds at length we come to the fire which being kindled and preserâ—ed by the swift and continuall motion of the heauens as it drawes nearer and nearer the poles so is it more and more lessened and giues place to the middle region of the ayre which is therfore â—â—iled from the burning and scalding zoanes wheâ—â— instead of shewers they haue their morning 〈◊〉 and the sweet springs to bewater their drie and scorehed soyle For the truth and certainty of this deluge see how God did dispose in his prouidence that the Arke should rest vpon the mountaines of Ararat amongst which as I finde it reported there are the highest mountaines in the world and the most in number which was an vndoubted argument that this floud did ouerwhelme the whole earth and likewise these mountaines were furthest distant from the sea shoare that so it might appeare to after ages and succeeding generations finding the reninant of this Arke that the labour and industry of man neither would nor could transport the Arke thither but vpon sight thereof they might acknowledge and remember the great in-undation of waters for thus Nicholaus Damascenus an heathen man writeth that in a generall deluge one was carried in an Arke and rested vpon the top of these mountains whereon there continued a long time after certaine peeces and fragments of the Arke and this might bee the same which Moses the Law-giuer of the Iewes doth mention Many signes and tokens doe likewise appeare in nature which as they are the reliques so they serue as most vndoubted arguments and proofes of the deluge at this day there are found both in other nations and as I am informed in the I le of Man certaine trees which serue both for timber and fuell in such plenty and quantity so many fadomes vnder the earth as that by al probable coniecture they were there buried and couered in the time of the deluge God foreseeing the wastfulnes which man would commit in the spoyle of his woods like a prouident master of a family layes vp his store makes his prouision and keepes his wood-yard safe lockt and conceald vntill a time of necessity somtimes likewise in the bottomes of seas and waters where assuredly according to the coast and situation of the country there hath bin alwayes a fluxe of waters supposing the world in the state wherin now the world stands yet therin there hath bin discouered foundations of buildings which assuredly were ouerthrown in the generall deluge vpon the face of the earth I haue obserued rockes and stones seeming to hang in the ayre without any circumiacent earth whereas I did conceaue in reason that these hauing no certaine growth but only per iuxta positionem agglutinationem as the schooles speake the bosome of the earth was the fit wombe to ingender them and standing thus they did daily decay and decline and therfore certainly were not thus from the first creation but the conflux of waters hath vncouered them of earth hath left them there naked and bare to be the immoueable markes of the great deluge When I consider the barrennesse of the earth for many leagues together I cannot conceaue that it should be thus from the beginning being Gods owne immediat workmanship but that the salt waters haue caused this barrennesse and when I consider the strange different mould of one and the same earth as I haue often obserued sand vpon clay clay vpon grauel grauel vpon chalke chalke vpon sand c. Assuredly this diuersity neuer was in the first creation neither hath it since been effected by any influence or operation of stars but some general ouerflowing of waters hath caused this variety of mould and complection obserue how the goodnes or barrennesse of grounds followes certaine veines of the earth not according to the coasts of the heauens from East to West from South to North least you might ascribe it to the motion of the stars but commonly by a wreathed and crooked forme that you might rather ascribe it to the current streames of the waters but let vs dig vp the barren soyles and sometimes we shall finde out marle-pits which do vndoubtedly assure vs that God hauing first created the earth gaue it a fatnes in the vpper crust thereof but in the great in-undation of waters being spread and couered ouer with sand it is now baked and growne to a kinde of ripenes and melownes so that man vsing his labour and industrie God hath now ordained it to bee the compost of the earth to supply the barennesse of nature in this last and old age of the world let vs yet dig deeper and happily we may come to some cole-pits which consist of the oylie vnctuous substance of the earth which is laid and buried so deepe by the ouerflowing of waters in the time of the deluge as not being able to supply â—ap for the root of trees whereunto it was first ordained by nature it gathers it selfe to it selfe and hauing a long time of concoction without any great annoyance of waterie sappe God hath ordained it as a fit subiect for fuell which in these last dayes our wood fayling especially in these colde Northerne countries God hath very plentifully discouered and that which giues credit to this truth I haue obserued this in the cole-pits that where there hath been a moderate fall and descent of water there the cole hath been much weightier brighter and better as for mettals there is not the like reason in them for assuredly they follow the course of the heauens as they are framed by a speciall influence of Starres wherein appeares the goodnesse of God that in so painefull and such a dangerous worke poore man might obserue a greater certaintie in his labours I suppose likewise that the vn-euennes of the earth the hils and the vales were much caused by this generall deluge for ye shall obserue that the highest mountaines vpon earth carrie some proportion to the lowest bottome at Sea for as the greatest height is supposed to be sixe and twentie or seuen and twentie miles vpright so is the greatest deapth that God might obserue some kinde of proportion in the inequalitie seeing that both earth and water should make one perfect globe thus the fish of the Sea resemble in feature and â—orme the beasts of the field that so thou mightest acknowledge the same prouidence of God in both for certaine it is that all the terrible tokens and signes of Gods anger and wrath did accompanie the deluge and as the waters did swell aboue measure so the billowes and waues of the Sea did arise in a wonderfull and fearefull manner and these surely might well cause a great inequalitie in the earth and therefore you shall obserue that the hilles stand not alone but are contiguous and adioyning together as it were shelues raised vp with the waues and carried with the streame that it might
doe and therefore more did miscarrie but if you please to consider their liues together most certaine it is that before the deluge men liued many hundred yeeres and the birth of their children carried a iust proportion to their age since the deluge assuredly the decay hath proceeded by degrees Dauid in his time who liued much about the yeere after the worlds creation 2890 which was twelue hundred yeeres after the deluge or thereabouts confesseth that the age of man was threescore and ten yeeres for then it should seeme they came to that age with ful strength but in these times few men I will not speake of Princes such as Dauid was whose daintie and delicate fare doth certainly shorten the course of their liues doe attaine with much sorrow and griefe to threescore and tenne yeeres though I confesse that this alteration as all other naturall alterations whatsoeuer doth not so easily appeare to the sense but is more fitly gathered by the obseruation of reason for I thinke that seuentie yeeres then had the same proportion that fiftie yeeres haue now at this time From man I will come to the elements and I will insist in the neerest elemeÌ„ts the generatiue elements the water and earth for this change and alteration appeares not in man alone but the very elements themselues are much decaied in their wonted perfection foâ—â—our seas are growne fruitlesse and barraine as it appeares vpon records in our Hauen townes that a farre greater quantitie of fish hath formerly been taken and brought into this land then there is in these daies If you answer me that it proceeds from the loosenes of these times as neglecting all fasts I doe easily confesse our abuse yet I think it not sufficient to cause this scarcitie for our sailes at this time are more in number then euer they were our skill is much better our wants and necessities are farre greater and so our labour and industrie should bee proportioned accordingly I rather thinke it proceeds from the decay of the elements or indeed doe esteeme it as a punishment of God vpon vs as hee sometimes punished the Egyptians with their flesh-pots in the death of their fish Exod. 7. 18. I might heâ—e likewise iustly complaine of the wrong and iniurie which wee daily sustaine from the incroching Hollander or low-countriman who desires to vnite seas as he hath already vnited Prouinces and to make himselfe the great Lord of the Ocean for as in ancient times their golden fleece was made of our English wooll so now their great Fleete must incroach vpon our seas for kingdomes haue a proprietie as in their townes and their soyle so in their coasts and their seas which they cannot neglect with their owne profit or safetie But I may speake it with greater hearts griefe I feare lest their seas and in-undations doe not only reach to our Hauen townes but haue generally ouerwhelmed this whole Iland for as my most deare and louing schoole-master Mr. William Camden now Clarenceux the famous most renowned Antiquarie of our age hath truly wisely obserued in his Chronicle in the time of our seruice in their warres in the Low-countries our Englishmen which of all other Northerne people were euer held the most temperate we haue gotteÌ„ such an habit and custome of drunkennesse that no other nation at this day seemes to be more tainted with that vice then our selues And thus their vnthankfulnesse together with those ill customes which we haue borrowed from them seeme to be the rewards of our seruice From the seas I will come to the land The earth is growne barraine and fruitlesse in her owne kinde I speake not onely of that earth which hath long tasted the plow-share and harrow and must haue a time of respite and ease to recouer her owne strength but the whole earth in generall doth not beare the like burthen and crop which it did in the daies of our forefathers for as it is in a part so it is in the whole Suppose that any quantitie of ground were yeerely employed to medow arable or pasture and that the whole crop of this ground should bee yeerely spent vpon it selfe and so should returne againe in compost certainly this ground would much decay in goodnesse for in vaine shall wee expect the good seasons of the yeere vnlesse the earth carrie in it selfe a kinde of fatnesse Yet I confesse that some grounds there are either rich of themselues or made rich by water-floods that they doe not only preserue themselues but likewise serue to helpe others yet euery husbandman cannot bee so happie to haue them and where they are in greatest abundance yet they cannot supplie the barrennesse of the neighbour and bordering grounds for nature more abounds in the one then in the other so that this must argue a barrennes in generall though not in particular Whereunto I will adde the weakenesse of the elements decay of the heauens and a generall imperfection in al things now in this laâ—t old and cold age of the world therfore those countries which were first inhabited suppose the Easterne countries are very much impouerished at this time the weaknesse of nature discouering it selfe not able to supplie those mines and mettals which formerly they did not able to bring foorth or to ripen those excellent delicious fruits which heretofore they had in great plentie To draw neerer home for this kingdome wherein we liue it is not only the complaint of all old men and our own experieÌ„ce but likewise many reasons drawne from husbandrie not so fit to bee alleaged in this place doe vndoubtedly perswade me that our land is growne barraine and yeelds not that profit which formerly it did in the daies of our forefathers I will make one or two instances following the counsell of the wise man Eccles. 39. 31. The fruitfulnesse of a land especially appeares in the hony and wine the one proceeds from the dew of the flower the other takes a deeper foundation in the earth the one argues the sweetnesse of the grasse or the pasture the other the goodnesse and depth of the mould the one is the worke onely of nature the other requires the helpe and furtherance of husbandrie and art and in both of them it shall sufficiently appeare how this land hath declined When I consider the great vse of hony in former times for their drinkes for their foode and likewise the great quantitie of waxe-lights which were anciently spent in their diuine seruice assuredly our countrey at this day cannot affoord the one halfe of that which formerly it did it is apparent for there was neuer so great scarcitie and yet it is not transported and here at home we haue little vse to imploy it Is it because men neglect the keeping of Bees No certainly the price would allure them for there is no such profit with so little charge but certainly nature in generall is weakned the creatures begin to decay
or rather fringed with greene blades Whether would you iudge him that is already satisfied with foode or the hungrie and rauenous cormorant that still requires more and more foode to be the happier Whether would yee preferre him that hath all the helpes of physicke being sicke or him that in perfect health requires no physicke at all and this is the condition of dumbe beasts in respect of man For the pleasures and sports belonging to bruite beasts you see that Princes and Nobles take their greatest pastime in those royall games of Hawking and Hunting I would gladly know whether the Faulcon receiues more delight in the sport or the Faulconer the one being an actor in the businesse it being more agreeable to the nature thereof the other a bare spectator in the game Heere is no violence no coaction but a free and a voluntarie flight and commonly without resistance without danger or perill When the sport is ended then is the Hawke carried vpon the hand as it were in triumph an honour well befitting the state of a Prince neither will she entertaine into her seruice men of the meanest condition and place but such as expect other mens attendance and take vnto themselues the highest titles of dignitie do notwithstanding make themselues seruants and slaues to their Hawkes As much may be said for the Hounds who sometimes besides the benefit of their sports share in the best part of the Venison I would not here willingly haue you suppose that I were a Proctor entertained to speake in the behalfe of dumbe beasts neither doe I here purpose to acquit or excuse them from their miseries but onely to lessen theirs in proportion to ours giue me therefore leaue further to compare them together in such heauie accidents and dangers as happen to both First from the elements themselues the ouerwhelming inundations of water the vnresistable violence of fire the ayre with anoysome and infectious breath bringing a pestilence the earth not yeelding her fruites causing a famine the inward diseases which are common to both the outward wrongs and grieuances which they sustaine from each other the seruices and slaueries whereunto they are subiect and lastly their slaughter Suppose that man together with a dumbe beast should fall into any danger of waters all the beasts of the field of what condition soeuer doe naturally swim to saue themselues onely man who seemes to be better disposed for it then any other land creature in regard of his vpright straight figure as it were resembling the forme of a vessel a broad and spatious breast-plate that so the greater quantitie of water supporting it might vphold it the better extended armes and legges together with the palmes of his hands and the soles of his feete as it were in stead of oares his bones not so massie or weightie as theirs the rest of his bodie being like vnto theirs yet only man is defectiue herein and must learne that by art practise and experience which they haue by a naturall instinct though otherwise man of all other creatures is onely inforced to commit himselfe to the danger of waters But obserue and you shall finde it in a farre greater wonder as long as heate continued in the body which by all likelihood should eleuate and lift it vp to preserue the body together with life then behold the waues and the deepe striue against nature the one swallowing the other ouerwhelming mans body but when his dead carkasse for a few daies hath rested in the waters whether it be to disgorge him lest otherwise he might taint the sweete sauour or desiring to make some recompence for his death that he might haue a Christian buriall whom the sea thought vnworthie of life at length she returnes him and sends him to the shore when his body is breathlesse and cold much heauier then it was wont and therefore with the stockes and the stones might well haue sunke to the bottome and there haâ—e continued in a tombe of waters were it not that the liuing should receiue some instructions from the dead and be admonished by the feare and terror of death Hauing diued into the waters now giue me leaue to approch to drie my selfe by the fire only man of all other creatures findes vse of this element for his foode and for his warmth other creatures seeme to liue in a temperate zoane clothed sufficiently against the winters cold blast and shaded sufficiently against the scorching heate of the summer They haue their dennes and their caues without any chimneyes or stoues only man stands in want of fire and therefore if wee looke to receiue the benefit first let vs acknowledge the infirmity to be proper and peculiar to vs and especially to the weakest of vs to women children and old age and as we receiue the benefit so must we stand to the danger sometimes the losse and consuming of all our substance and goods sometimes the burning of our owne flesh neither members nor liues are alwaies secured sometimes contraries together conspire against man the water serues to carrie the violence of heate and scaldeth our hands and our shinnes sometimes the very foode or sustenance of man being ouer rashly taken in stead of a delicious taste burnes the tongue and the palate O happie other creatures that are exempted as from the vse so from the danger of fire When I consider these accidencies of water and fire I must necessarily conclude that both the deluge of water and the future dâ—ssolution by fire both of them are first and principally directed for man as the fruites of his offence so the effects of his punishment though secondarily they might intend the dumbe creatures as they serue for mans vse and ministrie To come to the neerer elements which are more familiar vnto vs and wherewith wee are better acquainted First for the contagious ayre no creature is so subiect to a generall infection and pestilence as is man In this one Citie we haue buried three thousand a weeke and so for many weekes together much about that number when the plague hath continued within the kingdome for many yeeres This plague it doth not arise from the food or any distemper of our bodies but from the ayre it is a poyson which workes vpon the vitall spirits and seeming to neglect other baser and inferiour parts first sets vpon the heart striking at the roote of life and suddenly in a moment it brings vs to ruine If the partie himselfe shall happily escape yet still the infection continueth though the garment bee worne out with vse consumed with the moath yet in the bare threads the poyson will priuily lurke the open ayre cannot sufficiently pearce the fire cannot cleanse mans prouidence cannot preuent but it findes out some lurking hole some shelter or couering to hide it selfe vntill at length it bursts into vengeance to the wonder and astonishment of nature Summer and winter both serue alike to harbour such an
themselues with their plentie It is not for temperance or Christian discipline but they spare that they may spare and in the possession of their wealth they make themselues slaues they place them aboue themselues and not beneath themselues they are not franke and free of them but intangled in them their wealth possesseth them and they doe not possesse their wealth for it is the property of a master to say to his seruants goe and they goe come and they come but heere they themselues are the drudges while their treasure is safely laid vp in their clossets and somtimes their minds are as griple and as much disquieted as if they did liue in the greatest penury wants I haue known a man who had not so little as twenty thousand pounds of his owne getting besides otherwaies a very large and plentifull estate being no way indebted yet this man died with the very thought and perpleâ—itie of his owne wants alas poore man it sâ—ould sâ—â—me hee died to sauâ—chaâ—ges Many men haue laboured much and trauelled far to get wealth suppose I should accompanie them I should not thinke my labour or trauell ill spent if I might but onâ—ly and barely know what is wealth for as yet I could neuer be resolued what it was to be rich or what competent estate were requisite which might properâ—y bee called wealth For heere in the countrey with vs if a mans stocke of a few beasts bee his owne and that he liues out of debt and paies his rent duly and quarterly we hold him a very rich and a sufficient man one that is able to doe the King and the countrey good seruice wee make him a Constable a Sides-man a Head-borough and at length a Church-warden thus wee raise him by degrees wee prolong his ambitious hopes and at last wee heape all our honours vpon him Here is the great gouernour amongst vs and we wonder that all others doe not respect him accordingly but it should seeme that since the dissolution of Abbeys all wealth is flowne to the townes the husbandman 〈◊〉 at a rackt rent hee fights with distracted forces and knowes not how to raise the price of the market only the Trades-man hath his Corporation hee can ioyne his wits and his labours together and professing the one he thriues by the other and therefore they are not vnfitly called Handi-crafts Now in the next market towne there are great rich men indeed for I heare it râ—orpted but I dare not speake it for a truth that there are certaine Tanners Chandlers and other trades-men some worth 50. pounds some 60. pounds some a 100. pounds a peece this is wonderfull for we cannot possibly conceiue how men by honest and direct meanes should attaine to such summes Indeed the poore people say that one got his wealth by the blacke art another found a pot of money in a garden which did somtimes belong to a Priorie and the third grew rich by burying many wiues for heere are all the possible meanes which wee can imagine of enriching our selues But now we are in the rode we haue but a few 〈◊〉 riding I pray' let vs hasten to London there is the Mart there is the mint all waters flow from the sea all waters returne to the sea there dwell our Landlords the countrey seâ—ds vp their prouision the countrey must send vp their rents to buy their prouisioâ— Now here in London vnlesse a mans credit bee goâ—d vpoÌ„ the Exchange to take vp fiue hundred pounds vpon his owne bond and that hee bee of the Liuerie and hath borne office in his Companie we doe not esteeâ—e him If an Alderman bee worth but twelue thousand pounds we pitie him for a very poore man and begin to suspect and to feare his estate lest this ouer-hastie aspiring to honour may breake his backe If a Nobleman haue great royalties and may dispend ten thousand pounds by the yeere yet we hold him no bodie in respect of the ancient rents of the Dutchie The Dutchy notwithstanding the augmentation yet is farre inferiour to the reuenewes of the Crowne these Northern kingdomes come short of the Southerne the Southern Princes are starke beggers in respect of the Indian Whether shall I flie in the pursuite of wealth I am now farre from home and it is not safe for me to trauell among Infidels I will rather thus conclude in reason if there bee wealth in this world it is either vpon the face of the earth or else in the bowels of the earth like treasure conceald and safely lockt vp in natures coffers I will therefore here stay my selfe and fall flat on the earth and heere I will solemnely proclaime it that the whole earth is an indiuisible point and carries no sensible quantitie in respect of the heauens Thus at length I will returne home not loaded with oare but being much pacified in minde and fully resolued that all wealth consists onely in comparison Now if it shall please God to supplie the necessities of my nature as he in his mercie already hath done God make me thankfull vnto him neither doe I despaire of his prouidence I will not compare my selfe with others but deeme my selfe sufficiently rich and if I should striue to be rich in comparison I should neuer be able to attaine mine owne ends Lay vp these money bagges from wealth I wil come vnto honour as others by wealth come vnto honour The glittering and gingling of gold seems to resemble honour which is a pretie noise a sound a kind of fame or report if it want meanes to support it it is like saleable stuffe which at first seemes beautifull to the eye but hath no substance to continue if any one be raised without merit hee shall bee sure to fall againe without desert As are the mindes of men of a mutable and changeable condition so is the foundation of honour weake and changeable especially in the multitude who alwaies iudge according to shewes and appearance and as they are soone gained with a cap so are they as easily lost with a frowne their loues follow not the honest â—â—tent but the happie successe of the action Times and fit occasions giue the first beginning to honour and as it hath a sudden rising so it proceeds not by degrees but commonly men doe outliue their good fortunes and seldome or neuer doe extraordinarie honours mourne at their funerals Especially in a subiect liuing vnder a Monarchy gratious with his Prince beloued of the people this double reference to the Prince to the people makes his state dangerous and almost desperate the one fearing and suspecting him the other laying to his charge all the distastfull actions of State for this man long to continue to hold fast with both hands taking his honour from aboue his loue reputation from beneath and thus to hang in the aire betweene heauen earth is a worke very difficult almost impossible When honour is at the best yet it
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
1. 11 the same in nature the same in power the same in mercy the same in true loue and affection Iesus the sonne of Dauid Iesus the sonne of Marie who was the propitiation for our sinnes and shall come againe in glorie to iudge both the quicke and the dead Yet sure I am that the time cannot bee long absent for all the signes of his comming doe already appeare when the hangings and furniture are taken downe it is a token that the King and the Court are remoouing nature now beginning to dacay seemes to hasten Christs comming to let passe many strong presumptions of our Diuines concerning the approach of that day these three proofes drawne from naturall reason doe easilie induce mee to beleeue it First looking to the generall decay of this world which argues the approach of this iudgement secondly to the great preparation for fâ—â—e which must then serue for the execution of Gods wrath thirdly the fit occasions seeming to hasten this iudgement c. Most certaine it is that if the world should continue many thousand yeeres and that wee should suppose that nature would decay in such sort as we are able to proue by demonstratiue euidence already she hath done assuredly nature of her selfe thorough her owne weakenesse would come to nothing and the world should not bee able to supplie mens necessities Suppose this one kingdome besides the generall barrennesse which hath befalne vs whereof wee may iustly complaine if we should commit the like waste in our woods as formerly wee haue done in this last forepassed age assuredly we should bee left so destitute of fuell of houses of shipping that within a short time our land would proue almost inhabitable for such things as require a great growth wherein man cannot see the present fruites of his prouidence husbandrie and labour for the most part they are alwaies neglected and it lies not in the power of one age to recouer her selfe thus out of the decay of nature we may almost expect a dissolution as by the signes and symptomes we iudge of a dangerous and desperate disease Thus you may obserue almost a like distance from the creation to the deluge from the deluge to Christ from Christ vnto vs as God ordaines euery thing according to rule order and measure after fifteene generations â—xpired you shall alwaies note in Scripture some great alteration and change Saint Matthew was therefore called from the receite of custome to cast vp this account in the genealogie of Christ as it appeares in his first chapter now at length in Gods name what may wee expect should befall vs Whatsoeuer concernes the kingdome of Shilo consummatum est it is already perfited wee must not looke for any further addition that which remaines it is the sound of the trumpet vt consummetur seculum that the world may be destroyed by fire Secondly fire shall bee the second ouerthrowe this Scripture and reason confirmes now certaine it is that God who hath first instituted nature hath so ordained her as she may best serue to be an instrument to worke his owne ends and purposes to shew a conformitie of the effects with the cause thereby to manifest his owne empire and rule which still he retaines in the creatures as likewise the obedientiall power whereunto the creatures are subiect that so may appeare how absolute and powerfull he is first to appoint the creatures then how gracious and mercifull he is to impart himselfe and to ioyne with the creatures in the same action Thus the waterie constellations did then gouerne and rule when the world was ouerwhelmed with waters now at this time and for a few hundred yeeres yet to continue the fierie constellations shall haue the predominancie and therefore credible it is that within the compasse of this time there shall happen the generall combustion Thirdly the dissolution of this world betokens a generall punishment the iudgement accompaning hath reference to our transgressions as in the first permission of sinne appeares the goodnesse of God who can turne our sinnes to his glorie either for the manifestation of his mercy or iustice so in this great tolerating of sinne appeares Gods patience and long suffering But now our sinnes are come to a full ripenesse now is the haruest and the weedes choake vp the wheate and therefore necessitie seemes to inforce and to hasten the approach of this iudgement that at length there might bee a separation of both though hetherto they haue growne vp together Thus Christs first comming in the flesh was to restore the decaied state of the Iewes for then hee was borne into this world when charitie was growne colde the Priesthood bought and sould for a price the Kings office extinguished the tribe of Iuda neglected the synagogue diuided into sects and schisâ—es and this is in some sort resembled by the barâ—â—â— of the earth for hee came in the winter season and hee was borne at midnight to argue the worlds vniuersall darknesse and ignorance So must it bee for his second comming he hath giuen vs a watch-word that the sonne of man will come at an houre when hee is not expected Luk. 12. vers 40. Now is that time when we doe not expect him we neuer thinke of iudgement of hell of fire of damnation Religion hath taken vp wings and is returned to heauen from whence she descended Men are now growne carelesse in their profession and liue after a sensuall manner like beasts we are now growne to the height and top of all sinne our sinnes our crying sinnes now crie for vengeance and therefore the time of his comming cannot be farre absent hee will take the best opportunitie like a theefe in the night we may then expect him when wee doe least expect him But I will leaue this as being not so pertinent to my purpose and grounded onely vpon coniectures c. Now I haue brought man to his graue and together with man the whole fabricke of nature you would thinke that at length I should discharge him I haue buried him deep enough I confesse for I haue cast the heauens and the earth vpon him and together with man intombed the whole world Yet giue me leaue in the last place to preuent one obiection for some will say that if the fall of man should appeare by the light of nature how should those great Sages and Secretaries of nature the ancient Philosophers be so much mistaken for the Schooles and all our Diuines hold that they were deceiued in the state of man supposing man to be in puris naturalibus without any thought of his fall without any hope of his recouerie I confesse indeede that the ancient Philosophers haue not mentioned the fall of man for they did onely looke to the present course and order of nature as liuing in the middest of Egypt they considered Nilus the depth of the waters the violence of the streame the ebbings and flowings but they regarded not
the passage into the sea nor yet could trace the head of the fountaine they might consider man though not in the wombe nor yet in the graue for euery knowledge may presuppose her owne subiect and euery Science hath her proper bounds and limitations the knowledge of nature might presuppose the existencie of nature and not intermeddle or be ouer curious to prie into the first composition or dissolution of nature their silence or neglect herein can bee no error though an imperfection Suppose man to bee borne in a prison where hee should neuer receiue the sweete light of the Sunne or the free libertie of himselfe but liued in continuall darknesse and slauerie could this man possibly conceiue the happie state and condition of those who liue at their freedome No certainly for priuations are only knowne in relation to their habits The Philosophers were not vnlike the dwellers of Sodome whose darknesse was such that being abroad in the streetes they could not finde their owne houses and yet I will doe them no wrong for howsoeuer they could not expresly and punctually speake of mans fall yet many opinions in Philosophie seeme to intimate as much in effect The Platonikes who were the more ancient Philosophers and borrowed certaine mysteries from the Hebrewes which they kept sacred and secret to themselues though otherwise they knew neither sense nor meaning of those mysteries held these three positions inuiolably all which doe necessarily inforce the fall of man First that there were Idâ—â—ae abstracted and separated formes according to whose image and likenesse things were ordained here vpoÌ„ earth the ground of this opinion is takeÌ„ out of Gen. 1. where God in the framing of man speakes these words Let vs make man according to our owne image Now supposing man to bee made according to Gods image according to such a separated Idea hee should be wholly spirituall incorruptible conformable to God But considering man to be carnall sensuall an enemie and stranger to God following the inclination of his flesh and wholly tending to corruption assuredly he is fallen and much degenerated from that high state and dignitie wherein hee was first created from the beginning After the framing and constitution of man the Platonikes did consider in the next place the transmigration of soules from bodies to bodies not from man vnto beast for here the different kinds doe betoken different soules which require different organes and instruments that so they might bee fitted and proportioned for the right vse and exercise of their faculties This transmigration hath vndoubtedly some reference to the first infusion of mans soule inspirauit deus spiraculum vitae and this opinion doth necessarily presuppose is grounded vpon mans fall that seeing there is no proportioÌ„ or agreement between the flesh the spirit as the case now stands therfore there was a bodie in the state of innocencie more capable of this reasonable soule the body changing the soule did likewise change her habitation and dwelling one and the same body being altered one and the same soule did find her place of abode to be altered here was a transmigration and at the last day when this body sowen in corruption shall rise againe in incorruption be made a spirituall body better befitting the dignitie state of the soule here shall be a new transmigration still of one and the selfe same soule and therefore acknowledge the present condition of man to bee the fall of man some punishmeÌ„t or imprisonment of man that the soule should be inforced to take her flight to vse a transmigration and to change the place of her dwelling Now for the principall action of the soule it is our knowledge or vnderstanding The Platonikes held that cognitio nostra est reminiscentia our learning or knowledge is only a kind of remembrance supposing that man had formerly some naturall knowledge as all other creatures haue thought it was lost by some ill accident and therfore must be renewed againe as it were called to minde or better remembred by learning yet certainly we had it for otherwise we should finde farre greater difficultie in regaining and retaining such an inestimable iewell and though this may seeme very displeasing to Aristotle who desired to build vp his fame in the ruines of Plato the scholler treads on his schoole-master yet doe not his followers say as much in effect anima est rasa tabula rasa est ergo insculpta fuit Who shaued it who scrapte it what image is lost See heere the prouidence of God lest wee should denie or forget our owne fall and corruption therefore the fall and corruption of man appeares in the forgetfulnes of man From the Platonikes I will come to the Schooles of the famous and thrice renowned Aristotle and heere I doe ingeniously and truly confesse that whatsoeuer I haue spoken for the proofe of mans fall and of natures corruption I haue only borrowed it from the grounds and foundations of his learning so that this whole treatise may not improperly bee ascribed to him onely the errors excepted which I claime as being due vnto my selfe To proue mans fall out of his grounds were to repeate all I will therefore heere insist in those things which seeme to be most generall and therein Aristotle shall speake for himselfe First for the Metaphysicks speaking of things most generall which the Philosophers call transcendentia bonum the goodnesse of a creature is numbred and accounted with the rest and looking to the first institution of nature nothing is so common and triuiall in Philosophie as is this axiome ens bonum conuertuntur whatsoeuer is is good according to the approbation of God in the first of Gen. vidit deus erant omnia valdè bona and yet notwithstanding the Philosophers did acknowledge that there was malum malitia defectus deformitas monstruÌ„ and the like and these to be incident to nature her self and these to be knowne onely in relation to the goodnesse according to the distance or accesse hauing no entitie in themselues and therefore not able to bee the grounds of our knowledge which presupposeth a naturall being Rom. 7. 7. I had not knowne sinne but by the law These euils I say being no transcendentia they could not be so generall or equal in time to nature and therefore they are the punishments of nature and haue crept into nature since the first institution thereof From the Metaphysicks I will come to naturall Philosophie where I will onely in a word touch the first principles I would gladly demand why priuatio should be numbred as one of the three first principles of nature for priuation hath reference to the act and first presupposeth the act how then can it be one of the first principles there should haue been I confesse an absolute negation according to the condition of a creature as being made of nothing nothing includes a