otherwise all naturall consanguinitie and affinitie should cease in a naturall death It seemes very necessarie that the soule should bee conuaied and diffused vnacum semine rather then that the body being already squared out and the greatest part of the workmanship past the soule should arriue like an vnexpected guest to this harbour and it would greatly disparage man first to be a plant then a beast then a man which indeede sauours much of Pythagoras his transmigration God hath appointed the seuerall kindes of creatures but I cannot conceiue how there should be such degrees in the kindes the essence and forme of a thing cannot be diuided within it selfe facultates animae non distinguuntur ab essentia animae I cannot possiblie imagine how vegetation and sense should be in the embrion before the accesse of the reasonable soule for either they are the faculties of the succeeding soule and heere you make a diuision of that which indeede is inseparable or else you must ioyne those things together which are of a different nature for if euer they were separated then to compound them were to confound them or lastly being first separated they must still continue diuided and so in the vnitie of one person cause the multiplicitie of subiects As the Starres and the celestiall bodies though pure spirituall simple and incorruptible yet all of them haue not in themselues their inbred and naturall light but doe receiue their light from the Sunne which is the fountaine of light and this appeares by the eclipses the coniunction and opposition of starres as likewise by the order of the vniuerse that all should be reduced to one a number to an vnitie And as it is thus in celestiall and spirituall bodies and qualities so why not in spirituall soules the reason is the same and the inconueniences should bee alike in both herein consists a difference betweene things spirituall and things corporeall the one imparts it self without his owne losse the Sunne sends foorth infinite beames inlightens the whole world yet loseth not part of his light whereas bodily substances the more they ingender the more they detract from themselues That generation should necessarily inforce a corruption there is no colour of truth God the Father did beget his Sonne and this Sonne is of equall perfection with the Father God created all things of nothing therefore shall all things returne againe vnto nothing This is a false consequence for being once produced the same power shall vphold and continue them which laid their first foundation euery thing containes in it selfe a power or rather an impotencie to returne vnto nothing and no creature in it selfe is independent but seeing it hath stood with Gods mercie first to produce them it cannot but stand with the goodnesse and constancie of his will still to continue them and to preserue his owne most excellent workmanship So that now all things relie not on the weaknesse of their own foundation and pillars but on the inuincible strength of Gods power the most certaine assurance of his promises the most infallible effects of his prouidence so that howsoeuer the production was whether by creation generation alteration c. yet we shall not neede to doubt or feare the corruption And whereas some will suppose that creation would make more for the dignitie of the reasonable soule let it suffice that at first she was created inspirauit c. she had a different beginning from the flesh or the body she was not brought foorth by vertue of any mixture as the formes of other creatures were which being not able to subsist of themselues therefore both matter and forme were created in one lumpe together so that still creation may not improperly bee ascribed to the reasonable soule in regard of her first birth and natiuitie But the question is for the propagation of soules in these times me thinkes I should like an opinion which would reconcile both that the soule should both bee created and likewise traduced For seeing there is an action both of God and man and both alike are ingaged in the generation of man man in regard of a naturall birth generating a sonne according to nature and God concurring not onely as to a creature but as to him who might heereafter bee his sonne by adoption and grace therefore in respect of Gods action there is a creation which includes a beginning different from the ordinary course streame of nature for the soule is beyond the precincts of nature and likewise excludes all subiect matter whereof it might consist for the soule is a spirituall substance which without seede and without losse of her parts is propagated by some extraordinarie power of God To this creation man may concurre for Eue was created though created of part of mans body the Angels may minister in a worke of Gods infinite power the soule though created yet she may bee created ex tradâ—ce and as man concurres with God in the action so in respect both of God and of man there may be two different actions as in many things which proceede from our sinnes yet God hath his goodnesse therein Thus both the opinions may well together subsist anima creatur ex traduce in respect of God anima generatur ex traduce in respect of man whose condition is generatiue Yet whatsoeuer I haue herein spoken I haue onely spoken by way of disputation referring my selfe wholly to the iudgement of the Church wherein if I haue sinned or in any other words which haue past from me vnaduisedly I doe here humbly desire God to forgiue me the sinnes of this pamphlet Indeede I must confesse I doe rather incline to this opinion first for the authoritie of S. Augustine whom I doe reuerence aboue all others secondly that with stronger chaines I might knit and vnite the Godhead to our nature in the person of Christ than barely to clothe him with our flesh which is common to other creatures when as his soule was created himselfe conceiued by the holy Ghost and only borne of a Virgin thirdly to shew the certaintie of Gods promises to the elect and to their seede and likewise to manifest the dutie of children to parents that they owe vnto them more then their flesh for thus if a man should giue me my foode and my nourishment he might likewise bee said to giue me my flesh whereas Scripture affirmes that a farre greater duty belongs vnto parents and therefore it should seeme it is for some greater respect Lastly that I might more easily trace out the paths of this originall sinne how it is safely conuaied from the parents to the children laid vp in the soule as the treasure or rather the burthen thereof and from the soule how it is deriued together with life into the flesh the bones and the inward marrow of man for the seede partakes as the strength and vertue so the faults and infirmities of the whole man There are
should therefore thinke our knowledge vnprofitable I would gladly aske what inuention in the world was euer more beneficiall to man then was the Mariners Carde to direct him in his passage thorow the huge wildernesse of the vaste Ocean yet can you conceiue that the world could bee exquisitely diuided by 32. parts for so many windes are assigned shall acres miles leagues whole Countries huge Nations make no sensible difference in this Card and yet is the Carde so exquisite and of such necessary vse Or take an Almanacke though it faile in prognostication of weather is it therfore not of excellent vse Learning it is which opens mans eies to all humane knowledge though it cannot or will not vouchsafe to looke vpon the basest things of this life yet it containes the grounds the roots the causes of euery the meanest profession and is able to direct euery man in his owne Trade course and vocation and I may boldly speake it absit inuidia verbo all other professions whatsoeuer if they be not spiced and seasoned with learning they are base and barbarous if they bee not sanctified and hallowed with Religion they are prophane and heathenish I haue forgotten my selfe and whether out of the loue of Philosophie or out of mine owne modestie desiring to conceale these points of secrecie the paines and labours in child-birth I am fallen into this discourse I will now againe retire my selfe and I will instance in the two sexes This punishment was not only inflicted on the woman in the time of her trauaile but it is further extended and generally comprehends all the diseases and griefes of the wombe so that the maid and the widow shall not freely escape for infinite are the diseases and those strange and wonderfull beyond the common course of nature which the wombe of a woman doth make her subâ—ect vnto what strange pangs and conuulsions doth it suffer as if it had no stable foundation in the bodie such rising such falling sometimes prouoked with a sent so strange and miraculous to nature that the ignorant â—ort not considering the naturall causes crie A possession a possession then straight some poore old woman is had in suspition brought before a Iustâ—ce accused for a Witch c. whereas in all other creatures the wombe doth no way offend or annoy them for then certainly it would appeare in their cries their groanes their complaints their feeding their thriuing in flâ—sh somthing at length would easily discouer it but indeede there is none I would I could say as much for the woman but alas here are too many I cannot reckon all some shall appeare and those I will conceale in the habit of an vnknowne tongue Phlegmone abscessus vlcus cancâ—r scirâ—hus mola inflatio hydrops calculus rhagadâ—s câ—ndylomata haemorrhoïdes Will you see the symptomes signes and proper passions mensium suppressio mensium profluuium atque stillicidium albus fluor vterinus gonorrhaea duplex vteri strangulatus ascensus descensus prolapsio conuulsio sterilitas abortus c. To conclude the Physitian as well as the Clergie man is sometimes tied to his secrecie and silence Yet giue me leaue to instance in those parts which appeare to the sight The sweete paps which serue to allure the husband and to put the children in minde of their dutie how apt are they to bee tormented with griefe being spungious parts some ill humours sâ—ttle there and the softnes is turned to a stonie hardnes the fresh and beautifull colour is changed to palenesse and wannesse in stead of sweete and delicious milke the filth breakes out into issues and sores and therein assures man that he is not onely conceiued in sinne and corruption but likewise feedes vpon corruption for what is milke it selfe but onely impure blood the colour changed Now if these parts which border so neere vpon the heart be corrupted then assuredly the heart it selfe is full of corruption the roote of life and nature her selfe is wholly corrupted and therefore those parts which were ordained for the nourishment of poore sucking babes together with life together with foode for the continuance of life doe by a law of necessitie impart their owne corruption For the males they are not excused from the like sorrow what strange and noysome diseases doe befall the generatiue parts lues venerea priapismus gonorrhaea I am ashamed of my selfe and me thinkes my mouth is defiled with speaking of them onely giue me leaue to reckon vp one among the miseries proper to this time among the inuentions and monsters of this last age for the ancients neuer heard of it There is a disease begotten amongst vs and no nation will father it all are ashamed of it we cast it on the French the French on the Italian the Italian on the Spaniard the Spaniard on the Indian as if it were some excellent treasure brought from a new-found world a disease which ariseth from imâ—oderate lust noysome infectious corrupting the bones rotting the flesh loosing and dissoluing the ligaments A iust punishment for mans lust that since beautie allured him his own natural strength prouoked him therfore God wil punish him with the losse of his beautie his fauour shall faile him hiâ— eye-sight shal leaue him his colour forsake him his nose shal drop off his lips shall be eaten his palate shall be cankerd and his strength shall be like a broken staffe he shall goe like a criple shame and reproch shall attend him Fully to describe this disease I will leaue it to the skilfull Physitian let it suffice for me to obserue that although some other creatures seeme to be as much inclining to their lust as is man yet none are tainted with such a noysome disease saue only man as likewise in all former times among the Heathen and Pagans there is no mention of any such disease much lesse of the cure only amongst vs Christians who professe a more strict austere and mortified life this disease first tooke her beginning That seeing God had giueÌ„ vs a greater knowledge of his truth of the foulnesse of sinne together with a larger measure of his grace therefore God punisheth the vncleannes incontinencie of these times with a greater iudgement and vengeance and as the woman partakes in the mans punishment both of them sweating in their labours both of them made subiect to death so man as farre foorth as it will stand with the condition of his sexe partakes in her sorrow These things being duly considered if I were worthy I would giue this aduice to Ladies and Gentle women who now labour in the paines and perill of child-birth that during this time they would better bethinke themselues of the occasion that their danger and sorrow is the iust punishment of sinne for the first offence of the woman and that they would giue God most humble and heartie thankes for that greatest blessing of all other temporall blessings the fruitfulnes of the wombe
be conceiued in the heart thither flocks all the blood to helpe and further the conception Or if it be laid before the eyes thither is all the blood conuaied to meete it and to giue it the best entertainment Here is a shame here is a confession thou canst not be ashamed but of thine owne act and therefore needes thou must acknowledge thine owne corruption Indicio tuo quasi sorex perijsti Thou haddest no grace to commit sinne and thou shalt neuer haue grace to conceale sinne Hitherto we haue only enioyned man penance wee haue discouered his nakednes that so in a white sheete we might put him to shame Now let vs implore brachium seculare the temporall power for his chastisement and correction I will not speake of punishment imposed by mans law but willingly vndertaken by nature her selfe Why should fearefulnesse so much possesse man together with a continual expectation what euill might befall him were it not that it proceedes from a guiltinesse of conscience How often vpon any relation of the least mischance do we strike our breasts our thighes wring our hands stampe on the earth and then suddenly looke vp to heauen as if these outward annoyances could not any way concerne vs were not the roote of this corruption within our selues And therefore nature seemes to punish the roote to curse and defie the earth to acknowledge the guilt together with the iust and due vengeance of heauen If any greater misfortune befalles vs then we begin to teare the haire to bite the flesh to forbeare the societies of men to refuse the vse of our meate to neglect our naturall rest to denie all comfort to our selues and sometimes it proceeds vnto death When suddenly wee lay violent hands vpon our selues wee desire nothing so much as a perpetuall separation and diuorce betweene the soule and the flesh like the infinite hate of a deadly foe who could be content to wound his owne enemies thorough his owne sides No other creature did euer murther it selfe but onely man for no other creature did euer deserue it so much as man You will say that this ariseth from passions which are not incident to the wisest meÌ„ but who hath such absolute power in himself as that he can promise to himselfe staiednesse and constancie in his affections Or is it not a propertie of wise men that they should alwaies call themselues to accounts and accuse themselues as the wise man saith Sapiens est semper accusator sui This cannot be without a iust ground first presuming and presupposing an inward and secret corruption they are apt to suspect themselues whereas the foolish and ignorant conceiuing a casualtie and chance neuer dreame of iust iudgements But I pray' marke the disposition of mans body and you shall finde that our armes and our hands are fitter disposed to buffer our selues then to reuenge our enemies they are bent to our bodies and yet we cannot embrace our selues as if we were our owne greatest enemies whereas in all other creatures their owne hornes their tuskes their clawes their hoofes can no way offend themselues I will not speake how subiect and liable our nature is to many ill accidences and chances I will passe ouer all those diseases which doe not arise from any distemper or riot but euen from the complection it selfe and seeme to be hereditarie to whole mankinde as other proper diseases are intailed to certaine families and tribes Old age seemes to be a continued disease and therefore vndoubtedly is a naturall punishment of nature to her selfe My second part shall 〈◊〉 of this subiect But punishments should be publike and open both for the example of malefactors as likewise in natures defence to iustifie her actions Behold then wee are made a spectacle to God to Angels to men our punishment is therefore laid open and manifest to God to Angels to men How falles it out that by an instinct of nature in all our religious worship and seruice of God we first begin with the punishment of our selues Sacrifice I thinke is naturall to man that in liew of our hearts and for the sparing of our own blood we should offer vp the blood of others Before the Law was giuen in Mount Sinay there was a sacrifice for God hath imprinted this knowledge not onely in the Ceremoniall law but in nature her selfe that both nature and law might guide and direct vs to the sacrifice of his sonne so that a sacrifice is common to all nations common to all religions The Heathen at this day vse in their sacrifices the launcing of their flesh the spilling of their owne blood the scourging of their bodies appearing naked before their Altars The Idolaters of old time how cruelly they tormented themselues offering vp together with the best part of their substance their owne sonnes and their daughters in a bloody sacrifice The Iewes how strict were they in obseruing their fasts how curious in their washings putting on their haire-cloth and ashes The Christian in his seruice of God prepares himselfe with inward mortification and outward ceremonies the one serues as a potion of bitternesse to purge his inward vncleannesse the other as a plaister or salue to couer his vlcer as truly acknowledging that inwardly and outwardly wee are wholly corrupted and therefore both tend to edification For the Angels there are two sorts of them either good or bad but we scarce heare any mention of the good Angels of our guardian Angels for so Scripture saith God hath giuen his Angels charge ouer vs and Angels are appointed as Gods messengers for our ministerie If any extraordinary good doe befall vs we will rather choake it vp with vnthankfulnesse or attribute it to some secret and hidden cause in nature sometimes to a meere casualtie and chaunce rather then we will ascribe it to them as being guiltie to our selues that through our sinnes and corruptions wee doe not deserue mercie and compassion but iudgement and vengeance Whereas on the contrary for those euill spirits the firebrands and instruments of Gods wrath these are they which wee feare vpon euery occasion we can say apage apage auoide auoide abrâ—â—unciâ— tibi Sathana Many there are Wâ—â—ches Sorceâ—ers which haue entred a league and fellowship with those bad spirits and more are suspected to be of this confederacie and combination then happily there are For we are apt to suspect the worst in this kinde as being priuâ—e to our selues that wee deserue nothing but vengeance and generally these bad spirits they are the tempters and tormentors of whole mankinde And thus we seeme to bee ignorant and wholly vnacquainted with the instruments of Gods mercie but are daily frighted and astonied and indeed much perplexed and endamaged by them who are appointed for the execution of his iustice as if we did rather conuerse with them then with Angels of light which doth surely argue the fall and corruption of man How this punishment of nature
impotent and in his age hee seemes to be the day labourer a very drudge vpon earth in sâ—dore vultus eating the bread of carefulnesse and drinking the cup of sorrow All other creatures if they haue a sufficient quantity of foode will vndoubtedly thriue their profit will be answerable to their keeping The Sheepheard or the Grazier will almost assure himselfe that against such a day his sheepe or his oxen will be fit for the shambles onely man seemes not to liue by bread alone For notwithstanding a good diet a hungrie appetite a large meale yet sometimes the body pines for want of nourishment A good complection and a strong constitution are not alwaies the vndoubted tokens of the largest and best diet the rich men of this world can testifie this though they haue choice of good meates multitudes of dishes and varietie of exquisite sauces to prouoke their appetite yet for the most part they haue not the strongest bodies the ablest constitutions the longest liues or the greatest succession of issue it is not bread alone that nourisheth but the vertue and power which God imparts vnto bread And howsoeuer God doth ordinarily concurre with his second causes yet in man in whom Gods prouidence doth most eminently appeare sometimes to the wonder and astonishment of the Physitian and Naturalist God denies his influence that notwithstanding the application of outward meanes and remedies yet the successe beyond all probabilitie proues contrary to mans expectation Other creatures excell man in euery sense in euery corporeal qualitie as length of yeeres strength soundnes of constitution quicknes actiuitie man cannot be so subtill and ingenuous to insnare theÌ„ but they are as cunning and wittie to preuent vs you may assoone surprise and conquer a State as preuaile against them in this kinde Witnesse many kingdomes and prouinces wherein the forme of gouernment hath often been changed and altered yet could they neuer preuaile against the crueltie of wilde beasts though the English forces haue often put to flight the incursions and rebellions of the Irish nation yet for their Wolues wee could neuer preuaile I speake not of their aptnesse in learning which I haue seene wonderfull in horses and in other creatures for this I might ascribe in some sort to their teacher but I speake of their naturall workes the birds in building their nests with straw in their bils water in their wings earth in their clawes may serue to teach and instruct vs in our architecture in the plotforme and contriuing of our houses No creature so much loathes vncleannesse as man and yet no creature whose flesh is so apt to be tainted with vlcers botches and sores as is the skinne of man what kembing what trimming what oyntments what washings what sweete perfumes what linnen what change of garments and yet all will not serue sometimes the food breakes out into sores sometimes the moysture or fleame is dissolued into issues By the sea-side you shall not faile to haue lepers and in the inland-countries men are troubled with botches and scurfe Ireland is plentiful of vermine and the least neglect of our bodies will make them noysome and vncleane Old age proues balde without the beautie and comelinesse of haire neither coughing nor sneezing can free them from filth Quibene olâ— non bent â—let he that hath the sweetest smell hath not the sweeteâ—t bodie of all the noysome sents there is none so rammish and so intollerable as is that which proceedes from mans bodie whereas the poore shepheard without any other remedies of art only with his Tarre-boxe is able to preserue a huge flocke of sâ—eepe and the Farrier with his drinke and his letting of blood cures all the diseases of beasts Many hearbes many beasts many trees are in themselues odoriferous and yeeld a sweete sauour for God hath ordained them to be natures sacrifice to himselfe But I thinke if man were throughly â—earcht â—earch the very entrailes and bowels and you shal hardly endure the sent I will not speake of his filth issâ—â—ng from his eares his eyes nostrils mouth nauill and the vncleane parts take his very flesh his bones and his sinewes burne and consume them with fire O the sweet smelling sacrifice as loathed of God so hateful and distartfull to man himselfe for what should wee expect of flesh and blood but corruption From the altar of sweete odours let vs come to their quier Hearke hearke the excellent notes of singing birds what varietie of voyces how are they fitted to euery passion The little chirping birds the Wren and the Robin they sing a meane the Goldâ—inch the Nightingall they ioyne in the treble the Blacke bird the Thrush they beare the tenour while the foure footed beasts with their bleating and bellowing they sing a base How other birds sing in their order I referre you to the skilfull Musitians some of them keepe their due times others haue their continued notes that al might please with varietie while the woods the groues and the rocks with a hollownesse of their sound like a musicall instrument sends foorth an eccho and seemes to vnite their song Only man as being a wild and a fierce creature hath no certaine note or tune his painfulnes in learning shal recompence his delight in the hearing his instruments are the guts of dead creatures a token of his crueltie and the remainder of his riot With these instruments he must please himselfe in his melancholie fits take his recreation temper his passions and vse theÌ„ as a meanes to kindle his deuotion O praise God vpon the Lute and Harpe praisâ— him in the sound of the Trumpet praise him in the Cymbals and pipes let euerie thing that hath breath praise the Lord. And thus man seemes to be defectiue and destitute aboue all other creatures euen in that which was the first end and scope of his creation If you regard neither sweete odours nor heauenly musicke nor beautifull colours yet consider the creatures in themselues all other creatures yea the most rauenous seeme to be much more temperate in their diet or foode then is man Sometimes indeede these home-bred creatures through mans ill vsage either in their excessiue labour or through their distempered foode or waters are subiect to surfeits but for those wilde beasts which do not commit themselues to mans custodie they are priuiledged and exempted as from all riots so from all surfeits notwithstanding the abundance and plenty of their foode especially at some seasons And here appeares our corruption no creature so inclined and apt for a riot no creature so subiect to a surfeit and all our diseases for the most part arising from a surfeit intimating the first gluttonie and surfeit of mankinde in eating the forbidden fruite Herein appeares our corruptioÌ„ aboue theirs either nature should haue dieted vs as she doth the rest of the creatures or else she should haue prescribed vs a measure and giuen vs that prouidence to moderate
possesse her And thus it befals men of the serpentine kinde or rather seduced by the serpent their mouth is full of earth they talke of nothing but lands goods purchases demeanes possessions inheritances leases of bonds contracts bargaines sales commodities marchandises wares c. now the mouth speaketh out of the abundance of the heart their heart is full of earth and earthly cogitations their nayles and their hands are full of earth their hands are griple and holde fast and are not so easilie either opened in charitie or lifted vp in pietie and thus is the punishment euery way accomplished Here I would desire you to obserue that as the dumbe creatures are only in the nature of instruments ordained and directed for the vse and seruice of man so vndoubtedly it might well stand with the iustice of God to punish them in the nature of instruments For alas what is the whole world or the perfection of all the creatures in respect of Gods glory and the manifestation of his iustice neither was this world intended for dumbe beasts but onely for man and therefore as their slaughter is ordained for man so if their punishment might serue for mans admonition and bee a remembrancer of his sinne this were sufficient for the exercise of Gods iustice and to excuse his works of imperfection The punishment of the serpent may likewise serue to instruct vs that as the glory and beautie of the creatures sets forth the absolute happinesse together with the commendation and praise of their maker so the basenesse and vilenesse of the creature might betoken his wretched state and condition who was the first cause and occasion of sinne assuring vs of Gods iustice that if he did not spare the dumbe instruments much lesse would hee pardon the first agents Now to square and to proportion these one to another the punishment of the serpent to the punishment of the euill spirit I will forbeare to doe it at this time in regard that it exceeds the bounds of our naturall reason hereafter I may take some fitter occasion to discouer it and in the meane time I leaue it to euery mans priuate meditation Least man should thinke that the condition of the serpent did not any way concerne him as indeede it doth being that the whole world is onely ordained for man I will therefore come to the second punishment which more immediatly concernes him and may serue for a caution Insidiabitur calcaneo Gen. 3. 15. I will also put enmitie betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seede and her seede he shall breake thine head and thou shalt bruse his heel The principall enmitie consists betweene man and the diuell who is therefore fitly said to bite at his heele as chiefely assaulting man in the last clause of his age in the agonie of death and principally intending to detaine him from the finall vpshot and conclusion of his happinesse In permitting this enmitie did appeare the fruite of Gods iustice as setting his owne enemies at enmitie among themselues and likewise the fruite of Gods mercy that man being thus molested and maligned by Sathan and the rather for Gods cause man bearing the image of God and Sathan Gods proâ—est enimie being not able to obscure or eclipse Gods glorie seekes to vndermine and supplant Gods image Hereby it falls out that man is now become an associate of the same league and amitie with God and therefore God is now tied for mans protection and may at length without any breach of law or iustice fight in mans quarrell against the powers of darkenesse the gates of hell the kingdome of sinne Sathan and damnation As was the conspiracie betweene man and the serpent for the breach of Gods law so was the combination betweene the flesh and the spirit both guiltie of high treason and therefore it stoode with the same rule of iustice to set an enmitie betweene reason and sense and betweene the reasonable and the sensitiue creatures First in man himselfe in the very parts of man a rebellion of his members here is an ill example and president for all the rest of the creatures to follow for behold the dumbe creatures who were made onely for mans vse and seruice cast off their yoake and are now become dangerous and obnoxious to man from the greatest to the least Wee stand not onely in feare of fierce Lions cruell Tigers rauening Wolues deuouring Beares but Gâ—ats Flies and the least wormes doe serue to molest vs let not the plagues of Aegypt seeme so incredible when as within our memorie in the yeere 1580. at Southminster in Essex the Mice so swarmed and abounded that their corne was spoyled their houses annoyed their grasse taynted and the place made almost inhabitable vntill God in his mercy sent thither great numbers and multitudes of Owles which were neuer seene there either before or since and these deuoured and did eate vp their Mice and the Mice â—ayling they tooke againe their flight and so the plague ceased Now it cannot be that the gouernment of man ouer the creatures should so farre bee impeached were it not that there is some conniuencie and toleration from aboue contrarie to the first institution of nature neither could equitie tolerate in them so foule an abuse if man still retayned in them the same right of inheritance and might pleade his title thereunto without forfeiture impeachment or waste It is not sufficient that man should be subiect to the danger of creatures in generall for his life his limmes and his substance but some there are which seeme to mocke and to scoffe man the Parat for his speech the Ape for his actions and others for his gesture Some though they are impotent and cannot hurt yet seeme to threaten man for there are certaine ominous creatures in their owne kinde which without any spice of superstition or vaine feare doe prognosticate euill Others though familiar to man yet with some extraordinarie and vnnaturall act seeme to portend euill Many will condemne me of sollie in this kinde but I am very confident herein for whereas in nature wee confesse a prâ—uidence in euery the least naturall action otherwise it would disparage the gouernment of this vniuerse and Christian religion affirmes that the Sparrowes of the ayre fall downe by Gods appoyntment and ordinance so sometimes for a further terrifying and certifying of the sense as likewise for the assuring and example of others God vseth outward and more manifest signes and tokens And as the dumbe creatures are the instruments of Gods iustice which did well appeare in the plagues of Aegypt so sometimes they are the Prophets and denouncers of iudgements as in Balams asse c. thougâ— it cannot bee denied but many such accidents doe arise from naturall causes the Rauens feeding on carcasses no maruell if their sent doe direct them and that a smell inclining to death doe allure them and prouoke them to crie But I will onely insist
in the blindnes and sudden assault of their lust when their bodies are happily vnited yet their mindes are separated and distracted there is no agreement in their disposition and this seemes rather a linking together of dead carkasses or beasts then an honorable estate of marriage eleuated to the hight of a mysterie in our christian religion There is nothing which breedes that distast in marriage setting only iealousie aside as when either of them do inâ—ermedle with the proper duties belonging to each other either to the distrust of the honesty or to the great disparagement of the wit and iudgement of each other both which must vtterly be abandoned and auoyded in marriage For man and wife liue in an excellent society they haue all things in common as wee should haue had in the state of our innocency and therfore no maruaile though marriage were first instituted in paradise and yet notwithstanding this community the offices of the house ought to bee diuided between both and neither of them should intermedle with the others affaires to the preiudice of either Which if we should admit we should not haue a perfect vnion according to order but the one should be swallowed vp and both be confounded as the parts of a mans natural body they haue their peculiar offices and duties notwithstanding they are parts of one man and as in the law there were diuers and distinct garments beloâ—ging to both and a sinne it was for a man to put on the womans attire whereby is signified the seuerall offices of both that there being a necessity of each other receiuing mutuall helpes from each other it might serue as a surer bond of their loue Thus in nature the man hath strength of limbes for his labour the woman hath weaknes yet cleanlines wherby is signified the seueral duties of both whereunto nature hath disposed them which ought to be reserued whole and entire to themselues thou that art a husband make thy selfe no Hermaphrodite to busie thy selfe and to prie into euery action dost thou distrust the honest and iust dealing of thine owne wife then blame thy selfe for thine owne choice remember that thou hast made a solemne act before God and the congregation which now thou canst not reuoke or recaâ—l wherin thou hast endowed her with all thy worldly goods For iealousie which so much disquiets and sets such a difference betweene the married couple I haue full often obserued that the loosenes of the husbands life giues him occasion to suspect his innocent wife as being guilty to himselfe and fearing least by the course of iustice his owne sinne should bee recompensed with his owne shame in the same kinde supposing his owne vncleannes to bee a naturall in-undation which hath ouerwhelmed whole mankind others though chast thorough the impotency and weaknes of their owne bodies yet their minde is impure and therfore they feare that in others which they do not finde in themselues Now for their punishment it â—â—ood with the iust iudgements of God that according to their adultery and fornication conceiued in their owne minde so they should perplex and torment themselues with their owne thoughts There is yet a third sort of men who out of the immoderat loue of their owne wifes doting vpon their beauty being totally carnall vxorissimi neither regarding the brightnes and glory of the heauens nor yet the shame reproch of this world they begin to be fond and iealous of their wises the excesse of their loue turnes vnto iealousie their greatest comfort proues their deepest discontentment and thus God laughes at the counsels of men who being the only true Good in whom and to whom â—ll our loue and affections should be tending and ending we diuerting the streame of our loue forsaking this onely one good as we are distracted in the truth of our loue so sometimes wee are distracted in the soundnes of our owne mindes and leese our selues in our owne loue when the fruits of our loue proue the fits of our frensie but O blessed Lord God who art the ioy and loue of our hearts leaue vs not to our selues for heere we offer vp our selues vnto thee take vs away from our selues into thy most holy protection let thy loue bee with our whole heart and without measure as thou thy selfe art good without measure and let the loue of the creature be guided by rule and proportion still to thy loue c. If this iealousie be conceiued vpon iust grounds yet stil I cannot excuse the husband for certain it is wherof we haue examples in Scripture that there may bee a foule abuse in marriage notwithstanding the holinesse and sanctitie of that high and excellent state yet there may be vncleannesse adulterous thoughts and actions may passe betweene the married couple and it is already concluded among the casuists that plures mariti abutuntur magis abutuntur statu suo quà m coelibes suo I fâ—are least the wantonnes of marriage may breed an ill disposition if thy wife be somewhat light and of euill report then I feare she hath bin brought vp in thy schoole she hath learned it of thee thou hast taught her this lesson I would not willingly defile my speech with this subiect only giue me leaue to taxe an ill custome of this world that in the seeking of our wiues we vse such speeches such gestures such actions such ribaldrie letters c. that it is to bee feared least yong woemen do heereby first learne to be harlots before they are wiues and therefore no maruaile if in the course of their liues they giue some cause of iealousie for heere the husbands haue giuen a bad example and laid an ill foundation c. Thus assuredly the greatest cause of complaint is in the husband who hath the gouernment of his wife who might in wisdome preuent his owne shame and should teach her a modest and chaste carriage but I know not what ill spirit hath set them at enmity whom God hath coupled together sometimes indeed the streame of the husbands loue being carried another way is apt to cast any aspersion vpon his wiues honesty and then he begins to practise with heretickes and to commend the law of liberty that after a diuorse it should be lawfull to marry againe and againe Heere you shall see large expositions written in defence thereof and the opinions of certaine Diuines Ministers Pastors SuperinteÌ„dents of the separated coÌ„gregations or the new Churches from beyond the seas thus they would seeme to haue a Catholicke consent together with such bitter inuectiues against all superstitious fasts calling all chastisements of the flesh sins against the body Here are their wholsome and sound doctrines their manifold and good vses their learned and excellent applications thus because God was incarnat appearing in the basenesse frailtie of our flesh though free from the sinfulnes and pollution of our nature therefore do these men desire to make religion not incarnat
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
so agreeable to the state of our bodies as is that humor calor radicalis which wee receiue from our first birth heere I will reply how fals it out that our bodies should impart semen ad procreandum wherin that radicall humor is resident and both seede and humor arising from our food and our nourishment yet nature should seeme in the preseruation of our bodies to refuse the best making it an excrement of the third concoction and taking for her owne foode and sustenance the worst part of the substance See then the generall intent and scope of nature tending to corruption must likewise argue that nature her selfe in generall shall at length be tainted with the same corruption First for the apparell of the Ancients if you please to obserue the fashion of their garments you shall finde them to be such as no way inforcing nature nor made onely for comlinesse they might best serue for the exercise of the agilitie of their bodies which well argues a greater actiuity in them then in vs though I suppose they would not suffer any to practise for danger much lesse to get a dishonest liuing by vaulting tumbling or any such apish toyes yet generally they were more actiue and had lesse vse of horses then we haue in these dayes For the substance of their garments our clothing is much more gentle and soft then theirs for they had not that vse of linnen which we haue which well argues the weaknes and tendernes of our flesh in respect of theirs their garments being courser were likewise much weightier and heauier then ours which bâ— tâ—kens the strong foundation of their bodies for in these dayes wee could hardly indure their burthen or weight it should seeme they did accustome themselues to much hardnesse for amongst the common sort of men stockings and shooes were not then grown into fashion indeed for the trunke or bulke of their bodies they were more warmely clothed then wee are as committing themselues more to the weather and as the heate of a mans owne body being kept in with warme clothes is much more naturall more healthfull and cordiall to man then is the burning scorching and consuming heate of the fire therefore the Ancients did more desire warme clothes and apparell then the vse of fire for among them you shall finde little preparation for fire their houses built with very fewe chymnies they were very sparing and thriftie in their woods their chambers very close and warme desiring rather to keepe out the cold winde then to let in the fresh ayre whereas our wantonnes appeares in large windowes high roofes as if we made no difference of being without doores and being within doores or that we did neuer purpose to vse our limbes to goe and take the fresh ayre but that the fresh ayre should be brought vnto vs their lying or bedding was very hard few of them knew what feather-beds meant and assuredly their bodies would better indure it then ours as likewise for their lodging in campes or professing a strict and austere life as many religious men did and as they were more apt for their labours so were they more giuen to their pastimes their sports and their games then we are which I suppose did neither argue lightnesse in them nor any counterfeit grauitie in vs but the state of their bodies were such as did require them and the weaknenesse of our bodies is such as we dare not attempt them for according to the disposition of the body the minde is affected From the apparell let vs come to the foode now it should seeme is the ould age of the world which appeares by the pampering of our selues for take our ordinary foode it was neuer heretofore so delicat so daintie so tender as it is at this day the vsuall ould and accustomed food not agreeing with our weak stomackes we must haue warme and delicious brothes to comfort our decayed nature exquisite sauces to prouoke our appetite such purboyling such helpes and remedies of art to prepare our meates for digestion which assuredly do wel argue that the world is either dangerously sicke or come to her ould age that she should be inforced to vse or indeed can admit such a physicall diet For during the strength of nature while things were in their perfection a stronger foode did better be fit them did more agree with their bodies cookerie was then wholy vnknowne they could be content with the bare vse of the creatures without any further delicacy or preparation water did then serue for their drinke and they did feede much vpon hearbes milch-meates and course bread as the world grew elder so they did daily more more decline in the strength of their nature fasting and eating of fish in succeeding ages did not so well agree with the state of their bodies and therefore you shall finde euen in Church-discipline a greater conniuencie toleration and dispensation vpon any reasonable cause and we that are now falne in this last period of times we are now growne to that faintnesse that hot waters and strong drinkes were neuer so much vsed hot spices were neuer brought ouer in such plentie as may well appeare in the custome-house yea such is the continuall weaknesse of our stomackes that for remedy and helpe thereof this last age hath found out an Indian drug the vse of Tobacco which at all times vpoÌ„ all occasions to all complexions the full stomacke the emptie stomacke in any measure or quantitie taken must serue to cure the rawnesse of the stomack to extenuate and exhale the ill humors to help the vndigested foode but you will say that the vse or at least the immoderat vse of this hearbe proceeds from the wantonnesse of these times which truely I do easily confesse yet assuredly the temper and constitution of our bodies would neuer admit such a wantonnes were it not that it proceeds from the weaknesse of our nature for if wee should presume as far vpon hearbes in the extremity of coldnesse suppose the iuyce of Oranges or Limons which by the art and cunning of man might bee made euery way as delicious and delicate certainely wee should feele the smart of our owne follie The clothing and foode doe much betoken the soundnesse and constitution of our bodies yet I cannot content my selfe with them but I will descend to speake more immediately of our bodies it should seeme that death is not onely competent to euery person in particular but euen the whole world and all the seuerall kindes of creatures tend to confusion there is a great decay in euery species men come not to that strength nor to that growth nor to that ripenesse of wit nor to that fulnesse of yeeres which they did in former times the world hath his period and his determinate course of yeeres now is the olde age or decay of this world The growth and strength of men seeme to proceede from the same causes and
creatures of a different kinde and condition the diuell could not immediatly seduce his vnderstanding delude his senses stirre vp a commotion in his flesh for all things were sanctified herein his power was limited he could not vse the ministerie and helpe of the most noble and best creatures as being sunke to the bottome vnder the degree of all creatures Thus being destitute of all meanes which in probabilitie might well succeede hauing no right or interest to enter vpon mans body or to stirre vp in mans fancie the least tentation to sinne yet hee could not forbeare to tempt out of his enuie to man as being heire of that happinesse which at first did belong vnto him Out of the malice to God man bearing Gods image and God taking a speciall care and charge ouer man and therefore no marueile if he first makes triall of those baser wormes as it were giuing the first onset the first attempt vpon nature making the first breach or entrance into nature to see whether by their meanes and procuring he might stirre vp and kindle commotion Thus as if hee were newly crept out of hell here lately arriued and durst not appeare in sight but would dissemble his comming he makes choice of the Serpent claimes neighbourhood kindred acquaintance and familiaritie for both are the basest of all creatures and both together inhabit the bowels of the earth here they enter a league that if they could but cunningly seduce man and draw him within the compasse of high treason make him subiect to death by the breach of Gods law then they would begge his goods and his substance betweene them they would share all his estate the one should take his body the other his soule for a bootie Thus at length hee perswades the Serpent to be his Agent and factor desiring to inuert and ouerthrow the whole course of nature when the basest creature shall giue aduice and direction to the best in the highest point of religion and that the Serpent should deceiue the woman the woman her husband the feete must guide and direct the head notwithstanding Gods forewarning and threatning to the contrary That this spirit should thus talke by the Serpent doe you not conceiue how pipes and musicall instruments doe yeeld a iust and fit found being plaied vpon by the hands of a curious Artsman Doe not the wilde forrests and woods yeeld a proportioned eccho according to the last clause of the sentence Do not many birds speake perfectly and distinctly many words very sensible and significant being taught by the art and industrie of man and shall we ascribe no more to the subtiltie of Satan who being a spirit is apt to penetrate all bodies and well knowing the nature and vse of all instruments and parts can fitly begin the motion Now if any thing seemes strange in respect of our parents you must consider that as things were then newly created so their experience could not be great as their innocencie did keepe them from attempting euill so it kept them from the least suspition of euill the sin it selfe taking growth by degrees first the woman was tempted who happily might be ignorant of Gods commaund for the precept was not giuen vnto her This woman tempteth her husband alas what might you ascribe to the loue of a wife she was not of his owne choice but appointed by God for his helper and therefore marke his excuse Gen. 3. 12. The woman which thou gauest me gaue me the fruit he might haue supposed that both proceeded froÌ„ God whereas all other things were made onely for him and giuen onely to him so that he alone had the full possession of al this one fruite only excepted his wife now bringing and prouoking him to eate of this fruite hee might suppose it to bee part of his wiues portion that God had inlarged his commission that now being a couple the vse of this fruite was likewise permitted But I cannot excuse Adam for his wife was giuen as his helper and therefore the sinne is much greater that she should be a meanes to entice him in the breach of Gods law though man shall leaue his father and mother and cleaue to his wife yet of any man hate not his wife and children yea and his owne life also and come vnto God he shall not be accepted Luke 14. 26. and he that shall forsake wife or children or lands for his sake shall receiue an hundred-fold more and shall inherit euerlasting life Matth. 19. 29. Now for the speech of dumbe creatures let vs search what testimonies hereof wee shall finde among the Gentiles Plato reports in his Politico Seculo aurâ—â— regnante Saeturno homines cum bestijs sermocinaripotâ—isse here is the iudgement of an heathen man concerning the speech of dumbe beasts which certainly hath some relation to the speech of the Serpent in Paradise and hence all the fictions of Poets the metamorphosis and change of the creatures tooke their originall More especially for the Serpent let vs heare the testimonie of an heathen Pherâ—cides Sirus dixisse fâ—rtur daemones à Ioue deturbatos è caelo corumque principem cognaminatum esse Ophioneum id est Serpentiuum and S. Austin seemes to make this instance that Serpents are therfore insnared with inchantments because they did first deceiue with inchantments and herein seemes to be some proportion of iustice Thus reason and the experience of all ages doe teach vs that there are certaine ominous creatures which without all superstitious conceit though they are not the causes of euill yet do vndoubtedly presage and foretell vnfortunate euents can you then conceiue how these senselesse and dumbe creatures should haue such notions and phantasies as to giue some outward token were it not that they are guided and directed by some diuining and presaging spirit From the manner of his tentation I come to the sin the tasting of the forbidden fruite God gaue man the full possession of Paradise all other fruites were giuen for his foode onely one is excluded that it might serue for his soules food that man might be nourished and strengthened by the keeping of Gods holy lawes and Commandements If it seemes strange that God for so small an offence should condemne not onely the first man but the whole stocke and posteritie of man small indeede it may seeme in mans eyes but if you consider those many blessings which God had imparted to man the happinesse wherein hee was created the large measure of his knowledge insomuch that he could not easily be deluded the strict commaund of God only excluding this one fruite permitting the free vse of the rest these things well weighed will vndoubtedly lay open the sinne for the smalnes of the thing makes the greatnesse of the offence If you thinke that God in his person or in his attributes may any way be endamaged or suffer eclipse through mans sin ye deceiue your selues for the whole world is but a point
men suppose our naturall corruption The scope of 〈◊〉 third part The Serpent The punishment of the Serpent The Serpent creepes on the earth Herâ—eâ—dâ—ng on the earth How the dumbe creatures are punished The enmitie betweene Man and the Serpent A generall opposition betweene reason and sense Ominous creatures The Serpent assaulting Man Mins incounter with the Serpent The brazon Serpent The earth brings forth bryars and thornes Bryars seeme to be wholy vnprofitable Their production Nature seemes to be more carefull of thornes then of the best fruits The weeds of the earth argue the weeds of mans mind Of poysons How poysons should be generated or produced All countries do not bring forth poysons All poysons do not immediatly worke but after a certaine time The reason why poysons should so long conceale their conspiracie The punishment of nakednesse Mans clothing should proceed from his food as well as his nourishment Why some pars should be couered and not all Nature is heerin more beneficiall to other creatures then vnto man The inward and outward nakednesse The outward nakednesse of man The abuse of apparell The wantonnes and pride in apparell Euery man is a labourer Mans continuall labours both for the maintenance of his body and for the instructing of his mind Why should not the earth bring forth corne is well as other fruits No such difficulty in the production The progresse and degrees of mans labour Man is a druge to the dumbe creatures His pouerty notwithstanding his drudgery Mens continuall labours in husbandry and tillage Gods mercy and prouidence appeares in our labours All honest callings appointed by God Men must liue by their labours and not by their wits The great hurt and the shamefull abuse of inclosures A prophesie against our inclosures The disagreeing betweene man and wife The large extent of this punishment The branches cannot couple if the root be diuided Man is sometimes subiect to the tyrannie oppression of others Princes haue their authority from God The degrees of gouernment How strange it is that there should be enmity in marriage The motiues to preserue loue How vnnaturall is this enmity in marriage The allurement of beauty should assvvage man The wife is informed in her duty In the house there are seuerall duties belonging to the husband to the wife The fond iealousie of the husband The abuse of marriage may breed an ill disposition A bitter inuectiue against marriage after diuorse Man is accursed of God The limitation of this curse The causes of reprobation The guiâ—tines of crying sins Mans curse appeares in his reason and in his religion The strange different iudgements of men The different sects of Philosophers Petrus Ramus censured Second causes do not detract from the first agent There is a great difference between the birth of things their continuance Gods power doth wonderfully appeare in the continuance of the world Mans greatest curse in the point of his religion Mans greatest curse in the point of his religion The persecution of true Religion The cloakes and pretenses of Religion The Author makes a small digression The controuersies of Religion There are seeming controuersies which may be reconciled Gods prouidence and goodnesse appeares in these controuersies of religion Saint Peters calling and reprehension Persecutions of the Church Pretenses of religion how they should instruct vs. The generall deluge Losses sustained by the deluge The naturall meanes were not sufficient to cause a deluge The wonder was greater in the ceasing of the floud The wonders of God in euery element Proofes of the deluge from the resting of the Arke Reliques of the deluge in nature Trees Buildings Rocks Barrennesse The different mould The veines of the earth Marle-pits Cole-pits Mountaines are shelues vallies are the channels Proofes amongst the Iewes Testimonies of the Gentiles concerning the deluge Of the Rainebow The burning of Sodom and Gomorrha is an earnest of the last generall combustion Thunder and lightning tokens of the last combustion The author recalles himselfe The confusion of tongues How agreeable the punishmeÌ„t was to the offence The punishment is agreeable to mans condition The extent of this punishment The strangenes of this iudgement The strangenes appeaâ—es by way of comparison Meanes to retaine the same language The Monarchies and conquests The necessity of trading and commerce The vniformity of lawes and of religion The punishment appeares not only in the variety of tongues but likewise in the distraction A difficulty for a man to expresse his own thoughts A wise man can hardly be a good speaker The difficulty in learning tongues Defects in Grammar Periury and lying proceed from this confusion The very tongues doe sometimes obscure and hinder our knowledge Whether man should speake naturally Hebrew Whether we shall speake Hebrew after the last resurrection The inconueniences proceeding from this confusion of tongues Great controuersies about words Gods mercie in the vnion of these kingdomes of England and Scotland Ancient and straÌ„ge tongues adde lustre to Sciences Against translations That the title of Christ and Scripture should coÌ„tinue vnchangeable The gift of tongues The holie Ghost came in fierie tongues The Author here humbly craues pardon for all his errors He recals himselfe The punishment in womens conception and deliuery Other creatures are compared with maÌ„ in his birth How this punishment is to be vnderstood Naturall causes cannot demonstrate the paine The continuall danger and paine in conception Men-midwiues Men bearing their owne children Why God so punisheth the husband Why there are secret qualities which cannot be knowne The extent of Philosophy concerning her subiects Why the husband partakes in the wifes passions A defence of Philosophie The strange diseases of the wombe The diseases of the paps The French or Neapoliâ—an disease An aduice to women Womens longing An impression vpon the child in the wombe The skinne of a Serpent Obseruations in the birth of man Obseruations in the infancie of man The curiositie of women taxed The corruption of yong children How exceedingly children doe loue fruits The author iustifieth his method by lawe Mans death is compared with the death of dumbe beasts Mans death in respect of the elements Mans death in respect of the heauens and the Angels The soule receiues a kinde of perfection from the body The soulâ— builds the frame of our body The immortal soule is the cause of corruption How easily the soule may preserue life by a naturall course How the death of man is against the whole scope of nature in generall How death serues to instruct vs. Death is a very powerfull meanes to recall a sinner Death â—ights in defence of religion The Christian man desires death as the meane of his happinesse Death is the sacrifice of our selues Death is our comfort in all our worldly miseriâ—s Death giues the Chrisâ—â—aâ— man an excellent resolutioÌ„ The first and second death The fearefull circumstances of the last iudgement How wee should preuent Gods wrath What effects the