negation but a priuation is when a thing is capable to be and ought to be but is not Therefore priuation being numbred among the principles supposeth that all things should haue been and should haue much sooner attained the height of their perfection and not so leisurely haue proceeded by degrees as now they do were it not that some curse had altered the course of nature whereby that which formerly was onely a bare negation should now be conceiued to be a naturall priuation From the huge Continent of nature let vs draw neerer home and discouer the vnknowne region of the reasonable soule alas how few sparkes of reason doe appeare in this reasonable soule The Philosophers thinke it to be a table-booke wherein nothing is written and looking more narrowly they finde indeede some blinde characters certaine obscure darke hidden secret notions which are the principles of al our knowledge As for example Contradictoria non possunt esse simul vera Omne totum est mains sua parte and such like palpable verities which in my iudgement seeme rather to belong to the cognizance of common sense then of the reasonable soule And hence it is that there is much more difficultie in adorning the inward minde and couering the nakednesse of the soule then in the outward members and shame of the body Thus at length all Arts and Sciences in generall seeme to suppose this for their ground-worke and foundation that in regard of mans fall and his ignorance contracted by his fall therefore necessitie inforced the occasion of their births and beginnings And hence it is that those long courses of studie those night-watchings and great labours in the Vniuersities are only vndertaken to supply natures defects We haue no naturall voyce no naturall tongue wee cannot speake to the vnderstanding of each other but Grammar must direct vs and teach vs construction our soule though reasonable and discoursiue yet wants she the helpe of Logicke to ranke things in their seuerall order to knit them together in a proposition thence to draw the inference or conclusion Man as if he were a sauage and wilde creature cannot speake pleasingly with a smooth phrase and gracious deliuerie as is befitting the sociable nature of man without the helpe and vse of Rhetoricke Mathematickes must teach him how God hath framed his works in number in weight and in measure the consideration whereof seemes to haue been the principall intent and scope of our creation The Metaphysicks will attempt to discourse of first mouers intelligences and separated soules yet in truth and veritie they doe but onely point at them and so leaue them with a Supersedeas acknowledging natures infirmitie and that the due cognizance of them doth not properly belong to that Court And whereas God hath giuen all things for our vse and seruice certainly it stood with the same wisedome and goodnesse of God to discouer and lay open the vse let vs not conceiue God like an vnwise and negligent father who left indeed behinde him great quantitie of treasure but so buried and concealed that it neuer turned to the profit of his heire to giue an vnknowne iewell though it be a sufficient argument of bountie yet it seemes to detract from the wisedome of the giuer Suppose an Apothecaries shop were furnisht with exquisite drugges yet if the boxes want names for direction or there want a Physitian to prescribe the medicine it is to be feared that in such a confusion poison should be taken for cordials The principall proprietie and substance of euery thing consists in the vse without due knowledge of the thing there can bee no vse and therefore it stood with the same diuine wisedome as to giue the creatures outwardly to supply our necessitie and delight so inwardly in the minde to imprint a due knowledge how man should vse and dispose them Euery other facultie hath this knowledge and instinct toward his obiect the eye easily conceiueth all colours and in a moment without further aduice iudgeth of them by their outward appearance all other creatures know what is profitable to themselues only the reasonable man is the foole he is defectiue and therefore must intend a long course of Philosophy to supplie his owne wants Howsoeuer I doe commend naturall Philosophie aboue all other humane Arts and Sciences yet I haue often wondred that after so long a time of studie sixe thousand yeeres experience for so long the world hath continued that there should bee such imperfection such want of knowledge such contrarietie of opinions in such a noble and most excellent Science But if wee shut our eyes not looking to other creatures but returning to our selues wee shall finde farre greater cause to complaine lament the soule though otherwise an vnderstanding nature yet she knowes not her selfe but by reflection she knowes not her owne beginning nor her faculties and actions nor the extent and bounds of her essence Blessed God were it not sufficient that all other creatures should bee vnknowne but that the soule must bee couered and concealed from her selfe Herein appeares an admirable guile and subtiltie which well argues the high wisedome and iustice of God for as the first sinne was the immoderate and presumptuous desire of knowledge eritis sicut dij scientes bonum malum so God in reuenge of this sinne contraria curans contrarijs punisheth man with the heauie yoake of ignorance yea of the ignorance of himselfe which herein seemes to bee more intolerable considering that man still retaines as the same corrupt nature so the same immoderate desire of knowledge Let the naturalist here confesse that since God hath herein been more mercifull to other creatures then vnto man therefore this hath befallen man since the first institution of his nature as a punishment for some offence and since euery facultie hath reference and some knowledge of his obiect vndoubtedly our blindnesse and ignorance is a particular case contrarie to the generall current and course of nature and nature will not varie her course without great and iust occasion the beleeuing man will easilie acknowledge this considering that Adam before his fall was able to giue a name to euery creature answerable to his propertie and the vnbeleeuing man by the light of his owne reason shall be inforced to the same confession Giue me yet leaue to insist in one thing Nature hath made man aboue all other creatures the most sociable as appeares in that man cannot subsist without a common-wealth without lawes without gouernment and the like and yet in this one poynt of association you shall finde man aboue all other creatures the most vntractable hence it is that hee must frame and square out his life by art morall Philosophie must guide and direct him for if yee looke into the soule ye shall onely finde one generall and obscure principle which is this in effect quod tibi non vis fieri alterine
couenant made with vs hath so happilie contriued that the meanes for our perpetuall peace might be for euer continued that Nation which heretofore hath been at our backs to pursue vs now stand like sure friends to backe and to ayde vs. For our most noble Prince Charles considering that the continuance of our happinesse depends vpon his hope and expectation I will forbeare to speake onely thus much I may say that being descended from such noble Progenitors as he partakes their nature so their vertues carrying a name which hath beene most fortunate to the Christian world his naturall disposition and education being such as seemes to promise the enlarging of our happinesse My prayers shall be that of this fruite wee may receiue fruite and that from his loâ—nes these kingdomes may bee for euer established and knit together as long as the Sunne and the Moone shall endure To returne to your Maiestie to whom I doe owe my particular seruice howsoeuer your Maiestie is no way desirous to heare your owne due praise and commendation chusing rather to practise then publish your vertues yet I can doe no lesse then acknowledge with great ioyfulnesse of minde with great thankefulnesse to God the many blessings wherewith it hath pleased God to adorne your Maiestie For what can bee required in a Princesse which God hath noâ— most plentifullie and in a full measure imparted to your Maiestie so royallie and noblie descended so religious and deuoute in Gods seruice hauing such excellent gifts of nature for your wisdome and vnderstanding and being euery way and in euery kinde most vertuous in your selfe your Maiestie did neuer fauour any but those that were trulie vertuous and alwaies haue fauoured those most who were indeede most vertuous in so much that being most free from all affectation of popularitie which sometimes proceedes not from the best grounds yet your Maiestie hath alwaies been most highly honoured as generallie of all so especiallie of those who are truely vertuous for your bountie charitie and magnificeÌ„ce which appeare as to all vpoÌ„ occasions so more particularlie in helping relieuing giuing large and yeerely pensions to the seruants of the late most noble Prince Henry for your iustice equitie c. not any Princesse in the world did euer loue iustice more truely and entirely then your Maiestie doth taking onelie the protection of iust causes insomuch that whereas many thousands are bound dailie to pray for your Maiestie yet I may boldlie speake it that the corruption of mans minde could neuer frame vnto it selfe the lest seeming or supposed occasion of complaint or grieuance These blessings being such and so great I could doe no lesse then remember them to Gods glorie your Maiesties honour and to our great comfort beseeching God to continue them daily to inlarge them and to make vs thankefull for them and here I doe most humblie desire your Maiestie to pardon my boldnesse in presenting these my vnworthie labours and together with them my selfe and all my endeuours to your most gracious seruice and protection most earnestly beseeching your Maiestie to accept of them though I doe truely and from my heart acknowledge that they are all most vnworthie of your acceptation yet in recompence thereof I will humbly beseech God in my dailie prayers to blesse and preserue the Kings Highnesse your Maiestie our noble Prince Charles the Prince and Princesse Palatine with their issue together with that most royall stocke and familie from whence your Maiestie is descended that God in his mercie would giue vnto you all the blessings of nature abundantlie the present earnest of his grace and the future possession of his glory Your Maiesties most humble seruant and Chaplaine Godfrey Goodman To the Reader CHristian Reader there is nothing which I can so fitly recommend to thy dailie and continuall thoughts as is the meditation of Gods eternall prouidence how God many infinite ages before the foundations of the earth were laid hath so ordained the course of this world that according to his owne iust appointment all things might succeed and fall out in their due times and seasons either for the manifestation of his 〈◊〉 or iustice and this prouidence not including aâ—one the great necessary and naturall causes for the preseruation of this vniuerse suppose the motion and course of the heauens the preseruation of elements and the â—ike but also to comprehend the voluntarie and free actions of man so that God working in man works according to the condition of mans nature the freedom of mans will subsisting with the ouer-ruling hand of Gods prouideÌ„ce for thus the causes are subordinated and God working in nature doth no way destroy his owne workes and that excellent order which he himselfe hath appointed from the beginning This prouidence doth not onely extend it selfe to the great and most noble actions of man suppose the gouernment of kingdoms Empires and whatsoeuer else may concerne the life and saluation of man but it descends much lower and as it coÌ„prehends the care and protection of dumbe beasts so it stoopes euen to the meanest and basest action of man as the falling downe of his haire c. for wheresoeuer God begins the action and makes a creature of nothing there the same God with his preuenting and subsequent prouidence must continue his own worke for if it be left to it self it will againe returne vnto nothing For euery man daily to consider how God hath dealt with him in his prouidence I suppose it is a most Christian and godly meditation free from all superstitious vanitie such as I doe greatly recommend to thy practise such as I my selfe sinfull and wretched man that I am haue coÌ„tinually found in the whoâ—e course of my life what neither blind fortune nor the trickes and subtilties of wit nor the power and strength of man could euer haue compassed I haue found that God in his prouidence hath freely wrought and effected To let passe all other things which are proper and priuate to my selfe if thou pleasest to peruse this homâ—ly Pamphlet I thinke it not vnfit to acquaint thee with this one accident When first I made choice of my text I had thought to haue finished it within the compasse of one houre and hauing waded into it supposing it to be a subiect which did well deserue my labours God did so dispose of it that this whole treatise doth onely containe the first part or branch of the text Secondly hauing gathered some obscure and straggling notes for mine owne priuate vse wheâ—â—as I may boldly say that no man did euer more abhorre the Presse then my selfe solemnly protesting that I would sooner bee rackt or prest to death for silence rather theÌ„ any wâ—rds of mine should once hinder the Presse wishing from my heart that there might be some generall vacation that new bookes might for a time cease that wee might finde at length some leisure to peruse reuiew and reprint the old Fathers not contenting our selues
vnkind ghest it will inhabit the bare walles rather then it will be excluded the dumbe creatures the dogs and the mice shall serue to scatter it especially fruite shall nourish it for it was the forbidden fruite which gaue it the first entrance and occasion Marueile not how mans sinne like an hereditarie disease should bee together propagated with his seede when the breath of his nostrils may thus worke vpon thousands at once vpon the strongest and ablest bodies to their vtter dissolution and ruine But plagues are rare and seldome befall vs they sollow either the opening of the earth when a poysonous and putrified breath inclosed in the bowels of the earth doth finde out some vent and infects the plants and the fruites or else they are caused by some strange coniunction or opposition of starres For I will not dispute of Gods immediate and extraordinary actions these I will passe ouer with silence and reuerence trembling at his iudgements but sure I am that God is the God of nature and hee can vse naturall meanes for the punishment of mans sinne thus plagues are sometimes foreseene and foretold But to come to those infections which are vsuall and ordinary how many places are there where Physitians forbid our habitation the hundreds of Essex Rumney in Kent the Fennes of Ely the Marshes of Lincolne the Woulds in the North the Moores in the South the Downes in the West These are all vnhabitable places and cannot agree with mans health as if God had not giuen the whole earth for mans vse They are wealthie I confesse if they were healthie the soile is rich and fat it agrees with the nature of all other creatures makes them plumbe and in good liking man only excepted Let vs leaue those noysome and pestilent countries and come we to the pleasant and healthfull foyle Take this one Citie which certainly is seated as well for health being a sandie drie ground and as conuenient for marchandise in regard of this kingdome as any Citie is or can be in the world yet in regard of commers their close buildings the societies of men for want of fresh ayre sometimes for the noysome trades sometimes for the ditches and vaults how many streetes alleyes lanes are made inhabitable All the Whaâ—ffes of London Stepney and S. Ptooleys will testifie as much in effect Marueile not that the Gentrie make choice of the Suburbs and begin to build in the fields they are wise in their owne generation they desire the prouision and conueniencie of the Citie but the ayre and the breath of the Countrey Me thinkes I am like the Doue which flew out of Noas Atke for hauing been tossed with the waters hauing scorched my wings with the fire not able long to subsist or to houer in the pestilent aire I must search for some resting place here vpon earth our mother earth For wee are made of the earth we are nourisht by the earth and wee shall be dissolued to the earth and yet notwithstanding this earth sometimes for want of other fruites will affoord vs the fruites of a famine as leannesse feeblenesse palenesse wannesse c. In the famine of the creatures wee share with them but they no way partake with vs their sorrow makes for our sorrow for they are directed to our vse but whatsoeuer griefe or want is ours is properly our owne and no way concernes them If God punish the earth with a great drought as it causeth a barrennesse in nature so it argues the barrennesse of our nature in respect of good workes And as the earth opens and gapes for raine so mans guts and bowels like Horsleaches shall suck and not be satisfied for want of due nourishment then the dumbe creatures want sustenance and foode which they testifie with their cries and their groanes And the time shall succeede when man shall finde a want of the creatures and notwithstanding his cryes and complaints though hee could neuer be perswaded to a religious fast yet at length maugre his appetite and riotous disposition hee shall be inforced to an abstinence The creatures vndoubtedly are not so subiect to famine as is man some of them cause a dearth amongst vs when God giues the labours of our hands the fruits of the earth to bee deuoured of the Grashopper and Catterpiller as much better deseruing them then wee wretched sinful men to others as it appeares in the Ant God hath giuen a greater forecast prouidence to make her prouision in due season out of our plentie then man hath or can haue notwithstanding his reasonable soule Some creatures there are which feed vpon the bare elements or other common foode and haue alwaies a like plentie Beares being hungrie will eate earth and stones vntill conuenient time serue to replenish themselues with better foode the Eastridge will deuoure Iron and therefore she lends her feathers to the Campe for their beautie and ornament as being the excrement of their weapons Sometimes the clawes of beasts yeelds nourishment to the stomacke vntill the stomack againe returne it with great thankfulnes thorough the liuer by the veynes to the parts froÌ„ whence it was borrowed As in nature there seemes a kind of circular conuersion the fruites of the earth doe fatten beasts and the dung of beasts doth fructifie the earth and thus it befalles some of them in case of necessitie Creatures there are which sleepe all winter and are committed to the safe custodie and protection of nature returning with the Sunnes returne and freed from the sorrow partake onely in the ioy of his presence Others following as it should seeme the course and direction of the heauens doe alter and change their climate and affoording vs their companie onely in the plentifull times they neuer share in our wants Many of theÌ„ in the hardest times seeme to be in the best plight the white frost fattens the birds and the Rabbets while poore man creepes to the fire and complaines of the weather To conclude if any one of them smart and be pined in their foode it is man that shall taste of that iudgement who feeds on their flesh their punishment lights vpon vs and ours no way concernes them any one of them will serue for our smart the rot of sheepe the murraine of beasts the tainting of fishes and here is our vnhappie condition Leauing the elements let vs come to our bodies consisting of elements Why should man be more subiect to diseases then all other creatures Not any part of man without seuerall and special diseases not any moment of his age wherein sicknesses and infirmities doe not watch and attend their opportunitie arising from the very constitution of his body the small poxe the measles creepe in his cradle the wormes the scabbes and the botches attend him to schoole in his youth hot agues and plurisies like burning seas with their ebbings and flowings going and returning according to their fits their seasons to the
Notwithstanding that God is euery where yet for feare of annoyance which might redound vnto vs from the creatures wee are admonished to worship God aboue the sphere of the creatures our Church men and Priests as being a whole burnt offering consecrated to God are separated from the secular condition of men And in confessing our sinnes lest there should be some kind of delight in the remembrance of some sinne we are therefore enioyned a silence though otherwise confession seemes to bee necessarie to repentance To conclude the truth of our misery shall speak and discouer it selfe with our cries our grones and complaints and the vanity of al our worldly pleasures herein appeares when wee purpose to bee most merrie and iouiall then must wee lay aside our owne persons and grauity we must alter and change our owne shapes to make our selues capable of pleasures and delights Wee vse masking mumming enterludes Playes some strange and anticke daunces all which I commend as being honest harmelesse and lawfull sports though otherwise it may appeare that vsing these shewes wee haue but the shewe of true ioy and are very miserable and wretched in our selues that are inforced thus to transforme our selues to find out some pleasures Againe suppose that a mans whole life were spent in a continued shewe suppose that man wanted neither foode nor raiment and perswaded himselfe that hee were none of the ordinary sort of men none of the common ranke and condition but some great honourable Peere some grand-child descended from the great Oneale that Princes and Ladies haue died with their modesty for loue of him that all men doe either admire or enuie his vertues that with his wisedome he is able to settle and establish the gouernment of kingdomes I would gladly know what difference there were betweene this counterfeit and a true Peere All honour consists onely in reputation and esteeme and hath little ground-worke in nature the one is as confident of his honour as the other and both alike are perswaded animus cuiusque est quisque it is the mind which according to her owne apprehension giues al the contentment Now where is the difference There is as much I confesse as there is betweene errour and truth but all consists in the imagination and were there not some difficultie in a man thus to perswade and to flatter himselfe it were an excellent kind of delusion Thus truly acknowledging our miseries we are likewise enforced to confesse the rewards of our sinne and the fruits of Gods iustice yet calling to mind the mercies of God which ouerflow all his workes miserationes domini super omnia opera eius in this our wauering and slipperie state being fallen into the depth of sinne wee erect and lift vp a pillar of faith and hope which laying hold and apprehending the mercies of God doth assure our owne soules that there is a better world to succeed where true happinesse and a crowne of glory is reserued for Gods Saints And therefore these worldly pleasures being but shadowes and all our delight consisting onely in the fansie should not withhold vs in the pursuite of that true happinesse Herein I doe magnifie and acknowledge the goodnes and prouidence of God that as man in his condition is rather spirituall then carnall for his minde according to right reason should gouerne his flesh and as the last end of man the happinesse whereunto man is ordained and directed is wholly spirituall as is the knowledge the loue and the vniting with the Godhead so lest man should proue too much a slaue to his sense and his carcasse it hath pleased God still to permit that all mans delights and pleasures should reside in the fansie which is but onely a shadow of our true vnderstanding rather then any earthly ioy or contentment should truly and really possesse vs. And that you might not conceiue that this is my priuate opinion I will therfore in one word take a view what the Gentiles the Iewes and the Christians haue thought of this truth and what effects the meditation here of hath wrought vpon thē You shall then obserue that the consideration of mans present state condition moued the ancient Heathen Philosophers to take whole nature and to set it in a limbecke so to distill it wherein they found by the force of fire the vnresistable power of reason that all nature did either euaporate to a fume or a smoake which indeed is the vanity of the creatures or else did settle downe as the grosse and earthly part in the bottome and this is the misery of the creatures from hence proceeded two seuerall sects of Philosophers of different and contrary dispositions the one laughing at the vanity the other weeping at the miserie and both of them esteemed very wise in their owne generation But when the naturall light of reason is left to it selfe it is but a kinde of darkenesse for nature is partiall to her selfe and out of her owne loue to her selfe cannot wholly condemne herselfe I will therefore come to the Iewes whose eyes were better enlightened with Gods Law though they had but shadowes of mysteries and only types and figures of a true sacrifice yet were they sufficiently instructed how to condemne nature and they proceeded further then the Heathen Philosophers drawing nature to a greater height and making some better extraction and therefore they doe not content themselues with vanities but they acknowledge that there is a vanity of vanities when man doth please himselfe with his owne vanities So likewise there is not only misery vexation but vexation of spirit when man considers that these miseries heere vpon earth are the fore-runners of Gods heauie iudgements to come and therfore Salomon their great wise and potent King concludes I viewed mine owne workes to take some contentment in mine owne actions yet I found none but all was vanity of vanities and vexation of mind I am a Christian man and therein I doe humbly hartily and daily thanke God who of his mercy hath called me to this state of saluation And heere I doe constantly affirme that there is no ioy or comfort to man vnlesse it be to the Christian man whose God appeared in basenesse and misery And therefore for example and imitatton of that miserable God being all parts and members vnder such a mysticall head that there might be a conformity between the head the members ne sit membrum delicatum sub capite spinoso hee desires the like miseries and would willingly and readily imbrace the same passions as being the holy reliques of his God and in the course of his miserie acknowledgeth a diuine prouidence Gods holy hand correction and permission He is well assured that hee is the miserable man who offers wrong and iniustice to his innocent brother who hath iust cause to reioyce if he suffers the greatest misery vndeseruedly and considering that all miseries are tending and ending in death desiring
must appeare vpon the same kinde Gen. â— â— 16. Sub viripâ—test â—teeris vir 〈◊〉 tui Thou shalt be vnder the power of thy husband and he shall beare rule ouer thee It stood with the iustice of God that the woman first entising and abusing her husband should now incurre a 〈◊〉 and be made a captiâ—e to the will of her great Lord and master her husband I know not whether I should cal this iâ—st decree of God either a curse or a blessing sure I am that God did neuer so we any feedes of diâ—â—eâ—tion betweene those whom hee himselfe hath coâ—pled together and made one flesh rather I conceiue that God supposing mans corruption doth heere prescribe a remedie and meanes to reconcile this married couple appointing a dictator for the time being making choice of him that should beare an absolute rule but alas what needes a gouernment and rule if their hearts were vnited and made one as their flesh is coupled and made one giue me therefore leaue to reckon this as a speciall punishment of mans fall the 〈◊〉 and dissenâ—ing in marriage To shewe the large eâ—tent of this punishment heere I conceaue that all those things which by natures first erection and institution were linckt and coupled together doe now admit a separation through their owne enmitie that therein might appeare the iustice of God combining themselâ—es together against him now they fall aâ— variance among themselues for thus it is the property of all euils and of all sinnes that they doe not only oppose themselues against vertues but likewise mâ—ligne each other 〈…〉 creatures which prey as well vpon their owne kinde as vpon others yea they do admit the greatest contrariety betweene themselues for the extreames are more opposite to each other then to the meane Now supposing the enmitie God in his wisdome and goodnes prescribes a subiection that the iustice of gouernment might preserue that which otherwise would fall to confusion first it appeares in the parts of man the soule and the body in regard the sinne was a carnall sinne and that man was thereunto allured by his senses â—rat pomâ—m visu 〈◊〉 gustu delectabile therefore is the flesh tightly and lawfully subiected to the spirit though heerein especially as in all other gouernments you shall not faile to finde opposition and in the flesh it selfe the â—ame flesh only cut in two parts wil disagree with it selfe therfore there must be some gouernment appointed for the wife must submit her selfe to her husband How would ye expect â—hat breâ—hren like branches of one tree should be bound vp together when man and wife are separated and the stockes cannot agree that kindred should be together fastned in loue when the roote is diuided or generally how should we expect that in whole mankind there should be a firme league of amity when the first pareâ—ts do thus nourish and harbour enmity betweene themselues parâ—us error iâ— initio â—rit maximus in fine he that shall goe a-stray in the beginning shall greatly wander and with much difficulty arriue to the end of his iourney From this enmity between man and man when as all things were distracted when wisdome was separated from power and strength was seuered from charity considering that disorder is more perillous then bondage and confusion more detested then slauery that order might keepe all things within their owne bounds there did appeare a necessity of gouernment and gouernment inforceth a subiection and thraldome thus the punishment is not onely to be tyed to the sex for it is a rule in law partus sequitur ventrem if our mothers be in bondage we appearing in their wombes must likewise acknowledge our iust imprisonment But it doth generally comprehend whole mankind that in regard homo homini lupus one man is a wolfe to another the strongest oppressing the weakest some imposing a slauery vpon others and there is a generation of men which feed vpon nothing but mans flesh therefore with one ioynt and common consent we must submit our selues to a gouernment which gouernment if it containe it selfe within his own iust limits and boundes it is the greatest and most soueraigne blessing which can happen to man heere in this life But for mans sinne he must likewise be subiect to the tyrannie of others seeking protection hee fals into the den of a Lyon into the hands of a tyrant who delights in cruelty and hath his rewards appointed for all such as shall inuent new torments with roaring Buls fierce Tygers deuouring Beares and whatsoeuer else either fire or sword can execute and yet we must patiently endure this tyrannie rather then admit a disorder and confusion howsoeuer in particular those lawes which tend to bondage and captiuitie shall haue all possible fauourable construction yet when as the necessity of gouernment and the well-fare of man shal inforce a subiection needes we must bring all men vnder some yoake and inforce an obedience for the dissolute riot of one is rather to be admitted then the disorder of many the cruelty of one must be suffered rather then all should be bloudy when in regard of mans corruption we cannot auoyd all inconuenience then reason will admit and tolerat the least Heere appeares the necessity together with the first originall of gouernment when as betweene man and wife there must be a superiour a magistrate a gouernour heere appeares the excellency the sacred and inuiolable maiesty of gouernment and that especially of a Monarchy notwithstanding that Princes bee of the same kinde subsisting of the same flesh and bloud with others yet ought their power to be respected though sometimes for gifts and good qualities they may be inferiour to others for thus between man wife though she be made of the ribs and euery way equall as touching her condition but for her beauty and comlinesse far excelling man yet in gouernment she is inferiour and subiect to man Subiection must keepe vs from slauery thinke not thy life base or a thraldome when as marriage which certainly is a very honorable estate must admit a subiection and as the wife doth fiâ—st willingly vndertake that state and vndergoe the yoake of her husband their being such a permission or rather iniunction from God it lies not in her power afterward to make the breach of her wedlocke so certainly subiects at first either inforced by conquest or vohâ—ntarily of theÌ„selues submitting themselues to their Princes and now it lies not in their power to reuolt for who should take knowledge of causes depending between a Prince and his subiects And heere obserue the degrees and proceedings of gouernment the foundations whereof were laid in marriage but an one after it brake forth to paternitie which containes in it selfe the greatest and most vndoubted right of nature bringing children into the world he might safely conduct them taking charge of their infancy he might direct them in their age this gouernment
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
The second vse of reason is according to the nature of the reasonable soule which is spiritual to raise man from the visible creatures to the inuisible Deity here I cannot but be waile the great curse which hath befalne man for some there are who in their studiâ—s of naturall Philosophy haue had strange flashes of infidelity considering in the Meteors the causes of earthquakes thunders lightnings whirl-winds tempests and the like together with the symptomes signes and fore-runners they begin to doubt of Gods prouidence whether these things befall vs as iudgements or as naturall effects and how powerfull our prayers are for the hindering or hastning of such euents as if the second causes could subsist without their first mouers that parents could ingender without the concurrence of the Sunne Deus in sole te illuminat in igne te calefacit thou takest the free vse of Gods creatures but it is the power of God in the creatures and by the creatures that feeds thee the naturall causes doe not exclude Gods action but rather include it who hath so ordained nature to worke his owne purpose the prognosticall and vndoubted signes doe argue a far greater prouidence of God who before the creation of the world could so dispose of nature as that in his due time hee might worke his owne ends thou seest these signes and behouldest his iudgements a far of if thou shouldest pray thou wouldest thinke it a vaine thing and heere is thy error though God workes by nature and hath in some sort tied himselfe not to make any new creature yet God hath not so bound himselfe to worke only by nature but that sometimes he will interpose his own extraordinary power which is a prerogatiue inseparable from the deity otherwise there should be a far greater certainty in the whole course of naturall and iudiciall Astrology But suppose that man knew Gods full resolution and determinat will yet are not the prayers of the faithfull vneffectuall for we are to pray for the fulfilling of that will fiat volâ—â—t as tua and the reason is giuen by the diuines vt nos possimus capere quod ille praeparat dare that wee may not be found most vnworthy of those blessings which hee himselfe intends freely to bestow if with my prayers I could not preuent his iudgements yet my prayers would alter the nature of those iudgements from iudgements to be fatherly corrections and chastisements and would likewise inable vs with patience and humility to beare our burthen to stay his leisure and to expect our happie deliuerance Others considering the little change and alteration of this world doubt of Gods prouidence and his act of creation whether this world had any beginning but how vnfit are they to iudge of the creation according to the present condition of things in the same state wherein they now stand for all their knowledge is borrowed from the course of nature and not from the birth of nature as if they should consider the riuer Nilus the streame the bankes the â—bbing the flowing yet in regard of the large circuit passing thorough many Prouinces and nations they should neuer be able to search out the spring or the fountaine but doth not reason informe them that there must be a different condition between the beginning of things and their continuance their preseruation nourishment and growth Man is not now daily fed as hee was at first in the wombe there is not the like vse of the nauill which at this time seemes to be almost needles and vnprofitable and serues only to fasten the liuer and bowels there is a great difference between the hatching of egs and the keeping of chickens least man should presume to iudge of the creation by the preseruation of nature therfore hath God taught in euery the least creature a great disparity between both Surely to a right iudgement Gods prouidence and actions doe more manifestly appeare by the little and small alteration in nature for I would gladly aske if a clocke or instrument of iron were made which should daily want mending would ye commend the worke-man but suppose this clocke should continue for â—any yeeres perfect and sound without reparation then certainly the work-man should haue his due praise commendation so is it in the frame of this world which hath now continued for many thousand yeeres without alteration and change and therefore therein Gods prouidence power and protection doth more eminently appeare then if God should daily creat new formes of creatures and should alter and change the present condition and state of this world which he himselfe in his great wisdome hath already contriued supporting and preseruing it by the same power wherewith he created it For otherwise creatures should bee dissolued the earth should haue no stable foundation amidst the ayre and the waters the whole world should reele and tumble in the wast desarts of an infinit vacuum and as nature was made of nothing so it should haue a power to returne againe to the same nothing as being the first matrix or proper place whereunto of it selfe being left to it selfe it is naturally inclined for it is a worke of as great difficulty and of as high excellency to preserue as at first to create non minor est virtus quà m quaerere parta tueri to establish and continue the gouernment is a worke of no lesse glory then at first to obtaine the conquest But alas woe is me that euer I was borne I could heartily wish that my tongue did cleaâ—e to the roofe of my mouth so that I had not iust occasion to make my complaint in this sort for now I will speake of a curse which hath befallen man in the point of his religion a curse of al other curses the greatest that religion which is the sole comfort and solace of man which erects our hopes and in the middest of misery giues vs true ioy of heart and peace of conscience religion I say which proclaimes a new heauen and a new earth consisting only of happines where Princes shall be without subiects and the greatâ—esse of the one shall not inforce a necessity or relation in the other where all shall bee great and all shall bee called the sonnes of the highest Religion religion I say through the diuersity of sects of schismes and of heresies proceeding from the malignitie and curse of mans nature and from that first father of enmity qui super seminauit zizania who will not feare to approch euen to the highest pinnacles of the temple that religion I say should now at length disquiet mens thoughts molest their mindes and almost distract them in so much that they know not which way to take but stand very doubtfull euen in the necessary points of their saluation Christ is become a stumbling blocke the truth of religion by the corruption of our nature giuing occasion to the falshood of religion as in ancient times the
deliuered without paine or sorrow they haue foorthwith strength to make their owne prouision for themselues for their brood yea their courage seems much to be increased that vpon any slight occasion they are so ready to fight in defence of their yong ones Will you see their ioy immediatly vpon their deliuerie hearke hearke the pratling gossip the cackling henne as soone as an egge is laid though at all other times she seemes to be mute yet now she sings and disquiets the whole house either to boast of the fruitfulnes of her wombe or to discouer her hidden treasure lest the goodwife should thinke her barley and corne ill spent behold a free oblation and profit to recompence the losse or to be a president and example to vs to teach women their manner in Churching which ought to be with a song of ioy and thankfulnes to God for the fruits of their wombe and for their happy deliuery If some other creatures seeme to labour in the birth then acknowledge that for mans sinne the whole earth was accursed and the dumbe creatures groane vnder the burthen of our sinne and therfore no maruaile if sometimes they share with vs in the punishment for thence we conclude the great offence the malignitie and infection of sinne but I speake vt plurimum for the most part it fals out among them not in one of a hundred but in mans kinde it doth most eminently appeare and therefore acknowledge vs to be the principals and them only as the accessaries in sinne Againe if some women be of that strong constitution so made and fashioned by nature so helpt and furthered by art that they are easily deliuered yet still are they deliuered with some paine and I speake vt plurimum for the most part generally in the whole kind you shall obserue it a punishment if some do better escape then others it is Gods mercy to them not one of a hundred but suffers a great torment more or lesse griefe alters not the truth of Gods iudgements when sorrow it selfe was the punishmeÌ„t As likewise in that other punishment of death some die without paine as many in their ould age when their body is not so sensible the least stopping of their breath puts out their candle whereas the yong man sicke of the stone or the pluriâ—ie dies in great tortures for heere the paines and torments of death were not the punishment but death it selfe so likewise in child-bearing more or lesse sorrow was not appointed the measure of sorrow was not prescribed but sorrow in generall here was the punishment though Scripture and all ancient writers do number it amongst the greatest torments sometimes indeed Gods iustice is allayed with his mercy and his wisdome permits the workes of nature to passe vncontrolable that so it might appeare that our sorrowes and infirmities proceed not from the necessity of our nature but from the incident malignity of our sinne Reasons I know there are alleaged in Physicke and Philosophy for this great paine in the birth and generation of man suppose it did proceed from natural causes yet would it then argue a great corruption of nature that should thus ordaine the beginning of man with the great sorrow and griefe of his mother as if man were of a viperous kinde and brood gnawing the bowels that first hatched and conceaued him but I do assure you that if you shall well weigh all those causes which seeme to produce the torments you shall find them very much defectiue and such as cannot giue you any satisfaction but herein I must be sparing in regard of my profession and speaking in a common and vulgar tongue these are secrecies proper to woman yet I may boldly say it that nature heerein seemes to outstrip her selfe and to torment the poore woman beyond all natural causes For the trees in producing their fruit seeme then to be most beautifull and do yeerely afford it all the beasts of the field do the like in the time of their greatest growth and best perfection only the the woman notwithstanding her strength and ablenesse of body it will not excuse her notwithstanding her good complection and sound constitution it will not auaile her for she is only subiect to sorrow Sorrow I say for there is no sorrow comparable to the sorrow of a woman in the time of her trauaile from their first quickning or conception you shall obserue them with pale lookes heauy eyes apt to faint vpon euery occasion they are a burthen to themselues their stomackes faile them and the night giues them no rest all the deuouring and rauenous wilde beasts are aptest to seaze vpon them the least knocke or blowe the least ill sauour or bad sight the least sorrow conceiued in the fansie is able to indanger all to hazard the life both of the mother and of the childe in her wombe Not to speake of the naturall greife arising from natural causes sometimes nature seemes with too much expedition to hasten her woe and then ye haue an vntimely brood as if Autum should fall out in the spring sometimes the wombe proues likewise the tombe and the place of conception serues for his buriall after seauen or nine moneths expectation behold hee comes carrying the forme of a slaine and a murthred man and so he presents himselfe to his sad mother to comfort her heauie heart being once thus deliuered the danger is not past but she must be attended on with safe keeping and good diet and thousands daylie miscarry when in mans expectation they seeme to haue ouerpassed al danger of child-birth But heere I will acquaint you with a strange point of crueltie men must become wiues men among wiues men-midwiues I meane who with the strength of their limbes and in the hardnesse of their hearts must execute that which the weaker sex compassionat women durst neuer attempt pittie it were that there should be such a profession of men were it not that necessity inforceth it before I can speake of them with patience I will first fall downe on my knees hould vp my hands lift vp mine eyes and if I can I will shed forth a few tâ—arâ—s and humblie desire God to helpe and comfort all those poore sillie women which shall haue occasion to vse their helpe heere you shall see sometimes the bellies opened the flesh rent the tunicles cut in sunder to finde out a new passage for the poore infant who must come into this world through the bowels of his dead mother and vpon his first approch may be iustly accused and arraigned for a murtherer if his mother escape then sometimes you may see the poore innocent childe mangled executed and quartered in the wombe there was no great offence I confesse vnlesse it were the sin of his first father but indeed I am affraid to speake any longer of these bloudy cruelties I will not lay open my nakednesse I will not defile mine owne neast the punishment sufficiently
appeares and well betokens the corruption As I haue made man the instrumeÌ„t of cruelty so I cannot alwayes altogether excuse him from the paine in her trauell and therfore here in the middest of sorrow I will bring forth a subiect of laughter I will set him vpon the stage I pray' obserue him aright Did you neuer heare of fathers which breed and beare their own children their wiues conceiue and the husbands who shuld be the only comfort in the time of their weaknes first begin to complaine of the sorrow Iuno Lucina fer opem I pray' send for the midwiues and let vs see what this great mountaine will bring forth forsooth his teeth ake his bones are crasie his eye-sight fayles him hee is troubled with rheumes sometimes with the megrime Physicke will not helpe him the times of the yeere will not auaile him but the poore man must expect his wiues deliuerie Hath God ordained this to shew the entire league and compassionat heart that should passe between man and wife and how they are both equally ingaged in the issue hath God appointed this to teach man and wife that the end of their loue should tend to procreation strange it were and wonderfull in nature were it not that the husband is the sonne of a woman and therfore partakes of her weaknes and imperfection partus sequitur ventrem and is in some sort lyable to her curse Heere you would expect of me that I should assigne and point out the causes of this fellow-feeling and strange affection between man wife happily I could guesse at some of them but for certainty I know none rather I would flie to the diuine prouidence beyond the reach and compasse of nature who for assuring man that he himselfe hath coupled them together and that both persons are but one flesh therefore he hath giuen them but one sense feeling of the same sorrow That as in their estate one and the same calamity doth equally befall them so in their persons one and the same misery doth equally attach them which God hath ordained by secret and hidden causes best known to himselfe that as many diseases are infectious and spred themselues by the company and society of others so here the same handie worke of God appeares to the astonishment of naturall Philosophy Will you yet presse me further to lay open the secret causes and hidden qualities of things suppose the sympathie and antipathie of creatures my answere is that these arise from the great conformity or contrariety of temper in the inbred qualities and naturall constitution in so much that you shall obserue that in such liuing creatures in whom there is an antipathie suppose them to be dead yet in their very carkases in the bones and the flesh as long as any spice of their temper remaines the contrariety will appeare in the different and contrary operations Now this contrariety appeares not in the contrary qualities alone but in the degrees of these qualities and in such degrees as they are best fitted and proportioned to each other nature it should seeme hath ballanced them and squared them out fit for the combat Now the degrees of things are infinit as time is diuided into infinite moments quantitie into infinit points so qualitie into infinit degrees and things infinit do not fall within the reach of mans comprehension neither are the formes of things subiect to our knowledge propter nimiam actiuitatem for as things are in nature compounded so in the vnderstanding of man they cannot be found simple the influence of the heauens is wholly vnknowne propter spiritualitatem as being no way materiall or sensible whereas all mans knowledge must presuppose the foundation information of sense And thus it is no maruaile if many things in nature be wholly vnknowne when as the forme is vnknowne the influence vnknowne the degrees of qualities vnknowne that so the first curiosity of mans knowledge might be iustly recompensed with blindnesse and ignorance Philosophy as likewise all other arts and sciences treates onely of things generall and cannot descend to things in particular with their parâ—â—â—ular degrees as for example we diuide this sublunary world into foure elements euery element into three regions here we consider two qualities one in extremitie the other remisse these qualities we diuide into foure seuerall degrees the Physitian he descends somewhat lower doubles his fyles deuides them into eight as may bee best fitting for his purpose and here hee stands and cannot march any further For compound bodies we consider their kindes their formes their constitution their properties their differences and common accidents we reduce nature which appeares confused to mans vnderstanding into a certaine method appointing the bounds of sciences to bee the meares for our gouernment and direction in the course of our studies and in euery science we consider the principles the subiect and the affections as far as God hath inabled man so far hath the industrie of man transported his knowledge yet we cannot descend to particulars God hath denied this perfection as it appeares for the obiects of the sense are singulars the obiects of the vnderstanding are vniuersals as the sense cannot exceed his own bounds and eleuate it selfe to the height of the vnderstanding so neither can the vnderstanding stoope downe to the sense God hath giuen vs an inspection of nature but no absolute and perfect knowledge of nature hauing reserued that for himselfe Hee that shall desire to bee better informed in these hidden and secret qualities I would referre him to those learned authors from whom I suppose he should receiue good contentment and satisfaction as namely Aristotle Albertus Magnus Zimara Fracastorius and others Now for this present instance why the husband should be thus affected in his wiues conception it is not vnknowne to al skilfull Musitians the great concord which is betweene the eights not onely for the sweete harmonie of musicke but if the Instrument shall be thus set and disposed for the purpose the one string being easily touched the other will likewise moue for companie assuredly between man and wife their loue and their affections concurring together there is likewise a greater sympathie and agreement in their naturall temper and constitution and therefore are fitter disposed to worke vpon each others body as kindred descending from one stocke are apter to infect and annoy each other in a pestilent disease Besides their constitution man and wife liuing together feeding on the same meates resting together and conuersing together as at all times so sometimes when their bodies are more apt to be tainted no marueile if some husbands and yet but a few for God gaue man his wife for his help not for his sorrow do partake in their passions Lest the enemies of learning the enemies of religion should here condemne vs and for this one defect being not able to make plaine demonstration of all secrets and hidden qualities
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
their cloysters of recreation were places of burials for their meditation if they found themselues giuen to immoderate ioy their delight was abated with the sight smell of dead bones Thus liuing they were dead their mind was among the dead they conuersed with the dead and thus the meditation of death did prescribe vnto them answerable to a vale of miserie befitting a sinfull state a course of life in mortification and sorrow O death which doest astonish man with thy sight how fearefull is thy blow when wee shall goe and neuer returne or recouer our owne strength Soles occidere redire possunt at nobis nox perpetua dormienda est O death which in this last age of the world wherin sinne and iniquitie doe abound and religion seemes to haue taken vp wings and euery where to bee put to flight and indeede to haue gone vp to heauen from whence she descended yet death stands like a stoute champion to fight in defence of religion death stands at the backe of religion assuring vs that there must bee an end of this sinful state and of these worldly vanities and death is this end assuring vs that there must be a time for the manifestation of Gods iustice and death seemes to summon vs to appeare at his iudgement seat assuring vs that there is another world to succeede and death is the passage to that other world for otherwise in vaine should wee preach the mercie of God together with his promises in vaine should we teach the law of nature the instinct of nature the moral precepts the mysteries of grace the maiestie of God in vaine should wee preach humilitie to sustaine iniuries with patience to forgiue all offences to make restitution for wrongs in vaine should wee perswade men to spend whole nights in watchings fastings and prayers to repent in sackcloth and ashes alas alas these are all vnprofitable lessons to the worldlings let vs therefore leauing the force of Church discipline Ecclesiasticall censures Excommunications c. let vs implore brachium seculare the helpe of the temporall power to restraine sinne Remember thine owne death remember thine owne death if thou wilt not forsake the world the world shall at length forsake thee here is our last refuge to serue at a dead lift for the conuersion of a sinner here is no faith of things inuisible here are no strict rules of mortification here are no precepts which seeme to oppose the practise of mans naturall inclination but consider the state of thine owne body and the degrees of thine age how thou doest daily decline and learne to dye by the daily precedent experience and example of others Filimi memorare nouissima in aeternum non peribis My sonne remember thy last end and thou shalt neuer perish euerlastingly As it serues for a meanes of our conuersion so is it no lesse cause of great ioy and comfort to a well resolued Christian Cupio dissolui esse cum Christo Life is the only hinderance of our coupling with Christ this old house must first bee taken downe before the new building can be erected now death serues as a bridge or a passage to a better life it is a holie relique which first seazed vpon Christs bodie and at length shall befall vs we must dye with him that wee may raigne with him where the head hath already entred the whole bodie must follow But here is our comfort hee that stood in the forefront hath now abated the strength of our aduersarie he that sanctified all other creatures the earth with his blood the ayre purified with his breath the water washt with his washing the fire purged with his spirit in fierie tongues he hath likewise sanctified death it selfe by his owne death Death is now made a safe harbour vnto vs which before was the terrour of nature for as it was truly prophecied of Christ so is it verified in the members of Christ He shall not leaue his soule in hell nor suffer his holy one to see corruption Thus is death now become the sole sacrifice of a Christian man a free oblation at Gods altar wherein whole man is bequeathed vnto God wee commit our soules to his safe custodie and keeping wee leaue our bodies to be the dust of his Temple all our goods we dispose as he shall direct vs some by the course of nature which hee himselfe hath appointed some to pious and religious vses which hee himselfe hath commanded some to almes-deedes and charitable beneuolence according to that natural compassionate instinct which God hath imprinted in our hearts and as the present necessitie of these times seemes to require and what is so left wee leaue it not behind vs but it followes vs and ouertakes vs at heauen gates And thus is man become a whole burnt offering vnto God and that by the meanes of his death and therefore we may now securely triumph ouer death O death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victorie the sting of death is sinne the strength of sinne is the law but thankes be vnto God who hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. Death is the sole comfort in all my worldly miseries for it seemes to be the vpshot and period of my woe which if I shal once attaine as needs I must attaine then shall I be like the sea faring man who being arriued in the Hauen hath safely escaped the troublesome waues of this turbulent world the assurance and expectation whereof doth inable me with patience and fortiâ—ude For what can befall me Suppose losse of senses losse of limbes losse of substance losse of honour yet one thing remaines I shall dye I shall dye here is my comfort for here is the end of my woe What if the bloodie Tyrant shall sport himselfe in the shedding of my innocent blood what if the great states-man shall pick out some flawes and finde out some nice errors in my estate and thereby vnder the faire shew of concealements shall make me a bootie Sentiat hoc moriar mors vltima linea rerum My life is a pilgrimage the quicker my expedition is I shall sustaine the lesse sorrow Now this contempt of death giues the true Christian man such an excellent spirit such a braue courage and resolution as that indeede he proues the only good souldier thou maiest repose confidence in him for he will neuer reuolt or forsake a iust cause in his attempts thou shalt finde him valiant aboue measure for this resolution of death is his armour of proofe for conquer hee will and conquer he must though with his owne passion fearefull and terrible hee is to his enemies for hee that regards not his owne life is Lord of another mans life Whereas the worldling who hath placed all his happinesse here in the course of this life is indeed a base coward fearefull vnfaithfull performing his seruice onely to the outward shew carrying a heart full of
and God denies his blessing for the increase Secondly it is very credibly reported that in this our Northerne climate we haue had heretofore a vintage in Wostershire and it appeares vpon record that tith hath bin paid for wine pressed out of grapes growing in the little Parke at Winsor in the time being then in the possessioÌ„ of King Edw. 1. But at this time whether thorough the cold mould of the earth or thorough the weaknesse and swift declining of the sun as being not able to bring our grapes to ripenesse and perfâ—ction the grapes being a very lateward fruit containing a great naturall heate which appeares by the strength of our wines and their long continuance and therfore require a hot soyle yet at this time it is thought to be a work impossible the like may bee said for Wales and the North parts of this kingdome in many places where fruits and saffron did anciently growe the places still carrying the names of those fruits within these late yeeres triall being made and all possible diligence and good husbandry obserued yet they faild in their purposes It may be obiected against me that if nature did thus decline yet still the fruits should continue the same though not the same in their strength and their power for wine here in England if euer we had then still wee should haue though more imperfect and weake but Philosophy is well able to answere this obiection datur in rebus maximum minimum nature hath appointed certaine limits and bounds to euery kinde of the creatures beyond which or beneath which the creature cannot subsist Now in the generall declining far bee it that she should appoint new boundes to the vndeterminated essence of the creatures rather she should preserue them as long as it lies in her power and being defectiue not able to produce them there should follow a cessation of their being and no new qualification of their nature and in this declining some things are more limited then others and therfore will admit fewer degrees in their qualities and will sooner perish so that notwithstanding the decay doth equally concerne all yet some things may wholy cease while others shall still be continued out of the large extent of their owne bounds That a generall scarcitie and penury may appeare consider the prices of things how excessiue they are in these our latter dayes and how they are raised aboue measure beyond all expectation heretofore I confesse they haue had as great famins as we haue but I suppose not so vsually and commonly these famins did not arise from any vnseasonable weather or barrennesse of the earth but rather from ciuill warâ—es within themselues making hauocke and waste of natures blessings and of poore mens labours for if you would suppose which God forbid a Campe subsisting of 20000. men to bee lodged within the hart of our kingdome assuredly it would cause an extraordinary great dearth amongst vs but now we seeme to sustaine a continuall famine notwithstanding our peaceable times and our great labours necessity so inforcing vs and therefore we can blame none but nature nor can we thinke that she is casually distempered for then I would gladly aske when at leÌ„gth in Gods name wil she returne to her first temper and constitution for we see no tokens signes or appearance of any recouery and therefore we feare that she daily more and more decayes in her ould age and in vaine may we expect reformation for whereas some suppose the causes of this scarcitie to be either the wonderfull increase of people or the great plentie of coyne wherewith we abound in respect of our Ancestors these reasâ—ns which do so much ouer-sway many I wil brieflie examine For the number of men wee are not able to send forth such huge armies as we read of in former times we dare not vndertake such taskes and infinit labours as they did I confesse indeed that the Cities and townes do now swarme with people and therefore they make the greater shewe of a number but the country which truly and indeed did afford it in a scattered and dispersed Multitude I thinke was neuer more naked and desolat then it is at this day Such depopulation of townes inclosing of villages a shepheard with his dog their inhabiting where formerly many hundred men were maintained many good horses kept for defence of our land and much prouision for our plentie He that shall well consider our lawe-bookes the exact measuring of lands in those dayes the largenes and capacity of their Churches the ould foundations which now are daily raked vp by the plow shall by all probable coniecture conceiue that the world was then as wel peopled as it is in these times The Church-bookes indeed are not extant which might serue for our euidence yet this I can say for a truth that in Bangor which is a small village in Wales 800. yeers ago there were abiding and daily resident there two and twenty hundred Monkes besides seruants and others which did attend them at this day I could see no reliques thereof onely some fewe closes did beare the name of porches and gates and I thinke at this time that both our Vniuersities can hardly equall that number Since it should seeme that our land did surfeit with people and therfore it was to be let bloud in the wars between the two houses of Lancaster and Yorke and he that will conceiue how infinitly the people of Israel did multiply in a short time liuing vnder the bondage of Aegypt will neuer doubt but that this land might haue bin sufficiently stockt and stored with people long since the first plantation Now for the plenty of our coyne because we haue it not from our selues I will therefore first speake of the fountaines before I come to the streames that so according to the ouerflowing of the one you may iudge of the other If the West Indies haue now at length bin discouered the Easterne haue failed otherwise our Marchants should neuer be so much inforced to trade with their coyne and heerein I do acknowledge a speciall prouidence of God who foreseeing in his wisdom that the carnall Mahumetans his owne professed enemies should possesse the land of Promise and as their forefathers the Iewes and the Heathen were guilty of the bloud of Christ so they should seaze vpon the holy sepulchre in token of the bloudy persecution of his Church all which God did permit in his iustice for our sinnes yet hee in his wisedome first suffered it to bee worne out with vse or to decay of it selfe before the cursed Ottomans should conquer it for notwithstanding the large circuite of his territories and prouinces yet in wealth and treasure yea in the power of his countrey and most especially in the strength of his Nauie the Turke is inferiour to some Christian Princes But let vs consider the plentie of coyne as Scripture reports it Abraham gaue
vnto Ephron as it may appeare Gen. 23. vers 16. foure hundred siluer shekels for a field to burie his dead Now the common shekell is accounted twentie pence which if it shall please you to multiplie foure hundred shekels will amount to three and thritie pound sixe shillings eight pence supposing fiue shillings sterling the ounce a very large price to purchace a buriall The plentie of their siluer and gold did likewise appeare in those times by their wearing of rings bracelets abilimentss c. of the magnificence of Salomons Court of the wealth and treasure of the Temple where all the vessels were of a wonderfull price and of the custome in those times to send out shipping and to returne home loaded with oare Scripture makes mention Whereunto prophane and heathen writers doe likewise beare witnesse for Eupolenus Polyhistor and Hecateus Abderita that liued and serued in warre with King Alexander the Great make mention amongst other things of the inestimable riches of Salomon and of the treasures which he did hide and bury according to the fashion of that time in the Sepulchre of his father Dauid which to be no fable though not mentioned by the Scripture Iosephus well proueth for that Hircanus the high Priest and King of Iurie being besieged in Ierusalem by Antiochus surnamed Pius not many yeeres before Christs natiuitie to redeeme himselfe and the Citie and to pay for his peace opened the said Sepulchre of Dauid and fetcht out of one part thereof three thousand talents in ready money which amount to 600000. pounds English if we account the talents but at the least size of talentum Haebraicum But let vs draw to our selues and come to this climate wherin we liue and compare our wealth in coyne with our ancestors first therefore I must acquaint you that our coyne is much fallen beares not that weight which formerly it did for it appeares among the statutes of Edward the 2 that twentie pence sterling then waied an ounce in the ninth yeere of Edward the 3 26. pence waied an ounce in the second of Hen. the 6. 32. pence waied an ounce in the 5. of Edward the 4. 40. pence waied an ounce in the 31. of Henry the 8. 45. pence waied the ounce in the second of Elizabeth 60. pence waied the ounce and so it continueth vnto this day so that an hundred pounds heretofore was as much as three hundred pounds now besides the finesse of their coyne wherein as I take it they did farre exceede vs. I will not dispute how it may stand with the wisedome and policie of States to raise or inhaunce coynes but certaine it is that the prices of all things will immediatly follow the coynes according to the weight finenesse and goodnesse of the mettall though things may be done to serue the present turne yet they shall finde a great abatement in their ancient rents where a little innouation is once begun it is wonderfull to see the abuses which doe vsually accompanie it c. Now if wee shall obserue the shrines and guilding of Temples in former times if wee consider the rich Copes the ornaments vestiments and vessels of the Church or the robes and hangings of Princes which are yet extant or the moneys and coyne which at this day is found in great plentie in those places where the Romanes haue formerly encamped if we consider their massie and most substantial old plate their extraordinarie cunning in cutting caruing and curious workmanship of stones and mettals farre surpassing vs their borders wiers and other ornaments made of beaten gold or siluer more then in vse then they are in these daies and that our ancestors haue found out mines at their owne homes that vndoubtedly for all other mettals as Lead Iron Tinne Copper Brasse and the like it appeares by their buildings and their other imployments that they had them in a farre greater plentie then we haue in these daies and mettals are so interchangeably mixed together which is the ground of all Chimistrie that the plentie of the one cannot possibly subsist with any great scarcity of the other Now at this time I feare there is more siluer and gold wastfully spent and transported then is yeerely brought into this land notwithstanding the prices of things doe daily arise though not in such an excessiue manner as formerly they haue done As for some base coynes which they had in ancient times I may well doubt whether it stood not with the wisedome and policie of the State to admit them seeing the richest nations doe the like at this day To speake with more certaintie of things which appeare vpon record he that shall peruse our Law-books shall finde that three hundred yeeres agoe and aboue before the warres began betweene the two Houses the costs and charges at law were very great and large almost as much as at this day speaking now out of the course of mine owne studies I may seeme to be a stranger wholly ignorant therein yet giue me leaue with your good patience to make one or two instances to this purpose William Wickam recouered of his predecessor Bishop Edendon of Winchester in the yere 1366 for dilapidations of his house 1662. pounds tenne shillings and lest you might conceiue that such a large summe of money might bee allowed for some other losse and detriment sustained hee recouered likewise 1556. head of Neate 3876. Weathers 4717. Ewes 3521. Lambes and 127. Swine all which stocke belonged to the Bishopricke Because wee cannot take a perfect suruey of the buildings how they were left and generally because all trespasses are very vncertaine whereof wee cannot take due notice let vs therefore come to the fines which certainly were very large in those daies In the time of Henry the 6 the Duke of Holland being then high Admirall was fined at tenne thousand poūds for holding plea in a cause determinable at the Common law it was very much for such an offence if you please to haue relation to the rates of coyne which before I haue prefixed Not to speake of the ransomes of Princes which were very great in former times not to speake of any particular mans wealth though I could name many for Thomas Ruthall whose meanes of getting were not ouer great neither could he iustly be taxed with greedinesse or sparing liuing in the time of Henry the 7 his wealth in present coyne did amount to aboue one hundred thousand pounds which was discouered by Cardinall Wolsey I pray' consider their house-keeping such huge gates and open doores spatious halles long tables great kitchins large chimneys their sellars ouens vessels pots and powdring tubs deepe profound and bottomlesse all their other prouision made in a bountifull manner as may appeare by the rents of their tenants their barnes granaries granges slaughter-houses the multitudes of mouthes in their numberlesse feruants the ringing of bels to call all to their feasts their infinite holy daies which were the
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
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 Serpent for the enmitie seemes greatest betweene the most noble and basest creatures Man and the Serpent and that for the continuall remembrance of the first tentation Howsoeuer I doubt not but that it better appeares in those easterne countries wherein Paradise was first planted and wherein the kindes of Serpents doe much differ from ours yet I will now speake according to our Climate and Meridian Behold when in the pleasant moneth of May thou desirest to take the fresh ayre and to delight thy senses with the odoriferous breath of sweete flowers when the beautie of the Lilies and the pleasant varietie of colours shall allure thy sight as thou walkest securely by the way side or when thou dost solace thy selfe in the groue or the shade and there crownest thy selfe with the garlands of nature see see a stratagem a stratagem treason treason against thine owne person the base Serpent which neuer durst once appeare in thy sight to encounter thee now begins to trace out thy pathes and to bite at thy heeles a part which thou least suspectedst where thy hands cannot stoope down to helpe thee yet therein the strength and poyse of thy whole body consists if thou touchest or treadest thou defilest thine owne flesh And thus is euery man now become Iacob before hee can be Israel first his thigh-bone must be broken to acknowledge his owne weaknesse before he can partake of the blessing Wilt thou set vpon this Serpent and by opposing her seeke to defend thy selfe thou shalt finde it a very dangerous and difficult combate for see the guile and subtiâ—tie of thine aduersarie thinkest thou to insnare and intrap her with thy charmes and inchantments as birds and wilde beasts are taken with seuerall notes and cries she hath this property one eare she stops with her taile the other with the earth O the deafe Adder that will not harken to the voice of the chaâ—mer charme he neuer so wisely Dost thou expect that this poysonous creature should at length burst with her owne poyson she is priuiledged for her poyson serues to offend thee and not to annoy her venenum expâ—it vt bibat in the taking of her food and her sustenance she first disgorgeth her owne poyson and then againe resumes it as being prouided against man Wilt thou draw out thy sword and hew her in peeces see how she will stand in her owne defence totum corpus in orbem circumuolâ—it vt caput occultet her whole body must serue as a buckler to protect her head wherein life doth principally reside suppose she were cut and dismembred yet is she no way dis-inabled or impotent she may well leese part of her length and yet be no creeple If thou puttest her to flight habet viam tortâ—osam she will make such indentures in her passage that thou knowest not which way to follow and wheresoeuer she goes if she can make the least entrance with her head she will winde in her whole body the earth is her castle the hedges her buiwarkes take heed of thy selfe in the chase danger doth euery way appeare and yet no hope of a booty if thou hâ—st the conquest sometimes the sprinkling of her blood will infect thee but thou shalt neuer receiue any the least price of thy labour If time leisure would sâ—rue me I could proportion these seuerall properties of the serpent to the qualities of sinne and the deuill which first made choice of the serpent to be his agent and instrument against man but I will leaue this to euery mans priuate meditation as likewise on the contrary wherin our comfort consists that this serpent luâ—king about the heeles we shall one day tread on the head It may well feed vpon impâ—re and poysoned bloud but when it shall taste the pure and innocent bloud which shall issue foorth from the seed of the woman then behold byting at the frailtie of our flesh she shall bee insnared with the hooke of the God-head when both God-head and man-hood shall be linckt together by an inseparable vnion in the person of Christ who is that brazen serpent prefigured out to the Iewes A serpent appearing in the true shape and condition of sinfull man and yet a brazen serpent without sting without poyson reserued for continuance and perpetuitie the looking and beholding wherof being once raised vp in the wildernesse faith apprehending Christ crucified shall cure all those which haue bin stung by the serpent Thus you see the great encounter betweene man and the creatures the strange antipathie and discord betweene both Now let vs examine how the earth and the elements stand affected to man in this great diffention and to what party they incline not to speake of the burning and consuming fire the boysterous and vnresistable winde or ayre the roaring ouer-whelming seas or the earth which seemes to be the foundation of the rest to support this reeling world yet sometimes is strangely moued toffed whole cities are swallowed great foundations shaken nothing vntouched the fruites the hearbes and the flowers are tainted as if hell which consists in the bosome of the earth sent forth a flash of brimstone to infect this world I will passe ouer all these great generall iudgements but me thinkes in my passage I am detaind incompassed and apprehended by thornes that I cannot winde my selfe out of the snare or the bryars and therefore in the neâ—t place I must speake of the third punishment of mans corruption terraâ—ariet tribulos spinas Gen. 3. 17. 18. Cursed is the earth for thy saâ—e in sorrow shalt thou eate of it all the dayes of thy life thornes also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee c. Why should the earth bring forth brâ—ars and bâ—ambles vnprofitable thistles prâ—cking and hurtfull thornes noysome and vnsauory weedes are these the fruites of the garden doe the heauens sowe no better seede or is this crop worth the reaping to what vse hath nature ordained them suppose â—here were any vse yet could not nature furnish the earth with better prouision And this vse whatsoeuer it be is wholy vnknowne and therfore they seeme needlesse and vnprofitable to vs and certainly would much detract from the diuine wisdome and goodnesse were it not that they are rooted in that earth that earth which is accursed for sin and therefore brings forth bryars and brambles as tortures and torments for the iust punishment of sinne The earth was first created of nothing and as the earth was nothing in her production so if God had left the earth to it selfe it should haue produced nothing there should haue â—ollowed a priuatiue iudgement but no positiue punâ—shment poenadamni but not sensus It should haue bin like the fruitlesse sands or the barren rockes as not apt for graine so not plentifull of weedes or of thistles nothing should haue bin the fruite of that which is nothing in it selfe and was nothing in his first