very surprizing when but to consider him in a Natural State and compare him with the Excellency of Celestial Beings Arnold What observe you from thence Theoph. I observe him complicated and compounded of Elements and Elements of themselves they drop in sunder Arnold But what if you take him translated into a State of Grace and Regeneration Theoph. Why then I 'll grant the first Death is past and the second Death shall have no power to hurt him Arnold So far you 'll grant him to excel all created Beings Theoph. Yes But not as he stands in a Natural State Arnold Do but consider him a living Monument of Praise inrich'd with all the Endowments of natural Perfection besides those eminent Qualifications of Piety which intitle him Excellent and confirm him a Creature adorn'd with all the signal Marks and shining Characters of this stupendous Creation Theoph. Why so Arnold And why not so Does not the Lion and the Leopard with the Tiger Wolf Panther and Vulture pay their Veneration to him Does not his very Aspect confound the Crocadile and with one superficial Glance of his Eye he mortifies the Basilick Consider the Composure of his Face and Features together with the delicate Frame and his well-compos'd Fabrick of Body Do not these present him a Composition of Majesty Surely it does for all the Creatures honour and adore him which demonstrates him a Monarch and of such a Princely Soveraignty that the whole Creation pay their Services to him Theoph. You wilfully misinterpret me or prevaricate your own Judgment by taking wrong Measures That Dignity and Vertue you sum up that formerly shin'd as a Ray about him is now become a Cloud a promiscuous Cloud to obscure him Arnold How can I mistake my self when to consider him in a most eminent State and such a Capacity of Beauty and Excellency that the maz'd World think him more than a Monarch Theoph. They may think what they will of his Primitive State but convinc'd by Experience he is not so now It 's true the time was when all the Creatures with a solid Submission humbled themselves before him but that was then in his State of Innocency in Eden's fair Fields before Transgression before he unhappily found out the Art of Sinning then and there it was they paid their Veneration but do they so now We experience to the contrary for the Beauty and Majesty of that glorious Image was so macerated and torn by the Talons of Sin that it has grown up since to a Flood to deluge Posterity This Act of Disobedience divested our Protoplast and influenced his Successors so that every Generation since Adam has laboured under the same Predicament for that dethron'd Adam in Paradise disinherited us and Adam's Posterity there it was Man lost his Prerogative and here it is Sin makes us less than Men. Arnold Can one single Act in our Protoplast so vacate the Royal Grant of Prerogative to enervate the Conduct of succeeding Generations Surely no. The glorious Act of Government shines universally in Man and will so to the succeeding Generations The whole Creation was placed in a Posture of Servitude to Adam as he himself stood a Subject in Obedience to his Creator So that if I rightly understand Creational Work the great End was to discover hidden things and manifest Idea's with the Consequent of Production of their various Species So that under Submission I may as rationally conclude that the Creatures in the Creation have now as then a natural Right to bend their Submissions to Man's Princely Soveraignty Theoph. I very much doubt it for no sooner Adam lost his Prerogative but he he felt a Trepedation invade all his Vitals and his Soul began to blush within him because afrighted with the Aspect of Sin that at a distance presented him the Picture of Death now the same Death that strangled him strangles all his Posterity Thus it was when Adam lost his Government and thus it is with us when governing imprudently for till then the Creation was unacquainted with Disguise nor till then did the Creature relinquish his Authority till he relinquished his Primitive Simplicity Arnold What happened then Theoph. There happened a Change in all the Creatures because they perceived a Change in their Conduct where note ever since that general Revolt the Creatures have been cautious to repose a Trust under mortal Protection because destitute of Power to govern himself Arnold Will you deny Man a Soveraign Power and Divine Right to intitle himself Universal Monarch Theoph. That 's not the Point in Dispute I have already granted that Adam's Divine Graces sprung spontaneously from the refulgent Ray of the Majesty of God But what is that to us Can we restrain our Hands from Blood and our Hearts from Malice and precogitated Sin Now every Man knows the Reward of Sin is not Death simply but Divine Justice and Divine Justice bars out all the Footsteps of Mercy Arnold That 's undeniable however I 'm convinc'd that could we but govern our own Irregularities our Passions our Ambitions and exorbitant Desires we should shine like Stars among Men and seem in some sort almost immortal Theoph. That word almost was well put in but to the Argument as to Point of Government if unlike Christians we govern our selves we tacitly slide into the Inconveniency of Slaves and such we may suspect our selves to be because to sink under the weight of every single Temptation by which means we sully all those excellent Privileges that adorned our Protoplast in his Primitive State Arnold What State then must we call this a State of Apostacy Theoph. You may call it what you please for every Man is in a State good or bad but worst of all is that State that lifts up its Hand to rebel against Heaven Such were the Giants in the days of old and such are we now because overgrown in Sin How often have we violated the Authority of our Commission and how often have infring'd the Liberties of the Creation Now in the Primitive State there were no such Proceeds for then the Creatures flew as naturally to Adam's Hand as terrified now they fly from ours The Turtle then was heard in every Grove now they coo no where except in Aviaries all the Families of Birds then fill'd the Air now they are compell'd to whistle in Cages then they exprest their Gratitude with Demonstrations of Joy now they lament their Destiny because doomed to die This was the Golden Age our Ancestors liv'd in but it 's the Iron Age we live in now For Innocency in effect is almost lost and it 's well if we lose not our selves Arnold However I cannot yield to this Conclusion that Adam's Commands were so torn and macerated that surviving Posterity should neglect their Obedience For if when to consider how many Generations have travelled through the Map of Time from our Ancestors to us and Time you know informs us of Experience How rational is it then to
conclude but I only offer it for Argument-sake that was Adam repossess'd of Paradise again and premonished of Sin as we are daily precautioned whether or no it might not be thought to raise a Circumspection in him to evade the Serpent the Sin and the Woman's Temptation Into this Opinion most Ages have crept and our Modern Assertors and Predicators approve on 't Theoph. That 's a Point beyond my Sphere I meddle not with why may not's however I allow you a Privilege and freedom of thinking or saying what you please but then you ought not to circumscribe Bounds to another However this I assert That such was the Original Purity of Adam in his State of Innocency that his Graces then shined with Heavenly Rays and Heaven we know is all Generosity But every Generation since Adam has so diminished that Beauty and Lustre that from Men we are almost dwindled into Morts Arnold Ay but my Friend have you well considered how that the formal Fabrick of Man's Natural Body doth represent unto us the World's Epitome Why not then by the glorious Speculation of his Mind under a renovating and regenerate State of Grace he may represent something of the invisible Glories Theoph. You come near to the Point Did not the Generations more and more degenerate but this beyond Precedent has outdone all the rest For by offering Violence against all that 's good will at last offer Violence against it self and this is but just by the Law of Retaliation Arnold Why so Theoph. Because so vehement in the pursuit of Sin we outdo our Ancestors and what 's the Conclusion Adam you see was made an Exile and compell'd to relinquish the Sun-shine of Paradise he was forced to sit down under the Shades of Mesopotamia but we renounce both Law and Gospel to monopolize the World and aggrandize Posterity this is now our deplorable State compare it with Adam's and give your Opinion Arnold My Opinion in short is Adam comes short of us for as he was the Father of all his Posterity so as Father we patronize all manner of Impiety Now I have given you my Opinion how do you approve on 't Theoph. I 'll sum it up thus Whilst Adam stood in Purity his Beauty shin'd without Deformity so that by the Will of the Divinest had he kept his Station Posterity had never been doom'd to die by the cold and icie Finger of Death Arnold O Theophilus that one single Sin should so deform him that was elevated and exalted above the Beauties in the Creation Theoph. Just so it happ'ned to that bright Star Lucifer and his aspiring Conspirators whose Ambition dethron'd him and so it will us He striving to get above that that was super-excellent lost that Excellency the Supreamest had given him So we placing our Affections on exteriour Objects we but inamour our selves with our own Similitudes Judg of the Consequence Arnold Is the Law of Nature a standing Rule or no If it be a Rule it ought to be obeyed for its natural in kind to answer kind Theoph. Can Nature as Nature exert our Zeal to stir up in us the lively Act of Faith Surely Faith is no Part of Creational Work it 's rather a Bough or Branch that buds up from Regeneration The Excellency therefore of the things that are are not of themselves but dependent on some other infinitely more glorious such is the Creator Arnold He that made the World had no need of Assistance but all things that are made were made by him alone Creational Work therefore was discovering hidden Ideas and making Invisibles to appear visible Theoph. God the Creator made himself manifest in time by his glorious Act of Power in creating who by his eternal Wisdom and Providence upholds it that it drops not asunder Arnold That 's manifest by the Eye of Sense but he that sees by the Eye of Faith sees beyond the Creation for he sees the Creator and in seeing him he sees his Redeemer Theoph. Why then struggle we so hard after superficial Knowledg to defeat our selves by the dull Prospect of Sense for if when to create Inquietudes in our selves we labour and toil with unprofitable Anxiety Arnold What but the Curse anticipates the Blessing Man and the Creation were made in time and Time was drawn out by the Wisdom of God but the Understandings of most Men differently discerning differently distinguish till Time the Harbinger of Eternity eats out his Character so translates him to the Shades of his silent Sepulchre Theoph. What infer you from this Arnold Solomon was a Man inspir'd with Wisdom and endued with Understanding and God gave him Eyes to foresee the Vicissitude and Revolution of Times and States Theoph. Solomon had a Divine Soul incorporated with humane Nature whose Ambition if proper to say so coveted Wisdom rather than Wealth and God answered his Desires In that Day Solomon was the Jewish Oracle but every Day is the Almighty's Holy-day and Time and the World like a Globe in his Hand Consider therefore the same Excellency of Spirit Solomon had hovers still over us like a Glory about us and by Divine Permission over every Generation But because falling short of Solomon's Knowledg and Divine Speculation we do not as Solomon all alike discern Arnold Grant the Argument admits of no Contradiction yet you will find it a Task difficult enough to study the Art of Self-resignation Theoph. Solomon you grant he refused Wealth for Wisdom But what think you of Saul that went as far as Endor and rak'd up the Ashes of the Dead to enquire a Victory Arnold I think the Case different both in Nature and Quality the one chose Wisdom but the other Witchcraft so to connect them together draws on a false Conclusion Theoph. Then the Consequence follows Saul's reasoning with Flesh and Blood as it was impious so his Application to Sorcerers and Necromancers was also diabolical who to accomplish the End of his Conspiracy consults not Endor only but the Brood of Infernals Arnold He did so who denies it I know what you 'll alledg you 'll tell me the Tree is known by its Fruits I grant all this and what then yet I dare not interpret Saul a Son of Perdition God's Mercy never wants Wings to fly to the disconsolate Penitent whose Mercy super-excels his Divine Acts of Justice Therefore judg not Saul lest we judg our selves when by the Heart only things are legibly construed Theoph. It 's true the Heart made legible discovers a Phenix or a Vulture the first living as Hippocrates says and the last dying so that neither Physick nor Philosophy can make mortal immortal There 's neither Energy nor Excellency in the superficial Form Vertue lies conceal'd as a Jewel in a Cabinet No Man therefore can be read by his Species Arnold To grant your Conclusion proves the thing less difficult in knowing others than to search within to know our selves Solomon had Wisdom and Divine Discoveries and Saul had Courage
For militant Saints in Grace here shall be triumphant Saints in Glory hereafter made beauteously to shine in the New Jerusalem and wear the Royal Badg of Heaven and that 's an immortal Angelical Crown to which is affix'd the Diadem of the Divinest in legible and intelligible Characters of the Cross. God in Love with his own Image beautifies and adorns the Soul with Immortality It 's true Heaven knows no Limit nor Dimension but Earth has Periods With what Circumspection therefore ought we to travel through this mortal Pilgrimage to the sacred Temple of Piety and Devotion where the blessed Sweets of Eternity are perpetually tasted by contemplating a Preparation for Death And what is Death but the Key of Eternity These and such like pious Considerations lift up the standard of the Mind to the Elevations of Contemplation For if the Progress of Life be but one single Scene of a Tragedy of necessity the World must be the Theatre Life the Prologue Heaven the Design and Death the Exit So not only to live but to live well imports a well-dying and to die to Sin is to live Eternally Thus whilst premeditating the Life of Solitudes give me leave to publish to the World this mystical Art and the Intrigues of Angling and because animated by the Mediums of Experience I thought it Argument good enough to gratify the Age and reward the Industirous with Trophies of the Art which indeed is the ultimate End and Period of Experiment Now tell me a better Accommodation than what naturally flows from solitary Hours solemnly dedicated to the Divinest when to discourse with Birds in shady Bowers and converse with Fish in Rivers and Rivulets to obliterate the World and vain Conversation so take our flight as high as Heaven by Divine Faith and Heavenly Contemplation such a Life as this explains the Angler not only a Monument of Patience but Experience so that Ambition can never be a Bait to ensnare him that already is delivered from Pride and the Arrests of Arrogancy O how sweetly does such a Man's Habitation smell whose Entertainment and Salutation is the Dialect of Peace where every Action if thorowly examined reads harmonious Lectures of Concord and Content labouring what in him lies to stand a distance from this ambiguous World whilst the World pursues her flattering Admirers and such only as vainly heap up accursed Riches to perplex themselves and blast Posterity But I fancy and it may be but a Fancy that some prevaricating Zoilist will arraign my Hypothesis and stigmatize Anglers and the Art with those black Blemishes of Barbarity and Cruelty when only design'd to kill a Fish To which I reply That the Creatures in the Creation by Divine Appointment were appropriated for Vse and what may that Vse be if not the Refreshment and Nourishment of Mankind Adam had a Commission from the King of Heaven impowering him Lord over all sublunary Creatures Will any one question this Privilege And Peter was commanded to arise kill and eat when doubting with himself the Legality of the thing who disputes this Commission Now for any Man to question these Divine Truths except a Banian be questions the Scriptures the Authority of Truth The Creatures in the Creation we must grant were design'd for Nutrition and Sustentation yet no Man had a Commission so large to take away Life upon no other account than to gratify his Lust. Then the next Question arising will be Whether the Rod or the Net is rather to be approved of I have only this to answer since both contribute to Health and Maintenance the Apostles themselves they used the one why then may not the Angler plead for the other Thus far I enter the Angler's List and resolve to encounter this critical Age by promulgating the Series of the Art of Angling But to shape out Rods twist Lines and appropriate Times and Seasons with variety of Waters and sutability of Baits as also the making of Instruments arming of Hooks forming the accurate Proportion of Flies shaping of Corks staining of Quills forming of Swivels and drawing out Wiers besides casting of Plumbs and moulding of Shot I resolve against for it 's nothing my Business though a Task neither intricate nor tedious to the several and various Artificers pregnant in the Art For that end you may dedicate your Opinion to what scribling Putationer you please the Compleat Angler if you will who tells you of a tedious Fly Story extravagantly collected from antiquated Authors such as Gesner Dubravius c. but I rather commend you to famous Isaac Owldham whose Experiences sprung from the Academy of Trent so did that eminent Angler George Merrils and as eminent as he was John Fawlkner whose known Abilities to cultivate this Science both for Directions and Manuels I modestly prefer before any other Yet how frequently is this Art promulged by Mudlers and under the plausible pretence of Anglers when upon examine you 'l find them deficient in Practicks and indigent in the lineal and plain Tracts of Experience yet so fortified with Confidence and Ignorance enough I declare to make an Artist blush if only but to hear them assert that from one River in a Nation all the rest may be nationally understood which preposterous impertinent Opinion if I should not publickly oppose it would seem to confirm and assign me a Confederate with the Rout and Rabble so ignorantly opinionated But I shall offer my reason to avoid the suspicion of an Imposture lest I be thought to traduce my Proselytes into the extreams of an Error otherwise I had shrowded my self under a Taciturnity had not I dreaded the Censure of other able and practical Anglers that in reason may expect a replication from me For that end I publish this Treatise to the World where my Arguments are synonymous connect together like Links in a Chain in opposition to that inconsiderate Opinion that by one River all the Rivers in England c. may be included for Fish and Diversion Which is alike probable that an Orchard without Cultivation should produce Foreign Fruit or the Peak in Derbyshire should assign us Gold instead of Lead or the Minera of Oar. Now supposing this eminent difficulty resolved yet some will be solicitous to puzzle themselves about Baits and Seasons so that I foresee it will aggravate and fret their intoxicated Patience Where note such may search as already prenoted in the mouldy Records of Androvanus Dubravius Gesner or Isaac Walton whose Authority to me seems alike authentick as is the general Opinion of the vulgar prophetick for neither all nor one of them is an Oracle to me Experience is my Master and Angling my Exercise yet moderated so that I don't always employ my self with throwing in nor haling out as Pochers do that covet more than their Panniers contain this makes the Sweet of their Labours unprofitable when the Angler only designs Diversion the final end of his Recreation However somewhat of this Nature is expected from
to encounter the Philistines Theoph. That Authority that tolerates Solomon to have Wisdom the same Authority concludes Saul inquisitive after Witches Arnold Admit it does what then that Power that gives Life a Being is indisputably more noble than the thing that has Life God created the World and by Wisdom animated it with Life so that Life shines every where in every Individual this is manifest to every Man and every Creature that breaths in the Creation Theoph. This I agree in but I can't reconcile my self to your Opinion that Solomon and Saul's Case run in parallel Lines Lucifer and Michael though Stars of the first Magnitude yet they paid not equal Adoration to their sovereign Superiour Arnold I don't question but you will grant that nothing has Life of it self but from something else that 's eminently superiour That the World is governed by Divine Providence and that every Beginning is destinated to Death in time Theoph. All this I grant what infer you from thence Arnold I infer and observe you are somewhat too severe in censuring Saul's Sin by the Rule of your Judgment unpardonable Now for one Man to take upon him to judg another he betrays his Rashness because his Judgment is not infallible Theoph. I know where it pinches you 'll hinge upon Mercy Arnold I must tell you that God is a merciful Judg whose Mercy as recorded is above all his Works and a Mystery so sacred and secretly conceal'd that Angels themselves dare not pry into it How then shall Man discover this admirable Arcanum of Mercy when lock'd up in the secret Cabinet of Heaven Let us not assume such previous Conjecturals but rather consult and expostulate Death since Death is the Wages and the Reward of Sin Man and the World terminate in the Arms of Death because they alike consist of elementary Principles But Death will be found the Extinguisher of Life except that Life that 's lighted by the Torch of Regeneration that Life will outlive the second Death Theoph. But you 'l agree in this that a vicious Man living and reigning in Sin all the Days of his Life his Life may be taken for a living Death Arnold I 'll comply with any thing except Censoriousness for that end trumpet not Solomon's Praise too loud lest the Eccho resounding ecchoes Ostentation On the other Hand not to hope an Indemnity for Saul we straiten God's Mercy which is infinitely boundless So let 's leave it to the Judg of all the World for if the World be left to determine this Case she 'll denounce a false Judgment because of her Partiality Nay she may be suspected uncharitable too and such are we if Children of the World because subject to err by the Rule of Instability Theoph. You bear hard upon me yet I 'm loth to give up the Cause there 's little or no Difference in the length of our Weapons but this I 'll say so drop the Argument Solomon was an Oracle of Wisdom and Learning and the blazing Star that shin'd in Ierusalem And Saul was a King and the first King in Israel but then he was that King God gave in his Wrath which was soon after removed for David stood in Saul's way Arnold So did Vriah in his when inamoured on his Wife Theoph. But David was a Prophet and a Man of God and Saul was censured for his impious Exorcisms as if the Tincture of Regeneration was obliterated in him Arnold God forbid that the Sting of Sin should be so venemous a Poison that no Antidote can cure it Did not the Lord of Life die to conquer Sin and Death and Hell in every Believer Let us be so charitable as to parallel Saul with Sampson who had his Dalilah as Saul had his Endor Here we read that David found Repentance after the Prophet's Reproof And Sampson had his Satisfaction upon the Lords of the Philistines These two had their Pardon feal'd before Death and fain would I be so charitable to conclude so of Saul Theoph. Ay but Saul's Fault is writ in Capital Characters Arnold That 's instituted for our Admonition and the Reformation of succeeding Generations Theoph. O Arnoldus the Generations to come will abominate this that inflames it self to set the rest of the World on fire Arnold Then let them burn and consume one another for Lust and Pollution augment the Flames Theoph. Do not all the Nations and Kingdoms about us exhaust their Treasures to indulge themselves and devote their Services to the Hypocrisy of the Times Arnold It 's rare to a Miracle to find Faith amongst Men especially such as daily expose Conscience to the wreck of Opinion And he that makes a God of his Belly devotes all his Services to his luxurious Appetite Thus Men as by Machination traduce one another into the Devil's School to brazen themselves against the Modesty of a Blush lest Sin should be thought to be shame-fac'd And others raking up the Embers of Revenge fire themselves by quenching the Flames Theoph. So let them But what 's all this to our Angling Design Arnold Stay a little till we come to the Water-side In the mean time I have a Question to put and that 's this How comes it to pass that the Hinge and Poize of Politick States move and turn about with such rapid Motions that Kingdoms and Potentates are dash'd in pieces Theoph. The Naturalist we see him consult Natural Causes and the Judicial Astrologer Planetary Events but the more Religious devotes himself to the Providence of God Is there not a Time for Frost and a Time for Hail a Time for Rain and a Time for fair Weather a Time for Revolution Dissolution and Death and all these Times and various Changes are exercised by him that holds the Poize and Ballance of Government That Naturalist therefore that concludes a Divinity in Celestial Influences does but grope in the dark and the Astrologer pins his Faith upon other Mens Sleeves Arnold You tread upon the Heels of my former Assertion Theoph. What if I do I hope not to hurt you The Prince of this World rules in the Air insinuating himself into the Heart of Man from whence comes War and the Rumours of War as Rapine Ravages Murder and Blood Does not Pride strut up in the Face of Piety and Hell presume to justle Heaven And can Good and Evil think you run in parallel Lines No Arnoldus I perswade my self this Age lives within one Step of Destruction were it not upheld by an Almighty Providence Arnold O the Subtilty of Man's Heart that nothing but Arrows from the Almighty can reach it Theoph. He that reads his own Heart without a Perspective reads all the World but to know God is Life eternal and that 's more than the World knows because wanting the Key of Knowledg Arnold Man is like a Ship in a turbulent Sea where every Wave threatens him with Death and every Gust of Wind one Step to his Grave How mindful therefore ought
no Trimming nor Neutrality left amongst ' em Agrip. Yes there 's enough of that and Solicitations for Peace among sober Men and Mechanicks Ar. But what say the People as to Church-Government Is one Religion or more in fashion Agrip. Religion is made a meer Stalking-Horse to answer the Ends of every Design and worn so threadbare that there 's nothing left to cover it save only the Name on 't It 's true there 's some small Alteration in the Church so is there in the State by a late Purgation the Army also is decimated and it 's thought the Mystery of Law will be made legible to speak our Modern Dialect but the Priest paramount is the bravest Fellow because Presbyter Iohn struts a Horse-back whilst the Proselyte like a Pensioner holds the Bridle but to speak plain English most hold the Stirrup Ar. What say Mercurius and Publicus Anglicus Agrip. You have them both and the National Diary to boot where you may read the various Products of Men frequent Tumults in every Corner general Discontents in Families Heatings but no Healings in their grand Consults Th. What do they vary for Agrip. Something superlative but the Generality cry Tempora mutantur Th. By this I perceive some dig deep to hide their Counsels Ar. Deep or shallow it 's a Tiffany Plot any Man with half an Eye may easily see through it Who is it cries up Peace only those Men whom the Times court and the Constitution flatters such Men as these may cry up for Peace while others sollicit an every day 's Novel No Theophilus there 's nothing pleasant every thing seems in a hurly burly and France and Spain at Sword 's Point Th. O but then what becomes of our Force in Flanders and what Prospect have we of the Sweeds Expedition Ar. The Sweed you may read looks asquint on the Dane the Portugal in Trouble the Venetian unsafe and the Turk infested with intestine War Poor Europe who can but pity thee more especially our Native Country Albion where every Politician expects to be made a Monarch and where every ambitious Clown aspires to the Eminency of a Crown Th. Now for a Book and a Brook to contemplate and recreate this rises to the Standard of the Philosophers Solitudes Rocks and Rivers with Hermetick Groves shadowed with Myrtles and purling Streams will for ought I know better answer our present Occasion than a Foreign Hope can insure us Accommodation Ar. These Elementary Bodies the beautiful Rags of Flesh and Blood what present they but moving Shadows that vanish in a moment at Death's Appearance Th. And do not some Men undermine themselves by supporting themselves on the Crutch of Mortality But the Arm that shakes the Foundation cannot that Arm shelter us from the Storm Ar. Yes sure since he that made the World gives it Nutrition who by his Act of Providence makes Provision for its Continuation Yet there 's nothing that had a Beginning but has its Period and in Conclusion melts into Invisibility Th. That 's certainly true for the Wages of Sin is Death all Men therefore must die so must that proud Tyrant of France whose Sins above knee-deep have sunk him up almost to the Chin so that whoever comes within compass of his Steerage he splits the Vessel or inevitably oversets her exposing his Natives and others to a malicious Fate Therefore how difficult is it to sail betwixt Sylla and Charibdis Ar. And as difficult almost to weather the Times at home for whenever a State stands a tiptoe the common People are threatned Exiles Th. I would not be thought so rash to preanticipate before trial nor would I truckle to uneven Tempers of Men and Times by a supine Complacency so to be coaks'd out of my Life by the sugared Temptation of Designers Ar. Unthinking Men whilst the Storm is yet rising rise before it so fool away their Lives He that falls in with a discontented Family propounds to build on another Man's Ruin The Divine Powers shake the Arm of Flesh and what is too difficult for God to do He that made the World can throw it down and dash it in pieces Th. Yes sure and us too if we stand within distance I mean in his way of Justice against Impenitents O my Friend let 's remove further off Ar. What Star must direct us and whither must we go Th. Into the solitary Shades of Scotland for every Eye will trace us out here Ar. What! so unjust to our selves to fly without an Offence so condemn our selves before trial when our own Innocency I should think were enough not only to clear us but also to protect us Th. Time's sandy Glass slides swiftly into Eternity and so may some of these eminent Contenders slip into their Graves That Wind blows high that makes our Fortunes stagger Ar. Nor could Thunder shake the Courage and Constancy of David to Ionathan Here we have for Precedent two of the Worthies in that Age the one no less than a King and a Prophet and the other no less than the Son of a King Come let 's stand the Charge there 's no Man knows what a Day may bring forth Th. Yes I 'm so prophetick to foresee a Stone Doublet or something worse why then to contribute such Advantages to Men of no Faith Nay I wrong 'em not to say faithless to themselves Ar. On the other hand who would harbour or engender Fear which lively prefigurates a faint Repulse that never got Honour by Inches so that I resolve against preparing for Flight and alike resolve not to think of Fear Th. Such Resolutions will stem the Tide and struggle with Death but who can withstand the Torrent of Invaders or stifle a Mutiny that invades the Camp Ar. I should forfeit both my Reason and Discretion to foresee Danger approach and run head-long into Ruin want of Foresight not to foresee argues to me but a purblind Sight And that Resolution I always approv'd of that 's best understood by a constant Courage the Morals of Equity justify a Cause and the Justness of a Cause puts a Period to doubts Th. The Supreamest gives Wisdom and Man a Capacity to choose it which if he refuses it argues an irreverend Neglect both of the Donor and the Gift Ar. Do we not see Nature commissioned from the Divinest to dress up and beautify this stupendous Creation and how Wisdom and Providence give a Blessing to preserve it And do we act our Reason to throw both away Wisdom that made us and Providence that preserves us Th. It 's true the Limit and Bound of Nature is by the sacred Decrees of Providence and Wisdom has no Limitation because essentially from the Creator himself Ar. Art imitates Nature and Necessity is the Mother of Invention Science also invites to Study and Practicks but Theory gives the Prospect and Operation finishes the Project From whence it follows that Arts are sold to Ingenuities and the Reward of Labour and Industry to
come to fee her Arbours and Aviaries so naturally dress'd up in the Shades of the Forest and perfum'd with Fragrancies from the redolent Meadows of Trent besides the pleasant Prospect it has into the cultivated Fields in the fruitful Vale of Belvoir then would you say that Nottingham is the Magazine for Cheshire and Lancashire and the daily supply of those Mountainous Parts in the Peak of Derby-shire These are those Ports where the Angler and Ingenious never yet entred without sober Accommodation let us therefore first consult the Virtuoso's of the Rod afterwards sweeten our Ears with Rhetorique from Apollo Th. As you have given us a fair and large Character of Nottingham so have you been as copious in your practical Experiments of Angling and brought to Test the undeniable Assertions of Truth not imaginary Fragments nor Romantick Fictions stoln or suggested by plundring Plagiaries Now every one knows that Ignorance emulates Art and Impiety above all things abominates Devotion Tradition also that truckles under Forms and Hypocrisy and Flattery are Time's Apostates But Science and Experience are the confirmation of Eye-sight and Truth the Standard of Divine Speculation By these we proportion the Measures of Vertue which is found by him that treads the Tracks of Wisdom and wades through the profound Depths of Patience for as he that devotes himself to a solitary Life lives a Life most congruous to Devotion so he that devotes himself to Piety lives a Life analogous to Contemplation For what signifies the Court but to remonstrate the Prince his Magnificence and the Palace but to heighten his Enjoyments On the other hand where Humility is celebrated to Piety there Content dwells every-where in an humble Breast and Humility and Penitency like Links concatinate content themselves with the garb of a Cottage Thus we may read the State of the World but that which I always approved of as the best State was to seek the Blessings of Content in every Condition Then welcome Woods Rocks Rivers Groves Rivulets nay it 's possible the very Shades of a Forest in some measure answer to the Comforts of Life and Life answers to the Ends of the great Creator Consider therefore that the Soul 's great Diadem is Christ and Christ by Wisdom and Sanctification every Christian knows is God And who but God created this stupendous Creation and drest up this imbelish'd Fabrick of Heaven and Earth when he made the Majesty of his Invisibility visible and placed Man in this sublunar Orb to conduct and manage his Fellow-creatures But Man imprudently transgressing in not answering the glorious Ends of his Divine Creation in Obedience to the Commands of the Sovereign Decrees of God the Almighty discharged him the Soveraignty of Government so exil'd him from the glorious Sun-shine of Paradise Of whom if you please let us have an account But I wonder at one thing to me it 's a Paradox Ar. What 's that Th. You writ your Book in 58 and spread the Net to 85. Ar. What if I do I lived in the Reign of five Kings and in the Time of four great Worthies Th. Was O. P. one Ar. I leave that Bone for you to pick. But this I assert that great English Hero was exemplary in Piety eminent in Policy prudent in Conduct magnanimous in Courage indefatigable in Vigilancy industriously laborious in Watchings Heroick in Enterprize constant in Resolution successful in War one that never wanted a Presence of Mind in the greatest Difficulties all the World owns him for a great General that influenced all Europe gave Laws to all neighbouring Nations and disciplined France with English Arms. Th. These are great Encomiums Was the Lord R. one Ar. That great Man of Worth and Honour was truly Vertuous the Patriot of his Country and the Glory of the Court beloved of the People and a lover of Piety who left Legacies of Love to the surviving Natives when he sealed his Death with noble English Blood Th. Was Col. A. S. one Ar. That great Soul was too great for the World whose Life in a manner was a continued Death signified by those Trophies of War he carried about him He died but to teach his Country-men the easy Methods of honourable Dying to the astonishment of Mankind and foreign Ambassadors Th. Was Alderman C. one Ar. That brave and worthy Citizen to his eternal Praise sealed London's Magna Chart a with a Christian Exit and a Voice from Heaven Therefore put no more questions for the Aenigma is explained but begin where you left off so let us conclude Th. Then I 'le only desire a Description of Man Arnoldus his Meditation Ar. Adam as an Angel in the Shades of Paradise typified his Creator then it was that this mortal State seemed Immortal and Man because a Signature of this admirable Creation was made to live by that Life that made him for it was the Will of the Supreamest that made him to shine a Ray of the Majesty upon him and generate in him the glorious beauteous Ray of Himself But this was done when the Divine Majesty made Man absolute Lord and commissioned him Conduct over all the Creatures So that Adam was now a Divine Substitute because the Divinity had divinely inspired him and stamp'd the Impress of his Royal Signet upon him the lively Emblem and Character of Himself whereby to demonstrate in him a Sovereign Power over all the Families of Creatures that God had made and by Wisdom bless'd in this stupendous Creation So that you may read Adam was made in the Likeness of his Maker but he begot in his own Likeness This was once the blessed State of Adam and a regenerate State to be born again in Spirit is the same with us now for Primitive Purity can never be blotted out by National Impiety Nor shall Age nor Time nor Death it self vacate the Lustre and Glory of Christianity for as the Donation of Purity is the Royal Act of him that 's pure and lives for ever so the Piety of Christianity shall out-live all Ages to the utmost Limit and Period of Time Where note the Primitive Times have liv'd till now and that that begot Time in the Bosom of Eternity is Christ in us the Hope of Glory Why then do Christians violate their Faith Does it become us to enslave it by Lust A proud Faith is as great a Contradiction as an humble Devil The glorious Hope we have of Paradise incites and invites Believers to the Duty of Repentance and Repentance leads on to a humble Submission to cruciate our selves and this temporal State that naturally resigns upon every Assault of Death for all complicated Elements melt into Obscurity Shall the Clay rebel against the Potter that moulds it Shall Man resist his Maker that made him Shall the Vice of the Times vote against Heaven and Impiety provoke us to mutiny against the Deity Must we learn no Language but Oaths and Imprecations and denounce no Dialect but the Rhetorick of
Hell Can no bounds be put to luxurious Ambition nor any Limit to the impudent Impostor who has not considered the Body sometimes diseased and how Death stands ready to blot out the Character of Life so that if ill Symptoms but happen to invade us the Grave immediately stands gaping to devour us Nor can our Limbs any sooner be touched with the Cold and icie Finger of Death but our vital Fires begin all to extinguish and the glorious shining Sparks of Life look languid and dim and so by degrees lose their sparkling Lustre Then it is that the natural Artifice of Men and Means suddenly forsake us and the secret Subtilties of our deceitful Hearts basely and cowardly renounce and desert us And then it is that our truckling Faith prostrates a false Heart on the cold and frozen Altar of Despair which formerly was the common Factorage and Receptable of impure Flames where we used to offer up adulterated Sacrifices with impious Adorations as the Athenians did to unknown Gods prophetically Prognosticating our merited Destruction So that now in a Clod or lump of Clay the lustre of Life is silently sealed up and secretly conveyed to the Sepulchres of Death and because translated from the beauteous Creation is made to cease from a natural State and embrace Corruption and the putrid Grave in eternal silence where we shall never see Light nor Day any more nor with Sorrow or Reluctancy look back upon the anguish and anxiety of those we formerly persecuted by unjust Sentences when as Judges we sat and perverted Judgment yet would seem to appear as Angels of Light But strip'd and stark naked the World now inspects us and all those Graces that naturally adorn'd us discover themselves but personal Deformities So that Disease finds as little difficulty to attempt us as Death to encounter and overcome us For have not our sensual Guards all declin'd us and the Arguments of Sense and Reason revolted from us Every Instrument and Organ has reclaim'd its natural Function whereby we perceive our selves deserted by the active shining Motions of Life and doom'd to Death by the Law of Sin we subscribe to the fatal Decrees of Mortality O fatal flattering Impiety where 's all those specious Pretences of Purity that link'd and intail'd our suborn'd Inclinations to the gaudy Temptations of luxurious Honour What if every Man had the Wealth of a Monarch and as great as Alexander in Empire and Dominion and suppose his Domesticks as numerous as the World yet Death would arrest him and send him Summons to appear before Heaven's high Tribunal where he must answer for himself and not another for him whilst Conscience as a bold and daring Accuser will accuse him for the Deeds done here in the Body So that as our Work was here upon Earth such also will be our Reward in Heaven But how sad will it be when to behold the Portals of the New Ierusalem firmly bolted and barrocaded against us when to hear the dreadful and irrevocable Sentence of eternal Excommunication pass upon us to be utterly secluded Society with the Saints and denied Community with the blessed Angels that perpetually triumph with Seraphick Hallelujahs as the Seraphims and Cherubims with heavenly Ejaculations whilst we are made to grope in Darkness unutterable and to lament there the Impiety of Life and debar'd Repentance after Death because to reject it when proffred unto us for in the Grave there 's no Contrition nor after Judgment is there any Revocation This is a sad and deplorable Sentence beyond the reach of Sorrow to contemplate for if but to consider the Janglings in Hell and the murmuring Complaints of the Damned in Torments that belch out Blasphemies to confirm their Impieties and by spiritual Pride prophane the Beauty of Holiness and would if possible corrupt the Creation prostituting to Idols and the Ides of Time and as much as in them lies pervert and poison the Sacred Oracles of Judgment and Justice But what Tongue can express the glorious Raptures and beatifical Visions the Saints enjoy with the Seraphick Harmony of the blessed Hierarchy whilst Penitents pass by the Gates of Hell to the heavenly triumphant Joys of Eternity O what Love so convincing and stupendously manifest as a Saviour to die for unregenerate Sinners to affix himself to the Cross of Death to fasten our Souls to Eternal Life to load his Body with the Burden of Sin to purchase for Sinners the Seal of Redemption This is that great and sublime Elixir that transmutes our Nature into Divinity Time into Eternity and our Souls into Himself from which supereminent Heavenly State there 's no relaxation but an intire Unity and Community with God for ever and ever to all Eternity For as Light is inseparable from it self nor can Darkness co-mingle or incorporate with it such is the Soul that is truly sanctified and sprinkled with the Blood of this Miracle of Mercy that never for the future can be separated from its Saviour but as Sin hates the Light because the Light discovers its Darkness so Light because it 's the Standard of Truth not only discovers but dissipates the Darkness The Lamb of God is the Light of the World that for ever shines and for ever frees the penitent Soul from the Shades of Darkness How great therefore must that Light be that enlightneth the World and every Man that cometh into the World Now the true State of Felicity is only attainable by Faith in Christ and Faith directs to the Portals of Humility Humility to Piety and Piety leads on to the Duties of Charity by a religious resignation of our inglorious Will to the Glory of his Will that bore our Burden of Sin on the Cross. Here let us sigh down if possible the Sins of the Age as Christ by the virtue of his pure Divinity depress'd those Mountains of Sin in the World then in obedience to this great Example let us cruciate our selves the better to enable us to triumph over Death for to conquer Self forceth the Devil to recoil and to render the Vanities of this World contemptible is to lead Hell and Captivity captive which none but Christ can do and has done yet ought we to imitate our Leader as true Volunteers of the Cross if we hope to imbrace the Royal Sanctions of him that bore his Cross in a bloody Shower for the Redemption of Mankind This I recommend to the Christian Reader that follows the Lamb the Captain of our Salvation Th. By this most excellent Description of Man he labours I perceive under great Anxiety till Christ affix him by his Sovereign Ray of Light whereby to illuminate and sublime his immortal Soul into the everlasting Arms of himself the glorious Being of his all-glorious Father where Time shall be no more for Time is but the Child of Eternity as is Generation the Child of Time Generation therefore devolves in Time and Time results in the Arms of Eternity But Eternity is the Beam