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
death but must patiently expect a time for his dissolution as there was a iust time appointed for his birth and natiuitie The only comfort in all bodily afflictions is the comfort of the soule to the members the patient forbearance and hope of amendment but if the soule her selfe be once distressed or distracted it lies not in the power of the dull and heauie flesh to asswage her but she will rather increase her paine vpbraid her moue her to impatience as the righteous Iob was strongly tempted by his wife to curse and forsake God Speaking of the diseases of the minde I cannot forget that I haue alreadie proued the eternitie and immortalitie of the soule and therfore am tied as it were by promise to iustifie my former assertions to excuse the same soule from all sicknesses inclining to death See here the wonderfull prouidence of God the naturall man by force of his owne reason acknowledgeth the immortalitie of the soule as touching the life and continuance and by the same reason hee likewise acknowledgeth the sicknesses and diseases of the soule morbi animi languores animi nothing is so commoÌ„ and triuiall among the heathen Philosopher as if I should say in effect that nature discernes a second death a death of sinne though not a second birth a generation to righteousnesse to the one nature is inclined and very fitly disposed and therefore sets it before her owne eyes in the other nature is defectiue and no way prepares man and therefore as blindfold she cannot behold it our inward corruption leades vs to sinne only sanctifying grace recalles vs from sinne man here rests vpon the face of the earth heauen is aboue hell is beneath set vp a ladder and he shall hardly climbe giue him wings it will not auaile him dâ—â— but open a pit and he shall fall with great ease though hee finde little ease in his fall In discouering the diseases of the minde I will tell you a greater miserie Suppose that any one man should turne franticke in a hot burning feauer and should perswade himselfe that his violent and vnnaturall heate did only proceed from his own strength of nature then he begins to buffet his keepers and will not lie still in his bed here is a double cause of griefe not so much for his sicknes as for his error and impatiencie Thus it befals many that are sicke in their minde who glorie and boast in their vices making their own shame their commendation either supposing â—â—others to bee like vnto them and sanctitie to consist only in the outward appearance or else condemning all others they will maintaine their own practice Populus me sibilet at mihi plaudo I care not what the poore people say of me quoth the Vsurer my substance shall vphold me when they goe a begging The adulterous man pleaseth himselfe with vncleannesse and begins to doubt whether a naturall act can be a sinne against nature The glutton will make strong arguments in defence of his riot Wherefore should nature supplie such plentifull prouision if he might not take it in abundance If he cannot wholly excuse himselfe yet he will lessen his sinne nihil non mentitur iniquitas sibi Whereas vertue is placed betweene the extreames vices doe now cluster together in such multitudes and throngs that vertue is either prest to death or wholly excluded vertue no longer appearing vices sit in the throne and vsurpe the chaire of estate On the contrarie vertue is sometimes reputed for vice and so loseth a great part of her happinesse which consists in due esteeme and reputation besides her attractiue power to draw all others to the imitation of her selfe The most reuerend Fathers of the Church haue been â—axed with ambition by the rude and base multitude the most strict mortified and seuere men haue been charged with a deepe hypocrisie and dissimulation the most magnificent and bountifull with popularitie and wastfulnes the most vpright and sincere in iustice with vaine glorie and pride Herein as I doe excuse the innocencie of one so I doe condemne the corruption of many they looking thorough painted glasses their own hearts being defiled cannot rightly iudge of the colours Hitherto we seeme to doubt of the diseases now at length if we conclude in generall that vertue is vertue that sinne is sinne and vice is vice then here is a second miserie that whereas all bodily diseases doe suddenly discouer themselues by their symptomes and signes and inforce the sick patient to confesse his owne griefe onely the diseases of the minde as are the inward thoughts of the heart they are secret they haue learned the language of equiuocation they walke disguised and will neuer acknowledge themselues to bee themselues for that euill spirit which hath taken away shame in the sinne hath put a shame in the confession of sinne The proud man feares nothing so much as left he should abase himselfe with too much humilitie charge him with pride and hee will make bitter inuectiues against it then he begins to apologize for himselfe how curteous and kinde he is in his entertainment how affable thus still he deceiueth himselfe for therein consisteth his pride And so for al others the diseases of the mind they are not open assaults but priuie conspiracies and therefore are secret such as will endure the wrack before they will discouer theÌ„selues or their own ends If the diseases once appeare and are made manifest sometimes there falles out a pitifull and a lamentable accident I haue seene many vertues resident in one heart like many Iewels all contained in one casket and yet all of them tainted deiected and cleane cast downe with one vice An excellent wit accompanied with honest and faire conditions attended on with comelinesse and beautie of members yet through a tractable nature is easily led away with ill companie and all his good parts are ouerwhelmed with a deluge of drunkennesse The braue courage and resolution which leaues nothing vnattempted that may tend to the seruice and honour of his countrie yet sometimes is inraged set on fire and all his good qualities are burnt and consumed with the furie of his own lust The great Clerke with his night-watchings and studies pining himselfe not vnlike his owne taper where the head wasteth the whole body in lightning others he consumes himselfe who indeed doth best deserue both of Church and of State laying the foundations of truth and pietie in the Church and building vp the walles of ciuilitie and obedience in the State yet sometimes with a fond affectation of singularitie he makes himselfe ridiculous Not to speake of any single encounter of vertue to vice many vertues knit and combined together may be foyled deiected and cleane cast downe with one vice sometimes they are choked vp with gluttonie incombred with couetousnesse grow rustie and dustie with sloth swolne and puft vp with pride cancard with enuie stretched vpon the racke of
leisure of others for his inheritance but he will sell his state in reuersion The Student no sooner looks on the title but presently turnes to the Index wee seeme like posts in our iourney and expect a like speedie passage for our sight and our flight Thus in attaining perfection the minde is stretched out vpon the rack of expectatioÌ„ and sometimes the heate of our desire is abated before things come to the ripenesse As if in the spring wee should long for the fruites of the haruest when in the summer season either wee forget our owne longing or hauing tasted the fruites the sweetnesse seemes to bee alreadie past and spent in the expectation Suppose that the vnderstanding either not possest with error or not hastening to be resolued should not torment it selfe with expectation nor the will should be disquieted by prolonging her hopes but that the one were enlightened with true wisdome and the other setled with constant and quiet affections then behold the foresight and knowledge of such euils as may daily befall vs strikes vs with terrour and fearfulnesse Haue I escaped one danger I confesse mine own merits I acknowledge thy mercy sweet Iesu what hath thy wisedome reserued in the second place to assault me Me thinkes I see the state and condition of euery man liuely set forth in the first Chapter of Iob Wheresoeuer or howsoeuer the wind blowes from any quarter of the world it still serues to bring vs some heauie tidings concerning our selues our health our children our kindred our substance our seruants all are subiect to shipwracke euery thing falles to decay and must be repaired not with restitution but with patience and long suffering See you not the Merchant how carefull he is twice euery day to meete at the Burse It is to enquire what ill newes hath befallen him poore wretched man that should be thus subiect to so many ill accidents The very thought and feare of many euils doe perplexe the mind as much in effect as doth the sustaining of any one in particular for neither of them doe immediately touch the reasonable soule and both of them are alike apprehended in the vnderstanding and it is the vnderstanding which is onely capable of ioy or of sorrow Suppose a man to bee carelesse and dissolute of his worldly estate or suppose his estate to be such and so great that hee feares no casualties or dangers Extra fortunae iactum If the Sunne and the Moone doe arise quoth the Vsurer my daies of payment will come if the Common Law of England stand in force I haue him fast bound in a statute or recognizance Heere is good security I confesse but thou foole this night thy soule shall be taken from thee where are thy goods where is thy substance Suppose thy honour or wealth should encrease yet thy life which is the foundation to support all the rest whereby thou art made capable of the rest of thy blessings daily decreaseth euery day thou leesest a day of thine age and in euery moment thou standest in feare of a sudden death O mors quà m amara est memoria tua homini pacem habenti in substantijs suis O death how bitter is thy memorie to him that reposeth trust in his owne wealth If man were sufficiently prepared to die and that he did not respect the shortnesse of his owne daies in hope of a better world to succeed yet the very thought and commiseration of others whose standing or falling depends vpon his life or his death would greatly perplexe him The poore husband sitting at meate accompanied with his louing and beautifull wife who indeed is the ornament of his table and like a fruitfull vine vpon the walles of his house together with all his hopefull children like Oliue branches round about his table in the middest of his mirth and feasting begins to consider what if God should suddenly take me away as the least crumme heere is able to choake me what should become of my fatherlesse children who should take thought of my desolate wife Alas poore widow alas poore orphants I haue heere brought you into a miserable world and if I should now forsake you better it were that the same earth should together intumbe vs. Men are deceitfull kindred are negligent friends are forgetfull I know not to whose custodie and charge I might safely commit you My state is very vnsetled my Testament not made for I know not how God may encrease my charge or daily alter my state I know not whether a posthumous child may succeed me alas poore widow alas poore orphants to God I commit my soule to the earth of his sanctuarie I commit mine owne body and for the remainder of my flesh part of my selfe my deare wife together with the fruits of my loynes my sonnes and my daughters as branches budding from a decayed root I leaue you to Gods safe custodie and protection Hee that brought vs together coupled vs in marriage and shall then separate vs by my naturall death bee an husband to my desolate and forsaken wife he that gaue me my children and then shall take me from them be a father to the fatherlesse Heere indeed is ioy to the Christian man but a cold comfort to the naturall man whose heart is full of distrust and infidelity I know not how other men may stand affected to death but in truth this very thought doth more perplexe me then death it selfe which thought I should reserue as my daily meditation vpon my first approch into my naked bed poore wretched man that I am when at length without strength without reason or sense hauing no power of my selfe no vse of my limbs or my members when I shall lie in the pangs and agonie of death when my friends and acquaintance shall leaue me my little substance forsake mee when mine owne flesh shall be spent and consumed and nothing shall remaine but skinne and the bones when euery part is tortured with griefe the soft bed seemes hard to my wearisome limbes when mine eyes grow heauie my breath noysome my heart faint then behold I shall enter a combate an impotent souldier I confesse and yet not a single combate but here shall stand the vglinesse and multitude of my sinnes together with an exact remembrance and the ripping vp of the whole course of my life there the palenesse of death the vncertainty of my future abode and habitation then the feare of Gods iudgements shall terrifie me the thought of hell fire and damnation shall â—amaze mee to see my selfe thus forsaken and destitute And notwithstanding my naturall inclination and desire of life yet to be hurried and carried away with the streame of the time no respite or leisure shall be allowed me my houre-glasse is runne and of all my liues labour and trauell I shall receiue no portion onely my sinne shall accompanie me and shall attend mee to Iudgement what shall it profit me to win the
if in the middest of all thy ioyes the least griefe should assault thee suppose thou wert an absolute Monarch and haddest the gouernment of the whole world that thou diddest ride vpon the shoulders of men carried in triumph treading vpon thy captiues and slaues that thou haddest all carnall and al possible pleasures which nature could affoord thee yet if thy tooth did but ake if thy naile were but sore if thy little finger were scorcht with the fire for I will not speake of those more noble parts the eye the heart the braine the liuer and the rest assuredly thou wouldest iudge thy selfe a most miserable man and shouldest take little ioy or contenâ—ment in all those sports and delights Suppose thou couldest distill all thy pleasures and free them froÌ„ sorrow as it were separating their drosse so that many whole and entire perfections should bee linckt in thy person yet obserue how one ioy seemes to preuent ouertake and to extinguish the other WheÌ„ thou sittest at table to meate then farewell the delight which thou tookest in thy morning exercises sports now thou must intend to please thy daintie and delicious palate at length for feare of a surfet farewell the sweete sinne of gluttonie the afternoone will serue to visit to thy friends but as thou commest so there must be a time of departure as was thy ioy so must be thy sorrow the one will easily recompence the other Vpon thy returne thou callest to thy stewards and clerkes to see the accounts of thy house the ouerplus and surplusage of thy rents and estate this indeede reioyceth thy heart and thus thou passest from ioy vnto ioy the whole time of thy pilgrimage Suppose thou wert confinde to any one of these delights thou wouldest think thy life but a slauerie so then thy delight consists onely in the varietie Suppose any mans minde were not so stragling and extrauagant as thine but that hee could tie himselfe and limit his owne thoughts certainly he should receiue as much contentment in one as thou dost in many What doth this argue but only that man forsaking the fountain of all true goodnesse in whom all ioyes are together knit and vnited that enioying him alone wee might haue all fulnesse of ioy and contentment not by degrees not in varietie not in succession but altogether in euery moment of eternitie Man hauing lost this onely one good seekes againe for the same good in the shadow thereof thorough many chaunges and alterations and not finding the same good desires to please himselfe with varietie Suppose the whole day were spent in iolitie and mirth yet if thou diddest but want thy nights rest al were nothing Lord how thine owne thoughts would torment thee how long and tedious would the time seeme how often wouldest thou wish and expect the light of the morning then thou beginnest to acknowledge that of all the ioyes in the world there is none comparable to a sweete sleepe sleepe which refresheth the wearisome limmes renewes and quickens the faculties of the minde restores the bodie to her wonted strength it seemes as an excellent embleame of the last resurrection for in the day time our sports do proceed with consuming of our spirits the decay of our strength the weakning of our parts but sleepe must recompence all Haue I wrung out a confession Now giue me leaue to worke vpon it What is sleepe but the image of death a want of sense and of motion not capable either of ioy or of sorrow If our greatest contentment rest in our rest and sleepe bee our greatest blisse then our greatest ioy consists in the priuation of all ioy and in the want and absence of delights consists the perfection of delights As-much in effect as if I should say it were better to haue no ioyes at all then to be fraught and filled with ioyes for our ioyes are but toyes and the delights of this life are as the dreames of a shadow without stayednesse foundation or consistencie If there be any ioyes in the creature O the wonderfull ioyes of him that created hee is the fountaine of ioy and these are but drops he is the sunne of ioy and these are the rayes or the beames which he imparts vnto nature If I loue beauty I will first loue him and fasten mine eyes vpon him that is the fountaine of beauty and beauty it selfe if I loue honor or wealth I will looke vpon him who sits aboue in maiesty heauen is his throne the earth is his footstoole whose treasures are infinit who makes all things of nothing he can enlarge his owne Empire create many infinite worlds for his owne gouernment Hee that is proud of his owne wealth or his honor is indeed base minded to content himselfe with so base an element as the earth our pride and ambition lookes much higher aboue the starres where God sits in perfect glory where all the hallowes of heauen are clothed with happines and honor here is the marke and scope of our desires here we may claime our right by inheritance for here we haue our part and portion with them there is but little ioy in the creature all an infinitie to that little ioy and so thou shalt worship God in the creature let it not hinder our search or our hope for it is but an earnest or forerunner of that future ioy to secure vs of happines non ancillam ament qui dominam ambiunt if we come as suters to the Mistris let vs scorne to fall in loue with the handmaide This I speake supposing there were some ioy in the creature which if there were any thy minde might be transported and carried by the ladder or bridge of the creatures to the loue of thy creator For as it pleased God to ordaine a ceremoniall law differing from the naturall law according to the wisdome of his owne institution so assuredly the minde of man which delights in nothing so much as in mysteries may make whole nature a ceremony and all the creatures tipes and resemblances of spirituall things for thus the land of promise did figure out the heauenly Ierusalem and this I cannot dislike in the practise of any mans priuat deuotion But I must call to mind my first intention which was to proue that the ioy of the creature was only vanity and this shal appeare by these three circumstances 1. The variety of mens iudgements in the choice of their owne happines which certainly proceeds from the fansie for right reason hath but one only foundation and God will not admit any difference 2. This their conceited or supposed happines neuer consists in the present insomuch that man can neuer say vnto himselfe now I am happy but his happines is alwayes either past gon and already spent or els comming in expectation like some desperat debt when faire promises serue for our payment 3. Few or none will euer acknowledge themselues to haue bin happy but yet still are
must of necessity borrow their information from others now here is an excellent point of wisdome when vnder colour of aduise and good counsell wherein they shall haue thankes for their labour and rewards for their good seruice their seruants shall so cunningly ouer-rule an action as that they may worke their owne ends No maruell if Princes be very tender in the point of their prerogatiue which indeed is so necessary and so essentiall to gouernment as that without it gouernment cannot subsist and therefore it were high presumption to examine this prerogatiue for as it is in the gouernment of nature so should it be in mans gouernment God indeed hath prescribed certaine bounds to the creatures datur maximuÌ„ minimum in vnoquoque genere but what these bounds should bee for the iust measure and limitation we are wholy ignorant there are giants there are dwarffs the Ocean sometimes incroacheth vpon the land and sometimes the land wins ground of the Ocean And thus it is in mans gouernment there are arcana imperij certaine hidden secrets of state which ought not to bee discussed or expostulated to prescribe a limitation of power would argue a kinde of subiection in a free Monarch If euer question be made of their power I will fall downe on my knees and desire God to preuent the first occasion that Princes in their gouernment may intend Gods glory the good of his Church the comfort of his people and that subiects knowing whose power and authority they haue may worship God in the Magistrate with all humility and obedience For if the parts should oppose themselues to the head if the hand or the foote should contend with the eye what a miserable distraction should you finde in the whole man Gouernment should rather tend to vnity then be an occasion of strife and disagreement let all parts rather striue to gaine each other and to preuent each other with mutuall kinde offices of loue then contending with needlesse questions to disquiet themselues before any iust cause be offered I say not to examine the prerogatiue of Princes or to what lawes they are subiect for I will easily yeeld that where they are not expresly mentioned and doe binde themselues by their owne royall assent there they are to be excluded according to the president and plotforme of nature semper excipiendum est primum in vnoquoque genere Yet sure I am that they are not exempted from the miseries and sorrowes of our nature which seeme to be incident and common to flesh and bloud for nature in making her lawes requires no royal assent and this shall appeare by this one instance I haue obserued this in my reading that most of the Princes and especially the greatest if they escaped the cursed attempts of cruell murtherers and traytors I say in most of them you shall finde that their death hath bin seasoned or rather hastened with a griefe of minde a deepe melancholy and a great discontentment That God might make it appeare that there is no true ioy in nature that God might let them vnderstand their owne pride who being flattered by their seruants and slaues did expect that the winde and the sea should obay them Hauing neuer learned true christian patience and humility though they conquered their enemies yet the least griefe did vanquish them though they subdued great nations and ruled great kingdomes yet could they not rule their owne passions It is impossible that a mortall man should be freed from all causeâ— of griefe though hee were an absolute Monarch of the whole world Princes must learne patience for amongst all their prerogatiues they shall finde none whereby they are exempted and excluded from sorrow which indeed is incident to the whole nature of man Thus heere I haue briefly runne thorough all the happy states of men that so I might say with the Apostle omnia factus sum omnibus vt aliquos lucrarer and truly I do finde that God hath inclosed all men in one common depth of misery For if ioy and true ioy could bee competent to this our corrupted nature then certainly God would neuer haue expelled man paradise for heere was the wisdome of God that whereas blessings and happinesse could not containe man within the bounds of obedience therefore man being thrust into a vaile of misery his owne sorrow might inforce him to crie for succour and releife That so the iustice of God might appeare in the iust punishment of sinne that so it might serue as a more forcible meanes for mans repentance and conuersion for in this sinfull state man is more moued with feare and sorrow then with thankfulnesse or hope Though I cannot peirce the clouds and open the heauens to shew the maiesty and glory of God for no man could euer see God and liue though I cannot allure and entice man with a true relation and discouerie of those heauenly ioyes though I cannot oblige and binde man vnto God in the chaines and linkes of true loue and thankfulneâ— by a serious and weighty meditation of all the blessings receiued from God which might concerne either body or soule this life or a better life his creation preseruation redemption sanctification c. Yet am I able in some sort to anatomize the state of man to lay open his miseries and griefe that being once out of the arke and seeing these turbulent waues hee might finde no resting place but againe returne to the arke taking a dislike and a distaste in nature he might be thinke himselfe of his flight and so finde safe refuge and shelter in Gods onely protection and comfort himselfe in the hope and expectation of a better world to succeed as all those run-agates which were discontented with the gouernment of Saul were very apt and easily inclined to flie vnto Dauids campe From the seuerall states of men let vs come to the seuerall dispositions of man in himselfe obserue the changes and reuolutions of our mindes for if you please we will trace them by degrees from the time of our inâ—ancy how they alter with the course of our age First wee begin to delight in crackers and toyes some little bable hung about the necke some corall with siluer bels or a little Christall but these seeme to be the proper implements belonging to the cradle they are indeed the Nurses ornaments and together with the cradle they must be left for succession We are no sooner hatched but presently wee must haue a feather in the cap a dagger at the backe then in stead of a true paradise we are brought into a fooles paradise wee are made to beleeue that all is ours the land is ours the house is ours the goods possessions all are ours seeme to take away any thing and the whole house shall not bee able to containe vs exclude but any one fruite it shal grieue vs more then the enioying of all the fruites of the garden can asswage vs. Now at length
our abuse the punishment was the labour of man now man in stead of patience in bearing this yoake and obedience in vndertaking the taske and conforming himselfe to Gods lawe desires nothing so much as to frustrate the sentence of God and to auoid the punishment especially in these last dayes which is the ould age of the world we intend nothing more then our idlenesse and sloth sometimes vnder the faire shew of sanctity Whereas certaine it is that all honest callings and vocations of men they are Gods owne ordinance in performing them we doe God seruice bis orat qui bene laborat the workes haue the forme of a prayer as implicitly desiring God to concurre with his own meâ—nes they are likewise in the nature of sacrifices as being actions well pleasing and commanded by God himselfe thinke them not base do not neglect them with any foolish â—ansie conceit of thine own puritie for God hath appointed them and be shall one day take the accounts of thy labour in this kinde But the generall practise of this world is to giue ouer all painefull manuall and laborious professions and to desire to liue by their wits as if the state of man were wholy angelicall and that his hâ—ngerâ—oâ—ld bee satisfied with knowledge his thirst quenched with sweet meditation and his backe clothed with good precepts or as if euery part should ambitiously aspire to the perfection of an eye for schollers are inâ—â—â—it Lawyers innumerable Ciâ—ies swarme and abound with multitudes and euery company complaines of companie but trillage husbandry and manuall labour was neuer more neglected We doe not desire to gaine from nature so to benefit our selues and to enrich the whole kingdome but we desire with the finenesse and quiddities of our owne wits to gaine from others new offices must be erected and we must breed vp our children as Clearkes in some office and hence it is that our wants were neuer so great the trickes and shifts of many were neuer so shamefull and dishonest for they that know best to liue â—ioâ—ously in a wastfull course of expense knowe least what belongs to the labour and difficulty in getting if nature were as prodigall in her gifts as is their mindes laâ—ish and profuse I should commend their magnificence but it fals out far otherwise c. To leaue the professions of men I will only tâ—xe one of their actions a practise which is now growne common and vsuall and hath bin haâ—ched in these dayes altogether vnknowne or els vtterly detested and abhorred by the former and better times of our forefathers namely the inclosing of common fields when the land leeseth his owne proper and naturall vse God hauing ordained it for tillage wee must conuert it to pasture whereas corne is such a soueraigne and pretious commoditie being indeed the ground-worke of a kingdome whereupon all our plenty consists in so much that other wise and politicke states as the Florentines will suffer no corne to be at any time transported shall kingdomes bereaue themselues of their weapons and sell them to strangers heere is the staffe of life the staffe of bread Leuit. 26. 26. Heere is our best weapon shall we leaue our selues destitute of this weapon only thorough our owne sloth wherefore serue the inclosures but only to the inhauncing of the Lords rent and for the idlenesse of the tenant whereas certaine it is that better it were in a state for men to bee wholy vnprofitablie imployed then for want of imployment they should be left to their owne disposing wherein you shall finde not only the losse of their time but other vitious and dissolute courses as drinking gaming riot quarelling and sometimes seditious tumults Most certaine it is that the kingdome is heerby greatly impouerished for those lands inclosed are not able to maintaine such numbers of men so many horses fit for the seruice of war such prouision for our plenty in a foure-fold proportion as formerlie they did lying open and in tillage Where is the ancient strength of England how easily may we be vanquisht if in the best soyle townes shall be thus vnpeopled why doth our lawe so much intend tillage why doth our law preuent inmates and cottages if on the other side notwithstanding the increase and multiplying of people yet villages shall be ruinated and all must serue for the shepheard infinit are the inconueniences which I could speake of inclosures but I will conclude all with this one rule in lawe interest reipublicae vt ne quis re sua malè vtatur Many and great are the iudgements of God which from time to time haue followed the first authors and first beginners of inclosures but you shall giue me leaue to prophesie a iudgement That I may speake for this climat of England giue me leaue to compare this great kingdome to a body as in the middest of a body the heart is only the fountaine of all vitall bloud which it sends forth and conuayes in her conduit-pipes to all the seuerall parts of the body so me thinkes God hath ordained this kingdome that in the middest of it there should bee the heart the richest and faâ—â—est soyle which might send forth plenty of corne to all the bordering skirts which as they haue the benefit of waters for the carriage of their commodities so are they not in themselues such fruitfull corne grounds yet if any part of the world be sufficiently prouided with graine for the most part our sea-cost townes do share in their plenty whereas our in-land countries must only relie vpon their owne prouision and to that end God hath giuen them a soyle fit for that purpose Now seeing â—hat they haue such inclosures and that they haue wholly betaken themselues to their idlenesse and floth assuredly whensoeuer it shall please God to send amongst vs a punishment of hunger and famine there the death and penury shall be greatest from whence heeretofore wee haue receiued our greatest supply Thus man desiring to escape the punishment of God in his labour incurr's a far greater iudgement of God in his famine if hee will not sweat in his worke hee shall starue in his wants Giue vs grace O Lord strengthen and inable vs that we may labour according to thine â—rdinaâ—ce and iâ— thy mercy O Lord giue a blessing to our laboâ—rs that we may râ—ceiue from thee the fruites of our labour and 〈◊〉 vs O Lord from that heâ—â—y punishment of â—â—nger and fâ—mine Because the earth brought forth of herselfe 〈◊〉 and braâ—bles therefore was man tied to his hâ—â—bandry and laboâ—â—â— heere is the course of his life and profession now let vs come to his honor and dignitie which appeares in his gouernment hauing lost his absolute 〈◊〉 ouer the creatâ—â—es and they no longer tied to his seruice but assaulting and despitefully vsing their master and gouernor behould God laughes at the counselâ— of men instead of gouerning the dumbe beasts the rule and tyranny of man
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
ordained to bee an eye and that women should proue teachers in the Church they begin to enquire of predestination reprobation prelection free-will the state of innocency the time of the generall iudgement c. Here are excellent wits indeed that cannot admit any bounds of their knowledge if there were a tree of knowledge in the middest of Paradise for the triall of their obedience you should easily discouer in them the same disposition And hence follow such monsters of opinions such mishapen conceits together with such neglect contempt and such a base respect of their ordinary Pastor as that you would not imagine such disobedience were it not that the same corruption and curiositie of knowledge did first appeare in the roote which now buds foorth in the branches How credulous and easie of beliefe are the young children as if they were fit subiects to be againe seduced by the serpent how do they rather incline vnto hate then vnto loue out of the malignitie and corruption of their owne nature as it were laying the foundation of that Machiauelian policie that Friendship is vncertaine but hate is irreconcileable see their obstinacy and wilfulnesse if you forbid them any thing the more you forbid it the sooner they will attempt it â—itimur in vetitum see how we follow the footsteps of our forefathers we neede not be taught this lesson aspis à vipera disobedience is now become naturall vnto vs see how these little children will alwayes attempt the most dangerous actions as clyming vp of ladders sliding vpon the ice running ouer bridges playing with edged tooles skipping ouer benches to shewe that the same nature still continues in those little impes which vnder colour of bouldnes and courage proues indeed to bee rashe and desperat suppose them to be weake and faint not able to vndertake such great exployts see then of all other places how they make choice of the basest the sinke the chanell the chymnie wallowing in the mire all daubde on with durt that were it not to signifie the vncleannesse of mans conception and birth I should much maruaile at natures intent herein See see these little children how apt they are to learne all lewdnesse and naughtinesse if there be but a nicke-name or a leud song or some libellous rime you shall finde them so inquisitiue so desiâ—ous to learne so retentiue of memory as that you would thinke it wonderfull whereas in all good learning there is such a dulnesse such a backwardnesse such forgetfulnes as that you would not suppose them to be the same wits Now the first offence for which our parents correct vs it is for the most part the eating of rawe and vntimely fruits see how these children do naturally symbolize with their parents and as of nature so there is a conformitie of wils as soone as our strength serues vs then wee begin to rob orchards to rifle aple-lofts ceasing vpon forbidden fruits as if we could not leaue our ould â—aunt or that we did claime a bad custome by prescription but I pray' marke the euent this eating of fruits ingendreth wormes in their mawe their stomackes and bowels their tender yong bodies become quicke sepulchers a wombe for the wormes to feed vpon their liuing carkases see here the eating of this fruit giues them the first token and assurance of their mortalitie morte morieris But I forget my selfe vnles I should here stay I feare I should againe and againe run through the whole course of his life neither indeed dare I far proceed in this subiect for I know what some will say that bachelors children are euer well taught giue me therefore leaue retiring far backe to make the longer leape from the cradle to the coffin being fast bound vp with swadling cloutes I will exchange them for my winding sheet and so in the last place I come to the last punishment of the first sinne morte morieris thou shalt die the death Gen. 3. v. 19. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate bread till thou returne to the earth for out of it wast thou taken because thou art dust and to dust shalt thou returne I confesse indeed I shal incurre a disorderly method if you consider the course and order of nature for nature passeth by degrees natura non facit saltum she takes no leape but when I consider the necessity of death together with the casualtie and vncertainty of all other accidents which may befall man statutum est hominibus mori there is a statute past that al men must die but peraduenture I shall be rich I shall be poore peraduenture I shall grow ould I shall be blind peraduenture I shall be lame I shall be a criple but without all peraduenture I shall die thus there being a necessity of death together with a great vncertaintie of the time I do appeale to the strictnesse and rigour of lawe that if a debt must be discharged and no due time be appointed then we must prepare for a present payment so that it cannot seeme much against method though I speake of death immediatlie vpon our first receiuing of breath If all other creatures were subiect to death yet me thinks obseruing the course and prouidence of nature man should be exempted from death consider the high prerogatiue of man in all restringent and penall lawes the Prince is excluded to shew his high estate aboue the ranke and condition of subiects now man is the king of the creatures let other creatures bee lyable to â—laughter for they were ordained and directed to man let other creatures die of themselues for in them there is nothing but nature nature which hath a certaine course and period a time of rising and a time of setting but the first fountaine of life in man is the inuisible and immortall soule free from corruption free from all change and alteration as in her owne substance so in her actions she cannot bee inforced or determinated but is beyond the Precincts of nature and therefore no way tyed to follow the ordinary course of nature Yet some beasts do far exceed man in life and continuance of being which is the foundation and ground worke of nature to support all other blessings and therfore seems to be the highest prerogatiue of nature wherein notwithstanding man is defectiue other creatures indeed seeme to attaine their perfection in their ends or their death the hearbes serue for the food of beasts and in their bodies and carkases they haue a more excellent being then they had in their greene blades the flesh of beasts becomes the nourishment of man and being made part oâ— mans own flesh heere is the height of all their preferment now in man you shall obserue it far otherwise who of the mirror and miracle of nature by his own death is suffered to putrifie and to be deuoured of the basest wormes as if his body were ordained to be the compost of the earth and did only serue
infidelitie vpon all fit occasions he is ready to reuolt and dares vndertake nothing for feare of his death which hee holds for his greatest woe Thus I haue proportioned the seuerall punishments of the first sinne to the tenne plagues of Egypt I haue contracted them to the number of tenne though further happily I could haue extended them were it not that I desire to speake al things according to some rule and proportion But now I call to minde the last punishment in Egypt was mors primogeniti the death of their first begotten and this hath likewise some reference to the last punishment of sinne mors primogeniti the death of the soule which is the first begotten in man and Scripture doth intimate as much in effect for this very phrase morte morieris thou shalt dye the death might seeme to include a needlesse repetition or tautologie were there not a first death and a second death and both of them brused brayed and beaten together in this one morter morte morieris thou shalt dye the death Which words â—ound to my eares as if they did intimate the truth of a double death both proposed to man and man himselfe made subiect and liable to both yet the necessitie seemes to be imposed only for one The first iudgment hath relation to the first death thou shalt dye the death if you tell me of the Hebrew phrase and the manner of their speech then I doe much more magnifie God who hath so ordained the tongues and languages of men to expresse such a mysterie If you please to consider the circumstances and â—orerunners of the last and generall iudgement they cannot but greatly astonish man when the world shall now be growne to that old age as that her sight shall begin to faile her or sicke of a dangerous and desperate disease vndoubtedly approching to death her light shall be put out which was the first token and signe of life and therefore was created in the first place when the Sunne and the Moone shall be darkened and in this darknesse as if nature were poysoned with mans sinne not any part thereof shall be able to performe her owne office and dutie but all shall stand in an vprore the heauens with the elements the elements with the heauens and all together confounded Luk. 21. vers 25. Then there shall be signes in the Sunne and in the Moone and in the Starres and vpon the earth trouble among the nations with perplexitie the Sea and the waters shall roare c. These things might seeme strange and terrible to the carnall man but here is the least part of his terrour for when hee shall see the wrath of God hanging ouer his head hell opened beneath him damnation before him his persecuting foes behind him on his right hand the whole number of his sinnes accusing him on the left hand all the creatures witnessing against him within him nothing but feare tormenting himselfe with the sting of his owne conscience without him nothing but torture and the crie of his owne sinnes together with Gods iustice calling for vengeance O what a fearefull thing it is to fall into the hands of the euer liuing God! When as al the plagues of Egypt which certainly were strange and wonderfull yet by the confession of the Egyptians and by the testimonie of Scripture it selfe were onely wrought by the finger of God digitus dei hic est alas what proportion is there betweene the whole hand and the little finger But shall I tell you how to to auoide the hands of this euerliuing God then let vs first fall into the hands of a dead God amor meus crucifixus est Christus meus crucifixus est his blood is shed and therefore he will not require our blood he is weakened and cannot hurt his hands are nailed and cannot strike he is not fit to punish but to commiâ—erate here wee may safely approch without feare and vnder the shadow of his wings we shalâ— finde protection Hebr. 4. vers 15. 16. Wee haue not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sinne let vs therfore goe boldly vnto the throne of grace that we may receiue mercie and finde grace to helpe vs in this time of our necessitie Let vs call to minde what effects the preuision and premeditation of this last and great iudgement hath wrought vpon the dearest Saints of God the righteous Iob can testifie in the 21. Chapter What shall I doe how shall I escape when God shall come vnto iudgement The beloued Disciple though otherwise he had leaned vpon the bosome of Christ yet seeing Christ comming in iudgement he fell downe vnder his feete Apocal. 1. S. Ierome sets vp a stage and makes a liuely representation of this iudgement supposing himselfe alwaies to heare the noyse of the trumpet sounding in his eares Surgite mortui venite ad iudieiuÌ„ Arise ye dead come vnto iudgment S. Basill lets foorth this iudgement in place of a schoole-master to teach vs our selues and our owne wretched condition S. Chrysostome makes it a bridle to keepe vs from sinne within the lists of obedience Cyprian makes it a remembrancer of sinne for our repentance Vaepeccatis meis cum monti dicturus sum c. Woe be vnto my sinnes when I shall say to the mountaines couer me and to the deepe waters hide and conceale me to the earth swallow and ouerwhelme me that I may find some refuge in the day of Gods wrath Whither shall I goe from Gods presence if I flie vp to heauen hee is there if I goe downe into hell he is there also if I take vp the wings of a Doue and flie to the vttermost parts of the earth euen there also shall his power follow me and his iustice pursue mee whither shall I flie from Gods presence I will flie from God to God from the tribunall of his iustice to the seate of his mercie here is my appeale Call to remembrance O Lord thy tender mercie and thy louing kindnesse which haue been euer of old O remember not the sinnes and offences of my youth but according to thy mercie thinke thou vpon me O Lord for thy goodnesse Thus much for the expectation but I dare not proceede to the tortures and torments of hell S. Austine excuseth himselfe in speaking of that subiect and for my selfe I am afraid to thinke of them and therefore I pray' beare with me if I follow S. Austins example I had rather sound foorth the trumpets of Gods mercie then poure downe the viols of his wrath God preuent that in mercie which otherwise in iustice he might and should inflict vpon vs. If I should enter into this subiect I know not ho◠〈…〉 disquiet and perplexe the thoughts and consciencâ—◠〈…〉 â—â—â—nners quorum ego sum maximus of whom I am the chiefest and the greatest sinner But here is my
so agreeable to the state of our bodies as is that humor calor radicalis which wee receiue from our first birth heere I will reply how fals it out that our bodies should impart semen ad procreandum wherin that radicall humor is resident and both seede and humor arising from our food and our nourishment yet nature should seeme in the preseruation of our bodies to refuse the best making it an excrement of the third concoction and taking for her owne foode and sustenance the worst part of the substance See then the generall intent and scope of nature tending to corruption must likewise argue that nature her selfe in generall shall at length be tainted with the same corruption First for the apparell of the Ancients if you please to obserue the fashion of their garments you shall finde them to be such as no way inforcing nature nor made onely for comlinesse they might best serue for the exercise of the agilitie of their bodies which well argues a greater actiuity in them then in vs though I suppose they would not suffer any to practise for danger much lesse to get a dishonest liuing by vaulting tumbling or any such apish toyes yet generally they were more actiue and had lesse vse of horses then we haue in these dayes For the substance of their garments our clothing is much more gentle and soft then theirs for they had not that vse of linnen which we haue which well argues the weaknes and tendernes of our flesh in respect of theirs their garments being courser were likewise much weightier and heauier then ours which bâ— tâ—kens the strong foundation of their bodies for in these dayes wee could hardly indure their burthen or weight it should seeme they did accustome themselues to much hardnesse for amongst the common sort of men stockings and shooes were not then grown into fashion indeed for the trunke or bulke of their bodies they were more warmely clothed then wee are as committing themselues more to the weather and as the heate of a mans owne body being kept in with warme clothes is much more naturall more healthfull and cordiall to man then is the burning scorching and consuming heate of the fire therefore the Ancients did more desire warme clothes and apparell then the vse of fire for among them you shall finde little preparation for fire their houses built with very fewe chymnies they were very sparing and thriftie in their woods their chambers very close and warme desiring rather to keepe out the cold winde then to let in the fresh ayre whereas our wantonnes appeares in large windowes high roofes as if we made no difference of being without doores and being within doores or that we did neuer purpose to vse our limbes to goe and take the fresh ayre but that the fresh ayre should be brought vnto vs their lying or bedding was very hard few of them knew what feather-beds meant and assuredly their bodies would better indure it then ours as likewise for their lodging in campes or professing a strict and austere life as many religious men did and as they were more apt for their labours so were they more giuen to their pastimes their sports and their games then we are which I suppose did neither argue lightnesse in them nor any counterfeit grauitie in vs but the state of their bodies were such as did require them and the weaknenesse of our bodies is such as we dare not attempt them for according to the disposition of the body the minde is affected From the apparell let vs come to the foode now it should seeme is the ould age of the world which appeares by the pampering of our selues for take our ordinary foode it was neuer heretofore so delicat so daintie so tender as it is at this day the vsuall ould and accustomed food not agreeing with our weak stomackes we must haue warme and delicious brothes to comfort our decayed nature exquisite sauces to prouoke our appetite such purboyling such helpes and remedies of art to prepare our meates for digestion which assuredly do wel argue that the world is either dangerously sicke or come to her ould age that she should be inforced to vse or indeed can admit such a physicall diet For during the strength of nature while things were in their perfection a stronger foode did better be fit them did more agree with their bodies cookerie was then wholy vnknowne they could be content with the bare vse of the creatures without any further delicacy or preparation water did then serue for their drinke and they did feede much vpon hearbes milch-meates and course bread as the world grew elder so they did daily more more decline in the strength of their nature fasting and eating of fish in succeeding ages did not so well agree with the state of their bodies and therefore you shall finde euen in Church-discipline a greater conniuencie toleration and dispensation vpon any reasonable cause and we that are now falne in this last period of times we are now growne to that faintnesse that hot waters and strong drinkes were neuer so much vsed hot spices were neuer brought ouer in such plentie as may well appeare in the custome-house yea such is the continuall weaknesse of our stomackes that for remedy and helpe thereof this last age hath found out an Indian drug the vse of Tobacco which at all times vpoÌ„ all occasions to all complexions the full stomacke the emptie stomacke in any measure or quantitie taken must serue to cure the rawnesse of the stomack to extenuate and exhale the ill humors to help the vndigested foode but you will say that the vse or at least the immoderat vse of this hearbe proceeds from the wantonnesse of these times which truely I do easily confesse yet assuredly the temper and constitution of our bodies would neuer admit such a wantonnes were it not that it proceeds from the weaknesse of our nature for if wee should presume as far vpon hearbes in the extremity of coldnesse suppose the iuyce of Oranges or Limons which by the art and cunning of man might bee made euery way as delicious and delicate certainely wee should feele the smart of our owne follie The clothing and foode doe much betoken the soundnesse and constitution of our bodies yet I cannot content my selfe with them but I will descend to speake more immediately of our bodies it should seeme that death is not onely competent to euery person in particular but euen the whole world and all the seuerall kindes of creatures tend to confusion there is a great decay in euery species men come not to that strength nor to that growth nor to that ripenesse of wit nor to that fulnesse of yeeres which they did in former times the world hath his period and his determinate course of yeeres now is the olde age or decay of this world The growth and strength of men seeme to proceede from the same causes and
doe and therefore more did miscarrie but if you please to consider their liues together most certaine it is that before the deluge men liued many hundred yeeres and the birth of their children carried a iust proportion to their age since the deluge assuredly the decay hath proceeded by degrees Dauid in his time who liued much about the yeere after the worlds creation 2890 which was twelue hundred yeeres after the deluge or thereabouts confesseth that the age of man was threescore and ten yeeres for then it should seeme they came to that age with ful strength but in these times few men I will not speake of Princes such as Dauid was whose daintie and delicate fare doth certainly shorten the course of their liues doe attaine with much sorrow and griefe to threescore and tenne yeeres though I confesse that this alteration as all other naturall alterations whatsoeuer doth not so easily appeare to the sense but is more fitly gathered by the obseruation of reason for I thinke that seuentie yeeres then had the same proportion that fiftie yeeres haue now at this time From man I will come to the elements and I will insist in the neerest elemeÌ„ts the generatiue elements the water and earth for this change and alteration appeares not in man alone but the very elements themselues are much decaied in their wonted perfection foâ—â—our seas are growne fruitlesse and barraine as it appeares vpon records in our Hauen townes that a farre greater quantitie of fish hath formerly been taken and brought into this land then there is in these daies If you answer me that it proceeds from the loosenes of these times as neglecting all fasts I doe easily confesse our abuse yet I think it not sufficient to cause this scarcitie for our sailes at this time are more in number then euer they were our skill is much better our wants and necessities are farre greater and so our labour and industrie should bee proportioned accordingly I rather thinke it proceeds from the decay of the elements or indeed doe esteeme it as a punishment of God vpon vs as hee sometimes punished the Egyptians with their flesh-pots in the death of their fish Exod. 7. 18. I might heâ—e likewise iustly complaine of the wrong and iniurie which wee daily sustaine from the incroching Hollander or low-countriman who desires to vnite seas as he hath already vnited Prouinces and to make himselfe the great Lord of the Ocean for as in ancient times their golden fleece was made of our English wooll so now their great Fleete must incroach vpon our seas for kingdomes haue a proprietie as in their townes and their soyle so in their coasts and their seas which they cannot neglect with their owne profit or safetie But I may speake it with greater hearts griefe I feare lest their seas and in-undations doe not only reach to our Hauen townes but haue generally ouerwhelmed this whole Iland for as my most deare and louing schoole-master Mr. William Camden now Clarenceux the famous most renowned Antiquarie of our age hath truly wisely obserued in his Chronicle in the time of our seruice in their warres in the Low-countries our Englishmen which of all other Northerne people were euer held the most temperate we haue gotteÌ„ such an habit and custome of drunkennesse that no other nation at this day seemes to be more tainted with that vice then our selues And thus their vnthankfulnesse together with those ill customes which we haue borrowed from them seeme to be the rewards of our seruice From the seas I will come to the land The earth is growne barraine and fruitlesse in her owne kinde I speake not onely of that earth which hath long tasted the plow-share and harrow and must haue a time of respite and ease to recouer her owne strength but the whole earth in generall doth not beare the like burthen and crop which it did in the daies of our forefathers for as it is in a part so it is in the whole Suppose that any quantitie of ground were yeerely employed to medow arable or pasture and that the whole crop of this ground should bee yeerely spent vpon it selfe and so should returne againe in compost certainly this ground would much decay in goodnesse for in vaine shall wee expect the good seasons of the yeere vnlesse the earth carrie in it selfe a kinde of fatnesse Yet I confesse that some grounds there are either rich of themselues or made rich by water-floods that they doe not only preserue themselues but likewise serue to helpe others yet euery husbandman cannot bee so happie to haue them and where they are in greatest abundance yet they cannot supplie the barrennesse of the neighbour and bordering grounds for nature more abounds in the one then in the other so that this must argue a barrennes in generall though not in particular Whereunto I will adde the weakenesse of the elements decay of the heauens and a generall imperfection in al things now in this laâ—t old and cold age of the world therfore those countries which were first inhabited suppose the Easterne countries are very much impouerished at this time the weaknesse of nature discouering it selfe not able to supplie those mines and mettals which formerly they did not able to bring foorth or to ripen those excellent delicious fruits which heretofore they had in great plentie To draw neerer home for this kingdome wherein we liue it is not only the complaint of all old men and our own experieÌ„ce but likewise many reasons drawne from husbandrie not so fit to bee alleaged in this place doe vndoubtedly perswade me that our land is growne barraine and yeelds not that profit which formerly it did in the daies of our forefathers I will make one or two instances following the counsell of the wise man Eccles. 39. 31. The fruitfulnesse of a land especially appeares in the hony and wine the one proceeds from the dew of the flower the other takes a deeper foundation in the earth the one argues the sweetnesse of the grasse or the pasture the other the goodnesse and depth of the mould the one is the worke onely of nature the other requires the helpe and furtherance of husbandrie and art and in both of them it shall sufficiently appeare how this land hath declined When I consider the great vse of hony in former times for their drinkes for their foode and likewise the great quantitie of waxe-lights which were anciently spent in their diuine seruice assuredly our countrey at this day cannot affoord the one halfe of that which formerly it did it is apparent for there was neuer so great scarcitie and yet it is not transported and here at home we haue little vse to imploy it Is it because men neglect the keeping of Bees No certainly the price would allure them for there is no such profit with so little charge but certainly nature in generall is weakned the creatures begin to decay
otherwise all naturall consanguinitie and affinitie should cease in a naturall death It seemes very necessarie that the soule should bee conuaied and diffused vnacum semine rather then that the body being already squared out and the greatest part of the workmanship past the soule should arriue like an vnexpected guest to this harbour and it would greatly disparage man first to be a plant then a beast then a man which indeede sauours much of Pythagoras his transmigration God hath appointed the seuerall kindes of creatures but I cannot conceiue how there should be such degrees in the kindes the essence and forme of a thing cannot be diuided within it selfe facultates animae non distinguuntur ab essentia animae I cannot possiblie imagine how vegetation and sense should be in the embrion before the accesse of the reasonable soule for either they are the faculties of the succeeding soule and heere you make a diuision of that which indeede is inseparable or else you must ioyne those things together which are of a different nature for if euer they were separated then to compound them were to confound them or lastly being first separated they must still continue diuided and so in the vnitie of one person cause the multiplicitie of subiects As the Starres and the celestiall bodies though pure spirituall simple and incorruptible yet all of them haue not in themselues their inbred and naturall light but doe receiue their light from the Sunne which is the fountaine of light and this appeares by the eclipses the coniunction and opposition of starres as likewise by the order of the vniuerse that all should be reduced to one a number to an vnitie And as it is thus in celestiall and spirituall bodies and qualities so why not in spirituall soules the reason is the same and the inconueniences should bee alike in both herein consists a difference betweene things spirituall and things corporeall the one imparts it self without his owne losse the Sunne sends foorth infinite beames inlightens the whole world yet loseth not part of his light whereas bodily substances the more they ingender the more they detract from themselues That generation should necessarily inforce a corruption there is no colour of truth God the Father did beget his Sonne and this Sonne is of equall perfection with the Father God created all things of nothing therefore shall all things returne againe vnto nothing This is a false consequence for being once produced the same power shall vphold and continue them which laid their first foundation euery thing containes in it selfe a power or rather an impotencie to returne vnto nothing and no creature in it selfe is independent but seeing it hath stood with Gods mercie first to produce them it cannot but stand with the goodnesse and constancie of his will still to continue them and to preserue his owne most excellent workmanship So that now all things relie not on the weaknesse of their own foundation and pillars but on the inuincible strength of Gods power the most certaine assurance of his promises the most infallible effects of his prouidence so that howsoeuer the production was whether by creation generation alteration c. yet we shall not neede to doubt or feare the corruption And whereas some will suppose that creation would make more for the dignitie of the reasonable soule let it suffice that at first she was created inspirauit c. she had a different beginning from the flesh or the body she was not brought foorth by vertue of any mixture as the formes of other creatures were which being not able to subsist of themselues therefore both matter and forme were created in one lumpe together so that still creation may not improperly bee ascribed to the reasonable soule in regard of her first birth and natiuitie But the question is for the propagation of soules in these times me thinkes I should like an opinion which would reconcile both that the soule should both bee created and likewise traduced For seeing there is an action both of God and man and both alike are ingaged in the generation of man man in regard of a naturall birth generating a sonne according to nature and God concurring not onely as to a creature but as to him who might heereafter bee his sonne by adoption and grace therefore in respect of Gods action there is a creation which includes a beginning different from the ordinary course streame of nature for the soule is beyond the precincts of nature and likewise excludes all subiect matter whereof it might consist for the soule is a spirituall substance which without seede and without losse of her parts is propagated by some extraordinarie power of God To this creation man may concurre for Eue was created though created of part of mans body the Angels may minister in a worke of Gods infinite power the soule though created yet she may bee created ex tradâ—ce and as man concurres with God in the action so in respect both of God and of man there may be two different actions as in many things which proceede from our sinnes yet God hath his goodnesse therein Thus both the opinions may well together subsist anima creatur ex traduce in respect of God anima generatur ex traduce in respect of man whose condition is generatiue Yet whatsoeuer I haue herein spoken I haue onely spoken by way of disputation referring my selfe wholly to the iudgement of the Church wherein if I haue sinned or in any other words which haue past from me vnaduisedly I doe here humbly desire God to forgiue me the sinnes of this pamphlet Indeede I must confesse I doe rather incline to this opinion first for the authoritie of S. Augustine whom I doe reuerence aboue all others secondly that with stronger chaines I might knit and vnite the Godhead to our nature in the person of Christ than barely to clothe him with our flesh which is common to other creatures when as his soule was created himselfe conceiued by the holy Ghost and only borne of a Virgin thirdly to shew the certaintie of Gods promises to the elect and to their seede and likewise to manifest the dutie of children to parents that they owe vnto them more then their flesh for thus if a man should giue me my foode and my nourishment he might likewise bee said to giue me my flesh whereas Scripture affirmes that a farre greater duty belongs vnto parents and therefore it should seeme it is for some greater respect Lastly that I might more easily trace out the paths of this originall sinne how it is safely conuaied from the parents to the children laid vp in the soule as the treasure or rather the burthen thereof and from the soule how it is deriued together with life into the flesh the bones and the inward marrow of man for the seede partakes as the strength and vertue so the faults and infirmities of the whole man There are
our selues The imprisonment of the soule The slaueries of men The summe of all the former reasons Man in himselfe and in comparison to the creatures A Prayer Mercie begins Gods actions Miseries are the fruites of iustice Our miseries doe exceed all our ioyes The miseries of a Christian man Mans miseries are gâ—eater theÌ„ the beasts The beast◠〈◊〉 foâ— man Their miseries are together compared The summe of these three grounds He excuseth his method The miserie of his birth Liâ—â—ing we dye The account of his life The shortnes and vncertaintie of his life His weakenes in his birth Man is weaponlesse He wants more helpe then the beasts Beasts thriue better with their food then man The beasts excell man The vncleannesse of man The sweete odors of the creatures The musicke of the creatures The temperance of the creatures Man more inclined to his lust The food both of man and beast The concoctions of the beasts are more perfit theÌ„ ours The dumbe beasts lesse subiect to distempers then man Mans temper The meanes for maÌ„s health cannot preserue him The course of mans age The length of mans age The comparison of mans age with the creatures The delights of the creatures are greater then mans The pleasures of the beasts The dangers of both Man is more subiect to the danger of waters then the beasts Man only subiect to the danger of fire Plagues and infections incident to man Noysome places in Cities The famine of man in respect of the creatures The beasts not so subiect to a famine as man Their famine is ours How man is subiect to diseases The diseases of the season The whole yeere serues for our continuall fits The easie cure of dumbe beasts The difficultie in mans cure Our physicke not so certaine as theirs Our distastfull physicke The Indian drugges doe not agree with our bodies The errors of physicke Some diseases are incurable The good gouernment among the beasts The ill gouernment amongst men The good gouernment of this nation The seruices of man and beast The seruices of man in generall The wrongs which man sustaines from the creatures The creatures may iustly conspire against man Man is subiect to slaughter as well as the beasts Tortures prepared for man Weapons and instruments of warre The funerals of both Mans miseries are either of body or mind The miseries of the minde Selfe-homicide the most vnnaturall sinne The flesh increaseth the miseries of the minde The diseases of the minde may consist together with the immortalitie of the soule The diseases of the minde are not easily discouered Vertue is somtimes reputed for vice No man will confesse himselfe vicious Many vertues are spoyled with one vice The diseases of the minde are compared to the diseases of the body All men inclined to vice The punishment of vice All wil not acknowledge the miseriâ— of sin The torture of ignorance in the vnderstanding The torture of expectation in the will The preuision of euill That we stand in danger of many euils The fearfulnesse of death The Good of others depending vpon our life The feare of hell and damnation The creatures looke onely to the present Man reflects vpon his owne actions The remembrance of euil The application Calamities are like Serpents His passions tend to his sorrow How the passions doe degenerate How euery passion torments it selfe Melancholie fits How passions are in respect of others The seuerall dispositions of men Man must sustaine reproches Mans sorrow and miserie for others The griefe of compassion A passage from the miseries of the creatures to the vanities Wherein ioy may seeme to consist A looking glasse for beautie Beauty is troublesome Learning and wisdome can admit no difference between themselues The misery of great wits The discontentment of Learning Learning is defectiue in her end yet superfluous in her parts An Apology for learning The vse and excellencie of Schoole-learning Of wealth and abundance All men want at some times The miserie of wealth What is wealth or what it is to be rich Wealth consists onely in comparison Honor hath a weake foundation The vaine ceremonies of Honor. The true Honor of Christ. The feast of honor The funerals of honor The decay of Honour A due respect vnto honor Our pastimes and sports The supposed pleasure in Hunting Of Huntsmen The least sorrow spoyles all our ioy One ioy suppresâ—eth another All ioyes are nothing without the nights rest The ascent of the mind vnto God by the ladder of the creatures 3. Grounds to proue that there is no happinesse in this world 1. The variety of opinions concerning happinesse 2. No man accounts himselfe happy for the present 3. Denying happinesse in our selues do suppose it in others Euery man dâ—slikes his owne state of life Miseries in all the states of men The loue of heauen and earth cannot together subsist The author proposed foure things to himselfe in this second part The particular miseries of man are greater then the generall The poorer sort of men The better sort of men The Clergy Their comfort The Gentrie Their miseries Their needlesse buildings Their fond purchases Their many writings Their nice conueiances Their needlesse entailes The best entaile The Lawyers Their slanders Their harsh studie Their troublesome practice The Iudges The Citizens Their wealth Their miseries He recals himselfe The Nobles Their miseries Princes Their danger In their wars In peace Wherein their happinesse consists Their Prerogatiue Their melancholy death Wherefore serue our miseries The seuerall delights of our age The delights of our childhood The delights of our elder yeeres The degrees of our age according to decads The censure of a dead man Wherein mans greatest contentment consists The home-contentment Our houses are sometimes our prisons The pleasure of the house is according to mans owne apprehension Our delight in our apparell Our vanitie in our diet Mans different valuation of his owne wealth The beautie of different complexions We must condemne nature if we iustifie our selues How hardly men are weaned from these fansies The â—oue of God swallowes vp the loue of this world The vanity of the creatures should keepe vs from the loue of the creatures Neuer man found contentment in the creatures The tale of a religious man He satisfies their request Our worldly appetites are satisfied in death The Authors intent in this second part How apt the creatures are to obscure Gods glory How all our ioyes are counterfeit Why all our delights should consist in the fansie Democritus and Heraclitus Salomons censure of this world The conclusion of a Christian man A Prayer Man is vicâ—â—is and corrupted in euery state and course of life Hovv vve accuse each other Man out of his euill disposition returneth euill for euill Man out of his euill disposition tuâ—neth good things into â—uill Our good actions proceed from an euill intent We delight in other mens euils We desire companions in our owne euilâ— The ground of policy supposeth our inbred corruption The Lawes of
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