MISERIE By His DEGENERATION Mortalis vitae vitalis Mortis amara Illicitum gustans gustat avarus Homo MANS MISERIE BY HIS DEGENERATION The Argument Above which height of Bliss when He would rise Headlong He fell to depth of miseries BVt fickle Man ambitiously bent With glorious state not holding Him content Proud Lucifer-like greedy to arise To higher pitch of glorie did devise To throw Him-selfe and his Posteritie Into the lake of all extremitie Their Bodies Soules their Persons their estate By Sin Death Hell for aye to ruinate For here this Man must be considered As the main root from whence are issued The sev'rall branches of each sev'rall Man Which shall are have bin since the World began When root 's corrupt then must the branches needs Corrupted be for root the branches feeds So is 't with Him and His He drank corruption Which poys'ned Him and all his Generation For soon as He his great Creatours will Having full pow'r it freely to fulfill Did wilfully reject to choose a toy He ther-upon bad farewell to all joy By which first fault He shook hands with the Devill And promist wel-come t'ev'ry kinde of Evill For He blinde Soule misled by fond conceipt Thought Evill Good and Good a plain deceipt Then Sins like Caterpillers 'gan to swarm Or Souldjer-like by strength and mighty arm Came rushing-in upon Him and with snares Of guilt and Death bound Him and all his Heirs Foes now He finds them whom He took for friends Though all too late He sees it by their ends For though Sins seem to better our estate They are of utter ruine but the bait And Satan Syren-like doth us allure With flatt'ring shows Sins poison to procure For all Mans Pow'rs and Pers'nall Faculties Were pois'ned all chang'd their Abilities In doing well He once did well resemble The glorious God but now woe 's me I tremble So horrid thing to tell of myne own Kin He rightly represents the Devill in Pravitie of perverse disposition And active Pow'r of Dev'lish expedition Those some-time sweet abilities of Soule Not one but now deserves a sharp controwle In stead of divine knowledge th' Intellect Gross errour interteins in which respect The Rationall Pow'rs the Sensitive The Concupiscible th' Operative Are disaffected all disabled so That'mongst them all not one their office know His Wit deviseth Will resolveth Ill Reason mainteins his Act expresseth still For 's Body too his Soules fit Organon Is made unfit by his transgression To doe its office well yea well how can it Sith all corruption since hath seazed on it Its Members all must needs be slaves to Sin When all the Bodie 's held captive ther-in Which makes him to all Ill be ready bent But unto Good alwaies malevolent Such is this Monster-Cripple Devill-Man That all things ill but nothing well He can Hence errours schismes heresies in Religion Hence murthers thefts fraud in his conversation Hence to a cursed Death his Body's thrall And so 's his Soule to Death Death Infernall Where damned Ghosts of dead men raging cry They doe at once in torments live and die They die they think flames of eternall fire So burne their Soules but Death 's no whit the nigher The Man thus plung'd by cruell Sins invasion Tries though in vain to scape by sly evasion Here close He creeps lurks there behinde the trees In 's levie suit and thinks that no eye sees His Consc'ence tould Him He had God offended And if He stir He will be apprehended Yet out alas He felt within his brest The sting of guilt of horrour and unrest So restless there He could not rest at all For when He heard his dreadfull Maker call As his fear-strucken heart had made Him skour So now again the same fear driv ' Him out Grace and the fear of God who have forsook For plagues and vengeance cannot choose but look And as He fear'd so forth with it befell For this great God with wrath and fury fell Did not long hold the Man in deep suspense But censur'd Him for 's disobedience Yet first enquired how the Sin was wrought Not that He knew not but to show we ought Not rashly unto Iudgement to proceed Till that we know both circumstance and deed And as we finde by certain information Then loe to judge with due deliberation The fact with all the passages b'ing scand The Actours with their Accessaries stand All present there found guilty at the barre Hearing how they in order censur'd are Old Satan first sometime an Angell bright Like Serpent now for so He seem'd in sight 'Cause He was first of all Sin the Deviser Pretending Man ther-by should be made wiser Hence Sins of all kindes He shall covet still But above all as his most good most ill For dust of Sin and sins the dregs of Dust Though deadly poyson be his diet must But when by Sin He ayms at greatest spoil From Womans Seed He shall have greatest foil Yet He in h's horrid Den will peevish lurk And all un-seen promote his cursed work As here his foule intent He made seem fair And catcht the simple Woman by the snair Of Serpents subtiltie for which pretence Twixt their two Natures grows such hatred thence That Serpents and such creeping things shall fright Mankinde but women most upon the sight And 'bove all cattle He is cursed so He shall most basely feed most beastly goe These Accessaries served thus may serve To make 's take-heed how we make other swerve The Woman next for she t' was next offended Stood after them the first to be condemned Though Satan Father she was Mother first Of Sin and so for Sin was next accurst She had indeed both formerly conceiv'd And brought-forth Sin to Man but was deceiv'd For when she lookt for joy it turn'd to pain Not only to her selfe but to remain· To Hers and theirs for ever for our God Did lay it on that Sexe as a just rod That Women all with bitter gripings wrung With throws pangs should breed bear their yong That they should also live in strict subjection Vnto their Husbands will whose sweet direction Must be their law And so their whole desire Must subject be to what their Lords require Ye lovely Women when yee 'r loving Wives Your Husbands then doe not disquiet your lives By any kinde of unkinde imposition Nought wins them so as your kinde disposition What boots it them o're you to play the Rex Since for their help they chiefly choose your Sex To joyn with them and be their Comforters In woe at least their fellow-sufferers For see how God be-set the Man with woes Making all Natures Children turn his foes 'Cause Man Himselfe from God was now declin'd God made the Creatures all goe-out of kinde He curst the Ground or with sterility Or else with hurtfull weeds fertility Which once b'ing blest to bring-forth wholsome meat Of
the most such thoghts derided Blinde Soules that could not see when true Light shone From God's own face on earth to ev'ry one Which gratiously did offer unto all Soule-saving beams of Light celestiall This soule of mine I 'me sure found light of Grace By th' eye of faith fixt on his glorious face Which wholly was till then averse to Good Prone to all Ill and in corruption stood Yet was 't reclaim'd and quickly better reason'd B'ing once by faith in my Redeemer season'd Some few there were left all to follow Him Esteeming all too base to fellow Him And joyfully receiv'd Him as their Lord Deriving their salvation from his Word For when they heard his words were Oracles And saw his deeds no less than Miracles They did conclude He was the very same That had for all Salvation in his Name But for the most part Kings and Potentates Their Officers and chiefest Magistrates Though'mongst themselv's they were at hot defiance Yet against Him they joyn'd in leagues alliance Seeking by secret fraud and open strife The dire destruction of this Lord of Life The giddy-headed brainless Multitude Whom great Ones hold in slavish servitude Adoring Him with shouts of joy did sing At first Hosanna save us Lord our King At last their throats blaspheming Him they stretch Hosanneca now save thy selfe thou wretch O blessed Lord how balefull was thy state When so great love was turn'd to so great hate How vain is it to feed on popular breath Which causlesly is cause of Life of Death As here a Man-destroyer these refus'd And to destroy this Man preserver chus'd Thus basely humour'd they their Soveraigns These Kingly Rebels in their base designes Assaulting often at their fittest seasons This King of Kings by stratagems and treasons But yet He liv'd for all their vile intent No Lambe so meek no Dove so innocent Who if H 'ad pleas'd had pow'r his life t' enjoy To destroy Death yet it let Death destroy This graceless Crew enrag'd with hellish spight Sought daily thus to quench this Light of Light And trait'rously attach't Him as a Thiefe Then led Him bound to be judg'd by their Chiefe Who worthily judg'd Him unworthy dye And yet to Death gave Him unworthily That heady-headless Rout then headlong ran 'Gainst this clear innocent condemned Man Pursuing Him to Death with living hate Who being dead became Deaths deadly bate For with their lingring torments though He dies Within three dayes his God-head makes Him rise But tell me here dear Saints ô God come tell me The various thought of these doth overwhelm me Whether their hate his death I shall deplore Or else his Love and Life in Death adore Their deed no doubt all good men doe detest But that of his who counts it not the best To murther Him that gives Life unto all Let all that Fact most execrable call Abash't ther-at was th' Earth the Sun and Moon For Midnight-light was then Day-light at Noon But when He rose the Sun came dauncing-out And graves did ope and Saints for joy'gan shout Thus whiles He liv'd He lived but to dy That by his Death He endless Life might buy For Man for his pure blood in sacrifice Once spent was held of meritorious price But long alas long was my Lord a-suff'ring Ere He could fully finish-up his off'ring Their dev'lish malice was so odious They sought to make his torments tedious By slow degrees inflicting on Him pain To make it long ere they would have Him slain Nor was his-pain from them so tedious As to Him-selfe incomparably grievous His constitution pure his unstain'd sense Most apt to feel the smart of each offence His blessed Body though to cursed Death He gave to pacifie th' Almighties Wrath. For by his suff'ring He did under-take To pay Mans debt of Sin for Iustice sake Setting Himselfe a mark wher-at ev'n all Might fling their darts of envy spit their gall The Devils then stird-up those dev'lish men Who spent their venom all upon Him then Each rascall-Iew whose fury yeelded might How to torment Him made it his delight They stript Him nak'd then cloathed Him in scorn And scorning crowned Him with plats of thorn His Head his Face his Side his Hands his Feet They beat they wound they pearc'd And yet as meet To honour Him they bow'd as to their King Which to Him glory to them shame did bring For they like wretches glori'ed in their shame Not shaming once to make his Death their game To see the Lord of Life to Death thus bound Those few that were his friends it did confound One had forsworn Him one had Him betraid Not one but all forsooke Him all afraid Nor thus alone but which encreast his pain The Deity now seemed to refrain To look-on Him with shows of chearfull Grace And in fierce wrath to turn-away the face Which doubtless was to Him more dolourous Than all that all could doe notorious And strictest Iustice all this spight maintain'd That was He less than infinitely pain'd All these thus heapt-on Him oh did not they Make 't known to all He was a publick prey When carnall men Him trait'rously convented Vnjustly judg'd mockt whipt to death tormented When friends forsook Him when by foes cast-down To all contempt when God did seem to frown T' endure all these oh t' was a very Hell Which tongue which thought cannot conceive to tel All these He felt all these He over-past Into all these it was Mans Sin Him cast They punisht Him for sin who no sin knew And that to Death from whom their Life they drew But though as Man to Death they led Him bound As God He did them all in Death confound Making Sin lose his strength Death lose his sting Hell lose his triumph through Christs suffering First let He them prevail'gainst Him at pleasure Till that by an immeasurable measure Of pain assign'd He had discharg'd the debt That rigid Iustice for Mans Sin had set Then did his God-head gloriously appear And his tormenters inly shake for fear For maugre them He rid Himselfe from pain Himselfe enliving his dead body slain Enabl'ing it to live not as afore To dye but so live as to dye no more For Champion-like after the victory He did ascend to his own seat of Glory Where He enthroned sits wearing the crown Of all his Fathers Glory all his own Whos 's heav'nly Scepter swayes all earthly Kings Whose Spirit to his Church all comfort brings Whose Goodness makes mans life a Life of Grace All Evill to eschew all Good t' embrace For He had sent before with large Commission Faithfull Ambassadors to give remission Of all Mans past offences and to call Him by new Grace to keep Gods Precepts all Which acceptable time of Grace once ended This conqu'ring glorious King completely tended VVith thousand-thousand Angels arm'd with pow'r VVill terribly descend as in a show'r Of flaming fire to render vengeance due To
Mercy or what Attributes soe're But Heav'n Earth shall know what Truth affirms Iehovahs Zeal for Iustice sake confirms VVhen mighty Angels did them-selves exalt Down from the Heav'ns to Hels infernall vault I threw them instantly how than Can this proud worm this trait'rous cative-Man That hath not pow'r weak motions to withstand How can He scape the force of my strong hand For 'fore that Heav'ns should grant Man a remission And not on some equivalent condition Or that the Earth should yeeld Him nutriment By annuall-successive increment The fruitfull plains with barrenness I 'le strike And make his dwelling places Sodom-like The showring clouds I 'le turn to banks of brass And th' Earth to iron that so fruitfull was The flintie Rocks to shivers I will tear And kernell-sands to mightie mountains rear The gladsome day and rest-affording night That by their intercourse had wont delight I 'le turn to timeless motions never changing Their constant changes of unconstant ranging Among th' Infernall Furies where the Man Shall be tormented while those Furies can To plague Him thus is rightly to reward Him From which nor heav'n nor earth shall ever guard him Yea all the forces they are able make As thunder lightning famine plague earth-quake And whatsoever else as grave and hell Angels and Devils all I will compell To become furious Agents in the cause So strict and pow'full are Iehovah's lawes Thus as Truth said Mans state you may bewail But to redeem 't you never shall prevail Peace here-upon for Mercy could not answer She was through Wraths peremptory censure So speechless grown and heartless like to fall But Peace stept-in affected like to all And with soft speech did sweetly moderate What these her Sisters could not arbitrate First she began with mildest exhortation To move them to take-heed of emulation For that quoth she doth often kindle hate The bane of Bliss and ruine of a State We Sisters are in one we must consent And not by strict exactions once dissent We know our parts wherfore let be our care Them to discharge as it comes to our share You Wrath Truth Iustice ye desire no more But as Man sinn'd so Man be plagu'd therefore Well fear it not but constantly expect The constant God will duly it effect And Sister Mercy you desire no less Than for Mans Sin that God give forgiveness Desire so still that by importunitie God may be mov'd to grant him immunitie Which yet beleeve it may not prejudice Th' inviolable right of strict Iustice Nor any of our worthy Sisters dear VVho equally to God are seated near And though nor you nor I Iustice nor Truth Can see the mean wherby our God renu'th The broke estate of miserable Man Yet certainly our Sister Wisdome can For what soe're our Sov'raign God decrees She th'equitie therof alwaies fore-sees Yea she deviseth things beyond all thought And then propoundeth how they may be wrought And happy they whose actions she directs For only them in favour Gods respects To her therfore have ye recourse for this And ye shall see she 'll not devise amiss Herewith was Mercy inwardly well pleas'd Truth Iustice Wrath were ev'ry one appeas'd To Wisdome then they all referr'd the cause When she making a long but decent pause For Wisdome's alwaies slow to speak enclin'd She doth so duly ponder all in minde When she this controverted cause had waigh'd She orderly the same before them laid The one side pleads quoth she that since Man-kind From Life to Death by Sin are all declin'd Then Death due wage to all our God must give Else can nor Wrath nor Truth nor Iustice live If all Man-kinde the other side replies Must suffer Death for their iniquities No pitie had of any in Gods sight Then Mercy Pitie Peace are banisht quite So prejudiciall then since th' issue is That Man or sav'd or damn'd all is amiss Iustice if sav'd but Mercy if He die That th' one of these perforce from Heav'n must fly And many other of our Heav'nly train Shall therby base indignity sustain My doom is this To salve and keep all eav'n That Man by Death to Life by Hell to Heav'n Shall take his course T'enabl'Him for which end Let all the punishments Iustice can send Be all made good yea Sin and Death and Hell And whatsoever most with Evill swell Let all of them be made good unto Man And then let Wrath inflict ev'n what she can So Mercie may for Mans Sin satisfie And Iustice punish Mans iniquitie Most rev'rend Truth exactly shall appear And austere Iustice strictly dominere Consuming Wrath shall sweetly be appeas'd And all-preserving Mercy shall be pleas'd Remorsefull Pitie shall be highly praised And death-deserving Man to new life raised Contentment thus we Sisters all may have And all of us accomplish what we crave So God in all and of all shall be knowne The God of Life Death Glory Praise Renown No sooner Wisdome had this case decided But Heav'n and Earth who stood by Sin divided VVere both of them with wonderment astonisht At th'equity of what she had admonisht All things with joy 'gan instantly be cheared As soon as hope of reconcilement ' peared Twixt God and Man Yet Reason made this Quaere How Sin how Death how Hell so dark so dreary How these could be made good since for Mans fall They are the pain to plague the Man withall To second this saith Truth there 's none so good That ever yet did spring from tainted blood VVho Man 's depraved Nature could controule By changing Ill to Good to save his soule To change Ill into Good t is to create A work of inf'nite Pow'r wherefore no state Of finite force can be so virtuall As to make Death to Life effectuall By Sin Man did an inf'nite Pow'r offend Which none but inf'nite Pow'r can amend Neither can God Mans Mediatour be For who offended was by sin but He 'T is God in Iustice that looks for amends Therfore not He which satisfaction sends Who then is it that makes this Evill Good Nor God nor Man by Reason they 'r withstood T is I quoth Goodness I as Wisdome bod Will heale Mans sores and make all eav'n that 's od I 'le make his Evill Good his Death the way Wherby eternall Life attain He may I 'le yeeld my selfe my uncorrupted Essence To purifie his Soule his Sp'rite his Sense Yea here behold I offer all I have I 'le with-hold nought that 's needfull Man to save Quoth Truth again kinde Sister you doe well You offer more than Angels tongues can tell Yet cannot your beneficence alone Vnright'ous Man with right'ous God attone 'T is more to reconcile Man to his Maker Than one can doe who ere be th'undertaker When Charity who all this while attended Did understand how Goodness was commended For her kinde offer and withall did hear No one of th' Heav'nly Pow'rs sufficient were Both to
that rebellious unbeleeving Crew That his milde Precepts stubbornly refus'd And their own carnall mindes to follow chus'd Nor will his comming be to these selfe-foes More terrible than joyfull unto those His friends that in chearfull obedience In Faith and Hope and humble Patience At that his glorious return expect To reap of all their labours the effect For though they Sinners were their sins yet laid On Christ his Passion the debt is paid For sith Christ dy'd for Sin and Sin had none Sins debt was paid by that his Death alone Thus Christ b'ing free for Mans Sin became bound Thus Sin bound Man through Christ was guiltles foūd Thus was the Lord enthrall'd at last enthron'd Thus was the Slave enlarg'd and God atton'd VVhich being done Mans enemies b'ing foil'd The Tort'rers torments 'gainst themselves recoil'd Disabling them his welfare to impeach VVhen He for help his faith to Christ doth reach For ev'n for Man as for Him-selfe Christ had Pow'r to resist and overcome the bad And base assaults of th' enemies of Grace That would from endless Bliss Mans soule erace Yea this puissant matchless Conquerour Not only did expell Sins venom rancour Or satisfie for Mans Iniquitie Or re-invest Him-selfe in Majestie But also did Mans Nat'rall Pow'rs controule By breathing life of Grace into his Soule His Intellect He did illuminate With beams of Truth all error dissipate He his Affections all did sanctifie And his crookt-perverse Will did rectifie For howsoe're Mans will was first made free As well to Good as to Iniquitie But choosing Ill in Ill confirm'd it stood Yet Grace in Christ reclaimes it all to Good Yea Grace converts his Bodies Faculties To the right use of their Abilities His Head his Feet his Tongue his Heart his Hand Moved by Grace to Good inclined stand And all Man 's other parts b'ing all declin'd Grace doth reduce into their proper kinde And though Gods Image in which Man was made By Sins approach was totally decaid That He could then nor doe nor think aright All was so faulty in his Makers sight Yet is 't by Grace in Christ so well refin'd That God with Man-renu'd no fault will finde For Man therby is all so purifi'd As that He can Gods fiery triall bide Nathles though Christ redeem'd Him perfectly Yet what He doth He doth imperfectly For old corruption still sticks close unto Him And all 's imperfect that is known come fro Him Which imperfections Christ the perfect heals Affording perfect help under his Seals Of those two saving Sacraments for by The first of them Christ biddeth Him relie That all the leven of Soule-slaying Sin Wherewith He poison'd was is purged clean And He thence-forth by Grace renued stands Though weakly yet to doe what God commands In which when He through humane frailty falls By new-enspired Grace his Saviour calls Reclaiming Him and bids Him first abhor it And bring forth fruits of due Repentance for it Laying his hand his constant hand of Faith On that Obedience his Saviour hath To all Gods Lawes in full perfection wrought In 's Life in 's Death beleeving He hath bought The full remission of each sev'rall Sin That he through want of Grace offended-in And so in humble confidence appeal Vnto the cov'nant of that other Seal Trusting that guilt of Sins both old and new With whatsoever can from thence acrue Are all abolisht if He strive to rise By Grace from Sin to holy exercise And though in this his military strife To please his God by holiness of life Some bitter storms of Miseries befall Him Yet Grace so calmeth them that none appall Him For He is taught to trust on his Protectour Who sorrows how to bear was his Directour Is He from Regall Dignity depos'd Is He to basest Povertie expos'd Is He to joyless banishment cast-out Is He with deadly foes beset-about Is He with foulest slanders vilifi'd Is He for fairest qualities envi'd Is He with Bodies pain distempered Is He with griefe of Minde entortured Is He by faithless friends to danger set Is He in stead of joy with sorrow met Is He with shame to live or die mad◠thrall Is He with one of these Is He with all It matters not His Saviour hath afore Him Endur'd them all and in all doth restore Him To this true light of Grace to know his state Is from Gods certain love though seeming hate To give God hearty thanks when things work well Or take with silent patience what comes ill And then cross Accidents Him none can move B'ing all substantiall tokens of Gods love For though 't be true great troubles on Him chance 'T is also true God sends deliverance And greater ones nay none so great betide Him As did to Christ when God it seem'd deny'd Him It seemed so to seem so though to Man Sometimes they seeme hopeless of help yet can Th' Almightie God the Father of all aid No more forbear to help Man so dismaid Than dearest Mother can her dearling-Son Who newly born unholpen is undone From 's infant-cradle to his dying-bed The Man is still by God's Grace succoured And in his Death what waves soever toss him Be 't sense of pain or pangs of fear that crosse him Christ bids him fix his hopes in h's wounded side For He Deaths killing instruments hath tri'd And spoil'd them all None then hath pow'r to sting His Soule to death they 'r Porters it to bring From-out Deaths gastly dungeon to the Hill Of Heav'nly Life where Heav'nly joyes it fill Where Christ th' Al glorious King with glory crown'd Crowns all his subjects that are loyall found With his own glory making them all Kings Enjoying Him in Him t' enjoy all things Thus Grace conducts Man through the miseries Of Life and Death to Heav'ns felicities VVhere no misfortune cold nor hunger dwels VVhere no proud hope Him with ambition swels VVhere stormes of clowding cares none hang o're's head VVhere pale-lookt sickness nere sends Him to bed VVhere fearfull dreams affright Him not asleep VVhere crasie Old-age on Him cannot creep VVhere fatall vespers Ill-portending stars VVhere bloodless fear where noyse of bloody wars VVhere none of these to vex Him once are found VVhere no false showes but true delights abound VVhere alwaies is the absence of all evill VVhere never comes nor Sin nor Death nor Devill VVhat e're is to be wisht b'ing wisht is there All Knowledge Goodness Truth Content And where Soe're He turns his eye or eare they light Vpon some welcome objects of delight So what He hears or sees He sees it raise Ioy to Himselfe and to his Maker praise Pray there He needs not Pray'r complains of need Need breedeth Pain and Pain Complaint doth breed But no Complaint no Pain no Need no Pray'r Hosannas none all Alleluiahs there His Body there 's not subject to corruption His Soule new cloath'd with flesh shines in perfection His Soule and Body both in one rejoyn'd Finde fulness of
Life and Grace from God not for him-self only but for all that should come of him so likewise by his transgression he made all his whole Posterity liable to Gods wrath as well as himselfe so that all were alike changed with him into the same state of corruption and all were fallen alike with Him into the same pit of perdition There being no difference nor degrees at all as if his Posteritie were some of them less some more or deeper plunged ther-in than other For the same Death that by Sin entred upon the first Offender I say the same Death both in measure and degree went-over all Mankinde alike because all had in Adam alike offended all were alike deprived of the Glory of God Thus all Mankinde was by Creation perfect by Sinne corrupted and by the guilt of Sinne accursed Now then for Mans Redemption as God at first consulted with Him-selfe how and after what manner Hee might make Man and at last resolved to make Him in his owne Image after his likeness so here againe finding Man to be thus fallen from that happy state into this wofull plight surely much more did Hee now consult with Himselfe how and by what meanes Hee might set Man on his feet againe and so restore Him and his whole Race into their former state and happy being This being a work if we may compare Gods workes one with another of greater glorie difficultie and labour humano more loquor than that of Creation Which Consultation I mention not here for that I imagine that God did not thinke nor provide for Mans Redemption before He was fallen for I beleeve as Gods all-seeing eye did fore-see the fall so his insearchable Wisedome did provide for the same even from all eternitie Yet seeing I have taken-in hand to speake of this Consultation it falleth best into our order and method to speake of it here in this place Here then to express and set-forth this wonderfull work of God for the Redemption of Mankinde wee imagine him first to be moved ther-to by his Compassion or Pitie his Pitie to stir up his Mercy his Mercy for Truth and Iustice sake to submit her selfe to his Wrath his Wrath to be asswaged by his Peace and so one Grace to advise deale with another till at last they sweetly agree and joyne all in one how to perfect and effect a worke for the deliverance of all Man-kinde out of its misery Which work was put upon Christ the anointed Messias who chearfully undertooke it and for his part effectually performed it And as many of all Man kinde as according to Gods purpose doe receive this blessed and gratious Mediatour apprehending Him by Faith cleaving unto Him by Hope giving obedience unto Him through Charity so many are freed from their thraldome and miserie are restored to the inheritance and participation of life and felicity Those againe that either carelesly neglect or wilfully reject this great love of God in Christ they not only still remaine over-whelmed in the same pit of perdition into which they were plunged by the sin of the first Father but they also provoke God againe unto further wrath for so lightly respecting his love and casting his Mercy behinde them For Grace not offered will it-selfe plead mercy for the offender but offered contemned justly cals for more wrath and severity of punishment But for those that thirst for deliverance and embrace that meanes which is offered to them in Christ Iesus they are borne-anew they are inspired with good Graces they are freely justified sanctified and assured of Salvation and shall at last attaine eternall Happiness Now for the further divulging of this happy meanes to the encrease of Gods glorie as also for the better winning and alluring of moe to embrace the same for the saving of their Soules did I take-in hand to compose this Subject into a Historie and to set it out in a familiar verse that so the yonger who are more ready to reade Poetry than Prose may as in a Mappe or Glass behold one personating them selves and chalking out the way or treading as it were those very steps whereby them-selves have departed from that Excellency and Perfection they were created in and runne headlong into most cursed miserie and thraldome and yet againe how by new means offered and by circumspect walking therein they may come to the fruition of eternall Life and Felicitie These together are the scope of my intendment which if in any measure I shall further and promote I trust it shall repent neither mee to have spent some houres stollen from my ordinary studies for the worke of the Ministerie in my Pastorall charge upon this kinde of writing nor any other of their paines in reading but shall occasion us all more seriously to praise the Lord for whose sake I desire to become all unto all to winne some TO THE COVRTEOVS READER Kinde Friend IN friendly kindness I thee send This little Book which I have penn'd A Book unworthy yet doth bring Of what is penn'd the worthiest thing Thy Life or Death it doth thee shew In matter old in methode new The matter then doe not reject Sith Life or Death it doth reflect And if the methode thee distast My good-will for amends thou hast Yet reade it not for ought that 's mine But 'cause the subject is divine Stirpe sacrâ morsu scelerato sanguine Divo Integer infoelix benedictus Homo THE PERFECT-CVRSED-BLESSED MAN The Argument In h's form in h's fault through Christs peace-making blood Man's Perfect Cursed and again made Good The Argument enlarged WHen-as by cursed Disobedience Man first did fall from perfect Innocence He purchas'd to Him-selfe and his whole Race The gain of endless Pain the loss of Grace Heav'n Hell Earth Sea Wife Children all maintain His wofull gain of Loss his sense of Pain Whose cursed state by blessed Consultation Is blessed made through perfect Consolation So loss of Pain at last he findes in this That Life must die that Death may bring him Bliss The Authors Preamble upon it THou Infinite that canst in every place Breathe into poor yea dead Soules Life and Grace And them indow with rich gifts from thy treasure O powre into my barren heart such measure Of wisdome knowledge truth humility Faith holinesse grace and ability That I may after serious meditation Commend unto the world a true relation How thou didst frame Man in his excellence A curious Modell of thy glorious Essence How Him again having Him-selfe defac'd Thou didst vouchsafe thy Son should be abas'd By humane Life by Death by h's unknown Passion To re-invest in Grace and glorious station A work of no less wonderment I ween Than that which was in his Creation seen Both infinite in Goodness Love and Glory Not what but that they are shall be my story In which discourse I shun industriously All idle vernish of quaint Poētrie In speaking of Gods simple veritie Naught more beseems