please you to consider the difference in handling each miserie and you shall likewise easily obserue the different narration Speaking of mans miseries I will begin with mans first beginning or birth Man only besides his naturall birth is conceiued in sinne and death is the wages of sinne sometimes the wombe prooues likewise his tombe and sometimes in his birth being of a viperous kinde hee proues a murtherer and causeth her death which first gaue him life comming out of the wombs prison occisipotius quà m nati imaginem gerit he carries the image rather of a flaine and a murthered man then of a man newly borne for he is borne with the effusion of blood And being thus borne hee is not set at libertie but foorthwith carried to the place of his torments and execution and as hee came so shall hee returne borne with sorrow and griefe he shall dye with paine and lamentation He is carried I confesse not on the hurdle but first in the armes then in the cradle it may be in a coach sometimes in a chariot but certainly at length it will be a coffin sleeping or waking be the waies neuer so many neuer so different neuer so crooked yet still he is carried on his iourney howsoeuer the winde blowes the tide will carrie his vessell Our life is a kind of dying for when it is gone then we are dead the wine is in spending when first it is broached then wee begin to dye when fâ—â—st wee begin to liue Looke vpon me looke vpon me beloued I am more then halfe dead in truth in truth I am more then halfe dead Me thinkes I see some compassionate men calling for hot waters fearing lest I should suddenly faint I doe humbly thanke them for their loues but I will spare them that labour for I am not wounded I confesse I hope I am not poysoâ—ed I know no dangerous disease that lurkes in my body vnlesse you will suppose mine owne nature which indeed is corrupted and therefore tends to corruption yet in truth I am more then halfe dead Others conceiue this as spoken in regard of the great difference betweene my dull and deaâ— flesh and my quickning spirit or else in regard of the diuersitie of elements whereof some are actiue and betoken life others passiue and betoken death Alas alas I doe not loue that any one with his subtilty and tricks of Logicke should play with my miseries in truth in truth I am more then halfe dead for heere is my death my infancie is dead vnto me my youth is dead vnto me the ripenesse and fulnesse of my age is dead vnto me that which remaines it is the worst part of my age the dregges of my age wherein I can expect nothing but sorrow griefe and vexation Thus man at his first comming into this world incurres the penaltie of a flatute statutum est hominibus mori no sooner hee comes but presently hee must prepare to returne He is the sole pilgrime and stranger and all other creatures are the natiue inhabitants hee hath no terme of yeeres assigned him by lease and if hee liues out the full scope of his time yet when hee hath once attained old age and then can best iudge of the time past as hauing had it once in possession all his whole life seemes like the dreame of a shadow as a tale that is told as yesterday though to others it may seeme a long time as all things seeme great in expectation And of his age let him cast vp his accounts and deduct the time of his infancie the times of his sleepe the times of his sicknesse and other times of his sorrow and griefe and he shall finde that the least part of his age hath past with any contentment But why should I speake of the course of his life when seldome or neuer hee attaines to that period which nature hath appoynted rising by degrees and falling againe by the same steps and degrees according to a iust rule and proportion And this is most common and vsuall as in plants and in trees so in the dumbe beasts if you will exempt them from mans crueltie and slaughter But for the life of man here is the greatest vncertaintie we are outwardly and inwardly euery way assaulted and sometimes our life is dissolued with a poysonous breath without any thunder-bolt or cannon-shot and marueile not for wee consist of the earth and the earth is soone scattered and easily dissolued with the winde Clockes and instruments of iron are alwaies out of square and still want mending I doe much wonder how mans body lasteth so long were not the same mercie and goodnesse of God in the continuance which did first appeare in the creation and yet vpon so weake a foundation as is the life of man wee build vp huge towers and conceiue great mountaines in our imagination Assoone as man comes into the world he begins to discouer his nakednesse and impotencie he is not able to goe not able to speake he can neither helpe himself nor desire the helpe of another only his trade is not to sing but to crie thereby to testifie his miserable state and condition Whereas all other creatures are no sooner brought foorth but are likewise apparelled by nature as she giues them their foode so likewise she prouides them a liuerie some a strong hide others a warme fleece the fowles of the ayre she deckes with soft feathers wrought about with diuers colours to the plants and the trees she giues a rinde and beautifull leaues These are all apparelled by nature and that in a much more sumptuous manner then man for Salomon in all his roabes was not to bee compared to one of the lilies of the field All other creatures are borne with weapons both offensiue as hornes hooffes tuskes clawes or defensiue as swift slight a skill and subtiltie to hide it selfe a strong hide onely man though most obnoxious to dangers yet wants both Which vndoubtedly argues a guiltinesse in vs an innocencie in them for howsoeuer the dumbe creatures groane vnder the burthen of sin yet is it vnder the burthen of mans sinne All other creatures are fed from aboue God feedes the Rauens from heauen and nature makes their prouision in the first houre of their birth they seeke their portion of victual without any guide or direction they know the way to the teate and thus they are able to helpe themselues Only man wants a keeper or a nurse to hold him vp in her armes left hee should bee stroken dead with his first fall then must he be held to the breast wrapt vp in swadling clouts laid in a cradle for of himselfe he hath no meanes to preserue himselfe but would vndoubtedly perish if the same mercie of God which first appeared in the wombe did not stirre vp pitie and compassion in our tender hearted parents to take the care and charge ouer vs. And thus is man in his birth
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
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
whole world if I lose mine owne soule or who shall deliuer me from this body of sin Of whom should I expect comfort and succour but of thee O Lord thou that died'st for my sinnes and rose againe for my iustification Iesu thou sonne of Mary Iesu thou sonne of Dauid Iesu thou sonne of God thou Lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon me for thou art my God my Sauiour my Iudge in whom I doe trust thou art my Aduocate with the Father not to pleade my right but in thy pleading to purchase my right for thou art the propitiation for my sinnes If there were any ioy or contentment here in this life the dumbe creatures who onely looke to the present should receiue a farre greater measure and portion then man Who hauing a presaging minde and well considering that sorrowes shall ouertake the greatest mirth extrema gaudij luctus occupat setting before his owne eyes the frailty shortnesse and vncertainty of his life and that in death his honour his wealth and all his delights must forsake him torments himselfe with thought and expectation hereof before the sentence be past or the blow strucken like poore prisoners who are more then halfe dead before the Iudges approch And hitherto hath appeared our torments consisting onely in the foresight the fearfulnesse and preuention of euill now in the present sustaining therof I shall not need to speake of the torture It may seeme to make for natures perfection that a man knowes not how to forget the more hee striues to forget the faster it stickes in the braine the more he desires to blot out it makes the greater impression like the bird which is insnared with the lime-twigges the more it struggles the surer it is held And this truly I doe ascribe to the infinite mercy of God for seeing man is by condition sinfull therefore according to the condition of his nature hee should suruay and view his owne actions both for his repentance and for his amendment And being not able to forget hee might much better conceiue that there is no forgetfulnesse with God and therefore still hee stands accountable he is not discharged nor cannot procure his quietus est out of Gods Exchequer and therefore must alwaies be ready to giue an account of his stewardship From this tenacitie of memorie together with his discoursiue reason proceeds such a sorrow that still he thinkes hee is tortured hee cannot endure to see the place of his torment hee hates the instruments together with their first occasion and his memory serues him much better for sorrow then for any other subiect of what nature soeuer The scholler when he hath forgotten all his lessons together with his play-daies and sports at schoole yet still hee remembers the least correction as the vessell longest retaines an ill sauour so you shall not easily release the mind of sorrow though the torture be past It should seeme that the soule being eternall in her selfe desires to make all things eternall or at least to prolong their continuance and being naturally more enclined vnto sorrow then vnto ioy according to her iust merits and deserts being therein conuinced by the euident proofe of her owne conscience shee laies vp heere for her selfe a treasure of sorrow as willingly vndertaking a state of mortification and penance that seeing and feeling the heauie rod of Gods anger she might safely and securely escape the seething pot of his wrath Thus our daily calamities seeme to haue the nature of serpents whose poyson consists in the fore parts and in the hinder parts they spit out poyson before they can creepe and this appeares by our fearfulnesse and expectation of euill they carrie poyson in their taile and leaue it behind them and this appeares by the strong apprehension of the sorrow past which renewes mans griefe when the griefe is declining In so much that I haue knowne diuers suddenly to faint and to be much perplexed calling to minde those dangers which they haue already safely and securely escaped and this is as proper and peculiar to man as is his reasonable soule From the powers and faculties of mans minde I will come to his passions doe not all these tend to his sorrow Loue is accompanied with ielousies suspitions and hate hope breeds enuie feares and vexations euery delight leaues griefe and remorse behinde it If a tragedie were made of all the seuerall passions of man which indeed are like so many factions or furies in the State all banding and trouping hauing both their fauorites and their opposites assuredly it would proue the most cruell and bloodie tragedie that euer past betweene tyrants especially considering that they are the houshold seruants of man and in a priuat family much more in one person there should bee the most perfect and best Monarchicall gouernment Not to speake how easily man is moued to these passions or how these passions stand in opposition to each other how they doe degenerate betweene themselues looke to the fruites and effects of each passion and you shall easily discerne the torment As for example immoderate loue alwaies begets the greatest neglect and contempt and being once prouoked it turnes to the deadliest hate As out of the most wholesome hearbs you may extract the worst poyson so in loue if the spirits begin once to euaporate and the fire decline by degrees there will follow such a coldnesse such a petrification as that the immoderate loue will turne to immoderate hate And herein I doe acknowledge the wonderfull workes of Gods prouidence for seeing that this totall and excessiue loue with all our heart with all our mind with all our soule is only due vnto God fecisticor nostrum domine propter te inquietum est cor nostrum donec veniat ad te if therfore man shall diuert the course turne the streame of his loue and wholly surrender it vnto the creature then hath God ordained that such loue being vniustly imparted should be iustly recompensed with hate I shall not heere need to insist in the variety of passions take any one of thē seuerally by it selfe Doth not choller exceedingly disquiet man shortens his dayes occasioneth many diseases and sometimes prouokes man to attempt such a rash and headie action as that in the whole course of his life following he shall neuer be able to make any due recompence or satisfaction Take the melancholie man do not his owne thoughts dreames and fantasies exceedingly torment him can he containe his owne imaginations but as if wee had not sufficient outward cause of sorrow he frames monsters to himselfe and these proue fearfull and horrid in so much that his haire stands vpright and a cold sweat possesseth his limbes when no outward danger appeares then he is frighted with his owne thoughts hee sees armies fighting together and thinkes hee is haunted with spirits and then hee cries out for helpe we are
seemes to be nothing vnlesse it be set foorth with ceremonies with rich and costly apparell the Haroldâ— attending with bannors scutâ—heons and armes counterfeit and supposed titles many Pages Vshers and officers of honour appointed such chaires and cloathes of estate cups of grace serued on the knee the seruants rankt in their order such strict and precise formes of salutation and if all this will not serue then open and plaine flatterie and all manner of lying and grosse cos'ynage But I pra'y looke to their persons and you shall finde them some old crasie bodies troubled with gowtes and with palsies who take little ioy or contentment in al their honour and would very willingly exchange it for a little health Heere then I see that a poore mans condition is farre better then theirs and much to bee preferred before theirs little would you thinke that men of such account so much talked of should be of such a stature and personage Thus it should seeme that the Ceremoniall law is no way abolisht but onely translated from the Temple of the Iewes to the palaces of our Nobles All their honour consists in shewes and in ceremonies and therefore wee may well feare that they haue but onely the shew of honour For there was true honour indeede which appeared in the basenesse of this world and imparted honour to the most dishonourable creatures God and man power and weakenesse Maiestie and humilitie together subsisting the homely manger was a fit subiect for the song of Angels and the most ignominious crosse must be the onely signe of victorie and triumph for â—ee wanted no thrones to set foorth his greatnesse being all glorious in himselfe though shadowed in the vaile of our flesh hee wanted not the helpe of the creatures though otherwise he might haue commanded many legions of Angels to attend him his honour was in himselfe and not in him that ascribed the honour And therefore being not able to look vp to his Throne I will heere fall downe at his foote-stoole here I will worship for I had rather be a doore-keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the Tents of vngodlinesse Thus setting true honour before mine owne eyes I will yet a little further discouer the vanities of our worldly and temporall honour Suppose that a stranger or one vnacquainted with these honourable courses should bee admitted in the time of some great feast as the manner is to see the fashions and conditions of the place I pra'y obserue with what state and formalitie their meate is serued vp what exquisite dishes varietie of sauces how many courses how well it is ordered what banketting stuffe and plentie of sweete meates The English fowle embalm'd with the Indian spice the delicious Carp swimming in a sea of sweete broth the red Deere harbour'd in a nut-browne coffin the Phesant onely commendable for her price here are the creatures I confesse in abundance But now where is the vse of these creatures See how this honourable Lord sitting in all his state calles at length to his Caruer for the legge of a Larke or the wing of a Partridge and so rests satisfied complaines of his weake stomacke vseth his hot waters c. How much are wee bound vnto God whose condition though meane and inferiour yet wee haue a sufficient plentie of Gods creatures in stead of their sauces wee haue our hunger and good appetite and to these creatures God hath giuen that hidden qualitie as that they are fit to nourish our bodies a strange wonder in nature that dead creatures should preserue life and hauing thus both substance and qualitie God hath giuen vs the free vse of these creatures that wee may take them in full measure with moderation while he himselfe sanctifies both them and vs and giues a blessing to both As it is in their feasts so it is in their funerals as it is in their liues so it is in their deaths nothing but dumbe shewes I neuer see Sir Christopher Hattons tombe because I haue named the Gentleman and that I desire that all things may bee spoken without offence I will giue him his due praise and commendation in his time he was a very honourable minded man no practising statesman first contriuing and then very wisely discouering his owne plots but of faire and ingenious conditions highly fauoured of his Prince and generally beloued of the people and one to whom the present Church of England is as much indebted in true loue and thankfulnes as to any lay subiect that euer liued in this kingdome when I see his tombe me thinkes hee should not bee like the ordinarie sort of our men such huge commendations such titles such pillars such gilding such caruing such a huge monument to couer so small a body as ours it cannot be Send for the Mazons will them to bring hither their instruments and tooles their mattocks spades hammers c. let vs pull downe this tombe see his excellencie and greatnesse let vs take his proportion But stay your hands I will saue you all that labour for I will tell you in briefe if my tale were worth the telling what you shall finde a few rotten bones and a handfull of dust some crawling wormes which haue deuoured this great little man whom we supposed to haue bin as great vnder the earth as wee see his monument statelie mounted aboue ground Is there deceit and cosonage among the dead or rather doe the liuing heires and suruiuors intend their own glorie in the tombe of their ancestors Well howsoeuer liuing or dead man is altogether vanitie deluding the world with shewes and making great appearance of things which are small in themselues Thus we deceiue and wee are deceiued the world is growne old her â—ight begins to faile her she hath put on spectacles and the things of this world seeme farre greater then they are in veritie and truth and greater to vs then they seemed to the ancients Wee carrie I confesse a greater glosse and varnish then they did but certainly for true honour and noblenesse of minde they did farre exceede vs not descending to those base offices and pillages which haue been since practised not so wholly intending their owne lucre as now wee doe Our honour seemes to adde nothing to our cariage our port or expense a Lord with his page a Knight with his lackie here is sufficient attendance pitie it were that a house should stand emptie when a chamber will serue a set table and an ordinarie diet were ouer troublesome some Tauerne or common Ordinarie shall make their prouision to runne in debt with the Mercers and to vndoe the poore tradesmen it is now growne to bee the fashion of the times to carrie an high minde and yet to stoope low and to bite at euery baite these are the fruites of our honour and herein wee dishonour our selues I reuerence true honour acknowledging it a thing onely proper to man the speciall and
this appeares not only in the seuerall persons of men whoÌ„ you may taxe with affections who might mistake in their ends but consider whole mankind and you shall obserue that some nations thinke other nations to be happy in respect of themselues stockes families kindreds do the like and generally all the states of men seeing no iust cause in themselues wherein they might glory begin to commend and desire an other state and condition of life nemo sua sorte contentus The Marchant commends the life of a scholler a schollar desiring some practicall imployments in his speculatiue studies desires the life of a souldier the souldier crieâ— dulce bellum in expertis and hee desires the lawyers gowne and that his combat might only consist in words and his quarrel be tried at the bar Tâ—us we finde a dislike in our owne and suppose some contentment in theirs like sicke men who sometimes turne on the one side sometimes on the other now in the chaâ—â—e then in the bed straight in this roome immediatly in that roome seeking ease and rest but faile in their purposes Seeing we are thus well perswaded of other mens states and courses of life though otherwise wee are in some dislike with our owne I cannot sufficiently discharge mine owne dutie and conscience vnlesse I shall speake of those miseries which are proper and peculiar to euery state in particular As I hope I shal not prouok whole mankind against me when I discouer their fall and corruption so without exception I may speake of the vices and miseries of each state in particular For it is proper to misery to groane proper to sinne for to cry for vengeance neither misery nor sin can long be concealed and it is our greatest misery that we thinke it a shame and a disparagement to our selues to haue them discouered We are not ashamed of the corruption but that it should be made manifest here is our griefe whereas the first degree to the cure is the right knowledge of the disease Heauen and earth standing in opposition to each other the deeper you sinke in the one the more remote you are from the other Suppose these worldly ioyes to be the shadowes of true ioyes as indeed they are no more then the shadowes if I set the shadow before me then the light is behind me if the light be before me the shadow is behind me respecting the one I neglect the other the loue of heauen and of earth cannot together subsist no man can serue two masters The shadow of the earth causeth the eclipse of the Moone and the Moone very fitly resembles the state of man as being the lowest of the celestiall Orbes and in regard of her mutable and changeable condition If I desire to prepare man for a heauenly blisse needes I must first weane him from the moderate loue of his owne flâ—sh laying open the miseries which are incident to whole mankind from which no state is exempted herein I shall follow the example of God himselfe who mixeth all our ioyes with the spice of sorrow and in the last clause of our liues before our death desiring then especially to draw vs to himselfe his prouidence hath so appointed that long diseases should better instruct vs of the true state of this world then all our experience in the whole course of this world Then we see our weakenes our miseries and what we are in our selues then we see the vanity of all our worldly ioyes that so detesting and abhorring them esteeming them no otherwise then indeed they are our whole comfort might reside in the onely hope of his mercy and we be as willing to forsake this world as euer we were to enioy it Thus necessity may seeme to enforce me that I leaue nothing vnsearched where happines might be concealed or hid consider likewise the principall intent of this Treatise for I did propose vnto my selfe foure things in this second part 1. That in discouering our miseries both in our selues and in respect of the creatures we might truly confesse them to be the punishments of sin 2. That our miseries being once discouered and we our selues being truly acquainted with the state of our nature wee might take some dislike and distaste in nature whereby from the depth of our sorrow we might haue safe refuge to the depth of Gods mercy 3. Least there should bee any obstacle in the way to hinder our approch vnto God I thought fit to set our owne tents and Tabernacles on fire to make our home-bred ioyes and delights vanish in smoake for they are but vanities such as should not withâ—hold vs from the pursuit of our happines 4. That being touched with the miseries and no way puffed vp with the vanities we might acknowledge God in both expecting a time of liberty and freedome when God shall wipe away the teares from our eyes and according to his mercy in stead of this shadow shall impart the truth of his happines Intending to speake of the sâ—uâ—râ—ll states of men to search where I might finde out true â—oy and contentment in nature I must confesse that as in all other things so here especially I shall be most defectiue least an offence should be taken where an offence is not giuen God forbid that I should so far wrong mine owne soule and mine owne conscience as that I should iustly offend the least of my brethren though true it is that sore backes must not be touched yet if I shall intend the cure needs I must lance the impostume Suppose I should speake of their miseries with great diligence and good obseruation yet certaine it is that as the actuall sinne of euery man in particular is much more grieuous then his originall so assuredly the iudgements which befal euery priuat man in particular are much greater then these which are incident to the whole nature in generall And of these particular punishments I cannot take any due knowledge but must leaue them tanquam terram remotam incognitam to be searched out by the godly and daily meditation of euery religious and deuout man who in the clause and latter end of the day calling himselfe to the account of his forepassed life together with the actions of that present day shall therein finde the vndoubted fruit oâ— Gods iustice and if our sins haue past without remorse of conscience then this examination wherein we call our selues to account shall serue as a sufficient occasion to stir vs vp to repentance and sorrow vnà cum nube testiâ—â—â— with a cloud of witnesses all our distilling teares all our sobs and our sighs confessing our sins For the common sort of men I might well reckon them among beasts vulgus hominum inter vulgus animalium they are alwayes carried with shewes and neuer apprehend the truth their delights are al beastly they seeme not to haue the least sparke of a spirit this common sort is likewise the poorest sort so
concâ—â—iscentiam carnis concâ—piscentiam oculorum superbiaÌ„ vitae And thus nature proues euery way to be a fruitfull mother of poyson and in token heereof euen in the bodies of some men of some complections she hath layed vp poyson for her treasure for certainly there is a naturall witch-craft arising from the very constitution in so much that the touch the breath the fight of diuers is infectiou◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That there is no necessity of poysons consider that there are great kingdomes in the world which are exempted and priuiledged from any poysonous hearbe or beast suppose Ireland and least you might ascribe it to their bogs or their vermin which seeme to consume to swallow vp that seed which should ingender the poyson I would gladly aske why should not nature be as wise and as prouident in other nations to preuent the like mischiefe though by the same meanes others not sticking in their bogs nor eaten vp with their lice flie to their climate but doe not other countries adioyning and bordering stand in the same climate I will therefore make a second instance heere in England the Roodings of Essex a very handfull of ground are freed from all poysonous matter heere are no bogs nor no vermine or how will you suppose any difference of climate not any part of this kingdome is generally more annoyed with venemous creatures then is the country adioyning being a wood-land a deepe could clay and heeretofore the whole country was forrest I confesse indeed that any forged or supposed reason framed and fashioned vpon all occasions within the minte of mans braine may serue to excuse his owne ignorance munduÌ„ tradidit disputationi eoruÌ„ My opinion is that as poysons do argue the corruption of nature in generall so nature in particular is sometimes priuiledged by an especiall warrant and protection vnder Gods owne signet though otherwise I doubt not but it is by naturall meanes for God doth not exclude nature but rather include her as being his owne appointed ordinance the course rule and lawe of the creatures And thus God permitteth nature both to shew her integritie and to boast of her perfection that although she be corrupted yet is it onely some accidentall corruption and being thus corrupted she seemes to make some recompence with the pleasant change of variety That the punishment of nature may further appeare I would gladly aske that if there be poyson so horrid as that in an instant it can sodainly kill why should there not be a right contrary quality which might preserue in an instant and be as beneficiall to nature as the other is dreadfull and horrid I haue heard much speech of AuruÌ„potabile but I see it confuted by a whole Colledge of physitions Now I will begin to tell you a mysterie it seemes as impossible to prescribe a iust time and period of death as it is to pâ—eserue life the houre of mans death being as vncertaine as is the frayle course of his life Yet such is the natureâ— and working of poysons that being taken they shall not discouer themselues they shall not bewray their owne treacherie but as if they were confederate with the nature of our bodies they shall lie hidden and secret vntill they may worke their owne ends Posuit sibi iniquitas gradus as if they were part of our nourishment part of our bodies or had entred a league of amitie and friendship with vs they shall worke at leysure and by degrees vndermine the foundation of life so that poysons now taken after many moneths or many yeeres shall appeare in effect and operation Because this may seeme strange to diuers therefore I will lay open the reason certaine it is that there are medicines appropriated onely for certaine parts which notwithstanding their passage and conueyance thorough the trunke of the whole body yet will stay their operation vntill they meete with that fit obiect whereunto they are directed by nature and helped by the cunning and skill of the Physitian This is the ground and foundation of all Physicke for otherwise all the receiâ—s should worke onely and immediatly on the stomacke and liuer without any further relation to the parts or disease now as it is in medicines so is it in poysons which haue their antipathie to certaine parts of mans bodie Cantharides to the bladder the Diamonds to the Lungs seuerall purgations which are remissiuely poysons to the seuerall humors Now considering that there is a great difference in the parts of mans body some are more ignoble and base than others such as we may best spare and are of the least vse and therefore may daylie consume and yet the decay not appeare in the vitall faculties suppose the lungs or the spleâ—ne and yet the poyson being once harboured in those parts shall carrie in it selfe an vnresistable power and by degrees obtaine the victorie and conquest Some thing likewise may bee ascribed to the remotenesse of the parts in regard of the great distance and hard accesse of the poyson thus is man subiect to the outward and inward annoyance of the creatures as was the abuse so is the punishment Of whom shall we expect for redresse but of thee O Lord thou that wert crowned with a garland of thornes and fedde with vineger and gaule vpon the holy altar of thy crosse thou that diddest take vpon thee the person of whole mankinde take away this cup of our poyson feede vs with thine owne flesh refresh vs with thine owne blood and being made liuely members of thy mysticall bodie let this cup passe from vs this cuppe of bitternesse and sorrow take away the poyson of our nature the poyson of sinne and sow in our hearts the seede of eternitie that so we may rise againe with bodies immortall incorruptible freed as from the poyson of sinne so from the poyson of the creatures the one being the vndoubted token and punishment of the other Now let vs come to man and consider man in himselfe seeing the creatures doe thus combine against him let vs see how fitly man is disposed to resist and to encounter their assaults let vs see his armour his weapons his furniture What Prince warring against another doth not first consider his owne strength and the power of his aduersarie Behold then this great champion how he enters into the combate Nudus egreditur de vtero matris sue nudus illuc reuertitur Naked he comes out of his mothers wombe and naked he shall returne againe Here you see the whole course of his passage so that his nakednesse is his punishment Gen. 3. 10. 11. Because I was naked therefore I hid my selfe and God said who tolde thee that thou wast naked c. For in the time of his innocencie though hee should haue been naked without clothing yet shame should not haue accompanied his nakednesse as hee should haue bin without vesture or garment so there should haue bin no
that is fitted to mans capacity and apprehension but a religion carnall professing a sanctitie of spirit in the vncleannes of the flesh admitting the loosenesse and sensualitie of Turkisme into the strict and austere profession of christianitie and here is pure impure carnalitie But O thou monster of men how many wiues wilt thou abuse in thy lust changing thine owne flesh as if thou wert to change thine owne garments notwithstanding the heate and fury of thy lust yet God may so dispose it that a could and chast bloud which thou supposest to be frozen vp with some Northern blast yet this bloud may succeed thee and possesse thy seat and habitation when thy memory shall be cleane forgotten thy name accursed and thy seed rooted out in the next generation But of all the plagues that euer beâ—ell man I will now come to the greatest a punishment not inflicted on the creatures not consisting in the labour or seruice of man but primarilie incident to the very person of man setting a breach not between the married couple but betweene God and man maledictus homo Gen. 4. vers 11. Man is accursed he is made a runn agate and fugitiue from the face of God and man habitabit in Nod Gen. 4. 16. feareâ—ullnesse shall be his habitation and he shall least appeare in sight here I might speake whatsoeuer hath been spoken concerning the miserable and sinfull condition of man for this is the abridgement and epitomie of all to forsake God is to leaue the fountaine of all good and to make himselfe subiect to all miseries and woe And therefore the righteous Dauid cries vnto God forsake me not in thine anger for whereas the absence or separation of friends might be a meanes to asswage their hate and to reconcile their enmitie onely in God the greatest fruite of his anger is to leaue and forsake man and thereby man is wholly destitute of all possible meanes to re-obtaine his fauour Here now at length I see the reason why all other creatures receiued their approbation from God in the beginning immediatly vpon their creation Et vidit Deus erant omnia valdâ— bona and God saw all things that were and they were very good in their owne kinde and God blessed them c. onely man is excluded and neuer receiued any such approbation for it lay in the power of his free will and election to make himselfe accursed and miserable and therefore the sentence of his approbation was deferred vnto a day of iudgement to come venite benedicti ite maledicti c. The rest of the creatures they may be punisht and accursed indeede but it is onely for mans sake as they are ordained for mans vse while man himselfe is the end of the curse for nothing can be accursed but that which is simply euill and nothing is simply euill but only sin and no creature in nature is capable of sinne but only man so that man of all other creatures is the most accursed only with this difference Cain was accursed but not Adam Adam being the root of mankind did therfore represent the nature Cain being a branch of mankind did limit the curse to a certaine condition of men to the state of the reprobates So that a curse is inâ—ident to the nature though not to the whole nature of man which shall appeare by this one instance Balaam was not able to curse the children of Israel seeing that hee was then in their loynes who was indeed the fountaine of blessing this blessing we must not only tie to the generation of Christ according to the flesh but still wee may claime the inlarging of Gods mercy according to the promise made vnto Abraham in semine tuo benedicentur omnes generationes so that generally God hath proposed vnto man a blessing a curse life or death the one as the fruit of mans sinne the other as the effect of Gods mercy the one he incurr's by his own transgâ—essions the other hee attaines by his bloud and passion who was the attonement and propitiation for our sins Cain bearing the person of all reprobates and being accursed for the bloud of the innocent Abel you might heere expect that I should describe the nature and first causes of reprobation together with the heauy fruits of Gods vengeance how God of himselfe may limit and bound his own mercy to reâ—use or assist him who is now ready to fall and yet like a gratious God remembring himselfe together with the scope and end of our creation desiring to perfect and accomplish that image which hee himselfe hath already begun as hee hath giuen the outward meanes for mans happy conuersion ite praedicate baptizate omnes singulos vniuersos As the price of our redemption is infinit able to satisfie for the infinit sins of infinit worlds so vndoutedly the same God according to the truth of his owne nature will not be wanting in the inward meanes He will not feede vs with shewes and appearance of things that are not but with his preuenting assisting and subsâ—quent graces hee will inable our weaknesse in such things as do necessarily concerne our saluation raising nature to such an height that she may be able to transcend her owne naturall power yet God shall so moue vs as may bee most agreeable to our condition The kingdome of grace doth not ouerthrow our naturall rights and therfore God shal still leaue vnto vs wholâ— sound and entire without violence or coaction the free choice and election of our owne wils so that if in his eternall praesciâ—nce he shall fore-see that man shall refuse to be the vessell and instrument of grace to concurre with him in the action but shall prefer the creature before the creator and so shall continue wilfull and disobedient in the whole course of his life with a finall impenitency heere is the sole cause and first motiue of Gods eternall reprobation which consists of the foresight of our sinnes and of the due intended punishment of Gods iustice The second curse which I will obserue in Cain is the guiltinesse of crying sins for he slew his brother Abell whose bloud cryed vp to heauen for vengeance strange it is that man by nature should not be able to eleuat and lift himselfe aboue nature to do any worke or action belonging to grace not so much as to beleeue any principle of faith which to a beleiuing man seemes to be a point of small difficulty and yet man should easily descend beneath nature to commit sins whereunto his nature is no way inclined such as the light of reason dictamen rationis common honesty equity and conscience vtterly condemnes wee receiue not this learning from the Preacher but nature her selfe hath imprinted and ingrafted it in the hart of man these actions we abhor and detest of our selues and yet these actions we daily practise our selues and therfore hauing once committed them we proue our owne tormentors for as nature takes
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
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
contentment that so their time and leisure might better serue them for the practise of zeale and deuotion But this great learned age hath found out a comparison wherin we might seeme to magnifie the Ancients but indeed very cunningly do presse them downe making them our foote-stooles preferring our selues before them extolling and exalting our selues aboue measure for thus it is said that we are like dwarfes set vpon shoulders of Gyants discerning little of our selues but supposing the learning and ground-worke of the Ancients we see much further then they which in effect is as much as that we prefer our own iudgements before theirs in truth in truth a very wittie comparison certainely it is either a dwarfe or a Gyant for it will admit no mediocrity But I pray' let vs examine it though I confesse that comparisons are not alwayes the best proofes first how these dwarfes should be exhaled and drawne vp to the shoulders of the gyants here is a point of great difficulty as yet not thought vpon â—or I must tell you my iudgement as in digging the earth some mettals are found and some are vndiscouered so is it in reading and perusing the workes of the fathers we may continually learne and daily finde out new mynes in their writings suppose these dwarfes to bee now set vpon the shoulders it is to bee feared least seeing so steepe a descent they will rather fall to a giddines then be able rightly to iudge of the obiects least they should be confounded with the multiplicity of learning in the fathers not able to fadome the depth of their grounds for wil you suppose that these Gyants should so infinitly exceed the dwarfes in length and in strength and yet will you equall them for goodnes and quicknes of sight I cannot stay long vpon the shoulders of Gyants for heere is but slippery hold nor yet vpon the feete of comparisons for these are but weake grounds and proofes let this one reason suffice it is a difference betweene actions voluntary and naturall that in voluntary such as are the actions of the vnderstanding no man can worke according to the vttermost of his power but when hee hath once spoken hee may speake againe and againe as much to the purpose so that hee which shall make himselfe perfect in an other mans worke yet can neuer therein so fully informe himselfe as the Author This difference likewise appeares in God whose vnderstanding being natural and essential hee vnderstanding and comprehending himselfe doth beget a word euery way equal to himselfe but suppose I pray' that these gyants should stumble or fall take heede of the dwarfe take heede of the dwarfe nay rather cries out the dwarfe I will guide and direct them and keepe them from falling if they will not vphold me then I will vphold them Here is presumption in deede here you shall see some expurgatorie index apostasia patrum errores conciliorum lapsus ecclesiae see here what great account they make of the Fathers and thus they can vse arguments to serue all turnes and occasions I am the more strict to iustifie the wits and learning of the ancient Fathers because I suppose it maks much for the certaintie and dignitie of Christian religion that our faith tooke no aduantage by other mens ignorance to spread it selfe and to get growth in the blindnesse of error but at the time of Christs birth all the liberall Arts did most florish there was a generall peace thorough the whole world the Romane Empire fully setled and established Poets Orators Philosophers Historians neuer more excellent For thus it stood with the prouidence of God that their wits and qualities might serue as trials and touch-stones of his truth to examine the seuerall miracles the mysteries and morall precepts of his law that both in themselues and in others they might be for confirmation of the saith that the power of God might likewise discouer it selfe for the greater the aduersarie and opposition is the more noble is the conquest and therefore God by the weaknes and foolishnesse of preaching confounding the strength and wisedome of this world did therein manifest a miracle to continue for all succeeding ages Now this faith as finding a strong opposition by learning and humane knowledge so in the Apostles it could not be accompanied with ignorance and therefore as God gaue theÌ„ the gift of tongues so vndoubtedly the knowledge of nature the same God being the God both of nature and grace for they could not demonstrate the one without some reference and relation to the other heere you see the Church planted Now in the great world as men came neerer the first mould so were they more perfect both for strength of bodies and continuance of yeeres that so they might intend a propagation of their kinde So was it in the growth of the Church the first Fathers which did neerer approch to the times of the Apostles had a greater measure of knowledge by the imposition of their hands that so they might bee better inabled and instructed for the conuersion of nations Thus the Prophets in the old law speaking of the florishing kingdome of Christ seeme to point at the times of the Fathers and as it were to seale them before hand and to proclaime them to the whole world as Orthodoxall and therefore as fit precedents and examples for all future ages and successions to follow so that to detract from the Fathers and the primitiue age were to detract from Gods prouidence and vnder colour of a naked text which may wâ—ll admit diuers expositions to draw all things to innouation and vncertaintie In the last place I will speake of the life and of the death both of our selues and of the Ancients As man comes not to that strength and growth which heretofore he did so vndoubtedly hee is sooner ripened and comes to that weaknesse which nature hath appointed him theÌ„ heretofore he did and being not of that sound constitution as the Ancients were he hath not that certaintie in the course of his life but vpon all occasions out of his weaknesse he is apt and ready to fall This I conceiue to bee the reason why our Gentrie in these daies should desire to match their children so young and that the children themselues should in the spring or morning of their age be so fit to ingender now for the length of our liues some haue been much mistaken supposing that it might be fitly gathered by the raignes of Princes in former times whereas indeede there is little heede to be taken vnto them seeing the time of their gouernment hath no relation to the yeers of their age but to the death of their ancestors or to the time of their election so that if you will suppose the predecessor to liue long the successor may likewise liue long yet raigne but a short time And heretofore Princes did more aduenture themselues in the danger of their warres then now they
carries no sensible quantitie in respect of the heauens all the mists that proceede from the earth cannot any way indarken the Sunne but are suddenly dissolued it lies not in mans power to obscure Gods glorie which either will drop downe in mercie or breake foorth in iustice and therfore the greatest sinne in respect of Gods losse may well bee ranckt with the least and the least with the greatest though otherwise not in respect of Gods commaund his anger his punishment But I pray' what sinne could Adam haue committed at that time greater then was the tasting of the forbidden fruite Couetousnesse or oppression could not assault him as hauing the whole world in possession there was no place for enuie or wrath as wanting a competitor there were no publike assemblies to be blowne vp with gun-powder no Princes to bee murthered no factions to bee massacred no Churches to bee made a prey for sacriledge no virgins to bee defloured no places of iustice which might be defiled with briberie no legall proceedings wherein periurie and false information might be admitted no widow or fatherlesse to be subiect of wrong and oppression mans owne knowledge the many blessings receiued together with the fresh memorie and experience of the â—reâ—tion could not admit of idolatrie and yet according to the condition of those times man was not wanting to his own sinne as farre foorth as hee could he tempted and prouoked God there being but one precept in the breach of that one precept if more had lien in his power more he had attempted in a higher degree but here was the mercie of God only to permit the least for God deales with man as parents doe with young children first to trie with the least that so the first sinne might not at first sight be vnpardonable We must here conceiue that according to the condition of man who consists of body and soule so there was both inward outward corruption In the mindes of our parents there was a great disobedience in the breach of Gods law this disobedience proceeded from a great natural pride in so much that as by the inticing so according to the example of the bad Angels they sinned against God in a very high point of his prerogatiue namely his wisedome â—ritis sâ—â—ut dij sciemes â—â—num malum as the Angels desired in generall to possesse the Throne of God so man in this one particular point of his wisedome did aspire to be equall with God and therein to vsurpe his prerogatiue and heere the necessitie did seeme first to bee imposed vpon the wisedome of God that the same wisedome should satisfie for the offence committed against it selfe and therefore Iesus Christ the righteous who was verbum in intellectu sapientia patris hee must interpose himselfe as a Mediatour betweene God and man and bee the propitiatorie sacrifice for this sinne hee must come downe in our flesh and be like vnto vs whereas we attempted to be like vnto him He must breake the veile of the Temple and Ceremonies lay open the secrecies and mysteries of his kingdome and yet bee accounted an vnwise man that so by the foolishnesse of preaching he might correct or conâ—ound the wisdome and subtiltie of a Serpentine generation Now marke the conformitie of our mindes with our forefathers as the similitude of nature so the similitude of corruption The first sinnes of the minde seeme to be disobedience and pride when we too highly esteem of our selues neglecting and contemning all others whereunto if you please to adde the naturall curiositie of our mindes here is the first step and degree to a second fall a fall into all damnable errors and heresies And for our bodie gluttonie seemes to bee the well-spring of all our carnall and bodily sinnes as a surfeit is for the most part the beginning of all our diseases the most dangerous of all our diseases and whereunto man is most subiect and prone it doth vndoubtedly argue that the first sinne was the sinne of a surfeite and gluttonie the tasting of forbidden fruite Marueile not though our Diuines bee strict in preaching their fasts mortifications for they desire to preuent sin in the roote open warre will not easily preuaile against a State vnlesse it bee diuided in it selfe with parts-taking and factions if the flesh be pliable and obedient to the spirit wee neede not feare any outward assaults and tentations If still the offence seeme little then you may well coniecture Gods wrath and indignation for sin which breakes into vengeance for so small an offence if the punishment seeme ouer large in respect of the crime thou canst not truly iudge of the foulenesse of sinne which is not to be valued according to mans own estimation but as it is an high presumption and contempt of the basest worme against the infinite maiestie of the diuine power yet in truth the punishment seemes not to be so dreadfull and horrid as the case now stands betweene God and man Thankes be to the mediator of this couenant betweene God and man that God and man Christ Iesus for now it serues rather as an occasion of a further blisse and happinesse then as a punishment for sinne Felix culpa quae talem habuit redemptorem The miseries of this life they are such that if they be sanctified with Gods grace seasoned with the hope of a better life to succeede receiued with patience acknowledged with true humblenes of minde I doubt not but in them wee shall finde sufficient comfort and consolation in so much that wee may now safely triumph ouer death it selfe O death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victorie the sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law but thankes be vnto God who hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. So much for the sinne as it was radically inherent in Adam now how the posteritie of Adam should be liable to the guilt of this sinne together with the manner of propagating this sinne I will speake briefly and so conclude It may bee questioned whether it might stand with Gods iustice to condemne all all the whole kinde all the whole succession the vnborne childe for the sinnes of one And for answere of this question I will extend my speech further that if God for no offence committed should reprobate and torment all his creatures yet could it not be any iniustice in God for how shall the vessell say vnto the potter why madest thou me thus This I speake hauing relation to Gods infinite and vnlimited power but as the câ—se now stands assuredly God neuer wrought in his creatures according to the rigour and extent of his iustice for the creation was a worke of mercie heere all things tooke their beginning from mercie being thus created Gods mercie doth ouerflow all his workes Hence it is that mercie sometimes appeares without any taste of iustice as in the free distribution
men suppose our naturall corruption The scope of 〈◊〉 third part The Serpent The punishment of the Serpent The Serpent creepes on the earth Herâ—eâ—dâ—ng on the earth How the dumbe creatures are punished The enmitie betweene Man and the Serpent A generall opposition betweene reason and sense Ominous creatures The Serpent assaulting Man Mins incounter with the Serpent The brazon Serpent The earth brings forth bryars and thornes Bryars seeme to be wholy vnprofitable Their production Nature seemes to be more carefull of thornes then of the best fruits The weeds of the earth argue the weeds of mans mind Of poysons How poysons should be generated or produced All countries do not bring forth poysons All poysons do not immediatly worke but after a certaine time The reason why poysons should so long conceale their conspiracie The punishment of nakednesse Mans clothing should proceed from his food as well as his nourishment Why some pars should be couered and not all Nature is heerin more beneficiall to other creatures then vnto man The inward and outward nakednesse The outward nakednesse of man The abuse of apparell The wantonnes and pride in apparell Euery man is a labourer Mans continuall labours both for the maintenance of his body and for the instructing of his mind Why should not the earth bring forth corne is well as other fruits No such difficulty in the production The progresse and degrees of mans labour Man is a druge to the dumbe creatures His pouerty notwithstanding his drudgery Mens continuall labours in husbandry and tillage Gods mercy and prouidence appeares in our labours All honest callings appointed by God Men must liue by their labours and not by their wits The great hurt and the shamefull abuse of inclosures A prophesie against our inclosures The disagreeing betweene man and wife The large extent of this punishment The branches cannot couple if the root be diuided Man is sometimes subiect to the tyrannie oppression of others Princes haue their authority from God The degrees of gouernment How strange it is that there should be enmity in marriage The motiues to preserue loue How vnnaturall is this enmity in marriage The allurement of beauty should assvvage man The wife is informed in her duty In the house there are seuerall duties belonging to the husband to the wife The fond iealousie of the husband The abuse of marriage may breed an ill disposition A bitter inuectiue against marriage after diuorse Man is accursed of God The limitation of this curse The causes of reprobation The guiâ—tines of crying sins Mans curse appeares in his reason and in his religion The strange different iudgements of men The different sects of Philosophers Petrus Ramus censured Second causes do not detract from the first agent There is a great difference between the birth of things their continuance Gods power doth wonderfully appeare in the continuance of the world Mans greatest curse in the point of his religion Mans greatest curse in the point of his religion The persecution of true Religion The cloakes and pretenses of Religion The Author makes a small digression The controuersies of Religion There are seeming controuersies which may be reconciled Gods prouidence and goodnesse appeares in these controuersies of religion Saint Peters calling and reprehension Persecutions of the Church Pretenses of religion how they should instruct vs. The generall deluge Losses sustained by the deluge The naturall meanes were not sufficient to cause a deluge The wonder was greater in the ceasing of the floud The wonders of God in euery element Proofes of the deluge from the resting of the Arke Reliques of the deluge in nature Trees Buildings Rocks Barrennesse The different mould The veines of the earth Marle-pits Cole-pits Mountaines are shelues vallies are the channels Proofes amongst the Iewes Testimonies of the Gentiles concerning the deluge Of the Rainebow The burning of Sodom and Gomorrha is an earnest of the last generall combustion Thunder and lightning tokens of the last combustion The author recalles himselfe The confusion of tongues How agreeable the punishmeÌ„t was to the offence The punishment is agreeable to mans condition The extent of this punishment The strangenes of this iudgement The strangenes appeaâ—es by way of comparison Meanes to retaine the same language The Monarchies and conquests The necessity of trading and commerce The vniformity of lawes and of religion The punishment appeares not only in the variety of tongues but likewise in the distraction A difficulty for a man to expresse his own thoughts A wise man can hardly be a good speaker The difficulty in learning tongues Defects in Grammar Periury and lying proceed from this confusion The very tongues doe sometimes obscure and hinder our knowledge Whether man should speake naturally Hebrew Whether we shall speake Hebrew after the last resurrection The inconueniences proceeding from this confusion of tongues Great controuersies about words Gods mercie in the vnion of these kingdomes of England and Scotland Ancient and straÌ„ge tongues adde lustre to Sciences Against translations That the title of Christ and Scripture should coÌ„tinue vnchangeable The gift of tongues The holie Ghost came in fierie tongues The Author here humbly craues pardon for all his errors He recals himselfe The punishment in womens conception and deliuery Other creatures are compared with maÌ„ in his birth How this punishment is to be vnderstood Naturall causes cannot demonstrate the paine The continuall danger and paine in conception Men-midwiues Men bearing their owne children Why God so punisheth the husband Why there are secret qualities which cannot be knowne The extent of Philosophy concerning her subiects Why the husband partakes in the wifes passions A defence of Philosophie The strange diseases of the wombe The diseases of the paps The French or Neapoliâ—an disease An aduice to women Womens longing An impression vpon the child in the wombe The skinne of a Serpent Obseruations in the birth of man Obseruations in the infancie of man The curiositie of women taxed The corruption of yong children How exceedingly children doe loue fruits The author iustifieth his method by lawe Mans death is compared with the death of dumbe beasts Mans death in respect of the elements Mans death in respect of the heauens and the Angels The soule receiues a kinde of perfection from the body The soulâ— builds the frame of our body The immortal soule is the cause of corruption How easily the soule may preserue life by a naturall course How the death of man is against the whole scope of nature in generall How death serues to instruct vs. Death is a very powerfull meanes to recall a sinner Death â—ights in defence of religion The Christian man desires death as the meane of his happinesse Death is the sacrifice of our selues Death is our comfort in all our worldly miseriâ—s Death giues the Chrisâ—â—aâ— man an excellent resolutioÌ„ The first and second death The fearefull circumstances of the last iudgement How wee should preuent Gods wrath What effects the
and pampered with the beast that others should take care and charge over vs and at length before the miseries of old age ouertake vs to end our liues with a thrust or a blow when in an instant we are bereaued of sense of life and of motion then to stay and expect natures best time and leisure when with long lingring and tedious diseases we should be first wrackt and tormented with most exquisite torments for assuredly the torments of tyrants are not so cruell as are the torments of nature being indeede in the more sensitiue parts and yet after these torments at length wee shall not faile to receiue the sentence of execution In regard of my profession I would not willingly intermeddle in causes of bloud rather let all penitent sinners and offenders against law freely escape by the benefit of their Clergie for wee preach mercie and nothing but mercie and all the mercie of the law ought to be ascribed vnto the Clergie Yet here I can doe no lesse then relate a truth I doe therefore call you Sergeants Bailiffes Constables and Iaylers to witnesse how many prisons are there in this one Citie what varietie of chaines of fetters of bolts what dungeons and places of torments what wrackes and strapadoes what stockes pillories and houses of correction how many kinds of death hanging pressing burning quartering Wherefore serues your office or the office of Sheriffes but onely for the execution of these lawes Wherefore carries the Magistrate either sword or faggots before him it is not to keepe away flyes or gnats but that he is the instrument of God vnto vengeance for whō are all these prepared but only for man by whom are all these prepared but onely by man besides the hanging and watchfull rod of Gods anger and the seething pot of Gods wrath You Captaines and Souldiers wherefore serues your plentie of Artillerie such roaring Canons battering Peeces Muskets Petronels Caliuers and Pistols these are not pot-guns for children or haile-shot to kill a wren or a sparrow or birding-peeces for young men wherefore serue so many Black-bils Polaxes Pikes Lances such Swords Daggers Rapiers Poinadoes such variety of weapons and the ancient glory of England the Bowes and the Arrowes for I will not speake of vndermining the earth the opening of sluces when the earth and the water seeme to deuoure whole armies at once I will not speake of other stratagems and snares in warre or the great Massacres in peace I pray' can all the shambles affoord so many kniues beetles axes as there are tooles and instruments prepared for man Iulius Caesar alone who certainly cannot be branded with any note of the greatest crueltie yet in his battailes he is said to vanquish and kill an eleuen hundred thousand fighting men besides his owne souldiers who were slaine in the conquest From the death of man and beast which seemes to be incident and common both to man and to beast giue me leaue to speake one word of their funerals When I remember how the young chickins though continually fed in the chanell without respect should now at length be serued vp in a siluer dish vpon a Damaske tablecloth with much pompe and solemnitie to be foode for their masters neatly handled curiously carued and safely laid vp in their bowels certainly I commend their funerals before mans who is wrapt in a sheete buried in a pit where his carcasse corrupts and is made meate for the wormes Thus behold the glorie of the world the mirrour of nature man for whom the whole fabricke was created to whose vse and seruice all creatures were directed who is a little world epitomized an abridgement of nature man I say so farre exceeding all other creatures in that high prerogatiue of a reasonable and immortall soule yet in regard of the corruption of his flesh his condition is equall if not inferiour to the beasts of the field It should much detract from the wisedome of nature and almost imply a contradiction in the workes of nature if it were not a punishment iustly inflicted on man for his sinne that man so farre exceeding all other creatures should notwithstanding in his end bee accounted and numbred with the basest for so saith the Wise man I haue said to the graue thou art my mother and to the worme thou art my brother my sister my kinsman To conclude strange it is that in the dumbe creatures there should be no miserie proper and peculiar to them wherein we doe not share with them alike and partake in their misfortunes but many ill accidents do daily befall vs not onely in regard of our reasonable soule which is proper to our selues but likewise for our bodies consisting of the same elements with theirs and yet therein they haue neither part nor portion with vs and in those miseries which both sustaine alike mans are much greater in the same kind And hitherto I haue only spoken of such things which concerne man properly in respect of his bodie and in comparison with other creatures now I will single him seuerally by himself and in regard of the difference of his parts the soule and the flesh I cannot fitter resemble him then to the Vniuersitie and towne of Cambridge for in one and the same person as likewise in one and the same circuite of place you shall finde two seuerall Corporations two distinct Charters different statutes lawes each opposing other each accusing other when both may want reformation Now let me come to the more noble part to speake of the diseases of the minde Is it not a sufficient miserie to be thus molested aboue measure by the weaknes and infirmities of the flesh not any one creature being subiect to the like afflictions but that there should bee sorrowes and grieuances which are proper and peculiar to the minde first begun in the minde and therefore only competent to man and from the minde at length bursting foorth in the bodie either by melancholy fits forbearance of meate neglect of his naturall rest as poysons inwardly takē break out into sores And these are much more dangerous then the diseases of the flesh insomuch that sometimes man turnes desperate and commits the most cruell bloudie and vnnatural action that possibly heart can imagine his owne hands shed his owne blood all his parts conspire against nature he is the offender and the partie offended the Iudge the witnesse the Iurie the executioner and the sole beholder to arraigne and condemne himselfe and in an instant bereaued both of life and of sense he makes himselfe wholly vncapable of repentance Contrarie to all forme of iustice and most contrarie to all right of nature which abhorring and detesting blood as in all others so most especially in it selfe as hauing this principle rooted and grounded in the heart that charitie should begin with it selfe and as man doth not giue himselfe life nor cannot continue his life so is hee not Lord of his life or his
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