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
should therefore thinke our knowledge vnprofitable I would gladly aske what inuention in the world was euer more beneficiall to man then was the Mariners Carde to direct him in his passage thorow the huge wildernesse of the vaste Ocean yet can you conceiue that the world could bee exquisitely diuided by 32. parts for so many windes are assigned shall acres miles leagues whole Countries huge Nations make no sensible difference in this Card and yet is the Carde so exquisite and of such necessary vse Or take an Almanacke though it faile in prognostication of weather is it therfore not of excellent vse Learning it is which opens mans eies to all humane knowledge though it cannot or will not vouchsafe to looke vpon the basest things of this life yet it containes the grounds the roots the causes of euery the meanest profession and is able to direct euery man in his owne Trade course and vocation and I may boldly speake it absit inuidia verbo all other professions whatsoeuer if they be not spiced and seasoned with learning they are base and barbarous if they bee not sanctified and hallowed with Religion they are prophane and heathenish I haue forgotten my selfe and whether out of the loue of Philosophie or out of mine owne modestie desiring to conceale these points of secrecie the paines and labours in child-birth I am fallen into this discourse I will now againe retire my selfe and I will instance in the two sexes This punishment was not only inflicted on the woman in the time of her trauaile but it is further extended and generally comprehends all the diseases and griefes of the wombe so that the maid and the widow shall not freely escape for infinite are the diseases and those strange and wonderfull beyond the common course of nature which the wombe of a woman doth make her subâ—ect vnto what strange pangs and conuulsions doth it suffer as if it had no stable foundation in the bodie such rising such falling sometimes prouoked with a sent so strange and miraculous to nature that the ignorant â—ort not considering the naturall causes crie A possession a possession then straight some poore old woman is had in suspition brought before a Iustâ—ce accused for a Witch c. whereas in all other creatures the wombe doth no way offend or annoy them for then certainly it would appeare in their cries their groanes their complaints their feeding their thriuing in flâ—sh somthing at length would easily discouer it but indeede there is none I would I could say as much for the woman but alas here are too many I cannot reckon all some shall appeare and those I will conceale in the habit of an vnknowne tongue Phlegmone abscessus vlcus cancâ—r scirâ—hus mola inflatio hydrops calculus rhagadâ—s câ—ndylomata haemorrhoïdes Will you see the symptomes signes and proper passions mensium suppressio mensium profluuium atque stillicidium albus fluor vterinus gonorrhaea duplex vteri strangulatus ascensus descensus prolapsio conuulsio sterilitas abortus c. To conclude the Physitian as well as the Clergie man is sometimes tied to his secrecie and silence Yet giue me leaue to instance in those parts which appeare to the sight The sweete paps which serue to allure the husband and to put the children in minde of their dutie how apt are they to bee tormented with griefe being spungious parts some ill humours sâ—ttle there and the softnes is turned to a stonie hardnes the fresh and beautifull colour is changed to palenesse and wannesse in stead of sweete and delicious milke the filth breakes out into issues and sores and therein assures man that he is not onely conceiued in sinne and corruption but likewise feedes vpon corruption for what is milke it selfe but onely impure blood the colour changed Now if these parts which border so neere vpon the heart be corrupted then assuredly the heart it selfe is full of corruption the roote of life and nature her selfe is wholly corrupted and therefore those parts which were ordained for the nourishment of poore sucking babes together with life together with foode for the continuance of life doe by a law of necessitie impart their owne corruption For the males they are not excused from the like sorrow what strange and noysome diseases doe befall the generatiue parts lues venerea priapismus gonorrhaea I am ashamed of my selfe and me thinkes my mouth is defiled with speaking of them onely giue me leaue to reckon vp one among the miseries proper to this time among the inuentions and monsters of this last age for the ancients neuer heard of it There is a disease begotten amongst vs and no nation will father it all are ashamed of it we cast it on the French the French on the Italian the Italian on the Spaniard the Spaniard on the Indian as if it were some excellent treasure brought from a new-found world a disease which ariseth from imâ—oderate lust noysome infectious corrupting the bones rotting the flesh loosing and dissoluing the ligaments A iust punishment for mans lust that since beautie allured him his own natural strength prouoked him therfore God wil punish him with the losse of his beautie his fauour shall faile him hiâ— eye-sight shal leaue him his colour forsake him his nose shal drop off his lips shall be eaten his palate shall be cankerd and his strength shall be like a broken staffe he shall goe like a criple shame and reproch shall attend him Fully to describe this disease I will leaue it to the skilfull Physitian let it suffice for me to obserue that although some other creatures seeme to be as much inclining to their lust as is man yet none are tainted with such a noysome disease saue only man as likewise in all former times among the Heathen and Pagans there is no mention of any such disease much lesse of the cure only amongst vs Christians who professe a more strict austere and mortified life this disease first tooke her beginning That seeing God had giueÌ„ vs a greater knowledge of his truth of the foulnesse of sinne together with a larger measure of his grace therefore God punisheth the vncleannes incontinencie of these times with a greater iudgement and vengeance and as the woman partakes in the mans punishment both of them sweating in their labours both of them made subiect to death so man as farre foorth as it will stand with the condition of his sexe partakes in her sorrow These things being duly considered if I were worthy I would giue this aduice to Ladies and Gentle women who now labour in the paines and perill of child-birth that during this time they would better bethinke themselues of the occasion that their danger and sorrow is the iust punishment of sinne for the first offence of the woman and that they would giue God most humble and heartie thankes for that greatest blessing of all other temporall blessings the fruitfulnes of the wombe
ordained to bee an eye and that women should proue teachers in the Church they begin to enquire of predestination reprobation prelection free-will the state of innocency the time of the generall iudgement c. Here are excellent wits indeed that cannot admit any bounds of their knowledge if there were a tree of knowledge in the middest of Paradise for the triall of their obedience you should easily discouer in them the same disposition And hence follow such monsters of opinions such mishapen conceits together with such neglect contempt and such a base respect of their ordinary Pastor as that you would not imagine such disobedience were it not that the same corruption and curiositie of knowledge did first appeare in the roote which now buds foorth in the branches How credulous and easie of beliefe are the young children as if they were fit subiects to be againe seduced by the serpent how do they rather incline vnto hate then vnto loue out of the malignitie and corruption of their owne nature as it were laying the foundation of that Machiauelian policie that Friendship is vncertaine but hate is irreconcileable see their obstinacy and wilfulnesse if you forbid them any thing the more you forbid it the sooner they will attempt it â—itimur in vetitum see how we follow the footsteps of our forefathers we neede not be taught this lesson aspis à vipera disobedience is now become naturall vnto vs see how these little children will alwayes attempt the most dangerous actions as clyming vp of ladders sliding vpon the ice running ouer bridges playing with edged tooles skipping ouer benches to shewe that the same nature still continues in those little impes which vnder colour of bouldnes and courage proues indeed to bee rashe and desperat suppose them to be weake and faint not able to vndertake such great exployts see then of all other places how they make choice of the basest the sinke the chanell the chymnie wallowing in the mire all daubde on with durt that were it not to signifie the vncleannesse of mans conception and birth I should much maruaile at natures intent herein See see these little children how apt they are to learne all lewdnesse and naughtinesse if there be but a nicke-name or a leud song or some libellous rime you shall finde them so inquisitiue so desiâ—ous to learne so retentiue of memory as that you would thinke it wonderfull whereas in all good learning there is such a dulnesse such a backwardnesse such forgetfulnes as that you would not suppose them to be the same wits Now the first offence for which our parents correct vs it is for the most part the eating of rawe and vntimely fruits see how these children do naturally symbolize with their parents and as of nature so there is a conformitie of wils as soone as our strength serues vs then wee begin to rob orchards to rifle aple-lofts ceasing vpon forbidden fruits as if we could not leaue our ould â—aunt or that we did claime a bad custome by prescription but I pray' marke the euent this eating of fruits ingendreth wormes in their mawe their stomackes and bowels their tender yong bodies become quicke sepulchers a wombe for the wormes to feed vpon their liuing carkases see here the eating of this fruit giues them the first token and assurance of their mortalitie morte morieris But I forget my selfe vnles I should here stay I feare I should againe and againe run through the whole course of his life neither indeed dare I far proceed in this subiect for I know what some will say that bachelors children are euer well taught giue me therefore leaue retiring far backe to make the longer leape from the cradle to the coffin being fast bound vp with swadling cloutes I will exchange them for my winding sheet and so in the last place I come to the last punishment of the first sinne morte morieris thou shalt die the death Gen. 3. v. 19. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate bread till thou returne to the earth for out of it wast thou taken because thou art dust and to dust shalt thou returne I confesse indeed I shal incurre a disorderly method if you consider the course and order of nature for nature passeth by degrees natura non facit saltum she takes no leape but when I consider the necessity of death together with the casualtie and vncertainty of all other accidents which may befall man statutum est hominibus mori there is a statute past that al men must die but peraduenture I shall be rich I shall be poore peraduenture I shall grow ould I shall be blind peraduenture I shall be lame I shall be a criple but without all peraduenture I shall die thus there being a necessity of death together with a great vncertaintie of the time I do appeale to the strictnesse and rigour of lawe that if a debt must be discharged and no due time be appointed then we must prepare for a present payment so that it cannot seeme much against method though I speake of death immediatlie vpon our first receiuing of breath If all other creatures were subiect to death yet me thinks obseruing the course and prouidence of nature man should be exempted from death consider the high prerogatiue of man in all restringent and penall lawes the Prince is excluded to shew his high estate aboue the ranke and condition of subiects now man is the king of the creatures let other creatures bee lyable to â—laughter for they were ordained and directed to man let other creatures die of themselues for in them there is nothing but nature nature which hath a certaine course and period a time of rising and a time of setting but the first fountaine of life in man is the inuisible and immortall soule free from corruption free from all change and alteration as in her owne substance so in her actions she cannot bee inforced or determinated but is beyond the Precincts of nature and therefore no way tyed to follow the ordinary course of nature Yet some beasts do far exceed man in life and continuance of being which is the foundation and ground worke of nature to support all other blessings and therfore seems to be the highest prerogatiue of nature wherein notwithstanding man is defectiue other creatures indeed seeme to attaine their perfection in their ends or their death the hearbes serue for the food of beasts and in their bodies and carkases they haue a more excellent being then they had in their greene blades the flesh of beasts becomes the nourishment of man and being made part oâ— mans own flesh heere is the height of all their preferment now in man you shall obserue it far otherwise who of the mirror and miracle of nature by his own death is suffered to putrifie and to be deuoured of the basest wormes as if his body were ordained to be the compost of the earth and did only serue
infidelitie vpon all fit occasions he is ready to reuolt and dares vndertake nothing for feare of his death which hee holds for his greatest woe Thus I haue proportioned the seuerall punishments of the first sinne to the tenne plagues of Egypt I haue contracted them to the number of tenne though further happily I could haue extended them were it not that I desire to speake al things according to some rule and proportion But now I call to minde the last punishment in Egypt was mors primogeniti the death of their first begotten and this hath likewise some reference to the last punishment of sinne mors primogeniti the death of the soule which is the first begotten in man and Scripture doth intimate as much in effect for this very phrase morte morieris thou shalt dye the death might seeme to include a needlesse repetition or tautologie were there not a first death and a second death and both of them brused brayed and beaten together in this one morter morte morieris thou shalt dye the death Which words â—ound to my eares as if they did intimate the truth of a double death both proposed to man and man himselfe made subiect and liable to both yet the necessitie seemes to be imposed only for one The first iudgment hath relation to the first death thou shalt dye the death if you tell me of the Hebrew phrase and the manner of their speech then I doe much more magnifie God who hath so ordained the tongues and languages of men to expresse such a mysterie If you please to consider the circumstances and â—orerunners of the last and generall iudgement they cannot but greatly astonish man when the world shall now be growne to that old age as that her sight shall begin to faile her or sicke of a dangerous and desperate disease vndoubtedly approching to death her light shall be put out which was the first token and signe of life and therefore was created in the first place when the Sunne and the Moone shall be darkened and in this darknesse as if nature were poysoned with mans sinne not any part thereof shall be able to performe her owne office and dutie but all shall stand in an vprore the heauens with the elements the elements with the heauens and all together confounded Luk. 21. vers 25. Then there shall be signes in the Sunne and in the Moone and in the Starres and vpon the earth trouble among the nations with perplexitie the Sea and the waters shall roare c. These things might seeme strange and terrible to the carnall man but here is the least part of his terrour for when hee shall see the wrath of God hanging ouer his head hell opened beneath him damnation before him his persecuting foes behind him on his right hand the whole number of his sinnes accusing him on the left hand all the creatures witnessing against him within him nothing but feare tormenting himselfe with the sting of his owne conscience without him nothing but torture and the crie of his owne sinnes together with Gods iustice calling for vengeance O what a fearefull thing it is to fall into the hands of the euer liuing God! When as al the plagues of Egypt which certainly were strange and wonderfull yet by the confession of the Egyptians and by the testimonie of Scripture it selfe were onely wrought by the finger of God digitus dei hic est alas what proportion is there betweene the whole hand and the little finger But shall I tell you how to to auoide the hands of this euerliuing God then let vs first fall into the hands of a dead God amor meus crucifixus est Christus meus crucifixus est his blood is shed and therefore he will not require our blood he is weakened and cannot hurt his hands are nailed and cannot strike he is not fit to punish but to commiâ—erate here wee may safely approch without feare and vnder the shadow of his wings we shalâ— finde protection Hebr. 4. vers 15. 16. Wee haue not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sinne let vs therfore goe boldly vnto the throne of grace that we may receiue mercie and finde grace to helpe vs in this time of our necessitie Let vs call to minde what effects the preuision and premeditation of this last and great iudgement hath wrought vpon the dearest Saints of God the righteous Iob can testifie in the 21. Chapter What shall I doe how shall I escape when God shall come vnto iudgement The beloued Disciple though otherwise he had leaned vpon the bosome of Christ yet seeing Christ comming in iudgement he fell downe vnder his feete Apocal. 1. S. Ierome sets vp a stage and makes a liuely representation of this iudgement supposing himselfe alwaies to heare the noyse of the trumpet sounding in his eares Surgite mortui venite ad iudieiuÌ„ Arise ye dead come vnto iudgment S. Basill lets foorth this iudgement in place of a schoole-master to teach vs our selues and our owne wretched condition S. Chrysostome makes it a bridle to keepe vs from sinne within the lists of obedience Cyprian makes it a remembrancer of sinne for our repentance Vaepeccatis meis cum monti dicturus sum c. Woe be vnto my sinnes when I shall say to the mountaines couer me and to the deepe waters hide and conceale me to the earth swallow and ouerwhelme me that I may find some refuge in the day of Gods wrath Whither shall I goe from Gods presence if I flie vp to heauen hee is there if I goe downe into hell he is there also if I take vp the wings of a Doue and flie to the vttermost parts of the earth euen there also shall his power follow me and his iustice pursue mee whither shall I flie from Gods presence I will flie from God to God from the tribunall of his iustice to the seate of his mercie here is my appeale Call to remembrance O Lord thy tender mercie and thy louing kindnesse which haue been euer of old O remember not the sinnes and offences of my youth but according to thy mercie thinke thou vpon me O Lord for thy goodnesse Thus much for the expectation but I dare not proceede to the tortures and torments of hell S. Austine excuseth himselfe in speaking of that subiect and for my selfe I am afraid to thinke of them and therefore I pray' beare with me if I follow S. Austins example I had rather sound foorth the trumpets of Gods mercie then poure downe the viols of his wrath God preuent that in mercie which otherwise in iustice he might and should inflict vpon vs. If I should enter into this subiect I know not ho◠〈…〉 disquiet and perplexe the thoughts and consciencâ—◠〈…〉 â—â—â—nners quorum ego sum maximus of whom I am the chiefest and the greatest sinner But here is my
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
our selues The imprisonment of the soule The slaueries of men The summe of all the former reasons Man in himselfe and in comparison to the creatures A Prayer Mercie begins Gods actions Miseries are the fruites of iustice Our miseries doe exceed all our ioyes The miseries of a Christian man Mans miseries are gâ—eater theÌ„ the beasts The beast◠〈◊〉 foâ— man Their miseries are together compared The summe of these three grounds He excuseth his method The miserie of his birth Liâ—â—ing we dye The account of his life The shortnes and vncertaintie of his life His weakenes in his birth Man is weaponlesse He wants more helpe then the beasts Beasts thriue better with their food then man The beasts excell man The vncleannesse of man The sweete odors of the creatures The musicke of the creatures The temperance of the creatures Man more inclined to his lust The food both of man and beast The concoctions of the beasts are more perfit theÌ„ ours The dumbe beasts lesse subiect to distempers then man Mans temper The meanes for maÌ„s health cannot preserue him The course of mans age The length of mans age The comparison of mans age with the creatures The delights of the creatures are greater then mans The pleasures of the beasts The dangers of both Man is more subiect to the danger of waters then the beasts Man only subiect to the danger of fire Plagues and infections incident to man Noysome places in Cities The famine of man in respect of the creatures The beasts not so subiect to a famine as man Their famine is ours How man is subiect to diseases The diseases of the season The whole yeere serues for our continuall fits The easie cure of dumbe beasts The difficultie in mans cure Our physicke not so certaine as theirs Our distastfull physicke The Indian drugges doe not agree with our bodies The errors of physicke Some diseases are incurable The good gouernment among the beasts The ill gouernment amongst men The good gouernment of this nation The seruices of man and beast The seruices of man in generall The wrongs which man sustaines from the creatures The creatures may iustly conspire against man Man is subiect to slaughter as well as the beasts Tortures prepared for man Weapons and instruments of warre The funerals of both Mans miseries are either of body or mind The miseries of the minde Selfe-homicide the most vnnaturall sinne The flesh increaseth the miseries of the minde The diseases of the minde may consist together with the immortalitie of the soule The diseases of the minde are not easily discouered Vertue is somtimes reputed for vice No man will confesse himselfe vicious Many vertues are spoyled with one vice The diseases of the minde are compared to the diseases of the body All men inclined to vice The punishment of vice All wil not acknowledge the miseriâ— of sin The torture of ignorance in the vnderstanding The torture of expectation in the will The preuision of euill That we stand in danger of many euils The fearfulnesse of death The Good of others depending vpon our life The feare of hell and damnation The creatures looke onely to the present Man reflects vpon his owne actions The remembrance of euil The application Calamities are like Serpents His passions tend to his sorrow How the passions doe degenerate How euery passion torments it selfe Melancholie fits How passions are in respect of others The seuerall dispositions of men Man must sustaine reproches Mans sorrow and miserie for others The griefe of compassion A passage from the miseries of the creatures to the vanities Wherein ioy may seeme to consist A looking glasse for beautie Beauty is troublesome Learning and wisdome can admit no difference between themselues The misery of great wits The discontentment of Learning Learning is defectiue in her end yet superfluous in her parts An Apology for learning The vse and excellencie of Schoole-learning Of wealth and abundance All men want at some times The miserie of wealth What is wealth or what it is to be rich Wealth consists onely in comparison Honor hath a weake foundation The vaine ceremonies of Honor. The true Honor of Christ. The feast of honor The funerals of honor The decay of Honour A due respect vnto honor Our pastimes and sports The supposed pleasure in Hunting Of Huntsmen The least sorrow spoyles all our ioy One ioy suppresâ—eth another All ioyes are nothing without the nights rest The ascent of the mind vnto God by the ladder of the creatures 3. Grounds to proue that there is no happinesse in this world 1. The variety of opinions concerning happinesse 2. No man accounts himselfe happy for the present 3. Denying happinesse in our selues do suppose it in others Euery man dâ—slikes his owne state of life Miseries in all the states of men The loue of heauen and earth cannot together subsist The author proposed foure things to himselfe in this second part The particular miseries of man are greater then the generall The poorer sort of men The better sort of men The Clergy Their comfort The Gentrie Their miseries Their needlesse buildings Their fond purchases Their many writings Their nice conueiances Their needlesse entailes The best entaile The Lawyers Their slanders Their harsh studie Their troublesome practice The Iudges The Citizens Their wealth Their miseries He recals himselfe The Nobles Their miseries Princes Their danger In their wars In peace Wherein their happinesse consists Their Prerogatiue Their melancholy death Wherefore serue our miseries The seuerall delights of our age The delights of our childhood The delights of our elder yeeres The degrees of our age according to decads The censure of a dead man Wherein mans greatest contentment consists The home-contentment Our houses are sometimes our prisons The pleasure of the house is according to mans owne apprehension Our delight in our apparell Our vanitie in our diet Mans different valuation of his owne wealth The beautie of different complexions We must condemne nature if we iustifie our selues How hardly men are weaned from these fansies The â—oue of God swallowes vp the loue of this world The vanity of the creatures should keepe vs from the loue of the creatures Neuer man found contentment in the creatures The tale of a religious man He satisfies their request Our worldly appetites are satisfied in death The Authors intent in this second part How apt the creatures are to obscure Gods glory How all our ioyes are counterfeit Why all our delights should consist in the fansie Democritus and Heraclitus Salomons censure of this world The conclusion of a Christian man A Prayer Man is vicâ—â—is and corrupted in euery state and course of life Hovv vve accuse each other Man out of his euill disposition returneth euill for euill Man out of his euill disposition tuâ—neth good things into â—uill Our good actions proceed from an euill intent We delight in other mens euils We desire companions in our owne euilâ— The ground of policy supposeth our inbred corruption The Lawes of
our abuse the punishment was the labour of man now man in stead of patience in bearing this yoake and obedience in vndertaking the taske and conforming himselfe to Gods lawe desires nothing so much as to frustrate the sentence of God and to auoid the punishment especially in these last dayes which is the ould age of the world we intend nothing more then our idlenesse and sloth sometimes vnder the faire shew of sanctity Whereas certaine it is that all honest callings and vocations of men they are Gods owne ordinance in performing them we doe God seruice bis orat qui bene laborat the workes haue the forme of a prayer as implicitly desiring God to concurre with his own meâ—nes they are likewise in the nature of sacrifices as being actions well pleasing and commanded by God himselfe thinke them not base do not neglect them with any foolish â—ansie conceit of thine own puritie for God hath appointed them and be shall one day take the accounts of thy labour in this kinde But the generall practise of this world is to giue ouer all painefull manuall and laborious professions and to desire to liue by their wits as if the state of man were wholy angelicall and that his hâ—ngerâ—oâ—ld bee satisfied with knowledge his thirst quenched with sweet meditation and his backe clothed with good precepts or as if euery part should ambitiously aspire to the perfection of an eye for schollers are inâ—â—â—it Lawyers innumerable Ciâ—ies swarme and abound with multitudes and euery company complaines of companie but trillage husbandry and manuall labour was neuer more neglected We doe not desire to gaine from nature so to benefit our selues and to enrich the whole kingdome but we desire with the finenesse and quiddities of our owne wits to gaine from others new offices must be erected and we must breed vp our children as Clearkes in some office and hence it is that our wants were neuer so great the trickes and shifts of many were neuer so shamefull and dishonest for they that know best to liue â—ioâ—ously in a wastfull course of expense knowe least what belongs to the labour and difficulty in getting if nature were as prodigall in her gifts as is their mindes laâ—ish and profuse I should commend their magnificence but it fals out far otherwise c. To leaue the professions of men I will only tâ—xe one of their actions a practise which is now growne common and vsuall and hath bin haâ—ched in these dayes altogether vnknowne or els vtterly detested and abhorred by the former and better times of our forefathers namely the inclosing of common fields when the land leeseth his owne proper and naturall vse God hauing ordained it for tillage wee must conuert it to pasture whereas corne is such a soueraigne and pretious commoditie being indeed the ground-worke of a kingdome whereupon all our plenty consists in so much that other wise and politicke states as the Florentines will suffer no corne to be at any time transported shall kingdomes bereaue themselues of their weapons and sell them to strangers heere is the staffe of life the staffe of bread Leuit. 26. 26. Heere is our best weapon shall we leaue our selues destitute of this weapon only thorough our owne sloth wherefore serue the inclosures but only to the inhauncing of the Lords rent and for the idlenesse of the tenant whereas certaine it is that better it were in a state for men to bee wholy vnprofitablie imployed then for want of imployment they should be left to their owne disposing wherein you shall finde not only the losse of their time but other vitious and dissolute courses as drinking gaming riot quarelling and sometimes seditious tumults Most certaine it is that the kingdome is heerby greatly impouerished for those lands inclosed are not able to maintaine such numbers of men so many horses fit for the seruice of war such prouision for our plenty in a foure-fold proportion as formerlie they did lying open and in tillage Where is the ancient strength of England how easily may we be vanquisht if in the best soyle townes shall be thus vnpeopled why doth our lawe so much intend tillage why doth our law preuent inmates and cottages if on the other side notwithstanding the increase and multiplying of people yet villages shall be ruinated and all must serue for the shepheard infinit are the inconueniences which I could speake of inclosures but I will conclude all with this one rule in lawe interest reipublicae vt ne quis re sua malè vtatur Many and great are the iudgements of God which from time to time haue followed the first authors and first beginners of inclosures but you shall giue me leaue to prophesie a iudgement That I may speake for this climat of England giue me leaue to compare this great kingdome to a body as in the middest of a body the heart is only the fountaine of all vitall bloud which it sends forth and conuayes in her conduit-pipes to all the seuerall parts of the body so me thinkes God hath ordained this kingdome that in the middest of it there should bee the heart the richest and faâ—â—est soyle which might send forth plenty of corne to all the bordering skirts which as they haue the benefit of waters for the carriage of their commodities so are they not in themselues such fruitfull corne grounds yet if any part of the world be sufficiently prouided with graine for the most part our sea-cost townes do share in their plenty whereas our in-land countries must only relie vpon their owne prouision and to that end God hath giuen them a soyle fit for that purpose Now seeing â—hat they haue such inclosures and that they haue wholly betaken themselues to their idlenesse and floth assuredly whensoeuer it shall please God to send amongst vs a punishment of hunger and famine there the death and penury shall be greatest from whence heeretofore wee haue receiued our greatest supply Thus man desiring to escape the punishment of God in his labour incurr's a far greater iudgement of God in his famine if hee will not sweat in his worke hee shall starue in his wants Giue vs grace O Lord strengthen and inable vs that we may labour according to thine â—rdinaâ—ce and iâ— thy mercy O Lord giue a blessing to our laboâ—rs that we may râ—ceiue from thee the fruites of our labour and 〈◊〉 vs O Lord from that heâ—â—y punishment of â—â—nger and fâ—mine Because the earth brought forth of herselfe 〈◊〉 and braâ—bles therefore was man tied to his hâ—â—bandry and laboâ—â—â— heere is the course of his life and profession now let vs come to his honor and dignitie which appeares in his gouernment hauing lost his absolute 〈◊〉 ouer the creatâ—â—es and they no longer tied to his seruice but assaulting and despitefully vsing their master and gouernor behould God laughes at the counselâ— of men instead of gouerning the dumbe beasts the rule and tyranny of man
for the lampes must alwaies burne in the Temple Exod. 27. vers 20 The Church must alwaies be visible that men may know where to repaire for their soules health by vertue of the most holy imposition of hands I will not stay my time and in the latter end of my speech craue pardon for all my offeÌ„ces here rather I wil now snatch at the present occasion so fitly offered if I haue spoken any thing or shall hereafter speake in this Pamphlet vnaduisedly illiterately without good order or methode acknowledge I beseech thee the generall punishment of whole mankinde which more especially discouers it selfe in my weakenesse the confusion of tongues I am confounded I am confounded poore silly wretch that I am I am confounded my minde is distracted my tongue is confounded and my whole nature corrupted in me in mee alone see the punishment of whole mankinde learne now to be compassionate and pitifull for I cannot altogether 〈…〉 Nihil humani à te alienum putes here is thy benefite indeed my weakenesse appeares the presse hath proclaimed it this Pamphlet can witnesse it and thine is yet vndiscouered Now in this generall confusion I know not where to betake my selfe or what to speake in the next place for my tongue is confounded I will therefore suppose my selfe to be lost in the woods and that at length after much wandering I should recall my selfe and finding no way for my passage I should haue recourse to my Carde and consider the intended scope of my iourney from whence I came Natus ex muliere my present state and condition I am a soiourner and stranger as all my forefathers were the scope and end of my trauell Puluis in puluerem from dust to dust that so at length I might safely arriue to mine own natiue Country à statu viae ad statum patriae Now certainely right reason would thus informe and instruct mee Vt secundum rectam linâ—am incedam that borne of the dust and tending to the dust I should keep my straight way neither puft vp with pride aboue my naturall state nor sinking downe with despaire beneath my condition that I should not vpon any occasion start out of the way but remembring my beginning remembring my end I should square out my course and trauaile accordingly Intending therfore to speak of the Fall of Man the corruption of nature the punishment of the first sinne I will lay aside all other slighter punishments all chastisements and corrections of sinne which were infinite to repeate and I will onely insist in those two generall iudgements being indeed the extreames the first and the last including all other punishments within their bounds 1. In dolore paries thou shalâ— bring forth with paine and sorrow being spoken to the woman 2. Morte morieris thou shalt dye the death pronounced indifferently against both and thus his corruption shal appeare by his first welcome and salutation into this world and by his last adue and farewell out of his world you shall better iudge of the whole course of his entertainement in this world In dolore paries Gen. 3. vers 16. Vnto the woman God said I will greatly increase thy sorrowes and thy conceptions in sorrow shalt thou bring foorth children c. As the woman first sinned in tasting the forbidden fruite so she is punished in the fruite of her owne wombe here is the fruite of Gods iustice But is it possible that the most naturall action which indeede intends the highest perfection of nature generare sibi simile should notwithstanding proceede with such difficultie danger and torment In all other actions and workes of nature you shall easily obserue how they flow with the greatest ease and delight of the subiect O how sweete and acceptable is sleepe to the wearisome body meate to the hungrie drinke to the thirstie and so for al other naturall workes I will not insist in them take death it selfe as it is natural to man so vndoubtedly it is without sorrow or griefe for the punishment was morte morieris but not in dolore morieris if you will suppose man to rise by steps and degrees and to fall againe by the same steps and degrees suppose him I say growing vnto 25. yeers when the moysture seemes to bridle his heate then increasing in strength vnto 33. yeeres there to come to a state of consistencie vntill 50. yeeres be expired then by the same degrees declining and decaying so that his moysture and heate giues place to his coldnesse and drinesse comming at length to the disease of old age without any vnnaturall distemper assuredly his life shall end as doth a lampe for want of oyle fire for want of fuell without any paine or torment but as the breath proceedes from his nostrels so shall the soule take her flight and leaue the carkase behinde her for heerein consists the difference betweene naturall and vnnatural actions the one performed with the greatest ease and facilitie the other being wrung out with violence carrie in themselues torture and sorrow Thus all diseases proue therefore our torments because they are vnnaturall then why should nature be defectiue in her highest worke that conception and deliuerie should bee with such sorrow whereas the principall intent of nature is to preserue her selfe and to propagate her seed behold the punishment and corruption of nature when she cannot performe the one without the great hazard and danger of the other this certainly cannot consist with the first institution and integritie of nature but is a subsequent punishment accompanying our sinne Consider all other creatures and you shall finde that by the seate and disposition of their wombes by the forme figure and members of the embrion by the proportion and quantitie betweene both there should be as great if not a farre greater difficultie in their production then in the generation of man And yet you shall finde it farre otherwise notwithstanding the numbers which many creatures bring foorth at once and euery one of theÌ„ carrying the like proportion to the damme as the childe doth to the mother yet are they able to worke and continue in their full strength vntill the instant time of their deliuerie they know the iust time of their bearing and doe prepare themselues accordingly they can hasten or prolong the time of their bringing foorth which well argues their strength of nature and the action without paine they are neuer so perfectly sound vnlesse they are bearing some of them bringing foorth by great numbers at once others bring foorth euery day as our common hens and all of them seeme to promise a kinde of certaintie in their bearing and yet in all of them the proportion whether for weight quantitie or figure appeares to be the same with vs and therefore should inforce the like sorrow and difficultie in them as in the woman Yet they crie for no helpe of midwiues they want no keepers or nurses they are
deliuered without paine or sorrow they haue foorthwith strength to make their owne prouision for themselues for their brood yea their courage seems much to be increased that vpon any slight occasion they are so ready to fight in defence of their yong ones Will you see their ioy immediatly vpon their deliuerie hearke hearke the pratling gossip the cackling henne as soone as an egge is laid though at all other times she seemes to be mute yet now she sings and disquiets the whole house either to boast of the fruitfulnes of her wombe or to discouer her hidden treasure lest the goodwife should thinke her barley and corne ill spent behold a free oblation and profit to recompence the losse or to be a president and example to vs to teach women their manner in Churching which ought to be with a song of ioy and thankfulnes to God for the fruits of their wombe and for their happy deliuery If some other creatures seeme to labour in the birth then acknowledge that for mans sinne the whole earth was accursed and the dumbe creatures groane vnder the burthen of our sinne and therfore no maruaile if sometimes they share with vs in the punishment for thence we conclude the great offence the malignitie and infection of sinne but I speake vt plurimum for the most part it fals out among them not in one of a hundred but in mans kinde it doth most eminently appeare and therefore acknowledge vs to be the principals and them only as the accessaries in sinne Againe if some women be of that strong constitution so made and fashioned by nature so helpt and furthered by art that they are easily deliuered yet still are they deliuered with some paine and I speake vt plurimum for the most part generally in the whole kind you shall obserue it a punishment if some do better escape then others it is Gods mercy to them not one of a hundred but suffers a great torment more or lesse griefe alters not the truth of Gods iudgements when sorrow it selfe was the punishmeÌ„t As likewise in that other punishment of death some die without paine as many in their ould age when their body is not so sensible the least stopping of their breath puts out their candle whereas the yong man sicke of the stone or the pluriâ—ie dies in great tortures for heere the paines and torments of death were not the punishment but death it selfe so likewise in child-bearing more or lesse sorrow was not appointed the measure of sorrow was not prescribed but sorrow in generall here was the punishment though Scripture and all ancient writers do number it amongst the greatest torments sometimes indeed Gods iustice is allayed with his mercy and his wisdome permits the workes of nature to passe vncontrolable that so it might appeare that our sorrowes and infirmities proceed not from the necessity of our nature but from the incident malignity of our sinne Reasons I know there are alleaged in Physicke and Philosophy for this great paine in the birth and generation of man suppose it did proceed from natural causes yet would it then argue a great corruption of nature that should thus ordaine the beginning of man with the great sorrow and griefe of his mother as if man were of a viperous kinde and brood gnawing the bowels that first hatched and conceaued him but I do assure you that if you shall well weigh all those causes which seeme to produce the torments you shall find them very much defectiue and such as cannot giue you any satisfaction but herein I must be sparing in regard of my profession and speaking in a common and vulgar tongue these are secrecies proper to woman yet I may boldly say it that nature heerein seemes to outstrip her selfe and to torment the poore woman beyond all natural causes For the trees in producing their fruit seeme then to be most beautifull and do yeerely afford it all the beasts of the field do the like in the time of their greatest growth and best perfection only the the woman notwithstanding her strength and ablenesse of body it will not excuse her notwithstanding her good complection and sound constitution it will not auaile her for she is only subiect to sorrow Sorrow I say for there is no sorrow comparable to the sorrow of a woman in the time of her trauaile from their first quickning or conception you shall obserue them with pale lookes heauy eyes apt to faint vpon euery occasion they are a burthen to themselues their stomackes faile them and the night giues them no rest all the deuouring and rauenous wilde beasts are aptest to seaze vpon them the least knocke or blowe the least ill sauour or bad sight the least sorrow conceiued in the fansie is able to indanger all to hazard the life both of the mother and of the childe in her wombe Not to speake of the naturall greife arising from natural causes sometimes nature seemes with too much expedition to hasten her woe and then ye haue an vntimely brood as if Autum should fall out in the spring sometimes the wombe proues likewise the tombe and the place of conception serues for his buriall after seauen or nine moneths expectation behold hee comes carrying the forme of a slaine and a murthred man and so he presents himselfe to his sad mother to comfort her heauie heart being once thus deliuered the danger is not past but she must be attended on with safe keeping and good diet and thousands daylie miscarry when in mans expectation they seeme to haue ouerpassed al danger of child-birth But heere I will acquaint you with a strange point of crueltie men must become wiues men among wiues men-midwiues I meane who with the strength of their limbes and in the hardnesse of their hearts must execute that which the weaker sex compassionat women durst neuer attempt pittie it were that there should be such a profession of men were it not that necessity inforceth it before I can speake of them with patience I will first fall downe on my knees hould vp my hands lift vp mine eyes and if I can I will shed forth a few tâ—arâ—s and humblie desire God to helpe and comfort all those poore sillie women which shall haue occasion to vse their helpe heere you shall see sometimes the bellies opened the flesh rent the tunicles cut in sunder to finde out a new passage for the poore infant who must come into this world through the bowels of his dead mother and vpon his first approch may be iustly accused and arraigned for a murtherer if his mother escape then sometimes you may see the poore innocent childe mangled executed and quartered in the wombe there was no great offence I confesse vnlesse it were the sin of his first father but indeed I am affraid to speake any longer of these bloudy cruelties I will not lay open my nakednesse I will not defile mine owne neast the punishment sufficiently
and treasure that impâ—rting it to others she leaues her selfe destitute or how fals iâ— out contrary to the course and streame of nature that the better part of man being priuiledged and hauing a charter for eternitie yet man himselfe should see and taste corruption as if the whole did not inclâ—de the parts or that there were a different condition of the whole from the parts contrary to the whole course of nature and the wisdome of her first institution Suppose the soule should be defectiue in her actions as that for want of a full and perfect concoction the stomake should be filled vp with rawe humors which at length should seaze vpon the liuer and there breake forth like a spring or a fountaine and so bee conuayed in the conduit-pipes of our veines thorough the trunke of the whole body yet cannot the soule instantly recall her selfe and correct her owne error cannot heate bee allayed with couldnesse moysture with drought and euery distemper be cured with the application of his contrarie I cannot conceaue the reasonable soule to be a foole and therefore needs she must be a Physitian you will say that there is a great difficulty in the receiptes and therfore the life of man would hardly suffice to learne the remedy and cure but I pray' marke the art and industrie of man I am verily perswaded and I speake it by experience that mans body by the helpe of feare-clothes powders balmes and oyntments may bee preserued for the space of two hundred or three hundred yeeres in the same state and consistencie wherein now it is at least to the outward shew and appearance then why should not the like medicines inwardly taken preserue life for such a terme of yeeres why should not physicke growe to that ripenesse and perfection that knowing the nature of diseases the course inclinatioÌ„ of humors by application of coÌ„traries as it were vsing the tree of life in Paradise it might prolong mans age if not for euer giue him eternitie But see see corruption consists in the root in nature her selfe for physicke cannot worke but must first presuppose the strength and furtherance of nature left thou shouldest blame the Physitian or thinke the meanes which God hath appointed for thy health to be wholie vnprofitable behold thine owne nature is wanting and defectiue to her selfe If nature might faile in her particular ends yet me thinks the whole scope and generall intent of nature should not bee frustrate and made voide There is nothing so common and triuiall in Schooles wherein nature is best discouered as is this knowne and palpable truth Corruptio vnius est generatio alterius the death of one is the birth of another for nature consists in alteration and change and it would much disparage nature if there were such a death as did wholly make for her losse and no way redound to her encrease In all other creatures you shal obserue this truth Suppose a beast were slaine his body should be dissolued into the bodies of the elements his forme into the formes of the elements as both of them were first composed of the elements nothing should bee lost through the negligence of nature but all should be gleaned vp and very safely reserued for a new succeeding generation Now in the death of man the body is the sole bootie of nature she cannot seaze vpon the soule she cannot retaine such an inestimable treasure the soule is escaped as long as life continued in man the soule was vnder the iurisdiction and power of nature but the body being once dissolued nature hath lost her owne right and cannot intend any new generation by vertue of that soule A foule error of nature that hauing the soule once committed to her custodie and charge she should open the gates or breake downe the prison walles to lose such a iewell which was neuer gotten by her owne purchase nor cannot bee recalled againe with all her might and power so then in the death of man and so man alone the corruption and nothing but the corruption of nature sufficiently appeares I would not willingly speak of a punishment wherein the mercie and goodnesse of God should not together appeare with his iustice but when I haue once spoken of death me thinkes I am then come to the vpshot and conclusion of all beyond which I cannot extend any blessing I meane any naturall blessing for death is the end and period of nature yet giue me leaue to make these foure good vses of death 1. To reproue sinnes 2. To strengthen and fortifie the bulwarkes of Religion 3. As to giue comfort courage and resolution to the true Christian man 4. so to discomfort discourage and put to flight the infidell and heathen First death seemes to instruct man to preach vnto him the reformation of his life and thereby doth witnesse his naturall and inbred corruption the couetous man whose heart could neuer be touched or moued to take pitie or compassion by the cries and prayers of a poore wretch yet at length will howle and lament when hee considers that hee shall dye in the middest of his treasure and all his substance shall leaue him the oppressing tyrant stained with the blood of poore innocents shall knocke his owne breast teare his owne haire readie to shed his owne blood when hee sees the pale and liuelesse carkase of his persecuted foe to shew him his owne state and condition and being dead to threaten his death but it were to be wished if it might be spoken without offence that one might arise from the dead who might relate vnto vs the state of the dead and of the vanities of this life which passe like a shadow And to this end I haue heard it as a tradition of the Church that Christ hauing told the parable of Diues and Lazarus and the Iewes little regarding it to stirre vp faith in them as likewise in some sort to satisfie the request of Diues that one from the dead might instruct his brethren God raised vp Lazarus the brother of Mary Magdalen who might witnesse and testifie as much as Christ had reported I will not stand vpon the truth of this traditon though certaine it is that both these accidents fell out much about the same time The very bones of the dead being serued vp at a banket wil bee a fit sauce to season our immoderate mirth the tombes of the dead are for the instruction of the liuing monumenta monent mentem we tread vpon the flesh of our forefathers which is now become the dust of the Temple Death is an excellent meanes to stirre vp pietie and deuotion the mariners in guiding their ships must sit in the end to hold and gouerne the stearne and the end of euerything is the first in intension though the last in execution Hence it is that the religious persons in al ages were frequentes in cemiterijs alwaies busily imploied about the tombes of the dead
comfort the merits of Christ the ransome and price of my redemption is infinit and doe as farre exceede the number and weight of my sinnes as the goodnesse and power of God exceeds my weaknesse and frailtie the mercie of God is infinite able to couer the whole multitude of my sinnes the hate of God vnto sinne is infinite and therefore he will leaue nothing vnattempted which may serue to cut downe the body of sinne the desire which God hath of my saluation farre exceeds mine owne desire of saluation seeing his glorie and the manifestation of his mercie which was the scope and end of my creation is a farre greater good then my particular soules health The greater my sins are the greater occasion may God take to manifest his mercie for God himselfe hath appointed my saluation not to consist in not sinning or to be free and innocent from all sinnes but in the repentance for sinne and in the satisfaction of his deare Sonne and therefore to assure mee of this mercie it is one of the Articles of my Creed which not to beleeue were not to be saued that I should bouldlie and confidently beleeue the remission and forgiuenesse of sins Yet conceiue me aright for some there are who laying hould to soone on Gods mercy as it were snatching at his mercy do indeed loose the fruits of his mercy when laying the whole burthen of their sins vpon Christ as it were making long and deepe furrowes in his backe themselues continuing in their owne sinnes in the impenitency and hardnesse of their owne hearts do indeed dreame of saluation My sinnes are innumerable yet before I was borne before they could be committed God did foresee them notwithstanding his foresight when hee might haue preuented my sinnes and left me to my first nothing yet in his gratious goodnes and mercie hee made and created me he hath giuen me my life my strength my health my senses my wit and al my temporall blessings together with the knowledge of himselfe the plentifull and powerful meanes of my saluation notwithstanding my sinnes be they neuer so great yet these are the tokens of his fauour the pledges of his loue the assurances of his promises and the earnest of my future happines Why should I then despaire of Gods mercy though I haue lost that sanctitie and holinesse wherewith I might be saued yet God hath not lost that vertue and powe â— wherewith he might saue a penitent sinner and behold the fruit of this power if I do but speake or name God it is God that speakes in my heart ipse praesens facit se quaeri I had thought I had lost him but behold he is present and inuites me to a banquet where he himselfe is the feast conuiâ—a conuinium Lord I am not worthy with the dogs to licke vp the crummes vnder thy table yet giue me O Lord that property of dogs that licking mine owne woundes I might heale mine owne sores that my tongue may serue to cleanse my vncleannes confessing my sinnes I may disgorge and cast out my sins where they shall lie as a heauie burthen vpon thy sonne for he hath taken vp my sinnes and borne mine iniquities my sinnes are no longer mine Mea sunt per perpetrationem Christâ— sunt quoad obligationeÌ„ satisfactionis indeed I committed them and so they are mine but Christ alone hath entred into bands for the discharge of them he hath canceld the hand writing of the lawe he hath satisfied the rigour of thy iustice by the shedding of his bloud by his death and passion and therefore O Lord thou wilt not demand a second payment of vs he hath imputed his righteousnesse to vs and thus euery true penitent stands rectus in curia acquitted in thy consistâ—ry Giue me leaue to compare my selfe that am the meanest of all men to Alexander the great and this my present treatise wherein I labour to shew the fall and corruption of man to the conquest of nature me thinks I haue subdued the little world and brought man as a captiue or slâ—ue through much misery and sorrow at length to the place of his execution and hauing now possest my selfe of the fairest fortresse or tower in nature man that is a little world I cannot here content my selfe but I begin to enquire whether there are as yet more worlds to be conquered and behold in the second place I will fall vpon the great world and I will attempt with Archimedes to shake her foundations to threaten her ruine in this generall corruption and dissolution of man for this punishment morte morieris though it principally concernes man yet the whole world cannot be exempted from it being directed and ordained onely for mans vse containing in it selfe the very same seedes and causes of death and destruction and as it is most fit and agreeable to our present condition that being corruptible in our selues we should likewise dwell in houses of corruption For proofe and demonstration wherof I must ascend from the indiuiduals and singulars to the species and kindes of the creatures and among all other kindes assuredly man is the most noble and therfore best deserues to be the subiect of our knowledge wee should be best acquainted with our selues which makes for the certainty of our knowledge and speaking of things which so neerely concernes our selues we should much desire to bee better informed in our owne state and condition now if the whole kinde and species of man seemes daily to decline and decay which shall appeare by the comparison of times past with times present of our selues with our ancestors then assuredly the whole world cannot be excused from corruption but as it dies daily in the singulars so at length it shall faile in the vniuersals and in the kindes of the creatures This truth seemes to relie vpon these three foundations 1. Man as all other creatures being immediatlie created by God as he comes nearer and nearer the first mould so is he more and more perfect and according to the degrees of his distance so he incurres the more imperfection and weakenesse as the streames of a fountaine the further they runne through vncleane passages the more they contract the corruption 2. It would implie a contradiction in nature if the parts and the whole were not of like condition but how wonderfull is the difference if you will suppose a corruption of the singulars and an eternitie of the kinde for whereas the recompence shuld be made by succession or equiualencie we must consider that succession may well prolong the corruption adding more degrees proceeding more leasurely but cannot wholie exclude the corruption 3. The generall intent and scope of nature wholie â—ends to corruption for I would gladly aske why should not nature either renew mans age or preserue him in a state of consistencie the answere is because the iuyce and sap which we receiue from our food or our nourishment is not
doe and therefore more did miscarrie but if you please to consider their liues together most certaine it is that before the deluge men liued many hundred yeeres and the birth of their children carried a iust proportion to their age since the deluge assuredly the decay hath proceeded by degrees Dauid in his time who liued much about the yeere after the worlds creation 2890 which was twelue hundred yeeres after the deluge or thereabouts confesseth that the age of man was threescore and ten yeeres for then it should seeme they came to that age with ful strength but in these times few men I will not speake of Princes such as Dauid was whose daintie and delicate fare doth certainly shorten the course of their liues doe attaine with much sorrow and griefe to threescore and tenne yeeres though I confesse that this alteration as all other naturall alterations whatsoeuer doth not so easily appeare to the sense but is more fitly gathered by the obseruation of reason for I thinke that seuentie yeeres then had the same proportion that fiftie yeeres haue now at this time From man I will come to the elements and I will insist in the neerest elemeÌ„ts the generatiue elements the water and earth for this change and alteration appeares not in man alone but the very elements themselues are much decaied in their wonted perfection foâ—â—our seas are growne fruitlesse and barraine as it appeares vpon records in our Hauen townes that a farre greater quantitie of fish hath formerly been taken and brought into this land then there is in these daies If you answer me that it proceeds from the loosenes of these times as neglecting all fasts I doe easily confesse our abuse yet I think it not sufficient to cause this scarcitie for our sailes at this time are more in number then euer they were our skill is much better our wants and necessities are farre greater and so our labour and industrie should bee proportioned accordingly I rather thinke it proceeds from the decay of the elements or indeed doe esteeme it as a punishment of God vpon vs as hee sometimes punished the Egyptians with their flesh-pots in the death of their fish Exod. 7. 18. I might heâ—e likewise iustly complaine of the wrong and iniurie which wee daily sustaine from the incroching Hollander or low-countriman who desires to vnite seas as he hath already vnited Prouinces and to make himselfe the great Lord of the Ocean for as in ancient times their golden fleece was made of our English wooll so now their great Fleete must incroach vpon our seas for kingdomes haue a proprietie as in their townes and their soyle so in their coasts and their seas which they cannot neglect with their owne profit or safetie But I may speake it with greater hearts griefe I feare lest their seas and in-undations doe not only reach to our Hauen townes but haue generally ouerwhelmed this whole Iland for as my most deare and louing schoole-master Mr. William Camden now Clarenceux the famous most renowned Antiquarie of our age hath truly wisely obserued in his Chronicle in the time of our seruice in their warres in the Low-countries our Englishmen which of all other Northerne people were euer held the most temperate we haue gotteÌ„ such an habit and custome of drunkennesse that no other nation at this day seemes to be more tainted with that vice then our selues And thus their vnthankfulnesse together with those ill customes which we haue borrowed from them seeme to be the rewards of our seruice From the seas I will come to the land The earth is growne barraine and fruitlesse in her owne kinde I speake not onely of that earth which hath long tasted the plow-share and harrow and must haue a time of respite and ease to recouer her owne strength but the whole earth in generall doth not beare the like burthen and crop which it did in the daies of our forefathers for as it is in a part so it is in the whole Suppose that any quantitie of ground were yeerely employed to medow arable or pasture and that the whole crop of this ground should bee yeerely spent vpon it selfe and so should returne againe in compost certainly this ground would much decay in goodnesse for in vaine shall wee expect the good seasons of the yeere vnlesse the earth carrie in it selfe a kinde of fatnesse Yet I confesse that some grounds there are either rich of themselues or made rich by water-floods that they doe not only preserue themselues but likewise serue to helpe others yet euery husbandman cannot bee so happie to haue them and where they are in greatest abundance yet they cannot supplie the barrennesse of the neighbour and bordering grounds for nature more abounds in the one then in the other so that this must argue a barrennes in generall though not in particular Whereunto I will adde the weakenesse of the elements decay of the heauens and a generall imperfection in al things now in this laâ—t old and cold age of the world therfore those countries which were first inhabited suppose the Easterne countries are very much impouerished at this time the weaknesse of nature discouering it selfe not able to supplie those mines and mettals which formerly they did not able to bring foorth or to ripen those excellent delicious fruits which heretofore they had in great plentie To draw neerer home for this kingdome wherein we liue it is not only the complaint of all old men and our own experieÌ„ce but likewise many reasons drawne from husbandrie not so fit to bee alleaged in this place doe vndoubtedly perswade me that our land is growne barraine and yeelds not that profit which formerly it did in the daies of our forefathers I will make one or two instances following the counsell of the wise man Eccles. 39. 31. The fruitfulnesse of a land especially appeares in the hony and wine the one proceeds from the dew of the flower the other takes a deeper foundation in the earth the one argues the sweetnesse of the grasse or the pasture the other the goodnesse and depth of the mould the one is the worke onely of nature the other requires the helpe and furtherance of husbandrie and art and in both of them it shall sufficiently appeare how this land hath declined When I consider the great vse of hony in former times for their drinkes for their foode and likewise the great quantitie of waxe-lights which were anciently spent in their diuine seruice assuredly our countrey at this day cannot affoord the one halfe of that which formerly it did it is apparent for there was neuer so great scarcitie and yet it is not transported and here at home we haue little vse to imploy it Is it because men neglect the keeping of Bees No certainly the price would allure them for there is no such profit with so little charge but certainly nature in generall is weakned the creatures begin to decay