been the first fountaines of euill and first to haue infected the world with corruption Here wee must consider the different condition of creatures some bodies some spirits as euery thing is compounded of matter and forme and the forme it is which giues the existencie and indiuiduation these seuerall degrees of creatures make much for the absolute perfection of nature especially when as all bodies seeme to bee contained and continued within the circumference of the first body what should we thinke is aboue the conuexitie of the heauens an infinite vacuum rather acknowledge a want in mans vnderstanding then that there should want inhabitants in such an excellent region where the heauens are their footstooles to tread and walke ouer our heads where they are freed from all annoyance of creatures and partake only of happinesse As in great buildings the meanest and basest offices are alwaies beneath suppose the Kitchin the Seller the Buttrie the Pantrie but for the stately and magnificent roomes for entertainment suppose the dining Chamber the Galleries the Turrets and places of pleasure these are aboue and thus it is with vs in respect of the Angels the truth and certaintie whereof I haue already proued in the first part Now supposing these spirits their condition must bee alike with ours who are in some sort and in the better part spirituall as they were made of nothing so they must â—aue a determinate goodnesse in their nature faculties actions being spirits they had a freedom of wil God did herein make them like vnto himselfe as he was able to create of nothing so they might will when as nothing should moue them to will and hauing a limited vnderstanding which might admit error and darknes through their own pride they might will nothing that is they might will sinne for sinne is a defect a priuation a kinde of nothing in this their willing although they could not will themselues to bee nothing to destroy their owne condition for this were to vndoe that which God alreadie hath done yet they could will or rather bewitch themselues to bee worse then nothing for sinne is nothing and to be the seruant of sinne it is to be worse then nothing Thus in the Angels as well as in man in regard of their limited goodnesse and the freedome of their willes there was a power and capacitie or rather a weakenesse and impotencie to sinne and to fall And many of them sinned accordingly God in his wisedome permitting the sinne and thereby teaching all creatures what they are in themselues for as in the same kind of spirits the best creatures are extant so the worst and most accursed should likewise be found that no creature might boast of an absolute perfection that euery one might know himselfe and suspect his owne fall and that all our righteousnâ—sse is tanquam pannus menstruatus like a spotted and defiled garment Nothing can endure Gods triall and touch-stone for the Angels are not acquitted in his sight c. Now their sin was a dislike of their present condition and the aspiring to be equall and like to their Maker made of nothing hauing nothing of themselues yet they must contest with their infinite Maker for dignitie and superioritie whether it were that they did consider that there were three persons in one most holy blessed and vndiuided Trinitie which being a mysterie farre transcending the reach of all creatures they could not comprehend for fully to comprehend God is indeed to be God but might happily conceiue that the Deitie would admit of more persons or whether by â—he excellencie of their owne knowledge they did fitly gaâ—ther that as the creation was a worke of Gods infinite loue and as God was existent euery where according to the infinite extent of his owne nature so as an infinite effect of that infinite loue God should tye vnto himselfe some creature by an infinite band namely by an hypostaticall vnion and therefore some of them did claime and challenge this high prerogatiue aboue other creatures by vertue of their birth-right But herein did appeare their ignorance and pride for the creature was not to aspire to the height and dignitie of the Creator but the Creator was to descend to the humilitie and basenes of the creature neither was God to bee vnited to the angelicall nature though otherwise highest in order and condition but to descend lower to giue a more vndoubted token of that infinit loue euen to the humane nature and manhood Mans nature being the center in the middest of the circumference a little Microcosme in whom all the creatures are vnited things sensible partake in his body the intelligent spirits are combinde in his soule and thus God taking the nature of man sits in the very middest of his creatures imparting himselfe infinitly to all so farre foorth as it may well stand with the truth of his Godhead and with the state and condition of the creature Thus they might mistake in iudgement supposing there might be some probabilitie to effect it but I must chiefly and principally condemne their vnthankfulnes their pride their presumption which gaue way and occasion to this their error but hauing once committed so great a coÌ„tempt such a foule indignitie against God it could not stand with his iustice freely to pardon their sinne or to intend the meanes of their redemption as in his mercie hee hath performed to man for the Angels were the first creatures highest in dignitie and condition the great measure of their knowledge and graces was such as that we doe not reade that God did euer appoint them lawes but that it might bee supposed that they of themselues should bee wholly conformable to God Againe they were not tempted by others and therefore as the sinne could no way bee cast vpon others so being impotent of themselues to make any recompence they could no way receiue benefit by the satisfaction of others the state of the Angels was created such as that they were not capable of repentance they cannot change their mindes or their willes whatsoeuer they see they see in an instant whatsoeuer they desire their will is confinde to the first motion that they cannot alter or change their desire so that if once they shall make choice of the worser part in vaine may we expect that euer they should returne to the better Whereas the condition of man is mutable and changeable as capable of sinne so capable of repentance as hee falles of himselfe so hee may rise againe by the assistance of grace for God hath giuen him a discoursiue reason proceeding by degrees if now hee mistakes himselfe hereafter hee may bee better informed As the inconstancie of his nature may cause the alteration of his will so God fitly vsing this his inconstancie as it were working in euery thing according to that manner which is most proper and naturall to the thing may make it a meanes for the amendment and conuersion of
be conceiued in the heart thither flocks all the blood to helpe and further the conception Or if it be laid before the eyes thither is all the blood conuaied to meete it and to giue it the best entertainment Here is a shame here is a confession thou canst not be ashamed but of thine owne act and therefore needes thou must acknowledge thine owne corruption Indicio tuo quasi sorex perijsti Thou haddest no grace to commit sinne and thou shalt neuer haue grace to conceale sinne Hitherto we haue only enioyned man penance wee haue discouered his nakednes that so in a white sheete we might put him to shame Now let vs implore brachium seculare the temporall power for his chastisement and correction I will not speake of punishment imposed by mans law but willingly vndertaken by nature her selfe Why should fearefulnesse so much possesse man together with a continual expectation what euill might befall him were it not that it proceedes from a guiltinesse of conscience How often vpon any relation of the least mischance do we strike our breasts our thighes wring our hands stampe on the earth and then suddenly looke vp to heauen as if these outward annoyances could not any way concerne vs were not the roote of this corruption within our selues And therefore nature seemes to punish the roote to curse and defie the earth to acknowledge the guilt together with the iust and due vengeance of heauen If any greater misfortune befalles vs then we begin to teare the haire to bite the flesh to forbeare the societies of men to refuse the vse of our meate to neglect our naturall rest to denie all comfort to our selues and sometimes it proceeds vnto death When suddenly wee lay violent hands vpon our selues wee desire nothing so much as a perpetuall separation and diuorce betweene the soule and the flesh like the infinite hate of a deadly foe who could be content to wound his owne enemies thorough his owne sides No other creature did euer murther it selfe but onely man for no other creature did euer deserue it so much as man You will say that this ariseth from passions which are not incident to the wisest meÌ„ but who hath such absolute power in himself as that he can promise to himselfe staiednesse and constancie in his affections Or is it not a propertie of wise men that they should alwaies call themselues to accounts and accuse themselues as the wise man saith Sapiens est semper accusator sui This cannot be without a iust ground first presuming and presupposing an inward and secret corruption they are apt to suspect themselues whereas the foolish and ignorant conceiuing a casualtie and chance neuer dreame of iust iudgements But I pray' marke the disposition of mans body and you shall finde that our armes and our hands are fitter disposed to buffer our selues then to reuenge our enemies they are bent to our bodies and yet we cannot embrace our selues as if we were our owne greatest enemies whereas in all other creatures their owne hornes their tuskes their clawes their hoofes can no way offend themselues I will not speake how subiect and liable our nature is to many ill accidences and chances I will passe ouer all those diseases which doe not arise from any distemper or riot but euen from the complection it selfe and seeme to be hereditarie to whole mankinde as other proper diseases are intailed to certaine families and tribes Old age seemes to be a continued disease and therefore vndoubtedly is a naturall punishment of nature to her selfe My second part shall 〈◊〉 of this subiect But punishments should be publike and open both for the example of malefactors as likewise in natures defence to iustifie her actions Behold then wee are made a spectacle to God to Angels to men our punishment is therefore laid open and manifest to God to Angels to men How falles it out that by an instinct of nature in all our religious worship and seruice of God we first begin with the punishment of our selues Sacrifice I thinke is naturall to man that in liew of our hearts and for the sparing of our own blood we should offer vp the blood of others Before the Law was giuen in Mount Sinay there was a sacrifice for God hath imprinted this knowledge not onely in the Ceremoniall law but in nature her selfe that both nature and law might guide and direct vs to the sacrifice of his sonne so that a sacrifice is common to all nations common to all religions The Heathen at this day vse in their sacrifices the launcing of their flesh the spilling of their owne blood the scourging of their bodies appearing naked before their Altars The Idolaters of old time how cruelly they tormented themselues offering vp together with the best part of their substance their owne sonnes and their daughters in a bloody sacrifice The Iewes how strict were they in obseruing their fasts how curious in their washings putting on their haire-cloth and ashes The Christian in his seruice of God prepares himselfe with inward mortification and outward ceremonies the one serues as a potion of bitternesse to purge his inward vncleannesse the other as a plaister or salue to couer his vlcer as truly acknowledging that inwardly and outwardly wee are wholly corrupted and therefore both tend to edification For the Angels there are two sorts of them either good or bad but we scarce heare any mention of the good Angels of our guardian Angels for so Scripture saith God hath giuen his Angels charge ouer vs and Angels are appointed as Gods messengers for our ministerie If any extraordinary good doe befall vs we will rather choake it vp with vnthankfulnesse or attribute it to some secret and hidden cause in nature sometimes to a meere casualtie and chaunce rather then we will ascribe it to them as being guiltie to our selues that through our sinnes and corruptions wee doe not deserue mercie and compassion but iudgement and vengeance Whereas on the contrary for those euill spirits the firebrands and instruments of Gods wrath these are they which wee feare vpon euery occasion we can say apage apage auoide auoide abrâ—â—unciâ— tibi Sathana Many there are Wâ—â—ches Sorceâ—ers which haue entred a league and fellowship with those bad spirits and more are suspected to be of this confederacie and combination then happily there are For we are apt to suspect the worst in this kinde as being priuâ—e to our selues that wee deserue nothing but vengeance and generally these bad spirits they are the tempters and tormentors of whole mankinde And thus we seeme to bee ignorant and wholly vnacquainted with the instruments of Gods mercie but are daily frighted and astonied and indeed much perplexed and endamaged by them who are appointed for the execution of his iustice as if we did rather conuerse with them then with Angels of light which doth surely argue the fall and corruption of man How this punishment of nature
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
that generally man is very needy and poore though otherwise he is ashamed of his pouerty and seeing that man requires more helpes then the rest of the creatures as clothes for his nakednesse physicke for his health a house for his habitation therefore the wants of men are far greater then the wants of the creatures For I haue often seene and obserued in the streets an ould blinde decrepit man full of sores and inward griefe hungry naked cold comfortlesse harbourlesse without patience to sustaine his griefe without any helpe to releiue him without any counsell to comfort him without feare of Gods iustice without hope of Gods mercy which as at all times so most especially in such distresse should be the sole comfort of a christian man I protest before God that were it not for the hope of my happines and that I did truly beleeue the miseries of this life to be the iust punishments of sinne I should much prefer the condition of dumbe creatures before the state of man For the better sort of men for so the world accounteth them I meane the rich men of this world if borne to great fortunes then they neuer vnderstand their owne happines for contraries are best knowne by their contraries they are right miserable men because they neuer tasted of misery they know not plenty because they know not penury Lands of our owne purchase houses of our owne building are alwayes best pleasing vnto vs what hath descended by inheritance vix ea nostra voco as we know not the paines in the getting so commonly we doe not taste the sweetnesse in the enioying if otherwise from base and meane condition they be raised they shall finde it a great difficulty with the change of their fortunes to change their owne mindes and to forget their first selues they shall hardly learne the art of magnificence And generally in the rich men of this world when I consider the largenes of their meanes how it serues to many of them as fuell to their luxury and riot insomuch that they doe not number halfe their dayes but in the middle course of their age they are tormented with coughes with aches with gouts with dropsies and stones and that which I haue obserued in some of them the greatnesse of their estate entaild and descending vpon them cannot counteruaile some hereditary disease which they likewise receiue from their parents in truth I doe not enuy their estate for I am verily perswaded that there may bee as much contentmēt and happines in the poorest cottage as in the greatest pallace But I will descend more particularly to the states of men only insisting in the more noble professions of men which seeme to be the happy callings here vpon earth and wherein they place their happines I will shew their misery Iudicium incipiat à domo Dei I should first begin with the house of God but I pray' pardon me if I forbeare to speake of the grieuances and complaints of the Cleargy they are many in stead of the ancient priuiledges and liberties of the Church which seeme to be grounded in nature in regard of the high excellencie of their profession and therefore haue bin practised among all nations but principally expressed in the Leuiticall lawe and so translated from the Synagogue to the Church obserued in all ancient times in the Primitiue age It were to be wished that they had but the common libertie of subiects for all others they haue their voyces and suffrages in making their own lawes the husbandmen in the choice of their Knights the Trades-men in the choice of their Burgesses it were to be wished that the Clergy were not wholy excluded being indeed more subiect to penall lawes then any other state in the kingdome Pannormitan saith Laici semper sunt infensi clericis it should seeme that together with the head the members are crucified crucified not alwayes in bloud but with shame and with contempt while souldiers cast lots for our garments the reuenewes of the Church made a prey for the infidell yet I do not doubt of Gods mercy but they shall receiue the full benefit of our labours notwithstanding they hate our persons and despise our profession for so we our selues haue iustly deserued Doe they contemne vs God forbid but wee should more contemne our selues for we preach and professe mortification dust we are and therefore fit to be troden on to sustaine all iniuries and wrongs dust we are and therefore fit to bee scattered with euery winde subiect to the blastes and reproches of euery foule mouth But least our enemies should herein reioyce let them know that it is a part of our duty to despise their despite to neglect their neglect to contemne their contempt And therefore here is our comfort a comfort only proper peculiar to priesthood though we are incompassed with thornes yet we can so winde and twist these thornes as that wee can make them a crowne of thornes wee can extract an oyle of gladnes and ioy out of the middest of affliction and sorrow if thornes tend to our paine yet our glory shall consist in a crowne in a crowne of thornes I will now come to the gentrie which is generally reputed as one of the happie states in the kingdome A strange iudgement hath lately befallen them while they continued in their owne countries kept great houses much hospitalitie attended on with troupes and numbers of seruants their tenants liuing happily vnder their shadow certainly they liued in great honor and plenty But now since they haue so much improued their estates ra'ckt their poore tenants giuen ouer house-keeping and liue retiredlie scarce any of them that liue within the compasse of their owne meanes but euery man outstrips his owne fortunes carrying a saile too great for the burthen of his vessel in so much that forraine nations do iustly wonder at the dissolute gentry of England The trueth is that this retired life of the gentry drawes with it far greater charge and expense then was formerly spent in hospitallity not only because it giues occasion to their dissolute gaming and riot but many houses being kept for the seuerall seasons of the yeere proue very chargeable the furniture belonging to the house neuer so curious and exquisit such cubbords of plate such hangings cushions and needle-worke the apparell so costly and chargeable the diet so delicat as reiecting meate of the shambles and feeding on out-landish fruites spices and wines all their other attempts seasoned with vaine glory and a fond opinion of their owne reputation and honor together with an affectation of titles proue the more chargeable in so much that the fourth part of that charge being spent in home-bread and country prouision would in a far more ample manner suffice And surely it would be more agreeable to our nature for if these outlandish commodities had bin so befitting our bodies certainly God in his wisdome and prouidence would
a tower of Babel heere vpon earth God confoundeth their tongues and brings their worke to confusion The best kind of intaile is to haue his goods honestly gotten to bring vp his children in Gods feare not to acquaint them with any wastfull course of expense to leaue a good report behind him the good wishes and furtherance of all his bordering neighbors and kinsmen to leaue his estate not intangled nor to ouer-trouble himselfe with these new strange conueiances to leaue it to the sole protection prouideÌ„ce of God Domini est terra plenitudo eius Lord I giue thee humble thankes for mine owne vse and employment and if my sonnes according to the flesh shall not succeede me then let thy sonnes according to the spirit be heires of thy promised land c. Me thinkes I see our Lawyers hold fast to the gentrie and therefore I must speake of them in the next place If the earth it selfe were stable constant assuredly they haue laid a very strong and sure foundation For as long as hedges and Cottages endure so long seisâ—â—es tenures and trespasses shall continue But here is the misery lex terrae simul cum terra ruet at the generall earth-quake and dissolution of this world when all hedges and Cottages shall fall then where shall we sue for a trespasse Notwithstanding that I am verily perswaded that they are as iust as vpright as free from briberie and extortion and euery way as sufficient and painfull in their owne profession as any other state in the kingdome For generally I can excuse none we must not expect a state of innocency in a world of corruption yet assuredly no state is more enuied or maligned then theirs which I cannot altogether ascribe to the corruption and ill disposition of others but euen their profession it selfe seemes in some sort to produce it As God speakes Vae Assur virgae furocis mei the instruments of iustice are alwaies fearfull but seldome doe stirre vp true loue and affection This enuie and hate to their persons hath raised vp many malitious slanders and hath laid many false imputations vpon the profession For thus it hath been the complaint of all ages leges esse telas aranearum vel quia iuridici sunt araneae vel quia muscas capiunt vespas dimittunt But I am not of their mind for I thinke that God in his prouidence hath so fitly ordained it as prophecying or prescribing a lesson that the timber in Westminster Hall should neither admit cobweb nor spider and God make vs thankfull for the free course of our iustice God forbid that other mens reproches and slanders should make them miserable Enuie may follow but shall neuer be able to suppresse or to ouertake the vertuous and innocent Then let vs consider them in themselues in their persons and in their profession The nicities and subtilties of Law as they doe infinitely exceed for number so they come neare euen for the difficultie of knowledge to the highest and profoundest mysteries of our Christian faith and religion The study it selfe is very difficult and harsh for the actions of men together with the circumstances being both infinite needs the course of their studies must likewise be infinite And as the â—â—ions of men are voluntarie casuall and on the one side â—â—oceed from an errour so this infinite course of their studies can neuer admit a right order or method which in all our naturall knowledge giues vs the greatest ease and contentment but heere onely the method of time according to the variety of accidents as things haue fallen out as cases haue been adiudged so their bookes of reports must serue to informe them Somtimes again the iudgements of those great Sages doe much differ and the Law doth altar and varie as it were ebbing and flowing according to the condition of the times and the seasons notwithstanding the root and foundation still continue the same in the heart Whereas nature can admit no such variety but is the same from her first infancie and institution and therefore our naturall knowledge our Philosophie hath descended to vs through a continuall succession of all ages without impeachment or contradiction Their practice may truly be called practice and nothing but practice for no state of life is so troublesome and laborious as theirs such daies of essoyne such daies of appearance so many writs so many actions so many offices so many courts so many motions such iudgements such orders that I protest before God if there were such trouble in purchasing heauen and procuring my eternall happinesse as there is sometimes in the recouering but of a rood of ground I should halfe despaire to attaine it What throngs and multitudes of Clients daily attend them I commend the wisedome of our forefathers who close by the hall erected a Church where they might take the open aire and find it as emptie as they left the other peopled and furnished How are they continually busied I could hartily wish that there were more minutes in the houre more houres in the day more daies in the weeke more weeks in the yeere more yeeres in their age that at length they might find out some spare time to serue God to intend the actions of nature to take their owne ease and recreation For now they are ouer busied in their brickes and their straw to lay the foundation of their owne names and gentility that teaching other men their land-markes and bounds they may likewise intend their owne priuate inclosures Welfare the Schollers contentmeÌ„t who if he enioy nothing else yet surely he doth enioy himselfe valuing himselfe aboue the price of the whole world and therin consists the greatnesse of his wealth vsing the turbulent waues of his owne passions and the sweet calme of his intellectuall faculties not distracted with any wandring imployments besides himselfe Before I can be dismissed the Court I pra'y giue me leaue to make one motion to the Iudges When they ride to their Assises all the whole countrey attends them for they beare the Kings person the Sheriffes the vnder-Sheriffes Bayliffes Constables Headboroughs all must waite vpon them with Halbards Pikes Billes while all the people stand gazing and beholding them Assoone as the great Assises are ended and their Lordships gone and departed then all this goodly retinue doth presently attend the condemned prisoners to guard them and to see the execution When I viewed and considered this me thought the Iudges were either like the condemned prisoners or the prisoners like them for both are attended alike we gaze and looke vpon both and both are alike carried to the place of execution The Iudges I confesse haue somewhat the greater distance and this distance is the sole difference for certainly they are carried the further they goe the neerer they approch to the place of execution notwithstanding they ride in their circuits yet they shall come to a period In euery great
sometimes for digets sometimes for hundreds sometimes for thousands so is it in mans valuation of his owne wealth In some parts of India copper is respected before gold and sometimes steele for their weapons and armour cannot be bought with the weight in siluer What strange difference and varietie haue I knowne in our estimation of Iewels and gemmes sometimes the Rubie sometimes the Pearle aswell as the Diamond growes in request for these must follow the course of the times And therefore generally he is reputed the wise man not who frames and fashions himselfe according to right reason but he that can square himselfe according to the condition of those times wherein hee liues for things are not accounted according to the truth and goodnesse of their nature neither are all things as they appeare but as they are esteemed among men And herein especially consists the regall power of man that as it is proper to Princes to make their own coynes and to proclaime them so as man himselfe accounts of the creatures or stands in want of the creatures thereafter they carrie their due valuation It is no marueile if we doe so much differ in our goods our substance and treasure for I do much more wonder how it is possible that man should so farre mistake himselfe in his owne person I meane concerning his comelinesse and beautie for I will not extend my speech at this time but onely to the sensible and materiall parts of man As for example with vs the sanguine and cleere complection the soft flaxen or browne haire the smooth skinne the blacke and quick eye are most commendable for the comelinesse of our parts but it should seeme that the greatest part of the world is not of our iudgement for the Aethiopians or Moores doe not esteeme him beautifull that hath not a blacke and sooty skinne a grislie hard-twisted and curld black haire great lips and albugineous eye from the Aethiopians if wee should visite the Indians there it should seeme the tawnie colour is most in request and the hard skinne tand with the Sunnes heate seemes to bee the faire and beautifull complection And thus we cannot agree vpon our owne colours the same fauour is not alike pleasing to all nations if wee should with a generall consent borrow our beautie from one common boxe then happily there would be some kinde of agreement but now in our naturall constitution see the great difference when euery man must fansie a set forme of beautie to himselfe and please himselfe with that beautie Thus I hope it hath appeared that whatsoeuer is best pleasing to man it is therefore best pleasing because man himselfe conceiues the greatest pleasure therein not because he is so naturally inclined not because he is moued with the truth of things according to their goodnesse for so all men should be alike affected reason is the same in all and euery other thing doth naturally incline to the best onely man hauing a free will to make his owne choice the libertie of his choice is not guided by nature or by reason but by his affection Otherwise we should not disagree in our fauour and comelinesse for the Owle will not boast of her beautie but is ashamed of her selfe We should not differ or vary in our goods or our substance but should iudge and esteeme all things according to the in-bred and naturall goodnesse for there are degrees in the creatures both in themselues and as they are fitted for mans present vse and occasions We should be all clothed alike as flowers and fruits of the same kinde haue alwaies the same colours our diet and food should be alike as it is to all other creatures whose nature is the same neither should wee so much dissent in our dwellings and habitations for birds in building their nests and beasts in making their caues seeme to obserue the same rules of art and proportion And therefore wee must either accuse nature of follie to iustifie our selues or else we must truly acknowledge that wee our selues are not carried according to the truth of things but in the strong apprehension of our owne fansie But heere is all the difficultie how I should weane man from these fansies I could wish that in all my dealings with men I might meet with reasonable creatures for then I should know vpon what grounds I might deale I might gesse how farre by all likelihood and probabilitie I should preuaile for wee are both squared to one rule the same reason would direct vs both But if I meete with vnreasonable men I know not what course to take being once out of the rode-way lost in the woods I know not where to make search for them and if by great chance I should ouertake them yet I cannot accompanie them thorough thickets and bushes but must reduce them againe to a great rode make them first capable of reason that so I might softly and leisurely proceede vpon my owne grounds To disswade the whole world from the pursuite of these vanities were a worke impossible for if I should speake with the tongue of men and Angels I should neuer preuaile they are so farre besotted inamoured made drunken with the immoderate loue of the creatures As if their stomackes were ouerlaid with new wine the fumes vapours and spirits ascending would choake vp the braine and hinder the right vse of their vnderstanding so is it outwardly with the creatures flesh bloud is wholly corrupted the world doth seduce them they behold nothing but vanitie but to him that shall recall himself I would vse these motiues First the meditation of God and his kingdome where God himselfe sits in perfect maiesty lucem inhabitat inaccessibilem gloriosus ante secula trinus vnus where all the hallowes of heauen sit vpon thrones clothed with glory hither send vp thy minde and thy spirit as Iosua sent forth his spies to discouer the promised land or as the Queene of Saba made a long iourney to see the magnificence of Salomons Court But heerein thou canst not bee ignorant of thine owne condition being indeed a pilgrime heere vpon earth in statu viae not in statu patriae thou mayest well mistake thy selfe in the meanes though otherwise thou desirest to attaine thine owne proper end If it were possible for man to behold God and truly to know him being indeed the very end of mans creation assuredly nothing should withhould him from the loue of his maker if the eye could behold the sunne we should neuer cast our eyes from the sunne as being the most beautifull obiect but this cannot stand with our weaknesse for now God is concealed as in the vaile of his manhood so thou seest not his hinder parts but onely his shadow in the creatures Secondly if for want of sufficient light being left to thy selfe thou still continue in darkenes and that the meditation of God together with all thy blessings receiued from God in the
Notwithstanding that God is euery where yet for feare of annoyance which might redound vnto vs from the creatures wee are admonished to worship God aboue the sphere of the creatures our Church men and Priests as being a whole burnt offering consecrated to God are separated from the secular condition of men And in confessing our sinnes lest there should be some kind of delight in the remembrance of some sinne we are therefore enioyned a silence though otherwise confession seemes to bee necessarie to repentance To conclude the truth of our misery shall speak and discouer it selfe with our cries our grones and complaints and the vanity of al our worldly pleasures herein appeares when wee purpose to bee most merrie and iouiall then must wee lay aside our owne persons and grauity we must alter and change our owne shapes to make our selues capable of pleasures and delights Wee vse masking mumming enterludes Playes some strange and anticke daunces all which I commend as being honest harmelesse and lawfull sports though otherwise it may appeare that vsing these shewes wee haue but the shewe of true ioy and are very miserable and wretched in our selues that are inforced thus to transforme our selues to find out some pleasures Againe suppose that a mans whole life were spent in a continued shewe suppose that man wanted neither foode nor raiment and perswaded himselfe that hee were none of the ordinary sort of men none of the common ranke and condition but some great honourable Peere some grand-child descended from the great Oneale that Princes and Ladies haue died with their modesty for loue of him that all men doe either admire or enuie his vertues that with his wisedome he is able to settle and establish the gouernment of kingdomes I would gladly know what difference there were betweene this counterfeit and a true Peere All honour consists onely in reputation and esteeme and hath little ground-worke in nature the one is as confident of his honour as the other and both alike are perswaded animus cuiusque est quisque it is the mind which according to her owne apprehension giues al the contentment Now where is the difference There is as much I confesse as there is betweene errour and truth but all consists in the imagination and were there not some difficultie in a man thus to perswade and to flatter himselfe it were an excellent kind of delusion Thus truly acknowledging our miseries we are likewise enforced to confesse the rewards of our sinne and the fruits of Gods iustice yet calling to mind the mercies of God which ouerflow all his workes miserationes domini super omnia opera eius in this our wauering and slipperie state being fallen into the depth of sinne wee erect and lift vp a pillar of faith and hope which laying hold and apprehending the mercies of God doth assure our owne soules that there is a better world to succeed where true happinesse and a crowne of glory is reserued for Gods Saints And therefore these worldly pleasures being but shadowes and all our delight consisting onely in the fansie should not withhold vs in the pursuite of that true happinesse Herein I doe magnifie and acknowledge the goodnes and prouidence of God that as man in his condition is rather spirituall then carnall for his minde according to right reason should gouerne his flesh and as the last end of man the happinesse whereunto man is ordained and directed is wholly spirituall as is the knowledge the loue and the vniting with the Godhead so lest man should proue too much a slaue to his sense and his carcasse it hath pleased God still to permit that all mans delights and pleasures should reside in the fansie which is but onely a shadow of our true vnderstanding rather then any earthly ioy or contentment should truly and really possesse vs. And that you might not conceiue that this is my priuate opinion I will therfore in one word take a view what the Gentiles the Iewes and the Christians haue thought of this truth and what effects the meditation here of hath wrought vpon thē You shall then obserue that the consideration of mans present state condition moued the ancient Heathen Philosophers to take whole nature and to set it in a limbecke so to distill it wherein they found by the force of fire the vnresistable power of reason that all nature did either euaporate to a fume or a smoake which indeed is the vanity of the creatures or else did settle downe as the grosse and earthly part in the bottome and this is the misery of the creatures from hence proceeded two seuerall sects of Philosophers of different and contrary dispositions the one laughing at the vanity the other weeping at the miserie and both of them esteemed very wise in their owne generation But when the naturall light of reason is left to it selfe it is but a kinde of darkenesse for nature is partiall to her selfe and out of her owne loue to her selfe cannot wholly condemne herselfe I will therefore come to the Iewes whose eyes were better enlightened with Gods Law though they had but shadowes of mysteries and only types and figures of a true sacrifice yet were they sufficiently instructed how to condemne nature and they proceeded further then the Heathen Philosophers drawing nature to a greater height and making some better extraction and therefore they doe not content themselues with vanities but they acknowledge that there is a vanity of vanities when man doth please himselfe with his owne vanities So likewise there is not only misery vexation but vexation of spirit when man considers that these miseries heere vpon earth are the fore-runners of Gods heauie iudgements to come and therfore Salomon their great wise and potent King concludes I viewed mine owne workes to take some contentment in mine owne actions yet I found none but all was vanity of vanities and vexation of mind I am a Christian man and therein I doe humbly hartily and daily thanke God who of his mercy hath called me to this state of saluation And heere I doe constantly affirme that there is no ioy or comfort to man vnlesse it be to the Christian man whose God appeared in basenesse and misery And therefore for example and imitatton of that miserable God being all parts and members vnder such a mysticall head that there might be a conformity between the head the members ne sit membrum delicatum sub capite spinoso hee desires the like miseries and would willingly and readily imbrace the same passions as being the holy reliques of his God and in the course of his miserie acknowledgeth a diuine prouidence Gods holy hand correction and permission He is well assured that hee is the miserable man who offers wrong and iniustice to his innocent brother who hath iust cause to reioyce if he suffers the greatest misery vndeseruedly and considering that all miseries are tending and ending in death desiring
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
and types fore-told by the Prophets and shadowed forth in nature by the vndoubted promises of God semen mulieris conteret serpentis caput so that my faith and religion wherby I looke to be saued was the faith and religion of Adam which I can deriue by a lineall descent from age vnto age shewing the expresse foot-steps and where the Church hath alwayes resided like a hungry dog thirsting after my saluation I can follow the sent and pursue the chase from the first day of the worlds birth for together with the creation of man was the end of mans creation and the meanes to obtaine this end Truth is most ancient as being of the nature of God and God himselfe is the ancient of dayes and in all our doubts of religion wee must still flie to the first institution an sic fuit ab initio vnto this present day being the 28. of February in the yeere of our Lord God 1615. dies dierum the beginning of our septuagessima wherein wee remember the first fall of Adam and the birth of a sinner For the controuersies in generall some there are which cannot bee reconciled and for these wee will mourne and lament and daily beseech God for their happy conuersion but I feare that a great part of the dissention proceeds from our selues who being now setled in a peaceable Church without persecution the truth of religion sufficiently appearing without any great opposition of Turkes of Iewes or of Heathen hauing now gotten respit and ease we do not so much intend the actions of zeale and deuotion as the point of our learning and the sufficiency of our knowledge which notwithstanding is not so proper and peculiar to Priest-hood as is the practise of Pietie wherein consists the height and perfection of a christian life some I say rather intending their studies then their prayers desiring to show the strength of their learning they must enter the combat of wits and heere they must seeme to dissent and to be irreconcileable while closly and vnder-hand they send forth their agents and messengers to treate of a peace and with a nice and quaint distinction can take vp the difference among themselues without shedding one drop of bloud while the world takes notice of their disagreement and being not able to iudge of their words of art and the trickes of their wit still conceaues them to be at deadly enmitie I know not what to say of their learning but I doe much condemne their dishonesty to make shew of difference when indeed there is none and the schoole learning it selfe which makes all things disputable howsoeuer I do highly commend it for wisdome learning and iudgement yet I feare it hath not proued so profitable and beneficiall to the Church as hauing stird vp those iars which it could neuer asswage like the action of the moone in our bodies in respect of il humors for man is easily prouokt but not so easily reconciled out of the frowardnes of our mindes disputations doe rather conceale then open a truth but it were to bee wished rather that the vulgar should neuer be acquainted with the controuersies then that thou shouldest thinke to make them such perfect and good clearkes as that they might truely iudge of the differences of them and of our selues I may truly say with the wise man Deus fecit hominem simplicâ—â— ipse se immiscuit innumerabilibus quaestionibus In these differences of religion I do acknowledges wonderfull and vnspeakable prouidence of God for some of them seeme to make more for Gods glory and for manâ—sâ—lâ—ation if they proceed without any great breach of christian charity the difference not consisting in any fundamentall and essentiall point of religion but such as may well stand with the text of Scripture the three Creeds all ancient councells and the continuall practise and tenent of the Church so that herein we shall not need to feare any shipwracke of faith wee shall not need to endanger our goods our limbes or our liues but rather to leaue them as disputable at schooles but now sâ—e the profit which redounds to the Church by these differences they teach man his owne weaknesse and how imperfect he is in things of highest perfection they haue raised vp many excellent wits profound learning and wonderfull industry in all manner of knowledge they haue made all more cautiâ—nat and 〈◊〉 in their own wayes least the aduersary should take any lust occasion of reproch not only our catholik reformed Churches but euen the present Abbies and Monasteries now extant in other notioÌ„s haue bin much reformed since the dissolution of ours they haue laid open the maine strength the rocke the foundation the pillars of our Christian religion soâ—h at men neuer had the like meanes for the increase and strengthning of their saith as they haue at this day the factions of each partie doe kindle the heat of their zeale in their own profession and of their charity one towards another as the intollerable hate of one common foe will knit together a firme league of amity which otherwise of it selfe would easily dissolue And therfore I will conclude that the Church at this present inregard of the many differences may fitly be shadowed forth in Saint Peters calling and in S. Peters reprehension Saint Peter who was called from fishing to be a fisher of men let his net resemble the Church the conuersion and taking of soules vpon the calling of Saint Peter his net brake but as the Diuines doe obserue it was to let in fish and not to let out fish and so the euent proued accordingly make I beseech you the application sometimes a schisme in the Church opens a wider gap to saluation that others may enter in who before dâ—â—st neuer approch for feare of the Cherubin which keepes the gate of Paradise with a fiery sword that is with fire and with sword Secondly Peters reprehension was that when many came to apprehend Christ all of them were not his enemies some came to behold him some to heare him some to compassionat him while others betrayed and apprehended him yet Saint Peter I will not iudge of his intention in the heat of his zeale drawes out his sword which he could not lawfully do and strikes off the eare of Malchus the eare is the instrument of hearing and betokens the sole meanes of mans conuersion but Christ heales vp the wound restores his eare rebukes Peter and threatens him hee that drawes out the sword shall perish by the sword he that abuseth the sword and often prouokes the secular power shall at length smart by the sword c. For the persecutions of the Church it is no maruaile though God doth permit them seeing that Christian religion inioyning man penaâ—ce for his finne seemes to bee a kinde of persecution such fastings such weeping such mortificaton such a strict and austere life that tyrannie itselfe could hardly impose a greater torment were it not
to vnite and knit together these 2. kingdomes of England and Scotland Hee so ordained it from the beginning of the world that like twins they should both speake one tongue and one language vntill in his due time hee should giue the promised Land to Iacob and to his posterity for euer Notwithstanding that the truth of their beginning doth not certainely appeare in Histories notwithstanding some little enmity which passed betweene both for neighbour kingdoms are not alwaies the greatest friends and that little meanes of trading or commerce passed betweene both yet God preserued their tongues intending to vnite their hearts vnder the happie gouernment of one entire and absolute Monarch So that now the seas are our wals on the right hand and on the left hand wee neede not feare the Aegyptians wee are built as a City Pacem habens ad inuicem which is at vnitie within it selfe Deus nobis haec otia fecit fecit nos in gentem vnam quos Deus coniunxit homo ne separet God hath made vs one Nation and one people and whome God hath ioyned let no man set a sunder Secondly whereas the confusion of tongues seemes to make for the difficulty and obscurity of knowledge behold the great prouidence of God for supposing the state of man to be such as it is wholly corrupted such is the neglect of man that if Arts and Sciences were not kept secret as Mysteries concealed in the habite of vnknowne tongues assuredly they would neuer be esteemed in that high account and reputation If gold were not digged out of Mynes with great labor the losse of mens liues and farre transported if it lay naked and open as common as stones assuredly wee should neuer regard it Nouelty and strangenesse moues the minde of man more then the true worth and perfection of things the ancient tongues are fittest to discouer knowledge they are like rich garments or olde roabes kept for the honour and memory of our Ancestours to shew our descent and first originall They are like chaires of estate to giue honour and maiesty to Sciences that thou shouldest not sodainely approach vnto them without some ripenesse and stayednesse in iudgement and hauing once attained them thou shouldest retaine them in a more magnificent manner Now he that discouers them layes open their nakednesse makes them knowne to the vulgar eye and clothes them with a homely attire of a common and barbarous tongue as hee offers great wrong and iniury to all students in generall so he doth much abase that Art whereof hee writes which is his principall subiect and whereof he should principally intend the praise and commendation and likewise hee looseth the fruite and end of his labour for it is impossible to teach any man perfectly an Art whereof he shal not make the profession In this confusion of tongues the same prouidence of God doth likewise appeare as concerning the poynt of our religion and the manifestation of his owne glory not to speake of the wisdome and power of God who vnderstandeth all tongues and searcheth the hidden secrets of the heart it shall appeare by these two instances first in the humiliation and passion of Christ notwithstanding that all the powers of man together with the malice of the deuill did conspire against Christ though they put him to a shamefull death yet could they neuer alter his superscriptiō Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum which was written in three seuerall Languages as it were proclayming him to the whole world the king of the Iewes though Pylate might bee enforced to crucifie him yet he could neuer bee enforced to alter or change the title which was lesse in effect Quod scripsi scripsi for so the wisedome of God hath decreed and impossible it was that one iot or tittle of the lawe should miscarry which law whole and entire together with the superscription and kingdome of Christ hath still beene continued maugre the attempts of men the slanders and reproches of the Iewes when they themselues were scattered the malicious practises of the Gētiles when they themselues are confounded the manie persecutions and great effusion of blood in the Church which indeed did serue as seed to ingender that so the blessing of God might appeare in this our confusion of tongues Secondly after his exaltation he tooke occasion by this diuersity of tongues to send into the world his holy and blessed Spirit which came to the Apostles in the forme of fiery and clouen tongues Linguas attulit qui pro verbo venit he that came to beare record to the word brought with him multitudes of tongues by vertue of these tongues the Apostles receiued in an instant without further teaching onely by the infusion of Gods spirit all manner of languages wherby it should seeme that God intended to restore the ruines of Babell and to enable them for their message to all Nations for euery mans conuersion which sodaine gift of tongues was a seale of their embassage and did serue as a miracle to confirme the truth of their doctrine See how God laughes at the counsails of men men intending to build vp a tower vnto Heauen for the continuance of their memory God confoundeth their tongues and brings their works to confusion Now God on the other side as it were to make some recompence and satisfaction desiring to build Heauen vpon earth to erect a state of happinesse and saluation in the middest of misery and sinne layes a better foundation and giues his Apostles the gift of all tongues hee sends downe fiery tongues that being like burning Lampes they might serue to enlighten and enflame others these fiery tongues were clouen that the benefit might be imparted and redound vnto others and not bee reserued whole and entire to themselues Habuerunt dissectas linguas bilingues non erant they knew not though they knew all languages the language of Equiuocation they knew not how to propose words consisting onely of dead letters and bare syllables hauing stolne away the sense and true meaning by a trick of cousonage some secret mentall reseruation Nay rather their great Lord and Master whose seruants and vessels they were to carry his name his title to all Nations he was verbū in intellectu a word first begotten in the vnderstanding of God borne againe as I may so say in the heart of euery beleeuing man by faith and from the heart issuing forth at the tongue where he seems to be again incarnate clothed with the basenes of our words as he was formerly clothed with the vildnesse of our flesh Thus the Apostles preached nothing but Iesus their workes were all wrought by the power name of Iesus all their thoughts were sanctified by the spirit of Iesus as they appeared outwardly such was their inward substance Holocaustū a whole burnt sacrifice set on fire with these fiery tongs kindling and enlightening the whole world and leauing sparkes of this fire to their successours
1. 11 the same in nature the same in power the same in mercy the same in true loue and affection Iesus the sonne of Dauid Iesus the sonne of Marie who was the propitiation for our sinnes and shall come againe in glorie to iudge both the quicke and the dead Yet sure I am that the time cannot bee long absent for all the signes of his comming doe already appeare when the hangings and furniture are taken downe it is a token that the King and the Court are remoouing nature now beginning to dacay seemes to hasten Christs comming to let passe many strong presumptions of our Diuines concerning the approach of that day these three proofes drawne from naturall reason doe easilie induce mee to beleeue it First looking to the generall decay of this world which argues the approach of this iudgement secondly to the great preparation for fâ—â—e which must then serue for the execution of Gods wrath thirdly the fit occasions seeming to hasten this iudgement c. Most certaine it is that if the world should continue many thousand yeeres and that wee should suppose that nature would decay in such sort as we are able to proue by demonstratiue euidence already she hath done assuredly nature of her selfe thorough her owne weakenesse would come to nothing and the world should not bee able to supplie mens necessities Suppose this one kingdome besides the generall barrennesse which hath befalne vs whereof wee may iustly complaine if we should commit the like waste in our woods as formerly wee haue done in this last forepassed age assuredly we should bee left so destitute of fuell of houses of shipping that within a short time our land would proue almost inhabitable for such things as require a great growth wherein man cannot see the present fruites of his prouidence husbandrie and labour for the most part they are alwaies neglected and it lies not in the power of one age to recouer her selfe thus out of the decay of nature we may almost expect a dissolution as by the signes and symptomes we iudge of a dangerous and desperate disease Thus you may obserue almost a like distance from the creation to the deluge from the deluge to Christ from Christ vnto vs as God ordaines euery thing according to rule order and measure after fifteene generations â—xpired you shall alwaies note in Scripture some great alteration and change Saint Matthew was therefore called from the receite of custome to cast vp this account in the genealogie of Christ as it appeares in his first chapter now at length in Gods name what may wee expect should befall vs Whatsoeuer concernes the kingdome of Shilo consummatum est it is already perfited wee must not looke for any further addition that which remaines it is the sound of the trumpet vt consummetur seculum that the world may be destroyed by fire Secondly fire shall bee the second ouerthrowe this Scripture and reason confirmes now certaine it is that God who hath first instituted nature hath so ordained her as she may best serue to be an instrument to worke his owne ends and purposes to shew a conformitie of the effects with the cause thereby to manifest his owne empire and rule which still he retaines in the creatures as likewise the obedientiall power whereunto the creatures are subiect that so may appeare how absolute and powerfull he is first to appoint the creatures then how gracious and mercifull he is to impart himselfe and to ioyne with the creatures in the same action Thus the waterie constellations did then gouerne and rule when the world was ouerwhelmed with waters now at this time and for a few hundred yeeres yet to continue the fierie constellations shall haue the predominancie and therefore credible it is that within the compasse of this time there shall happen the generall combustion Thirdly the dissolution of this world betokens a generall punishment the iudgement accompaning hath reference to our transgressions as in the first permission of sinne appeares the goodnesse of God who can turne our sinnes to his glorie either for the manifestation of his mercy or iustice so in this great tolerating of sinne appeares Gods patience and long suffering But now our sinnes are come to a full ripenesse now is the haruest and the weedes choake vp the wheate and therefore necessitie seemes to inforce and to hasten the approach of this iudgement that at length there might bee a separation of both though hetherto they haue growne vp together Thus Christs first comming in the flesh was to restore the decaied state of the Iewes for then hee was borne into this world when charitie was growne colde the Priesthood bought and sould for a price the Kings office extinguished the tribe of Iuda neglected the synagogue diuided into sects and schisâ—es and this is in some sort resembled by the barâ—â—â— of the earth for hee came in the winter season and hee was borne at midnight to argue the worlds vniuersall darknesse and ignorance So must it bee for his second comming he hath giuen vs a watch-word that the sonne of man will come at an houre when hee is not expected Luk. 12. vers 40. Now is that time when we doe not expect him we neuer thinke of iudgement of hell of fire of damnation Religion hath taken vp wings and is returned to heauen from whence she descended Men are now growne carelesse in their profession and liue after a sensuall manner like beasts we are now growne to the height and top of all sinne our sinnes our crying sinnes now crie for vengeance and therefore the time of his comming cannot be farre absent hee will take the best opportunitie like a theefe in the night we may then expect him when wee doe least expect him But I will leaue this as being not so pertinent to my purpose and grounded onely vpon coniectures c. Now I haue brought man to his graue and together with man the whole fabricke of nature you would thinke that at length I should discharge him I haue buried him deep enough I confesse for I haue cast the heauens and the earth vpon him and together with man intombed the whole world Yet giue me leaue in the last place to preuent one obiection for some will say that if the fall of man should appeare by the light of nature how should those great Sages and Secretaries of nature the ancient Philosophers be so much mistaken for the Schooles and all our Diuines hold that they were deceiued in the state of man supposing man to be in puris naturalibus without any thought of his fall without any hope of his recouerie I confesse indeede that the ancient Philosophers haue not mentioned the fall of man for they did onely looke to the present course and order of nature as liuing in the middest of Egypt they considered Nilus the depth of the waters the violence of the streame the ebbings and flowings but they regarded not
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