to make the Church-yard fat with the oyle of his flesh and to paue the high wayes with the sculs and bones of dead men Consider this inferior world consisting of the same different and contrary elements yet still continuing in the same state assuredly it is no greater difficulty to preserue man from death then to preserue the whole world from corruption for the same causes appeare in both the elements and the elementarie qualities and once in euery mans age they are equally tempered as it were the Equinoctial of his age Then why should there not be a state of consistencie in man as well as in the whole world or at least why should not the periods and times of his age the spring of his infancie the summer of his youth the haruest of his riper yeares the winter of his old age goe and returne according to the reuolution of times seasons and changes of the yeere which seeme to bee therefore onely allotted for the continuance and preseruation of mankind Not to insist alone in this sublunarie world strange it is that the heauens themselues which were onely ordained for mans vse should so long continue without change or alteration and man himselfe in the whole course of his life should not be able to see a reuolution that the superiour causes preseruing mans life should moue by a most certaine and vnchangeable rule as the diuine prouidence hath appointed them and yet mans life to which all is ordained should be most subiect and lyable to the greatest hazard chance and vncâ—rtainty But most strange it is that the heauens beiâ—g Gods blessed instruments to continue life quicken sense stir vp motion yet with their malignant and dis-astrous aspects should cause the ouerthrow of man yea sometimes of whole nations and kingdomes consider the end of mans creation which was the praise and glory of his maker which end is eternall as God himselfe is eternall then why should not those things which are ordained only to this end be of like eternitie and continuance God is not like man that he should be altered and changed that he should repent himselfe of his own workes and restore againe that vnto nothing which he himselfe hath once made according to his owne image neither is God the God of the dead but of the liuing being life in himselfe shall the dust rise vp and praise him shall his iustice appeare in the graue or rather shall the prayers the voyces and harmony of men ioynd with the quire and sweet melody of Angels sing prayses vnto him and magnifie his holy name which indeed was the scope and end of our creation thus not onely Christian religion but euen reason it selfe and mans owne knowledge seeme to preach this lesson that the end of nature man to whom all nature is ordained and directed should not end in nature and therefore death it selfe especially to man is a punishment of nature and in it selfe is most vnnaturall to man Especially when I consider how the better part of man the soule is immortal and vnchangeable as in her selfe and in her owne substance so in her qualities and actions now the life of man being only the worke of his soule and the sweet influence of his quickning spirit into the dull flesh I do much maruaile how this immortall spirit should bee the cause of our mortality for it cannot bee denied but that the soule receiues some kinde of perfection from the flesh for without the ministery of the body were not our members the soules vessels and instruments she could neuer exercise those excellent powers of sense and vegetation therefore in her separation though her state may seeme to be more perfect then it was during the time of her mariage or couerture with our flesh our corrupted flesh wherein iars and contentions did daily arise to the great disquieting of both yet certainly the soule hauing these faculties desires the free vse and exercise of them Which desire that it might not be frustrat and vaine doth in some sort by a naturall sequell inforce a last resurrection when the soule shall be re-united to a spirituall body better befitting it selfe and in the interim concludes that either man is vnnaturally compounded or that the separation of his parts must be wholly vnnaturall which I rather suppose seeing it makes much for mans dignitie and natures perfection the soule no way desiring a separation for as the state now stands there is a kinde of correspondencie if the flesh be corrupted the soule is likewise tainted with sinne here is a proportion though an euill proportion between both The â—oule desiring the continuance of this vnion why should she not be able to effect it she frames and fashions in the wombe all the members of mans body for her owne vse and seruice anima fabricatur sibi domicilium though Gods power appeares in our making yet God vseth meanes and these meanes can bee none other then the actions of the soule it selfe a baser agent God would neuer imploy in such an excellent worke and a greater worke-man all nature could not afford him Now the soule hauing thus framed the body if she dislikes any thing she must blame none but her selfe if all things be perfect and sound in the first fabricke and architecture of man then in the succeeding actions of life the soule is the first fountaine and the onely actiâ—â— principle of all seuerall operations for I receiue my temper my constitution my colour my digestion my nourishment my strength my growth and all from my soule If there be an error or fault I must blame and cast the aspersion vpon my soule that notwithstanding her owne eternity yet she should lead me to the paths of mortality for herein I dare bouldly excuse mine owne flesh my flesh is innocent if not of my sinne yet of my bloud and the soule is the sole murtherer for the body is onely subiect to passion as it please the soule to worke so it must suffer as the soule receiues the praise and commendation in the goodnesse of her actions so let her take vnto her selfe the shame and reproch in the defects and imperfections Though there may be I confesse some little difference in the appetites and inclinations of both proceeding from the different natures yet is there no opposition betweene both in regard of destroying qualities both of them being substances of a diuers kinde not capable of contrariety and therefore a wonder it is how they should be ioyned together or being once coupled how they shuld be set a â—under Can the â—oule first build this goodly tabernacle of our bodies and can she not repaire and renew the workmanship decayed seemes it not a worke of lesse difficulty to repaire then to lay the first foundation Can she bring forth a seede to propagate her owne kinde and so giue lâ—fe vnto others yet cannot preserue her owne life is she so prodigall of her best substance
haue or to bring with him from Paradise in the state of perfection My answere is that the grace which in the time of mans innocencie did accompanie nature supplied all the defects and was sufficient of it selfe but man being depriued of that grace might iustly claime and challenge according to the excellencie of his own condition something in nature some super a bounding parts in his bodie to betoken the dignitie of his reasonable soule aboue the state of the sensatiue You will say that her prerogatiue consists not in the number but in the goodnesse and qualitie of parts Princes may finde entertainment in priuate mens houses but their state shall appeare in their owne hangings and furniture Certainly man comes short of other creatures for euery sense the Eagle for sight the Hounds for their sent the Buck for his hearing the Ape for his taste the Wormes for their touch and for the inward senses which are the proper and neerest instruments of the vnderstanding he that shall well consider the strange and wonderfull operation of the creatures in their owne kinde how curious the birds are in building their nests how prouident euery thing is for the preseruation of it selfe how admirable the beasts are in their naturall workes the knowledge whereof whereby they are directed in these actions consists in the phansie hee will easily confesse that in their inward senses they cannot but farre exceede man If you replie that mans temper and senses though otherwise none of the best yet are best applied and accommodated for mans seruice and vse as they are the dumbe instrumeÌ„ts of a reasonable soule This is a fond an idle suggestion for who can know or trie the contratie but surely the best should alwaies be fitted for the best and this stands with a right and equall proportion according to iustice Suppose there were such disparitie in the state and condition of both and that the dull flesh could not giue any sufficient entertainment to so royall a spouse yet the weake abilitie and power would be accepted if the flesh did performe what it might For if an honorable Ladle should intend to match with her seruant the greatest motiue and inducement would be that in stead of a husband hee would be her slaue she should haue the rule and sole gouernment and all his care should be to giue her contentment a very forcible argument I confesse Now let vs examine how well the flesh hath performed this dutie and seruice Behold in the parts of man a great opposition and antipathie between the flesh and the spirit as it were encountring each other Can a kingdome diuided in it selfe proceed from nature which intends an vniforme order and course in the creatures I grant there may be contrarietie of qualities in one and the same subiect consisting of contrarie elements for here the subiect is capable of contrarietie but in parts of different nature of different condition where the one by nature is subordinate to the other that there should be such opposition it is exemplum sine exemplo the whole fabrick and course of nature cannot parallel this with a president that man should reflect vpon his owne actions should suruay and view his owne workes and that his owne soule should discerne and condemne the inclination and practise of his owne flesh that man distracted and discontented should say in the agonie of his minde I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my spirit Doubtlesse non sic fuit ab initio both of them proceede from one God both of them are parts of one man and therefore as fellow yokemen should tend ioyntly together to one and the same end the happinesse and perfection of man as in nature there is no contrarietie betweene the matter forme the one is actiue the other passiue the one apt to giue the other apt to receiue impressioÌ„ the one giuing beautie and splendor the other supporting and vpholding the action There is no difference betweene theÌ„ no more then there is between quantitie and qualitie rather helping and furthering then any way hindring or opposing each others propertie only in man in man alone consists the difference And therefore acknowledge it not as the first intent and institution of nature but as a punishmeÌ„t of sin God requiting mans disobedience to shew the high wisedome of his gouernment the proportion of his iustice sets the parts of man at enmitie with themselues which before did together conspire against their God and creator You will say that this is but a light skirmish some little disagreeing hinders not the loue but rather inflames the affection all this enmitie proceedes from one ground that the parts being of a different kinde must likewise be carried with a different inclination I will therefore further insist that in man there is not that consent and harmonie of parts which is requisite for the vnitie of a person sometimes the soule proues the mint of our actions and brands them with her own stampe and somtimes the bodie ouerrules the freedom of our wils and beares the whole sway mores sequuntur hum res Physiognomie and iudiciall Astrologie take this for the ground and foundation of their truth Is it not yet resolued who should beare rule or must it consist of alterations changes and turnes or doe they seeke to preuent each other Capiat qui capere potest quod nullius est hominis id iure sit occupantâ—s as if they did both striue for the empire which as yet were not intailed to any certaine familie or tribe But obserue a farre greater enormitie whereas the reasonable soule containes in it selfe the sensatiue and vegetatiue faculties why should she not correct their errors mistakings and defects why should not the reasonable soule intermeddle with the concoctions nourishment and growth of the bodie If any thing lies heauie on the stomacke as she knowes the disease and feeles the burthen so why should not the reasonable soule haue power to remoue it Seemes it not a great disorder in nature that in the bodie of man there should bee two subordinate soules and both of them should haue their seuerall and distinct operations as if they should rather constitute two seuerall creatures then ioyntly concurre to the vnitie of one person the sensatiue soule intending the workes of nature the reasonable soule taking only charge of such things as require free choice and election could not all things be more easily performed by one and the same faculty as in al other creatures Then should there be no greater difficultie to cleanse the vncleane blood to purge the grosse melancholie then now we finde in taking away some spot or blemish from the outward skinne then should not the secret causes of sudden death as it were priuie conspiracies suddenly assault and attempt man but man in his owne wisedome should timely foresee and preuent them Wherefore serue fibres muscles or tendons for receiuing
retaining or expulsion of foode if the soule hath no power to apply them The perfectioÌ„ of nature especially consists within her most secret pauilions shall the soule bee able to moue the thigh the legge the arme the whole body and yet the least scruple of poyson lying in the ventricle shall she not be able to disgorge and expell it In other creatures I confesse there is an ordinarie course of nature as in all their actions an ordinary instinct of nature they haue a time of rising a period and time of setting they can no more order their steps or their waies then they can change their coÌ„plectioÌ„ or growth But it should be otherwise in man who as he is Lord of his outward actions so he should haue the full power and command of himselfe and of the most inward and secret operations of his own body for the same reason would sufficiently serue to direct both alike But see see whole man is corrupted and therefore neither body with soule nor soule with her faculties can together consist all is in an vprore since wee forsooke him who is the very bond of all peace and agreement If neither opposition betweene both nor want of subiection and right gouernment seemes strange then I will tell you a greater wonder The soule and the body though parts of one man and mutually subsisting together yet are they strangers one to another not any way acquainted with the counsels and secresies of each other Whatsoeuer is proper and peculiar to the soule for her faculties her nature and powers she doth not any way impart it to the whole man but only by way of reflection looking vpon the actions wee iudge of the substance and so wee might doe if wee liued among strangers and heathen though certainly the soule cannot be ignorant of her self Againe whatsoeuer is proper to the body as forme figure the vse and disposition of the inward parts notwithstanding that the soule first squared out the body and fashioned the members for her owne vse and seruice anima fabricatur sibi domicilium yet she knowes them not and therefore must learne them againe by inspection and dissection of mans body a cruell bloody and mercilesse spectacle I confesse yet such as must be admitted in schooles rather then wee should be ignorant of our owne bodies Thus farre as the soule and the body are the obiects of our knowledge now in their owne operations see how they are estranged from each other Parts as they cannot subsist without the whole so neither should they bee able to worke of themselues but in man you shall obserue actions which are appropriated to either part to the soule and to the body and cannot be imparted to both Though the present condition of man bee earthly made of the earth feeds on the earth and is dissolued to the earth and therfore the soule doth lesse discouer her selfe by her proper actions then doth the materiall body yet it is not vnknowne to Philosophie that there is an extasis of the soule wherein she is carried in a trance wholly and only intending the intellectuall functions while the body lies dead like a carkasse without breath sense motion or nourishment onely as a pledge to assure vs of the soules returne And vpon her returne hauing talked with God or been transfigured in the mount shee giues the body no such intelligence or message but deemes it as a dumbe beast not fit to bee acquainted with so high mysteries so that the whole man is ignorant what hath befalne the better part of himselfe Now see how the body requites this vnkindnesse and diseurtesie It is naturall to euery forme that if it be extant it should bee alwaies in action especially the more noble forme finds the greater imployment but obserue the difference in man for many yeeres after his birth he is like an vnreasonable creature feedes on the pappe and lies in the cradle intending only the actions of nature and giuing no outward appearance of his reasonable soule in so much that were it not for the feature and forme of his body you should hardly discerne his kinde whereas in all other creatures you shall instantly discerne in the first moment of their birth actions proper and peculiar to their state and condition But I will passe ouer our infancie we haue forgotten those daies being now arriued to our full age I will therfore make a second instance once within the compasse of a naturall day in the time of our rest and our sleepe where is there any appearance of a reasonable soule There is nourishment I confesse for nature will haue her course in the â—euerall concoctions there is sense I confesse for the body being easily toucht presently it awakens there is likewise an inward sense as appeares by our dreames and the renewing of our decaied spirits but for the reasonable soule there is a sleepe indeede a dead sleepe euen the true image of death without any shew or appearance of life Lest I should be thought a theefe or a coward thus to steale vpon man in the time of his sleepe to stop his winde to strangle and choke him in his naked bed that he should not be able to speake for himselfe and to denie his owne corruption I will therefore goe from his naked bed to Bedlam where you shall finde men naked out of their beds poore sillie wretches poore sillie wretches some of them with outragious fits arising from heate and from choler others with melancholie deepe impressions frame vnto themselues fancies of all kindes some with night watchings and studies hastening to bee wise lost their owne wits others in their loue-passions imparted themselues and now rest in their rage and their furie besides themselues how are they tormented tied to the stakes whipt with cords dieted with hunger tempered with coldnes The irons enter into their flesh they are vsed in the nature of wild beasts but their greatest miserie is that they haue no feeling of their owne miserie Thinke not this punishment to be casuall and accidentall to man for these are Lunatickes the heauens haue their actions and God hath his prouidence in them see how the rebellious flesh hath cleane vanquisht the spirit O what is man if man be left vnto himselfe Of all thy temporall blessings and graces O Lord I doe giue thee most humble thankes for the right vse of my wits and my senses I dare not long conuerse with mad men I confesse indeed that once they were sober and gaue some token of a reasonable soule I will now come vnto them who are of a milder constitution with whom I may more freely conuerse and to whom I may approch with lesse feare for these are innocents and ideots let vs heare how wisely they will answere for themselues But I will spare them that labour for if you can teach them to aske meate in their hunger drinke in their thirst to complain of
must of necessity borrow their information from others now here is an excellent point of wisdome when vnder colour of aduise and good counsell wherein they shall haue thankes for their labour and rewards for their good seruice their seruants shall so cunningly ouer-rule an action as that they may worke their owne ends No maruell if Princes be very tender in the point of their prerogatiue which indeed is so necessary and so essentiall to gouernment as that without it gouernment cannot subsist and therefore it were high presumption to examine this prerogatiue for as it is in the gouernment of nature so should it be in mans gouernment God indeed hath prescribed certaine bounds to the creatures datur maximuÌ„ minimum in vnoquoque genere but what these bounds should bee for the iust measure and limitation we are wholy ignorant there are giants there are dwarffs the Ocean sometimes incroacheth vpon the land and sometimes the land wins ground of the Ocean And thus it is in mans gouernment there are arcana imperij certaine hidden secrets of state which ought not to bee discussed or expostulated to prescribe a limitation of power would argue a kinde of subiection in a free Monarch If euer question be made of their power I will fall downe on my knees and desire God to preuent the first occasion that Princes in their gouernment may intend Gods glory the good of his Church the comfort of his people and that subiects knowing whose power and authority they haue may worship God in the Magistrate with all humility and obedience For if the parts should oppose themselues to the head if the hand or the foote should contend with the eye what a miserable distraction should you finde in the whole man Gouernment should rather tend to vnity then be an occasion of strife and disagreement let all parts rather striue to gaine each other and to preuent each other with mutuall kinde offices of loue then contending with needlesse questions to disquiet themselues before any iust cause be offered I say not to examine the prerogatiue of Princes or to what lawes they are subiect for I will easily yeeld that where they are not expresly mentioned and doe binde themselues by their owne royall assent there they are to be excluded according to the president and plotforme of nature semper excipiendum est primum in vnoquoque genere Yet sure I am that they are not exempted from the miseries and sorrowes of our nature which seeme to be incident and common to flesh and bloud for nature in making her lawes requires no royal assent and this shall appeare by this one instance I haue obserued this in my reading that most of the Princes and especially the greatest if they escaped the cursed attempts of cruell murtherers and traytors I say in most of them you shall finde that their death hath bin seasoned or rather hastened with a griefe of minde a deepe melancholy and a great discontentment That God might make it appeare that there is no true ioy in nature that God might let them vnderstand their owne pride who being flattered by their seruants and slaues did expect that the winde and the sea should obay them Hauing neuer learned true christian patience and humility though they conquered their enemies yet the least griefe did vanquish them though they subdued great nations and ruled great kingdomes yet could they not rule their owne passions It is impossible that a mortall man should be freed from all causeâ— of griefe though hee were an absolute Monarch of the whole world Princes must learne patience for amongst all their prerogatiues they shall finde none whereby they are exempted and excluded from sorrow which indeed is incident to the whole nature of man Thus heere I haue briefly runne thorough all the happy states of men that so I might say with the Apostle omnia factus sum omnibus vt aliquos lucrarer and truly I do finde that God hath inclosed all men in one common depth of misery For if ioy and true ioy could bee competent to this our corrupted nature then certainly God would neuer haue expelled man paradise for heere was the wisdome of God that whereas blessings and happinesse could not containe man within the bounds of obedience therefore man being thrust into a vaile of misery his owne sorrow might inforce him to crie for succour and releife That so the iustice of God might appeare in the iust punishment of sinne that so it might serue as a more forcible meanes for mans repentance and conuersion for in this sinfull state man is more moued with feare and sorrow then with thankfulnesse or hope Though I cannot peirce the clouds and open the heauens to shew the maiesty and glory of God for no man could euer see God and liue though I cannot allure and entice man with a true relation and discouerie of those heauenly ioyes though I cannot oblige and binde man vnto God in the chaines and linkes of true loue and thankfulneâ— by a serious and weighty meditation of all the blessings receiued from God which might concerne either body or soule this life or a better life his creation preseruation redemption sanctification c. Yet am I able in some sort to anatomize the state of man to lay open his miseries and griefe that being once out of the arke and seeing these turbulent waues hee might finde no resting place but againe returne to the arke taking a dislike and a distaste in nature he might be thinke himselfe of his flight and so finde safe refuge and shelter in Gods onely protection and comfort himselfe in the hope and expectation of a better world to succeed as all those run-agates which were discontented with the gouernment of Saul were very apt and easily inclined to flie vnto Dauids campe From the seuerall states of men let vs come to the seuerall dispositions of man in himselfe obserue the changes and reuolutions of our mindes for if you please we will trace them by degrees from the time of our inâ—ancy how they alter with the course of our age First wee begin to delight in crackers and toyes some little bable hung about the necke some corall with siluer bels or a little Christall but these seeme to be the proper implements belonging to the cradle they are indeed the Nurses ornaments and together with the cradle they must be left for succession We are no sooner hatched but presently wee must haue a feather in the cap a dagger at the backe then in stead of a true paradise we are brought into a fooles paradise wee are made to beleeue that all is ours the land is ours the house is ours the goods possessions all are ours seeme to take away any thing and the whole house shall not bee able to containe vs exclude but any one fruite it shal grieue vs more then the enioying of all the fruites of the garden can asswage vs. Now at length
the passage into the sea nor yet could trace the head of the fountaine they might consider man though not in the wombe nor yet in the graue for euery knowledge may presuppose her owne subiect and euery Science hath her proper bounds and limitations the knowledge of nature might presuppose the existencie of nature and not intermeddle or be ouer curious to prie into the first composition or dissolution of nature their silence or neglect herein can bee no error though an imperfection Suppose man to bee borne in a prison where hee should neuer receiue the sweete light of the Sunne or the free libertie of himselfe but liued in continuall darknesse and slauerie could this man possibly conceiue the happie state and condition of those who liue at their freedome No certainly for priuations are only knowne in relation to their habits The Philosophers were not vnlike the dwellers of Sodome whose darknesse was such that being abroad in the streetes they could not finde their owne houses and yet I will doe them no wrong for howsoeuer they could not expresly and punctually speake of mans fall yet many opinions in Philosophie seeme to intimate as much in effect The Platonikes who were the more ancient Philosophers and borrowed certaine mysteries from the Hebrewes which they kept sacred and secret to themselues though otherwise they knew neither sense nor meaning of those mysteries held these three positions inuiolably all which doe necessarily inforce the fall of man First that there were Idâ—â—ae abstracted and separated formes according to whose image and likenesse things were ordained here vpoÌ„ earth the ground of this opinion is takeÌ„ out of Gen. 1. where God in the framing of man speakes these words Let vs make man according to our owne image Now supposing man to bee made according to Gods image according to such a separated Idea hee should be wholly spirituall incorruptible conformable to God But considering man to be carnall sensuall an enemie and stranger to God following the inclination of his flesh and wholly tending to corruption assuredly he is fallen and much degenerated from that high state and dignitie wherein hee was first created from the beginning After the framing and constitution of man the Platonikes did consider in the next place the transmigration of soules from bodies to bodies not from man vnto beast for here the different kinds doe betoken different soules which require different organes and instruments that so they might bee fitted and proportioned for the right vse and exercise of their faculties This transmigration hath vndoubtedly some reference to the first infusion of mans soule inspirauit deus spiraculum vitae and this opinion doth necessarily presuppose is grounded vpon mans fall that seeing there is no proportioÌ„ or agreement between the flesh the spirit as the case now stands therfore there was a bodie in the state of innocencie more capable of this reasonable soule the body changing the soule did likewise change her habitation and dwelling one and the same body being altered one and the same soule did find her place of abode to be altered here was a transmigration and at the last day when this body sowen in corruption shall rise againe in incorruption be made a spirituall body better befitting the dignitie state of the soule here shall be a new transmigration still of one and the selfe same soule and therefore acknowledge the present condition of man to bee the fall of man some punishmeÌ„t or imprisonment of man that the soule should be inforced to take her flight to vse a transmigration and to change the place of her dwelling Now for the principall action of the soule it is our knowledge or vnderstanding The Platonikes held that cognitio nostra est reminiscentia our learning or knowledge is only a kind of remembrance supposing that man had formerly some naturall knowledge as all other creatures haue thought it was lost by some ill accident and therfore must be renewed againe as it were called to minde or better remembred by learning yet certainly we had it for otherwise we should finde farre greater difficultie in regaining and retaining such an inestimable iewell and though this may seeme very displeasing to Aristotle who desired to build vp his fame in the ruines of Plato the scholler treads on his schoole-master yet doe not his followers say as much in effect anima est rasa tabula rasa est ergo insculpta fuit Who shaued it who scrapte it what image is lost See heere the prouidence of God lest wee should denie or forget our owne fall and corruption therefore the fall and corruption of man appeares in the forgetfulnes of man From the Platonikes I will come to the Schooles of the famous and thrice renowned Aristotle and heere I doe ingeniously and truly confesse that whatsoeuer I haue spoken for the proofe of mans fall and of natures corruption I haue only borrowed it from the grounds and foundations of his learning so that this whole treatise may not improperly bee ascribed to him onely the errors excepted which I claime as being due vnto my selfe To proue mans fall out of his grounds were to repeate all I will therefore heere insist in those things which seeme to be most generall and therein Aristotle shall speake for himselfe First for the Metaphysicks speaking of things most generall which the Philosophers call transcendentia bonum the goodnesse of a creature is numbred and accounted with the rest and looking to the first institution of nature nothing is so common and triuiall in Philosophie as is this axiome ens bonum conuertuntur whatsoeuer is is good according to the approbation of God in the first of Gen. vidit deus erant omnia valdè bona and yet notwithstanding the Philosophers did acknowledge that there was malum malitia defectus deformitas monstruÌ„ and the like and these to be incident to nature her self and these to be knowne onely in relation to the goodnesse according to the distance or accesse hauing no entitie in themselues and therefore not able to bee the grounds of our knowledge which presupposeth a naturall being Rom. 7. 7. I had not knowne sinne but by the law These euils I say being no transcendentia they could not be so generall or equal in time to nature and therefore they are the punishments of nature and haue crept into nature since the first institution thereof From the Metaphysicks I will come to naturall Philosophie where I will onely in a word touch the first principles I would gladly demand why priuatio should be numbred as one of the three first principles of nature for priuation hath reference to the act and first presupposeth the act how then can it be one of the first principles there should haue been I confesse an absolute negation according to the condition of a creature as being made of nothing nothing includes a
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
with patcht peeces and broken sentences but that they might be heard ingeniously to speake for themselues For as we doe recommend the reading of Scriptures so let vs not neglect the best Commentaries and Expositions of Scriptures that so the heate of our zeale which now is wholy wasted in controuersies and oppositions might then be spent in the practise of pietie and deuotion c. Notwithstanding this my resolution yet I was easily moued and the rather because I doe not remember any booke written of this Subiect to publish this treatise Iâ— perusing whereof foure things there are wherewith I thinke fit to acquaint thee first though I confesse I haue herein made vse of other mens workes yet I did forbeare to set downe any quotations not that I desire to wrong them but that I think it vnfit when occasion did not moue me or necessitie inforce me there to vse many needlesse and idle quotations Secondly though the punishment and fall of man appeares chiefly and principally in respect of his preparation to grace yet my selfe supposing at this time that I speake only to the naturall man I thought fit to forbeare speaking of that subiect vntill first I should make it appeare that there is a sanctifying grace which is no way tyed or intailed to our nature which I haue reserued as a fit subiect to bee treated of in the third branch of my text Thirdly in the latter end of the second part speaking of the vanitie of the creatures if therein according to the condition of that subiect I shall somtimes intend though much against mine owne naturall disposition in this my long tedious discourse to giue thee some case and recreation I hope it shall proue no way offensiue no not against the seuerest and strictest discipline of the Church seeing I can therein iustifie my selfe by the practise and president of most deuout Fathers and others most reuerend Diuines in all ages Fourthly speaking there of many worldly vanities my intent is onely to discouer them to be but shadowes in respect of a true blisse that so euery man might fall into some dislike with himselfe yet I confesse that many things may and ought still to be continued considering the state and condition wherein we liue as namely the ceremonies of Honor c. My desire is that thou wouldest iudge of the whole by the whole of the parts by the parts for if the whole be taken together I hope I shall not be found wanting or defectiue to my intended scope If sometimes I prooue somewhat obscure God who knowes the secrets of my heart can beare me witnesse how free I am from the least affectation of obscuritie and therefore you must either blame my weakenes as not conceiuing things aright or not able sufficiently to expresse mine own conceits or else you must consider the subiect matter whereof I write which being very difficult in it selfe must necessarily admit words of Art to vnfold it To conclude I thought fit to continue this treatise in the same forme wherein it was first framed expecting that the God of truth should giue a grâ—â—ter blessing to the relation of a truth neither would my time or leisure permit me to alter it And if it shall please God that this booke finde happie successe so that some little good may thereby redound vnto Gods Church whereby I shall be the more incouraged to proceede in those parts which yet remaine though I purpose to giue full satisfaction as farre foorth as it lies in my power yet if possibly I can I will tye my selfe to the houre-glasse ingeniously confessing that as all other builders are commonly mistaken in their first workes so my selâ—e haue erred in laying the foundations or setting vp the porch of this building Thus being men of the same kind brethren descended from one stocke but especially as fellow-members incorporated into one body vnder one misticall head Christ Iesus in the most holy communion of his Saints well wishing and praying for each other I doe most humbly and earnestly beseech God that either thou maist receiue some smal profit by my labours or that thou maist bestow thine own labours elsewhere more profitably and so committing thee to his grace prouidence and protection I rest Stapleford Abbats the 3. of Iune 1616. Thine in all Christian duty and seruice Godfrey Goodman THE FALL OF MAN In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost our Creator our Redeemer our Sanctifier three persons and one God Amen 1. COR. 2. 14. The naturall man cannot conceiue the things of the â—â—irit of God THere is no mysterie in the whole course of Christian religion wherin I finde my selfe so much moued and affected with true ioy as when I consider the extent of Gods mercie in the calling and conuersion of the Gentiles for alas what aâ—ailes it mee to thinke of Gods maiestie wisedome â—ower iustice eternitie when all these attributes of God may turne to my terror and torture But when I consider the mercie of God 〈…〉 â—here is that transient propertie of God whereby all the rest of his attributes are imparted to the creatures and when I consider this streame of mercie not to be inclosed within the narrow passage of a few tribes not to be appropriated or monopolized to the sonnes of Iacob but to ouerflow the bankes to breake downe the partition wall together with the vaile of the Temple and at length at length at length to be-water the fruitlesse and barren soiles of the Gentiles so that with God there should be no longer any difference or acceptation of persons but together with the Sunne-shine and dew of the heauens his mercie should drop downe with fatnesse here is the sure anchor of my hope the fulnesse and consummation of my ioy And therefore the day of Epiphanie of all other daies in the yeere shall be the day of my greatest mirth and solemnitie wherein those great Magi those Princes and Kings being publike persons representing the whole bodie and state of the Gentiles presented themselues and were accepted of Christ and we in their loines descended from them together with them receiued the lot and portion of our inheritance Iaphet is now admitted to the tents and tabernacles of Shem heere is the kingdome of Shilo which admits no other limits or bounds of his empire then the compasse and circumference of the whole world blessed are the feete of them which brought vs such glad tidings of peace me thinkes I see the Angels descending and renuing their songs vâ—â—ng the same notes and dittie to vs which they did to the sheepheards Natus est vobis saluatoâ— A Sauiour is borne vnto you a generall peace is proclaimed on earth and good will towards all men extended neither can I containe my selfe but my ioy must burst into songs Hosanna Hosanna to the sonne of Dauid blessed be heâ— that coâ—â—s in the name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest sing Halleluiâ—
death but must patiently expect a time for his dissolution as there was a iust time appointed for his birth and natiuitie The only comfort in all bodily afflictions is the comfort of the soule to the members the patient forbearance and hope of amendment but if the soule her selfe be once distressed or distracted it lies not in the power of the dull and heauie flesh to asswage her but she will rather increase her paine vpbraid her moue her to impatience as the righteous Iob was strongly tempted by his wife to curse and forsake God Speaking of the diseases of the minde I cannot forget that I haue alreadie proued the eternitie and immortalitie of the soule and therfore am tied as it were by promise to iustifie my former assertions to excuse the same soule from all sicknesses inclining to death See here the wonderfull prouidence of God the naturall man by force of his owne reason acknowledgeth the immortalitie of the soule as touching the life and continuance and by the same reason hee likewise acknowledgeth the sicknesses and diseases of the soule morbi animi languores animi nothing is so commoÌ„ and triuiall among the heathen Philosopher as if I should say in effect that nature discernes a second death a death of sinne though not a second birth a generation to righteousnesse to the one nature is inclined and very fitly disposed and therefore sets it before her owne eyes in the other nature is defectiue and no way prepares man and therefore as blindfold she cannot behold it our inward corruption leades vs to sinne only sanctifying grace recalles vs from sinne man here rests vpon the face of the earth heauen is aboue hell is beneath set vp a ladder and he shall hardly climbe giue him wings it will not auaile him dâ—â— but open a pit and he shall fall with great ease though hee finde little ease in his fall In discouering the diseases of the minde I will tell you a greater miserie Suppose that any one man should turne franticke in a hot burning feauer and should perswade himselfe that his violent and vnnaturall heate did only proceed from his own strength of nature then he begins to buffet his keepers and will not lie still in his bed here is a double cause of griefe not so much for his sicknes as for his error and impatiencie Thus it befals many that are sicke in their minde who glorie and boast in their vices making their own shame their commendation either supposing â—â—others to bee like vnto them and sanctitie to consist only in the outward appearance or else condemning all others they will maintaine their own practice Populus me sibilet at mihi plaudo I care not what the poore people say of me quoth the Vsurer my substance shall vphold me when they goe a begging The adulterous man pleaseth himselfe with vncleannesse and begins to doubt whether a naturall act can be a sinne against nature The glutton will make strong arguments in defence of his riot Wherefore should nature supplie such plentifull prouision if he might not take it in abundance If he cannot wholly excuse himselfe yet he will lessen his sinne nihil non mentitur iniquitas sibi Whereas vertue is placed betweene the extreames vices doe now cluster together in such multitudes and throngs that vertue is either prest to death or wholly excluded vertue no longer appearing vices sit in the throne and vsurpe the chaire of estate On the contrarie vertue is sometimes reputed for vice and so loseth a great part of her happinesse which consists in due esteeme and reputation besides her attractiue power to draw all others to the imitation of her selfe The most reuerend Fathers of the Church haue been â—axed with ambition by the rude and base multitude the most strict mortified and seuere men haue been charged with a deepe hypocrisie and dissimulation the most magnificent and bountifull with popularitie and wastfulnes the most vpright and sincere in iustice with vaine glorie and pride Herein as I doe excuse the innocencie of one so I doe condemne the corruption of many they looking thorough painted glasses their own hearts being defiled cannot rightly iudge of the colours Hitherto we seeme to doubt of the diseases now at length if we conclude in generall that vertue is vertue that sinne is sinne and vice is vice then here is a second miserie that whereas all bodily diseases doe suddenly discouer themselues by their symptomes and signes and inforce the sick patient to confesse his owne griefe onely the diseases of the minde as are the inward thoughts of the heart they are secret they haue learned the language of equiuocation they walke disguised and will neuer acknowledge themselues to bee themselues for that euill spirit which hath taken away shame in the sinne hath put a shame in the confession of sinne The proud man feares nothing so much as left he should abase himselfe with too much humilitie charge him with pride and hee will make bitter inuectiues against it then he begins to apologize for himselfe how curteous and kinde he is in his entertainment how affable thus still he deceiueth himselfe for therein consisteth his pride And so for al others the diseases of the mind they are not open assaults but priuie conspiracies and therefore are secret such as will endure the wrack before they will discouer theÌ„selues or their own ends If the diseases once appeare and are made manifest sometimes there falles out a pitifull and a lamentable accident I haue seene many vertues resident in one heart like many Iewels all contained in one casket and yet all of them tainted deiected and cleane cast downe with one vice An excellent wit accompanied with honest and faire conditions attended on with comelinesse and beautie of members yet through a tractable nature is easily led away with ill companie and all his good parts are ouerwhelmed with a deluge of drunkennesse The braue courage and resolution which leaues nothing vnattempted that may tend to the seruice and honour of his countrie yet sometimes is inraged set on fire and all his good qualities are burnt and consumed with the furie of his own lust The great Clerke with his night-watchings and studies pining himselfe not vnlike his owne taper where the head wasteth the whole body in lightning others he consumes himselfe who indeed doth best deserue both of Church and of State laying the foundations of truth and pietie in the Church and building vp the walles of ciuilitie and obedience in the State yet sometimes with a fond affectation of singularitie he makes himselfe ridiculous Not to speake of any single encounter of vertue to vice many vertues knit and combined together may be foyled deiected and cleane cast downe with one vice sometimes they are choked vp with gluttonie incombred with couetousnesse grow rustie and dustie with sloth swolne and puft vp with pride cancard with enuie stretched vpon the racke of
their counsell and experience Our owne forefathers committing their workes to writings they seeme aliens and strangers vnto vs we cannot vnderstand them without the vse of Dictionaries and Commentaries To let passe how nations haue issued out of nations and all men descended from one whereby they might retaine the same speech and language for the learning and perfection of the reasonable soule as they doe the like foode for preseruation of their bodies and the same seede for propagation of their kind But for this varietie of tongues I would gladly aske Doe not all other creatures of the same kinde agree in one and the same language of nature wherby they testifie to each other either their ioy or their sorrow Haue not many birds as much varietie in their notes and tunes and yet all are the same in the same kinde as there are words and syllables which passe betweene men I pray' doth it not appeare in all other workes of nature that the inward forme doth naturally of her selfe discouer her selfe by some outward propertie and why should not the reasonable soule make her selfe knowne by a naturall speech and language that wee might see the inward man as well as the outward feature for speech is the only companion and witnesse of reason Consider the instruments of speech the throate the tongue the teeth the lips and the pallat are they not the same and alike in all men Is not the ayre and breath the same which frames the sound of this voyce Take all instruments of musicke and being fashioned alike you shal find a like sound they consist of a meane a treble a tenour a base c. they haue so many strings so many stops they giue the same musicke that is the same language in effect though the lessons doe varie that is the difference consists in the diuersitie of their speech or their conference Are there not many naturall notes which are alike common to all languages our laughter our sighing our sobbing our sneesing caÌ„ the passions of the bodie thus naturally discouer theÌ„selues and yet cannot the minde naturally disclose her owne secrets Is there any thing so proper and peculiar to man as societie and fellowship and yet for want of one common language the kind cannot conuerse with it selfe and yet you may obserue in all languages how there is a necessitie of the same alphabet for there are but fiue vowels and more or lesse there cannot bee which proceedes from the opening or contraction of the mouth will Nature lay the foundation and yet God in his wisedome forbid to finish this building then is it euident that contrarie to the first intent of nature wee are changed and altered by sinne God confounding our tongues brings our workes to confusion But I pray' consider the occasions which might serue â—or the retaining of the same language Are not all men deriued from the loines of one and the same man haue not nations issued foorth out of nations and is it possible that they should retaine the same seede remember their beginnings obserue the same rites customes and manners and yet forget their owne language In Pembroke-shire certaine Dutch-men being anciently permitted to inhabit their posteritie vnto this day retaines the luxurie and riot proper to that nation and yet they haue forgotten their language Thus the tongue serues to be instrumentum gustus loquelae the instrument of taste the instrument of speech the one she stil practiseth the other she hath cleane forgotten and in both you may acknowledge the corruption of mans nature and the iust punishment of mans sinne If our beginning bee forgotten and that wee haue learned a strange language yet me thinkes the noble and braue conquest of Princes especially the great Monarchs of the world should haue reduced all things as to the vniformitie of gouernment so to the vniformitie of tongues that all being ruled and guided by one law hauing recourse to the Emperours court doing their homage and seruice to his person this might be an excellent meanes to auoyd barbarisme and to re-unite the tongues of men in one speech as the bodies of men are knit together vnder one yoake of subiection But all will not serue against the diuine prouidence for he confounded their tongues who hath likewise confounded their Monarchies sooner you may suppresse a state and put them all to the sword then that you can bridle their mouthes bring them to schoole and teach them a new tongue If the sword cannot preuaile yet me thinkes the necessity of trading and commerce should inforce a necessity of the same language especially considering that there are certaine fruits proper to nations and as their soyle yeelds them as their country affoords them so the inhabitants first impose the name and this name should accompany the fruits and be together transported to those nations to whom these fruits are imparted for assuredly the name would no way increase the burthen or price of the commodities but it should seeme that together with the change of our windes and our sailes in the passage we must alter these names or els we haue forgotten the ould names and remembring only the vâ—e and valuation we do well hope that a new name may make a new price supposing that it lies in our power being now masters of the commoditie to giue it a name at our pleasure and thus you see the confusion of tongues But of all other meanes to reduce the world to one language me thinks the greatest consists either in the necessity of the same lawes which in ancient times haue gouerned the whole world or els from the vniformity and concent of religion which vnites and knits together the hearts of all men in one league of faith the tongues of all men in one confession of faith the actions of all men in one seruice of faith and in the same bonds of charity and deuotion So that there is notwithstanding the separation of persons time and place a perfect communion of Gods Saints If generall councells should meete and assemble together necessary it is that they should confer in one common language concerning such things as may generally tend to the good of the whole Church or if we should be inforced to trauell it were to be wisht that we might not be destitute of the meanes for our soules health but that wee might bee fit to ioyne with all congregations in prayer yet God forbid that wee should pray in an vnknowne tongue which in effect were to offer vp vnto God the calues of our lips vitulos labioruÌ„ without the burning incense of the heart which should set on fire the sacrifice and make it acceptable and heere you may well obserue the curse of God in the confusion of tongues This punishment doth not only argue how tongues are confounded among themselues that from one naturall and instrumentall tongue there should proceed infinit notes and numberlesse tongues and
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