sacrifice of beasts among the Iewes was an occasion of the idolatrous worshipping of beasts among the Gentiles Alas how many are perplexed with the variety and diuersity of sects not knowing how to resolue themselues whereas in truth and verity there can be no greater certainty or infallibility then in the immoueable foundations and grounds of religion if we shall detract from the wauering vncertainty of our own fancies and relie vpon the diuine testimonies the exposition and true meaning whereof by the daily practise of the Church consent of Fathers verdit of counsailes hath continually visibly and successiuely from Christ and his Apostles descended to vs. O happy happy thrise happy are the beasts of the field that are exempted from all these differences I will from henceforth betake my selfe to the woods and the groues and when I heare the chirping birds sing in stead of the communion of Saints I will ioyne with them in their quier they shall sing their notes and I will frame this dittie to the father to the son and to the holy Ghost three persons in Triâ—ity one God in vnity be honor and glory now and for eâ—er This difference in religion I suppose to be shadowed forth in the different and distinct sacrifices of Abell and Caine the one receiued the other refused hence proceeds the enmitie between both as betweene the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent the truth of religion the more it is pleasing to God the more it is vnpleasing to man in so much that no cruelty torments or persecutions shall bee omitted in the cause of religion Abel the first that died or was slaine suffered martyrdome for religion because his gift was acceptable to God he himselfe was more acceptable then his gift the one being accepted for the others sake and therefore he himselfe was to be offred vp in sacrifice to be the figure and type of him who was the propitiatoâ—ie sacrifice for our sinnes whose bloud speakes better things then the bloud of Abel who as he was the head of the Church so opened he the way as to heauen so to tribulation and persecution thorough which he ascended vp to heauen and if we looke to climbe thither we must passe the same way there must bee some conformity between the head and the members and thus God in his goodnes and secret wisdome permits that his vine-yard which his owne right hand hath planted and is bewatred with his owne blood yet the wild-boare out of the wood doth root it vp and the wild beasts of the field do deâ—oâ—re it Here you haue seene religion died in her own bloud but now I will tell you a greater mischiefe religion not persecuted which makes for her honor but maskt disguised and counterfeited which discouers her shame For many there are who colour all their sins and impieties vnder the faire cloke of religion thus not only our soules and our consciences our faith our hope our saluation but our liues our bodies our freedome our goods and whatsoeuer els may concerne vs all are subiect to ship-wracke vnder this religious tempest What murthers thefts treasons treacheries gun-powder plots massacres haue past among men for commendable actions vnder the vaile of religion what breaking of leagues among Princes what dispensing with othes what alteration of gouernments and last of all what infidelitie hath past between men vnder the colour of faith Caesar Tacitus Macchiâ—uel they were but babes and fooles in policy for they neuer learned this lesson how to lay the foundations of policie and to build vp the tower of iniquity with Church-stones To ground all factions in religion this is a monster newly hatched in our dayes in this last and worst age of the world as if the kingdome of grace did cleane ouer-throwe all naturall rights as if heauen could not subsist with the earth as if the Morall law were together abrogated with the Ceremoniall But O blessed Lord God keepe thy sheepe keepe thy shepheards keepe them as the aple of thine owne eye let Cain be accursed let him answer for his brother Abels bloud let him be a runnagate and neuer dare to approch neere thy vine-yard protect O Lord the tribe of Iuda and let not any violent bloâ—dy and trayterous hand touch thine annoynted My intention here is only to speake of the curse the vndoubted token of mans fall and corruption but I cannot stay my self needs I must craue pardon hauing opened the wound if I apply the salue while it is fresh and greene I may with great ease keepe it from festering heere I will giue thee some little tast of that which hereafter I may discouer more largely For if it shall please God that together with our most happy forefathers the great Magi I shall once safely arriue at Bethelem where I may but heare the child Iesus crie in the manger I will neuer leaue or forsake him but instead of the stâ—r which first conducted me to the place of his birth I wil then follow him as my ruler my guid and protector I will attend him in his flight vnto Aegypt thorough places of darknesse and ignorance and in the middest of persecution from thence I will returne againe vnto Galile where I will wait vpon him and set him before mine eyes to order my wayes and my footsteps and if in any solemne feast or great assembly I shal leese him then presently I will make inquisition I will goe backe againe to Ierusalem where I wil make search for him in the temple and there vndoubtedly I shall finde him sitting in the middest of the Doctors in medio Doctorum hauing his casting voyce and directing the Catholicke concent of many let me not therefore here preuent this happy occasion Only in a word the controuersies of religion assuredly they are such that if a man be of the least vnderstanding setting the feare of God before his own eyes and that he hath no turbulent spirit but intends charity piety and deuotion they doe not any way frighâ—en or molest him for necessary it is that there should bee scandals and woe bee to him by whom there are scandals Let it suffice that the faith of the Church of England which heere we professe was not framed yeasterday to serue the present turne and occasion by new vpstart and heathenish innouators when as Clearkes did seeme very learnedly to dispute yet a secret close policy did ouer-rule the conclusion but such a faith as all the Fathers imbraced all the councels approued all the learned Diuines confirmed in the Greeke Church in the Latin Church which all the Martyrs haue sealed with their bloud al the Confessors witnessed with their torments a faith confirmed by so many miracles taught by the Apostles first opened and reuealed by Christ qui erat splendor patris who was a light to enlighten the Gentiles and the glory of his people Israel This faith was prefigured in the law with sacrifices
the consideration of man which consists not only in mans constitution and the view of his seuerall parts but likewise in respect of other creatures his goods or his substance and whatsoeuer else may befall him for euery thing in nature presents it selfe not only in it selfe but likewise in reference proportion to others Thus it is with a Prince or a subiect who must haue an eye both to his owne estate in particular and vpon what grounds tearmes he stands with his bordering neighbours Now giue me leaue hauing thus safely lodged man to take some further account of his life of his actions I will speak of his miseries in himselfe and in comparison with the rest of the creatures Before I dare presume to speake of our miseries I must first apologize for my selfe lest in a blinde deuotion I might chance to offend and seeking to draw others vnto God I my selfe might fall from God Blessed Lord God who seest the secrets of my heart and touchâ—st the strings of my tongue Lord thou knowest I do not 〈◊〉 dislike my present estate and conditiâ—n sure I am that thou hast done and permitted all things for the best I doe not here intend to dishonour thee to disparage the great worke of thy creation to vilifie and abase thy creatâ—res to set all things at nought rather O Lord I shall dâ—eme my selfe the basest worme vpon earth and al thy creatures good in their owne kinde according to thine owne approbation But O Lord thou knowest that I loue thee thou knowest that I loue thee inlarge my poore heart that so thou maist increase the measure of thy loue in my heart O blessed Lord God who art the God of loue and loue in thy selfe and imparting thy selfe doest together impart the loue of thy selfe guide me by the assistance of thy spirit that in relating these miseries thy goodnesse may better appeare hauing first created vs in happinesse our sorrow and 〈◊〉 appeare hauing iâ—stly fallen of our selues whereby sufficiâ—â—â— meanes and occasions may be offered with feare and trembling to work out our saluation Here is my intent O Lord and this thou knowest right well for thou seest my thoughts long before they are hatched forgiue me the 〈◊〉 of my thoughts forgiue mâ— the sins of my mouth and giue a blessing to thâ—se my labours let thy power appeare in my weakenesse thy glorie in my shame Amen Hauing thus made my peace with God I will now fall to my intended taske My second kinde of arguments seemes to be built vpon these three grounds and foundations 1. The mercie of God doth ouerflow all his works and all his attributes like oyle vpon liquours This is plaine for mercie begins his actions God workes vpon nothing therefore nothing could moue him to worke but his mercie Now if all things in man did â—auour of mercy it were a strong presumption that the same mercie still discouers her selfe in the continuance which did first appeare in the creation but if otherwise you discerne miseries and afflictions in man acknowledge the fruits of Gods iustice iustice which must necessarily presuppose some offence or else could admit no difference nor be distinguished from wrong and oppression Now iustice supposing an offence could neuer begin the action for we could not offend when as yet we were not and therefore acknowledge that the fruites of Gods iustice together with mans transgressions are both twinnes borne in one instant or at least producing each other and standing in a mutuall and reciprocall relation to each other the offence to the guilt the guilt to the punishment So that the punishment is not equall in time to the production of man first wee were existing before we were punished Especially considering that Gods intent in the creation was onely according to the nature of goodnesse vt sit communicatina sui ipsius to impart his owne being and attributes to the creatures but when I finde sorrowes and griefes in man I begin to enquire where is the originall for in God there is no sorrow no griefe no maladies no afflictions no diseases no death God did only desire to impart himselfe whence proceedes the malignitie were it not that some after-corruption hath stained mans nature The good wheate was first sowen then came the ill husbandman qui super-seminauit zizania who did abuse the freedome of his owne will to his owne shame chusing rather to die then to liue And here the thistle and cockle first began to appeare making man the creature of Gods mercie the fauourite of those times as I may so speak the obiect of Gods iustice the subiect of Gods punishment My second ground is this If miseries incident to our nature do befall vs in such number and measure as that they do â—arre exceed all our own ioyes in so much that our nature seemes to be ouerprest with their burthen and weight and that our conditioÌ„ should be farre better not to bee then to bee then certainly the state and condition of man is cleane altered and changed from the first institution thereof For it could not stand with the act of creation or the goodnesse of the Deity to make of nothing that which in effect is worse then nothing So God should descend lower then himselfe not perfiting but confounding the creatures and that nothing which was before the creation should not only beare comparison but likewise be preferd before the state of some creatures Now indeede the thought of mans miseries here in the course of this life seemed of that moment to the ancient and heathen Philosophers that it was generally held and concluded among them for a truth that melius est non nasci quà m nasci it were better not to be borne then to be borne So that a wise man might be excluded from sorrow he would neuer thirst after ioy to be dead we regard it not but to dye here is the torment For the beleeuing man and the true Christian who besides the miseries of this life which he acknowledgeth to be the rod of Gods wrath for the punishment of sinne is likewise perplexed with the feare and terror of hell where that rod shall bee turned to a serpent How many of them haue cursed the day of their birth How earnestly haue others besought their speedy dissolution Doth not Christ witnesse of that sonne of perdition that it were better for him if he had neuer been borne or that a milstone were chained to his neck and both cast into the bottomlesse Sea Is this a priuate and particular case and doth it only concerne Iudas Is not the number of the elect very small while whole troupes and infinite multitudes of reprobates though neuer so bold and confident of their owne righteousnesse are daily reiected And in the elect people of God what strange agonies and conflicts appeare betweene the flesh and the spirit Doth not the way to heauen lie by the gates of hell when men with
seemes to be nothing vnlesse it be set foorth with ceremonies with rich and costly apparell the Haroldâ— attending with bannors scutâ—heons and armes counterfeit and supposed titles many Pages Vshers and officers of honour appointed such chaires and cloathes of estate cups of grace serued on the knee the seruants rankt in their order such strict and precise formes of salutation and if all this will not serue then open and plaine flatterie and all manner of lying and grosse cos'ynage But I pra'y looke to their persons and you shall finde them some old crasie bodies troubled with gowtes and with palsies who take little ioy or contentment in al their honour and would very willingly exchange it for a little health Heere then I see that a poore mans condition is farre better then theirs and much to bee preferred before theirs little would you thinke that men of such account so much talked of should be of such a stature and personage Thus it should seeme that the Ceremoniall law is no way abolisht but onely translated from the Temple of the Iewes to the palaces of our Nobles All their honour consists in shewes and in ceremonies and therefore wee may well feare that they haue but onely the shew of honour For there was true honour indeede which appeared in the basenesse of this world and imparted honour to the most dishonourable creatures God and man power and weakenesse Maiestie and humilitie together subsisting the homely manger was a fit subiect for the song of Angels and the most ignominious crosse must be the onely signe of victorie and triumph for â—ee wanted no thrones to set foorth his greatnesse being all glorious in himselfe though shadowed in the vaile of our flesh hee wanted not the helpe of the creatures though otherwise he might haue commanded many legions of Angels to attend him his honour was in himselfe and not in him that ascribed the honour And therefore being not able to look vp to his Throne I will heere fall downe at his foote-stoole here I will worship for I had rather be a doore-keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the Tents of vngodlinesse Thus setting true honour before mine owne eyes I will yet a little further discouer the vanities of our worldly and temporall honour Suppose that a stranger or one vnacquainted with these honourable courses should bee admitted in the time of some great feast as the manner is to see the fashions and conditions of the place I pra'y obserue with what state and formalitie their meate is serued vp what exquisite dishes varietie of sauces how many courses how well it is ordered what banketting stuffe and plentie of sweete meates The English fowle embalm'd with the Indian spice the delicious Carp swimming in a sea of sweete broth the red Deere harbour'd in a nut-browne coffin the Phesant onely commendable for her price here are the creatures I confesse in abundance But now where is the vse of these creatures See how this honourable Lord sitting in all his state calles at length to his Caruer for the legge of a Larke or the wing of a Partridge and so rests satisfied complaines of his weake stomacke vseth his hot waters c. How much are wee bound vnto God whose condition though meane and inferiour yet wee haue a sufficient plentie of Gods creatures in stead of their sauces wee haue our hunger and good appetite and to these creatures God hath giuen that hidden qualitie as that they are fit to nourish our bodies a strange wonder in nature that dead creatures should preserue life and hauing thus both substance and qualitie God hath giuen vs the free vse of these creatures that wee may take them in full measure with moderation while he himselfe sanctifies both them and vs and giues a blessing to both As it is in their feasts so it is in their funerals as it is in their liues so it is in their deaths nothing but dumbe shewes I neuer see Sir Christopher Hattons tombe because I haue named the Gentleman and that I desire that all things may bee spoken without offence I will giue him his due praise and commendation in his time he was a very honourable minded man no practising statesman first contriuing and then very wisely discouering his owne plots but of faire and ingenious conditions highly fauoured of his Prince and generally beloued of the people and one to whom the present Church of England is as much indebted in true loue and thankfulnes as to any lay subiect that euer liued in this kingdome when I see his tombe me thinkes hee should not bee like the ordinarie sort of our men such huge commendations such titles such pillars such gilding such caruing such a huge monument to couer so small a body as ours it cannot be Send for the Mazons will them to bring hither their instruments and tooles their mattocks spades hammers c. let vs pull downe this tombe see his excellencie and greatnesse let vs take his proportion But stay your hands I will saue you all that labour for I will tell you in briefe if my tale were worth the telling what you shall finde a few rotten bones and a handfull of dust some crawling wormes which haue deuoured this great little man whom we supposed to haue bin as great vnder the earth as wee see his monument statelie mounted aboue ground Is there deceit and cosonage among the dead or rather doe the liuing heires and suruiuors intend their own glorie in the tombe of their ancestors Well howsoeuer liuing or dead man is altogether vanitie deluding the world with shewes and making great appearance of things which are small in themselues Thus we deceiue and wee are deceiued the world is growne old her â—ight begins to faile her she hath put on spectacles and the things of this world seeme farre greater then they are in veritie and truth and greater to vs then they seemed to the ancients Wee carrie I confesse a greater glosse and varnish then they did but certainly for true honour and noblenesse of minde they did farre exceede vs not descending to those base offices and pillages which haue been since practised not so wholly intending their owne lucre as now wee doe Our honour seemes to adde nothing to our cariage our port or expense a Lord with his page a Knight with his lackie here is sufficient attendance pitie it were that a house should stand emptie when a chamber will serue a set table and an ordinarie diet were ouer troublesome some Tauerne or common Ordinarie shall make their prouision to runne in debt with the Mercers and to vndoe the poore tradesmen it is now growne to bee the fashion of the times to carrie an high minde and yet to stoope low and to bite at euery baite these are the fruites of our honour and herein wee dishonour our selues I reuerence true honour acknowledging it a thing onely proper to man the speciall and
this appeares not only in the seuerall persons of men whoÌ„ you may taxe with affections who might mistake in their ends but consider whole mankind and you shall obserue that some nations thinke other nations to be happy in respect of themselues stockes families kindreds do the like and generally all the states of men seeing no iust cause in themselues wherein they might glory begin to commend and desire an other state and condition of life nemo sua sorte contentus The Marchant commends the life of a scholler a schollar desiring some practicall imployments in his speculatiue studies desires the life of a souldier the souldier crieâ— dulce bellum in expertis and hee desires the lawyers gowne and that his combat might only consist in words and his quarrel be tried at the bar Tâ—us we finde a dislike in our owne and suppose some contentment in theirs like sicke men who sometimes turne on the one side sometimes on the other now in the chaâ—â—e then in the bed straight in this roome immediatly in that roome seeking ease and rest but faile in their purposes Seeing we are thus well perswaded of other mens states and courses of life though otherwise wee are in some dislike with our owne I cannot sufficiently discharge mine owne dutie and conscience vnlesse I shall speake of those miseries which are proper and peculiar to euery state in particular As I hope I shal not prouok whole mankind against me when I discouer their fall and corruption so without exception I may speake of the vices and miseries of each state in particular For it is proper to misery to groane proper to sinne for to cry for vengeance neither misery nor sin can long be concealed and it is our greatest misery that we thinke it a shame and a disparagement to our selues to haue them discouered We are not ashamed of the corruption but that it should be made manifest here is our griefe whereas the first degree to the cure is the right knowledge of the disease Heauen and earth standing in opposition to each other the deeper you sinke in the one the more remote you are from the other Suppose these worldly ioyes to be the shadowes of true ioyes as indeed they are no more then the shadowes if I set the shadow before me then the light is behind me if the light be before me the shadow is behind me respecting the one I neglect the other the loue of heauen and of earth cannot together subsist no man can serue two masters The shadow of the earth causeth the eclipse of the Moone and the Moone very fitly resembles the state of man as being the lowest of the celestiall Orbes and in regard of her mutable and changeable condition If I desire to prepare man for a heauenly blisse needes I must first weane him from the moderate loue of his owne flâ—sh laying open the miseries which are incident to whole mankind from which no state is exempted herein I shall follow the example of God himselfe who mixeth all our ioyes with the spice of sorrow and in the last clause of our liues before our death desiring then especially to draw vs to himselfe his prouidence hath so appointed that long diseases should better instruct vs of the true state of this world then all our experience in the whole course of this world Then we see our weakenes our miseries and what we are in our selues then we see the vanity of all our worldly ioyes that so detesting and abhorring them esteeming them no otherwise then indeed they are our whole comfort might reside in the onely hope of his mercy and we be as willing to forsake this world as euer we were to enioy it Thus necessity may seeme to enforce me that I leaue nothing vnsearched where happines might be concealed or hid consider likewise the principall intent of this Treatise for I did propose vnto my selfe foure things in this second part 1. That in discouering our miseries both in our selues and in respect of the creatures we might truly confesse them to be the punishments of sin 2. That our miseries being once discouered and we our selues being truly acquainted with the state of our nature wee might take some dislike and distaste in nature whereby from the depth of our sorrow we might haue safe refuge to the depth of Gods mercy 3. Least there should bee any obstacle in the way to hinder our approch vnto God I thought fit to set our owne tents and Tabernacles on fire to make our home-bred ioyes and delights vanish in smoake for they are but vanities such as should not withâ—hold vs from the pursuit of our happines 4. That being touched with the miseries and no way puffed vp with the vanities we might acknowledge God in both expecting a time of liberty and freedome when God shall wipe away the teares from our eyes and according to his mercy in stead of this shadow shall impart the truth of his happines Intending to speake of the sâ—uâ—râ—ll states of men to search where I might finde out true â—oy and contentment in nature I must confesse that as in all other things so here especially I shall be most defectiue least an offence should be taken where an offence is not giuen God forbid that I should so far wrong mine owne soule and mine owne conscience as that I should iustly offend the least of my brethren though true it is that sore backes must not be touched yet if I shall intend the cure needs I must lance the impostume Suppose I should speake of their miseries with great diligence and good obseruation yet certaine it is that as the actuall sinne of euery man in particular is much more grieuous then his originall so assuredly the iudgements which befal euery priuat man in particular are much greater then these which are incident to the whole nature in generall And of these particular punishments I cannot take any due knowledge but must leaue them tanquam terram remotam incognitam to be searched out by the godly and daily meditation of euery religious and deuout man who in the clause and latter end of the day calling himselfe to the account of his forepassed life together with the actions of that present day shall therein finde the vndoubted fruit oâ— Gods iustice and if our sins haue past without remorse of conscience then this examination wherein we call our selues to account shall serue as a sufficient occasion to stir vs vp to repentance and sorrow vnà cum nube testiâ—â—â— with a cloud of witnesses all our distilling teares all our sobs and our sighs confessing our sins For the common sort of men I might well reckon them among beasts vulgus hominum inter vulgus animalium they are alwayes carried with shewes and neuer apprehend the truth their delights are al beastly they seeme not to haue the least sparke of a spirit this common sort is likewise the poorest sort so
begins our sports for our recreation we runne puffing blowing sweating and weaâ—ied in hunting after butterflyes here is excellent sport indeed for our callings and courses of life we purchase pinnes poynts and cherie-stones these we adueÌ„ture at seuerall games that so very profitably we might increase our stock our wealth and our treasure this is our trade and course of life and heere is thrift and frugalitie from the cradle But in the meane time giue me leaue to complaine of a point of iniustice I protest it is meere iniustice their parents and schoolemasters whip them for idlenesse idlenesse what idlenesse I would they were no more idle themselues in truth they doe them great wrong for they are as painfull as earnest as attentiue to their own gaine as possibly any man can be in his ordinarie vocation there is as great sorrow in the losse of a poynt and as true ioy in the winning of a few pinnes as if they were farre better merchandize If you tell me of the basenesse of the commoditie my answere is that the whole world is but a point all is but vanitie and all consists in the fansie When our stock after a few yeeres is increased then we desire to trade with the merchant-pedler his packe is opened we come to the mart here wee buy lases and glasses bugles and bracelets ribons and roses O the most profitablest member of the Common-wealth nothing grieues vs so much as that we haue not credit to take vp money at interest to buy these rare and excellent commodities as for the Schooles wee cannot yet be resolued nor cannot possibly conceiue why there should be such places of tormeÌ„ts appointed for so little purpose At length wee are conducted to the Vniuersitie where wee begin to admire the rare and incomparable learning of a Sophister who can so punctually discourse of the elements though hee wants money to buy bookes yet he can dispute of the tincture of gold And thus if I shall runne thorough all the seuerall degrees of Schooles from the Lamb-skinne to the Skarlet or if I should diuert my course and consider any other state and condition of life the profession of Law their Magistrates and officers the Citizens with their Companies and Corporations the Courtiers with their honours and dignities I might conclude all with this one axiome in policie that things which consist in appearance are greater furthest off then neerest at hand But I cannot content my selfe thus to runne through the courses of our liues you shall then obserue the strange different iudgements in one and the same man according to the periods of his age as concerning the delights of his age for as we grow elder and elder so we dislike our former condition and therein seeme to accuse it of follie Before wee come to tenne yeeres of age we haue no iudgement at al and therefore we cannot passe our iudgement but being come to those yeeres wee will not bee handled and dallied like children wee will not be so easily led with faire promises but we grow head-strong and thinke our selues wiser then our teachers If once wee attaine vnto twentie then we make choice of the course of our liues if any one shal tell vs of our childishnes or call vs by the most opprobrious name of boyes wee hold it a great disgrace a foule shame and disparagement to our selues for wee seeme so farre to dislike their sports that wee scorne to conuerse with them Comming once vnto thirtie then wee bethinke our selues that the time is come when we might doe the King and the countrey some seruice that the world might take notice of our sufficiencie we doe likewise thinke of our mariage to what stock and familie we might ioyne our selues and we affect nothing so much as wisdome and discretion that leauing the riotous and dissolute courses of young men we might be reputed Sages When once wee arriue vnto fortie then wee begin to feare and distrust lest all our former vaine hopes will faile vs wee will not so much relie vpon others but looke to our selues be carefull to prouide for our wiues and our children enquire after purchases and desire to enlarge our owne meanes When fiftie yeeres are expired then wee take thought of placing our daughters in mariage taking order to prouide for our youngest sonnes and here we begin to affect gouernment experience hath made vs wise we finde the losse of our former errors and if we were to begin the world againe wee would alter our course c. At length sixâ—â—e drawes on when all our care is to settle our estate that no occasion be left to the wrangling contention of posteritie and here we talke much of the Clâ—mactericall yeere and begin to distrust our owne liues If seuentie yeeres doe passe ouer then we expect the reuerence of fathers we are froward and testie and hard to bee pleased the inward griefe makes euery outward obiect seeme to bee a iust occasion of griefe we condemne of follie and vanitie all the courses of life all the states in the world all the actions of men accusing the times when as indeed the alteration consists in our selues vntill a length we bid adiew to all worldly ioyes and betake our selues to our ease expecting our dissolution Suppose a rich man of this world were now vpon the point of death how often should this man bee moued to make his last Will and Testament to leaue all things in quiet and peaceable possession what writings what sealings what witnesses how many Scriueners how many Lawyers should bee imployed when all this time they seeme to neglect that vnum necessarium the preparation of his soule for God that in his death he might be a true Christian sacrifice an oblation fâ—eely offered vp vnto God Suppose I pray' that a few houres were past and this rich man dead and that I could by some strange inchantment raise vp his spirit or make this dead man speake then I would demaund of him what hee thought of the greatnes and glorie of this world Assuredly he would lesse esteeme of all the kingdomes empires wealth and worldly honour then we doe at this time of the toyes and trifles of children and certainly as it is with the dead in respect of vs so shall it be with vs in respect of our posteritie wee forget them and our posteritie shall forget vs wee looke onely to the present and therein losing the dignitie of the reasonable soule which consists in the foresight we are carried like beasts in the strength of our owne apprehension Thus I haue laboured to shew the greatnesse of mans miserie in the truth of his sorrow while all his supposed ioyes and delights seeme to be meere vanities and to consist in the fansie and in his owne apprehension if you doubt of this I will alleage certaine instances that so it may appeare by experience I would heere gladly aske wherein man receiues his greatest
deales with man deceitfully so God frames out his iustice according to measure and rule that man might bewaile his owne punishment for committing the like offence for assuredly many tongues doe much hinder the diligent search of the truth It were to bee wished that we might speake the language of Adam where names were imposed according to the nature of things but now it should seeme there is a great difference for the most pleasing speech adorned with Metaphors and Figures is not the fittest for the discouerie of a truth and on the contrarie all the schoole learning which indeed is the very touch-stone of all truth and in it selfe is most wise and farre transcending the ordinarie capacitie yet suffers the shamelesse and malicious reproch of barbarisme for want of the elegancie of stile and all the first parents and authors thereof who indeed were the lights and lampes of all true learning as Lumbard Sanctus Thomas Scotus Occam yet are contemned and neglected by this poeticall and phantasticall age which delights more in words then in substance To giue an euident proofe of this confusion of tongues how plentifull are the schooles and how doe they abound with multitudes of distinctions all answers must end with distinctions which assuredly wel argueth that if the branches must necessarily be diuided to serue the present turne and occasion yet still the roote is confounded a great iudgement of God that man hauing forsaken the first fruite and hauing associated himselfe to the beasts of the field therfore he proues a stranger to himselfe to his brethren and forgets his owne mother tongue Indeede I haue heard it reported by authors that if a man were taught no other language then hee should speake Hebrew the same language which Adam spake in the beginning but I should as easily beleeue that if a man wanted all possible meanes to sustaine life that then hee should instantly recouer Ierusalem from the hands of the Turks and that God should there call all the tribes together or raise vp Adam there to conuerse and talke with him in the Hebrew tongue as that he should speake naturally Hebrew for the curse was generall in the confusion of tongues though speech be proper and naturall to man yet this or that language followes the franke and free imposition of man and hath no ground-work in nature That which gaue occasion to this opinion was this what language men should speake in Paradise or after the last resurrection supposing that language to bee naturall to man and certainly of all the toâ—gues extant Hebrew is the likeliest for it was of Gods owne imposition and framing before sinne had defiled man it contained the greatest and highest mysteries and of all other tongues seemes to bee the fittest arke to containe them Christ and his Apostles were Hebrewes first sent to the Iewes and then to the Gentiles Vpon the Crosse Christ vsed his owne tongue Eloi eloi lamasabacthani notwithstanding the tongue was vnknowne to the souldiers And in the Apocalyps although the booke was first written in Greeke yet the Angels song in heauen is there recorded in Hebrew but when I consider that man shall haue a higher state then was the state of Paradise and that his bodie shall be much more spirituall and his vnderstanding more illuminated then euer before for we shall then be like the Angels of heauen who speake to each other by directing the edge of their vnderstanding to each other as it were opening the glasses and casting foorth a light to each other Considering I say the different condition of renewing to a better state and continuance in the same state they must pardon me if I doe not affirme this as an vndoubted truth in mine owne priuate opinion From this diuersitie and varietie of tongues you shall obserue a great disorder both in the State and in the Church whence proceedes the enmitie betweene nations and the first occasion of reproch where doe they first begin to discouer themselues but onely from the diuersitie of the garbe and the language To see a poore Northerne man with his gaping wide mouth vsing his broad and flat speech brought vpoÌ„ the stage heere is a subiect of laughter for the multitude but I feare that this hate and enmitie betweene nations doth nourish and adde fuell to the hot strife and contention of the Church in the point of her controuersies or at least I may truly say that infinite are the contentions of the Church about words all which proceed from that curse of man the confusion of tongues which we cannot auoide but seeme rather daily to increase our own shame we fight about shadowes wee contend about words many doubts in Christian religion seeme to be grounded vpon the signification of words and tearmes of art how many Sacraments hath Christ ordained in his Church a question of words doe Sacraments conferre grace ex opere operato a question of words is honour due to the Saints a question of words and such like infinite questions Sometimes in the very exposition or interpretation of words being simple and first notions as the schoole speakes and no tearmes of art there are many great controuersies in Christian religion whether Christ in his sole and humane nature did really and truly descend into hell if wee could agree vpon the exposition of the word it would sufficiently resolue the controuersie or will you see an infernal state here vpon earth whether presbyteri should signifie lay elders or not it hath been much disputed by some men whose zeale is not according to knowledge Thus the holy Ghost being the pen â— maÌ„ of Scripture giuing the stile the words the method as well as the sense if any one of these be altered or changed it loseth the streÌ„gth of the Canon and therefore he that shall take vpon him to interpret Scripture doth only giue his owne exposition of Scripture which exposition being priuate and proper to himselfe I will regard it no more then the opinion of one priuate man so that if in my reading of the Fathers I shall obserue some generall agreement together with their learned iudgements though Scripture be not instantly quoted to that purpose yet I will respect it as much as I will the Geneua translation Lest other professions should thinke much of our iarres I will therefore in the second place instance in the wisedome of the Law what infinite suites are daily commenced when as the whole doubt ariseth from the extent and signification of words A Lordship hauing faire demaines a beautifull house many tenants great seruices and homage sold at a valuable price yet now recald againe caâ—t vpon the heire at common law for want of sufficient words to conuay it As I haue remembred the iust punishment for our sinnes so giue me leaue in thankefulnesse of minde to consider Gods prouidence in this our confusion of tongues And that especially to vs for God in his mercy intending
Heathen and hence they are called diuini Poetae many of their fables had some reference to the truth of a historie in scripture for as truth is most ancient so falsehood would seeme to bee the shadow of truth and to accompanie her thus all their sacrifices and rites carried some shew and resemblance of the sacrifices and ceremonies ordained by Moses As for example among the Iewes themselues you shall finde some spice of this corruption a brasen serpent was appointed as a meanes to cure their wounds and they fell at length to worship this Serpent a Calfe was slaine in sacrifice to pacifie God and in token hereof they set vp a golden Calfe for idolatrie now if this happened to the Iewes Gods chosen people who had the custodie of the law together with a continued succession of Prophets then what might be thought of the Gentiles let vs therefore search among their Poets what proofes and euidences there are yet extant of mans fall and corruption Certaine it is that they deriued their linage from the Gods and they generally held that the soule was diuinae particulaaurae and yet immediatly they forbeare not to speake of the warres which past betweene the gods and the gyants which well argues the opposition and defiance betweene the heauen and the earth as likewise of the strange opposition betweene the flesh and the spirit wherein the flesh seemes to conquer and vanquish hauing the stronger faction and being more powerfull ouer the will inclination of man video meliora proboque deteriora sequor And generally for the whole state of man it was the common complaint of those times that the world did daily degenerate Aetas parentum peior auis tulit nos nequiores mox daturos progeniem vitiosiorem when the Poets so often mention the golden age what doe they else but point out the state of mans first happinesse integritie and innocencie there they did conuerse with their gods for their gods did inhabit in groues gardens and fountaines as if man did then leese God when hee left the garden of Paradise quorum nascuntur in hortis numina this is not to be vnderstoode of garlike or onions but whose gods are as ancient as was their state in the garden then men were numbred among the gods to shew the conformitie of their wils or as our diuines holde there should haue been no death in Paradise but some happie translation then men liued free from the sweate of their browes contentique cibis nullo cogente creat is there was a sweete contentment and quietnesse of minde free from the disturbance of the bodie the fruites of the earth were not gotten with labour nature was not inforced the creation did still seeme to be continued in the production of creatures Would yee see the first sin of the first man shadowed forth in a fable Daedaâ—us would needes be flying but his wings were melted with heate and great was his fall man in the pride of his owne heart would eleuate and raise himselfe aboue the state and condition wherein he was first created â—ritis sicut dij yee shall be like Gods here is the height or exaltation which hee aimes at now marke his downefall praecipitium the breakenecke of man yee shall not dij but die like the beasts of the fielde here is the fruite of his pride but where is the curiositie of his knowledge Prometheus steales fire from Heauen fire may fitly be resembled to knowledge it kindleth it lighteneth it purgeth and is the highest and purest element these properties may well be agreeable to knowledge though not to the curiositie of knowledge but marke the euent Hinc noua febrium terris incubuit cohors as if the sentence wâ—re past morte morieris thou shalt die the death here you see man in himselfe Now for the rebellion of the creatures Actaeon hauing seene Diana the goddesse of wisdome naked with her nimphes straight he becomes a prey to his owne dogges now for the nature of man how it is altered and changed Deucalion is said to haue made men of the stones here you may see a new mould a hard and flintie complexion to conclude obserue their pleasures in the Elisian fields and you shall finde some reference to the garden of Paradise obserue their paines in hell and you shall see the punishment of sinne set sorth in a glasse wherefore should this be assigned vnto Tantalus vt poma fugacia captet were it not for the iustice and satisfaction of some offence committed in the vniust vsurpation of some forbidden fruite Thus I hope by the light of our corrupted reason it hath already sufficiently appeared not onely to vs Christians to whom our vndoubted beleefe which first wee receiued by faith might in processe of time seeme a naturall knowledge and so wholly possesse man as if it were imprinted in mans owne heart but likewise to the ancient Philosophers who were without the knowledge of the true God by the force of their owne reason as likewise to the ancient Poets in their fables and shadowes hauing first receiued it by tradition that many things doe daily befall man which could not happen in the first integritie and institution of his nature and were they not inflicted on man as the iust punishments of sin it could not stand with the goodnesse and iustice of the Deitie to impose them The consideration whereof may fitly informe vs first of the state wherein we are fixed a miserable and sinfull state and the hope of our happinesse whereunto euery man should aspire not to consist within the preâ—incts of this earthly tabernacle but to extend it selfe to a more eminent state of a higher nature and condition secondly reason discerning mans fall it may serue as an abatement to our pride that we might not presume too farre to prie into the high mysteries of Christian religion considering that corruption hath ouerwhelmed the whole man together with all his faculties both sensuall and intellectuall and therefore hee cannot raise himselfe of himselfe when as the ground-worke and foundation which sustaines the whole building is wholly corrupted thirdly as the first fall of man gaue way and occasion to the whole course of Christian religion so reason discerning this fall giues some testimonie to our Christian faith and as farre forth as shee can laies the foundation prepares the way to religion that so the truth of nature might beare witnesse to the truth of grace the one supporting the other the one tending and ending in the other Here I can do no lesse then magnifie the wonderfull prouidence and goodnesse of God for as the knowledge of a disease is the first degree to the cure so man by his owne nature seeing and discerning the corruption of his nature loathing abhorring and detesting this corruption might take some dislike with himselfe seeke for some helpe search for remedie and ease enquire for the Physitian Hee that opened our eyes to see
The second vse of reason is according to the nature of the reasonable soule which is spiritual to raise man from the visible creatures to the inuisible Deity here I cannot but be waile the great curse which hath befalne man for some there are who in their studiâ—s of naturall Philosophy haue had strange flashes of infidelity considering in the Meteors the causes of earthquakes thunders lightnings whirl-winds tempests and the like together with the symptomes signes and fore-runners they begin to doubt of Gods prouidence whether these things befall vs as iudgements or as naturall effects and how powerfull our prayers are for the hindering or hastning of such euents as if the second causes could subsist without their first mouers that parents could ingender without the concurrence of the Sunne Deus in sole te illuminat in igne te calefacit thou takest the free vse of Gods creatures but it is the power of God in the creatures and by the creatures that feeds thee the naturall causes doe not exclude Gods action but rather include it who hath so ordained nature to worke his owne purpose the prognosticall and vndoubted signes doe argue a far greater prouidence of God who before the creation of the world could so dispose of nature as that in his due time hee might worke his owne ends thou seest these signes and behouldest his iudgements a far of if thou shouldest pray thou wouldest thinke it a vaine thing and heere is thy error though God workes by nature and hath in some sort tied himselfe not to make any new creature yet God hath not so bound himselfe to worke only by nature but that sometimes he will interpose his own extraordinary power which is a prerogatiue inseparable from the deity otherwise there should be a far greater certainty in the whole course of naturall and iudiciall Astrology But suppose that man knew Gods full resolution and determinat will yet are not the prayers of the faithfull vneffectuall for we are to pray for the fulfilling of that will fiat volâ—â—t as tua and the reason is giuen by the diuines vt nos possimus capere quod ille praeparat dare that wee may not be found most vnworthy of those blessings which hee himselfe intends freely to bestow if with my prayers I could not preuent his iudgements yet my prayers would alter the nature of those iudgements from iudgements to be fatherly corrections and chastisements and would likewise inable vs with patience and humility to beare our burthen to stay his leisure and to expect our happie deliuerance Others considering the little change and alteration of this world doubt of Gods prouidence and his act of creation whether this world had any beginning but how vnfit are they to iudge of the creation according to the present condition of things in the same state wherein they now stand for all their knowledge is borrowed from the course of nature and not from the birth of nature as if they should consider the riuer Nilus the streame the bankes the â—bbing the flowing yet in regard of the large circuit passing thorough many Prouinces and nations they should neuer be able to search out the spring or the fountaine but doth not reason informe them that there must be a different condition between the beginning of things and their continuance their preseruation nourishment and growth Man is not now daily fed as hee was at first in the wombe there is not the like vse of the nauill which at this time seemes to be almost needles and vnprofitable and serues only to fasten the liuer and bowels there is a great difference between the hatching of egs and the keeping of chickens least man should presume to iudge of the creation by the preseruation of nature therfore hath God taught in euery the least creature a great disparity between both Surely to a right iudgement Gods prouidence and actions doe more manifestly appeare by the little and small alteration in nature for I would gladly aske if a clocke or instrument of iron were made which should daily want mending would ye commend the worke-man but suppose this clocke should continue for â—any yeeres perfect and sound without reparation then certainly the work-man should haue his due praise commendation so is it in the frame of this world which hath now continued for many thousand yeeres without alteration and change and therefore therein Gods prouidence power and protection doth more eminently appeare then if God should daily creat new formes of creatures and should alter and change the present condition and state of this world which he himselfe in his great wisdome hath already contriued supporting and preseruing it by the same power wherewith he created it For otherwise creatures should bee dissolued the earth should haue no stable foundation amidst the ayre and the waters the whole world should reele and tumble in the wast desarts of an infinit vacuum and as nature was made of nothing so it should haue a power to returne againe to the same nothing as being the first matrix or proper place whereunto of it selfe being left to it selfe it is naturally inclined for it is a worke of as great difficulty and of as high excellency to preserue as at first to create non minor est virtus quà m quaerere parta tueri to establish and continue the gouernment is a worke of no lesse glory then at first to obtaine the conquest But alas woe is me that euer I was borne I could heartily wish that my tongue did cleaâ—e to the roofe of my mouth so that I had not iust occasion to make my complaint in this sort for now I will speake of a curse which hath befallen man in the point of his religion a curse of al other curses the greatest that religion which is the sole comfort and solace of man which erects our hopes and in the middest of misery giues vs true ioy of heart and peace of conscience religion I say which proclaimes a new heauen and a new earth consisting only of happines where Princes shall be without subiects and the greatâ—esse of the one shall not inforce a necessity or relation in the other where all shall bee great and all shall bee called the sonnes of the highest Religion religion I say through the diuersity of sects of schismes and of heresies proceeding from the malignitie and curse of mans nature and from that first father of enmity qui super seminauit zizania who will not feare to approch euen to the highest pinnacles of the temple that religion I say should now at length disquiet mens thoughts molest their mindes and almost distract them in so much that they know not which way to take but stand very doubtfull euen in the necessary points of their saluation Christ is become a stumbling blocke the truth of religion by the corruption of our nature giuing occasion to the falshood of religion as in ancient times the
feceris doe not that to another which thou wouldest not haue done to thy selfe whereas all other creatures doe accompanie together without any teaching or precepts of arts onely by their owne naturall inclination Thus then you see that the foundation of all arts and sciences seemes to lay this for a ground-worke the fall and corruption of man that notwithstanding his birth-right the dignitie of his nature the high prerogatiue of his state yet in most of his actions you shall finde him much defectiue farre inferior to the condition of all other creatures cleane contrarie to the common course and current of nature and therefore you cannot conceiue but that his corruption hath crept into nature since the first institution thereof Not onely the occasion and first grounds of all sciences and arts doe testifie mans fall but likewise many particular opinions doe poynt out this truth whereof I will forbeare to speake assuredly they had an implicite knowledge concealed as a misterie though not openly knowne in expresse tearmes for otherwise you should neuer heare such complaints and accusations made against nature that she was a step-mother and rather intended the destruction of man then to commiserate the poore wretched estate of man You should neuer haue seene them so much abhorre the actions of nature as it were ashamed of their owne nature for not onely the faithfull and beleeuing men haue hated and detested their owne flesh strugling and contending with nature euen here in her owne denne denying vnto themselues all the pleasures and delights of this world but likewise Heathen Pagans Infidels they haue beene in some sort as I may so say very mortified men and God hath rewarded them accordingly whether it were for our example the rather to stirre vs vp to the like actions or God louing the thing hee did likewise loue the shadow of it and reward it with temporall happinesse which is the shadow of our true happinesse Thus it pleaseth God to require morall vertues with morall blessings the Midwiues of Egypt for sparing the Israelites they shall finde fauour c. If some there were who did delight in vncleannesse and would denie the corruption then here acknowledge the corruption of man in this deniall of his corruption that he is borne in a prison borne in darkenesse that as yet he hath neuer seene light or tasted any true happinesse and therefore supposeth his owne slauish and base condition to bee the height and scope of his birth-right and surely God for the punishment of mans curiositie hath so fitly ordained it that the knowledge of nature should be fully and exactly perfited by some higher knowledge sacred Theologie which he himself would reueale As you see there is an order in arts the principles of one are here presupposed yet confirmed by the strength of a superior art which as a Lady or mistres directs the inferior for it cannot bee denied but that of all other parts of Philosophie the Metaphysicks wherein the fall of man together with the institution of his nature might fitly haue been handled are the most imperfect in so much that in reading the Metaphysicks we seeme to leese Aristotle in Aristotles owne workes and since his time not any man to my knowledge was euer able to reduce the Metaphysicks to the strict forme of a Science From the theorie of Philosophie let vs come to the practicall part it is not vnknowne to the Chimicks in their distillations whose office it is secornere purum ab impuro validum ab inualidâ— to make a separation of such things as corrupted nature hath alreadie vnited either of the good substance from the drossâ— or of the wholesome and sound medicine from the poysonous infection that all malignitie and poyson consists onely in the vpper crust of things in rerum superficie the deeper you diue into the substance of any creature the more you shall acknowledge the goodnesse and perfection of the creature as if they did discerne in nature that all things in their owne proper essence were good not onely as they are creatures but as they are ordained for mans vse and seruice in their owne roote and in their first ground of nature they are freed and priueledged from all poyson and infection only some after-chance some ill husbandman came who after the sowing of the good wheate did sowe his own cockle Thus the euill in nature could not together subsist with the first ordination of nature for proofe whereof you shall obserue that the first thing which euaporates and cannot by any meanes endure the triall of the fire is that poysonous matter which flies at first sight at the first approach and encounter as being guiltie to it selfe harboured in anothers nest and therefore dares not iustifie it selfe desiring to auoide the pursuite and chase and to saue it selfe with his owne slight And hence it is that all the preparation of our meate not onely for the rawnesse but likewise for the poyson and infection is to be performed by the vse and ministerie of fire as it were prefiguring that at the generall combustion of this world there should bee the purifying and cleansing of all the elements euery thing shall be refined fire it selfe shall be purged by fire and nature shall bee restored to her first perfection and integritie Thus by the Chimicall operations it appeares that the euill and poyson of creatures hath polluted nature since the first institution thereof now if you please to compare these good and euill qualities together it will be manifest that the euill hath farre surpassed the good by many degrees and therefore doe vndoubtedly conclude that whole nature is corrupted for in their extractions their best and purest substance hath onely a limited goodnesse and serues onely for some vse and purposes but for the drosse or ill substance they deeme it wholy vnprofitable and had it not beene a former subiect to vphold the better qualities were it not as a stocke reserued to fill vp some place and roome in nature they would iudge it to be simplie euill And thus by their Chimicall workes they doe easily discerne that this euill hath crept into nature and being once admitted and harboured in nature this euill seemes in a large measure to ouerflowe and surpasse the better qualities of nature yet here is our comfort that as wee are able by the force and violence of fire to separate the drosse from the good substance so this euill which hath now corrupted nature is not of the essence of nature but nature shall at length subsist by vertue of Gods powerfull and quickening spirit without this her malignitie As the Philosophers afforded some proofes of this fall deriued from the reasonable soule her faculties and all the workes of nature so for the body and sense I will make bolde to borrow some arguments from the Poets who were indeede their ancient and first diuines such as were best acquainted with the religion of the