It was the opinion of Origen long since condemned for erronius, that the diuels might be saued, and his reason was because they had liberum voluntatis arbitrium, which might perhaps change and encline to the desyre of good, and soe through repentaunce obteyne mercy; but the diuels are soe obdurate in their malice that though they may have stimulum conscienciæ, yet they can neuer come ad correptionem gratiæ, and in that opinion Origen is said Πλατονιζειν non Χριστιανιζειν. Another prop to his opinion was Jacobs ladder, where he imagined the descending and ascending of angels could meane nothing but the fall and restitution of angels.
The second example is the drowning of the world, a descent from heaven to earth in judgments. The world is termed κοσμοϛ of the Grecians, from the excellent beauty thereof, and of the Lattynes mundus, quia nihil mundius, but here it is used to expresse the universalitie of the destruction, as the hystorie declares it Gen. vi. 7, etc. vii. 21, 22, 23, 24: God destroyed euery thing that was vpon the earth from man to beast, to the creeping thing, and to the foule of the heaven, onely the fishes escaped, and the reason one rendreth was because the sea onely was undefiled at that tyme; there was then noe sayling upon that element, noe pyracie and murder committed upon it, noe forrein invasion intended over it, noe trafficque with the nations for straunge comodities, nor for one an others synnes and vices; all the other creatures were polluted by man, and were [to] be purged with
that floud. The ayre as farr as our eyes could looke and fascinate, even the foules as far as our breath could move, were infected with the contagion thereof; all were uncleane, all were to be clensed or punished. fo. 49.
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1602. The greatnes of their number cannot excuse, but aggrauates the offence. A multitude may synn and their synn is more grievous, qui cum multitudine peccat, cum multitudine periet; and for the most part, the most are the worst. It is noe sound argument, it is well done because many doe so. The fox brings forth many cubbes, and the lyon hath but one whelpe at once, yet that is a lyon, and more then manie foxes. The harlot boasts that shee had manie moe resorted to hir house then Socrates to his schole, but hir followers went the way of darknes.
"And brought in the floud:" and therefor a miracle supernatural wrought by the finger of God, not as some imagine by the conjunction of waterishe planets, soe atributinge all to and confirming all by naturall meanes, they say the world shalbe destroyed by fire, as it was by water, when there shall happen the like conjunction of firy, as there was of watery planets; but beleeve God, whoe sayth Ego pluam. And this was against nature to destroy hir owne workes. The length of the rayne, forty dayes, the continuaunce of the waters for twelve monethes, the dissolucion of soe muche ayre with water as should make a generall deluge. These are directly against the rules of naturall philosophie, besydes the influence of a planet never stretcheth beyond his hemisphere, all which shewe plainely, that it was the miraculous worke of God, not effected by the course of nature. This was not imber in furore missus, to destroy or famishe some particular city or country, of which kinde of baptismes our land hath within fewe yeares felt many, but this made the sea, which before made but one spheare with the earth, as man and wife make but one flesh, breake the boundes of modesty and overflowe the whole; that which before was the girdle of the earth, nowe girt it, but in such a fashion, that it stiffled all. It was such a dropsie in the world, that our simples having lost their former virtue, we were permitted to eat flesh for the preseruacion of our liues, which before were prolonged with the naturall fo.
49b.
October, 1602.herbes and fruits of the earth, more hundreds then nowe they can bee scores with our best helpes of art or nature.
But it may be said, What, will God punishe the goode with the wicked? Will he drownd, all together, the righteous and the bad? Will he say Pereant amici, modo pereant inimici? Will he command stragem tam amicorum quam hostium? Shall his judgments be like the nett in the Gospell, that catcheth good and bad togither? Noe, for he punished the old world. This floud was his sope and nitar to scoure of the filth, to seuer the good from the euill, the wheat from the chaffe. He brought the floud upon the ungodly, but he "saued Noah, the eighth person;" a small number, a child may tell them, a poore number, pauperi est numerare, but eight persons saved. Those tymes were evil, but there are worse dayes not instant but extant, wherein iniquitie prescribes hypocrisie, settes hir hand to manie false bills, settes downe one hundred for ten, the whole is overflowne with all wickednes, &c. The second part is God's mercy, but he "saued Noah" like a ring on his finger, he kept him as writing in the palme of his hand, as the apple of his eye, and as a seale on his heart. He built him a castle stronger then brasse, and lockt him up in the arke like a jewell in casket. He preserved him safe in a wodden vessell amongst the toppes of mountains, in a world of waters, without card, tacleing, or pilot. He was saued between judgment and judgment, like Susanna betwixt the twoe elders, like the Children of Israell betweene two walles of water in the Red Sea, like Christ betweene the two theiues; soe that it may be truly sayd, it was noe meaner a miracle in sauing Noah, then in drowning the whole world.
fo. 50.
October, 1602.
But "saued Noah, the eight person, a preacher of righteousnes." Here is a banner of hope to all that feare God. When Justice was running hir course like a strong giant to haue destroyed the whole world, Mercy mett, encountered, and told hir that she must not touch Gods anoynted, nor doe his prophetes anie harme. There was Noah, "a preacher of righteousnes," and he must be spared, he was a preacher, not a whisperer in corners, singing to himselfe and his muses. This Noah was the hemme of the world, the remnant of the old, and the element of the newe: he was communis terminus, the first shipwright, and yet "a preacher of righteousnes." Nowe concerninge the estimacion of preachers in auncient tymes, and the contempt of that calling in these dayes, their high account with God, and their neglect with men, from hence he said he could paradox manie conclusions which tyme forced him to ouer slip. But in this age lett a preacher be as aunciently discended and of as good a parentage, bee as well qualified, as soundly learned, of as comely personage, as sweete a conversation, have a mother witt, and perhaps a fathers blessing to, lett him be equall in all the giftes and ornamentes of nature, art, and fortune to a man of an other profession, yet he shall be scorned, derided, and pointed at like a bird of diuers strange colours, and all because he beares the name of a preacher.
fo. 50b.
October, 1602.