God doubtlesse makes her, and doth make her good,
And graffes her in the body, there to spring;
Which, though it be corrupted, flesh and blood
Can no way to the Soule corruption bring:
And yet this Soule (made good by God at first,[110]
And not corrupted by the bodie's ill)
Euen in the wombe is sinfull, and accurst,
Ere shee can iudge by wit or chuse by will.[111]
Yet is not God the Author of her sinne
Though Author of her being, and being there;
And if we dare to iudge our Iudge herein,[112]
He can condemne vs, and Himselfe can cleare.
First, God from infinite eternitie
Decreed, what hath beene, is, or shall bee done;
And was resolu'd, that euery man should bee,
And in his turne, his race of life should run:
And so did purpose all the soules to make,
That euer have beene made, or euer shall;
And that their being they should onely take
In humane bodies, or not bee at all.
Was it then fit that such a weake euent
(W[e]aknesse it selfe,—the sinne and fall of Man)
His counsel's execution should preuent,
Decreed and fixt before the World began?
Or that one penall law by Adam broke,
Should make God breake His owne eternall Law;
The setled order of the World reuoke,
And change all forms of things, which He foresaw?
Could Eue's weake hand, extended to the tree,
In sunder rend that adamantine chaine,
Whose golden links, effects and causes be,
And which to God's owne chair doth fixt remaine.[113]
O could we see, how cause from cause doth spring!
How mutually they linkt and folded are!
And heare how oft one disagreeing string
The harmony doth rather make then marre?
And view at once, how death by sinne is brought,
And how from death, a better life doth rise,
How this God's iustice, and His mercy tought:
We this decree would praise, as right and wise.