4 R,m.B, az. Geu.3. tb. De vénenis ob- fer. r. Rhot. ER.4. t3. Eccluf. at. 24, t Tim. z 14 Pfal, 16, tr. WiL 7:3. Greg. Eccl. 1, ult. Job 14. 3. ALapide in Dan. ta. a. Virg. h notdead. Ndtrtires rood night. But the forrows of Woman, it seems, exceed the calamities of a (Ingle Nation, ruine; for when Sc. Paul would exprefs the univerfal suffering of the whole Crea don from Adams fir(t groan to the la(t fishof the la(t creature, he Pays but evradY'os+, it travjileth in pains together. Not only the fufferingof the Creation but of the Creator , thofe unparalell'd and unexpreffible pains of Chrifl on the Crofs to redeem us from pains under the Crofs. Sc. Peter having no word of heavier or bitterer fignification, lays ?i,One vàe Idiom T' Zssidre, Aït. 2. 24. the pains, or pangs, or travail. of death, indeed the sorrows firfl threatned to woman for her firfl being in tranf- greffon. Now tell me, Beloved, is not she a fit emblem of mifery, who is fo fruitful a mother of it ? Mu(} she not have a mighty fpawn of mifery at home, who brings forth such numerous tholes of farrowseveryday and every where ? Or its woman in general like her in Forefiue, healthful in her felf and poyfonous to all others ? Shall the whole Creation groan, and sheonly fing ? Shall Effer think to escape more than all the Jews ? No, but as Nary weeping at Chrilbs Sepulchre, did reprefent the (late ofmankind, fo is woman here not only the occafion but figure of allhumane mifery. Of the womancame the beginning of fin, and through her we all die. Quemcunyue miferum videosbominem fags. Mifery is the pro- per heraldry of mankind, man is no longerman, than whiles he is calatnitable ; advance him above woe, and you (hall feat him in heaven, There only is plea- fare for evermore. The world is a fea, into which we lanch upon the water of our own tears ; the firft voice is crying, as do all ; and the first falutation the Mcxicanes give their Infants is, Thou art come into the world to fiefer; endure, (utter and holdthy peace. Et vitanofira naviganti fmilis, we fail through our lives in forrow for others, and fufferance for our {elves, in a valley of tears ; and at death,' drawing -nigh the port, they that follow us, land us in thegrave with theirtears. So the circle of life is made up, beginning and ending in tears, as the old world, Gen.. s. 2: begun, and Gen. 7.24. ended in waters. Moreover, we have an unhappy kind of thrift to improve this flock of forrow by ftudy, memory, and anciciparion. In much wisdom is muchgrief, and bethat increafeth .knowledge increafttb frrow, by fearching into pof(ible evils, which the unthinking man avoids; the memory of negleaed opportunities, and the fear 5f accidental evils torment us, .whatfoever the mif- conceit prefenrs to the phantafie, (height we are polefled with it; the fmalefl probability anfing from any omen that may forefpcak an ill, diftraóls our minds with an excefs of fear; fo we torture our Ielves wi.h that which maybe a long time coming, and perhaps not light at all. Not to grieve you with farther confideration of our griefs, be it enough to fay, That he mifery of our body is the body of mifery ; but the mifery cf our foul is the very foul of mifery. And as manthat isborn of a woman is of few days, and ful of trouble, fo woman that is begotten by man, is not of long time, nor empty of trouble. Certainly She is not. Thus have ye the Chronicleand Map of our life, the rime and flare, ihiNt in number, deep in forrow ; a confideration able to batter down all imaginary palaces wheresoever ereëled, either to Eternity or Felicity, in this world. Non femme hopes mundi incola, fed advena ; an Indian Prince told Alexander. We have here no abiding City, no city for pleafnre, nor abiding for duration : But few andevil havethe days of my life been, isthe fum of all ; Ex una difce emnes,. Here flee was, but is not. Her Condition Negative : Her foul is abfent from her body, yet I cannot fay it carried away all life, finer the body is asit wereanimated with hope; for where hope is there is force life ; Hope is lively, a Pet t. 3. which is fomething more than living Hope hath a reviving faculty, Gen. 45. 27. Jacobs hope to fee Jofeph revived his (pint: And David embalms his body with this hope of refurreélion, Ppd. 16.9. t My ficfh (hall rest ha hope, So dye we may fay the did, but dead (he is not. Neither Y
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=