Meditations Upon the Misery of Mankind 2, Part 5
The wickedneſſe which now reigneth.
MOreouer the contempt of the vvorld borne of the louelove of God ſhal at lēgth grow to hatred of the world, when that beſides the vanity and miſery of it, he ſhall contemplate the miſchiefe and enmity againſt the Almighty, which there reigneth; when beſides that vanity which ſome doe lay open to the view of all, he wil repreſent to himſelfe the iniquities which are cloſely kept, & the treaſons, adulteries, murders which are priuatly and lurkingly committed; when he ſhall conſider the vials of Gods wrath and diſpleaſure powred generally vponupon humane kinde. For in the conſideration of this vvorld, it behooueth vsus to leaue out no part of it, but to obſerue all manner of Nations & people, amongſt which there are many Pagans, which not only by a Conſequent, but alſo by expreſſe profeſſion adore the Deuill. The Eaſt Indies dedicate their Tēples to him, and honour him with all reſpect. The Weſt Indies are afflicted and tormented ordinarily with euil Spirits. In moſt part of the North lurking deceipts, and aſſuming ſtrange ſhapes are very commō amongſt the Inhabitāts: Sorcery is there an ordinary profeſſion; & the Divel raigneth without contradiction. Jn that Country, which did once flouriſh, where the Apoſtles had planted ſo happily the Holy Goſpell, the churches are nowe changed into Moſquees, and Temples of Idolatry; In the Weſt the head of the viſible Church is become an earthly Monarck: & banks are erected in thoſe places where in time paſt was the houſe of God. Amongſt thoſe erroneous and envious people are ſcatterēd the Iewes, which blaſpheme againſt Ieſus Chriſt, and having perſecuted him in his life do iniuriouſly wrōg him after his death. The Country from whence come decrees and orders for Religiō, hath in it publique brothell houſes, and Sodomy is there an vſuall cuſtome: Here it is alſo where doubts in religiō that concerne a mans faith are decided in the midſt of corruption.
There only remaineth in the world a handfull of people which ſerue Jeſus Chriſt in truth and verity, and they can ſcarce receiue breath in this aire which is ſo contrary to them, being here as fiſhes without water, as the remainder of great Maſſacres, as pieces of boards ſcattered after the breaking of a great veſſel: And yet neuertheleſſe amongſt theſe few (which are ſubſtracted out of the reſt of the world,) Corruption doth encreaſe, as a Cancre or vlcer. Quarrels, vanity, ſuperfluity in apparell, Avarice, ambition, ſumptuouſnes, which ſpendeth fooliſhly, doeth infect the one part of this ſmal troupe. For God is il ſerued in priuat families, their almes are colde; they pray ſeldome; & read never: In briefe a cōtagion of vices, by converſing with our adverſaries, doeth infect vsus, vvhichwhich is the firſt ſtep to ſuperſtition: For error creepes in to vsus by vice, and ſpirituall fornication by corporall. Jf therfore where God is moſt purely knowne, he be there il ſerued: Hovv much more amōgſt the reſt of the world? If vices do harbor within the Sanctuary, hovv much more in the body of the Church, and habitatiō of the wicked? Therefore Chriſt doth rightly call Sathan the Prince of the world, & Peter doth iuſtly vvrite in the 2. of the Actes Saue your ſelues from that perverſe generation. For Sathan lyeth in ambuſh for vsus all; this age is infectious: vices are like vntounto glue; temptatiōs ſtrong: our enimies mightie: our ſelues feeble & ignorāt: & the vvay of Saluation narrow, and full of thornes: and few there be (ſaith Chriſt) that finde it. And thoſe which finde it, do not alwaies keepe it: but many, hauing knowne the truth, do leaue it, and returne to their vomit. Let vsus know then a place ſo dangerous, that we may paſſe by as ſtrangers, which do not only paſſe but alſo run from it, flying from the world, to come vntounto God. For we ſhal neuer hauehave repoſe vnleſſe wee reſt our ſelues vpō him. The heauen moueth alwaies, and yet it is the place of our reſt: on the contrary the Earth reſteth alwaies, and yet it is the place of our motion. The Quadrantes & Horologies imitate the motion of Heauen: but the faith of the beleeuers doeth imitate the reſt which is aboue all. Vlyſſes did more eſteeme the ſmoake of his owne houſe, then the flame of an others; Howe much more thē would he eſteeme the flame of his owne chimney than the ſmoake of anothers? We are here ſtrāgers, this is not our houſe, our habitation is in heauen. Let vsus compare the ſmoake of this ſtrange houſe, and the darkeneſſe of the Earth with the beauty and ſplendor of our ovvne dvvelling, vvhichwhich is in the kingdōe of Heauē. Here is the raigne of Sathan; there the kingdome of God. Here is a valley of teares; there the height of mirth. Here wee ſovv in ſorrovve; there vvee reape in Ioy; Here we ſee the light of the Sunne through tvvo little holes, vvhichwhich are called the eies: there vvee receiue light from God on every ſide, as if vve vvere all Eyes.
Therefore becauſe God is all in all. To him be honor and glory in this vvorld, and in the world to come. Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Peter du Moulin Jr, Meditations Upon the Misery of Mankind 2 (1609)