The Christian Warfare Part 2, Book 2 · Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII.
Of the miseries which are specially incident vntounto all the ages of man.
ANd these are the miseries which are generally§. Sect. 1. Of mans miseries which he is subiect vntounto in his mothers wombe. incident to mankind. VntoUnto which we may adde those which are specially belonging to all ages and estates; for no sooner hauehave we our being, then we be in miserie; and long before we breath the aire, we draw in corruption, and are infected with the poison of sin: before we can sinne we are sinners▪ as being heires of our first parents transgression, and defiled with our next parents corruptions; and we offend God, before we know what it is to offend him: for with our parents seed is mixed the seeds of all manner of sinne, and as we grow and wax strong, so sinne with vsus groweth vntill it come to ful maturity. Euen in our first conception we also conceiue corruption; and then the foundation of wickednesse is laid, vponupon which in the whole course of our life we build vp the strong holds of sinne. Then we are Atheists, Idolaters, blasphemers, Sabbath-breakers, adulterers, murtherers, theeues, false witnes-bearers, not by actuall transgression, but by an habituall disposition; and as we are said to be men, because we hauehave in vsus the image of man, and seeds of humanitie, though we neuer did any manly action, seeing nothing is wanting but growth and maturitie: so by as good right we are called sinners of all kinds, because we hauehave the nature and very image of sinne, and the seeds of all corruptions liuing in vsus, which if we grow will grow with vsus; and come to full ripenes, if we euer attaine vntounto perfect age. And thus Dauid confessed, that he was borne in iniquitie, yea that hisPsalme 51. 5. Iob 14. 4. and 25. 4. mother conceiued him in sinne: and Iob demandeth, who can bring a cleane thing out of filthines, or how man can be cleane which is borne of a woman? And the Apostle telleth vsus, that by Rom. 5. 12.one man sinne entred into the world, and death by sin; and so death went ouer all man, because all men had sinned. Now what a miserie is this to be sinners, as soone as we be men? to be poisoned in the very fountaine and leprous in the very first principles of nature, seeing our sicknesse is the more incurable, because it is hereditarie? to be dead in sinne, as soone as we areParentes nostri fecetunt damnatum, antequam na…um. Bernard. aliue to the world, the slaues of Satan, before we are out of the prison of the wombe, and in the state of damnation, before we are in the state of the liuing? And as we are thus miserable in our spirituall estate when we are first conceiued: so our outward and corporal condition is also full of wretchednesse; for what are our matter and first principles, but a baso excrement of nature and impure seed? what is the habitation of the noblest, but the strait and darke p…ison of the wombe, inuironed with the filth of nature? and what is his nourishment, but the impurest part of his mothers blood? But though it be a prison in respect of misery, yet not in respect of safety, for the child in the wombe is sicke of the mothers diseases, furfetted with her in temperance, and pined with her want, it is subiect to eueryevery rush, & endangered with eueryevery sproi…e, eueryevery small bruise bringing with it a maime, & eueryevery maime, monstrous misshape. Finally, it is in danger of stifling, before it breathe, of choaking before it feed, and the wombe in which it is borne, is oftentimes the tombe in which it is buried.
But say that he escapeth the dangers of the wombe; say he§. Sect. 2. Of mans miseries in his birth. perisheth not with the miseries of these nine moneths close imprisonment; yet how great paine and perill indureth he, when the day commeth of his mothers deliuerance and his libertie? vntounto what torments doth he vnwittingly put her, who hath so long borne and nourished him; himselfe bearing a great part in these paines and miseries? how faine are they to part the one from the other, and yet what sorrow is there at their parting? into what dangers and extreame hazard are both exposed, the mother in bearing, and the child in suffering? how many are there which depart, as soone as they are parted, perishing on the coast as soone as they are launched out into this sea of miseries? and they which could no longer liue together, die because they are seuered and put asunder: no maruell therefore if they are borne weeping and crying, not onelyonly presaging …uture miserie, but as feeling present paine; receiuing these first sorrowes of their birth as the earnest of all the rest, which they are to suffer in their ensuing life. For though he escape these dangers, and recouer of the hurts which he sustained in his first conflict, yet what is the prolonging of his life, but the increasing of his torments? seeing man aboue al other creatures is compassed with miseries; for whereas they are able as soone as they come into the world, to stand, go, and helpe themselues, wanting but few things, all which they find ready for them: man as soone as he is borne, being poore, naked, and miserable, wanteth many things, and hath nothing to make supplie; hee standeth in need of milke to feed him, clothes to couer him, fire to warme him, nurses to tend him, being altogether vnable to helpe himselfe. He hath no vse of vnderstanding to know his wants, nor speech to discouer them, onelyonly he giueth some generall notice of them by his bitter crying. He cannot goe, stand, or creepe, nor with all his wit and strength repell the iniuries of a sillie flie. And in this impotencie he continueth long, bringing much trouble to others, before hee hath any pleasure in himselfe. In respect of which present and ensuing miseries, Ieremie wisheth that his mothers bellie had been Ier. 20. 17. 18.his graue, and her wombe a perpetuall conception, because hee came forth of the wombe to see labour and sorrow, and that his daies should be consumed with shame.
But proceed we from the birth to the infancie and childhood§ Sect. 3. Of the miseries of infancie, childhood, and …outh. of man, and here we shall find no immunity from miseries; but rather as they increase, so these increase with them, and grow stronger with their strength. For no sooner are poore infants deliuered from the prison of the wombe, but they are presently bound hand and foot, and wholly at the dispose of others, as not hauing obtained liberty, but onelyonly changed the prison and place of their restraint; and all the time of this infancie being without knowledge and vnderstanding, and darkened with more then brutish ignorance, is spent in naturall actions, eating, drinking, sleeping, crying and such like, being destitute of all worldly delights and comforts, and onelyonly sensible in griefes and miseries. Next vntounto infancie succeedeth childhood, which as it hath more sport and pleasure, so also more feare and danger; for no sooner can they goe, but presuming aboue their strength, they get many fals and bruises; and hauing legs to carrie them, and little wit to guide them, they are exposed to many casualties, and except they hauehave the better tendance, are ouertaken with many dangers. And when a few more yeeres are ouerpast, after they begin a little to rellish pleasures, and to take delight in sports and pastimes, presently they are checked in them by their superiours, and subiected to the gouernment of some master, who restraineth them of their liked liberty, and forceth them to follow their loathed studies. And now being kept in awe, they begin to distast the bitternesse of limited liberty; and either play with feare, or learne with tedious wearinesse, hauing their eye on their booke, and their hearts on their pastimes, and being forced with feare to displease themselues, whilest vnwillingly they please their ouerseers, so that now againe they recall in their wishes the impotencie and ignorance of infancie, that they might also recouer their secure liberty: or finding that impossible, they set spurres to running time, and wish the end and death of this seruile age, that being set at liberty, they may be at their owne dispose without controll. VntoUnto which when they hauehave attained, and pulling their necke out of the yoke of subiection, hauehave together with the age the priuiledges and liberty of youth, they are as farre from happinesse, and full of miserie as they were before: for now it fareth with them as with the bird which hath been brought vp in the cage, who …earcheth eueryevery hole and corner to find a passage for her escape, and at length finding the doore open flieth out, and reioyceth in her new got liberty; but with little cause: for wanting wit and experience to shift and prouide for her selfe, she is presently endangered to killing by reason of her tamenes; or of staruing, because she knoweth not how to get her liuing. Or like a new backed colt, who hauing cast his rider, doth for a while with frollicke wantonnesse course about the field, but being spent and tired, he wisheth himselfe in the stable, subiect againe to his masters rule, that he also may be partaker of his prouision. So these yonger prodigals, hauing shaken off the yoke of gouernment, and being wholly at their owne dispose, doe wildly runne many desperate courses, expose themselues to innumerable dangers, and hauing neither the skill of getting nor care of keeping, they consume all in riot and voluptuous pleasure, till their state is brought to so low an ebbe, that they are ready to starue for want of necessaries, who before surfetted of superfluitie, and to be in truth fellow-commoners with the hogs in their course fare of mast and draffe, who before were like vntounto them in the allegorie, glutting themselues with pleasures, and wallowing in carnall and sensuall delights. And howsoeuer they hauehave now got a name of liberty, yet in truth they were neuer in the like thraldome; seeing they hauehave changed the gouernment of one father or master, into the tyrannie, or rather anarchie of innumerable passions: and reason being not yet seated in his throne, they are like the people of Israel without a king, who did nothing well, because they did eueryevery one what they would; and whereas their other gouernours ruled with discretion, aimed at their good, restrained them from running on in licencious courses, and kept them in some good order; these new guides, like lords of misrule, leade them with headlong rashnesse into all desperate attempts, riot, excesse; and all kind of disorder, which seemeth but to promise the present fruition of some vaine delight. Now fond louelove, and filthie lust, madde anger, and furious reuenge, proud emulation, and scornefull contempt, vngrounded hopes, and causelesse feares, immodest wantonnesse, and immoderate mirth; sports and pastimes no lesse ful of sinne and vanity, then of harme and dangers, and voluptuousnesse in all kinds, as surfetting, gluttonie, drunkennesse, gaming, whoring, rioting and reuelling, swaggering and swearing, are in their ful strength, and chiefe predominance; which if they yeeld vntounto, they find themselues tossed from one to another and neuer at rest, and as it were distracted and haled betweene so many furies, which day and night haunting them, carrie them headlong into innumerable dangers of body, soule, and state, wherein many suffer shipwracke, and are deuoured of these inticing. Syrens; and they who escape with life, are so shaken and shattered, so full of leakes and rifts, that with much paines and difficultie they arriue at the hauen of safety; where they hauehave iust cause to spend the remainder of their daies, in bitter repentance lamenting the errours, and ill-guided courses of their sinfull and vnbridled youth. Or if God giuegive them grace to resist their passions in their full strength; how tedious and troublesome is their taske? with how many foiles and wounds doe they obtaine the victorie? how often are they ready to yeeld, and to looke backe to Sodome with strong desires of inioying her sinfull pleasures? Finally, how hard and difficult doe they find it to resist their naturall corruptions in their full vigour, to spend their time in fasting, watching, reading, hearing, and praying, when as corrupt nature with her full strength haleth them to vaine pleasures and sinfull delights? it being as our Sauiour Christ saith all one, as if they should plucke out their eyes, cut off their right hand and foote, mortifie their members, denie themselues, and voluntarilie …eare the crosse, vponupon which their owne bodies must be cruci…ied:
And these, with many more, are the errours, vanities, and§. Sect. 4. Of the miseries incident vntounto man in his perfect age. euils which accompanie youth, wherewith men being tired and wearied doe desire to attaine vntounto ripe and perfect age, that they may shake off all these infirmities and inconueniences, and spend the remainder of their liues in a setled and well gouerned estate, vnderunder the guide of reason, and conduct of wisedome. But when they hauehave their wish, they find themselues no more happie, or lesse miserable then they were before, hauing onelyonly changed their euils and troubles for those which are greater, lesse pleasant, and more burthensome and intolerable. For still they remaine subiect, and in bondage to their affections and passions, and are not freed from the seruitude of them all, but onelyonly hauehave changed their masters: And this alone difference there is, that the passions and affections of youth are more hot, rash, and violent, and consequently more vnconstant, short and momentanie; whereas those to which this perfect age is subiect, are somewhat more stayed and moderate, but withall much more dangerous and pernicious, because they are more constant and permanent▪ and whereas the foolish affections of youth are neerer vntounto repentance, because men for their grossenesse are apt to bee ashamed of them, as directly contradicting and opposing against reason and the light of nature; these of riper age are more vncurable, because they are madde with reason and fill their mouthes with arguments to backe and maintaine their inordinate desires as lawfull and warrantable; calling their vices by the names of those vertues, which in some shadow of similitude they do a little resemble. Now they leaue their prodigalitie and excessiue riot, and subiect thēselues vntounto auarice & couetousnes, vnderunder the name of frugalitie and good husbandrie, defending all their vile courses of oppression, deceit, bribing, vsury and the rest, vnderunder the shadow of that laudable care, which eueryevery one should take to maintaine his charge; they set aside their wanton pleasures and vaine sports, and giuegive themselues ouer to be ruled by ambition; with insatiable desire affecting one honor after another, vnderunder the colour of pre…uing their fame and reputation: they now dislike their open rashnes, and violent courses in accomplishing their willes; and giuegive themselues to the practise of cunning plots, to dissimulation, double dealing, treacherie and diuellish subtilties, all which they intitle with the name of wisdome and good policie. VntoUnto which we may adde the manifold cares which accompany men of this age, and the toilsome labours which they take in setling their state, in prouiding of such things as they call necessaries, in purchasing lands, building houses, and procuring sufficient maintenance for their wife and children whilest they liue, and after their departure; all which is requited oftentimes with vnfaithfulnes in the one, and with vndutiful vngratitude and stubborne rebellion in the other, the great difficulties which they find in gouerning their houshold, the disagreeing of children, contentions of seruants, and manifold disorders of their families, which they are faine oftentimes to passe ouer, because they cannot tell how to reforme them; with innumerable other euils, which it were too long to stand vponupon.
Finally, if we attaine vntounto old age, which all desire, and§. Sect. 5. Of the miseries incident to old age. Cum sibi homines optant senectutem, quid aliud optant, nisi longam infirmitatem? August. de Catechiz. rudibus. cap. 16. none like; what shall we there find but misery and affliction? for what is old age but a continuall sicknes, the receptacle of all humane infirmities, and the prelude of death? And howsoeuer men vsually make it the chiefe harborough of their hopes, and are content to learne in their childhood, and to take paines and care in their youth and riper age, that now hauing plentie, they may liue vponupon the stocke, take their ease, and enioy their pleasures; contrariwise old age comming, is accompanied with so many infirmities, that though they hauehave much, yet they enioy little, though they may hauehave many sports, yet they hauehave small mirth and few delights. For to say nothing of those who hauehave gray haires and greene wits, and being old in years are againe children in vnderstanding; to let them passe who lose the chiefe priuiledges of that age, for want of wisdome and discretion, and are strong and vigorous in nothing which concerneth either bodie or mind, but only in their vices and corruptions: to let them alone who hauehave spent their time so ignorantly and vnprofitablie, that they are readie to die, before they know what it is to liue, and to leaue the earth before they hauehave learned the way to heauen: how many other infirmities and sorrowes do attend it, which are sufficient (if grace support not) to make it miserable? For then vsually the soule is vexed, and the conscience troubled with the errors and crimes of ill-guided youth, and with the wrongs, deceits, and oppressions committed in riper age: then the body is tormented with the rushes and bruises taken in youthfull sports, and violent exercises, enfeebled with the cares, watchings, and labours sustained in that age which is accounted most perfect, and punished for the intemperance, voluptuousnes, surfetting and excesse of them both, with innumerable sicknesses and diseases: then is the time when palsies, gouts, stone, strangurie, collicke and innumerable such like tortures chiefly sway: then the head shaketh, the backe stoopeth, the ioynts tremble, the limmes are weakened, lame and stiffe, readie to stagger and run because they cannot go, the spirits languish, the vitall heate decayeth, hauing first spent the naturall moisture, and like the flame consumed that whereby it was nourished; the eares deafe, or thicke of hearing, the eyes bleared, the sight dimmed, the feeling benummed, the smell and taste lost and perished, the face wrinckled, the skin riueled, the teeth rotted, the breath corrupted, and in a word, the whole bodie enfeebled and diseased. VntoUnto which we might adde the infirmities of the mind, wherewith vsually in this age it is extraordinarily cumbred, as the dulnesse of conceit and vnderstanding, the stiffe peruersenes of the will, the decay of memorie, the disorder of the affections: for being made tender with infirmities they are easily angred, and hardly pleased, apt to conceiue iealousies and suspitions, and not so readie to receiue satisfaction; ouer heauie and sorrowfull, repining and complaining, and senselesly couetous and greedie in heaping vp wealth, when they are readie to leaue it, and hauehave no time to enioy it. In a word, whether we consider the euils naturally incident to this age which respect the bodie or the mind, we must needs conclude that it is full of miseries.