THE holye Scriptures teacheth vs , that when as God had framed the Heauens , Earth , Sea , Aire and all that in them is , hee then created Mankinde the last of all : euen as it were a little briefe or concise Mappe , a summe or an abridgement of the whole Worldes perfections : to the intent , that beholding is soone as he was made this comely and gloriour Theater of nature replenished with all things profitable and delightful , either for soule or body , he might presently be put in remembrance how much he was obliged vnto his and their Creator : yea admonished what occasion and cause he had to loue him in true sinceritie of affection , to obey his statutes in integritie of deuotion , to worship and glorifie him , who in infinite and aboundantly ineffable mercie , had ordeyned him souereigne Lord and maister ouer all his creatures . But the text doth ad a point more notably to be obserued : namely that the Lord made mankinde euen in his owne Image and likenesse : the which was placed not onely in the erternall figure of his body , as Auidius wickedly maintained , but euen both in soule and body , seeing sin doth consist in both , which is the contrarie thereunto : and also that the renewing of the same againe in vs , is the sanctification of the one , as well as of the other : nay , as waxe is apter to receiue a print then clay ; so the Soule being a spirit , and so neerer vnto the Diuine nature in the essence of it ;

It tooke more into it of Gods Image , and did better expresse it then the bodie either did or could doe , wherfore the Lords Image wherin hee created our first parents , was placed partly in mans substance , especially in his soule , and in the essentiall partes powers , and forces of it , & partly also in certain qualities , and in a certaine honour , dignitie , and glory , wherewith they were adorned : for first the verye substance of Adams soule did resemble Gods essence , in the simplicity , inuisiblenes , & immortallitie therof , and also in that power which it inioyed to know and will .

Againe , as God is but one in the world , sustayning , quickning with life , and gouerning the same , so there is but one soule in the body , which beeing whole in euerie part therof without either augmentation or deminution ruleth it , giuing vnto it life , sence and motion . Further also , the soule is like vnto God in the faculties of the same , considering that as there is but one onely deuine essence in the Godhead , & yet three distinct persons in respect of their external actions , so the soule is but one , howsoeuer it consisteth of three essential faculties : the intelletiue , the sensitiue and the vegetatiue . Moreouer as for the qualities of the soule , it did in wisdome , Justice the hollines resemble God , as appeareth , in that Paul exhorteth vs to bee renued vnto these partes of his image as the moste excellent : On the other side , as for the body , it did resemble God in that immortalitie wherein at the first it was created : Againe , the seueral members of the bodie , resembled the varietie of his perfections , & therefore in respect of their diuers vses they are often in the scriptures , Metaphorically ascribed to him , as handes to shew vs his omnipotence , and eyes to teach to vs his prouidence : Besides , in his verie bodie man resembled God , in regard of a certaine imperious maiestie conspicuous therein ; but principally in his face , & countinance which caused all the liuing Creatures to stand in aw of him . Briefly the whole man both soule and bodie , did and doth still in some small measure resemble God , in that his dominion wherin as a little God , he is by the Lord appointed soueraigne ruler ouerall thinges both in the earth , sea , and ayre . No to the deuil the old Serpent , being falne through his transgression into wretchednesse and miserie , and enoying the blessednes in which he sawe our first pa●e 〈…〉 s were planted in earthlye Paradice . he possessed the bodie of a serpent , & there in did come & tempt Euah the mother of vs al , to disobey the Lord in tasting of the fruit which hee had forbidden her & her husband vpon paine of death to medle withal . What shold I say more ? he drew her by his wiles to heare him accuse god of vnkindnes : from hearing to suspition of his loue , from suspition vnto direct rebellion against his law : shee took of the meat prohibited & eat therof . yea not so contented she did intice & allure by perswasions her husband , vnto the same capitall crime & office against the diuine maiestie , the worlds creator . The fact being thus notoriouslie committed , the Lord came & gaue his sentence vpon the malefactors , namely that they should among other punishments specified in the text , returne vnto earth from whence they were taken :

Thus of immortall they were made mortal , children of death and corruption , but happy it had been if this calamity had extended no further then themselues : ●las Adam was a publick person , & receiued graces for al his posteritie , and therefore if hee had stood , we had likewise done so , but hee falling . wee fall together with him into the same calamityes which sin brought him into , euen into all miseries leading vnto death , and death it selfe vnto temporall and eternall , vnlesse wee bee redeemed by our blessed mediator and redeemer Jesus Christ our Sauiour . So that howsoeuer manye of the olde worldes Patriarkes liued seauen , eight , and nine hundred yeares , by meanes not onelye of their owne temperance , but also of a singular blessing of God bestowed on them , to the end they might the better finde out artes and Sciences which required long experience : fill also the world the sooner with people , haue their obodience vnto the Lord the more fully tride . and the more purelye conuay true religion vnto their posteritie , as not passing through the handes of many persons , yet you see stil at the last they dyed : the power of originall sin , the wages wherof is death , alwaies at the length taking hold vpon them , and because they vsed the benefit of their long life , not in such holy maner as the Lord required , but grew shamelesse in all euill courses , wee see that Almightie God being mooued vnto wrath by their enormous vices , sent a floud vpon them , and swept them away from the face of the earth , like dung and excrements , onely preseruing faithfull Noah and his housholde , together with some reliques of the creatures , in an Arke which he had caused him to frame for that seruice : and as for their posteritie in Noahs linage , who repeopled the world againe , we see that the Lord did abridge their yeares by many hundreds from those which their forefathers did inioy that so they and wee to the worldes end might bee perpetuallye mindefull of their & our departure out of this vale of miserie , wherein wee haue no certaine habitation or inheritance , but are continually subiect vnto the arrest of death & hels prison , vnlesse in time we get all the debts of our offences cancelled by being made heires of the riches of Gods lone in his Sonne Christ Jesus , for death striketh with more dartes then one , he hath euen almost infinite wayes to seize vppon vs , when from the Lord he hath his licence .

Thus wee see sometimes men consume away & languish : sometimes the Pestilence doth destroy them : sometime the sword , and sometimes famine : euerie one some thing or another according to the speech of the Poet , Happie is he that is so prouided as that in deed no kinde of death is suddaine to him : & seeing examples vse to mooue vs , let vs seriously thinke vpon the late inundation of waters , which hath euen a● vnawares surprised many who little expected such an accident , that so by the due noting of it , wee may bee incited to prepare our selues for some tempest in one kinde or another , as terrible vnto vs as that hath been to them knowing that these prodigious ouerflowinges of the waters , howsoeuer natural causes , as Gods instruments doe claim their partes in them yet they proceed from the Lords own direction , who by his punishing of others with them , doth threaten grieuous calamities , euen against our vice , vnles I say speedy repentance , & amendment doe auert his feareful wrath & iudgemen from vs , apparantly kindled in many kindes within these few yeares last past against vs . It hath alreadie by the pen of another beene related , what great harme hath beene doone by the deluge of waters inuading Somersetsh . & couering neere the Severne 20 , mile in compas , to the ruine of al creatures & places which lay within the circuite : further it hath beene shewed that al Erent marsh is couered , & the sea got vp between Barstable and Bristowe as high as Bridge-water : what is done in Herefordsh Glocestersh . & diuers other bordering places vpon the seas , it cannot yet in special be recorded vpon ground of certaintye : but touching Monmothsh . in Wales , the report of one in place of authoritie , & that not vpon a bare heare-say , is this .