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Meditatio decimaquinta.
TO breathe,'s a necessary gift of nature,
Whereby she may discerne a liuing Creature
From plants, or stones: 'Tis but a meere degree
From Vegitation; and this, hath she
Like equally shar'd out to brutish beasts
With man, who lesse obserues her due behests
(Sometimes) than they, and oft by accident,
Doe lesse improue the gift in the euent:
But man, whose organs are more fairly drest,
To entertaine a farre more noble Ghest,
Hath, through the excellence of his Creation,
A Soule Diuine; Diuine by inspiration;
Diuine through likenesse to that pow'r Diuine,
That made and plac'd her in her mortall shrine;
From hence we challenge lifes prerogatiue;
Beasts onely breathe; 'Tis man alone doth liue;
The end of mans Creation, was Society,
Mutuall Communion, and friendly Piety:
The man that liues vnto himselfe alone,
Subsists and breathes, but liues not; Neuer one
Deseru'd the moity of himselfe, for he
That's borne, may challenge but one part of three;
Triparted thus; his Country claimes the best;
The next, his Parents; and Himselfe, the least.
He husbands best his life, that freely giues
It for the publike good; He rightly liues;