Speculum mundi· Or A glasse representing the face of the world shewing both that it did begin, and must also end: the manner how, and time when, being largely examined. Whereunto is joyned an hexameron, or a serious discourse of the causes, continuance, and qualities of things in nature; occasioned as matter pertinent to the work done in the six dayes of the worlds creation.

Sect. 2. The creation of Man, being created male and female, and made according to the image of God: together with the institution of Marriage, and blessing gi∣ven to that estate.

THough Mankinde were the last, yet not the least. God onely spake his powerfull word, and then the other creatures were produced: but now he calls a coun∣cell, and doth consult, not out of need, but rather to shew the excellencie of his work; or indeed, to shew himself: he speaks not therefore to the Angels but the Trinitie, saying, Let us make man. Wherein the Father, as the first in order, speaketh to the Sonne and holy Spirit: and the Sonne and Spirit, speak and decree it with the Fa∣ther: and the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost, all Three in One, and One in Three, create a creature to be the other creatures lord. He was therefore the last, as the end of all the rest; the last in execution, but first in inten∣tion; the Map, Epitome, and Compendium of what was made before him.

Three worlds there are, and Mankinde is the fourth: The first is Elementarie; the second a Celestiall world; the third Angelicall; and the fourth is Man, the little world. In the first is ignis urens, a burning fire: and this in the heavens, is ignis fovens, a nourishing and quickning fire: but in those creatures above, seated in the superce∣lestiall world, it is ignis ardens, & amor Seraphicus, an ar∣dent, burning, and Seraphicall love: and in the fourth are all these found at once. For first, as mans bodie is com∣pounded of the Elements, he hath his share of that warm fire in him. The influence of the Planets working on him, doth likewise shew the second. And for the third, their hearts who burn within them, do declare it.

Neither was he made like other creatures, with a groveling look, or downward countenance, but with an erected visage beholding the heavens, and with lordly looks well mixt with majestie.

He hath a bodie whose members are either Principall and Radicall, or else Lesse principall and Officiall.

His heart, liver, and brain, contain the vitall, naturall,* 1.1 and animall spirits; and these are carried by the arteries, veins, and nerves. The arteries carrie the vitall spirits from the heart. The veins carrie the naturall spirits from the liver, giving nourishment to every part. And the nerves carrie the animall spirits from the brain, being spirits for sense and motion, and therefore called animall spirits: howbeit, the motive nerves spring from the mar∣row in the back; and the sensitive come from the brain. Also know, that under every vein is an arterie: for* 1.2 wheresoever there goeth a vein to give nutriment, there goeth an arterie to bring the spirit of life. Neither is it but that the arteries lie deeper in the flesh then the veins, because they carrie and keep in them more preci∣ous bloud then the veins keep; and are therefore, not onely further from outward dangers, but clothed also in two coats, whereas the veins have but one. Whereup∣on it is no hard thing to distinguish between these two vessels of bloud, if we can but remember that the arterie is a vessel of bloud spirituall or vitall; and the vein, a vessel of bloud nutrimentall: for (as I said before) the veins have their beginning from the liver, bringing from thence nutritive bloud to nourish every member of the bodie.

Moreover, his heart is the seat of all the passions; as in* 1.3 one instance may suffice: for being transported with fear, we call back the bloud to the heart, as to the place where fear prevaileth, the bloud going thither (as it were) to comfort and cherish the heart. And whereas it

may seem that our anger is seated in the gall, love in the liver, and melancholie in the splene: it is answered, that those humours placed in the gall, liver, and splene, are* 1.4 not the seat of the passions and affections; but they are the occasion whereby the passions are stirred up: as the abundance of bloud in the liver, stirreth up the passion of love, which neverthelesse is placed and seated in the heart; and so of the rest.

And again, seeing the vitall spirits proceed from the* 1.5 heart, it cannot be denied, but that this member liveth first, and dieth last.

And as the heart was the seat of all the passions, so* 1.6 the head is a seat and place for all the senses, except the touch; for that is not onely in one place, but in all and every place, being spread quite through the whole bo∣die or isle of man.

The eyes are the windows of the bodie; and albeit a* 1.7 man have two eyes in his head, yet he receiveth but one sight at once, because the optick nerves meet both in one.

The eares be like certain doores, with labyrinthicall* 1.8 e•…•…tries, and crooked windings: and here again, although the eares be two, yet a man can heare but one sound at once, because his acoustick nerves (like to the optick nerves) meet both in one.

His tongue discerneth tastes: and albeit he have two* 1.9 eyes, and as many eares, yet his tongue is single and alone. A man should therefore heare and see more then he speaketh; and when he speaketh, not wrong his heart and secret thoughts, by uttering words with a double tongue: for bilinguis is more then God made him; and double tongues shall be rooted out. Besides, the lungs be* 1.10 the bellows of the voice, and are seated close to the heart; to teach us, that speech ought to be the interpre∣ter of the heart, and not that a man may speak one thing and think another.

The nose serveth not onely as a gutter for the excre∣ments* 1.11 of the brain to flow and passe through, but also for a pipe of respiration to give and take our living breath, and to conduct the aire, and odoriferous smells, up to the brain, for the conservation and recreation of the animal spirits.

When the head is in danger, the hand casts it self up* 1.12 to save it. And in giving hands to man, the speciall pro∣vidence of God is to be marked: for he hath made him to take his meat with his hand, and hath not left him to ga∣ther and take it up with his lips, as the beasts do; because that would be a means to hinder his speech by thicken∣ing his lips: as experience teacheth in those, who either by nature, or by accident, have thick swollen lips, cau∣sing them to speak in the mouth, uttering their words very badly, and indistinctly. Neither could there be so many quick conceits of the minde, or curious inventions of sundry artists, brought to perfection, without such an instrumentall help as the hand.

The feet be the bases of the bodie, carrying man like* 1.13 a lordly creature, with his face from earth, and eyes to heaven; that he might thither strive to come at last, where he inhabiteth who gave him these, and all his other members else, which now I cannot stand to dilate upon at large. And when he had them all, and was fra∣med out like a curious piece, God breathed in his nostrils* 1.14 the breath of life, and man became a living soul: he then took his second part, when his first was finished, neither was that second made till then: for in the infusion it was created, and in the creation it was infused, to be the dweller in that house built out of clay, and reared from the dust.

And in this last piece, God stampt his image; for it* 1.15 consisted not in the figure of the bodie any otherwise then as the organe of the soul, and in that regard being a

weapon with it unto righteousnesse, it had some shadow thereof. For, to put all out of doubt, the Apostle shew∣eth how we are to understand the image of God in man; in one place speaking thus, Which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse, Ephes. 4. 24. And in an∣other place, Put on the new man, which is renewed in know∣ledge, after the image of him who created him, Coloss. 3. 10. By which it appeareth that this image consisteth, not so much in any resemblance between the substance of the soul and the essence of God (though both be immortall) nor yet in the naturall faculties thereof, as of under∣standing, will, and memorie, taken as emblemes of the Trinitie; but in the knowledge and illumination, holi∣nesse and justice of the soul, which are now wrought in man by grace, and then were given by creation. For that image is now lost, and cannot be had till it be renewed: but the substance of the reasonable soul, with the natu∣rall faculties and powers thereof are not lost, therefore therein is not expressed this image according to which mankinde was made. Mankinde, and not man alone: for* 1.16 Moses addeth, that male and female created he them; to shew, that woman as well as man, was partaker of the same image: the last that had it, and yet the first that lost it; for though she were the last in creation, yet the first in transgression, as the Scripture speaketh.

But perhaps you will think the Apostle denieth this, saying, The man is the image and glorie of God, but the wo∣man* 1.17 is the glorie of the man. In which it must be consider∣ed, that the Apostle denieth not the woman, as she is a* 1.18 creature, to be made in the image of God: but speaking as she is a wife, and considering of them by themselves, he then is more honourable and must have the preemi∣nence; in which, the woman is rightly called the glorie of the man, because she was made for him, and put in subjection to him.

A womans rule should be in such a fashion,* 1.19 Onely to guide her houshold, and her passion: And her obedience never's out of season, So long as either husband lasts, or reason. Ill thrives the haplesse familie, that shows A cock that's silent, and a hen that crows. I know not which live more unnaturall lives, Obeying husbands, or commanding wives.

But to come more nearely to the creation of Woman; she was made whilest Adam slept: For when he had named the beasts according to their natures, he was cast into a sleep: and, that God might finde a help meet for him, he takes a help out of him; performing it rather sleeping then waking, that neither Adams sight might be offended, in seeing his side to be opened, and a rib taken forth, nor yet his sense of feeling oppressed with the grief thereof: and therefore it is said, God caused, not a sleep, but an heavie sleep to fall upon man, and he slept. Which in a mystery signified that deadly sleep of the second Adam upon the crosse, whose stripes were our healing and building up again, whose death was our life, and out of whose bleeding side was by a divine dispensation framed his Spouse the Church.

It was then from the side of Man that Woman came, builded up out of a rib taken from thence: not made out of any part of his head, which (if we seek the meaning in a mystery) shews that she must not overtop or rule her husband: nor yet made out of any part of his foot, to shew that man may not use her as he pleaseth, not trample or contemne her: but made out of a rib, taken from his side, and neare his heart, that there∣by he might remember to nourish, love, and cherish her, and use her like bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh.

And being thus made, she is married to Adam by God

himself, who brought her unto him, to shew (saith* 1.20 one) the sacred authoritie of marriage, and of parents in mar∣riage: a mutuall consent and gratulation followeth like∣wise between the parties, lest any one should tyrannical∣ly abuse his fatherly power, and force a marriage with∣out either love or liking. And thus are two made one flesh; in regard of one originall, equall right, mutuall con∣sent, and bodily conjunction.

Flesh of his flesh, and bone made of his bone* 1.21 He framed woman, making two of one. But broke in two, he did a new ordain That these same two should be made one again: Till singling death this sacred knot undoe, And part this new-made one, once more in two.

Yea since of rib first framed was a wife, Let ribs be Hi'roglyphicks of their life. Ribs coast the heart, and guard it round about, And like a trustie watch keep danger out; So tender wives should loyally impart Their watchfull care to fence their spouses heart. All members else from out their places rove, But ribs are firmly fixt, and seldome move: Women (like ribs) must keep their wonted home, And not (like Dinah that was ravisht) rome. If ribs be over-bent, or handled rough, They break; if let alone, they bend enough: Women must (unconstrain'd) be pliant still, And gently bending to their husbands will. The sacred Academy of mans life, Is holy Wedlock in a happy wife.

And last of all, being thus made and married, they are blessed with the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of increase, and multipli∣cation in their own kinde. A glorious pair, and a goodly

couple sure they were, having neither fault to hide, nor shame: and yet not so much glorious in the ornaments of beautie (which made them each to other amiable) as in the majestie and soveraigne power ingrafted in them, to cause the creatures with an awfull fear and respective dread, come gently to them, submitting like subjects to their King. Or, as one speaketh,

—Him he made* 1.22 The sov'raigne Lord of all; him all obey'd, Yeelding their lives (as tribute) to their King; Both fish, and bird, and beast, and every thing.

Naked these couple were, but not ashamed: and yet not impudent or shamelesse creatures; for shame is the fruit of sinne: and therefore before sinne entred, this naked∣nesse of their bodies shewed the nakednesse and simplici∣tie of their mindes. All which continued, till the sly envies of subtill Sathan buzzed in their eares a cunning∣ly deceiving note, and tainted their eyes with curiositie. For the fairnesse of the apple helpt to hatch the foul∣nesse of the fault, gave longing to the palate and action to the hand, to reach and convey it to the curious taste; and yet the taste could not then discern, how death and it went down together.

And (certainly) if this fell not out, or happened in the evening, end, or * 1.23 cool of this day, it was soon after; as in the second chapter of this book I have decla∣red. Wherefore I will now conclude, and concluding say,

God * 1.24 saw the works which he had made, And good he found them all: If therefore now they faint or fade, 'Tis 'cause Man caught a fall.

For ev'ry creature † 1.25 groneth deep; A change they wish to see: They travail, seek, they want and weep Till sonnes of God be free.

For then they likewise freedome have, No longer kept in pain: Come therefore quickly (Lord) we crave, Renew this world again: And in its kinde (it being free) 'Twill praise thy name as well as we.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The spirits, heart, liver, brain, arteries, veins, and nerves.
• * 1.2

  The veins and the arteries go together.
• * 1.3

  Passions have their seat in the heart.
• * 1.4

  The humours stirre up the pas∣sions.
• * 1.5

  The heart liveth first and dieth last
• * 1.6

  The head.
• * 1.7

  The eyes.
• * 1.8

  The eares.
• * 1.9

  The tongue.
• * 1.10

  The lungs.
• * 1.11

  The nose.
• * 1.12

  The hand.
• * 1.13

  The feet.
• * 1.14

  The soul.
• * 1.15

  How man was made according to Gods image.
• * 1.16

  Woman made ac∣cording to the image of God, as well as man.
• * 1.17

  1. Cor. 11. 7.
• * 1.18

  How woman is the glorie of the man.
• * 1.19

  Quarl. upon Est∣her, Med. 3.
• * 1.20

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 1. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 1. cap. 3▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.21

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.22

  Ide•…•… ibid.
• * 1.23

  Gen. 3. •…•…▪
• * 1.24

  Gen. 1. 31.
• † 1.25

  See Rom. 8. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23.