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Come, will you go to hear the Lady Wit discourse?
Not I.
Will you go?
I will not go to hear a prating preaching woman.
O that all the Masculine Sex would say as much.
Let us go to learn Wit.
I had rather be a Dunce all my Life.
So had I, if I must have none but a Woman instructor.
Indeed women should learn, not teach.
It's a sign Men want VVit, when they go to hear a VVo∣man preach.
But let us go, if it be but to censure; for an hundred to one, but she will say something which may be contradicted.
Then let us agree to be her contradictors: for whatsoever she saith we will confute.
Nay by your favour, that you cannot do; for though you may contradict any argument, yet not confute it: for though Envy and Spight have bred Sophistry, yet Envy and Spight cannot confute the Truth.
Well, let us go howsoever, if it be but to see, and be seen of those men as will be there to hear her.
Content.
Noble and Right Honourable,
I shall take my discourse at this time out of Ignorance, which discourse, I shall divide into Five Parts, the Gods, Fates, Nature, the VVorld, and Man; for although Ignorance be obscure, and hard to be discovered, yet it is printed in a general Language, being spread and communicated over all the VVorld. I begin with the First, and prime Creature, Ignorant Man. Man takes himself to be the most knowing Creature, for which he hath placed himself next to the Gods; yet Man is ignorant: for what Man is, or ever was created, that knows what the Gods are, or how many there are? Or what power they have, or where they reside? What Man did ever know the Mansions of Glory, the Bowers of bliss, or the Fields of plea∣sure? What Man ever knew whether the Gods were Eternal, or bred out of infinite, or rule, or govern, infinite Eternally?
Secondly the Fates. What Man is, or ever was, that knows the Fates? As whether they are Gods or Creatures, or whether the Fates are limited, or decree as they please? Or what Man is, or ever was, that knows the decrees of Fate, the links of Destiny, or the chance of Fortune, or the lots of Chance.
Thirdly. What Man is, or ever was, that knows what Nature is, or from whence her power proceeds? As whether from the Gods, or Eterni∣ty, or infinite, or from the Fates? Or whether the Gods, or Fates, proceed from her? Or what at first set her to work? Or whether her work is pre∣scribed, or limited? Or of what she works on? Or what instruments she worketh with? Or to what end she works for? Or whether she shall de∣sist from working, or shall work Eternally? Or whether she worked from all Eternity? Or whether her work had a beginning, or shall have an end∣ing? What Man knows the beginning of Motion, or the Fountain of Know∣ledge, or the Spring of Life, or Gulph of Death? Or what Life is? Or what Death is? Or whether Life, Motion, and Death, had a beginning, or shall have an ending?
Fourthly the World. VVhat Man is, or ever was, that knows how the VVorld was made? Or for what it is made? Or by whom it was made? Or whether it had beginning, or shall have end?
The Fift and last is Man. VVhat Man is, or ever was, that knows how he was formed, or of what composition, or what is that he calls a Rational Soul? VVhether it is imbodyed, or not imbodyed? VVhether it is Divine, or Mortal? VVhether it proceeds from the Gods, or was created by Na∣ture? VVhether it shall live for ever, or shall have a period? VVhether it shall live in Knowledge, or ly in Ignorance? VVhether it be capable of pain, or pleasure? VVhether it shall have a residing place, or no certain place assigned? Or if it have none, where it shall wander? Or if it have, where that residing place is.
As for the Body, who knows the perfect Sense of each Sense, or what mistake, or illusions, each Sense is apt to make, or give, or take? VVhat Man knows how the Body dissolves, or to what it shall dissolve? VVhat Man knows whether there be Sense in Death, or not? VVhat Man knows the motion of the thoughts, or whether the thoughts belong only to the Soul, or only to the Body, or partly to both, or of neither? VVhat Man is there that knows strength of passion? As what Faith may beget? Or what Doubts may dissolve? Or what Hopes may unite? Or what Fears may dis∣order? Or what Love can suffer? Or what Hate can act?
VVhat Man is there that knows the Circumpherence of Admiration, the ri∣gour of Adoration, the hight of Ambition, or the bottom of Covetousness? Or what Man knows the end of Sorrow, or beginning of Joy? And as for the Appetites, what Man knows the length and bredth of desire? As for the Senses, what Man is there, that knows the true Sense of Pleasure, or the ut∣termost bounds of Pain? VVho can number the varieties of Tast, Sent, Touch, Sound, and Sight? VVhat Man knows the perfect effects of each Sense? Or what Man is there that knows any thing, truly as it is? Yet cer∣tainly there cannot be an Athest; for though men may be so irrelligious, as to be of no Religion; yet their can be none so willfull, and utterly void of all Sense, and Reason, as not to believe there is a God; for though we have not the true light of knowledge, yet we have as it were a perpetual twilight; Man lives as at the poles of knowledge; for though we cannot say it is truly day, yet it is not night. Man may perceive an Infinite power, by the perfect distinctions of all particular varieties, by the orderly production of several Creatures, and by the fit, and proper shapes of every several kind of Creature; by their orderly Births, by the times and Seasons, to produce, flourish, and decay; by the distinct degrees, qualities, properties, places and
motions of all things, and to, and in every thing, by the exact form of this VVorld; by the prudent seperations, and situations of the Heavens and Earth; by the Circumferent lines, and poyzing Centers; by their bounds and limits; by their orderly, and timely motions; by their assigned tracts, constant Journies, convenient distances; by their intermixing, and well tempering of the Elements; by the profitable Commerce, betwixt the Hea∣vens and the Earth; by the different kinds, several sorts, various Natures, numerous numbers of Creatures; by their passions, humours, appetites; by their Sympathies, and Antipathies; by their warrs and parties; by the Harmony that is made out of discord, shews that there is onely one absolute power, and wise disposer, that cannot be opposed, having no Copartners, pro∣duces all things, being not produced by any thing, wherefore must be Eter∣nall, and consequently infinite; this absolute, wise, and Eternal power Man calls God; but this absolute power, being infinite, he must of necessity be incomprehensible, and being incomprehensible, must of necessity be un∣known, yet glimses of his power is, or may be seen; yet not so, but that Man is forced to set up Candels of Faith, to light them, or direct them to that they cannot perfectly know, and for want of the clear light of know∣ledge, Man calls all Creations of this mighty power Nature; his wise de∣crees, Man calls Fates; his pointed will, Man calls Destiny; his several Changes, Man calls Fortune; his Intermixing Man calls Life; his sepera∣ting, Man calls Death; the Sympathetical, and Antipathetical motions of the Senses, and their Objects, Humours, and their Subjects, Man calls Plea∣sure, and Pain; the interchanging motions in Man, Men call Sense, and Knowledge; the seperating motions, Man calls Ignorance, Stupidity, and Insensibility; my application is, that this absolute Power, wise Disposer, and decreeing Creator, hath created himself Worship, in making Creatures to worship him; and it is probable, Truth decreed Judgment, Punishment, and Bliss, to such of his Creatures as shall omit, or submit thereunto: my exhoration to you is, to bough humbly, to pray constantly, to implore ser∣vently, to love truly, to live awfully to the worship of this incomprehensible power; that you may injoy bliss and avoid torment.