Works : religio medici; Hydriotaphia; the Garden of Cyrs; Christian morals / of Sir Thomas Browne; with a glossary by William Swan Sonnenschein.

  • Thomas Browne
Date:
1906
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Works : religio medici; Hydriotaphia; the Garden of Cyrs; Christian morals / of Sir Thomas Browne; with a glossary by William Swan Sonnenschein. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    punisheth to pardon and forgives to forgive again, what patience could be content to act over such vicissi- tudes, or accept of repentances which must have after penitences, His goodness can only tell us. And surely, if the patience of Heaven were not proportionable unto the provocations from earth, there needed an Intercessor not only for the sins but the duration of this world, and to lead it up unto the present com- putation. Without such a merciful longanimity the heavens would never be so aged as to grow old hke a garmenti ; it were in vain to infer from the doctrine of the sphere that the time might come when Capella, a noble northern star, would have its motion in tbe equator, that the northern zodiacal signs would at lencdh be the southern, the southern the northern, and Capricorn become our Cancer. However, therefore, the wisdom of the Creator hath ordered the duration of the world, yet since the end thereof brings tne accomplishment of our happiness, since some would be content that it should have no end, since evil men and spirits do fear it may be too short, since good men hope it may not be too long, the prayer of the b amts under the altar2 be the supplication of the righteous world—that His mercy would abridge their languishing expectation and hasten the accomplishment of their happy state to come. Though good men are often taken aicay from the to come^, though some in evil days have been glad that they were old, nor long to behold the iniquities of a wicked world or judgments threatened by them yet is it no small satisfaction unto honest minds to leave the world in virtuous well-tempered times, under a prospect of good to come and continuation of worthy ways acceptable unto God and man. Men in deplorable days, which they regretfully behold, have not their eyes closed with the like content, while they cannot avoid the thoughts of procee^ng or growing enormities displeasing unto that Spirit unto whom they are then going, whose honour they desire in all 1 Ps.y chi, 25-6. ^ Eev.. vi, 9-10 : [v. p. 53, 1. 16]. Is., Ivii, 1.