his prouidence towards vs to make vs more then ashamed and confounded We haue yet another point to bee noted touching their situation which causeth a certaine proportion and agreement to bee betweene the heauens and the head and betweene the eyes of the great little worlde and those of the body and soule For it is most certaine that they could not be placed more conueniently then in the highest part of al the bodie as it were in the highest towre seeing they are to serue all the other members in place of Warders and Watchmen and of guides and leaders Therefore Salomon had reason to call them the Lookers aut by the windowes For the holes of the head in which they are placed as it were Looking-glasses are their windowes through which they see and behold We may also say asmuch of the apple of the eye which looketh within his litle circle as it were by a window For this cause as God hath placed the sunne moone and all the rest of the lights aboue in the heauens so he would that there should bee some proportion betweene the heauens and the head of man and betweene those goodly lights aboue named and the eyes that are created to receiue light from them and to be that in man who is the litle world which the sunne moone other lights of heauen are in this great vniuersall world Therefore forasmuch as the eyes are as it were the images of these goodly bodies and celestiall glasses they occupie the highest place in this bodie of the litle worlde as the lights doe in the great bodie of the world whereof they are as it were the eyes to giue it light on euery side For this cause also the eyes are more fierie and haue more agreement with the nature of fire then any other member that belongeth to the corporall senses And as they are in a high place so they are admonished thereby of the place vnto which they ought to looke according to that which Dauid saith I lift vp mine eyes to thee that dwellest in the heauens In all these things we see a goodly harmonie and agreement between the great and the litle world the like whereof we shall also finde betweene the worlde and the spirituall heauen whose sunne and light is God and between the eyes of the soule and of the mind Therefore Iesus Christ said very well The light of the bodie is the eye if then thine eye be single thy whole body shal be light but if thine eye be wicked then all thy body shal be dark Wherfore if the light that is in thee be darknes how great is that darknes So that the eyes being as it were the lanterne lampe and flame of the whole body they could not haue a more apt place or more conuenient for their nature then that where God hath placed them The like also may be said of the spirituall eyes of the soule of the mind For God hath lodged the vnderstanding and reason in the braine of man as it were in a high towre in which it ought to raigne as a Queene and Princesse and guide vnder her lawes all the affections and actions of men as the eyes guide all the members of the body And when God who is the sunne and light of the world of the spiritual heauen reacheth out his beames to these eyes of the soule by his eternall Sonne and giueth them life vigour and vertue by his spirite then is the minde wel lightned and then doth she happily and to her proper end direct al the parts of the soule Now for the conclusion of our speech seeing wee haue spoken largely enough of the eyes of the bodie and of their nature beautie and excellencie and what goodly images of the spiritual eyes they represent vnto vs let vs yet a litle better acknowledge the greatnesse of their Woorkmaster by considering apart the matter whereof they are made I meane by it selfe and without the woorkmanship as if we should now behold their substance without that disposition and form which he hath giuen them What is an eye pluckt out of the head but a litle clay and mire as indeed it is the matter whereof it is made Now what a wonderfull thing is it that God hath so appropriated it as to make such a goodly piece of woorke thereof and such faire instruments for the seruice of men And therefore our Sauiour Iesus Christ meant to represent this diuine woorke when hee made the blinde to see by putting clay vpon his eyes Let vs therefore vse their sight which is such an excellent gift of God to behold his workes and those goodly images of the diuine nature which on euery side and continually are before our eyes and let vs beware that wee feede them not with the sight of prophane and dishonest things least they serue to poyson the minde and soule whereas they ought to become messengers to declare vnto it honest healthful things For he that doth otherwise is woorthy to haue not onely his bodily eyes put out and pluckt out of his head but also the eyes of his mind that so he may be blinde both in body and soule as it commonly falleth out to many But let vs follow our matter propounded touching the senses and their members and speake vnto vs ACHITOB of the eares and of their composition offices and vse Of the Eares and of their composition offices and vse Chap. 5. ACHITOB. The wisedome of God is so great he prouideth so wel for al things by his prouidence that he neuer doth any thing in vain insomuch that there is nothing whatsoeuer in all nature which hath not his proper vse and which is not compounded of matter and forme agreeable thereto for the instruction of men But forasmuch as men are rude of vnderstanding and by reason of their natural corruption easily turned aside from the chiefe ende of their being namely the contemplation of celestiall and heauenly things in place whereof they betake thēselues to the care of those things that are earthly corruptible it commeth to passe that hauing eyes and eares they neither see nor heare any spirituall thing so that their very light is become 〈◊〉 And then how great may we thinke the darknes to be in those partes that ought to be guided by thē that are capable of light Therfore as we haue learned that the eyes are the first guides and houshold masters that God hath giuen to euery one and the first authours and inuentors almost of all artes sciences and disciplines because by their sight we know the light colour greatnes figure number situation and motion of bodily things both neere and farre off so now we are to know that the heating and the cares are very conuenient for one man to communicate his knowledge with another as if one shoulde powre wine or water out of one vessell into another But they are especially giuen by
often into a glasse and to beholde themselues therein to this intent that he which thought himselfe beautifull and faire might take occasion thereby to auoyde all kinde of deformitie in maners and conuersation whereby that beautie of his woulde be greatly blemished and that whosoeuer perceiued by the glasse any defect of comelinesse in his countenance might labour so much the more seriously by the helpe of vertue and inward graces of the mind to recompence the outward wants imperfections of his body In which respect this Booke may most fitly be resembled to a glasse as that which affoordeth vnto vs both these vses in farre more excellent maner then can be performed by any looking glasse how rare and surpassing soeuer it be For euen the best of that kind doth represent vnto our eyes only so much of the surface of our own bodies as is directly before it but as for the hinder parts we take no view of them by a glasse much lesse is it able to giue vs a sight of the internall members of our bodies wherby we may attaine to any profitable knowledge of them But if wee take a diligent view of this booke and with the eies both of body and mind looke intentiuely vpon the same it will in most euident maner represent vnto vs not only the outward members of maÌ„s body both before and behind on euery side but euen the most hidden and inward parts thereof which otherwise before life haue left the body cannot possibly be seene of any man Here may you behold all the bones as it were the frame and timberworke of mans body yea the very foundation vpon which all the residue of the building is laide Heere may you see the exquisite frame and composition of the head as it were the vpper lodging of this house the seuerall ventricles of the braine as so many sundrie chambers for the intertainement of the Animal spirits the singuler workmanshippe of the eyes as of the lights and windowes appertaining to this pallace of mans body the matter and fourme of the humors in the eyes as it were the christall glasse set in the windowes together with the eye-liddes as casemeÌ„ts to opeÌ„ shut to receiue in or keepe out the light as need requireth besides the eyebrowes as penthouses to defend those windowes from the violence of stormy weather What should I speake of the eares as of high watch-towres whereby warning is giuen to the internal senses so often as any aduersary noyse giueth notice of enemies approching to annoy this goodly castle The mouth is it not as the doore that receiueth in all kind of prouision meete for the reparation and maintenance of this great building as occasion serueth It is a world to thinke what excellent workmanshippe appeareth in the voyce tongue of man and what singuler vses it hath very requisite for the perfection of this piece of worke Now if we shall descend and enter into the contemplation of the breast as of the middle story of this building consider with what goodly houshold stuffe those roomes are adorned who is able either with tongue to vtter or with heart to coÌ„ceiue the rare deuises the pretious Iewels the singular art there to be fouÌ„d What an exceeding faire roome is the dining chamber of the heart the receptacle of the wil affections the shop wherein the vital spirits are wrought and the forge from whence is deriued that fire and heate which warmeth the whole house And least this fire should breake forth into such a flame as might bring perill of burning to this goodly building the chamber of the heart is dayly continually refreshed with coole blastes proceeding from the lungs as from an outward roome that is built round about a great part thereof Here also is to be seenethe Artery which as a liuely conduite carieth forth continually most christall streams of vital spirits into euery roome and office of the house Betwixt this second story and the third is laid the Midriffe as a flore that maketh a separation betweene the instruments of the vitall parts being the implements of that middle roome and the naturall instruments of the neather story which serue both for the vpholding maintenance of the whole building and also conteineth in it matter for the erecting of a new frame which is to stand after the former is come to his ful period In this third story or partition is to be seene the stomacke which being as it were the kitchin of the body receiueth in at the doore of the mouth al such meats drinks as are requisite for the keeping of it in sufficient reparations for the defence of it against two mighty enemies Hunger and Thirst who by continuall vndermining can of the same laâ— or to lay it euen with the ground And because nothing can be prepared in the kitchin without heate the maintenaÌ„ce therof besides the natural heat of the stomack it is coÌ„passed on the right side with the liuer on the left with the spleene behind with the muscles of the chinebone before with the kal aboue it hath the hart midriffe and within it are sundry vital spirits from al which as froÌ„ so many seueral fires it receiueth heat for the better dressing and concocting of that which is conueyed into it Neither are the gutters sinks necessarily belonging to euery house waÌ„ting to the perfection of this beautifull building of mans body as may appeare by the guttes and other partes of baser seruice without which it is not possible that this frame should long continue Now besides the singular delight and pleasure which this naturall knowledge of our owne bodies yeeldeth vnto our minds the profite commodity that issueth here from is great manifold For first in regard of our selues if we were throughly acquainted with the Anatomy of our bodies with the substance and situation with the forme and qualities with the vses and offices of euery part and member of the same it is out of all question that by the knowledge therof we might both preuent many diseases and infirmities which through want thereof would sease vpon vs and being ouertaken with any might recouer our selues more sâ—eedly by a wise and skilfull cariage of our selues according to the same Neither is it layd vpon euery one to haue so much skill as is requisite for him that maketh profession of that art towards all men but onely so farre forth as may serue for the pâ—eseruation of his owne health eyther in imploying the talent of his priuate knowledge or in yeelding himselfe more readily vnto the wise direction of the skilfull Physicion Secondly as Salomon sendeth vs to the industrious nature of the Pismire to learne diligence and forecast in our calling so the Apostle taketh occasion by the varietie of members in one body to reprehend two sorts of people in the Church of Corinth both such as were caried away with enuy towards their superiours themselues
there related that not long after he made man after his owne image and committed vnto him the soueraigntie ouer the earth and ouer all liuing and moouing creatures vnder the cope of heauen Neither can it bee truely said that howsoeuer the Lord himselfe formed the first man and breathed in his face the breath of life yet since that first creation hee hath not intermedled at all with the continual propagation of mankinde but hath surrendered all his working power into the handes of nature by whose powerfull operation the matter of mens bodies is brought to this glorious perfection which we see it hath when it first appeareth in the worlde For this is to speake after the manner of meere naturall men that haue not as yet learned the language of Canaan as is plaine if wee call to minde what the kingly Prophet saieth vnto the Lorde that it was hee that possessed his reines and that couered him in his mothers wombe Which also is more manifestly taught by that holy man Iob who confidently affirmeth that it was the Lorde who had powred him out as milke and turned him to cruddes like cheese that he had clothed him with skinne and flesh and ioyned him together with bones and sinewes Wherefore as it was the eternall God who first turned the body of the heauens into that roundnes gathered the light into the bodies of the celestiall lamps fixed the starres in the firmament endued ech planet with his seuerall motion and clothed the inferior world with this glorious circumference so the same God at the first planted Adam as the roote of mankind and euer since hath caused his whole race euery seuerall person as so many branches to issue and grow out of his loynes He turned the eies into that roundnesse hee planted the eares as watch-towers in the vpper part of the head he placed the tongue fastned the teeth stretched out the sinewes hee watred the veines with blood gaue maessines to the bones and clothed the flesh with a fine skin as with a garment he seuered the fingers and toes caused the feete to walke and the hands to gripe Hee and none but he giueth sight to the eies hearing to the eares taste to the tongue smelling to the nostrilles and feeling to the fingers Who but hee hath endued the lungs with breathing the heart with the spirits of life the stomacke with concoction the liuer with the making of blood and womens breastes with the making of milke Who hath fashioned the instruments of hearing in the head like to a hammer and an anuile the heart in the body like a pyramide and made the spleene in substance like a spunge Who hath couered the head with haire for comelines and boared the skin through with infinit pores for euacuation In a word who hath giuen beauty to the whole body and to each member his seueral operation What father what mother what workman hath wrought these things but the onely wise and immortall God But to proceede as the sunne moone and celestial starres and planets haue a double motion the one common with the whole body of the heauens the other proper and peculiar according to the nature of euery seuerall starre so haue the partes of mans body two motions whereof the one dependeth of the motion of the whole body and is therefore vniuersall and the other is particular according to the inset nature and disposition of each seuerall member And to descend to a more speciall comparison of one particular thing with an other how doth the diuerse operations of the animal spirite whose seate is in the braine concurre with the different workings of the sunne in the firmament vpon the infâ—riour bodies here below vpon the face of the earth We see that through the selfe-same reflexion of the sun-beames the clay is hardned and the wax made soft that the light of the sun is comfortable to some eies whereas other become worse through the brightnes of the same that it worketh otherwise vpon a thicke body then vpon a thin vpon a hard then vpon a soft vpon a plant then vpon a stone vpon the earth then vpon the water So the Animal spirit being distributed into sundry partr and members of the body worketh diuersly in each of them according to the diuerse nature composition and temperament of euery one For being imparted to the eyes by the opticke sinewes it giueth sight to the eares by certaine passages it woorketh hearing to the tongue by small Nerues it breedeth tasting in a worde being dispersed into the muscles and skinne by meanes of certaine sinowie threedes concurring in manner of a net it infuseth feeling throughout the whole body And as it often falleth out that wee are depriued of the heate and light of the sunne when either some thicke cloude or the bodie of the Moone or some such thing is interposed and put betweene vs and the same so wee quickely see and feele the want of the Animall spirite when any thicke clammie humour or winde or melancholicke fumes or any such impediment stoppe the passages and hinder the woorking thereof as is to be seene in them that are taken with the palsie apoplexie madnesse numnesse and such like It is no lesse delectable then straunge to consider in howe many thinges the Sunne as it were the heart of the heauens agreeth with the heart of man which may not vnfittely bee called the sunne of the body For as the Sunne being the chiefest of the Planets occupieth the middle place among those wandering starres hauing the rest as his guarde both aboue and beneath him to employ as neede requireth both for their owne safetie and the good of the inferiour worlde so the heart being the chiefest member of the body is seated in the middle storie of the same hauing the other partes both aboue and beneath it and on euery side employing them according to their seuerall offices for the vpholding and preseruation of the whole frame And as the Sunne is the storehouse of that celestiall heate which together with a diuine and quickening spirite working in the bowelles of the earth maketh it a fruitfull Mother and tender Nurse for the bringing foorth and preseruation of all thinges so the heart is the harth from whence proceedeth all that inset and natiue heate which being conueyed with the vitall spirite into euery member of the bodie maketh them liuely and powerfull to perfourme those dueties that are enioyned them Concerning the motion of the heart as it agreeth with the Sunne in this that they both haue a double motion so in that the heaâ— being the first that receiueth life and motion is the Originall of all motion in the body it resembleth the whole heauens of which dependeth all naturall motions of inferiour bodies whatsoeuer Againe the two eies in the head represent the two chiefe lights in the firmament And as there are both simple stars in the heauens namely the Sunne Moone Saturne Iupitâ—r Mercurie with the
that his 〈◊〉 â—â—â—cheth ouer all that the soule of man is immortall and that after this lâ—se there is a place of happinesse for the good and of torments for the wicked is as I may terme it a supernaturall error or rather cleunâ— againsst 〈◊〉 religion nature and all The trueth whereof appeareth both by the common consent of all nations who haue generally approoâ—ed those points as inuiolable principles and maximes in nature and also by the iudgement of the sounder sort of Phylosophers and Lawmakers amongst the Heathâ—â— who knowing that all mens consciences did naturally acknowledge not onely a being of a diuine power but a subiection also thereunto pretâ—nded that their lawes and superstitions came from some one or other of their supposed gods goddesses as Minos King of the Cretensians made the people beleeue that he had receyued his lawes of Iupiter Lycurgus the Dâ—â—â—demonian lawmaker of Apollos oracle Numa Pompilius a Romanâ— king of Aegeria the Nimph and so the rest of others And in truâ—th they that deny the diuine essence what do they but deny themselues and the being of all things in the world besides For as Aratus the heathen Poet 〈…〉 is also confirmed vnto vs by the Apostle Paul In God we liue 〈…〉 haue our being so that without him it is impossible wee should haue any being one moment of an houre And it is strange to consider 〈◊〉 these reaonable beastes for men I dare not call them standing so 〈◊〉 vpon reason and sense as they would seeme to do cannot in reason 〈◊〉 that this great variety exquisite order which they behold and see in nature natural things must of necessity haue some superiour cause from which they receiued both their first beeing and their contiâ—â—al 〈◊〉 in the same When they looke vpon any excellent picture they presently iudge as the truth is that it was wrought by some cunning painter and euery 〈◊〉 building leadeth all men to the consideration of some exquisite master builder that framed it And shall not the view of the worlde and the knowledge of so many admirable things therein as are subiect to all our senses constraâ—â—â—â—s to acknowledge a superiour cause and creator of them all Doeth any shippe sayle his right course without a Pilot or is there any Citie well gouerned without a Magistrate And shall any surmize that the celestiall lights could obserue their right motions without the direction of him that made them or that the terrestriall globe of the earth coulde 〈◊〉 so well ordered by the course of nature were it not that all things are 〈◊〉 by him that 〈◊〉 them all But such is the blockishnesse of these 〈…〉 that they will beleeue nothing but that which they may see with their eyes and 〈◊〉 knowledge of by the light of their bodies As though if their eyes were plucked out of their heads there could be no sunne in the 〈…〉 nor light in the worlde because themselues were in darkenesse and coulde see nothing How many things are there in nature which 〈…〉 and yet no man maketh any question of their being no not they 〈◊〉 who notwithstanding deny that there is any diuine nature any 〈◊〉 soule Angell or spirite because they are not visible and subâ—ect to â—ight Can any of them see the winde looke vpon the voice of a man beholde the sweete harmony of musicke Nay can they take a viewe of the heartes in their bodies or of the braines in their heades Are they therefore without heart and brainelesse Surely it seemeth they are cleane voyde of brayne â—it and common sense that nayle all their beliefe so fast to the sight of their bâ—dily eyes And yet were it so that they would not most wilfully 〈…〉 the euidence of their owne hearts they should there behold with the eyes of their mind as it were in a christall glasse that which may bee knowen of God Nay the holy Ghost proceedeth further and telleth vs that euen our bodily eyes may and doe after a sort looke vpon the eternall poweâ— and Godhead which are seene by the creation of the worlde being viewed in the workes thereof And because it may so fall out by the 〈◊〉 iudgement of God that these beetle-eyed Atheists may aswell be depriued of their bodily eyes as they want the sight of their mindes the creator and Lorde of the whole worlde hath set such markes of his diety in his workes that such as haue onely the direction of nature may euen with their eyes closed vp touch and handle him if they will but grope after him in whom we all liue mooue and haue our being What should I presse them with the certayne testimony of their owne hearts and consciences which will they will they drawe them to a fearefull acknowledgement of the mighty power of God whensoeuer eyther by his terrible voyce of thunder he shaketh their heartes or by some irrecouerable disease as a messenger of death hee 〈◊〉 them to appeare before his tribunall seate and throne of iustiâ— But there needeth no other proofe to coâ—â—nce them then the wordes of their owne mouthes For doe not their horrible oathes whereby they blasphâ—â— the Maiesty of God and asmuch as lyeth in them teare him in pieces â—e aâ—e â—â—â—nesse against themselues that the Lorde whom they despite in that 〈…〉 hath a being howsoeuer otherwise they deny the same And if no reason will sinke into their braines yet mee thinks the waight of Gods iudgement which haue from time to time seased extraordinarily vpon these Atheists that haue sprung vp in the world should cause them more seriously to consider of their miserable estate It is reported of Protagoras who was one of the first of that stamp that being banished from Athens and his Books publikely burnt he was drowned in the sea as he sailed into Sicilia Diagoras was violently slaine by certain men whom the Athenians had hired with mony for that purpose Epicurus also who placed his felicitie in corporall pleasures died miserably in a vessell of hot water after that he hadbin foureteene daies together extremely tormented with the stone in the bladder Lucianus surnamed by his owne countrimen the Blasphemer as he behaued himselfe most currishly in barking both against the gods of the Heathen and against Christ Iesus the Sauiour of the worlde so his ende was thereafter by being torne in peeces and deuoured of dogges Plinie the elder denying the immortalitie of the soule of man and placing Nature a creature in the steade of God the Creatour whilest he was ouer-curious in searching out the cause of the burning of Aetna was choaked with the smoke that issued from it A iust punishment for him to ende his life by smoke who esteemed his soule to be no better then a little vapour Cassius being a professed Scholler of Epicurus Brutus most brutishly railing vpon the prouidence of God because his enterprises against Caesar succeeded not to his
agreement might soone bee made if the word of God onely might be the iudge of true false religion For all that feare God and are carefull to doe nothing contrary to their duety that accompt the holy scriptures to be the true doctrine of the spirite of God and are assuredly perswaded that there is another life after this and a iudge before whome they must appeare they I say are not so hardly induced to peace and concord but that a man may hope well of them But they that feare nothing that call all things into question that esteeme all religion to be opinions only tormenting mens braynes they likewise that stifly resist euen the trueth it selfe whereof their owne consciences conuince them labouring as much as lyeth in them to extinguish not onely the light of God within them but that also which they learne in his word such monsters I say will trouble all Christendome more then the contentions about religion vnles the goodnes of God prouide some conuenient remedy for the same For they must be taught to beleeue one God one Iesus Christ the immortalitie of the soule the resurrection of the body a second euerlasting life full of ioy and happinesse for good iust men but full of griefe and paine for the wicked and vniust generally they must be taught to beleeue whatsoeuer we learne in the holy scriptures concerning the creation and end of euery nature These things being spirituall and heauenly cannot be seene nor comprehended without a celestiall and supernaturall light nor without spirituall eyes ioyned with the vertue and power of the spirite of God who onely is able to clarifie our eyes and to giue them sight For albeit God gaue spirituall eyes to man when hee endued him with a reasonable and vnderstanding soule yet they are euen blind through sinne if they alwayes haue not God that great and euerlasting Sunne to illuminate them with his diuine light as the eyes of the body remaine in darkenesse when bodily light is taken from them Hereupon they are called blind in holy scripture that haue not the true knowledge of God by the light of his word For although they that are most ignorant haue some little knowledge and sence of the diuinitie by that small remnant of naturall light which man receiued at his first creation neuerthelesse because this sparkle is so small in regard of that darkenesse which filleth the mind of man it is not sufficient to leade them to God and to the right way of saluation Therefore they soone goe astray and wander hither and thither and for the most part followe superstition in place of religion and lies in stead of trueth because it is an easie matter for the deuill to disguise his inuentions vnder a false shew of piety that they may not discerne betweene trueth and falsehood betweene that which God liketh and which he disliketh For seeing the sparke of naturall light in mans vnderstanding is so small there needeth no great troubling of the spirite neyther any great impediments to bee cast in his way to confound and amaze him and to take away or vtterly to ouerturne his iudgement whereby to makâ— him as vnable to iudge of the trueth as a blind man is to iudge of colours But they are in farre worse case that voluntarily separate themselues from all truth both naturall and supernaturall For they easily beleeue that which the Epicures long since taught against the immortalitie of soules and against the prouidence of God towards men insomuch that they hold this for most certaine that the soule perisheth as the body doth and that there is no God that intermedleth in the gouernment of humane affaires but that they are guided eyther by fortune or by prudence or by the folly of men according as matters fall out I quake to thinke that such monsters are to be found amongst them that berare the name of Christians and haue in former times receiued the markes and seales of Christianitie in the Church of Iesus Christ But my quaking is doubled when I consider that many of them that professe learning and humane philosophie and that are thought to haue most skilfull sharpe and subtill wits are not onely infected with this execrable Atheisme but professe it open a schoole thereof and know how to poyson many with it For as there was neuer yet opinion error or heresie so strange or monstrous in the world that hath not alwayes found men ynowe to receiue it so long as there were Authors and masters to set it abroach so these professours of Atheisme are neuer without great store of disciples because after this maner God punisheth the curiosity ingratitude and peruersenesse of men the contempt of his word and hatred of the trueth which is commonly in them as also the pleasure they take in vanitie and lies Therefore God by his iust iudgement giueth them ouer into a reprobate sense so that they cannot but alwayes reiect the trueth and imbrace error and lying as he often threatneth them by the mouth of his Prophets and Apostles Examples hereof wee see dayly in such as thinke themselues the wisest men who haue this in their cogitation if they dare not speake it openly that it belongeth not to men of wit to beleeue in God and his word but to such as are simple and foolish not to these great and noble spirits that flie aboue the clouds who in trueth know more then they should to bring them to that place of weeping and gnashing of teeth We are to liue my companions amongst such kind of men and I suppose that ye as well as my selfe haue heard some of them speake especially since of late times the seruice of Princes hath longer retayned vs neere vnto them then we were wont in our yong yeers when the study of good letters did wholy possesse vs. Therefore we ought to be very desirous to fortifie our selues dayly with strong and powerfull reasons against whatsoeuer wee may heare vttered by these scorners of all pietie not for feare that wee shall at any time bee deceiued by them for I am most assured of the graces and gifts which we haue receiued from God but that we may haue abundantly wherewith to resist the vaine and weake arguments of these deceiuers when wee light among them especially in the company of ignorant folks whom they may easily draw to their side if we should be silent Besides although we should not be able to confound them by reason of their obstinacy yet we shall at the least giue them occasion to thinke more seriously of their error I know well what small accompt they make of the testimonies of holy scriptures and how they esteeme of them but as of fables and dreames made by some doters and idle persons for so they call the Patriarks Prophets and Apostles As for the writings of Philosophers they will beleeue Epieurus Pliny Lucretius Lucian and others of their sect who deny all diuinitie and
by any newe and sodaine motion but by an immutable and eternall counsaile For no newe thing can befall him neither is there any thing in him that is mutable but according to the height and depth of his riches hee hath multiplied the children of men And let them thinke imagine and dispute what they list yet all things haue had their beginning according to the good prouidence of God which no man in the worlde can sufficiently comprehend O great mysterie that God hath alwayes beene and that it pleased him some time past to make man first who was neuer made before and yet not to change his purpose and will Thus you see howe wee must steppe by steppe ascend by the workes of God vnto himselfe as we haue alreadie touched in the beginning of our speech and as wee can doe it well ynough in mens workes For when I behold a worke it by and by putteth me in minde of the instruments wherewith it was made and the instruments of him that made them and of him that set them aworke Then the Workemaster putteth me in minde of him that made him such a one namely both of his master that taught him and also of his parents that begate him Thus climing vp still from one to one and from degree to degree I must needes in the ende conclude that there is one chiefe Workmaster of whom all others are descended by their order degree And there I must stay as in like maner proceeding from one essence to another I may come to the contemplation of that infinite and eternall essence which is the spring and first cause of euery nature namely vnto God who hath giuen to that matter whereof he made all things a forme meete and conuenient for that worke which he would make of it This is that which I thinke we ought to conceaue touching the creation of the matter of mans body Now before we consider the disposition therof I thinke we ought to intreate of the creation of woman who is one selfe same flesh differing onely in sexe and appointed of God to bee a necessarie helpe for the originall and preseruation of mankinde which I desire to heare you discourse of AMANA Of the creation of Woman Chap. 2. AMANA No maruaile if the eye of mans soule be often dimmed yea looseth all light in the diligent consideration of the wonderful workes of Gods prouidence For as the eye of the body although cleare of it selfe cannot behold colours figures other visible things except it bee illuminated with light from heauen or from some other lightsome body so albeit our vnderstanding of it owne nature be very cleare sighted as being a beame of the diuine brightnes yet by reason of the bond that conioyneth it to the body wherein it is ouerwhelmed with the darknes of the matter it can in no wise attain to the glittering conceptions of eternall wisedome vnlesse it alwaies haue God that great euerlasting Sunne and his heauenly light to illuminat it and to guide it to the faithful contemplation of the woorkes of his almighty hand This hath bin the cause why so many great wits discoursing philosophically of the originall and beginning of things and looking on euery side yea doubting and fearing many things which they found contrary to humane reason haue bin caried hither and thither with diuers opinions like to a vessel tossed in a deep sea but could neuer come neere to the knowledge of the trueth But if wee follow the bright starre of trueth fixed in the heauenly booke of life as wee haue learned therein the creation of man so we may as easily be instructed in the creation of the woman to the confusion of the wise men of the world and of all Epicures and Atheists The holy scriptures teach vs that after God had created man placed him in the garden of Eden to dresse it and keepe it had forbidden him to eate of the tree of the knowledge of good euil which was a signe tokē of the homage obedience and subiection he did owe to God his creator Lord and of that blessed life appointed for him as a recompence and crowne of this obedience It is not good then saide hee that man shoulde bee himselfe alone I will make him an helpe meete for him And to shew the better how this helpe was not onely meete but also necessary for man Moses saith that God had already brought all the beasts before Adam that he might name them according to their natures and kinds which hee perfourmed Whereby we may iudge what great knowledge of naturall things was in Adam before he sinned For otherwise hee could not haue giuen to all liuing creatures names agreeable to their nature and if hee had not named them as he should hee had brought in great confusion in nature Afterwarde Moses addeth that amongst all those liuing creatures hee found no helpe meete for Adam yea the Lorde had spoken of him before as if he had bene alone in the worlde For although all the beastes and all the residue of the creatures were giuen to man to assist him so that being in that estate of innocencie wherein hee was then hee might receiue all seruice and readie obedience from all the creatures neuerthelesse hee had not as yet any helpe of his kinde For hee coulde not haue that familiaritie and conuesation with the beastes nor receiue such helpe from them as hee coulde from creatures of his owne kinde Therefore when the Lorde saide that it was not good for man to be alone hee declared plainely that he did not create him to liue and solitary in the world but with companie and that his will was that there should be men vpon earth who should liue in societie and fellowship together Nowe seeing that man was created for this ende he coulde not liue in company with others of his kinde without generation and multiplication thereof which coulde not be except hee were ioyned to a wise seeing it pleased GOD to appoynt it so Wherefore as hee created the other liuing and sensible creatures of two sexes in one kinde namely some males and others females that they might increase and multiplie by generation so likewise dealt hee with mankinde But as hee tooke an other course in the creation of man then he did in that of beastes so also dealt he in the creation of the woman whome hee purposed to giue vnto man for a companion For hee created not man and woman both together but man first and then woman afterwarde as wee will declare by and by Nowe because there is no coniunction or communion in any humane societie wherein that holy bonde which ought to knitte all men together and ioyne them one to another is better declared then in that whereby man wife are conioyned and vnited as it were in one selfe same bodie and in one soule therefore it pleased God not without cause to beginne this holie
forme and of so many goodly and pleasant members as are ornaments vnto it yea which are so necessary that without them all the rest are as it were vnprofitable neither coulde they preserue and keepe themselues I speake not yet of those partes that are hidden and contained within the head but onely of those members which appeare outwardly which are in such wise disposed euery one in his place that albeit they be not farre distant one from another yet the neere ioyning of them together doeth not cause them one to hinder the office of an other notwithstanding their diuersitie as wee see euidently and shall know more at large by the sequel of our speaches Hereby doth God admonish vs how wee ought to behaue our selues one toward an other and dwell eueryman within his boundoâ— and limites not setting one vpon an other and not incroching vpon any thing that is our neighbours For as these is spare and roome enough in the head for all the senses and members that are there and the like in the rest of the body for all the members whereof it is compounded by reason of the good order concord consent that is amongst them so the earth and the worlde is bigge enough and hath goodes enough for all if wee had skill and coulde beare one with another and be content euery one with his estate and office and with those gifts which we haue receiued from God as members of one and the same body If this good accord and consent were amongst vs a litle place would please vs but if we doe otherwise all the worlde wil not be great enough to suffice vs. No riuers seas or mountaines will be sufficient to keepe vs within our bounds and borders Therefore let vs learne of the senses and members of our body what rule wee ought to keepe one with an other The bodily senses which God hath giuen to man to bee ministers and messengers to the spirituall senses of the minde are fiue in number namely the sight hearing smelling taste and touching To al the members instruments of these senses which shal be hereafter declared vnto vs the facultie of sense is generally giuen by the sinewes which haue their originall from the braine as we haue already touched So that hereby we see what is the dignitie and excellencie of the head seeing God hath placed therein the fountaine and spring not onely of all the sence but also of all the motions of the boby which are wrought by meanes of the sinewes For we must know that foure things are required in the office and vse of the bodily senses The first is the power and vertue of the soule which giueth sense by the animall spirite guided by the finewes The second is the instrument being well applied and made fit for his vse and office by which the soule effecteth her worke The third is that thing that is to be perceiued by sense about which the soule exerciseth her office The fourth is the meane or way which receiueth the obiect of the sensible qualilitie and and carrieth it to the instrument As for example If the question were of sight first there must be this power and vertue of seeing in the soule Next the eie is necessarily required thereunto for it is the proper instrument appointed to receiue light Then there must bee light without which all thinges are couered with darkenesse and made inuisible For although the eies by nature are partakers of light yet that which they haue naturally and which they cary within them selues will affoorde them as small light as if they had none at all except they receiue a greater light that commeth from the heauens or from some light 〈◊〉 body as from fire or from a candle lighted as we see by experience the night time Lastly the meane or middle way is of necessitie required by which the light is to be brought and communicated with the eye and that is the aire through which it passeth as through a glasse or christall or such like bodies which are not so 〈◊〉 that they keepe backe the light from 〈◊〉 through them For if there bee nothing betweene them I meane betweene the eye and the light and those colours which it must beholde a can not apprehend and perceiue them The like is to bee saide of the senses of hearing smelling and tasting as we shall vnderstand berter when wee speake of them heereafter particularly But as for the sense of touching it is most earthy of all the rest Therefore it agreeth with th◠〈…〉 is common to all the partes and members of the body that haue sâ—nsâ— although it bee more 〈◊〉 lesse in some places theâ— in others This sense is giuen to the body to discerne the first qualities by namely hote colde moyst and drie from others that accompany them as heauy and light hard and soft sower and sweete thicke and thinne which are compounded qualities taken from the foure 〈…〉 all corporall things are made of the foure elements Concerning gâ—â—â—atnesse figures members motion and rest they are common to many of the senses Thus much for the sense of touching from which the rest do differ in that euery one hath his proper sense which is not communicated with any other For onely the eyes see the eares heare the nose breatheth the tongue and palate taste And heere wee haue to consider of the great prouidence of God in many points First forasmuch as the body cannot liue without the sense of touching which hath for obiect the elementary qualities it is giuen to all liuing creatures in euery part of the body to the ende that thereby they might knowe according to the proportion of the qualities what is profitable or hurtfull to their bodies in the participation of these qualities and so eschew more easily that which might hurt them But men haue this sense chiefely in the endes of their fingers that touching slightly with them they might make the first triall of all qualities For if they feele that the thing which they touch is too hote or too cold or that there is some other excesse in the quality which might hurt them they are admonished thereby to the end that by a very litle hurt they might auoyde a greater For a man may better cheape feele a litle griefe and that very lightly in the end of one finger or of many then in a whole member or in all the rest of his body Besides God hath further prouided for this sense in that it is not so sharp to â—â—ele suddainely and to the quicke as the sight or hearing to the end the body should receiue lesse dammage by that which it toucheth if it be hurtfull for it Now the eyes because they doe not touch that which they see nor the eares that which they heare therefore they can not be so damnified as the residue of the members may which feele not except they touch Moreouer we haue yet to note
bodily senses whose nature approcheth nearer to the nature of the soule and spirit then any other by reason of the similitude and agreement that is betweene them Therefore by good right they beare rule among all the senses and all the other members of the body as being their guides For they are giuen to man chiefly to guide and leade him to the knowledge of God by the contemplation of his goodly works which appeare pâ—ncipally in the heauens and in al the order thereof and whereof wâ— can haue no true knowledge and instruction by any other sense but by the eies For without the who could euer haue noted the diuers course and motions of the celestiall bodies yea wee see by experience that the Mathematicall sciences among which Astronomy is one of the chiefest cannot be well and rightly shewed and taught as many others may without the helpe of the eyes because a man must make their demonstrations by figures which are their letters and images I passe ouer many other Sciences as that of the Anatomy of mans body and such like which are very hard yea impossible to bee learned and knowen certainly vnlesse they may be seene with the eie Wherefore seeing the bodily senses are the chiefest masters of man in whose house the spirite and vnderstanding is lodged and enclosed the greatest and first honour is by good right to be giuen to the eies and sight Likewise it is the first mistresse that prouoked men forward to the studie and searching out of science and wisedome For of sight is ingendred admiration and wondering at thinges that are seene and this admiration causeth men afterward to coÌ„sider more seriously of things and to marke them better and from thence it is that men fall to enquire of matters more carefully and to sound them deeper In the ende they come to the studie of science and wisedome which is the knowledge of supernaturall light namely of the light of the minde vnto which science and doctrine is as light is to the eye so that it contemplateth and museth by that as the eye seeth by right Therefore we haue to note that it hath pleased God the creator of al things to scatter his light throughout the whole world ouer all creatures as well spirituall and inuisible as corporall and visible His spirituall light hee hath infused into spirituall creatures and bodily light into bodily creatures to the ende that by this benefite the spirites might haue vnderstanding and the eyes sight So that Angelles and the spirites of men which are spirituall and inuisible creatures are illuminated by the meanes of vnderstanding with that spirituall and heauenly light whereof God hath made them partakers as the bodies of liuing creatures and chiefely of man are illuminated with the corporall light of the Sunne by meanes of the eyes For as bodies haue their bodily eyes so spirites haue their spirituall eyes For that vnderstanding wherewith God hath indued them is vnto them as the eyes are to the body Wherefore by that they see God who is their heauenly Sunne and the fountaine of all diuine and spirituall light as bodily eyes beholde the materiall sunne wherein as in a fountaine God hath placed corporall light which he would haue vs see and know by meanes of the eyes which wee ought to acknowledge as a great benefit For the light is a worke of God woorthy of great admiration which discouereth and sheweth to vs a great part of nature and is vnto vs in steade of an image of the best and most excellent natures which without doubt are lights shining natures Neither coulde any man possibly expresse in wordes or teach in any sorte what the light is which sheweth al other things what is the beautie excellencie thereof vnlesse the eyes did beholde and know it distinguish it from darkenes For by meanes of the eyes we may iudge what our life woulde be if it were buried in perpetuall darkenes or if man had no instrument to apprehend and to receiue the light when it shâ—neth Therefore as God hath created the light to discouer and shew all things by it so he hath giuen eyes to man whereby he may apprehend receiue it To this ende he hath made them of a matter that is partaker of light and meet to receiue it that by the agreement of nature that is betweene them the light they might enioy it and by â—he selfe same meanes they might be messengers to the minde to induce and leade it to the consideration of the diuine light whereof corporall light is a very small resemblance and hereby also the mind might knowe that God who dwelleth in a light that none can attaine vnto is a maruailous light as holy men knowe by experience when hee sheweth himselfe vnto them For as the eie is like to a glasse that receiueth the images of thinges offred vnto it so God imprinteth images of him selfe in our mind as in a glasse Wherefore as a glasse cannot receiue any image but of such things as are set before it so the image of God cannot shine not be imprinted in the mind of man vnlesse he alwayes set God before his eies that he may receiue his image And as the eie is illuminated by the beames that proceed from the sunne so the mind is illuminated by the brightnes of the diuine light in which we consider the Father in the vnitie of the godhead as the spring fountaine of al light the Sonne as the beames brightnes ingendred thereof the holy Ghost as a flame proceeding from it which causeth the eie of the mind to receiue it to be made partaker thereof We see then how our eyes together with the light admonish vs of great thinges of most excellent works of God and of great secrets of spirituall heauenly things whose images he hath imprinted in the light and in our cies to the ende that by these corporall and visible images wee may haue some knowledge of those things wherof they are images which cannot be seene perceiued with corporall senses but only with the spirituall senses of the soule Wherefore wee ought greatly to praise God for this goodly gift both of the light of the eies which cannot sufficiently be valewed For although it did vs no more seruice then it doth to brute beasts namely to guide and leade vs in this corporall life yet we ought seriously to acknowledge the excellencie of so great a gift of God how profitable and necessary it is for vs. But there is a great deale more in it by reason of the mind and vnderstanding which God hath giuen to the spirit and soule of man as it were spirituall eies to the end there might be an agreement proportion betweene theÌ„0 the eyes of the body For as the eies declare to the mind what they see that it might take knowledge therof so when the mind hath seene
with spirituall eies those images that are offered vnto it by the bodily eies it causeth them to see a great deale more clearely then the eies of brute beasts do For because they want minds vnderstanding their eiesight pierceth no further then vnto those corporall thinges which they behold Wherfore when they see the light of the sunne they only prepare themselues to be guided by it neuer cōsider or looke any further But man if he be not altogether brutish as beasts are stayeth not there but passing further he cōsidereth the beauty of the sunne those great benefits which it bringeth with it And being ascended so hie by the means of corporall light he ascendeth euen to the spirituall diuine light to God who is the eternal infinit Sunne Man also hath so much the more knowledge of the nature of corporall light of the effects therof hath also so much the more celestiall heauēly light whereof bodily light is an image as his mind is illuminated by the word and spirit of God For otherwise men see litle clearer not much farther by the light of the body then brute beasts do Moreouer we made mention in our former speach of 4. things requisit to see by which also are to be vsed in the other sences I will only adde a litle of the fourth thing which is of the meane that receiueth the obiect of the sensible quality beareth it to the instrument If those bodies that are set before our eies are so thicke by nature that the light can not pierce through thē thē doth the light appeare vpon them but not in so great measure nor so cleare as in the aire in other bodies as in glasse christal or such like that are not so thicke that they wil hinder the light frō piercing through them This part of light that is vpon thicke bodies is called colour which is of diuers sorts according to the mixture of light darknes that is in them For first there are 2. kinds of simple colours by mingling of which together al other colours are cōpounded The one is white which hath most light in it of all others and therfore wil take any other colour Thē there is black colour which hath least light in it therfore it wil take no other color Now according as these 2. kinds of colors are mingled together al other colours being infinit in nūber are cōpounded taking their diuersity difference as they haue more white or black mingled in thē For this cause some are red others yellow these greene those skie-color others gray or blew or tawny In a word it wold be a difficult matter yea impossible to reherse al their differences varieties But God sheweth himself yet more wōderful in the diuersitie that is seene euen in one kind of colour For let vs consider in a medow or garden al the herbs trees plants that are there with leaues floures we shal see no green in any one of thē which differeth not in some thing from the greene of another kind although they be all greene The like may be said of their floures For whether they be white or blacke or red or yellow or azure or of any other color we shall not find one that differeth not in somthing frō others of the same colour but of a diuers kind So is it with diuers fethers colors of birds amongst which there are such sundry colours that a mā cannot tel what certain name to giue thē as for exāple we see about the neck of a Ring-doue And althogh Painters indeuor as much as lieth in thē counterfaite all these diuersities in their printings mingled with many colours and howsoeuer as followers of nature they come very neere her yet they can neuer approch so neere as to be able to represent any colour so liuely as she brings it forth Now if the eies were not capable of light they could not see any colour nor discerne one from another and if they could not see colours they should see nothing For nothing can be seene but by meanes of colours no more then it may bee seene without light of which those are made And as the eyes cannot well see if they haue not as much light as is needefull for them so if they haue too much and more then they want they will see a great deale lesse or if it be very great they will be dazeled and as it were blinde Therefore it must be dispensed vnto them by iust measure and proportion according to their capacitie and then through the reflexion of those thinges which it discouereth vnto them it imprinteth their images in them as the image of a ring is imprinted in sealed waxe Now hauing spoken of the principall vse of our eyes if I shoulde enter into a more particular consideration of their nature I knowe not almost at which ende to beginne For there is nothing either in the matter of which they are made or in their forme composition and vse howe small soeuer it be which is not able to cast all men into great admiration For first if you aske after their matter they are compounded of three sortes of humours of which the one is like to water the other to glasse molten or to the white of an egge and the third to yee or christall and therefore they take their names of those things which they resemble Concerning the Christalline humour it is not so thinne but more firme then the other twaine much like to waxe melted Neuerthelesse it is a great deale more cleare and more glistering then both the other so that there is the same difference betweene these three humours and that which may bee seene through them which is betweene christall glasse and water and that which a man may see through them The Christalline humour is giuen to the eye to impart light vnto it therefore it is in the eye as it were a little round Christall glasse very glistering And although the other twaine are very bright so that the light may passe through them as it were through water and glasse yet they haue no light of themselues as the christalline humour hath which coulde not receiue that light which it doeth from without if of it selfe also it were not partaker of light and if by that participation which it hath there were not in it a naturall agreement with the other The other twaine are ioyned vnto it not onelie to nourish and moysten it that it drie not too fast but also to helpe to preserue it and to moderate the vehemencie both of those spirites and colours that might hurt it Nowe because these humours are liquide and soft they had neede of fitte vesselles to keepe euery one in his place appoynted for the executing of their office The christalline humoris in the middest of the other twaine because it is the glasse of the eye which receiueth
in the whole world And if we be not able to vnderstand or comprehend them doeth it followe therefore that he doeth them not yet there are many that conclude after that sort For they beleeue nothing but that which they are able to cōceiue know comprehend by their natural reason And so because they cānot know how the soule being of a spirituall nature is ioyned with the bodie which is cleane of another nature nor conceiue howe it is lodged and worketh therein therefore they must conclude that they haue no soule which worketh that in them that is there done For they see not neither can they shewe howe it worketh by those instruments which it hath in the bodie but onely so farre foorth as they behold the worke But we shall haue occasion elsewhere to handle this more at large For this time let vs goe forward with our speech of the powers and faculties of the soule considering first of the braine which is the principall instrument thereof and the seate of the internall senses already mentioned by vs of which wee are to be instructed particularly Of the Braine and of the nature thereof of the sundry kinds of knowledge that are in man of the similitude that is betweene the actions and woorkes of the naturall vertues of the soule and of the internall senses Chap. 23. ARAM. The woorkemanship which God hath wrought in the whole course of nature as well in the nature of the heauens as of the elements of liuing things of plants mettals and other creatures doth vndoubtedly containe in it great miracles and very excellent and euident testimonies which shewe plainely vnto vs that the nature of all things yea of the whole worlde commeth not by fortune and at aduenture but that they were created and ordeyned by a more excellent nature then any can be found in al the world But there is not a more expresse and clearer image of the diuine nature then in that part of man wherein are to be found those great and marueilous vertues and properties which are commonly called Animales as namely the thought vnderstanding and knowledge of numbers and of order reason iudgement memory with the discerning of honest things from those that are dishonest of good things from bad together with the election or reiection of them Therefore the contemplation of these vertues and powers is very necessary for vs that by the knowledge of them wee may dayly learne to knowe GOD the better by that resemblaunce and similitude of his wisedome which hee hath vouchsafed to transferre and to imprint in mans nature and that wee might bee induced thereby to glorifie him and that wee shoulde labour to the vttermost of our power to haue this image shine in vs more and more and daily to encrease in likenesse vnto the paterne from whence it is taken Nowe let vs followe that diuision which wee haue alreadie made of the sundry faculties vertues properties and offices which the soule hath in the bodie namely the Animall Vitall and Naturall and that diuision also which wee made of mans bodie vnto which many attribute three seuerall partes and call them bellies the first and highest of which they place in the head for the Animall faculties and vertues the second which is the middlemost belly in the breast and stomacke for the Vitall vertues and the last from the Midriffe to the share-bone for the Naturall faculties They vnderstande by the first the whole brayne which they diuide also into sundrie partes and call them likewise Bellies and little Bellies Wee haue alreadie hearde of the excellencie of the head of the place and situation thereof of the goodly outward members wherewith it is beautified of the bones whereof it is made and of the couering wherewith they are couered that the braine might haue his conuenient lodging and such a one as is requisite for the nature and office it hath that it might be wel fortified and defended on euery side to preserue and keepe it well against all outward inconueniences that might come vnto it and to the end also it might haue neere about it all those seruaunts and senses which it guideth and gouerneth and all those instruments which it standeth most in neede of both in regard of the workes it is charged with as also for the purging thereof Forasmuch then as it is lodged in the head we are to know that as the head hath a certaine agreement with the heauens and the eyes with the celestiall lightes as wee haue already touched so is it likewise with the braine For it is of a more heauenly nature and approcheth neerer to the spirituall and diuine nature then any other part of the whole body as that wherein a man may finde all those excellent vertues and Animall powers of which I made mention in the beginning of my speech and which are no actions or workes of a brutish nature Whereof also it followeth very wel that the Woorkemaster and authour thereof cannot bee of a brutish nature without vnderstanding and knowledge of order of things honest and dishonest and of good and bad Which teacheth vs moreouer that hee greatly esteemeth of the preseruation of nature and of humane societie detesteth whatsoeuer is contrary therevnto seeing hee hath imprinted in man such an image of his diuine nature as hee would not willingly haue defaced blotted out Wherfore although we cannot throughly know either the nature of the braine or the actions thereof or of the soule which it serueth yet that which may come to our knowledge will greatly helpe to confirme more more this testimony of God and of his prouidence which is already imprinted in our hearts by the light and law of nature Therfore it were very good and profitable for vs to consider diligently of that resemblance of God which euery one of vs beareth in a very small image that wee may giue him thankes and referre to their proper ende all those giftes and excellent partes which he hath placed in our nature Wee are to note then for the first poynt that as GOD manifesteth more excellently his diuine nature and the glorie of his maiestie in the heauens and in the highest partes of this great visible worlde then he doeth in other partes more base and terrestriall as we may easily knowe by the contemplation of them so dealeth hee with the head and brayne of man which is as it were the lodging of the internall senses already named which are farre more excellent and noble then the outward senses For if liuing creatures and chiefly man should onely and barely apprehend those things that are before them without any imagination thought or consideration of them thereby to know how to chuse or reiect them as they may be eyther profitable or hurtfull it would not be greatly profitable to haue them presented to the outward senses For this cause God hath ioyned vnto them another facultie and vertue which is much more
reiecteth the residue wich is not onely not profitable but also very hurtfull for her vnlesse shee did cast it foorth and so discharge and purge the bodie thereof Nowe let vs see howe the like is wrought in the brayne betweene the internall senses and the Animal vertues For first there must bee some facultie and vertue that receiueth the images imprinted in the senses the knowledge whereof is as single and plaine as may bee because it is onely of thinges that are bodily and present as I haue alreadie declared This vertue is called Imagination or the Imaginatiue vertue which is in the soule as the eye in the bodie by beholding to receiue the images that are offered vnto it by the outward senses and therefore it knoweth also the things that are absent and is amongst the internal senses as it were the mouth of the vessell of memorie which is the facultie and vertue that retaineth and keepeth whatsoeuer is committed to the custody thereof by the other senses that it may be found and brought forth when neede requireth Therefore Memorie is as it were their treasurer to keepe that which they committe vnto it and to bring it foorth in due time and season Nowe after that the Imagination hath receiued the images of the senses singly and particularly as they are offered vnto it then doeth it as it were prepared and digest them eyther by ioyning them together or by separating them according as their natures require They that distinguish Imagination from Fantasie attribute this office to Fantasie others say it belongeth to the Common sense vnder which they comprehend both the former faculties because the office thereof is to receiue the images that are offered vnto it and to discerne the things as they are presented by all the externall senses and to distinguish them as they doe Afterwarde it is requisite that all these things thus heaped together shoulde bee distributed and compared one with another to consider howe they may be conioyned or seuered how one followeth another or how farre asunder they are that so a man may iudge what is to be retained and what to be refused And this office belongeth to Reason after which Iudgement followeth whereby men chuse or refuse that which reason alloweth or disalloweth For it belongeth to reason to discourse and memory afterward as I haue alreadie touched hath this office to retaine and keepe all Thus you see the similitude and comparison that may be considered of betweene the actions and workes of the naturall vertues of the soule and those of the Animal vertues in the internall senses which may greatly helpe vs to the better vnderstanding of that which wee haue alreadie touched before concerning the spirituall foode of our soules which properly belongeth to the internall senses Nowe because all these senses faculties and vertues haue their instruments in the brayne before we speake more at large and particularly of their office and nature wee must see howe these partes are placed in the head and what vessels and members they haue in the brayne and this ACHITOB shal teach vs. Of the composition of the Braine with the members and partes thereof of their offices and of that knowledge which ought to content vs touching the principall cause of the vertues and wonderfull powers of the soule Chap. 24. ACHITOB. The actions faculties and vertues of the soule are so high obscure that their excellency far surmounteth the capacity of our vnderstādings For we haue no other soule aboue this that effecteth these works whereby we might see and know the nature hereof as by this we come to the knowledge of corporall things whose nature being of lesse excellencie more base our soule which is of a more high and noble nature is able to know comprehend and iudge of them But because there is no nature in vs more high excellent then our soule none can know it as it is but onely the creator that made it especially that reasonable part of the soule wherein the image of God is more liuely and shineth more clearely then in the rest Therefore we may in some sort know by this part facultie and vertue which is the chiefest what is the nature of the rest that are inferiour vnto it But because there is no part in vs aboue that we cannot perceiue and know how it vseth the internal senses with their vessels and instruments as by this wee may iudge of the Vital vertue which it sheweth vnto vs in the heart and of the Nutritiue vertue which it discouereth vnto vs in the liuer and in other partes and members seruing to these faculties as also to the vertue of generation Therefore wee must waite for a more ample knowledge of our selues chiefly of our soules and aboue all of that part which is most excellent in it when we shall by the goodnes and grace of God beholde face to face the creator that created it and shal behold and know our selues in him and contemplate him in all perfection and truth But seeing we vnderstood by the former speech that all the Animal faculties and vertues and all the internal senses in the knowledge whereof we desire to be instructed more at large haue their seates and instruments in the braine let vs nowe consider howe these partes are placed within the head And first of all wee must call to minde what wee hearde before of the outwarde partes thereof As for that which is within there are hollowe places called Little Bellies distinguished by distaunce of place as it were diuers chambers in one building Therefore there are certayne membranes or skinnes both to distinguish them and knitte them together as also to preserue and keepe them from all hurt and danger Nowe albeit these skinnes haue this office yet it is much to bee marueiled at howe this whole frame can keepe it selfe and continue so firme as it were the roofe of a house or Church considering that the matter there is great spongie and very tender The first of these skinnes is a thicke couering which is one of the chiefest skinnes that belong to our body The substance thereof is thicke and harder then any other skinne and therefore it is called the Harde mother because it bringeth foorth and preserueth all the rest The vse and profite thereof is to wrap and foulde in rounde about the whole braine and to keepe it that whilest it moueth it shoulde not be hurt with the bone of the head which is commonly called the skul For nature vseth to set a meane betweene two contraries as well to knit them together as to preserue both the one and the other Therefore because the bones of the skull are hard and the braine is soft and tender God hath placed this couering which is of a middle substance betweene them both and is so tyed to the one and the other that it hangeth as it were betweene both and toucheth neither of
alwayes Therefore wee may well say of a woman if shee bee a Mother it is very like that she loueth her childe because it is naturall But wee cannot conclude certainely that it is alwayes so seeing wee often see the contrarie There are also oftentimes many signes which haue such apparant significations that they seeme to signifie things vnto vs certainely enough wherein neuerthelesse we are deceiued as it falleth out often in our suspicions opinions which are not grounded vpon certaine and firme arguments and most euident reasons Wherefore the knowledge that wee may haue of such thinges cannot properly be called science but onely coniecture opinion probabilitie or likelihood because there is great shew of trueth but yet not very certaine Nowe albeeit the nature of thinges bee mutable yet if they alwayes keepe one and the same tenour and constancie which continueth alike alwayes to it selfe a man may haue a certayne knowledge of them and that is called science example whereof wee haue in celestiall bodies and in naturall thinges which alwayes keepe one and the selfe same order and nature both in the elements and in liuing creatures in plantes also and such like things For as for the heauens although they bee mutable creatures yet they haue alwayes certayne courses and motions which followe their accustomed order without ceassing In like manner we see that all these thinges mentioned euen nowe are distinguished in their kindes and haue their naturall meanes whereby they are mainteyned and preserued For it is naturall in man to beget man and by this meanes mankinde is preserued The same may be saide of other liuing creatures of plantes also and of such other things which neuer faile in keeping their order We haue this light in vs by nature Wherfore when I see a childe or a man I may alwayes say certainly that no painter hath painted and fashioned him in that sort and that it is none of his worke but that he was begotten and bred of a man and a woman that were his parents For God doeth not nowe create men and women as he created Adam and Eue in the beginning and as wee shewed in our first discourse but by the common order which he established at that time and in regard of which he instituted the holy estate of Mariage as we will intreate hereafter But if the question be concerning immutable perpetuall and supernaturall things we haue neede of another light that is greater and more agreeable to their nature which is giuen to men by diuine inspiration This light or knowledge is called Sapience or Wisedome For this cause Saint Paul writing to the Ephesians saith I cease not to giue thankes for you making mention of you in my prayers that the God of our Lorde Iesus Christ the father of glory might giue vnto you the spirite of wisedome and reuelation through the knowledge of him that the eyes of your vnderstanding may bee lightened that yee may know what the hope is of his calling and what the riches of his glorious inheritance is in the Saintes Wee see here how the Apostle ioyneth together wisedome reuelation and illumination of the vnderstanding the authour of which hee maketh the spirite of God by whose reuelation and lightning we obtain true wisdome of which the wisedome of the world is not capable And therefore afterward he calleth this wisedome the knowledge that passeth all knowledge For although by our naturall light wee haue some obscure knowledge of God as we haue already touched it yet it cannot so farre lighten vs nor cause vs to ascend so high except God giue vs this also of which I spake euen now Therefore howe great soeuer the naturall light be which we haue yet if we follow it any thing farre we are presently cōpassed with darknes which proceedeth not of the things we are to know but from our owne mindes which being pressed with the heauy burden of our body are hindred and made more slowe or els it is because our minds are troubled as if some cloud troubled the sight of our eyes So that the more light is in our mind the greater knowledge we haue there and the lesse doubting If there be no light at all or so litle that it be no better then none at al then ignorance spreadeth it selfe as it were darknes in an obscure and troubled night insomuch that there is neyther science nor opinion nor likelihood nor doubting Heere of it is that we commonly say ignorant persons cast no perils Thus then as euery one hath more light in the minde hee beholdeth obscure things more clearely because his vnderstanding is better eyther by the benefite of nature or by study and exercise or by a speciall gift of God Others see nothing at all or very litle no not into those thinges that are very cleare manifest so that they are like to men compassed couered with darknes at Midday This befalleth thē either through the ignorance that is in their vnderstanding or by reason of their blockish slouthfulnes that neglecteth exercise or by the iust iudgement of God who because of their sinnes hath blinded their minds giuing thē ouer to Satan to blind them who vseth to shut vp the eyes of worldly carnal and vnfaithful men whom he hath in his power So that if there be any errour in the mindes of men if they approoue and follow after lying in stead of trueth and euill in place of goodnesse this commeth not from the naturall or supernaturall light that God hath giuen them nor of the knowledge they haue thereby how great or small soeuer it be but of the darknesse that is mingled amiddest this light which sinne hath made more dark and wholly ouerwhelmed and the Deuill dayly increaseth to the vttermost of his power because hee woulde gladly haue all light in vs as well naturall as supernaturall cleane extinguished and put out For as brightnesse breedeth not clouds and obscurity so science and knowledge doeth not bring forth ignoraunce and errour For contraries are not made one of another Wherefore that commeth to passe in the lightning of our vnderstandings which wee see to happen in the change of light in regarde of our eyes For according to that which is put betwixt so doeth the qualitie and vertue of the light chaunge in respect of our sight If it be a verie thicke bodie which the light cannot pearce through then is it wholly taken from vs and as it is more or lesse thicke or thinne and transparent so doe our eyes receiue more or lesse light In like manner the lightening of our vnderstanding is wonderfull variable because of the great diuersitie of thinges that are set before it in this life to hinder it sundrie wayes in some more in some lesse according to those obiectes that are offered to euerie one or as men procure to themselues From hence it is that there are so many diuers opinions
therefore it tendeth to disliking which is wholly against consent For this cause wee call Opinion a knowledge that moueth vs to encline rather on the one side then on the other in regard of the appearance and shewe of reason that it hath so that wee are not fully resolued therein Nowe albeeit this consent which is called opinion or coniecture bee not altogether so firme as that which wee call beleefe neuerthelesse it differeth from Doubting which is as it were a neuter iudgement hanging betweene consent and his contrary and inclining neither to the one side nor to the other As for that beleefe which is of diuine things there is such a firme consent required therein as that all doubting must be vtterly excluded For faith is not perfect if it doe not allowe for certaine whatsoeuer God hath reuealed vnto men by his worde which is a certaine testimonie of his will And although hee hath giuen vnto vs the same meanes to instruct vs by in these things that he hath done in humane things yet hee goeth further For hee doeth not onely teach vs by experience by reasons and demonstrations which appeare manifestly to-our senses both externall and internall and of which our minde can iudge as well as of humane things but he requireth chiefely of vs that wee shoulde beleeue his testimony and those witnesses which he sendeth vnto vs and that wee shoulde content our selues with his authoritie And because heauenly things surpasse the capacitie of our vnderstandings God maketh them capable by the light of faith which is a supernaturall and diuine light whereby wee see that in God which we cannot beholde in all the creatures and which our humane reason cannot naturally comprehend Now as much as this light is more certaine then all other naturall light either externall of the eyes of the body or internall in respect of the eyes of the soule and minde so much more certaine is our sight and knowledge of that which wee see and knowe by meanes of that light For this cause when our vnderstandings are lightned with this light wee beleeue more firmely that which it manifesteth vnto vs I say not onely then that whereunto wee may bee perswaded by all the humane reasons which can be alleadged but also then that which we see with our owne eyes and heare with our eares and touch with our hands For these externall senses and those internall senses also whose messengers the other are are not so certaine witnesses to our spirite as the senses of faith which are more then humane For they are heauenly Wherefore shee hath eies whereby she seeth diuinely and not humanely which can neuer be deceiued as the eyes of the body may The like wee may say of her eares and of her handes For there is no sense so certaine as all hers are because she receiueth them diuinely by the spirit Therfore as she hath not in her any imagination or fantasie that can deceiue her so she can neuer faile either in her discourses or in her iudgements whereupon shee resolueth because she is alwayes guided in them by the holy spirite whome she followeth for her rule in all things and who assureth her by his testimony as if she bare the markes and seales imprinted in her selfe and in their mindes and hearts in whome shee dwelleth Heereof it is that Saint Paul so often saieth that God hath sealed vs by his holy Spirite speaking as it were of a seale imprinted in our hearts and mindes and as of an earnest and gage which God hath giuen vs for the best and most certaine assurance that can bee No maruell therefore if the children of God endewed with this true faith become so resolute so firme and constant that no authoritie power wisedome force eloquence no humane reasons nor any thing that men or deuils can imagine think say or doe is able to make them to change their mindes whereof we haue most euident examples especially in the person of all the Martyres who could neuer by any violence in the world be ouercome but their faith hath euermore gotten the victory and triumphed ouer all their enemies And by this wee may assuredly knowe that it is better grounded then vpon all the reasons and perswasions of men that may be Therefore it is not without cause that S. Paul calleth it the gift of God neither is it without great reason commended so much in the Epistle to the Hebrewes For being come to that point that it hath such an illumination as to accompt all that God reuealeth in his worde to bee more certaine then any thing that wee either see with our eies or touch with our hands hereof to haue a true sense and feeling of the testimony of the holy spirit then doth it exclude al doubting which is contrary thereunto and differeth much from that which we hold only in opinion wherein there is as yet no great assurance So that we may conclude hereupon that according as faith is more or lesse in vs wee shall neuer conclude ill nor at any time giue ouer our conclusions For faith neuer concludeth any thing which God hath not before spoken whose word and authoritie is vnto it as in deede it ought to be in steade of all reason For seeing it is that wisedome and trueth which can neuer faile or lie it needeth not to doubt in any respect to conclude alwayes therewith neyther hath it cause at any time afterward to forsake or change the conclusion it hath set downe Wherefore when our faith is shaken and beginneth to alter it is a signe and testimony that it holdeth more of the nature of opinion then of beleefe and that it hath not yet a iudgement throughly resolued in the conclusion which it hath taken So that heere wee may learne what difference there is betwixt beleefe opinion doubting and infidelitie or incredulitie For seeing incredulitie is contrary to beleefe it goeth farther then doubting which concludeth nothing on either side as both beleefe and opinion doe but incredulitie concludeth contrarie to them both For it giueth no consent as beleefe and opinion doe but taketh the cleane contrary and therefore it may well be called dissent or disagreement as being opposite to that consent that is in beleefe Now to end this speech and to take away al doubting that may arise of this word Beleefe or Faith I will only adde this that wee are to know that it is diuersly takē in the holy scripturs For the name which it hath in the Hebrew tongue is taken frō the word whereby they expresse veritie or truth which they also take for constancie assurance The word which the Euangelists and Apostles vse according to the Graecians in whose language they wrote signifieth properly Perswasion And the name vsed by the Latines from whome wee haue taken our Faith signifieth that constancie and trueth which men keepe in their wordes and promises whereupon
rest and also compound as the Charles-waine the Lion both the beares and others so in the body there are simple or similar partes as the sinewes bones arteries veines c. and compound partes as the heart liuer braine stomacke lungs and such like Moreouer it is certaine that the Planets howsoeuer in regarde of their moouing to and fro they are saide to be wandring starres haue yet their certaine liâ—â—â—tes in the heauens especially in the Zodiacke in which as in their dwelling houses they exercise those naturall powers wherewithall they are endued as the proper mansion of the sunne is in Leo of the Moone in Cancer of Saturne in Capricorne of Iupiter in Sagittarius and so of the rest In like manner although the body of man bee so framed as that there is no one part but it is seruiceable vnto all yet there are certaine seuerall places appointed as peculiar shoppes for each facultie to woorke in especially as the braine for the Animall spirite the heart for the Vitall and the liuer for the Naturall the gall is the receptacle for choler the spleene for Melancholy the sucking veines serue to purge the blood from the serous substaunce of it and so of the other powers and partes of the body To conclude this third vse for a day woulde not suffice to vtter all that might bee spoken in this matter as the Sunne by reason of the Annuall progresse through the twelue signes maketh a sensible diuision of the yeere into foure partes which haue their different seasons and qualities if they fallout according to the course of nature and so likewise the Moone by her 〈◊〉 quartereth the moneth accordingly euen so farethit with the body of man in regarde of his whole age which being considered from the beginning vnto the ending agreeth very fitly to those seuerall seasons both for number and praedominant qualities if the threede of life bee not cutte off in the midway by the rasour of death For the body of man in his first age which is his childehoode is moist and hote and so is the former part of the yeere called the Spring as also the first part of the moneth from the new moone to the ending of the first quarter In the second part of mans age which is his florishing and youthfull time the body of man is hote and dry such as are the qualities of the second part of the yeere or Sommer season and of that second part of the moneth which is from the first quarter to the full Moone Thirdly the bodie of man in the third part of his age commonly called Mans-age is colde and moist according to the disposition of the third part of the yeere called Autumne and of that season of the Moone which is from the full to the last quarter To conclude in the fourth and last quarter of mans age called Olde-age his body is coldâ— and drie like to the Winter season and to the fourth part of the Moneth which is from the last quarter to the next newe Moone Nowe as these three former vses of the Anatomie of mans bodie serue for the commoditie and delight of man so the fourth is the same that ought to be made not onely of the body of man but as Salomon teacheth vs of all the creatures both in heauen and earth and that is the glorie of God For the Lord hauing set in his visible creatures euident markes of himselfe and of his eternitie power goodnes wisedome and prouidence as the Apostle teacheth what remaineth but that man for whose sake seruice the Lord created al things should thereby acknowledge his soueraigne Lord and returne vnto him all glory praise and duetifull obedience for the same That we ought to make this vse of the Anatomicall consideration of our bodies the kingly Prophet Dauid teacheth vs most diuinely by his owne example when after a view taken of the admirable woorke of God in fashioning him in his mothers wombe he breakâ—th forth into this saying I will praise thee for I am fearefully and wonderfully made maruellous are thy works and my soule knoweth it wel And surely vnles we tread in the steps of this worthy king propoâ—â—d this as the scope of all our trauailes in searching out the seuerall parts of our bodies that God our Creatour and gratious preserâ—er may bee praised worshipped feared thereby we shall neuer know our selues aright and as we ought to doe but rather ioyne with the most part of men who not vsing their skill in this behalfe as a ladder to climbe vp by vnto God sticke fast in the very matter and forme of their bodies so that many of them become meère Naturalists and very Atheists One especiall cause whereof as 〈◊〉 it is because they lay not the ground and foundation of their skill in the holy Scriptures the fountaine of all sound knowlege which teach vs that â—t is the Lord that made vs and that formed vs from the womb but followe after some small streames of this knowledge euen such as are polluted with the inâ—entions of mans braine placing the course of nature in the procreation of mankind which is but an effect of Gods almightie working power in the roome of God himself the supreme cause of al. In which respect they may not vnfitly be resembled to Moles that are alwaies plodding in the earth or to swine that finding acorns vpon the ground neuer looke vp to the tree from which they fall They forget that mans eies are therefore set in the head which is the vpper part of the body rather then in his breast belly or feet because he should be admonished thereby to lift vp his mind vnto heauen and heauenly things therfore Plato saith that mens eies were set in a body erected and looking vpward that they might be as guides to leade them to the knowledge of God vpon the sight of the celestiall light notice taken of the heauenly motions Otherwise althogh a mans skill be neuer so great althogh he knowetâ— the way of the stars the walles of the world the foundatioÌ„s of the earth the top of the heauens yet if he be ignorant of the creator moderatour of them all it shal profit him nothing But as no man is to look for grapes of thorns or figs of thistles so we must not thinke that Epicures and Atheists wil once either labor to know God or open their lips to praise him when as yet they haue not learned to beleeue that he is much lesse that he is a rewarder of them that seeke him And surely of all Sathans delusions wrought by him in the hearts of vnbeleeâ—ers this monstrous error of 〈…〉 as that which is destitute of all shew of 〈…〉 selfe into the heart of man For 〈…〉 râ—ption hunger and thirst is not more incident vnto him then 〈…〉 relâ—gion and aberration in 〈◊〉 yet for any man not to see and acknowledge by the dimme candle of nature that God is
stay or resting place vntill they be come to those places which God hath appoynted for them Plants cast their rootes downeward and their branches vpward euery one following therein his nature For a plant being to receiue his nourishment from the earth by meanes of his rootes which are vnto it in stead of mouthes and veines to sucke and draw necessary sustenance for the preseruation of it selfe sendeth them alwayes into the ground and disperseth them all about according as they can find nourishment but the stalke stocke branches and boughs which are to be nourished in the ayre alwayes disperse themselues draw and ascend vpward Beasts hauing sense doe much more shewe that liking which they haue to follow their natural inclination For we see that by their proper apprehension and appetite they are driuen hither and thither to seeke and follow after that which they desire and loue being agreeable to their nature and to flie from that which they hate as being contrary thereunto Likewise men who only of all other mortall creatures were by creation made partakers of reason haue their proper motion conuenient to their nature For being created to attaine to that soueraigne and eternall Good which is set before them in the diuine essence they haue receiued from that infinite goodnes power and vertue to wish for that Good with a desire to apply and ioyne themselues thereunto Wherefore all men are naturally pricked and driuen forward with a loue and desire tending to that Good aswell because of that naturall agreement which they haue with the same Idea of Good which is God their soules being of a celestial and immortall essence as also because this Good is of that nature that it ought to be loued of euery nature yea so much the more loued as there is greater measure of reason in the creature to know it But this desire naturally ingrafted in euery mans heart which prouoketh and keepeth men in a loue and liking of euery thing which they thinke meete to content and satisfie them and which they seeke after in diuers things as their affections lead them differeth much from that desire which by heauenly grace is planted a new in those whom God according to his good pleasure and alwaies iust wil hath chosen and elected to euerlasting happinesse and pricked forward guideth and leadeth them to that principall end for which they were created For although the other sort of men being heires of that corruption that hath ouerspread the whole nature of man by the meanes of the sinne of the first father of all be driuen forward in soule and spirit yea many times not thinking thereof to their naturall desire of obtayning that Good yet they seeke it as blind men that goe by groping but cannot find it because the darkenes of error ignorance wherewith their vnderstanding is ouerwhelmed hindreth them from looking directly towards that Good and causeth them to wander out of that only way that could lead them vnto it So that in stead of looking vnto God and to celestiall and heauenly things they stay themselues about earthly corruptible things vnto which the neerer they labor to approch the farther off they are from the end of their wishes desires For this cause the blessed Apostle saith that the natural man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neyther can he know them because they are spiritually discerned But they that are illuminated and guided by heauenly and supernaturall light and whose vnderstanding is framed by the spirit of God to receiue It know then how they are carried by their proper motion to the contemplation of the true Good in the enioying whereof they shall once for euer be made partakers of a felicitie which eye neuer saw nor eare heard neither came into mans heart I meane when by dissoluing the mortall tabernacle of this body they shall be clothed with glorious immortalitie and shall see him face to face who is all in all in whome they shall be satisfied according to the doctrine of the Prophet In thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for euermore This is that my companions which ought to whet vs on to direct our sight streight to that place whereat wee ought to leuell namely to heauen and not looke to any other thing then to God who is the scope which we desire and shal one day attaine vnto Nowe if wee can not see this white so farre off and much lesse come vnto it without direction GOD is come neare vnto vs in the person of his Sonne Iesus Christ who being the brightnesse of his glory hath left vs his word for a sure guide besides so many testimonies of his prouidence and goodnesse ouer all creatures that wee daily beholde him as it were visible in them For the ruled motions of the heauens the wonderfull workemanship of so many starry tents the connexion agreement force vertue and beauty of the Elements the situation firmnesse spreading of the earth amidst the waters and so many sundry natures and creatures in this whole frame of the worlde al these things I say are so many interpreters to teach vs that God is the efficient cause of them and that he is manifested in them and by them as their final cause But the glasse wherein we may yet better beholde him is man in whome shineth and is imprinted an image of the diuine essence which is not found againe in any visible creature that is reason and vnderstanding wherof by creation he was made partaker aswel as the Angels This is the chiefe and principall work of the creation whereby God meant to giue such a being to his creatures spiritual natures to the end he might communicate his wisdom goodnes with them thereby lead them to eternal felicitie Wherefore if it be good for men to consider the works of God in his creatures and in their nature created by him and that for the reasons and ends declared by vs it is better and more necessary that they should do the same thing in their owne person nature wherein there are almost as many maruailous works of the almighty power of God as ther are in the whole frame besids and in all other creatures Therefore that sentence which saith Knowe thy selfe was not without good reason so much praised and renowmed amongst al the ancient Greeke and Latin Philosophers as that which is worthy to be taken for a heauenly oracle a sentence pronounced by the mouth of God For whosoeuer shall know himselfe well cannot faile to know God his creator and to honour him as he ought if he follow the chiefe end for which man was created as wel as the residue of the creatures Plato in his Phaedrus and in the tenth booke of Lawes searching and inquiring by the meanes of motion what was the substance nature and immortalitie of
of liuing creatures might not be hindered hee hath not made the ligaments nor the filaments nor the sinewes of any such boisterous or stiffe matter but that the creatures may easily bend euery way whithersoeuer they list to mooue and turne their members Neyther hath hee made them of so tender and soft matter but that they are strong and powerful enough to holde fast all the members within their ioynts to the ende they might not easily become bare and thrust out of their places as also to furnish the creatures with strength and power which consisteth principally in the force and might of these partes It is requisite also that they shoulde be such because they are as it were in continuall labour and sustaine great stresses Wherefore they must needes bee of such matter as will not easily yeelde or weare away or breake in pieces And because all the members and all the ioyntes are not to sustaine labours and brunts alike therefore the Lorde hath very well prouided for that as hee hath done the like also in the composition and distribution of the bones For those members that must sustaine the heauiest burthens and greatest brunts that are to dispatch most laboursome businesse and therefore require the greater strength haue biggest strongest and mightiest bones ligaments and sinewes so that their bulke bignesse breadth and thickenesse are answerable to their necessary vses The lesser members and such as are to vndergoe lesse paine which are ordained to effect more fine and witty workes wherein Arte is more required then force haue also their bones ligaments and sinewes lesser and smaller so that in certaine places there are some bones passing small and sinewes which are onely as it were little threedes Thus much I thought meete for vs to vnderstand concerning the simple parts of the body nowe wee must consider the compound partes and first intreate of the outermost partes and so followe that which wee spake of the foundation of mans building to the ende that by little and little wee may set him vpright and consider him throughly in all his partes Therefore thy speach ACHITOB shall be of the feete and legges and of the armes and handes Of the compound partes of the body and first of the feete and legges and of the armes and hands Chap. 4. ACHITOB. Among the manifolde and great commodities which wee may reape by the diligent consideration of the Anatomy of the body there are two of greatest weight The first is to put vs in minde of our mortalitie in regarde of our bodies to the ende that we should not please ourselues too much in the beautie of them and so waxe prowde and abuse our selues as also that wee should remember all those testimonies which wee haue in the holie Scriptures of the frailtie of man and of his whole nature For when wee see that those partes of the body that are hardest strongest most firme and such as after the death of a man continue longest before they returne into powder and into that first matter out of which they were taken as namely those partes that were propounded vnto vs in the former discourse especially the bones I say when we see that these notwithstanding their hardnesse must in the ende returne to dust as well as the rest what shall wee thinke of the other partes that are softer and more tender and lesse able to resist corruption Therefore the spirite of God doeth so often by his worde call and send vs backe to that instruction which hee giueth vs by the matter whereof hee made and framed our bodies and by the consideration of our owne originall and birth to the ende wee shoulde learne to containe our selues euermore within the compasse of all humilitie and modestie as well towardes him as one towardes an other Hereof it was that Isaiah had commaundement giuen him from the Lorde to crie that all flesh i◠grasse and all the grace thereof as the floure of the field Man that is borne of a woman saieth Iob is of short continuance and full of trouble Hee shooteth foorth as a floure and is cut downe hee vanisheth also as a shadow and continueth not Againe for the second point wee are taught to consider and to knowe by that prouidence of God which sheweth it selfe in the composition of the vilest and most earthy partes and in that frame which hee maketh for the building of the whole body howe great and woonderfull it ought to be in the residue namely in the noblest partes thereof especially in the soule if wee could see it with our eyes as wee beholde the body Wherfore that wee may the better knowe the excellent worke of God in this building we must raise it vpright before our eyes to the end wee may behold it on the out-side as it were a frame ready made from the foote to the top and from the foundation to the couering and highest part thereof The whole body of man is commonly diuided into foure principall outward parts which are called compound in respect of the simple partes spoken of before which serue for matter to make them of whereupon afterward they take the name of member according to that forme that is giuen to eche of them These foure principall parts are the head the breast the belly the outward partes namely the armes and handes the legges and feete The head endeth where the necke beginneth The breast comprehendeth that part which we commonly call the breast also the backe the ribs and whatsoeuer else is contained in them from the necke vnto the midriffe which is a skinne that separateth the heart and the lungs on the one side and the inferiour intralles on the other The belly reacheth from thence where the breast endeth vnto the bone aboue the priuie members and neare to the groine The extreme or outward parts are already named by vs and of them our present discourse shall be beginning as it were at the foundation vpon which all the body is laide First therefore wee see how God hath so aptly fashioned the feete that they doe not onelie beare vp al the rest of the body but also carry and recarry it wheresoeuer a man wil. Next the legs are set vpon them as it were the pillers of this whole building being closed in such sorte vnto them as neede requireth to helpe the feete to sustaine and beare vp all the rest of the frame laide vpon them For this cause Salomon calleth them the strong men that stoope in olde age when their vertue and strength faileth them For they bow through weakenes and tremble as the hands do which the same Prophet calleth the keepers of the house Now because the chief strēgth of the body lieth in the bones when the scriptures meane to set forth any violēt griefe as when a man is extremly pressed as it were altogether oppressed they say that his bones are vexed or broken or out of ioynt that is to say all
hath giuen it vnto them to admonish them of the subiection they owe to their husbands and of that power which they haue ouer them in token whereof they ought to haue the head couered especially in the assemblies of the Church Therefore he saieth Euery woman that prayeth or prophecieth bareheaded dishonoure thither head for it is euen one very thing as though shee were shâ—â—en Therefore if the woman be not couered let her also be shorneâ— and if 〈◊〉 be shame for a woman to be powled or shauen let her be couered And a little after Iudge in your selues is it comely that a woman pray vnto God vncouered doeth not nature it selfe teach you that if a man haue long haire it is a shame vnto him But if a woman haue long haire it is a praise vnto her for her haire is giuen her for a couering Wherein the Apostle laboureth chiefly to admonish women that nature hath giuen to them longer haire then to men and that it becommeth them best to haue it so to the end they should keepe their heads couered with some vaile and honest couering for the reasons declared by him sending them to the schoole of nature to learne of her what modestie and honestie they ought to followe and to shewe in their haire For indeed this schoole of nature is the schoole of God the creatour of nature in which he teacheth vs by our owne body and by the nature thereof what is conuenient and honest for vs. Therefore God hath not couered some partes of the body with haire for an ornament only as the beard in men and haire of the head both in men and women and for other causes whereof I haue spoken but also to admonish them to couer that which they can not discouer without shame and villany whether it be by deede or worde Heereupon it is that not onely those parts of the body that are more honorable and noble as the head and face are adorned with haire to giue them greater maiestie but also places more secret are couered therewith to teach vs that the honour wee owe to them is to keepe them couered and hid and that they dishonour them greatly and themselues also who discouer them not only byvile and shamelesse handling but also by infamous and dishonest wordes as many doe that alwayes haue filthie speaches of whoredome in their mouths For that which is dishonest to be seene and to be discouered to the eyes is also dishonest to bee heard and to be disclosed to the eares which wee must keepe chaste as likewise the eies the tongue the mouth and the heart Therefore they that behaue themselues otherwise do as if they meant to despite God and Nature whome they will not followe as mistresse Wherefore when Saint Paul sendeth women to the schoole of Nature to learne that lesson which is there taught them hee openeth vnto vs a great gappe whereby wee may knowe what Mistresse God bath giuen vs in nature and what instructions wee may receiue from her if wee can vnderstand her and haue the wit to knowe and to comprehend all that shee sheweth vs euen in our owne bodies and goe no further into her schoole considering that there is not so little as one haire therein from which wee cannot take instruction Howe great then woulde the profite be if wee coulde consider as wee ought other thinges that are more excellent and of greater importance Nowe that we haue raised vp the frame of mans body from the foundation vnto the very top we must to morrow by the helpe of God in continuing our speach of the compound parts of the body enter into the consideration of those goodly outward members wherewith the head is adorned and of the senses of the body vnto which those serue as instruments Therefore it belongeth to thee ASER to beginne the handling of such an excellent matter The end of the first dayes worke THE SECOND dayes worke Of the bodily and externall senses especially of touching of their members instruments and offices Chap. 9. ASER They that haue the greatest knowledge in humane Artes although it be in naturall Philosophie are not therefore more happy then others vnles they haue learned to ioyne therewith the knowledge of diuinitie For albeit they haue greater vnderstanding of the nature of things created by God then other men that haue not beene conuersant in such studies yet all their skill being blinde in respect of true and eternall wisedome wil profite them nothing but onely to make them more guiltie before God and worthy of greater condemnation then if hee had giuen them no more vnderstanding then beasts haue And who knoweth not that the felicitie and soueraigne Good of man consisteth not in the knowledge of the creatures and of their nature but in the knowledge of the Creatour that made them Therefore wee shoulde labour in vaine to knowe our selues if it did not leade vs to the knowledge of God yea it woulde helpe vs nothing at all but to manifest more euidently our ingratitude towardes his Maiestie and to aggrauate so much the more his iust and fearefull iudgement vpon our heades Likewise wee shoulde reape little benefite by our carefull inquiry into the matter and forme of the frame of man whereof wee discoursed yesterday if it serued not vnto vs for an entrance into a deeper contemplation of the goodly woorkes that appeare outwardly therein and of those corporall senses that haue their seates and instruments in them And all this knowledge woulde doe vs little or no good at all if wee were not ledde thereby to the vnderstanding of the internall senses of the soule vnto which the former serue as messengers and ministers as these latter doe vnto the minde and vnderstanding Therefore in following this order let vs ascend step by step to those things that are most excellent and although the eye of our minde should dasell wheÌ„ we draw neare vnto theÌ„ yet we shal gaine greatly because those things are very great which draw neerest to perfection Hauing before compared the composition of mans body to a building and hauing raised vp all the outward partes of it vnto the verie toppe it remaineth nowe that wee set on the gates and windowes When a man woulde signifie that a house is very lightsome and hath ayre enough wee commonly say that it is well boared or pierced Which may truely be spoken of mans bodie in respect of those outward members which God hath fashioned in the head especially in the face which hee hath appointed for seruantes to the chiefe bodily senses whose seruice also is afterward required for the spirituall and internall senses It is in this part of our building and tabernacle wherein God causeth the greatest beautie thereof to shine I meane in the face which is as it were an image of goodly orient and liuely colours enriched with many excellent workes not onely in regarde of the skinne and painting but also of the
the prouidence of God herein that amongst them members giue by him to the body he hath created some of that nature that a man can in no wise liue without them and others so that albeit they be not necessary for life yet he can not liue at his ease and not receiue great hurt if he want them The members of the first sort are the braine the heart the lungs the liuer the splene the stomacke and such like that are the seates of the animal vital and natural vertues without which there could bee no stay of life For after these members are hurt or perished farewell life The other sort are the eies the eares the nose the tongue the feete the hands and such like For although a man loose some one or many of these members yet he doeth not therefore loose his life but hee shall surely feele the detriment which such a losse bringeth vpon him And as wee commonly say that the Oxe knoweth not the valow of his â—orne vntill the haue lost it so wee may with greater reason say that no man knoweth of what valew the partes of his body are vntill he want them or vntill they be so hindered that they cannot fulfill their office Wherefore we ought to pray to God to preserue them for vs whilest wee haue them and giue him thankes because he hath not created vs lame or maimed of any member And when we see any that were borne without them or that haue lost them since wee ought to be so much the more stirred vp to glorifie him acknowledging it to come from his grace in that he hath dealt better with ratheâ—r with them although we haue deserued no more then they Now because we do not so neither haue this consideration as we ought to giue him thankes and to vse them to his honour and glory therefore he depriueth vs of them many times to punish this ingratitude and to cause vs to know better the valew of these gifts after they are taken from vs and that wee haue lost them seeing we could not knowe it whilest wee had them nor yet him that gaue them vnto vs. And by the same meanes also he would admonish and put vs in minde of the dammage we receiue by the defects of our soule by those which wee feele by experience in our bodies Whereupon wee haue an other goodly point of the prouidence of God to note in that hee hath giuen vs almost all double members without which we could not liue but with great paine and trouble to the end that if we lost one wee might yet vse the other and in some sort supplie the losse of that which is wanting For this cause hee did not create onely one eye or one nosethrill one eare one arme one hand one legge or one foote but twaine This ought to bee well considered that wee might haue the better knowledge of the care that God hath ouer vs seeing hee hath so well prouided for all things that hee will not onely haue vs liue but also furnish vs with all necessary things whereby wee might liue more commodiously more easily and with lesse paine and trouble And when it falleth out that some one of these members or both are wanting God supplieth this defect by maruailous meanes For sometimes wee see that maymed folkes haue done many thinges with their feete or with their necke and head that others could hardly doe with their hands at least wise they haue done things without handes that would seeme altogether incredible to such as haue not seene them And many times wee see dumbe men whose handes stand them in steade both of tongue and eares For by the signes and gestures of their handes they signifie their meaning to others as if they themselues did speake and vnderstand the minde of others that make the like signes Yea there are some that conceiue what others say vnto them onely by seeing them open and mooue their lippes so that we must needs acknowledge it as a miracle of God Now hauing spoken generally of the senses of the body and specially of touching as also of their members and instruments wee must come to their particulars Therefore AMANA thou shalt discourse vnto vs first of the eyes which are as it were the principall windowes of this building which we haue vndertaken to pourtraite and set foorth Of the eyes and of their excellencie profite and vse of the matter and hâ—nors whereof they are made Chap. 10. AMANA It hath alwayes bin the opinion of the Stoics and Academics that the bodily senses did rather hinder then help to obtaine wisedome that no man could know or vnderstand anything that the senses were feeble and slowe that sensible things were so small that they could not be perceiued or els so subiect to motion that no certainetie coulde be found in them that our life is short and full of opinions and customes that all was compassed about with darkenes and hid and therefore that nothing could be perceiued or vnderstoode so that men were to professe that they woulde affirme or approoue of nothing Plato writeth in many places that wee must beleeue nothing but the vnderstanding which beholdeth that that is simple and vniforme and as it is indeede and that there is no science but only in those reasons discourses which the soule maketh wheÌ„ it is not troubled with bodily lets as with sight and hearing or with griefe plesure Eusebius disputing against this sheweth that the senses help much towards the obtaining of wisedome that when they are rightly affected and in their naturall habite they neuer deceiue the mind that it â—tentiue But wee shall knowe more at large what their profit is by continuing our discourses of the instruments of the senses Let vs knowe therefore that the eies were giuen of God to men to cause them to see and to be as it were their watch towers fentinels the guides leaders of the whole body as also they are as it were the chiefe windowes of the body or rather of the soule which is lodged within it For it is a most excellent worke of God whether we coÌ„sider the matter wherof they are made how diuerse or agreeable it is to the office that is assigned them or the beauty that is in their forme in the diuersity of their colours or the commodity vse of their motions and howe they are set in their places as it were goodly pretious stones laide in some curious piece of worke how they are inuironed and armed both aboue and beneath on the right hand and on the left with the eye-lids and the eye-browes not onely for their protection and defense but also to adorne and to make them shew more beautifully And surely it is not without cause that God hath put such great excellencie in them and hath created and framed them so artificially For first they are the chiefest members of all the
the light and the images of those things that by the light are disclosed vnto it Therfore it hath behind it that which resembleth molten glasse or the white of an egge which is not altogether so soft and liquide as the other before that resembleth water Thus hath God disposed them according to that naturall cōueniency which is betweeue them that they might be so knit one to another as is meetest both for them and their vses And being all ioyned together they serue to fill vp that hollow place within which the eyes are inclosed so also the other partes and namely the fat whereof they are well prouided serueth not onely to fill vp voyde roome but also is appointed to this end that the eyes might rest them more at ease and be moystened the better In all which things great wonders of Gods prouidence appeare most cleerely namely in this that the humors are so distinguished euery on keeping his place without mixture or confusion as also in this that the christalline humour which is partaker of light and which ought to receiue it is so well compassed about and fortified on all sides For this cause it is more firme then the other that it might both keepe and distribute better the light which it receiueth and also preserue it selfe and helpe the other humors that are ioyned vnto it which being as it were Nurses vnto it doe in like manner helpe it againe Moreouer wee are greatly to maruaile at the prouidence of God in considering the coates and skinnes of the eyes their forme and motions their diuers colours and the sinewes whereby they receiue sight the discourse of which matters I lay vpon thee ARAM. Of the tunicles and skinnes of the eyes of their forme and motions of their sundrie colours of the sinewes whereby they receiue sight and of other partes about the eyes Chap. 11. ARAM. If we would stand to consider of all those things that are worthy of admiration but in one eye onely aswell in respect of the matter as of the forme and meanes whereby they receiue the vertue of seeing and performe their duetie as the Phisicions she we these things in an Anatomi◠a man might make a very great booke thereof as likewise of all the other members For there is no member so little wherein there is not most exquisite arte and wherein a man may not see maruellous workes of Gods prouidence so that I shoulde bee wonderfully abashed to see any Phisition proue an Atheist if he haue neuer so litle knowledge of the nature of mans bodie and of the composition and Anatomie of the partes of it were it not that God punished them with the like iudgement that he hath done other great Philosophers whome he casteth into a reprobate sence because through pride and ingratitude they abuse that knowledge of naturall things which he hath giuen them Let vs learne therefore to know the Creator by the knowledge of the creatures and let vs look vpon the workmaster in the excellencie of his works And now to this end according to out intent let vs with the eyes of the minde behold the eyes of the body seeing they looking vpon all things yet cannot see themselues Nowe as we haue perceiued that God hath disposed the matter and humors of the eyes according to that office whereunto he hath assigned them so he hath appointed tunicles or coates which are little skins in which they are contained as it were in their vessels and compassed about with them as it were with litle bands to keepe them vnited and close together and to preserue them that they mooue not forth and runne out and withall to bee vnto them a sure defence These skinnes according to their offices and vses are disposed one after another and interlaced between the humors of the eyes according to that agreement of nature which they haue both amongest themselues as also with those humors which they serue and which in like sort serueth them to the end that neither the one nor the other should easily receiue hurt And amongst those fiue seuerall tunicles which there are of them according as the Phisicions and Anatomists distinguish them one is very slender like to a smal spiders web or to a very litle fine white skinne that is betweene the partes of an onion Then there is another that is like to a litle threede and the third resembleth in colour the stone of a redde grape I meane the outward side of it They are named by the Grecians and Latines according to the similitudes and likenesse of those things which they resemble But the chiefest strongest and hardest of them is like to a flender and cleere horne I meane that horne whereof Lanterns are made but that it is not so hard and thick by a great deale and by reason of the similitude which it hath with horne it is called by the same name This hath God created in this sort both that it might bee a stronger defence to all the humors of the eyes and also that it might serue for the light which they are to receiue through which it shineth as the light that is in a Lanterne besides the horne of which it is made There is yet another white skinne which serueth to keepe in the whole eye vnto the head in the place assigned for it and this is the first as that like the spiders webbe is the last and then the other are placed betweene these in the same order that I haue named Heerein appeareth the woorke of God namely his prouidence is to be well marked in this that he hath not placed the eyes so farre out in the face and head as hee hath done the nose eares and lippes but more inward as it were in holes and litle dennes by reason of the humors whereof they are compounded to keepe them so much the more fast and close together because they are liquide Therefore they are shut vp in their holes as the water of a Well is in that place where it is gathered together For this cause the Hebrewes often vse the solfesame word to signifie both the eyes and fountains Next God hath created thē of a round forme both because it is the fairest most seemly and most perfect as also because it is most moueable and easiest to turne and returne on euery side as the office of the eye requireth For seeing they are giuen to man and to al creatures for the direction of the whole bodie and of all the members thereof they ought not to be so fastened in the place where they are that they can neuer looke but one way nor stirre themselues on any side Therefore God hath appointed to euery eye seuen muscles both to keepe them firme and steady as also to cause them to remooue and turne vpward and down ward on the right hand on the left crosse-wise and round And as the round forme is most perfect so it is most fit for
the office of the eyes to the end they may see all things better and comprehend all sorts of shapes better then if they were flat or hollow or square or of some other fashion besides round as a man may iudge by the diuersitie of looking-glasses and of their figures and makings according to the variety of which they represent diuersly those things whose images they receiue Now because man as also all other creatures goe forward and not backward or sidewise therefore God hath not placed the eyes either in the hinder part of the head or on any side thereof but before And although the eyes be moueable and made to turne on euery side yet they neuer turne cleane backward but onely sidewise so farre as they can see and behold well For they haue nothing to looke vpon within the head but only without Therfore they haue this aduantage besides that being set in that place which is assigned vnto them in the head they may turne from one part to another and see not onely on the right hand and on the left but also behinde by that motion which the head hath from his sinewes by meanes of the necke which motion the head should not haue if it were seated vpon the shoulders without a necke and this is another commoditie of the necke whereof we spake not before Nowe before wee goe any further in the discourse of those partes that are about the eyes for their defence preseruation it shal be good for vs to consider here of the goodly painting and varietie of colours that are in them For first wee haue a white colour which couereth the greatest part of the eye next that goodly smal circle which is round about the eye then the apple of the eye which the Hebrews call the daughter of the eye being in the midst of it as it were a little glasse where in a man may alwayes see some image as it were in a glasse when one looketh into it This little circle is called by some a Crowne and by others a Rainebow because of the diuersitie of colours that are seene in it which are not all alike in all men For some haue this circle more black others more gray others more yealow or more redde Moreouer besides the sinewes of those muscles that are giuen to the eyes to moue them euery way eche of them hath one proper vnto it selfe wherby the life and vertue of seeing is communicated vnto it from the braine by meanes of the soule that giueth life to all the bodie Therefore these sinewes differ from all the rest in that they are not solide but hollow within like to little water pipes to carry vnto the eyes the spirites of sight which are as it were a little flame of light whereby they receiue from the brayne life and vertue of seeing Next we are to consider how God hath placed them neere the nose to the end they may purge also by that on eche side aswell as the other humours of the braine Therefore there are kernels hard by them in the head which serue both to moysten and to water them according as they haue neede by reason of their burning nature and perpetuall motion and also to retaine and soke in humours least they should descend and fall downe vpon them too fast and so hurt them Besides this commoditie the nose in his place is vnto both the eyes in steade of bulwarks and so also are the bones which close them in on euery side and the balles of the cheekes which are higher then the holes of the eyne that they also might serue to defend them Moreouer God hath further armed them with eyeliddes which serue them both for ornament and are also in stead of gates vnto them hauing muscles to open and to shut them eyther wholly or in part as neede shall require both for sight for sleeping and waking and for defence And besides the eyebrowes wherwith God hath couered them aboue the liddes there are little haires growing at their brimmes which God hath not giuen in vaine For first they serue to direct the beames of the sight that they may see more directly next they serue for defence against litle flyes against 〈◊〉 moâ—tes and other small things that might enter in and trouble them Moreouer they serue for ornament as it were some pretie border round about them And because the haires of the eyeliddes haue an other office then those of the eyebrowes therefore they are otherwise disposed for they are not so thicke nor mingled one within and about another as the hayres of the eyebrowes are but they are raunged and set all in ranke euen orderly one by another And as for the eyebrowes they doe not onely serue to set forth the eyes that their beautie may the better appeare but also to defend them against the raine against the sweate of the head and forehead and other things that might descend and fall vpon them if they had not this to stay theÌ„ And to this purpose we see the agreement which they haue with the nose on eche side and how the prouidence of God hath made them like to a halfe circle or a halfe moone or a little arche or els after the fashion of a little penthouse to the end that the sweat and raine might haue an easie course and descent on both sides and not runne into the eyes And because they should not hinder in steade of helping God hath created them of that nature that they growe not like the haire beard or nailes but continue alwayes at one stay What then wil those women say for themselues who take so great paines in twitching and plucking off the haire of their eyebrowes to the end they should not be so thick or great as nature hath made them For they thinke it greater beautie when they are shorter and thinner But in this as in all their paintings and prankings they doe not only lift vp themselues against nature as though they would worke her a spite but also be haue themselues as if of set purpose they meant to reproch God for creating theÌ„ as he did Now in speaking of the eyes let vs beware that we be not so blind as that we cannot see that thing by them which they teach vs or take no heede of that which they shew vnto vs. For the consideration of one of them alone or of one eyelid or browlidde onely ought to teach vs to open and to lift them on high that they may search out and contemplate him that created them and hath giuen them vnto vs euen to him who saith I that formed the eye shall I not see Therefore we ought to be afraide least our eyes be giuen vnto vs as Iudges to conuince vs of our ingratitude towards God their and our Creator and to condemne vs. For there are but too many miracles to be seene of his almightie power in their creation too many witnesses of
God to men that they might serue to receiue the doctrine and instruction of wisedome as we may perceiue if we consider diligently their nature and vse The eares then in mine opinion are also as it were watchmen ouer the whole body aswell as the eyes For it is not onely required that a watchman should see but also that he should both heare and speake Therefore are the eares placed harde by the eyes on eche side aswell for an ornament to the head as for the commoditie and vse of the whole body For that place is fit for them that they may so much the more conueniently receiue those sounds that come vnto them and cause them to heare euen as the eyes receiue the light which causeth them to see Therefore as God hath disposed the matter whereof it pleased him to make the eyes and hath giuen them such a forme as agreeth best to that office which bee would haue them performe so hath he done in regard of the cares as also of all the other members of the body For this cause hee hath made them of gristles which are a great deale harder and more firme then either flesh kernels sinewes or ligaments but yet nothing so hard as the bones are as we haue already learned by that which was spoken before Besides neere about the place where the eares are he hath set the hardest and firmest bones that are about the head Therefore they are called stony bones by reason of their hardnesse and of their naturall agreement with stones whereby the cares are strongly fortified and that very agreeable to their nature and office As for their forme it is halfe round and very well compassed They are also doubled in about the ends as if nature had wrought them about with litle ledges turned in of the same matter in most excellent and decent maner And amongst all liuing creatures God hath giuen vnmoueable eares to none but only to man and to an ape for the rest can moue them vp and downe And as for this externall and eminent part of the eare that appeareth without if it serued onely to beautifie the head the vse of it were not to bee despised For it is euident by such as haue their eares cut off how deformed and vnseemely the head would bee to looke vpon if it were not decked with that part of the â—ares planted there by God for their greater ornament as it were two goodly bruches Heereof it is that those men haue this part cut off who are to be made deformed and infamous for some notorious offence But besides the honour and ornament which this part of the â—ares bringeth to the head it serueth also to couer the brayne which is next to the cares least it should bee hurt And to the ende that they might not bee easily bruzed or broken nor yet hang downewarde they are as I haue saide of a gristly substance as are all those partes that are bare and appeare outward and which are in daunger to receiue iniuries and discommodities from without Likewise this outward growing of the eares bringeth a double commoditie with it to the rest of that member The first is that it keepeth backe the rayne and sweate of the head and much filth that might enter into the eares if those places were flatte and had nothing but the holes of the eares without these bulwarkes Therefore their forme is made so that they ascend and bende vpward without but are hollowe within The other is that it helpeth much for the better receiuing in of the soundes that are brought to the eares by the ayre because thereby the soundes are better conueyed vnto that place which is properly appoynted for the hearing For this cause the cares are not pierced straight outright but their holes are made winding in like the shell of a snayle whose forme they represent so that one cannot thrust straight foorth so much as a litle threede or the bristle of a hogge For if they were boared outright many inconueniences would befall them The first is that the soundes woulde not be conueyed in so well as they are in places that bend and giue backewarde where they haue rebounds which causeth them to stay and sound better The second is that the eares should receiue ouer-great sound and too thick and so being more confused they could not bee discerned and vnderstood so well Againe as too great light doth not onely dazell the eyes but hurteth them withall so ouergreat soundes would marre the instrument of hearing if they were not distributed and compassed according to the capacity therof For there must alwaies be an answerable and apt proportion between the sense the thing subiect to sense and the meane by which the sense is made Hereupon it falleth out ofteÌ„ that many become deafe by hearing ouergreat soundes whereof wee haue experience in Smithes amongest whome many are thicke of hearing because their eares are continually dulled with the noyse and sound of their hammers and anuiles The like oftentimes happeneth to those that deale with artillery by reason of the continual vse and greatnes of the sound Moreouer wee must note that there is a very litle hole in ech of these stonie bones in which the hearing is properly made and within which also there are three very small bones whereof the one is called an anuile the other the hammer because they are made almost of the same fashion so that a man would say that nature had framed a little anuile and a little hammer to make soundes and to cause them to be heard The third small bone was founde out by certaine Phisicions and Anatomists and being boared in the middest is fashioned like to a litle stirrope and is alwaies lesse then any of the other twaine Phisicions that write of Anatomie make no mention of this last or if any speake of it they are but fewe and of late time And in deede it is a harde matter euen for them that are most skilfull and expert to look vnto all how diligent and able so euer they be in Anatomie especially in the view of many instruments of their sundry parts which are so small that hardly can we discerne them with our eyes if we look not very narrowly vnto them and that after we are tolde thereof before As for these small bones whereof I speake nowe and namely the third a man may perceiue them better in a dry Anatomie and in some skull that hath nothing but the bare bones then he shall in a whole bodie Therefore the skilfullest Phisicions and Anatomists confesse that the body of man hath such woonderfull arte in it that euery day they finde some newe thing in it which was not obserued by any in former times But let vs returne to our speech concerning that which remayneth of the composition of the eares Besides these litle bones there are two small skinnes full of nerues which holde and binde these bones
hath not giuen it to any of them but to him only by that he hath put a difference betweene him the beasts as also by reason and vnderstanding whereof he hath made him partaker in respect wherof he hath giuen him speech which is as naturall vnto him as reason which is the spring head thereof and from whence it proceedeth as a riuerfrom his fountaine For how could men make known their counsailes thoughts without speech And what good should they receiue by that sense vnderstanding which God hath giuen them more theÌ„ to beasts if they had no more speech then they haue wherby to make it known And to what purpose would speech serue them if they knew not what to say And what should they haue to speake if they had no more vnderstaÌ„ding reason then other liuing creatures haue Were it not sufficient then to haue a coÌ„fused voice only as they haue Therfore also we see how God hath ioined these twothings together graunting speech vnto man because hee hath created him paâ—taker of reason and vnderstanding And hauing depriued beasts of the one hee hath also depriued them of the other so that they are partakers neither of reason nor speech For this cause Ecclesiasticus hath ioyned these things together saying That God hath giuen to men counsell and tongue and eyes eares and an heart to vnderstand and sixtly he gaue them a spirite and seuenthly he gaue them speech to declare his woorkes Hee filled them with knowledge of vnderstanding and shewed them good and euill Whereby he teacheth vs plainly what is the right true vse of speech to what end it is giuen to man and from whence it springeth For he placeth counsell in the first place and next the tongue Againe after the heart and spirite he placeth speech that we might know who is their messenger Whereupon we may conclude that the one is giuen for the other and both to glorifie God by shewing foorth his works and marueilous actes To which effect Basil the great saith very well that God hath created vs and graunted vs the vse of speech to the end we might haue the ability and meanes to lay open one to another the counsels and thoughtes of our heartes and to distribute amongst vs that which is in euery one by reason of that communicable nature in which we are created For the heart ought to bee in man as a secrete treasurie or as a larder or pantry in a house out of which all things necessary for the vse thereof and for the maintenaunce of the whole familie are dayly taken The heart also is like to a seller or garner wherein counsels and thoughts are locked and closed vp and the tongue is like to the steward who draweth out and dispenseth whatsoeuer is to bee distributed For as wee saide in the beginning of our speech our soule vseth thoughts and discourses which cannot bee declared so long as it is inclosed in this tabernacle of flesh without speech wordes and names by meanes of which she bringeth foorth and publisheth that which was inclosed and hidden in the secrete closet of her vnderstanding And so wee say that there are two kindes of speech in man one internall and of the minde the other externall which is pronounced and is the messenger of the internall that speaketh in the heart Therefore that which is framed in voyce pronounced in speech and brought into vse is as a riuer sent from the thought with the voyce as from his fountaine For before the thought can vtter any outward speech by meanes of the voyce first the minde must receiue the images of things presented vnto it by the corporall senses And then hauing receiued them by the imaginatiue vertue that is in it reason must discourse to knowe and to consider of them well and to separate or ioyne things according to that agreement or difference that concorde or discord which they may haue amongst them Next it is necessary that iudgement should follow this discourse to make choise of and to followe that which it shall iudge to be meete and conuenient and to reiect and shunne the contrary Lastly all must be vttered by significations apt and conuenient for euery thing so that when the minde hath giuen ouer to the office of the vocall instruments that which it hath comprised and resolued vpon in manner aforesaid the same is manifestly declared outwardly by the aire framed into voyce I meane by the moouing of the articulate and distinct voice whereas before it was hid and couered Now when this voice and speach is pronounced with the mouth as it is inuisible to the eyes so it hath no body whereby the hands may take hold of it but is insensible to all the senses except the hearing which neuerthelesse cannot lay hold of it or keepe it fast as it were with griping hands but entring in of it selfe it is so long detained there whilest the sound reboundeth in the eares and then vanisheth away suddenly But albeit the sound and the voyce passeth so sodainely as if presently it flew away hauing respect to the outward speech neuerthelesse the internall speach remaineth not onely in the spirite heart and thought that ingendred it not being in any sort diuided cut off or seperated but also it filleth all the hearers by reason of the agreement that is betweene the spirites and mindes of men and the speach that is bred there and because it differeth not much from the minde and from the thought where it first beganne and was bred And thus the thoughtes and counsailes of the minde and spirite are discouered and manifested by speach So that al voice is not speach For the name of voyce generally taken comprehendeth all sounds and things which bring any noise to the eares Neuerthelesse it is more properly and specially attributed to those sounds which all sortes of liuing creatures are able to make with their throat to signifie any thing therby But man onely hath articulate and well distinguished soundes vnto which birdes of all other beastes approch neerest so that euen many of them are taught in some sort to frame mans voyce but it is without vnderstanding And because that instruments of musicke do after a sort imitate the distinct voyce of men wee attribute voyce to them although the sounds which they make be more without iudgement and vnderstanding then that of beasts But in men voyces framed into wordes are signes and significations of the whole soule and minde both generally and specially namely of the fantasie and imagination of reason and iudgement of vnderstanding and memory of will and affections Wherefore it is an easie matter to iudge by his speach howe all these partes are affected namely whether they bee sound or haue any defect in them For if a man be dull witted or haue his fantasie and imagination troubled and his memory slowe and heauy he shall haue much adoe to speake
resist As indeed that perswasion which proceedeth frō speech draweth the willes and affections of men with a sweet and pleasant kind of violence which they follow with great desire and cannot gaine say it Now this arte and office belongeth properly to the tongue of which we are now to speake The tongue then is a fleshy muscly member but soft and like to the substance of a tad-stoole being full of sinewes arteries veines For it had need haue good store of sinewes both because of those sundry motions which it hath necessarily as also for the sense of taste and of touching which agree to the nature thereof Likewise it had need of many arteries that so it might haue great abundance of spirite and heate by reason of the diuersitie of motions which it hath And to the end it should not want nourishment it hath in like maner great plentie of veines and that it should not drie vp through continual mouing it hath humidity to wet and moysten it Whereupon we ought to note well the prouidence of God in this that although spittle be but an excrement and superfluitie which partly distilleth from the braine into the throate and partly is sent vp thither from the boyling stomacke yet it is not vnprofitable because it wetteth and moysteneth the tongue For being very drye it is more slowe in mouing as wee see by experience in them that are subiect to great drought Therefore God hath prouided a remedie for that inconuenience by meanes of two fleshie kernels like to sponges on eache side one at the roote of the tongue which are commonly called Almonds because they are fashioned like vnto them these through passages ordayened for that purpose moysten all partes of the mouth Moreouer the tongue is tyed to a forked bone with many muscles by two branches which holde it vp as it were two neere pillars and that with such a counterpoyse that it can moue and remoue it selfe equally on eche side For if it were tyed by one branch only it could not keepe it selfe vpright but should go crossewise only from one side But God hath prouided very wel for that and if wee did knowe and consider it well we are admonished thereby that speach pronounced by our tongue ought first to be wel weighed as it were in a ballance to the ende it decline not or turne on any side more then it ought out hold it selfe vpright and directly followe reason Moreouer it can not easily be declared by what Arte the tongue stretcheth foorth it selfe so diuersly by the meanes of muscles and how it hath so many sortes of motions from all sides so ready and so sodaine and for so many things as it hath both to speake and to doe But it is farre more difficult yea impossible to tell the causes howe a man can by the tongue frame so many sortes of wordes and so diuers which are as it were the markes and paintings not onely of all visible thinges but also of all things inuisible and of all the thoughts of man For if wee woulde intreate of any matter one with another we knowe already by that which hath beene spoken howe it can hardly be done without speach as also that we cannot speake without certaine wordes and names to name and signifie those things by whereof wee minde to speake For if wee haue no wordes and names to make them knowen by we must alwayes haue the things themselues present that wee may point at them with the finger which is impossible And although it were so that wee had them alwayes before our eyes yet that were not sufficient For wee should be forced to speake to the eyes by signes and yet wee coulde neuer without comparison inuent so many signes nor counterfait and imagine so many thinges with all the senses and members of our body as the tongue alone woulde affoorde vs by meanes of speach For it giueth a name to euery thing Therefore it is able to make the natures of things knowen and to set before vs as well things absent as present inuisible as visible spirituall as corporall In a worde God hath giuen this benefite to man by meanes of the tongue and the eares that they can represent one to another and cause each other to knowe and vnderstand as well diuine things as humane And although God made this diuersity and confusion of languages amongst men to punish them for their arrogancie and ingratitude neuerthelesse hee hath so prouided for this euill that hee hath manifested the more his great goodnesse towardes them and the riches of his eternall prouidence by that knowledge of so many sundry tongues which hee hath giuen them and chiefely that by them his Gospell might be published And if this benefite of God be worthy of great admiration ought wee not also to maruaile much at this that such a varietie of sounds proceeding out of the mouth of man can be comprehended in so small a number of letters whereby so many sortes of wordes and such diuerse languages are expressed By this meanes also wee see that speach which can not bee perceiued by any of the senses but by the eares is made as it were visible so that by the helpe of Letters a man may speake to the eyes and not see them as hee may also to the eares by meanes of the voyce And although voyce and speach flie into the ayre as if they had winges insomuch that a man can neyther beholde them with his eyes nor smell them with his nose nor holde them with his handes neuerthelesse speach is kept still before the eyes and may be called backe when a man will by meanes of writing and by the benefite of letters Yea it may be sent to them that are absent and as farre as one will that they may vnderstand it euen to them also that are not yet borne For wee see how our predecessours teach vs after their death by their bookes and writings and howe by this meanes their wordes are not onely visible vnto vs but also as it were immortall Wherefore the lesse we can conceiue howe this may bee done by the tongue and by letters the more ought wee to wonder at this great worke of God in man praise him for it and giue him thankes Nowe albeit the eye of our vnderstanding dazell and can not wholy comprehend this worke of God neuerthlesse we see this well enough that the tongue doeth so helpe to frame the voyce into speach and to make the diuersitie of wordes whereof speach is compounded as the hand and fingers of the Organ-player who toucheth the Organs and of the Musicion that playeth vpon an instrument of musicke whatsoeuer it be serueth to cause the sound thereof to be heard For although when one bloweth the Organs the pipes thereof will yeelde diuers sounds and tunes if they be open according as they are either great or small long or short wide or narrowe as
place easily as sinewes will do The second inconuenience would be this that the endes of the nosethrilles could neither open nor shut neither enlarge nor restraine themselues but woulde continue alwayes at one stay whereupon two other mischiefs would follow First the nose could not open and inlarge it selfe so much as were requisite many times to drawe in great store of aire to coole and refresh both the lungs and the braine especially when they are heated and set on fire For at such a time there is perill of strangling Secondly forasmuch as the nose is giuen to man that it might serue the braine in stead of a pipe and spowt to purge it of slegmatike humours a man could not by blowing close it together and straine it to get the filth out of it as neede requireth many times For the humours that distill from the braine are not alwaies very liquide running but sometimes so grosse thick that a man cannot easily purge the braine or nose except it be closed and strained hard Thus you see two euident causes why it was needeful that the nose should be compounded of gristles not of bones onely at lest wise from the middle downward On the otherside if this lower part had beene made of flesh onely or of kernelles or of skinnes the nosethrilles could not so well haue bin inlarged or rēstrained nor continued so open as is requisite for the seruice of all those dueties and offices already mentioned besides that those parts could not so well withstand the inconueniences whereunto they might be subiect if they were of a more tender matter Lastly as it was needefull that one part of the nose should consist of that matter for those causes spoken of so also it was necessary that the vpper part should bee made of bones not onely to keepe the sense of smelling the better which is in that part and to be as it were a buckler vnto it but also to serue in steade of rampires both for the eyes and for the braine As for the inward parts there are two nosethrilles distinguished one from another by a gristle which is betweene them both as it were alittle wall to diuide them to the ende that if the one be stopped the other may alwayes discharge the offices assigned to them both And to the end they may more easily draw in the aire for the seruice as well of the lungs as of the braine and also receiue in the odours they are larger at the first entrance and after as they ascend vp they waxe more narrow and that not without good reason of the prouidence of God For hee hath in a manner taken the selfe same course that he did in the composition of the eares which he made large wide at the entry hauing that form that hole within which we heard spoken of before together with the causes why The self same reason in a maner may be rēdred here For as it is to be feared that ouer great soundes woulde hurt the eares if they entred in all at once so the lungs and much more the braine might be ouer cooled by the ayre that should enter in at the nosethrilles if it should ascend vp too fast at once too sodainly or too vehemently By reason wherof it is requisite that it should be retained in some sort to the ende that by the tariance which it maketh it should bee heated and better tempered The like consideration is to bee had of the vapours and smelles in regarde of the braine not onely of euill sauours but also of those that are good For some are so violent by reason of the abundance of heat in them which falleth out chiefly in such as are most excellent that if they be not dispensed moderately they hurt the braine This commeth to passe in some persons through the weaknes of their braine There are others and namely such as care not for sweet things who take no peasure no not in good smels so that oft times the sweetest most delicate odours are hurtful to their head Now God hath wel prouided for al these things hauing placed a little bone in the top of the nose which is pierced through like to a litle siue Hereupon it is called by the Phisicions the siue-bone or otherwise and that more properly the spūgy bone because the holes therof are not strait as are those of a siue but somwhat slopewise like to the holes of a spunge And this serueth for the better more cōmodious discharging of all those vses declared by vs for the auoyding of those discommodities which we haue heard of Whereunto may be added that the humors which descend from the braine may not fall downe so fast together but distill better by little and little and the good humours be kept more easily from falling downe all at once together with the euill I passe ouer heere briefely the muscles giuen to the nosethrilles to mooue them as also the nerues which are sent from the braine to the sense of smelling to bring vnto it the vertue of smelling as the eyes eares palat and tongue receiue from thence their nerues also which bring vnto them that facultie and vertue that is meete for their nature Wherein wee may further note one goodly point of the prouidence of God in that giuing motion and sense to euery member of the bodie by the sinewes hee giueth a speciall and proper sense to those nerues that are to minister vertue and power to euery one of the corporall senses which the other sinewes haue not For there is none that giueth the sense meete for sight but those that are allotted to the eyes for that purpose The same may bee said of those that are giuen to the eares for hearing and to the tongue and palat for the taste and to the nose for smelling Now to end this speach wee are to draw out some instruction meete for the minde according as we haue done in our discourses of the other senses of the body As then wee iudge by the nose sense of smelling which God hath giuen vnto vs what difference there is betwene a good and a stinking smell and how the one is pleasant delightsome and the other vnpleasant abominable so likewise we ought to consider what small pleasure God taketh in the infection and stinch of our sinnes and how he is delighted with the sweete smell of the iustice and vertues of Christ Iesus when wee are prefumed therewith and when hee smelleth the sauour thereof in vs. Therefore whensoeuer and as often as we feele some stinch and abhorre the same that euil smel ought to admonish vs of the filthines of our sinnes and teach vs to haue them in greater abomination then any catrion smell whatsoeuer and to abhorre our selues when wee present our selues before God prefumed with such an infernall sauour For if we turne our faces aside and stoppe our nose and euen spit vpon
the partes and members of which the body of man is made that are not found in any of the other as wee haue sufficiently shewed in our former discourses vpon this matter Whereby God would teach vs that hee hath prepared and built this lodging for an other manner of inhabitant then he built the bodies of beastes euen for a soule that differeth farre from theirs For seeing he maketh nothing without good reason or that is without his profit he sheweth by the instruments prepared for the workeman whom he will set on worke what maner of one he ought to be what workes he hath to make And because hee hath appointed workes and offices for the soule of man which he woulde not haue in the soule of brute beastes hee hath giuen to man such members and instruments as hee hath not giuen to other liuing creatures As for those instrumēts which he hath common with beasts God hath otherwise disposed and placed in his bodie according to the office euery one hath as wee may learne by their discourses It is very euident that man is not onely this masse and lumpe of skinne flesh sinewes bones and of such other matter gathered altogether in one bodie whereof we haue spoken alreadie but that there is yet in him another nature whose substance is inuisible ouer and aboue this bodily nature which we see For experience sheweth vs what difference there is betwixt one and the same body when it is aliue and when it is dead When there is no life in it none of all those faculties and vertues whereof the former discourse intreated appeare within it as we see they doe so long as life dwelleth therein And yet then the body is not depriued of those members which it had before death but keepeth them still vntill such time as they corrupt and waste away of themselues and finally faile altogether for want of the soule and life that shoulde preserue and keepe them sounde In the meane time we see that they are without force and as vnfit for vse as if they were not at all because they want soule and life which giueth them vigour and setteth thē a working It is very cleere then by death that the body hath no life of it selfe nor any of those faculties and vertues which life bringeth with it but that it receiueth them from another nature then from it owne And this nature is called Soule hauing sundry offices in man as we haue alreadie vnderstood and will hereafter handle them more particularly and in order But in the meane time we must note that although the soule be not bodily neuerthelesse it vseth a bodily nature and instruments which it receiueth from that for the performance of those workes that are assigned vnto it which the soule coulde not doe without such instruments as are necessary thereunto For as we heard in the former speech that among the creatures of God some are spirituall others corporall so we are to knowe also that among the spirituall creatures there are two sortes of spirits of which some namely the Angels were created to liue a spiritual life agreeable to their nature approching neerer to the nature and life that is in God then any other not being vnited or conioyned to any bodies that belong vnto them vnto which they should giue life as if they were creatures compounded of body and spirite Therefore we call them not by the name of soules as wee doe the spirites of men which God hath created to dwell in bodies to giue them life and to be ioyned with them in one person made of two natures to wit of a spirite and of a bodie These spirites which are also called humane soules can liue wel enough and preserue themselues in their substance hauing life alwayes in them euen after they are separated from their bodies But the like cannot bee saide of the bodies which cannot liue nor be preserued in their substance without their soules and spirites Therefore Iesus Christ sayde Feare not them that kill the bodie and cannot kill the soule but rather feare him that can destroy both bodie and soule in hell Wherefore albeit wee cannot see the soule neyther when it entreth into the bodie and is ioyned vnto it nor when it dwelleth there nor yet when it departeth yet it followeth not therevppon that it is not at all or that it commeth to nothing For the effectes thereof shewe vs the contrarie so long as that life which it giueth to the bodie continueth therein And albeit wee see no more effectes of it when it is seuered by death yet it followeth not therevpon that the same thing shoulde befall it that doeth to the bodie and so corrupt therewith For it is so farre from corrupting with the bodie that it keepeth the same from corruption so long as it is therein And being separated no maruaile if it effect no more that which it did in the bodie by those instruments which it had because it hath them no longer Wherefore in this respect it is like to an excellent Woorkeman who cannot labour in his occupation without such instrumentes as necessarily belong thereunto Yet in the meane season the Woorkeman continueth alwayes in the same estate and hath no lesse knowledge and arte in him without his instruments then when hee hath them albeit hee vse them not when they are away And although hee enioyeth both his instrumentes and his arte yet can hee not well vse them nor perfourme those woorkes which hee hath to make if they bee not founde but corrupted or spoyled as wee see in an instrument of musicke For if the chaunter or Musicion bee very expert in his arte and handle his instrument as hee ought to doe yet can hee neuer deliuer those soundes tunes and harmonie which otherwise hee woulde if his instrument were good And yet that shall not hinder the Musicion from beeing alwayes as skilfull and expert in his arte as if his instrument were very good and sounde Likewise if a man dwell in a darke lodging hee cannot see so well and cleerely as in another that is very lightsome and yet hee shall not haue sundrie eyes but the selfe same in both places So that it followeth that his dimnesse of sight in the one lodging rather then in the other proceedeth not of any defect in his eyes but of the house and habitation wherein hee is The like may bee saide of the soule lodged in the bodie whose actions and woorkes therein are much hindered if it bee badly lodged if any part of the lodging bee not good or if it want those instruments and tooles that are necessary for it For although it hath the vertue of sight in it selfe yet it cannot without eyes see those thinges which by meanes of them it beholdeth And although it hath in it selfe the vertue to cause the handes and feete to mooue and to set them on woorke according to their office yet
it cannot doe those woorkes by a maymed and lame hande which it will doe by him that hath both his handes nor cause a lame creeple wanting a foote or legge or hauing some defect in those partes to walke as well as an other that hath all these sounde and perfect And a man may iudge of my speech by that which happeneth not onely to them that fall into an Apoplexie but also to such as haue some quaume about their heart so that they faint and sowne and are for the time as it were dead and yet afterwarde plucke vp their spirites and come againe to their former estate But before they be reuiued they seeme as though they had no soule in their bodies because it is not perceiued by the woorkes thereof as it is when the bodie is well affected And this is chiefly to be seene in a strong Apoplexie or falling sicknesse in which the patient looseth all motion and sense Wherevpon it hath come to passe oftentimes that many haue bene buried for dead in that case who were notwithstanding aliue and some haue recouered and done well afterward as wee haue many examples both in common experience and in histories olde and newe Nowe whilest the soule is thus letted from performing her actions by such inconueniences who would not iudge that she were cleane extinguished with the body Neuerthelesse afterward when she can vse her instruments shee sheweth plainely that the fault commeth not of her but of the instruments that faile her Therefore when we speak of the soule and of the body we must put the same difference between them that is betwixt a Workman and his tooles considering the nature of both and what they can doe both ioyntly and seuerally For an instrument hath neither knowledge nor force nor vertue of it selfe being able to doe nothing alone but onely so farre foorth as it is set on woorke by some Woorkeman But there is another reason in the Woorkeman For although hee cannot vse his arte without those instruments that are necessary thereunto yet hee hath alwayes abiding within him that arte power force and dexteritie whereby he woorketh So that when wee speake of the soule wee are to consider what shee can doe of her selfe and of her owne nature without the bodie and what shee cannot doe without it For we learne in the holy Scriptures that when Angels appeared to men because they are spirits and haue no speech like to that of men as being bodilesse and wanting instruments necessary for the framing therof therefore they tooke mens bodies to appeare and speake to men in and by them No marueile then if the soule which is created to vse the members of the body as instruments speaketh not without a tongue as it doeth with one and with the other Organs of voyce and speech Now forasmuch as wee know that the soule giueth life motion and sence to all the body and that it hath sundry instruments in the body in which and by which it perfourmeth those workes for which they were created of God we are now to consider what facultie power and vertue it hath in euery part of the body For albeit that we cannot assigne to the soule especially to the spirite and vnderstanding which is the most excellent part therein any certaine place of lodging as if it were inclosed within any one part or within all the partes of the body neuerthelesse we may iudge of the nature thereof by those instruments whereby it worketh and by their nature and by the workes it produceth And in this consideration we haue a goodly glasse wherein wee may contemplate God that is inuisible making him visible and knowne vnto vs by his workes euen as the soule is become as it were visible and sheweth it selfe to vs by the bodie in which it dwelleth and by the workes which it doeth therein Therefore let vs propound vnto our selues this whole visible world as it were one great bodie then all the partes as members thereof next let vs consider how the soule of all this great body namely the vertue and power of God worketh therein and effecteth all the workes that are done therein according to that order he hath set therein as the soule worketh in the bodie of man and in euery member thereof Thus doing as we know that there is a soule in the bodie and another nature beside that which is bodily and which worketh therein and this we perceiue by the effects thereof so let vs marke withall by the works done in this visible world that there is another nature that effecteth them which being inuisible differeth from all this world wee see as that which is farre more excellent which filleth the whole and by vertue and power is in all the partes thereof as a soule in a bodie But in propounding this glasse before our eyes we must take heede that we fall not into their dotage who haue thought and affirmed that the worlde is the body of God and that himselfe is the soule thereof For therevpon it would follow that God is mortall and corruptible in regard of his body and that some part or other thereof would alwayes corrupt as we daily see corporall things doe Againe if it were so God should not be infinite and incomprehensible as he is for the worlde doeth not comprehend and containe him but he all the world whereof he is the Creator and by whom the world is and consisteth Seeing then the soule is the image of God in man as the body of man is the image of this great world in which God worketh as the soule doeth in the body of man let vs cōsider how God hath distributed the powers vertues and offices of the soule in the body and in euery part thereof as he manifesteth his glory and vertue in all this visible world in all the partes of it For first they agree herein that as there is but one soule in one body which is sufficient for all the partes and members thereof so there is but one God in the world sufficient for all the creatures Next if we cannot conceiue howe the soule is lodged in the body or how it giueth life vnto it neither yet howe it worketh displayeth therein the vertues which it hath but onely so farre foorth as it testifieth the same by those diuers effects which we see and perceiue in euery part and member thereof no marueile then if wee cannot with our eyes discerne or comprehend how God is throughout all filling heauen and earth how he displayeth his power and vertue howe he worketh in all his creatures and how hee guideth gouerneth and preserueth them by his heauenly prouidence For if wee cannot comprehend the creature nor the nature thereof how shall wee comprehend the nature of the Creator And if it be not in our power to know the workes of God wrought in vs neither the woorkes of our owne soule how shall we know his works done
compounded and so consequently according to the temperancie or intemperancie that is in vs the affections of the soule also will be more moderate or immoderate and the perturbations which they shall bring with them will be greater or lesse and more easie or vneasie to be prouoked or appeased Whereby wee might knowe what great agreement God hath made betweene the body and the soule For not withstanding their natures differ much one from an other yet seein they must be linked together it is necessary they shoulde haue some agreement betweene them to the end they may be conioyned and vnited in one It is true that by the reasons of humane Philosophie we know well howe the coniunction of corporall things and of their qualities what contrarietie soeuer it is betweene them may be effected and wrought But as wee cannot see or knowe our soule or any spirituall nature as wee knowe our bodies and bodily natures so can wee not iudg so easily of the meanes whereby the body agreeth with the soule and corporall natures with spirituall but onely as experience and the effectes giue vs some sight thereof For wee see by experience from whence the good or ill disposition of the body and health and sickenesse proceede namely from the good or ill temperature of the qualities thereof Wee see also that according to the nourishment which the body taketh that sobrietie or gluttoniâ— it vseth in eating and drinking and according to the abstinence or the effectes it bringeth foorth in all things it is either better or worse affected and disposed We see likewise the changes and alterations that befall it according to the ages and exercises it hath Wherefore although we had nothing else to looke vnto but to maintaine and preserue our health yet ought we to desire to be sober moderate and very temperate in all things seeing moderation beareth so great sway in all the partes of mans life But it ought to be more pretious in our eies when wee see that the temperance or intemperance that may be in our bodies extendeth it selfe vnto the estate of our soule and that it can do much eyther in the helping and maintaining or in the hurting and troubling thereof For wee knowe already by experience that which is of a cholericke nature is more subiect to those diseases that are bredde of a cholericke humour then a flegmatike person that is of a contrary temperature and that a flegmatike bodie is most subiect to diseases proceeding of flegme The like may bee saide of all the other qualities and complexions If then euery one encline more to such diseases as may proceede from those naturall qualities which abound most in his body it is an easie matter to iudge what is like to fall vpon him if they exceede whereby they are encreased much more And if that humour which naturally exceedeth most in a man and of which his temperature and complexion hath his name cause him to incline most to those diseases that may be bred thereof a man may iudge into what disposition of body he may fall through excesse of other qualities which are more repugnant to his nature and complexion if there be no such counterpoize and equalitie that one contrary may serue as a remedy against another But hauing considered of these things we must goe forward and prosecute our speech of the affections of the soule which are as it were health and sicknes therein according as they shal be eyther well or ill moderated and see what conueniencie there is betweene corporall and spirituall phisicke Finish therefore this dayes woorke ACHITOB with some discourse vpon this poynt which may serue to instruct vs in the matter of the affections of the soule of which to morowe we are to intreate particularly and in order Of the Health and diseases of the soule of the agreement betweene corporall and spirituall Phisicke how necessary the knowledge of the nature of the body and of the soule is for eueryone Chap 40. ACHITOB. It is alwayes in his power who hath giuen vs beeing namely God the spring and fountaine of all essences to preserue and keepe vs therein and to take it also from vs when it pleaseth him But forasmuch as he delighteth not in destroying the woorkes which himselfe hath wrought hee hath giuen vnto his creatures certaine meanes to preserue themselues in that nature wherin he created them And that they might haue those meanes neere at hand he hath placed them euen in their owne nature For they haue by nature an inclination that moueth and vrgeth them to keepe and defend themselues asmuch as they can possible from euery thing that may corrupt their nature that is contrary vnto it or that wil bring to an end that beeing which they haue receiued of God But that which herein is most to be lamented in man is his ouer great care and curiositie in searching out remedies meete for the maintenance and preseruation of his bodie the least griefe and ill disposition whereof seemeth vnto him to be very burthensome but as for thinking eyther vpon those means wherby God hath appoynted him to attaine to an eternall and blessed life or vpon the diseases of the soule which in steed of life will bring death vnto it and are farre more dangerous stubberne and vneasie to be cured then those of the body he dreameth litle thereof his care is very small he esteemes them not great and therefore is very slouthfull in seeking remedie for them We are to know then that the affections of the soule are as it were health and sicknesse therein according as they are either temperate or intemperate For as there is no euill disposition or sicknesse in the bodie but contrariwise good health if there bee not some excesse in the qualities of which it is compounded which may destroy that equalitie that is requisite for the keeping of it sounde so is it with the faculties powers qualities and affections of the soule which according to her nature hath her health and her diseases Wherefore when the harmonie conueniencie and temperature of her powers and affections is such as her nature requireth then is shee well disposed and in health as contrariwise thee is ill affected and diseased when in place of temperance and mediocritie there is intemperance and excesse Nowe according to that which wee hearde in the former speech of the conueniencie betweene the temperature and complexion of the bodie and the affections of the soule wee see that a man of a cholericke nature is a great deale more easily stirred vp to anger then an other that is of a flegmatike or melancholy nature For seeing the cholericke humour is by nature hote and burning like to fire that man in whome this humour raigneth is sooner inflamed with anger and wrath then an other that is of a contrary nature For fire will more speedily kindle in a matter that commeth neerer to it owne nature and of which it
bare vnto him to confound the slaunderer and to propound to euery one in the person of his seruant Iob an example and patterne of true feare of true loue of true faith and of true patience We see then that there are two sorts of hired loue because it may be such not onely in respect of him that receiueth a benefit but of him also that bestoweth it when hee doeth it for the causes aforesaide But he that doth good onely of charitie and loue hath no such scope but looketh only to the good which he delighteth to communicate to others in respect of that goodnes which is in himselfe Therefore he hath a more sure and excellent beginning of his loue namely his owne goodnes and will then he hath that receiueth the good whose loue beginneth at neede and want That Loue also which is grounded vpon goodnesse goeth on more easily and with greater courage from good to better then that which commeth from necessitie proceedeth to good For he that doth good imparteth the same frankely of his owne good will because hee will do so and therefore it redoundeth to his great honour But hee that receiueth a good turne taketh it because hee hath neede of it and therefore hee must acknowledge himselfe bound to his Benefactour For this cause he is somewhat ashamed of his neede and want For as Saint Paul witnesseth according to the saying of Iesus Christ It is a blessed thing to giue rather then to receiue Therefore that may well bee said in this respect which is commonly spoken namely that although Loue be of the nature of fire which alwayes mounteth vpward yet doeth it descend but neuer ascend For Fathers and Mothers alwayes loue their children yea their childrens children better then their children loue them The like may be saide of others that are in the place of parents And by a greater reason this may be spoken of the loue of God our Father towardes vs as also of the loue of Christ Iesus For he did not onely loue vs before we loued him yea euen then when we were yet his enemies but nowe also wee come farre short of louiâ—â— him as hee loueth vs. Therefore hee is called by Saint Iohn not onely louing and charitable but euen Loue it selfe For as he is the Creator of all things so he loueth perfecteth and preseueth them all and turneth them vnto himselfe But among all other things which drawe Loue nothing is of greater force then Loue it selfe For as one fire draweth another so is it with loue for one draweth and engendreth another Therefore if wee would be loued wee our selues must loue But when the contrary falleth out nameely that we are hated of them towards whome wee are well affected it is because hee that is loued doeth not knowe nor feele the loue that is borne him For likenesse hath such force and vertue in loue that it is as it were the mother therof For seeing euery one by nature loueth himselfe greatly and similitude is as it were the same in many it causeth him that resembleth vs to be as it were our selues whereupon it followeth that the same likenesse which causeth vs to loue an other induceth him also to loue vs. And againe loue causeth him that doth loue to engraue imprint in his heart that face and image which he loueth so that the heart of him that loueth is made like to a looking glasse in which the image of the party beloued shineth and is represented Therefore when hee that is loued and beholdeth and acknowledgeth himself in him that loueth him he is mooued and whetted on to loue him againe as one within whome he knoweth himselfe to be as it were Inhabitant yea as a second selfe Moreouer he that loueth doth as it were depriue himselfe of himselfe and giue himselfe to him whome hee loueth Therefore he that is beloued accompteth him deere and is as carefull of him as of a thing of his owne So that if wee loue God we shall be in his heart as if our image were engrauen there and his image also shall bee in ours yea hee will be carefull of vs as of his owne children as wee likewise wil be very careful of his honor and glory And the more we know his loue towards vs the liker we shal be vnto him and shall loue him the more as he in like maner wil loue vs the more Nowe because men can neither see nor know one anothers heart and wil to iudge of their loue we must declare the same by outward workes For none but God knoweth the hearts and willes of men Neuerthelesse he wil haue vs to manifest by workes our loue towardes him and our neighbours as hee hath shewed vs his loue by giuing himselfe with all his benefites vnto vs. Therefore wee must yeelde testimony of our loue by obeying his worde and keeping his holy commaundements the fulfilling of which consisteth in true and perfect charitie But forasmuch as the loue of men is so disordered nowadayes wee are to take 〈◊〉 heede and to looke diligently that wee deceiue not our selues by louing that which wee ought not to loue esteeming that to bee a good thing which is wicked and well done that which is ill done to the ende that our loue be not inordinate and bestowed vpon false and euil things and so prooue a vicious desire rather then true loue Therefore it shall be good if following our matter we consider what this affection of cupiditie or desire is properly and what are the kinds of it and how wee may separate it from Loue. Let vs then hear ken to ARAM discoursing of this matter Of Desire and Coueting and of the kindes of it of the infinitenesse of mens desires and what Good is able to satisfie and content it of the difference betweene Desire and Loue and of the vtmost limit and ende of Loue. Chap. 51. ARAM. As at the entry of a forrest some one path may seeme to be broade and beaten enough yet afterward when a trauailer is well entred into it he beginneth to loose it by little and little and being amazed the farther hee walketh on the more he wandreth out of his way euen so when as sensualitie inuiteth vs to the fruition of some obiect we thinke it an easie matter to attaine thereunto and hope to get some great good thereby but the further wee enter into and follow that path which our concupiscence doth shew vnto vs the worse we find the way to be and can see nothing before vs but a large field full of thornes and thistles which notwithstanding seeme for a time vnto sore eies to be faire floures of very goodly fruit But the tasting of them alwayes bringeth with it a long and late repentance in the ende Nowe as the body of the sunne when he first riseth may be easily looked vpon but after being mounted vp certain degrees in the Zodiake dazeleth the eies of them
then at the good things themselues in regarde of which men are honoured and esteemed For the enuious man careth not for the vertues that bring renowne and glory but onely for the honour and glory which follow them as the shadow doeth the body Forasmuch then as a prowde man desireth still to be preferred before all therefore hee is more greedy of these goods of honour and glory then of true goods of which the other are but shadowes Hereof it is that a prowde man is naturally enuious because enuy springeth from such a desire of preferrement yea it is commonly bredde of pride Yea the farther a man is off from that which hee woulde be thought to be and the lesse endued with those good things for which he woulde be honoured the more enuious he is But amongst al the good things against which enuy striueth most and for which it is most stirred vp those of the soule are the chiefest because they are more excellent then those of the body and such as neuer haue end Therefore also the reputation and honor which men obtaine by their meanes abide with them continually But the contrary falleth out in corporall and externall goods as they that haue more narrowe bounds Wherefore as they cannot growe to that greatnes vnto which the other doe so their vse also is nothing so great and consequently the price and reputation that proceedeth from them is not so great Therefore if the question be of honour and glory no man of any good iudgement but will more willingly giue ouer that which may be gotten by corporall and outward things then that which foloweth knowledge wisedome vertue and the other goods of the soule So that enuy may stand vs in steade of a witnesse to testifie and shewe vnto vs which are the greatest goods of all seeing it is alwayes busied about the highest noblest and most excellent Good Now as there is no wicked affection which carrieth not about it owne torment to take vengeance thereof by the iust iudgement of God so this of enuy passeth all the rest in this respect Therefore it was well saide of them that taught that enuy is most iust because of selfe it is the same punishment to the enuious man which it deserueth For first it is vile and seruile because an enuious man knoweth this in himselfe that he iudgeth the good things in an other to be greater and more excellent then his owne or at leastwise hee feareth least it shoulde so come to passe Therefore there is no affection in a man which he dare lesse disclose then this of enuy so that hee receiueth lesse comfort in this then in any other For by opening our heart to an other wee receiue solace and comfort whereas the enuious person iudgeth his affection of enuy to be so vile that hee dare not discouer it but hideth and concealeth it as much as hee can If hee be angry or hate any one he will declare it a great deale sooner And albeit feare be thought to be dishonourable yet will a man rather disclose this affection then he will enuy The like may be saide of sorrow and of loue But the enuious body is constrained to bite on his bridle to chew and to deuoure his enuy within himselfe and to locke vp his owne miserie in the bottome of his heart to the ende it breake not foorth and shew it selfe whereby the body receiueth great detriment For it becommeth pale wanne swart and leane the eyes sinke into the head the lookes are askew and the whole countenance is disfigured And within the heart the furies are enclosed which giue him so small rest that greater torment can not be imagined Therefore Salomon saieth very well That a sound heart is the life of the body but enuy is the rotting of the bones And Ecclesiasticus saieth That death is better then a bitter life that enuy and wrath shorten the life and that carefulnesse bringeth age before the time To conclude although al the euil affections trouble and corrupt the minde very much yet none of them offendeth it so much as enuy doth Which commeth not to passe so much because it selfe iudgeth or esteemeth good to be euill as because it desireth that others should so esteeme thereof But howsoeuer this vice be very vile and infamous and hurtful both to the body and soule yet in this affection of enuy we must put a difference betweene that part of it which proceedeth from sound nature as it was first giuen of God to man and that which is in it through the corruption of nature For there is a kind of enuy which serueth vs in steade of spurres to pricke vs forward and to worke in vs a wil and desire both to obtaine and to keepe great good things And this enuy is very good when wee apply our selues to the true Goods and are not grieued at the prosperitie and vertues which wee see in others but are mooued by their example to desire and to seeke after the selfe same Goods yea greater if the meanes be offered prouided that all be referred to the glory of God to our owne saluation and to the profite of our neighbours Vnto this kinde of Enuy Saint Paul exhorteth vs when he writeth to the Corinthians speaking of the diuersity of gifts wrought by the spirite of God in his Church Be enuious of the best gifts albeit in our vsuall translation it be Desire yet the Greeke worde signifieth to enuy but the sense is in a manner all one And the same Apostle speaking of the reliefe collection made for the poore saieth Achaia was prepared a yeere agoe and your zeale hath prouoked many that is to say the emulation and enuy which they haue conceiued by your example and this was a good holy and christian enuy But if we seeke our owne glory and in that respect are grieued that others excell vs in vertues and in the gifts and graces of GOD onely because we would haue that honour which they haue and be equall with them or aboue them this is a peruerse and Satanicall affection declaring euidently that we seeke our selues and our owne glory more then the glory of God For if we had respect to that which wee ought it woulde be all one to vs who were the instruments either our selues or others so that God were glorified and that were well done which ought to be done As for the euill sorts of enuy of which wee haue spoken they are placed by Saint Paul amongst the woorkes of darknesse and of the flesh where he saieth that They which are defiled with them shal not inherit the kingdome of God But forasmuch as in this discourse we placed Iealousie amongst the kindes of Enuy and yet it is often taken in the good part proceeding as it were of true loue as Zeale also is bredde thereof it shall be good for thee ASER to begin the dayes worke to morrow with a
and to diminish and as it were to retire backe and to restrayne it selfe And as for the vertue of engendering it differeth from both the other first in that it is not giuen so generally to all liuing creatures as they are and then in that it beginneth not so soone For it commeth then when the liuing creature through nourishment and growth hath attayned to those vertues that are necessary for generation Besides it hath this common with the vertue of augmentation that it hath certaine limites and bounds vnto which after it is once come it weakeneth and in the ende decayeth vtterly Wherein it differeth from the nourishing vertue Nowe the vertue of growing greater hath as many other particular vertues vnder it for the execution of it owne office as the vertue of nourishing hath according as was touched before Whereby wee learne that bodies growe not greater neither augment by the heaping vp of much matter outwardely applied as when a house is set vp wee see timber ioyned to timber and stone to stone in the building of it but this is done by the same hidden and secrete arte and cunning in nature whereby wee are nourished For in this poynt there is no difference betweene the vertue of nourishing and that of augmenting but onelie heerein that in nourishment the meate is turned into the substance of the bodie and in augmenting the foode beeing thus turned doeth from within stretch foorth the quantitie of the bodie outwardly And so this vertue of augmenting dependeth of the nourishing vertue For meate nourisheth as it is a substance with qualities meete for nourishment and augmenteth by reason of the quantitie it hath For this cause hath God created the bodies of liuing creatures with such a substance that as they haue sundrie passages and holes in them like to sponges to the ende to purge by them so he would that the substance they receiue by their foode might passe by the same holes that they might augment and grow greater So that all of them haue their pores and litle holes albeit they appeare not to the eye whereby nourishment entreth and extendeth it selfe in greatnesse length and thicknesse The consideration hereof hath caused some skilfull men to place mettals and stones in the ranke of liuing creatures because they growe in the earth as the bodies of plants and liuing creatures doe Neither is their opinion without some shewe of reason For wee knowe that they grow and increase and that inwardly which seemeth not to bee done without drawing vnto themselues some inward nourishment as liuing creatures vse to doe Besides they haue also their pores and passages to stretch foorâ—h and augment themselues by Notwithstanding all this there is greater reason to place them in the ranke of those natures and creatures which augment and grow greater by adding and ioyning of matter vnto them as wee see fountaines and riuers to increase and so likewise fire Which albeit it seemeth to be nourished and augmented with that matter which is put vnto it yet is it not nourished as liuing creatures are by meanes of that foode which they receiue For they haue their boundes of growing set them which they cannot passe as wee see the like also in plantes but fire hath no limites as that which alwayes increaseth as long as it findeth any matter to burne Whereby we may conclude that naturall heate in man or in other liuing creatures is not the cause of their nourishing and growth but onely the instrument and that the true cause in regarde of second causes is in the soule next after God who is the first cause of all things yea the cause of causes Therefore it is hee that hath alotted out to euerie man the terme first of his life and growth and then of his declining and death so that according as hee will eyther prolong or shorten our life and cause vs to encrease or diminish so hee disposeth the seconde causes and those meanes whereby hee will bring it to passe Nowe wee must consider what instrumentes the soule vseth to execute in the bodie of man her naturall woorkes of nourishing and augmenting it of which wee haue nowe spoken and after what manner shee vseth them First then wee will looke into the ventricle and stomacke and see what figure what Orifices and filaments it hath This matter then ASER belongeth to thee to intreate of What instrumentes the Soule vseth in the bodie about the naturall woorke of nourishing and augmenting of the Ventricle or stomacke and of the figure Orifices and Filaments it hath of the coates of the stomacke and of what substance and nature it is of the causes of hunger and of appetite of the inferiour Orifice Chap. 61. ASER. Wee shoulde bee very happie if wee knewe howe to followe that order in all our doings which God hath set downe in all his woorkes and whereof he giueth nature vnto vs for a Mistresse But if the simplicitie of our vnderstanding bee not able to attaine to so high wisedome at the least we may knowe howe farre short euery one of vs commeth of our duetie and from whence proceedeth all the confusion that is in the life of man and all those miseries which wee commonly beholde On the other side nothing coulde hinder vs were it not a voluntarie and malicious ignorance in that wee consider not what a marueilous and excellent Woorkemaster God the Creator sheweth himselfe to bee in this part of the soule whereof our present discourses are and in that order which hee hath set therein and in those vertues which hee hath bestowed vpon it For his woorke is so excellent and woorthie of so great admiration that no wisedome or power whatsoeuer is able so much as to imitate it Wherefore wee are to account it a very great and noble blessing to haue onely some knowledge of it and to bee able to comprehende some thing thereof by our vnderstanding For there will be alwayes enough whereat to marueile greatly and namely in the consideration of those instruments which the soule vseth in the nourishment and growth of bodies as we shall know in the sequele of our discourses Therefore as heeretofore wee haue handled and spoken of the diuers powers of the soule and of those instruments it hath in regarde of the Animal and Vital partes as of the braine heart head and other externall members of the bodie so nowe wee are to consider of the internall instruments which serue the naturall powers of the soule And first it hath the liquors and humours of the bodie tempered together by a certaine Lawe and reason of the Creator that created them Secondly the other instruments of the soule are those members both externall and internall which are framed and haue their seuerall proportion euery one as neede requireth for the office assigned vnto them by God their Creator For before the soule bee clothed with the bodie these instrumentes are fashioned and made fitte for it by nature
them that are taken to bee the vilest and basest persons are a great deale more profitable and necessary and so likewise their callings and offices then many others that are in greater reputation and more honourable according to mans iudgement who notwithstanding might more easily be spared then those of whom there is lesse accompt and reckoning made The like may be said of the vse of the members of our bodies and of the necessitie and need which we haue of them that are accompted most vile and abiect which albeit they be lesse honourable then the rest yet are they more necessary for this life of ours then many others that are a great deale more noble and more excellent For wee may liue without eies without eares without handes without feete and without many other goodly members but not without the intralles and bowelles which are but the sinkes and wide-draughts of our bodies although there be but one of them onely wanting For there is not one of them but it is profitable yea necessary for vs insomuch that no other can doe that office which lieth vpon it the Lord hauing so disposed it that euery one of them must discharge his owne office by himselfe Of these intralles and guttes there are sixe in number neere vnto the stomacke namely three small and three great ones being all of a round and hollowe figure according to the greatnesse and thickenesse of euery one of them They are called the instruments of distribution and purgation because they distribute the foode and send foorth the superfluities and excrements Nowe to conteine all these in their place they are couered and wrapped about together with the other entralles of the naturall partes with two coats or couerings namely with that which is called the Kell whereof mention was made in the former discourse and which couereth the bowells stretching it selfe euen to the priuie partes so that it executeth the same office vnto them that it doeth vnto the stomacke as wee were giuen to vnderstand Besides there is an other coate or skinne called Peritone because it is spread round about the lower belly and enuironeth the stomach the bowelles the kall the liuer the splene and the kidneys in a worde it couereth all the members from the midriffe downe to the sharebone The vse of this is great For first it serueth for a couering to couer all the members then it serueth also for the muscles that are laide vpon them Moreouer it causeth the superfluities of drie meates to descend more speedily Fourthly it keepeth the stomacke and bowels that they swell not easily and fiftly it knitteth together and conioyneth all the members within it as we haue seene howe the other partes of the body are separated and clothed with skinnes and membranes For this cause it is framed and fashioned like to an egge and hath his beginning from the ligaments which binde together the turning ioynts of the reines and is knit vnto them So that the vse of it is to tie and knit vnto the backe the members of the inferiour belly Nowe concerning the intralles and bowels although they â—e vnited to the stomacke and so ioyntly followe each other yet they â—iffer in figure in situation and in offices True it is that their substance differeth little from that of the stomach For they are of a certaine whitish flesh hauing no blood in any of them neither is there any other difference but onely in this that the bigger guts are more full and fatte and the smaller are otherwise Againe they haue all this in common together that they are made of two coates which God hath giuen them for the greater preseruation of them and of the life of liuing creatures For oftentimes vlcers and sores breede chiefely when some great inflammation hath gone before so that they putrifie and fret and one of the coats be spoiled Neuerthelesse a man may liue by the other that continueth sound and dischargeth well enough all his dueties Nowe forasmuch as they are instruments appointed for the purging of the body the fibres or little strings both of the inner and vtter coats are all in a manner crosse-wise except some fewe intermingled long-wise to the ende that the purging might be moderated in such sort as that it neither be too much nor too little The three smaller are placed vppermost which because they were made that the meate being turned into liquor might be conueyed through them therefore it was requisite they shoulde be so slender and that chiefely for two causes The first to the ende the passage might bee more easie the other because that in the very passage some concoction is made of the liquor and foode so that they are the sooner warmed by reason of their slender and thinne making Nowe concerning the name and peculiar office of euery one the first is called Duodene because of the length of it which is without any folding or turning It is as it were a part of the stomach hanging downe or as a changing of the stomach into a gut being twelue fingers long whereupon it was so called by the ancient Physicions although nowe there is none found of that length It beginneth at the porter of the stomach and is so seated beside the liuer that looke where that leaueth and the other following called the hungry gut beginneth there is a passage from the bladder of gall to bring the yellow humour thither called choller to the end it might help forward the meate and make cleane the gut The second called the hungry gut is so termed because it holdeth but a litle foode in regard of the other following so that it may be said after a sort to fast whereof there are three causes The first is the great number of Meseraicall veines and arteries which are in greater number about that gut then about the rest Whereupon they sucke out more speedily the liquor and foode which passeth through that then if they were fewer in number The second cause is because the liuer which is neerest to that gut doeth likewise drawe nourishment from it which is sooner done then from the rest that are farther off The third is the falling downe of the chollericke humour into it which intermedleth not it selfe with the liquor and foode but glideth downe by the side of this gut vnto that which is called Colon to the ende it may thrust forward the excrements and purge the humours which it perfourmeth because it is sharpe and biting Now by reason it continually prouoketh this gut to expulsion it falleth out to be more empty then the residue Then followeth the third small intralle called Ileos by the Graecians both because it hath many fouldings as also for the manifolde knitting of it to the Mesenterium from whence sundrie veines come into this The hungry gut and this haue both one office onely heerein they differ that the hungry Gut is sooner sucked then this which
belonging to the sight are of which bring the facultie and vertue of seeing vnto the eyes as likewise it is of the same temperament with the coats and humors of which the eyes are compounded being diuided and distributed to eche sundrie part by a naturall propertie inherent in them The like is done in the eares and in other members and instruments of the corporal senses and in all the other partes of the body euen to the very nailes and haires thereof Wherein truely wee see wonderfull alterations and a most admirable woorke of Gods prouidence whether it bee considered in the whole earth and in this great world or in man who is the litle world Now for the sequele of our speech before wee come to speake of the speciall offices and effectes of the three humours ioyned with the blood of which wee haue heere spoken wee are to consider besides this distribution made of the nourishment by meanes of the veynes as it hath beene tolde vs of another meane by which these humours and especially the flegmatike ascend vp vnto the braine whereby it commeth to passe that in man as well as in the great world there are waters aboue and belowe which are the cause that mans life swimmeth in the middest of a great danger Also wee are to knowe why the soule and the blood are often taken eche for other and to be instructed in the temperature of the humors necessarily belonging to the bodie for the health and life thereof as likewise to consider of the causes of health and sicknesse and of life and death But this shall bee for to morowe when thou ASER shalt vndertake the discourse of these things so farre foorth as is requisite for vs to know The end of the eight dayes worke THE NINTH dayes worke Of the vapours that ascend vp to the braine and of the waters and cloudes conteined therein and in what perils men are thereby why the soule and blood are put one for another of the temperature of the humors necessary for the health and life of the body of the causes of health and of diseases and of life and death Chap. 65. ASER It is the saying of an ancient Philosopher that they which saile vpon the water are not aboue two or three fingers breadth distant from death namely so farre off as the thicknes of the plankes and timber of the ship is in which they are caried into the Sea For if that timber were taken from vnder them they cannot auoyd drowning vnlesse they can swimme like fishes But not to saile on the sea or vpon a lake or riuer to approch neere to death we haue it a great deale neerer vs when we cary about vs infinite causes and meanes whereby we are euery houre in danger of stifling and as it were of drowning and that both waking sleeping eating and drinking within doores and without at all times and in al places whersoeuer we become Insomuch that of what estate and disposition soeuer men are we are oftentimes astonished to heare tydings of a mans death sooner then of his sickenesse whom wee saw not long before mery cheerefull and in good health Now we may learne some chiefe causes hereof by this dayes handling of that matter Subiect which was yesterday propounded to bee discoursed vpon And first we must know that besides the distribution of all the humours together with the blood into all parts of the bodie by the veines and that for the causes before learned there is yet another meane whereby these humors especially the flegmatike humour which is of the nature of the water ascend vp vnto the braine by reason of vapours arising vpward out of the stomacke like to the vapour of a potte seething on the fire with liquor in it and like to vapours that ascend vp from the earth into the ayre of which raine is engendred Now when these vapours are come vp to the braine they returne to their naturall place and into the nature of those humours of which they were bred as the vapours that are held in the aire turne againe into the same nature of water of which they came Therefore as the waters are contained within the cloudes in the region of the aire allotted vnto them so is it with our braine which is of a colde nature and of a spongie substance fitte for that purpose So that we alwayes carie within it as it were cloudes full of water and of other humours that distil and runne downe continually by the members and passages which God hath appointed to that ende as wee haue alreadie hearde And these places albeit they serue especially to purge seuerall humors as hath beene tolde vs yet oftentimes they voide them altogether both by reason of their mingling and coniunction as of their ouer great abundance Yea many times they are so plentifull namely the flegmatike humour that because the braine cannot sufficiently discharge it selfe of them by the ordinary way these humors ouerflowe on all sides wheresoeuer they can finde any vent and issue euen as when a thundering cloude bursteth asunder So that the water runneth not downe as it were a milde and gentle raine but as a mighty flood that bringeth great ruines with it or as a riuer passing his ordinary course breaketh downe both banke and wall and ouerfloweth euery where Therefore we may well say that many times we haue floods of water enclosed within our heads and braines when wee neuer thinke of it nor yet consider in what danger we are Which the more secrete and vnknowen it is vnto vs the more perillous it is and greatlier to be feared especially considering it is so neere vs and that wee haue fewer meanes to auoyde it as wee haue daily examples in many who being in health and mery are sodainely choked by catarrhes which like to floods of waters runne downewards as the very name deriued from the Grecians doeth import as much or by some sodaine Apoplexie how healthy soeuer before they seemed to bee Others also there are who if they be not presently choked with such floods from the brain yet they are taken with palsies lamenesse and impotencie in all their members or at leastwise in some of them as if some waterflood had caried them away so that nothing had beene saued but the bare life and that more fraile and miserable then death it selfe I speake not of gowtie persons who although they be not assaulted with such great and vehement floods of waters and with euill and superfluous humours so that some few droppes onely of which they are so called fall vpon some partes of them yet are they greatly tormented constrained to crie out and that oftentimes in extreme distresse Which consideration ought to stirre vs vp to know wherein our life and preseruation thereof consisteth and of whom we holde it And on the other side although we had no examples of floods and inundations of waters of earthquakes and such other
an aduantage aboue other liuing creatures namely his hands giuen him of God for the doing of any work that he will as we haue already declared Wherefore if he be to fight against beasts his hand will furnish him with moe weapons then all theirs are which they haue by nature although they bee put all together For he can not only make weapons of all sorts but handle them also manage them as pleaseth him in his own defence both against beasts as likewise against those of his owne kind And I would to God he vsed them but in his owne defence and did not abuse them as hee doth to his own hurt very vnnaturally But let vs proceed forward and come to the thirde cause why God hath thus created man all naked which is that he would admonish him thereby of his naturall infirmitie in regarde of those wants and necessities that hemme him in on euery side vnto which he is more subiect thē any other creature Which instruction ought to worke two things especially in him first it ought to induce and mooue him to that peaceable and sociable life with his kinde for the which God created him Secondly by this meanes he is the more bound to acknowledge the prouidence bountie liberality of God towards him whereby he bringeth to passe that the necessitie and want which seemeth to be greater in man then in any other liuing creature declareth him to be the richest and best prouided for yea to be Lord of all For all the garments of beastes of what quality soeuer they be and whatsoeuer els they possesse belong to him Whereas if men were not subiect to such necessities as are incident vnto them what vse should they haue of so many creatures as God hath created for them or what seruice should they haue of their hands For here again we see how that by them he prouideth for their garments by setting on work the skins wools hairs of al other liuing creatures besides the silkes of wormes and other matter which the fruits of the earth affoord vnto them as flaxe hempe such like And if necessitie did not teach them the vse of all these things howe woulde they consider the power wisedome goodnes and prouidence of God in his works in his creatures to praise him to giue him thankes For although they haue necessitie want for their schoolemistres to the end they might learne this science in their schoole yet doe they profit very litle thereby but rather become most ingratefull towards God their Creatour who is so bountiful and liberal a father towards them Whereupon we haue further to note that God hath not giuen to men many thinges belonging particularly to beasts because he hath inriched them with so many other things of which all other creatures are altogether destitute For besides the helpe he hath of the composition and placing of those members which he hath giuen to their bodies being so conuenient to performe that which beasts cannot doe with theirs he hath endued them with speech and reason whereby not onely all that is in other creatures which is not in them is more then recompenced but they haue more in them then all other liuing creatures haue being put together For albeit they haue no fethers wings to flye and mount aloft by as birds haue yet how many means haue they to ascend and to descend to goe to come whither they wil And as for swiftnes and nimblenes how many beasts are there with whose swiftnes they may help themselues And although they haue not finnes wherby to swim in the sea in waters like fishes yet they haue skil hands whereby they can make guide ships and so conuey themselues whither they wil. Now as for strength which they want to cary heauy burdens afarr off how many waies is it recompensed both by land by water and that by means aswel of beasts whose seruice they vse as of artes sciences wherin they are skilful When by we see that God hath put more within a man namely in the sense vnderstanding wherwith he hath indued him then he hath put without in al beasts Concerning the fourth point of which I haue to speak touching this matter it is this that as it pleased God to giue vnto man a farre more excellent body for beautie then he did to any other liuing creature so he would haue this beautie also to appeare in al the parts therof For first this body was not fashioned either to flye in the aire as birds do or to glide vpon the earth to draw it self vpon the belly as creeping things doe nor to march vpō al foure as fourefooted beasts do nor with the head bending downward as theirs is but to stand and goe vpright with the head lifted vpwards towards heauen to the end he might be admonished that his true beginning birth came higher thē from the earth frō other corruptible elements namely frō heauen He is also admonished hereby that he is not borne to serue his belly as brute beasts doe to follow after gluttonie drunkennes whoredome such other carnal more then brutish pleasures wherein licencious men commonly obserue lesse moderation then beasts that are altogether without reason and vnderstanding For although the matter whereof a mans body is compounded diffreth nothing from that whereof the bodies of brute beasts are made neuertheles seeing it pleased God to lodge within it a soule of a diuine and celestial nature that is farre more excellent then all natures and creatures with bodies he would it should haue a lodging agreeable to the nature of it whereby also man might bee admonished of his excellencie and that he was created not onely to looke downe vpon the earth as beastes doe but to lift vp his eyes vnto heauen and to beholde therein the high workes of God his Creator and to doe the like in the residue of the whole world For as we haue heard man is not properly this body which we see but chiefly the soule and spirit which we see not and which hath the body for his lodging So that if we consider both the house and the inhabitant wee shall see that the things giuen of God to beastes and denied to men doe bring great beautie both to beastes because they haue them and to men because they haue them not For if the beastes were depriued of their armour and naturall ornaments they should lose all their beautie and profite that redoundeth vnto them as likewise man should be deformed an vgly if in any sort hee were made partaker of that which is proper agreeable to other creatures But because God hath created man so that he might be eternal and immortall he hath armed him inwardly euen in that part that shal be the meanes vnto him of eternall life Neither would hee clothe him with naturall garments nor arme him with corporall
vnto others And if we take it so then God and Nature shal be taken to be all one Wherefore in this respect it were better to let the name of Nature alone and to speake of God onely to whom Nature is but a seruant and seeing that by him it was created and that all things were made before Nature had her being Otherwise we are like to fall into that errour of Galen and others his like in these dayes who albeit they be conuicted and rauished with admiration through the contemplation of those wonderfull workes which they beholde in all the partes and powers of mans body are notwithstanding so vngratefull that insteade of yeelding vnto God that honour that belongeth vnto him it seemeth they woulde despite him to his face and seeke all possible meanes to put out their owne eyes and wholly to blinde their vnderstandings to the end they might not be constrained to acknowledge that there is a God the Creator maker of this so excellent a piece of worke and so to glorifie him as becommeth them Nowe rather then they would giue him this honour they will make an idole of Nature thereby to cast a vaile before mens eyes that they should not see and acknowledge God in his workes They will rather put out their owne eyes then follow this Nature which they forge vnto themselues as a soueraigne Mistresse whereas she is but the meanes to leade them to God her and their Creator of whom shee is but a seruant and a verie small image Thus much I thought meete to bee knowen concerning Nature that wee might learne to speake better and more reuerently both of God and of his woorkes and that we might know that Nature is nothing els but the order and continuance of the woorkes of God Now that wee are instructed in the causes of life and death and what true comfort and consolation we may haue against the horrour therof and so haue finished our discourses concerning the frame of the body and of the powers and faculties of the soule therein we must enter into a particular contemplation of the nature of the soule and learne what is the creation and immortalitie thereof so farre foorth as the minde of man is able to comprehend and as the worde of trueth shall affoord vs sure and certaine doctrine thereof First then it is necessary and very profitable for vs to consider that there is but one soule in one bodie which hath all those powers and vertues of which the effects are daily seene also what place the soule hath in the bodie and what vnion there is betweene them Nowe ASER this shall bee that matter Subiect which thou shalt haue to continue our speech withall That there is but one Soule in euerie seuerall bodie that one and the same soule hath in it all those vertues and powers whose effectes are dayly seene of the seate of the Soule in the bodie and of the principall instrument thereof of the vnion of the bodie and Soule of the diuers degrees of nature and of the excellencie that is in it of the fountaines and bounds of all the powers and vertues of the Soule Chap. 77. A SER. Saint Paul maketh a prayer in the end of his first Epistle to the Thessalonians which agreeth very well both to that matter whereof wee haue alreadie intreated touching the nature as well of the soule as of the body and to that also which wee haue yet to handle concerning the nature creation and immortalitie of the soule Now the very God of peace saith he sanctifie you throughout and I pray God that your whole spirite and soule and bodie may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ Where first he sheweth vs that none but God who onely is holy sanctifieth vs through Iesus Christ his sonne the most Holy and that by the vertue of his holy spirite Moreouer hee teacheth vs that as we are to acknowledge all sanctification alreadie begunne in vs to proceede from God alone so wee must expect from him the accomplishment of that woorke which he hath begunne in vs. For as hee is the beginning so from him must proceede the perfection which comprehendeth all the partes of man Therefore the Apostle heere maketh a diuision of three members placing the spirite first in the second place the soule and in the third the bodie Then he teacheth vs that the entire and absolute sanctification of all these partes of man shall be in the comming of Iesus Christ in which it shall obtaine the last perfection Nowe we vnderstand already sufficiently by our former discourses that man is compounded of two diuers natures namely of a body and of a soule and yet heere wee see that Saint Paul setteth downe three partes and ioyneth the spirite vnto the soule as if they were two diuers and different thinges as well as the soule and the bodie are Therefore wee must searche out the cause of this diuision of man after this manner But before wee enter into this matter it shal be very profitable for vs to refresh our memorie with those things wee haue alreadie intreated of so farre forth as they may serue for the vnderstanding of this and that according to the matter subiect propounded to discourse vpon Wee hearde before howe the bodie is the lodging and instrument of the soule and howe the soule serueth it selfe with all the members thereof and setteth them on worke And as for the Soule albeit there be but one in each seuerall body neuerthelesse that one soule hath diuers faculties powers and vertues which wee also call partes and offices thereof Wherefore as wee saye not that there are so many bodies in one bodie of a man as there is diuersitie of partes members and offices therein but account them all ioyntly together as one and the same bodie euen so wee meane not that there are so manie soules as there are powers and offices in the Soule or according to that varietie of effectes that appeareth in euerie part and member thereof albeeit wee knowe verie well that they are distinguished one from another both in time and place For we perceiue by the effectes thereof that the sight is in the eyes hearing in the eares vnderstanding and cogitation in the braine and the like is to bee sayde of all the other partes and members of the bodie according to the nature and office of euerie one and according to the offices of the Soule in them as wee haue alreadie shewed when wee handeled all the powers thereof particularly Moreouer wee see howe the childe so long as it is in the Mothers wombe differeth almost nothing at all from plantes and after it is borne howe it differeth but a little from brute beastes as else-where it hath beene alreadie declared vnto vs. Neuerthelesse as in euerie bodie there is but one and the same kinde fashion and essentiall forme of nature whereby it commeth to bee that which
yea they haue some sense and perseuerance of the alteration of seasons according as they fall out by the course of the spheres but yet not by any such knowledge and vnderstanding as is in man Nowe sense and knowledge cannot proceede of the power of the elements but is deriued from some higher thing For it is by meanes of a more celestiall power that beastes are distinguished from plants holding more of the excellencie of their Creatour declaring it a great deale more But man hee mounteth vp much higher For hee ascendeth vp aboue all the heauens euen vnto God and to those spirituall natures by meanes of reason and vnderstanding which make his soule capable of heauenly light and wisedome and of diuine inspirations Whereupon it followeth that the originall and birth of the Soule is celestiall And therefore in this diuersitie of the faculties and powers of the soule and life of man wee must note this that the lower kindes of the soule and life are not the Well-springs and fountaines of the highest as if those powers and faculties did first set these latter awoorking or as if the highest did spring of the basest and receiued their vertues from them but they are onelie certaine aydes and degrees of helpe whereby the highest and chiefest descende and ascende So that the Vegetatiue and nourishing life and vertue is not the originall of the sences and sensitiue vertue but onelie a degree by which the facultie of sense is deriued to the bodie and by little and little ascendeth vp to her powers and offices The like may bee sayde of the vnderstanding and of reason in regarde of the sensitiue facultie For euerie sort and kinde of life and euerie power of the soule hath beginning of it selfe and certaine boundes within which it is conteined Wherein we haue to consider a marueilous woorke and prouidence of GOD in that hee hath ioyned and linked togethet in man things that are so diuers For wee take this as graunted that the soule of man is a spirituall nature and not corporall that it is immortall and created for the contemplation of celestiall and eternall things On the other side wee see howe this so excellent and diuine a nature is ioyned to that part and power that is called Vegetatiue and Nourishing which seemeth rather to bee corporall then spirituall to bee more terrestriall then celestiall and to bee as it were the Kitchen of the bodies of liuing creatures and the Store-house and Originall of their generation So that there is no man of any sounde minde who knowing this marueilous coniunction of nature in thinges so diuers and considering that it cannot come to passe by happe-hazard and at aduenture but hee must needes bee rauished with great admiration and acknowledge an admirable prouidence of God the Creator and Lord of nature But they that are instructed in the holie worde and in the doctrine of the Church haue yet a further consideration of these thinges For they knowe well that albeeit this Kitchin of mans bodie shall haue no necessarie vse in the life to come neuerthelesse God hath established this order and woulde haue it thus ioyned to the soule and spirite to the ende that those beginnings of eternall life and of that true and perpetuall wisedome which hee hath put into vs shoulde bee kindled and inflamed in this mortall life For they shall not shine foorth in anie there who haue not heere had some beginnings but haue suffered those to bee cleane extinguished which they haue receiued of GOD. For this cause doeth the voyce of God and of his heauenly doctrine sounde in mens eares and to these endes hath hee ordayned that gouernement which ought to bee amongest them and hath bounde and fortified it with manie bondes and rampires Wherefore wee stande in neede of doctrine of instruction and discipline vnto which things the consideration of mans nature may greatly helpe vs. For there is no science or humane wisedome howe great soeuer it bee that is able to rehearse and comprehende the great profite which this consideration can affoorde to men euen so farre foorth as they may verie well learne and knowe And of this wee may the better bee resolued if we consider well of that which hath alreadie bene handled yea we may the better iudge hereof if wee perfectly vnderstand that diuision of man made by S. Paul and mentioned by vs in this discourse Therefore AMANA proceede you in the residue of this matter giuing vs first to vnderstand what is the nature and offices of those pure animal cleare and bright spirits which we saide were seruiceable to the soule for all kinde of vnderstanding and knowledge Afterwardes you may more easily instruct vs at large and teach vs what difference there is not onely betweenethe soule and the instruments thereof whereby it worketh but also betweene the instruments themselues and their nature and offices and which of them are nearest or remoued farthest from the soule Of the nature and varietie of the animall spirites and how they are onely instruments of the soule and not the soule it selfe of the nature of those bodies wherein the soule may dwell and worke of the difference that is not onely betweene the soule and the instrumenes by which it woorketh but also betweene the instruments themselues and their natures and offices and which of them are neerest or farthest of of the degrees that are in the vnion and coniunction of the soule with the bodie Chap. 78. AMANA It is requisite that workmen should haue instruments answerable to those works which they are to make and if they haue taken in hand but one single and simple worke they neede but one toole fitte for that purpose as to sawe timber there needeth but a sawe But they that are to make many workes or one woorke that is full of varietie stand in need of many instruments as painters ioyners carpenters masons and such like The same may bee saide of the soule and therefore it hath many members in the body that are giuen vnto it as instruments to serue for those woorkes which it hath outwardly to perfourme Moreouer the soule hath humours to preserue and vphold the members and to keepe them alwayes ready for their worke by those meanes which we haue heard already besides it hath vital spirits of which the animall spirites are bred which serue in steade of a light to garde and conduct it in the actions both of the external and the internall senses And as there is great force in a toole or instrument to cause a good or euil worke so is there in the humors spirites and members of the bodie whereby we are made fitte to exercise and to execute all actions whether they concerne life and sense knowledge and vnderstanding or will and affections For it fareth in this matter as it doeth in the disposition of the aire which the thicker and more obscure it is the lesse cleare will the light
be disgraded from the title of Nobilitie both hee and his children This depriuation of gifts bestowed vpon man by God of which wee shoulde haue beene the Inheritours but for the sinne of our first Parents is called by the Diuines Originall sinne To proceede then with our former matter first I say that in my minde it is not so necessarily required of vs to knowe what the soule is or what is the essence and substance thereof as to knowe of what qualitie it is and what are the actions and woorkes of it And that this is so wee may iudge by that bountifulnesse which GOD the Lorde of nature vseth towardes vs and which hee manifesteth vnto vs on euery side by manifolde signes and testimonies For whatsoeuer is expedient for vs the same hee propoundeth vnto vs both very abundantly and with such facilitie that wee may easily finde it out and bring it into vse Wherefore wee can haue no more euident token that a thing is not profitable or not very necessary for vs then this that it is rare farre off and hidde from vs yea very hard to finde out and to attaine to the vse of it So that when wee are admonished to knowe our selues we must not referre this to the knowledge of the essence of the soule which wee are not able to knowe or comprehend but to the knowledge of the effectes and woorkes of it thereby to knowe howe to frame our manners and our whole life to the ende that chasing vice away we might followe after vertue And this by the grace of Christ Iesus will leade vs to that life in which wee shall bee perfectly wise and good and liue immortall and blessed with GOD for euermore Then as wee shall see the Creatour of all things face to face who otherwise is incomprehensible vnto vs so wee shall knowe our selues perfectly in him True it is if wee vnderstand well the principall cause that is taught vs in his worde why hee created man after his image and likenesse and gaue him an immortall soule partaker of vnderstanding and reason wee shall bee well instructed in that point wee desire to knowe touching the nature of the soule So that although wee can not throughly knowe or define what is the essence or substance thereof neuerthelesse seeing it was created of GOD that being ioyned vnto him it might haue eternall happinesse wee must needes say that it is a substance in some sort capable of the diuine nature and that may bee ioyned therewith For being indued with the knowledge of the diuinitie the loue of the same is bredde within it by which loue the soule is so ioyned vnto GOD that it is indued with perpetuall happinesse And thus wee may say that the soule of man is a spirit that giueth life to the body whereunto it is ioyned and which is capable of the knowledge of GOD to loue him as being meete to be vnited vnto him through loue to eternall felicitie But let vs consider the diuersitie of opinions of the best learned as well vpon this matter as vpon the doubts mentioned by vs in our speech For the first there are many who thinke that wee take our generation and birth of our fathers and mothers not onely in regard of our bodies but also of our soules and that soules are produced of soules as bodies are begotten of bodies being ledde by the reasons before spoken of For they can not conceiue howe originall sinne which is the pollution of our nature that before was good and pure by reason of the hereditary corruption of the first father of men can bee deriued from Adam to all his successours and from father to sonne if the soules of children take not their originall from the soules of their Parents as the bodies do of their bodies considering that the soule is the chiefe subiect of originall sinne and of all the rest that proceede from it as riuers issue from their fountaine Wherefore as wee set Adam before our eyes for the first stocke or roote of all mankinde in regarde of mens bodies that haue all their beginning from him so these men doe the like with his soule and the soules of all other men as if soules were deriued from soules and bodies from bodies And in deede at the first blush a man might thinke that Christ Iesus was of this minde when hee saide That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirite is spirite if it bee so that the name of flesh in that place ought to be taken for the whole man comprehending vnder it the body soule and spirite and whatsoeuer excellent thing is in man being considered in his corrupt nature as the worde flesh is commonly taken in the holy Scriptures when it is opposed to the spirite or to God And for this cause many do not take this worde flesh so largely neither in this place nor in any other like to this as if the spirite of man and the chiefe power of his soule were comprehended therein but they restraine it to that part which they call sensuall vnder which they vnderstand not onely the body of man but also those powers of the soule which we haue common with beasts Therefore they doubt not to say that the soule which is called Vegetatiue and sensitiue like to that of plants and beasts is produced of the same seede that the body is and that it is aswel contained in the seede as the matter and nature of which the body is compounded Whereupon it would follow that in this respect there is no difference betwixt the soule of man and the soule of beasts and plants They say well that euery liuing creature hath but one onely soule albeit there be diuers powers thereof in certaine creatures in some more in some lesse Hereof it is that they call that of plants by a more speciall name Vegetatiue because it hath but this vertue and office only of which it taketh the name And albeit the soule of beasts hath the same vertue also yet they call it not by the same name but onely sensitiue vnder which they place the vegetatiue soule that is in plants as a power and propertie thereof So likewise although the soule of man hath both these together yet they call it not either vegetatiue or sensitiue but onely reasonable vnder which they place the vegetatiue and sensitiue soule that is in beasts for powers and properties thereof as before I said they placed the vegetatiue vnder the sensitiue But I woulde very gladly AMANA bee instructed in that which thou canst deliuer very well to this purpose following this excellent matter which will serue greatly to cause vs more specially to vnderstand the nature and immortalitie of the soule the chiefe obiect whereat we aime Whether there be any thing mortall in the soule of man of the distinction betweene the soule and the powers of it of the opinions of Philosophers
and what agreement is betweene them touching the soule of brute beasts and the nature and substance of it of their opinion that deriue the soule of man and the soule of beasts from one fountaine of them that ascend higher and of their reasons Chap. 82. AMANA That which wee read of Iesus Christ his saying to Nicodemus in these woordes If when I tell you earthly things yee beleeue not howe shoulde yee beleeue if I shall tell you of heauenly things may giue vs occasion to say in like maner that if wee can not knowe the earth neither the body and soule of man nor the nature and vertue thereof howe shoulde wee attaine to the knowledge of Heauen and of those spirituall natures of God and of his workes And if wee can not comprehend in our selues the woorkes of our soule howe shall wee vnderstand the woorkes of GOD in the whole world And if wee be not able to conceiue them doeth it followe therefore that hee doeth them not and yet there are many that conclude after that manner For they beleeue no more then they are able to knowe and comprehend by their naturall reason according as they deale also with their soule For because they vnderstand not what is the proper essence of it neither can see it after it is entred into the body and ioyned therewith nor yet when it departeth away therefore they conclude that it is no other thing but as it were a fire that lasteth so long as there is matter agreeable to the nature of it and is quenched when that faileth But for that which you deliuered to vs ASER of the sayings of certaine touching the diuerse kindes of soules and the powers of euery one of them it seemeth to mee that vnderstanding them as you say these men doe one of these three things will followe of their opinion For they must of necessitie yeelde to this either that the soule of man is partly immortall and partly mortall or that a man hath three soules one immortall and two mortall or lastly that the powers of the reasonable soule which wee call Sensitiue and Vegetatiue are not of the proper essence and substance thereof but onely of the body and that they are instruments of the reasonable soule as members thereof For I doubt not but they will readily confesse this that the soule is immortall and if that part of the soule which they call Vegetatiue and Sensitiue be of the selfe same essence and substance in that respect it shall be mortall Nowe if wee so distinguish all these three sortes of soules in man that wee make three kindes of them the first and principall shall be immortall and the other two mortall And if they will say that they take not the vegetatiue and sensitiue soule in man for two diuerse kindes of soules but onely for two sundry powers of the reasonable soule I demaund of them whether these two powers are so ioyned vnto it that it may be a soule as it is both without them and with them euen as before we said that it might be with the body and without the body I doubt not but euery one will answere mee to this question according to that opinion hee hath conceiued of the nature of mans soule If the question be made touching the soule of beastes the Philosophers agree well amongst themselues heerein that it is of the same matter of which their bodies are compounded whether it bee deriued and taken from the same or whether it bee the proprietie of the matter Therefore they meane that it is the Vitall spirite onely therein that giueth life vnto them which is of a corporall matter and substaunce or else that it is the temperature or temperament of the whole bodie generally which is the proprietie of that matter And so the soule in beastes shal be the life it selfe of which the Vitall spirites or the temperament are the instrumentes Which seemeth to agree well with that which Moses saieth That the soule of the flesh in the blood thereof that is to say the life according as we shewed when we spake of the nature of blood and of those meanes by which it giueth life to the creatures For when Moses speaketh so a man might say that it is as much in effect as if he saide that the blood is as it were the pipe and instrument that conueyeth life to the bodie and that the Vitall spirites are the thing that giueth motion sense to the bodie which is the same that we call Soule neither is there any inconuenience to yeelde to this in regard of the soule of beastes And albeeit wee see not with the eye howe these Vitall spirites or the temperament of all the partes of the bodie doe giue vnto it that life which it hath yet a man may iudge and haue some knowledge heereof by the things wee see in nature which haue some agreement and resemblance with this For we conceiue well howe the flame is nourished by the oyle and match that is in a lampe or by the waxe and weeke that is in a candle In which we see two sortes of matter differing one from another ioyned both together Besides we see how that by meanes of this coniunction and of the temperature and agreement that these two matters haue eache with other the flame being kindled in them is nourished and preserued So likewise we propound the Vitall spirite in the bodies of liuing creatures as a thinne flame engendered of the blood by vertue of the heart and this flyeth as it were throughout all the partes of the bodie distributing vnto it Vitall heate which quickeneth it and endueth it with that vertue by which it hath motion and sense and exerciseth all her actions so that euery member doeth his office Nowe we see well in this comparison the matter that is in the lampe or in the candle and the temperature and agreement that is betweene the partes of it and howe the flame is fedde and mainteyned after it is lighted Wee may see also from whence this flame is brought to the lampe and how this matter is lighted and that neither the matter nor the agreement and temperature thereof breede this flame of themselues but that it is brought from elsewhere In like manner we may easily conceiue that which hath beene told vs of the vitall spirite and of the blood whereof it is bredde and of the vertue and power of the heart in the generation of it But one may say vnto mee that there is great difference betweene the comparison we made of a lampe or candle and of his flame and betweene that which we haue spoken of the generation of the vitall spirite because this flame which we cal the vitall spirit springeth of the self-same matter by which it is nourished preserued is kindled there And therfore it were requisite that we should further knowe what is the cause of this as also why the life
we haue here but a very little taste and weake beginning Therefore if wee could neuer goe further would it not be a vaine and ridiculous thing if God had giuen this desire onely to men and neuer woulde vouchsafe to let them haue the effect of it And if it were so that God had not ordained an other time and place for the finishing of that which is heere beginne in this life it seemeth that the complaint made by some of the greatest Philosophers against Nature shoulde not be without some ground of reason For what iust cause is there that hee shoulde giue a longer life to some beasts then to men seeing it skilleth not whether beastes liue long or no because long life cannot make them more learned or more wise then they are at their birth But it is otherwise in man For seeing that knowledge and wisedome are his greatest Good whereby hee approcheth neerer to the nature of God and of which all his other good things chiefely depend it seemeth to stand with reason that God should haue giuen a longer life to men then to beasts that so they might the better attaine to so great a Good so necessarie for them in regarde of which especially they are preferred before beasts and differ from them For wee see by experience that wee must die so soone almost as wee beginne to taste of Sciences and to waxe wise But we haue no cause to make this complaint against the wisedome prudence and goodnesse of God who hath granted vs life long enough wherein we may learne heere as much as wee neede if wee coulde vse it well both to passe away this life and also to attaine to the other in which wee shall abound in knowledge and wisedome and be fully satisfied therewithall And although God had giuen vs a life twice as long in this world as that wee nowe enioy so that we might liue as long as the ancient Patriarkes whose yeeres were so many especially before the flood as Moses testifieth yet all that which wee coulde possibly learne during the time of so long life woulde bee very little in comparison of the knowledge reserued for vs in that Eternitie For the eies of our spirite and minde are not able to endure so great brightnesse of heauenly knowledge and wisedome whilest it is heere shut vp and as it were imprisoned in this body of sinne and in a manner wholly ouerwhelmed with darkenesse but it fareth with the spirite in this respect as it doeth with the Owle in regarde of his eies and of the light of the sunne Therefore euery one hath better cause to assure himselfe that God hath appointed an other time and place for the full accomplishment of this desire of knowledge and wisedome that is so firmely engrauen in the nature of men then to accuse God as if he offered them iniurie to depriue them thereof by the shortenesse of their life Now let vs come to other particular reasons of Philosophers concerning this matter wee haue in handling Although Aristotele so famous amongest them be very obscure and wauering where hee handleth the same so that it is a very hard matter to vnderstand what was his opinion and resolution therein neuerthelesse hee dares not plainely say that the spirit of man is of a bodily nature and corruptible matter or that it is mortall as the body is But in one place hee saieth that if the Spirite be able to vnderstand without the fantasie it may bee separated from it but if it cannot vnderstand without it then it cannot be separated Which is all one as if hee saide that if the spirite could vnderstand without the senses and the vnderstanding and reason without fantasie and imagination then a man might certainely conclude that there is a difference in nature and substaunce betweene these things and that there may a separation bee made so that the destruction of the one doeth not bring with it a corruption of the other Wherefore none may conclude the mortalitie of the spirite that is capable of reason and vnderstanding by the mortalitie either of the externall or internall senses But Aristotele leaueth it doubtfull in this place whether this separation may bee made yea or no and whether a man may conclude thereupon that the spirite is of an other nature and substaunce then the senses are and so consequently immortall But it followeth not that if the soule being in the body vnderstandeth things bodily that is to say by the bodily instruments that are outward and then by the conueiance of the internall senses therefore it can vnderstand nothing but that which they declare and bring vnto it For after the internal senses haue gathered together the images and similitudes of those externall things that are offered vnto them and so retaineth them fast being secluded and separated from all matter the vnderstanding is to receiue from thence the first and simple knowledge of things So that as the qualities of externall things are the matter subiect of the internall senses so their images conceiued by the internall senses and purged from all bodily matter are the matter subiect of the vnderstanding and spirit And the spirite labouring about them draweth out certaine motions and knoweth many things from them which can not mooue the senses and which the senses can not know And yet the spirite is first mooued by these images as the senses are by externall things But wee must declare these things somewhat more familiarly We vnderstand already howe corporall things are the subiect and obiects of the corporall senses and that the bodily senses receiue and know them corporally euen such as they are presented vnto them euery one according to his nature and office But they cannot receiue or perceiue any more then that which is laied open vnto them and manifesteth it selfe outwardly Nowe after the outward senses haue thus receiued them and their matter couered with their qualities the internall senses to which the externall are seruiceable conceiue the images without the matters and qualities of those things whereof they are images For the eye cannot see either the sunne or the light of it nor yet any other creature discouered by the light except it bee present before it But the Fantasie and imagination receiue and conceiue the images of things euen in darkenesse although the things of which they are images appearant to the eyes nor yet are perceiued at that present by any corporall sense We see then already how these images are separated from the matter of which they are images and how the internall senses behold them without their matter bodies as the external senses look vpon them being ioined with their bodies Then hauing receiued them thus purged from their corporall matter the spirite receiueth them yet more pure and goeth further in the knowledge and vnderstanding of them then all the senses doe comprehending other things of which the senses can haue no knowledge or
fallen into such execrable beastlinesse and such horrible blasphemies as in a manner to say that God or Nature had brought men into the worlde onely to make them more miserable and more wretched then all other creatures so that they can finde no better happinesse and felicitie for themselues then during their life to become like to beastes or plants or some other insensible creatures or else after their death to bee brought to nothing as they were before their conception and birth Is it possible for a man to thinke of a straunger thing more against GOD more vnwoorthie mankinde or more iniurious to all nature For the Atheists themselues that reiect God doe yet confesse if they be Philosophers that nature doeth nothing without cause or if they confesse it not they haue testimonies enow in nature to conuince them of it And yet if their doctrine were true God and Nature haue done woorse in the creation and production of men then to doe some thing without cause For this were a cause most vnwoorthie of God and of Nature to create and bring foorth men into the worde onely for this cause and to this ende that they shoulde bee more miserable and more wretched then all other creatures and to make mankinde onelie to beholde in him the perfection of all miserie and vnhappinesse as though God and Nature tooke pleasure in beholding such cruell pastime as is the viewe of mans miseries in such a cursed estate Wherefore seeing all the doctrine and Philosophie of these dogges bringeth with it so many so strange so beastlike and so horrible absurdities euen once to thinke of them being so vnbeseeming God all mankinde and whole nature and so contrary to al the testimonies which the whole world affordeth vnto vs in the behalfe of Gods eternal prouidence ouer al his creatures I thinke there is no body except hee be as brutish as the Authours and Teachers of such kinde of Philosophie and doctrine but hee can easily iudge that it is altogether impossible to bee true or to haue any foundation ground in reason seeing it confoundeth and ouerthroweth al reason al nature Which causeth me to be so much the more abashed that there are men found euen among Christians yea a great number who rather followe the false opinion of these masties and giue greater credite to these sottish and vain arguments which they propound both against God and all diuinitie and against all nature and trueth then to the true sentence of so many vertuous learned holy men as haue bin in the world from the beginning and to the common and publike testimony of all mankind and of al people and nations But if God hath not spared the very heathen who so shamefully abused that knowledge which he gaue them of his works in nature and of the testimonies of his diuine nature prouidence manifested vnto them therein but punished them with such a horrible iudgement as to deliuer them vp into are probate sense into a woorse estate then is that of brute beasts we are not to maruell if he deale so and more hardly at this day with them that deserue a great deale more then they did because he hath manifested him self more cleerly without all comparison to these men if they would see and know him yea we ought to thinke it more strange if he dealt otherwise For the moe means he affordeth vnto men to know him the greater iudgement they deserue when they abuse the same and labour to blind themselues by their own ingratitude peruerse malice As for vs we cannot God be thāked doubt in any sort of the immortalitie of the soule seeing wee see on our side the aduantage euery way in defence therof namely multitude authoritie nature reason and which is most of all the testimonie of God who alone is sufficient I doubt not but that some to whome God hath giuen more knowledge and greater graces then to vs are able to alleage other arguments and reasons for the confirmation of this matter which we haue omitted For truth is not vnprouided but hath great abundance of all sorts But wee haue alleaged the chiefest taken out of the writings of learned men that haue written best of this matter especially of them that in our time haue written most Christianly And although there are other reasons then those which wee haue set downe yet I thinke there are enow in our discourses to stoppe the mouthes of all Epicures and Atheists at leastwise to conuince them if we cannot confound them For what can they alleage against them that is of any great shew or strength It may easily bee iudged by their best arguments discoursed vpon by vs. What will they haue more Do they expect or desire of vs that we should point with the finger at soules when they depart out of bodies that dye Then they shoulde bee no soules and inuisible spirits but bodies that may be seene And yet vnles they may behold them comming forth as they do smoke from the fire they will not beleeue that they depart at all from the bodies or that they haue any beeing at all Surely I think that these men who would so faine haue soules to bee mortall and to bee extinguished by death with their bodies would not beleeue that they were departed and that they once liued their bodies being dead no not although they had seen them come foorth visibly but woulde perswade themselues that they were some illusions and that their eyes had some mist before them so strong is a lying perswasion in a man when he wil iudge of a thing not according to reason but according to his affection Now seeing we are come to the end of our purpose namely to lay before our eies as it were a naturall history of man by the consideration of the matter of his body of the diuersitie of that matter and of the forme that God hath giuen it together with the profite and vse both of the one and the other and also by a description of the partes powers vertues and faculties of his soule therby to be instructed at large in the nature and immortality thereof by causing the soule to behold her selfe in the glasse of her marueilous actions and all to this ende that wee should know our selues as it becommeth vs there remaineth nothing now but that wee shoulde draw out a generall instruction from these aduertisements and lessons which God giueth vs in the admirable composition of our nature to the end that hereafter we should become more fitte for the contemplation of this diuinitie by the consideration of the wonderfull works thereof in the heauens and in the earth of which we desire if God giue vs grace hereafter to discourse Therfore doe thou ACHITOB put an ende to the cause of our present assembly meeting by some goodly discourse vpon all these matters of which we haue intreated Of the image of God in the soule
of man and of the image of the worlde in mans body of the coniunction that is betweene God the Angels and men of the sundry degrees of Good that are therein of those lessons and instructions which we ought to receiue from the wonderfull composition and coniunction of the soule and body Chap. 100. ACHITOB. If we could diligently consider of the naturall historie of man which we haue prosecuted hitherto we should finde in it a goodly glasse wherein we might beholde God who is inuisible making him after a sort visible vnto vs and come to the knowledge of him by his woorkes euen as the soule is made as it were visible to vs shewing it selfe vnto vs by the body wherein it dwelleth and by those woorkes which it effecteth in the same Therefore first let vs set before our eyes the whole frame of the world as it were a great body then all the partes of it as the members thereof and lastly let vs consider God as the soule of this great body woorking in the same and doing all his works there according to that order which he hath set therein euen as the soule hath his operation in the body of man and in all the members thereof Thus doing as we know that there is a soule in the body and another nature besides that which is corporall which woorketh in the same as we perceiue by the effectes of it so by the woorkes done in this visible world we may iudge that there is another nature that doeth them which being inuisible is some other thē this whole frame which we behold and farre more excellent filling the same and being in al the parts of it as the soule is in the body But whilest we propound to our selues this glasse to looke vpon let vs beware we fal not into their fond dreames who both thought and affirmed that this world was the body of God and that he was the soule thereof dwelling in it as the soule of man doeth in his body For if it were so then should God bee mortall and corruptible in regarde of his body so that still some part or other of him should perish as we see that corporall things daily corrupt On the other side God should not bee infinite and incomprehensible as hee is for the world doeth not comprehend and containe him but hee comprehendeth and containeth the whole world Wherefore neither is the worlde God nor God the world but the Creator of it by whom it is and consisteth And albeit we behold him not with our eyes in his nature and diuine essence yet wee must not therefore conclude as Atheists doe that hee is not at all no more nay much lesse then the soule is because those woorkes whereby hee manifesteth himselfe in the worlde are farre greater without comparison then those which the soule woorketh in mans bodie Besides that all the woorkes of the soule are the woorkes of God seeing it receiueth from him that life and vertue that is in it Forasmuch then as the soule is the image of God in man as his bodie is the image of all this great worlde in which GOD woorketh as the soule doeth in mans bodie let vs consider diligently howe God hath distributed the powers vertues and offices of the soule in the bodie and in all the partes of it as he manifesteth his glorie vertue and power in this visible worlde in all the partes of the same For the first there is agreement heerein that as one onely soule is in one bodie and is sufficient for all the partes and members thereof so there is but one God in the worlde who is sufficient for all his creatures Againe if wee cannot conceiue howe the soule is lodged in the bodie howe it giueth life vnto it displaying all her vertues and doing all her woorkes therein but onely so farre foorth as shee giueth vs instructions and testimonies thereof by those diuers effects which wee see in euerie part and member of the bodie no maruaile then if wee cannot beholde with the eye nor comprehende howe GOD is euerie where filling heauen and earth and howe hee displayeth his power and vertue woorking in all his creatures guiding and gouerning them and preseruing them by his diuine prouidence and vertue For if wee cannot comprehende the creature or the nature thereof howe shall wee comprehende that of the Creator Iesus Christ saide to Nicodemus If when I tell you earthly things yee beleeue not howe shoulde yee beleeue if I tell you of heauenly things Wee may say the like heere that if it be impossible for vs throughly to know the earth or the bodie or soule of man or the nature and vertue thereof howe shall wee knowe the heauens and spirituall natures or God and his woorkes For if it bee beyonde our reach to discerne them in our selues no not the woorkes of our soule howe shall wee comprehende his woorkes in the whole worlde Notwithstanding if wee can well consider of that coniunction and agreement that is betweene God and his creatures with the the disposition of those sundry degrees which euerie one of them holdeth in this coniunction euen from the highest and most celestiall things that approch neerest to the nature of God vnto those thinges that are lowest and most terrestriall then shall we set God as it were present before the eyes of our spirite and by the contemplation of him woonderfully content all the partes of our soule Therefore to prosecute this poynt let vs note that GOD created and fashioned in his Angels images of himselfe that are altogether spirituall as indeede himselfe is all spirite and not inclosed or shut vp in any bodies that are of an earthly and corruptible matter Besides it pleased him to make another kinde of his image in the nature of man which should holde the second degree next to the Angelical nature in which hee represented himselfe more excellently then in any other visible nature and creature namely in a nature that came neerest to his owne next to that of Angels and in which the bodily and visible nature was ioyned vnto a spirituall and inuisible nature Now for the better vnderstanding hereof wee will set downe a coniunction of three kinds of good things which are in diuers degrees The first is God the creator who is the greatest of all and the soueraign good of all his creatures and is a nature without any qualitie or accident whatsoeuer For all that is in him is substantiall and essentiall This Good is such a nature as hath all his mouing of himselfe and receiueth it not from any other then from himselfe but giueth mouing to all creatures according to their nature and measure And yet all the motions in God are without any change either of time or place or howsoeuer so that hee abideth still immoueable and may alwayes say I am the Lorde I change not as it is in Malachie For he is euer one And seeing he
it might make the sensuall and earthly part as it were celestiall and diuine by drawing it with it selfe if it woulde obey reason rather then the affections of the flesh and if it would looke more towardes heauen then towardes the earth as men commonly vse to doe For as they are in the middest betweene Angels and beastes if they woulde looke more towardes heauen from whence their soules haue their Originall then towardes the earth out of which their bodies are taken they should become celestial and diuine like to the Angels and finally like to God who hath created them after his owne image But if insteede of beholding the heauens vnto which their faces are lifted they looke downe to the earth as brute beasts doe hauing more care of that then of heauen they shall become altogether earthie and brutish like beastes Therefore it standeth euery one in hand to bethinke himselfe seriously which way he aymeth whither he desireth to come and whom he had rather resemble either the angels or beasts Let vs then consider wel of our nature and of that order which God setteth downe therein and follow the same and beware that we doe not peruert it Let vs learne to acknowledge the image of God in vs and to beholde his great wisedome therein as it were in a little world First let vs know by our soule which is a spirituall and no corporall nature that God is a spirite and of a spirituall nature which is not shut vp and inclosed in any place For neither our spirite hath any abiding in a place as if it were inclosed and shut vp therein notwithstanding that it remayneth in a place as it were in regarde of that coniunction which it hath with the bodie Neuerthelesse it is not so inclosed therein but that it is able not onliâ— to raunge through heauen and earth and throughout this whole visible worlde but euen higher and farther so that the whole world is not of sufficient bignesse to containe the same or to content and satisfie it but that it will goe beyond it What then shall wee thinke of GOD who hath created it And howe forgetfull shall man bee of himselfe if whereas the whole worlde is not great enough for his spirite hee content himselfe with a little angle of the earth and doe after a sort burie himselfe therein Likewise let vs knowe and beleeue that God is inuisible seeing our soule is so and cannot bee seen with bodily eyes For it is not painted with any colour neither hath it any corporal figure whereby it may be seene and knowen which is doen onely by the acts and deedes of it Let vs not seeke then to knowe the essence and nature of God by the eyes but onelie by the spirite For hee cannot bee seene by them but onelie by the eyes of faith neither can hee bee founde or conceiued by corporall senses Againe wee ought not onely to consider but euen to woonder howe hee hath ioyned our soule with the bodie and distributed the vertue thereof into all the partes and members of the same and howe hee doeth so excellently knitte together and conioyne so manie members so distant one from another euen from the one ende vnto the other all which receiue life and vertue from the soule according to their nature and office and are all gouerned by one and the same spirite Let vs consider then howe hee woulde haue that part of the soule which is partaker of reason to haue the principalitie and dominion ouer the part in which he hath placed the affections to the ende that the chiefest should commaund and the other obey as himselfe hath the Lordshippe and soueraigntie ouer all his creatures as they that must obey him Let vs not then suffer the spirite to bee brought into bondage by the perturbations of the affections neither let vs suffer them to bee so lifted vp against reason as to bee able to turne the vertue of the soule against it In like manner let vs remember how God worketh in our mindes in such sort as that the knowledge of those things which wee knowe first is not abolished by the vnderstanding of other things we learne after but they are all kept together very surely in the chiefe part of the soule and that in good order by meanes of the memorie without confusion one with another euen as if they were written and engrauen in a table or in a piller of brasse Wherefore we should be very vngratefull and brutish if any thing in the world cause vs to forget God and if we haue not his benefites towards vs in perpetual remembrance FINIS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prou. 6. 6. 1. Cor. 12. Iob 33. 3. Psalme 12. 2. Prouer. 15. 28. and 16. 23. Gen. 1. 1 26. Psal 139. 13. Iob 10. 10 11. Rom. 1. 20. Psalm 139. 14. Isay 44. 2. Hebr. 11. 6. Act. 17. Rom. 1. 19. Psal 20. Act. 17. 27. Protagoras Diagoras Epicurus Lucianus Plinie Sen. Cassius Brutus Lucretius Pope Iohn 13. Pope Leo. 10. Frances Rabelais Iodellus A citizen of Angiers Isaiah 11. 9. 54. 13. Ier. 31. 34. Psal. 119. 71. Psal. 16. 1. Act. 19. 19 20. Matth. 15. 14. iohn 9. 39. Esay 29. 14. 2. tim 3. 13. 2. thes 2. 10 11 12. Rom. 1. 18 19. c. Matth. 24. Acts 2. 37. Psal. 19. 1. What we learne by the view of the world Psal. 8. 1. 4 5 6. Psal. 32. 9. Isai. 1. 3. Euery creature hath his proper motion and disposition The difference betweene the naturall and supernaturall desire of man to good 1. Cor. 2. 14. Isay 64. 4. Psal 16. 11. How we may see God How Plato came to the knowledge of God The knowledge of God and of our selues ioyned together Two books that reach vs to know God The necessitie of the word The name of God Exod. 3. 14. Steps to ascend vp by to the knowledge of God Gen. 1. 26. Three things to be considered in the creation of man Isa. 40. 13 14. rom 11. 34. Prou. 8. 22. c. The trinitie of persons in the vnitie of the godhead Gen. 1. 27. Gen. 〈◊〉 7. Gen. 3. 19. Mans body compounded of the 4. elements Of what element eâ—ery sence holdeth most The first matter the mother of all things An argument of all Atheists against mans creation Aristotles errour was that the worlde had no begâ—nning Nature commeth of the Latine word Nascor which signifieth to be borne How we must ascend vp to the knowledge of God by his creatures Gen. 2. 15 18. What great knowledge of naturall things was in Adam Man was created for societie The creation of woman and vse thereof In Hebrew Ish signifieth man and Ishah woman Ephes 5. 29. How Atheists scofle at the womans creation Genes 2. 21. Of the mvsterie of Christ and his Church in the creation of the woman Ephes. 5. 30. The opinion of naturall Philosophers touching the nature of women Genes 1. 27. 1. Cor. 11.
7. What the word 〈◊〉 importeth in the â—â—eation of the woman Genes 2. 22. The true ende and vse of knowing thâ— booke What the simple or similary parts of mans body are Of the bones of mans body Gods prouidence great in the creatioÌ„ of the bones A fit similitude Of the ligaments Of the gristles Of the sinews Of pannicles and â—ilaments Of the veineâ— Of the arteriâ— Of the flesh The bones most earthy of all the parts A double vse of Anatomy Esay 40. 6. Iob 14. 1 2. Foure principall parts of the body Of the midriffe Eccles. 12. 3. Psal. 6. 2. and 22. 14. isay 38. 13. Iob 21. 24. Esay 66. 14. Three parts of the legge Of the armes and handes The agreement and difference betweene the workes of God and the workes of man Psal 33. 9. rom 4 17. All handy workes ought to tend to common profite Of the Arte of Palmestrie Of the Palmestry of Christians The vse of the hand The properties of the nayles Of the three partes of the whole arme Three parts of the hand Of the backe-bone Eccles. 12. 6. Of the holy bone Of the marow of the chine Eccles. 12. Of the skinne of the braine called the golden Ewer Of the ribbes The keyes of the throate Of the workemanship of the ribbes and of other bones How many false ribbes there are 2. Sam. 2. 23. 3. 27. Psal 139. 14. Why the belly is not enuironed with bones Of the Share bone or taylâ—bone Of the buttocke bones Of the marow Iob 21. 24. Nucha Of the bones of the head Of the necke and vse thereof Of the flesh Of the muscles What voluntary motion is A comparison betwixt the body and a chariot The differences of flesh Diuers vses of the flesh Two kindes of Kernels in the bodie The least part in man full of admiration and very profitable Of the pappes of their situation and vse The difference betweene the care of men and beasts ouer their litle ones A good lesson for children Of the forme of the pappes Psal. 8. 2. How children â—resed in their mothers belly How and whereof milke is made How the milke is wrought and whited Whereof womans milke is made How and where an infant receiueth breath and foode in the wombe A similitude The vses of fatte in the body Three skinnes of the body The first skinne hath no feeling noâ— blood Of membranâ—â— and tunicles Of the haires Good lessons for the gray headed Eccles 12. 5. Prou. 20. 29. Leuit. 19 32. Of the beard Esay 15. 2. 2. Sam. 10. 4. Of womens haire 1. Cor. 11. 5 6. Vers. 1â— 14 15 The schoole of Nature is the schoole of God Wherein true 〈◊〉 consisteth Of the beautie that is in the face A good instruction for euery one Fiue corporall senses Foure things required in bodily senses Of the sense of touching No body can live without some sense of touching Some members of the body absolutely necâ—â—â—tie to life A prouerbe An other point of Gods 〈◊〉 The hands sometimes stand in stâ—ade of the tongue and cares The opinion of the Stoics and Academics In Phad in 〈◊〉 14. de â—rapâ—â— Euang. c. â— Of the eyes and of their vse The eyes draw neerest to the nature of the soule Sight is our first mistresse Oâ— spirituall eyes spirituall light 〈◊〉 the light 〈◊〉 1. Tim. 6. 16. The difference betwixt the sight of men and of beasts Of colours and of their nature varietie and vse All compound colours made of blacke and white mingled Nothing seene but by colour Of the matter and humours of the eyes Of the Christalline humour How the humorâ— are placed How Gods prouidence appeareth in the eyes Of the tunicles and skinnes of the eyes Fiue tunicles A testimonie of Gods prouideÌ„ce Of the forme of the eye Of the muscles of the eyes Of the visuall sinewes The vse of the kernels neere the eyes Of the cyclids of their haires The vse of the eyebrowes Against the priâ—â— of women Psal 94. 9. Of the proportioÌ„ betweene the heauens and the bead Eccles. 12. 3. The eyes drawe neerest to the nature of fire Psal. 123. 1. Matth. 6. 22. 23. The agreement betweene the eies of the soule and those of the body Iohn 9. 6. The situation of the cares Of their making Of their forme The cares of men and apes only are without mouing Of their vse Of the place of hearing Three small bones in the eares Of two skinnes within the eares What profite and pleasure is receiued by the eares Eccles. 12. 4. How doctrine is learned The benefite of Lectures Prou. 1. 5 6. How hearing is framed in the eares 1. Cor. 15. 33. Esay 6. 9 10. Three vses of the tongue The instruments of the voyce The vse of the wesel of the throte Fiue instruments requisite to leaâ—â—e the voyce into speech Of the dignitie of speech Ecclus. 17. 5 6. 〈◊〉 sermon Two sortes of speech in man The degrees by which we come to â—â—eech What voyce is Speach representeth all the partes of the soule Who is to be accompted eloquent Hebr. 1. 3. Of the image of the heauenly word in the speach of man There must be an harmony betwixt the heart and the tongue Of the nature of the lungs Why the heart and speach must agree together Iob 33. 1 2 3. Iam. 4. 11. psal 12. 2. Matt. 12. 34 35. luk 6. 45. Prouer. 6. 21 23 24. Prouer. 12. 13. Prouer. 29. 11. Of the pipes and instruments of the voyce Of the wind pipe From whence proceedeth the change of voice in sickenes Eccles 12. 4. The Anatomists call it Laâ—inx How the voyce is made great or small A testimony of the prouidence of God Faire Organs within euery man The praise of eloquence The description of the tongue Of spittle and the profite thereof Our speach ought to be vpright The profit of speach Gene. 11. 7. Actes 2. 3 4. A miracle of letters The benefit of letters The difference betweene voyce and speech The vses of GraÌ„mer Logicke and Rhetorike We caÌ„not speake wisely without the knowledge of God and his worde Why the tongue is placed neere the braine 1. Cor. 14 2 14 15. The mistresse of the tongue Iames 3. 6. Why the tongue is so fashioned and fenced on euery side One member may seâ—ue for many offices Why the mouth is the fittest place for the tongue The officer of the tongue Of the mill of mans body Eccles. 12. 3 4. Of the kitchin of the body God ministreth food to all creatures Of teeth and of theirs diuers kindes The tongue like to a baker Of the Gullet or Weâ—â—â—â—d Of the Epiglt or litle tongue Good lessions for euery one What the palat is Iob 12. 11. 34. 3. Of the prouideÌ„ce of God in the varietie of tastes The sence of taste necessary for Physicions Another vse of the spittle How the senses agree with the elements Of heate and humiditie the preseruers of life A comparison betweene