of this Opinion 2. To have Being by Traduction is when the soule of the Child is derived from the soule of the Parent by the meanes of Seed but the Seed of the Parent cannot reach the Generation of the soule both because the one is a Corporeall the other a Spirituall substance uncapable of Augmentation or Detriment Now that which is spirituall cannot be produced out of that which is corporeall neither can any Seed be discinded or issue out from the soule being substantia simâ—…lex impartibilis a substance simple and indivisible 3. That which is separable from the body and can subsist and work without it doth not depend in its Being or making upon it for if by the Generation of the Body the soule be generated by the corruption of the Body it would be corrupted for every thing that is generable is corruptible But the Soule can subsist and work without the Body therefore it doth not from corporeall generation derive its Being 4. If the Soule be seminally traduced it must he either from the body or from the soule of the Parents not from the Body for it is impossible for that which is not a body to be made out of that which is a Body no cause being able to produce an effect out of its owne spheare and more noble than it selfe not from the soule because that being a spirituall and impartible substance can therefore have nothing severed from it by way of substantiall seed unto the constitution of another soule 5. If there be nothing taken from the Parents of which the soule is formed then it is not traduced by naturall generation but there is nothing taken from the Parents by which the soule is formed for then in all Abortions and miscarrying Conceptions the seed of the Soule would perish and by consequence the soule it selfe would be corruptible as having its Originall from corruptible seed These and divers other the like arguments are used to confirme the doctrine touching the Creation of the Reasonable Soule Unto which may be added the judgement and testimony of some of the forecited Fathers St. Hierome telleth us that the Originall of the soule in mankinde is not as in other living creatures Since as our Saviour speaketh The Father worketh hitherto And the Prophet Esat telleth us That hee formeth the spirit of mâ—…n within him and framâ—…th the hearts of all men as it is in the Psalmes And so Lactamius whom I doe wonder to finde numbred amongst the Authors that affirme the Traduction of the soule by Ruffinus and the Author of the Dialogue amongst the works of Hierome It may be questioned saith he whether the soule be generated out of the Father Mother or both Neither of all three is true Because the seed of the Soule is not put into the Body by either or both of these A Body may be borne out of their Bodies because something may be out of both contributed but a Soule cannot be borne out of their Soules in as much as from so spirituall and incomprehensible a substance nothing can issue forth or be severed for that use So also St. Hilary The Soule of man is the work of God the generation of the flesh is alwayes of the flesh And againe It is inbred and an impress'd Beliefe in all that our Soules have a divine Originall And in like manner Theodoret God saith he frameth the Bodies of living creatures out of Bodies subsisting before but the Soules not of all creatures but of Men only hee worketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of nothing that had beene before Against this Doctrine of the Soules Originall The principall argument is drawn from the consideration of Originall sinne and the propagation thereof which alone was that which troubled and staggerd S. Augustine in this point For if the Soule be not naturally traduced how should Originall sinne be derived from Adam unto it And if it were not in the loynes of Adam then neither did it sinne in his loynes whereas the Apostle expresly telleth us that by one Man sinne came into the world and that in one all have sinned and that not only by imputative participation but by naturall Propagation deriving an inhaerent habituall pollution which cleaveth inseparably to the soule of every man that entreth into the world and is the fruit of Adams loynes Unto which Argument to omit the different resolutions of other men touching the pollution of the Soule by the immediate contact of the flesh and the Parents attinging the ultimate disposition of the Body upon which naturally followeth the Union of the Soule God being pleased to work ordinarily according to the exigence of second causes and not suffering any of them to be in vain for want of that concurrence which he in the vertue of a first and supreame cause is to contribute unto them I shall set downe what I conceive to be the Truth in this point First then it is most certaine that God did not implant Originall sinne not take away Originall righteousnesse from Man but man by his Praevarication and Fall did cast it away and contract sin and so derive a defiled nature to his posterity For as Maâ—…arius excellently speaketh Adam having transgressed did loâ—… the pure posâ—…esion of his Nature Secondly Originall injustice as it is a sinne by the default and contraction of Man so it is also a punishment by the ordination and disposition of Divine Justice It was mans sinne to cast away the Image of God but it is Gods just judgement as hee hath that free dispensation of his owne Gifts not to restore it againe in such manner as at first he gave it unto that nature which had so rejected and trampled on it Thirdly In this Originall sinne there are two things considerable The Privation of that Righteousnesse which ought to be in us and the lust or Habituall concupiscence which carrieth Nature unto inordinate motions The Privation and want of Originall justice is meritoriously from Adam who did voluntarily deprave and reject that Originall rectitude which was put into him which therefore God out of his most righteous and free disposition is pleased not to restore unto his Nature in his posterity againe In the habituall lust are considerable these two things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sinfull disorder of it And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Punishment of sinne by it Consider it is as a Punishment of Adams first Praevarication and so though it be not efficiently from God yet it falls under the Order of his Justice who did most righteously forsake Adam after his wilfull fall and leave him in the Hand of his owne Counsell to transmit unto us that Seminary of sinne which himselfe had contracted But if we consider it as a sinne we then say that the immediate and proper cause of it is lapsed nature whole and entire by Generation and Seminall Traduction derived upon us But the Reâ—…ter cause is that from which wee
receive and derive this Nature Nature I say first fallen for unto Nature Innocent belonged Originall Righteousnesse and not Originall sinne 2. Nature derived by ordinary generation as the fruit of the loynes and of the womb For though Christ had our Nature yet hee had not our sinne 3. Nature whole and entire For neither part as some conceive is the Totall spring and fountain of this sinne For it is improbable that any staine should be transfused from the Body to the Soul as from the foule vessell to the cleane water put into it The Body it selfe being not Soly and alone in it selfe corrupt and sinfull else all Abortions and miscarrying conceptions should be subject to damnation Nothing is the seat of sin which cannot be the seat of Death the wages of sinne Originall sinne therefore most probably seemeth to arise by Emanation partiall in the parts totall in the whole from Mans Nature as guilty forsaken and accursed by God for the sinne of Adam And from the parts not considered absolutely in themselves but by vertue of their concurrence and Vnion whereby both make up one compounded Nature Though then the Soule be a partiall subject or seat of Originall sinne yet wee have not our sinne and our soule from one Author because sinne followes not the part but the Nature whole and entire And though we have not from our Parents Totum naturae yet we have totam naturam wee have our whole nature though not every part of our nature Even as whole Christ was the Son of Mary who therefore by vertue of the Communication of properties in Christ is justly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mother of God against the Nestorians in the Councell of Chalcedon Though in regard of his divine Nature he was without beginning the reason is because the integrity of Nature ariseth from the Vnion of the two parts together which is perfected by Generation so then wee say that Adam is the Originall and meritorious cause Our next Parents the instrumentall and immediate cause of this sinne in us not by way of Physicall Emission or Transmigration of sinne from them to us but by secret contagion as S. Augustine speaks For having in the Manner aforesaid from Adam by our Parents received a nature most justly forsaken by God and lying under the Guilt and Curse of the first praevarication from this Nature thus derived as guilty and accursed doth immediately and intimately flow Habituall pollution So then Habituall Concupiscence is from Adam alone meritoriously by reason of his first praevarication From Adam by the mediation of our Parents seminally by naturall generation And from Nature generated not as Nature but as in Adam guilty forsaken and accursed by secret and ineffable Resultancy and Emanation This is that which I conceive of this Great difficulty not unmindfull in the meane time of that speech of S. Augustine That there is nothing more certaine to be knowne and yet nothing more secret to be understood than Originall sinne For other Arguments to prove the Traduction of the Soul they are not of such moment And therefore I passe them by and proceed to the consideration of the Soule in its Nature CHAP. XXXIII Of the Image of God in the Reasonable soule in regard of its simplicity and spirituality COncerning the dignity of the soule in its nature and essence Reason hath adventured thus farre to confesse that the soule of man is in some sort a spark and beame of divine brightnesse And a greater and more infallible Oracle hath warranted that it was breathed into him by God himselfe and was made after his Image and likenesse not substantially as if there were a Real Emanation and Traduction of the Soule out of God which were blasphemous and impious to conceive but only by way of Resemblance and imitation of God properties in mans originall created nature which is more notable in him than in the otheâ—… parts of the world there is indeed in all God works some kind of image and lineaments anâ—… footsteps of his glory Deum namque ire per omnes Terrasque Tractusque maris Coelumque profundum c. For all the tracts of Earth of Sea and Sky Are filled with divine immensity The whole world is a great book wherein we read the praise glory power and infinitenesse of him that made it but man is after a more peculiar manner called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the image and glory of God the greater world is only Gods workmanship wherein is represented the wisdom and power of God as in a building the Art and cunning of the workman but man in the originall purity of nature is besides that as wax wherein was more notably impressed by that divine spirit whose work it is to seale a spirituall resemblance of his owne goodnesse and sanctity Againe the greater world was never other than an Orator to set forth the power and praises of God but he made the soule of man in the beginning as it were his Oracle wherein he fastned a perfect knowledge of his law and will from the very glimpses and corrupted Reliques of which Knowledge of his Law some have beene bold to call men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the kindred of God And Senec. Liber Animus Diis cognatus which is the same with that of Aratus cited by S. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for wee are his off-spring yea Euripides as Tully in his * Tusculans observes was bold to call the soule of man by the name of God and Seneca will venture so farre too Quid aliud vocas animum quà m deum in humano corpore hospitantem But to forbeare such boldnesse as it may be one of the Originals of heathen Idolatry Certaine it is that there are as Tully many times divinely observes sundry similitudes betweene God and the minde of man There are indeed some Attributes of God not only incommunicable but absolutely inimitable and unshadowable by any excellency in mans soule as immensity infinitenesse omnipotency omniscience immutability impassibility and the like but whatsoever spirituall and Rationall perfections the power bounty of God conferr'd upon the soule in its first Creation are all of them so many shadowes and representations of the like but most infinite perfections in him The Properties then and Attributes of God wherein this Image chiefely consists are first these three Spirituality with the two immediate consequents thereof Simplicity and Immortality in which the soule hath partaked without any after corruption or depravation Concerning the former it were vast and needlesse to confute those sundry opinions of ancient Philosophers concerning the substance of the soule many where of Tully in the first of his Tusculans hath reported And Aristotle confuted in his first de Anima Some conceived it to be blood others the braine some fire others ayre some that it consists in Harmony and Number and the Philosopher
those whose greatest desires and endeavours are to keep it so alwaies his Secret Will is performed Eveâ—… by the free and Selfe-moving Operations of those who set themselves stubboâ—…nly to oppose it There is not then any Supreame Destiny Extriâ—…sically moving or Necessarily binding any Inferiours to particular Actions but there is only a Divine Providence which can as out of the Concurrence of differing and casuall Causes which we call Fortune so likewise out of the Intrinsicall Operation of all Inferiour Agents which we call Nature produce one maine and Supreame End without strayning or violating the proper Motions of any Lastly many men are apt in this case to father their sinnes upon the motions of Satan as if hee brought the necessity of sinning upon them and as Saint Paul said in Faith Not I but Sinne in me So they in Hipocresie Not I but evill motions cast into me and because the Devill is in a speciall manner called the Tempter such men therefore thinke to perswade themselves that their Evill commeth not from any Willingnesse in themselves but from the violence of the Enemies Power Malice and Policy It is true indeed that the Devill hath a strong Operation on the Wils of Corrupt men 1 First because of the Subtilty of his Substance whereby he can winde himselfe and his suggestions most Inwardly on the Affections and Vnderstanding 2 Secondly because of the Height of his Naturall Vnderstanding and Policy whereby he is able to transfigure himselfe into an Angel of Light and so to method and contrive his devices that they shall not misse of the best advantage to make them speed 3 Thirdly because of the vastnesse of his Experience whereby he is the better inabled to use such plots as have formerly had the best successe 4 Fourthly because of his manner of Working grounded on all these which is Violent and Furious for the Strength and therefore he is called a Strong Man a Roaring Lyon a Red Dragon And Deep for the subtilty of it and therefore his working is called a Mystery of Iniquity and Deceivablenesse of Iniquity Which is seene First in his Accommodating himselfe to our particular Humours and Natures and so following the tyde of our own Affections Secondly by fitting his Temptations according to our Vocations and Personall Imploiments by changing or mixing or suspending or pressing or any other the like qualifying of his Suggestions according as he shall find agreeable to all other Circumstances But yet wee doe not find in any of these any violation of mans Will nor restraint of his Obedience but rather the Arts that are used to the inveagling of it The working then of Evill Angels are all by Imposture and Deceit towards Good men and in respect of Evill men they are but as those of a Prince over his Subjects or of a Lord over his Slaves and Captives which may wâ—…ll stand with the Freedome of mans Will And therefore his temptations are in some place called the Methods in others the Devices in others the Sâ—…ares of Sâ—…tan All words of Circumâ—…ention and presuâ—…pose the working of our own Wiâ—…s Though then Satan have in a notable manner the name of Temptâ—…r belonging to him yet wee are told in another place that Every man is tempted when hee is drawne away of his owne Concâ—…piscence aâ—…d inticâ—…d So that the Devill hath never an 〈◊〉 Temptation such an one as carryes and overcomes the Will but it is alwaies ioyned with an Inward Temptation of our owne proceeding from the deceiâ—…fulnesse of our owne lusts So that in this case every man may say to himselfe as Apollodoruâ—… in Plutarch dreamed of himselfe when he thought he was boyled alive in a vessell and his heart cried out unto him I am the cause of all this misery to my selfe Many more things might be here added touching this Faculty which I wil but name As first for the manner of its Operations In some cases it worketh Naturally and Necessarily as in its Inclination unto Good in the whole latitude and generall apprehension thereof For it cannot will any thing under the generâ—…ll and formall notion of Evill In others Voluntarily from it selfe and with a distinct view and knowledge of an End wheâ—…unto it workâ—…th In others freely with a Liberty to one thing or another with a power to elicite or to suspend and suppresse its owne Operation In all Spontaneously without violence or compulsion For though in some respects the Will be not free from Necessity yet it is in all free from Coaclâ—…on And therfore though Ignorance Eeare may take away the complete 〈◊〉 of an Action proceeding from the Will because without such Feate or Ignorance it would not have been done Aâ—… when a man casteth his goods into the Sea to escape a shâ—…pwracke And when Oedipus slew Laius his Father nor knowing him so to be yet they can never force the Will to doe that out of violence which is not represented under some notion of Good thereunto Secondly for the Motives of the Will They are first Naturall and Internall Amongst which the Vnderstanding is the principall which doth passe Iudgement upon the Goodnesse and Convenience of the Object of the Will and according to the greater or lesser excellency therâ—…of represent it to the Will with either a Mandatory or a Monitory or a permissive Sentence The Will likewise doth move it selfe For by an Antecedent willing of the Eâ—…d she setteth her selfe on work to will the Means requisite unto the obtaining of that End And the Sensitive 〈◊〉 doth Indirectly move it too By suppressing or bewitching and inticing the Iudgment to put some colour and appearance of Good upon sensuall things And then as the Sunne seemeth red through a red glasse so such aâ—… a mans owne Affection is such will the End seeme unto him to be as the Philosopher speaks Next Supernaturally God moveth the Wilâ—… of men Not only in regard of the Matter of the Motion For in him we live and move and have our being but in regard of the Rectitude and Goodnesse of it in Actions Supernaturall both by the Manifestation of Heavenly Light They shall be â—…ll taught of God and by the Infusion and Impression of Spirituall Grace preventing assisting enabling us both to Will and to Doe of his owne good pleasure Lastly for the Acts of the Will They are such as respect either the End or the Means for attâ—…ining of it The Acts respecting the End are these three 1. A Loving and Desiring of it in regard of its Beauty and Goodnesse 2. A serious Intention and purpose to prosecute it in regard of its distance from us 3. A Frâ—…ition or Enjoying of it which standeth in two thingâ—… In Assecâ—…tion or possession whereby we are Actually joyned unto it and in Delectation or Rest whereby we take speciall pleasure in it The Acts of the Will respecting the Means are these 1. An Act of Vsing or Imploying the
And so great is this Delight that Men have ventured on much Trouble to procure it As Pythagoras Platâ—… Democritus travelled into remote Countries to gather Knowledge as Salomon sent to Ophir for Gold And as it makes adventurous to undertake Troubles so it helps men to beare them A true lover of Knowledge will hardly be over-borne with any Ordinary distresse if it doe not violate and restraine that particular appetite If hee may enjoy the Delights of Learning hee will be very moderately affected with his other restraints Archimedes was not sensible of the losse of Syracuse being wholly intent upon a Mathematicall Demonstration And Demetrius Phalerâ—…us deceived the Calamity of his Banishment by the sweetnesse of his Studies A Man is never afflicted to the Quick but when hee is punish'd in his most Delightfull Affections of all which the most predominant in Rationall men is this of Knowledge And therefore as the first Creature God formed was Light to shew that all his Works were made in Wisedome that they might set forth and manifest his Glory so the first motion of Adam after his Creation was towards Knowledge By his Exercise of Knowledge hee shewed Gods Image in him and by the Ambition after more hee lâ—…st it As no Man sinnes easier than in the Thing which hee best loves And for this cause wee may observe that Christs frequentest Miracles were shewed in opening the Eyes of the blind and the Eares of the Deafe and Dumb. His Mercies being perfect extended themselves on those Faculties which are the chiefe Instruments of Knowledge in Men which they most love And this love of Knowledge is seene evidently in this that men had rather have sober Calamities than mad pleasures and more freely choose cleare Intellectuals with miserie than disturb'd with mirth Many Men better content themselves with but a crazie body for the fruition of their studies than to purchase a better Health at so great a Price as the losse of Learning But the Principall Excellencie of Knowledge is this That it guideth the Soule to God and so doth all kinde of Right Knowledge in divers respects For first there is scarce any Science properly so called which hath not its Arâ—…ana to pose and amaze the Understanding as well as its more easie Conclusions to satisfie it Such as are in Philosophie those Occult Sympathies and Antipathies of which naturall Reason can render no Account at all which overcomming the utmost Vigour of humane Disquisition must needs enforce us to beleeve that there is an Admirable Wisedome that disposeth and an infinite Knowledge that comprehendeth those secrets which we are not able to fathome Againe since the Knowledge of Things is either of their Beings or of their Properties and Operations And Nature abhorreth the Motion of proceeding In Infinitum in either of these necessary it is that the Minde of man tracing the footsteps of naturall things must by the Act of Logicall Resolution at last arise to him who is the fountaine of all Being the First of all Causes the Supreame over all Movers in whom all the rest have their Beings and Motions founded And this the Lord in the Prophet hath delivered unto us I will heare the Heavens and the Heavens shall â—…eare the Earth and the Earth the Corne and Wine and they Iezreel Iezreel cannot subsist without Corne and Wine shee cries to them to help it These cannot help without the Earth to produce them they cry to that to be fruitfull The Earth can bring forth nothing of it selfe without Influence benignity and comfortable showers from the Heavens it cries to them for ayde The Heavens cannot give Raine nor Warmth of themselves without him who is the Father of Raine and the Fountaine of Motion So that here are three notable Things to be observed The Connexion and Concatenation of All second Causes to one another The Cooperation of them together for the good of the Church and the Subordination of them all to God unto whom at length the more accurate Inquiry into them doth manuduct us And this Subordination standeth in foure things 1. All things are Subordinate unto God in Being Hee only hath Being per Essentiam By Absolute and Originall Essence all other things per participationem by derivation and dependance on him 2. In Conservation For God doth not make his Creatures as a Carpenter doth his House which can after stand by it selfe alone but having our very Being from him that Being cannot Be or Continue without His supportance as light in the house dependeth both in Being and in Continuance upon the Sunne 3. In regard of Gubernation and providence for All things are by his Wisedome guided unto the Ends of his Glory And even those Creatures which flie out of the Order of his Precepts doe fall into the Order of his Providence Lastly in Regard of Operation For in him wee live and move hee worketh Our works for us Second Causes cannot put forth any Causality till he be pleased to concurre with them Againe since wee finde that all other Creatures have answerable to the Instincts and Appetitions which Nature hath Grafted in them proportionable Objects of equall Latitude in goodnesse to the Faculties which are carried unto them It must needs be reasonable that that be not wanting to the Excellentest of Creatures which all the rest doe enjoy Since then the supreame Appetite of the Reasonable Soule is Knowledge and amongst all the Creatures there never was yet any found able to fill and satisfie this Desire But that still there is both roome for more Knowledge and Inquirie after it And besides all the Knowledge of them is accompanied with Vnquietnesse and labour as the Beast first stirres the mudd in the water with his feet before hee drink it with his Mouth from hence it infallibly followeth that from these lesser Objects the Soule be carried at the last to God The Adequate and Vltimate End and Object of all our Desires as Noahs Dove was carried back to the Ark when shee found no place for the sole of her foot to rest on Againe when wee see things which have no knowledge work so regularly towards an End as if they knew all the way they were to goe wee must needs conclude they are guided by a Mighty wisedome and Knowledge without them as when an Arrow flyeth directly to the Mark I am sure it was the Hand of a skilfull Archer that directed it Vnto the Perfection of Knowledge after due and proper Representation of Objects in themselves or in their Causes Effects Principles unto the Minde There are in the Subject three things requisite First Clearenesse of Apprehension to receive the right and distinct Notion of the Things represented as the clearenesse of a Glasse serveth for the Admission of a more exact Image of the face that looks upon it whereas if it be soil'd or dimm'd it rendreth either none or an imperfect shape Secondly
more able wits And for the use of Doubtings First they lessen the number of heresies which are as I said alwaies obstinate And next it gives occasion of further enquiry after the Truth to those who shall find themselves best qualified for that service But Heresie comming under the shape of Science with shewes of Certainty Evidence Resolution especially if the inducements be quick and subtle doth rather settle the Vnderstanding and possesse it with false Assents than yeeld occasion of deeper search unlesse it meet with a more piercing Iudgement which can through confidence descry weaknesse For questionlesse the Errours of Great men generally honoured for their Learning when they are once wrapped up in the boldnes of Assertions do either by possessing the judgement with prejudice of the Author make it also subscribe to the error or if a more impartiall eye see insufficiency in the ground the Authority of the man frights and deterres from the opposing of his conceipt Whereas when mens assents are proposed with a modest confession of distrust and uncertainty the Vnderstanding is incited both to enquire after the reasons of Diffidence as also to find out means for a more setled Confirmation and cleering of the Truth CHAP. XXXVIII Of Errours the Causes thereof the Abuses of Principles Palsifying them or Transferring the Truth of them out of their owne bounds Affections of Singularity and Novell courses Credulity and Thraldome of Iudgement unto others How Antiquity is to be honoured Affection to particular Objects corrupteth Iudgement Curiosity in searching things Secret THe other maine Corruption of Knowledge was Errour whereby I understand a peremptory and habituall assent firmly and without wavering fixed upon some falshood under the shew of truth It is Aristotles assertion in his Ethicks that one man may conceive himselfe as certaine of his Errour as another man of his Knowledge and this indeed is so much the more dangerous Aberration from Knowledge by how much it seemes most â—…erly to resemble it If wee enquire after the prime Fundamentall Cause the Gate by which Errour came first into the World Syracides will tell us in a word that Errour and Darknesse had their beginning together with Sinners And the reason is because sinne being a partition-wall and a separation of man from God who is Pâ—…ter Luminum the Father and Fountaine of all Knowledge and whose perfections man did at first one principall way by Knowledge resemble cannot chuse but bring with it darknesse and confusion into the Soule But I shall enquire rather after the more Immediate and Secondary Causes some whereof amongst sundry others I take to be these 1 A first and most speciall one is the Abuse of Principles For the Vnderstanding must have ever somthing to rest it selfe upon and from the conformity of other things thereunto to gather the certainty and evidence of its Assents For it is the nature of mans minde since it had at first it selfe a beginning to abhorre all manner of Infinity á Parte-Ante I meane in Ascending and Resolution as well of Sciences and Conclusions as of Entities and Natures as I before noted And therefore as the Vnderstanding is not quieted in Philosophicall inquiries about created things till it have according to their severall differences ranged them severally within the compasse of some Finite Line and subordinated the Inferiors of every kinde Sub anâ—… Summâ—… Genere under one chiefe and rests not in the Resolution of Effects into their Causes till it come to Aliquid primum in Time in Motion in Place in Causality and Essentiall Dependance so likewise it is in Knowledge Truth notwithstanding a Parte Post downward our pursuits of them seeme Infinite and Vnlimited by reason of our owne Infinities and Aeviternity that way yet upward in the resolving of Truth into its Causes and Originals the Vnderstanding is altogether Impatient of proceeding in Infinitum and never rests till it finds a Non â—…ltra an utmost linke in the chaine of any Science and such a Prime Vniversall Vnquestionable Vnprovable Truth from whence all Inferiour Collections are fundamentally raised and this is the Truth of Principles which if it be traduced and made crooked by the wrestings of any private conceipt mishapes all Conclusions that are derived from it for if the foundation be weak the whole edifice totters if the root and fountain bee bitter all the branches and streames have their proportionable corruptions Now the Abuses of Principles is either by Falsifying and casting absurd Glosses upon them within their owne limits as when Philosophicall Errours are falsly grounded upon Philosophicall Axiomes which is Error Consequentia or Illationis an Errour in the Consequence of one from the other or else by transferring the Truth of them beyond their owne bounds into the Territories as I may so speake of another Science making them to encroach and to uphold Conclusions contrary to the nature of their Subject which is Error Dependentia or Subordinationis an Errour in the Dependance of one on the other For the former it hath been alwaies either the subtilty or modesty of errour to shrowd it self under truth that it might make its fancies the more plausible to fasten them upon undenyable grounds by a strange kinde of Chimistry to extract darknesse out of light Fraus sibi ex parvis said Fabius Maximus in Livy upon another occasion I will alter it thus Error sibi ex principlijs fidem prastruit ut cum magnâ mercede fallat Vnreasonable and groundlesse fancies alwaies shelter themselves under a plausible pretence of truth and ostentation of Reason As Praxitiles the Painter drew the Picture of Venus by the face of his Minion Cratina that so by an honourable pretext he might procure Adoration to a Harlot Thus as Platâ—… is said when he inveighed chiefly against Orators most of all to have played the Oratouâ—… making a Sword of â—…loquence to wound it selfe So they on the contrary never more wrong Knowledge than when they promise to promote it most It was the custome of that Scipio honoured afterward by the name of his Punicke Conquest alwaies before he set upon any businesse as Livy reports of him to enter the Capitoll alone pretending thereby a consultation with the gods about the justnesse issue and successe of his intended designes and then Apud multitudinem plerumque velut mente divinitus monitâ agebat Hee bore the multitude in hand that whatsoever exploits hee persuaded them to attempt had all the Approbation and Vnerring Iudgement of their Deities What were the ends of this man whither an Ambitious hope of fastning an Opinion of his owne Divinenesse in the midst of the people or an happy and politicke imposture the better to presse those people alwaies more inclinable to the perswasions of Superstitions than Reason to a free Execution of his designes it is not here necessary to enquire Sure I am even in matters of greatest consequence there have never been