fayrenesse which is in the seuerall kynds of soules which comprehends in it selfe the reason and cause of the bodyes beauty and which is much more admirable then it ought to be refered to the same celestiall power Furthermore I would here demaÌ„d how it can possibly happen that any cause not capable of reason wisedome and vnderstanding could forme and make in the beginning so many diuersities of vegetatiue and sensitiue soules seing euery one of theÌ„ is so aâ—mirable and is the Effect or worke of so great a wisedome as that no humane wit is able to penetrate into the seuerall misteries of it or beget in his mynd the true and proper conceit or image thereof To conclude All the pulchritude and perfection of an Effect ought to be contained in the cause for the cause cannot giue that to the Effect which it selfe enioyeth not wherupon it followeth that all the perfection of liuing creatures and all the vigour and naturall working of the senses ought to be comprehended within that cause by the which they were first framed and this not after the same manner as they are in the creatures but after a more excellent eminent sort to wit as the worke is contained in the mynd or art of the workeman This poynt is further confirmed in that there is no cause excepting a mynd or intelligence in the which so great a diuersity of things can rest but in a mynd or intelligence it may well reside euen as the forme of a house and all the measures and proportions of it are said to be in the phantasy or vnderstanding of the artificer Ad heereto for the greater accesse increase of reason herein that himselfe who framed the soule of man endewing it with reason vnderstanding and frewill cannot possibly want reason vnderstanding and frewill but must haue them in more perfect and excellent manner For how can he want reason vnderstanding and will who first made and gaue reason vnderstaÌ„ding and will The Prophet therfore truly said Qui plantauit aurem c. He which planted the eare shall he not heare Or he that formed the eye shall he not see especially seing these are such perfections as the hauing of them is not any impediment to the fruition and enioying of greater perfections since it is far better to be indued with vnderstanding and frewill then to want theÌ„ or to haue any thing which may be repugnant to them from all these considerations then it is most euident that there is a certaine supreme Intelligence or Spirit which is the inuentour authour and architect of all these visible and inuisible beautyes in which spirit as in its cause al pulchritude splendour doth eminently exist this spirit we call God who be eternally blessed praysed and adored THE FIFTH REASON DRAVVNE FROM the structure and disposition of the parts of the world with reference to their ends CHAP. VII EVEN as not any of these things which are subiect to our sight taketh its being from it selfe but from some efficient cause so nothing is made for it selfe but with respect to some extrinsecal end to the which end the whole structure of the thing as also al its parts and faculties of its parts are after a wonderfull manner disposed and framed Therefore of necessity there must be some one most wise mynd or spirit which aforehand conceaued in it selfe all those ends and ordayned proportionable and fitting meanes to the said ends For Nature which is not capable of reason nor endued therwith as it cannot conceaue or comprehend the ends of things so neither caÌ„ it dispose or set downe sutable meanes to the said ends since this is a chiefe worke of art and wisedome we will make this manifest first in heauenly bodyes The Sunne excelling in fayrenesse all visible things is not for it selfe for it can not apprehend or reflect vpon its owne beauty but for the good benefit of other things to wit that it may enlighten the world and cherish al things with its heat not much vnlike as the hart is in man and other liuing creatures which is not for it selfe but for the good of the whole body for as the heart is in the body endued with life so the Sunne is in the whole body of the world which wanteth life This then being thus the Sunne ought to haue a certaine proportionable measure of light and quantity as also a determinate place in the world least that the light being ouer radiant shyning and great or it self in place ouer neere it should burne the earth or on the contrary side the light being too remisse smal or too far of from the earth should not sufficiently lighten it or heat it Now this disposition of a fitting quantity light and place cannot be assigned by any but only by such a mynd or spirit as is able to consider the end and the meanes and of iudgment to set downe a sorting and conuenient proportion betweene them But if the Sunne be made not for it selfe but for some external end then much more the same may be verifyed of the rest of the starres of the heauenly Orbes and of all other corporeal natural bodyes This poynt may be further fortifyed by this ensuing reason That which is for its owne selfe ought to be of that excellency and perfection as nothing can be more excellent for the good whereof this other may be ordained This is euident euen in reason since otherwise it should not be for it self but for that for the benefit wherof it is disposed Furthermore it ought to be of such a nature as that it may conceaue enioy its owne goodnes for if it hath no sense feeling hereof it is nothing aduantaged by such its excellency For what can the domination and gouerment of the whole earth profit a maÌ„ if he neither can take any pleasure therby nor knoweth that he hath such a principality or rule belonging vnto him Therefore it is an euident signe that what caÌ„ not perceaue its owne good is not made for it selfe but for some other thing to the which it becomes profitable But to apply this now no corporeall nature is so excellent but it may be ordained to some other thing more excellent more worthy for the degree of a reasonable nature transceÌ„ds and exceeds much in worth the degree of a corporeall Nature and this to the former for many vses becomes seruiceable Againe a corporeal nature cannot haue any feeling of its owne good but resteth only in being profitable and expedient for some other thing Therefore it followeth that not corporeall or bodily nature is made for it selfe but euen of its essence being is ordained to some other thing to wit to a reasonable nature for whose behoofe and good it existeth From which it may be gathered that if there were no reasonable nature then all the corporeall nature should exist as in vayne bootles as not being able to bring
borrowing all its perfection from other things it therefore cannot haue its being of it selfe indepeÌ„dent of all other causes Now then from all this heretofore obserued it followeth demonstratiuely that no Sublunary body hath its being and essence from it selfe but that all things receaue their being from some efficient cause Now that this cause is incorporeall and intelligent or enioying Reason and Vnderstanding appeareth seuerall waies first because Materia prima could not be produced by any corporeall cause seing that euery action of a corporeall thing euer presupposeth the subiect into the which it is receaued as Aristotle and all Philosophers do teach but before Materia Prima was no subiect can be imagined seing it was the first and as I may tearme it the deepest and most fundamentall subiect Againe if this Cause were corporeall theÌ„ doubtlesly the heaueÌ„s should be this Cause since there remaineth no other corporeal Cause to the which it may be ascribed But the heauens could not produce this Materia prima both by reason that the Heauens worke not but by the mediation of light influence of the stars both which qualities require a subiect into the which they may be receaued as also because before this production the whole space in which now the Elements are was voyde as being destitute of any corporeall body and then it followeth that the heauens should produce this Materia prima in vacuo not hauing any precedent subiect matter to worke vpon and therefore should create it of nothing but this doth transcend the power and force of any corporall nature Therefore in regard of this absurdity it followeth that the cause of this Materia prima must be incorporall and most powerfull as being able to giue it an essence and being euen from nothing From which Collection it further followeth that this cause ought to be also intelligent as knowing what it doth or worketh both because euery incorporall substance is intelligent as the Philosophers teach as also in that it did not produce this Materia prima after a blynd and ignorant manner but with a certaine finall intention and determination to wit that of it all other things should be made and that it should be the subiect of all formes This poynt is made further euident in that to a cause which is so perfect high and potent the most perfect manner of working is to be giuen but the most perfect manner is by the vnderstanding and the will Againe the same is become more cleare in that there ought to be contained in the cause all the perfections of the effect and this magis emiâ—â—nter more eminently then is in the effect I meane when the cause is of a different nature from the effect Wherefore seing Mans nature which is endued with reason and the diuers kynd of liuing Creatures which enioy sense are the effects of this incorporeall or spirituall cause it most consequently may be concluded that all the perfection of these to wit reason and sense are after an eminent manner contayned in the said cause That the heauenly bodies haue not their being from themselues appeareth first from their motions for if their motions do depeÌ„d of some other superiour Cause and that spirituall as is afore proued then can it be but acknowledged that their substance and figure are produced of the same cause for who is so voyd of consideratioÌ„ as to thinke that that Supreme cause should enter into the world as into an ample and maisterles house wherunto it can pretend no right or title and should challenge to it selfe the gouernment thereof Can it be thought to be so impotent as not to be able to frame to it selfe as it were a proper house of its owne If this house of the world belong not to this Cause why then doth it assume the regiment thereof Or why hath it stored this our inferiour world with such opulency abundance of riches of al kynd as of metals pretious stones hearbs trees birds fishes earthly creatures and all other variety of things whatsoeuer To conclude if thou considerest the stupendious power which this cause sheweth in the motions of these celestial Orbs thou canst not doubt but that the same Cause is the authour of this whole worke For although the Sunne be incomparably greater then the vniuesalâ— Globe of the earth and water as is euicted from the poynt of the shadow of the earth which reacheth not to the Orbe of Mars yea according to the iudment of the Astronomers the Sunne is an hundred sixty six tymes greater then the earth and water notwithstanding the SuÌ„ne with its whole orbe is carryed about with such a velocity and swiftnes that in compasse of one houre it goeth in its motion aboue ten hundred thousand myles wherupon it is certaine that in the same space of tyme it equalleth the compasse of the earth in its course aboue fifty tymes Among the fixed starres there are many which are 50. 70. 90. or 100. tymes greater then the whole earth as the Astronomers teach there is none of them which is not 18. tymes greater then the earth and yet they are carryed about with their whole Orbe with such a swiftnes as that such starres as are neare to the equinoctiall lyne do moue euery houre more then 40. millions of myles euery million being ten hundred thousand and so in one houre moueth more then comes to two thousand tymes the coÌ„passe of the earth Now who is he that will not here fall into an astonishing admiration of his boundles power who turneth about such vast and immense bodyes with so incomprehensible and impetuous a celerity Or what greater prints or intimations of Omnipotency can be then these are If any one of the starres should be carryed about neare vnto the earth with the like speed presently all things would be dissipated shiuered asunder the mountaines would be shaken and pulled vp as it were by the roots and turned with the earth and the sea into very dust The swiftnes of a bullet shot out of a great peece of ordinaÌ„ce seemes great and yet if one consider attentiuely supposing the bullet to be carryed the space of a hundred houres with one the same swiftnes yet would it not go so far as once the compasse of the earth For experience sheweth vs that in one minute of an houre it is carryed scarce three myles therefore in one houre 180. myles in an huÌ„dred houres 18. thousand myles which wanteth of the compasse of the earth its circuÌ„ference according to the more true iudgmeÌ„t of Astronomers being 19. thousand myles and 80. Wherfore from this we gather that the Sunne performeth a farre greater course in one houre theÌ„ a bullet would do in fiue thousand houres Now the celerity speed of the fixed starres about the Equinoctiall is forty tymes greater then the celerity of the Sunne Therefore that incorporeal power and vertue which doth so gouerne sterne the celestiall Orbes as that
whole body that they may carry nourishment as also vitall and animall spirits to all parts In the meane ty me euery small portion or part of the body doth attract bloud and conuert â—t into its owne substance the spirit still forming euery thing by little and little and giuing each part its due figure measure proportion and connexion with other parts so as from the seauenth day after the conceptioÌ„ the forme of the whole body and distinctioÌ„ of all parts euen of the fingers doth appeare Now how manifold and various is this labour in framing of so many bones veynes arteryes sinewes and Muscles in the apt distribution deduction or drawing out termination or ending of euery part each of them keeping its due forme temper measure place ioyning together and incision What mynd or vnderstanding can be intent to so many things at once What Art may in the least part seeme to equall this Who therfore considering all these things can doubt but that there is some one most wise most potent Mynd or Soule by whome all this operation and working is directed and to whoÌ„ all this admirable artifice is to be ascribed If an indigested informed heape of stones tyles lyme and wood should begin to make to it selfe a house directing it selfe in the doing thereof and framing all parts thereof as the Art of Architecture requyreth who would not affirme that a certaine VnderstaÌ„ding skilful of building were inuisibly and latently in the said things that they could so artificially dispose themselues Or if a pensill being imbued with diuerse colours should moue it selfe and first should but rudely draw the lineaments of a mans face after should perfect euery part therof by framing the eyes drawing the cheeks figuring the nose mouth eares and the other parts seruing in them all a due proportion and fitting colours as the exact science of painting requireth no man would doubt but that this pensill were directed herein by an intelligent spirit But now in the framing of euery liuing Creature far greater art and wit is desired then in any humane worke whatsoeuer since the skill whereof transcendeth by many degrees all mans skill and artifice for it arriueth to that height of perfection as that the worke cannot in that kynd be possibly bettered neither can the parts of it whether internall or externall haue a more pleasing proportion and connexion Therefore who is so voyd of Reason that can enter into any dubious and vncertaine consideration with himselfe whether all this molition and laboursome endeauour in framing a liuing Creature be directed by a power indued with reason wisedome or no Furthermore there are three things here to be considered among which there ought to be a great proportion to wit the Soule of the liuing Creature the body and the Sâ—â—inall vertue And first the Soule ought to be most proportionable to the body For such ought the small body of any little Creature to be as the Anima or soule of the same doth require to performe its proper functions wherfore how great the difference is of Soules so great also the discrepancy is of bodyes if we insist in the figure the temperature and the conformation of the Organs therefore in the nature of euery soule the whole formall reason is contained so as that if a man did perfectly know the nature of the soule from it he might easily collect what the habit figure and temperature of the body ought to bee But who is ignoraÌ„t of the nature thereof must consequently be ignorant of the other for in some one particular or other he shall euer be wanting and neuer attaine to the due proportion in knowledge thereof As for example if the question be touching the small body of a flye how many feet it ought to haue how many flexures or bendings in their legs or thighes what difference betwene euery flexure what temperature proportion connexion how many â—inews in euery thigh how many veines what proportion to its little nayles of which things many are for their smalnes not to bee discerned by the eye for in the small body of the flye there may be found seuerall thousands of proportions as necessary that its soule may rightly sort to the body to all which no man can attaine except the first doth penetrate and consider in his mynd the nature of the soule in the which the reason of all these as in the root dothâ—y hidden and secret Againe the Seminal power ought to haue most perfect proportion with the body that it may produce such a body in al respects as that soule doth require Therefore who first caused and made this seminall power ought afore hand to haue the whole structure of the body exactly knowne vnto him that so he might sute and proportion this seminall seed to the body For as in the soule as in the finall cause the whole reason of the fabrick of the body lyeth and therefore the body ought in a perfect proportion to be accommodated and made fit to the soule In like sort the reason of the making of the same iâ— latent and hidden in the seminall vertue oâ— power as in the efficient cause Wheruponâ— it followeth that there ought to be as aâ— exact proportion betwene the structure oâ— the body and the seminall vertue as is betwene the efficient cause the adequate effect of the said Cause Now from all these premisses it is mosâ— clearly demonstrated that these three to wit the Soule of euery liuing Creature the structure of the body and the seminall vertue haue their source from one and the same beginning which beginning cannot be any nature depriued of reason vnderstanding seing a beginning voyd of reason could not among different things set downe congruous proportions much lesse so exact and so infinite proportions as are betweene the body and the soule and the seminall vertue and the making or fabricke of the body For to performe this requireth a most perfect and distinct knowledge Therefore it is concluded that there is an intelligence or spirit both most wise and most powerfull which through its wisedome is able to excogitate and inuent through its power is of might to performe all these things The reason why this seminall vertue might seeme to be indued with a mynd or vnderstanding is because this vertue is a certaine impression and as it were a foot step of the diuyne art and skil and therefore it worketh as if it had a particuler art and knowledge in working Euen as if a painter could impresse in his pensill a permanent power and vertue of his art and that therupon the pensill should moue it selfe and draw the images as if there were an art and vnderstanding in the Pensill Furthermore it may be here presumed that this diuyue spirit or Intelligence doth conserue this impressioÌ„ with his continuall influxe and doth cooperate with it thus working with his generall concourse Euen as in liuing creatures
man cannot possibly performe except it continueth after this life immortall Now the perfection of Mans Soule consisteth in wisdome vertue with the which her chiefest powers are beautifyed adorned and by meanes of which those powers obtayne their ends chiefe perfection But few there are who in this life giue themselues to the obtaining of wisdome and therefore the greatest part of men make small or no progresse therein and those who spend their tyme in the search or purchasing of it do scarcely get the hundreth part of that abundance of wisdome wherof the mynd of man is capable for though a man should liue a thousand yeares yet might he daily profit and increase therein yet not obtaine it in its highest measure Therfore it is necessary that the Soule of Man doth liue after the death of the body that in the next life seing in this it cannot it may come arryue to its perfectioÌ„ since otherwise in vaine should that capacity and extension of the Soule be giuen her in vaine should that vnquenchbale desire of knowledge be engrafted in her for that capacity and desire is in vayne which cannot be filled and satisfyed Besides it is most absurd to say that Nature which in the smallest most despicable things neuer doth any thing without a due purpose end should in the most noble creature of all worke and labour so much in vaine and to no designed drift or proiect THE XIIII REASON CHAP. XV. IT is certaine that the Soule of man cannot know it selfe in this life except it be very obscurely and confusedly euen as he which seeth a thing farre of through a cloud perceaueth it imperfectly as not being able to discerne the colours or lineaments of it Now this want of the Soules perfect knowledge of it selfe was the cause of so many different opinions of the Philosophers touching its owne substance some of them teaching it to be of a fiery substance others an â—yery and some others that it was a substance taken from the ayre from the soule of the world as their phrase was The Soule then knoweth not either what it selfe is or of what quality whether a simple or pure spirit or consisting of a most thin body whether it hath distinct faculties and powers in it selfe or that it performeth all her operations immediatly by it selfe what is the power and nature of those faculties how they performe their functions how the obiects do meet and associate themselues with their faculties how the organs and instruments of the senses do concurre and cooperate with the animal spirits In these and almost all other things belonging to her selfe the Soule is strangely blind and diuineth and coniectureth of them as it were in a dreame Therfore if the Soule doth perish togeather with the body she neuer knoweth her selfe but remaines ignorant thereof both when she is first ingendred whyle she liueth and after her death But now it is most fitting both in nature and reason that sometimes she might be able to contemplate her selfe to see and perfectly to apprehend her owne beauty nature and ornaments for as nothing more clearly belongeth to the Soule then her owne Nature and such things as are intrinsecall and inward to her so no knowledge is more necessary to her then the knowledge of her selfe and things appertaining to her for she is most neere and deâ—re to her selfe Therefore it must necessarily be granted that she is not extinguished after this life but that after she is once freed of the body and of all corporall obiects which afore she apprehended by helpe of the externall senses and that by meanes thereof she enioyeth her owne simplicity then shall she see her selfe distinctly and clearly and shall daily esteeme those her goods ornaments which in this life she so smally prized For one kind of vnderstanding agrees to her whiles she is tyed to this mortall body another when by meanes of the bodyes death she shal be set at liberty shal nakedly exist by her selfe For while she remaynes in the body she can know nothing perfectly but what is corporall and vnder a corporall shew wherupon it followeth that she cannot see or know her selfe but after she is once diuorced from the body she shall then take the forme and manner of vnderstanding answerable to spirits and then shall discerne spirituall things as now she apprehendeth by her eyes corporall things For the manner of knowing doth euer answere to the manner of existence and agreeth to the state of the thing which knoweth since euery thing worketh according to the manner of its owne nature THE XV. REASON CHAP. XVI THIS corporeall World as also all things contained therein were made for man as is aboue shewed for all things are disposed in that sort as they may best serue to the benefit and profit of man Thus the world seemeth nothing els then a vast house furnished withall things necessary whose inhabitant possessour or Fructuarius is man So that supposing man were not then were there no vse of the world but it should be as a desart seruing only for a denne of wild beasts and for a wood of thornes Therfore seeing all things are first instituted for man it followeth that man is a most excellent thing and created for a far greater and higher end then it can attaine in this life for seing so many different seruices of things and so wonderfull riches are prepared for man for his better and more easy leading of this short and mortall life how can it be thought that no good or happynes expecteth him after his death but that his Soule vtterly decayeth with his body Doubtlesly this is a great argument that he is ordained to enioy after his emigration passing out of this life a most noble honourable and admirable felicity happines This point is further confirmed If the Soule doth perish with the body theÌ„ it followeth that the world and al its admirable furniture was only framed by nature that man for a short season and tyme might liue eate drinke sleepe in gender and then presently for euer decay Thus this should be all the good the end and the â—ruite oâ— so worthy and admirable a worke But it is not likely that to so meane small an end the heauens should be incessantly caryed about with such a daily motion That the Sunne Moone and Starrs should still continue their courses that the change of day and night and the vicissitude or continuall circles of tymes and seasons as spring summer autumne and winter should be ordained Againe that winds should blow the clouds should be gathered togeather the showers should be powred downe that the earth should cause so many kinds of flowers and fruits should containe within its bosome such inestimable treasure that the Sea should bring forth such seuerall sorts of fish the ayre should abound with so great store of byrds Nature her selfe should so painfully labour in the producing
may make our selues apt to enioy it that we ought to lead our life in such sort as it may be approued of God who is the beholder of al things The like matter hereto we may find in Plato Plotinus Cicero Epictetus and other heathen wryters But now it next followeth in Methode that we produce such arguments and after dissolue and answere them as may seeme to impugne the former verity of the Soules Immortality THE ARGVMENTS OBIECTED against the Immortality of the Soule and their Solutions or Answeres CAAP. XXIV THE first may be this That Soule all whose operation and function depends vpon a corporal Organ or instrument cannot consist separated from the body But the reasonable Soule of man is such Therefore the reasonable soule cannot consist separated from the body And thus is this first argument contracted I answere and distinguish of the Maior or first Proposition Two wayes then may the operation of the Soule depend of a corporall or bodily organ or instrument First by it selfe immediatly Secondly accidentally and mediatly Yf the operation and working of the Soule depend of the body in the first manner then is it euident that such an operation cannot be performed without the helpe and assistance of the body and consequently that that Soule whose working dependeth after this sort cannot exist separated from the body And such is the soule of beasts And so in this sense the Maior Proposition is true But if the operation of the soule depend of a corporall instrument after the second māner then is the foresaid Proposition false And the reason hereof is because what agreeth to another thing per accidens as the phraze is per aliud that is accidentally casually and in regard only of a third thing may be taken away Therefore seing the function of the vnderstanding which is an essentiall faculty of the reasonable soule doth not depend of the body by it selfe necessarily and immediatly but only accidentally mediatly there is no hinderance but that it may be performed without the body Now that the function or operation of the vnderstanding doth not depend of the body by it selfe and immediatly may be proued by many reasons And first the function of the vnderstanding chiefly consisteth in iudging but to iudge of a thing the phantasy which is a corporeall internall sense or any Idea or image framed therein is not in any sort furthering or cōducing but rather an impedimēt therto as giuing an occasion oftentimes of erring For the vnderstanding ought not to follow the imagination and conceit of the phantasy neither ought it in iudging to be guided thereby but rather it is to correct the phantasy that it selfe may by this meanes arryue vnto the truth Now if the force of the vnderstanding be so great that it is able to correct the errours and mistakings of the phantasy and to attaine vnto the cleare truth of things which transgresseth the nature or working of the phantasy then may we frō hence conclude that the working of the vnderstanding doth not immediatly or in its owne nature depend of the phantasy Secōdly the former point is further proued because we chiefly couet to know things spirituall of which things the phantasy is in no sort capable Thirdly because the knowledge of truth is not reckoned among the goods of the body but of the mind only and therfore is to be desired for the perfection only of the mind Fourthly because deuout and holy men are somtimes eleuated in an Extasis to that spirituall contemplation which cannot be expressed in words and consequently not to be represented by the imaginatiō or phantasy as may be gathered out of the Apostle in his second Epistle to the Corinthians c. 12. But because I stryue to be short therefore I omit heere to iterate diuers things aboue set downe touching the force of vnderstanding and desiring But some here may demaund How thē cometh it to passe that we cannot vnderstand any thing except we forge a certaine image of it in the phantasy And frō whēce procedeth this necessity To which I answere that this procedeth from the present state of the soule to wit because the soule is the forme of the body actually informing and giuing life to it For as during al that tyme that the soule remaineth in the body it after a certaine manner putteth vpon the state and nature of the body and becometh in a sort grosse and dull that thereby it may better accōmodatate it selfe to the body So all things which then it conceaueth it conceaueth apprehēdeth vnder a certaine corporal shew and forme For it is an axiome in Philosophy that the manner of working followeth the manner of existence But when the soule shal be separated from the body and shal be gathered as it were into it selfe and subsist by it selfe then shall it enioy another degree or kind of vnderstanding neither shall it haue any necessity of framing the Idea's images of things in the phantasy no otherwise then the Intelligences haue which wee call Angels To conclude as long as the Soule is in the body it cānot rightly exercise the vnderstanding and reason except it haue the externall senses loose and it liberty as is euident euen from those dreames which we haue in sleepe Now the cause hereof is not that the function of the senses do aduantage the function of the vnderstanding or that this doth depend of that other but because the faculty of the vnderstanding is the supreme and most excellent faculty of the soule Wherupon it riseth that for the perfect exercise of the vnderstanding it is requisite that the soule be altogether free vnbounded that so it may bend bestow all the force and power of its essence vpon such an operation And of this point a signe is that when we vehemently apply our mind to vnderstand and apprehend any thing we scarcely obserue and note such things as do occurre our sense the force of the soule busiyng it selfe in its most supreme and most noble action of all Ad hereto that there is such a connexiō association and sympathy of the powers of the soule in the body as that the soule cannot exercise the highest most worthy of thē if at the same present it doth alienate and estrange it selfe from the lowest Here I meane of the reciprocall affinity of these powers only which belong to knowledge The second argument Yf the soule after it is disuested of the body be immortall then shall it eyther continually remayne separated from the body or els sometime be restored to it But it seemeth that neither of these can be warranted with reason Not the first because it so should continue in a state which is violent and aduerse to nature for seing the soule of man is the lowest meanest of all spirituall substances it requyreth to be in the body as the forme of it therefore it hath a naturall propension to be vnited with
the body therefore to be separated from the body and to exist and continue separatly is coÌ„trary to its naturall inclination and in some sort violent But Violence perpetuity are incompatible Not the later I meane that sometime after its separatioÌ„ the soule is to be restored and reunited with the body because from hence it would follow that the resurrection of the body should be naturall and due to the naturall course of things which point is not to be granted both because it is a high mistery of Christian fayth as also in that all ancient Heathen Philosophers were vtterly ignorant of this doctrine of the resurrection of bodyes I answere first that Origen and the Platonicks vtterly denyed the reasonable soule to be the forme of the body who placed the same in the body not as a forme in its naturall subiect for the commodity and benefit of the subiect but as one that is guilty and detained in prison for a reuenge of its former errours Whereupon they taught that one substance to wit Man was not properly compounded of the soule and the body but they auerred that only the soule was man and the body the prison therfore they said that euery body was to be auoyded But for confutation of this errouâ— it is manifest that it is repugnant to reason For if the soule be with-houlde in the body as in a prison why then doth it so much feare and auoid death Or why is it so grieuous to the soule to be disioyned and separated from the body Why is it not painful to the soule to stay in a body so stored with filth and impurity As we see it is most displeasing to a man of worth accustomed to places of note and regard to be kept in a sordid and obscure dungeon Why doth it so much affect the commodities and pleasures of the body and is so greatly delighted therewith Why at the hurt and losse of the body is it so infinitly afflicted and molested since otherwise it hath iust reasoÌ„ to reioyce at these corporal endomages no otherwise then captiues and imprisoned persons who are glad to see their chaines fall asunder their prison laid leuell with the ground Therefore seing the reasonabie soule is no lesse seÌ„sible of ioy or griefe touching the pleasures or aduersities of the body then the soules of beasts are it is euident that the reasonable soule is the naturall forme of mans body and that it doth affect and couet to be vnited with it Yet because it is not so immersed in the body as that it ought to be extinguished with it but is able through the benefit of its owne subâ—ilty and spirituall substance to subsist by it selfe Hence then it riseth that it predominateth ouer the affections of the body contemning them at its pleasure so as it yealdeth if it selfe will neither to pleasure nor griefe nor death it selfe which priuiledge is not found in irrationable creatures This opinion then being reiected we affirme that the soule is not to continue separated but sometimes to be â—eunited to the body because it was not first ordained to be an entyre and complete substance as an Angell is but to be only a part of a substance to wit the forme and consequently an imperfect and incomplete substance Whereupon it is needfull that we admit the resurrection of bodies And yet we cannot tearme this to be naturall for although the forming of the body and the vnion of the soule with the body be a naturall thing and due to the naturall state perfection of the soule yet this cannot be accomplished by naturall causes but only by diuine power and therefore it is to be called supernaturalis euen as giuing sight to the blynd is so reputed or restoring of decayed and feeble parts of the body and the curing of incurable diseases Neither ought it to seeme strange that the soule of man cannot obtaine for euer its naturall perfection without the power of God and his extraordinary assistance the reason here of being in that it is capable of a double as it were of a contrary nature to wit spirituall and corporall mortall and immortall Therefore the Soule requireth the body once lost to be restored to it but to be restored so firmely strongly as that it is neuer more to be lost is supernaturall since otherwise there ought to be infinite tymes a resurrection of bodyes The Philosophers were ignorant of this resurrection either because they thought the soule not to be the naturall forme of the body but a complete substance or els in that they thought it lesse inconuenyent to teach that the soule remained after death perpetually separated then to introduce bring in as a new doctrine the resurrectioÌ„ of the body For though it be naturall to the soule to be in the body yet in that respect only as it is separated from it it feeleth no griefe but rather it is freed therby from all the inconueniences and discoÌ„modities of this life obtaineth a more high and more worthy degree and becomes more neere to diuine celestial substances Wherefore I do not thinke that the soule being separated doth of it selfe much couet to be reunited with the body though by the force and weight of nature it hath a propension therto And the reason her of is because those goods and priuiledges it possesseth as it is separated are more to be esteemed then those are which it enioyeth in the body Neither is it true that this separation is violent to the soule for although the want of this vnion be in some sort violent to it to wit by way of negation as it is a priuation of that to which the very essence of the soule doth efficaciously propend and inclyne yet that liberty which it then enioyeth and that vigour of the Soule maÌ„ner of vnderstanding is not in any sort violent but most agreable to its nature as it is in state of separation The third Argument The structure of the body may seeme to intimate imply the mortality of the soule for it is almost wholy framed for the temporal vses of this mortall life to wit that the body may be maintained and preserued and nature propagated and continued Thus the teeth and stomacke are ordained to chew and concoct meate the intestines and bowels to auoyd the superfluous and excrementall matter the liuer to confect bloud the gall to receaue the sharper more bitter parts of the nutriment the splen or milt to containe the more grosse bloud the reynes to part and diuyde the serasus wheish matter of the nourishment from the bloud the bladder to receaue and send out this wheish matter the instruments of the sexe to procreatioÌ„ But after this life there shal be no need either of the vse of meates or of procreation therfore there ought not to be these members which are ordayned to those ends and consequently there ought not to be the soule which
absurd assertion are to be weighed which indeed are found to be most friuolous weake and inconsequent as hereafter we will shew To the common iudgment of al ContrieÌ„s and nations herin we may adioyne the like sentence and iudgment of all most learned Philosophers who euer flourished in any place or tyme Since al these most coÌ„fideÌ„tly euer maintained a Deity and Prouidence as Augustinus Eugubinus in his worke de perenni Philosophia largely sheweth Thus did the Patriarchs teach the Prophets and al the wise men among the Iewes thus the Priests among the Egyptians the Magi among the Chaldeans the Gymnasophistae amoÌ„g the Indians the Druides among the French and the chiefe sects of Philosophers among the Grecians to wit the Pithagoreans the Platonickes the Stoicks as Eugubinus proueth the very Academians I heere omit the most excellent seÌ„tences of this poynt which are frequétly found in Trismegistus Orpheus Museus Homer Hesiod Pindarus Sophocles Plato and the Platonicks Seneca Plutarch whoÌ„ if any be desirous to see let him peruse the foresaid mentioned Authour This opinioÌ„ therfore of coÌ„fessing a Deity ProuideÌ„ce is fortified with the authorities of al countries al ages all religions all rites ceremonyes of diuyne worship al Priests al Prophets al discipline of Magi and Wise men and al the more remarkable Philosophers of al nations finally it is warraÌ„ted by the force of nature which hath imprinted this truth at his very birth in maÌ„s soule Therfore what madnes and blyndnes of mynd it is for some few weake sleighty reasons to imbrace the contrary opinion Since this is nothing els but to prefer and aduance a mans owne priuate iudgment aboue the iudgment of the whole world of all tymes and to venditate himselfe for more wise as enioying a more searching and penetrating braine then any other man liuing Therfore the Atheists do herin discouer their wonderfull folly and insupportable pryde which thus hath enchanted them THE SECOND REASON DRAVVNE FROM the motion of the heauenly Orbs. CHAP. IIII. IN this next place I will alledge certaine Philosophical reasons or arguments such as are euideÌ„t cleare to the vnderstaÌ„ding pretermitting the more obscure which be taken out of the Metaphisicks First then we see the heanenly bodies to be carryed about in their Orbs with a most rapid and swift motioÌ„ Now this motion caÌ„not haue it beginning froÌ„ any force of nature impressed in the heauens neither from any corporall cause therefore it procedeth from some intelligent and spirituall substance this substance is God That it doth not ryse froÌ„ any naturall inclination of the heauens is manifest since things which are moued by a propension of nature direct their motion vnto some one end the which end once obtained they cease from further motion and then do rest and are coÌ„serued Thus al sublunary bodyes enioy a power and force to moue that if chance they be taken from their naturall place they striue by motion to returne therto and being returned do there rest and quietly enioy their owne being For all things which stand obnoxius subiect to corruption are preserued in their owne naturall place but being out of it they perish languishing as it were away and loosing their state of nature And there is no body which hath an inclination to motion so as it still moues without end neuer attaynes to its period and desired place of rest for as the Philosophers teach Motus est quiddaâ—â—â—perfectum â—â—pote via ad terminum Motion is a thing imperfect in it selfe as being but only away or passage to an end or rest But there is nothing which couereth to be euer in its way or iourney as I may cal it but all things desire to hasten to their terminus or end and there to repose and rest Wherfore we may necessarily conclude froÌ„ the premises that seing the motion of the heaueÌ„ly Orbs doth not tend nor is directed to any terminus or end where it may find rest and quyet that therefore this motion floweth not from any inclinatioÌ„ of nature as the motion of all in animate things do which we see in this world This poynt is further confirmed from that that euery naturall inclinatioÌ„ to motion is directed to the good of the subiect or body which is moued to wit that the body may obtaine therby its perfection and conseruation and is not directed to the good or benefit of other bodyes for euery particuler thing hath therefore a force and propension to moue that by such a mouing it may obtayne that place which is most agreable to its nature and so may firmely place it selfe and rest there and not that by a motion it may benefit other bodies But now the motion of the heauenly Orbes bringeth no perfection at all to the Orbes or to those other heauenly bodies for what doth that continual rowling about of the Orbes profit or aduantage the Sunne or the other stars but is only beneficiall to the inferiour bodyes whiles by this motion it carryeth their vertues and influences throughout the compasse of the whole Orbes and so by distributing them causeth all things to receaue vegetation life increase perfection and conseruation Therefore it is most euident that this motion of the heauens proceedeth not from any secret inclination of nature in them for those celestiall Orbes cannot apprehend or conceaue their motioÌ„ to be profitable to this inferiour world that out of such a charitable cogitation and thought forsooth they should thus incessantly moue and turne about for so to apprehend and reflect vpon the profit of another is peculiar to a mynd and intelligence endued with reason From all which it is necessarily euicted and inferred that there is some most powerful spirit or intelligence which first conceaued this profit in its mynd and by reason of the said profit first ordained tempered this motion of which spirit it euer dependeth and is gouerned Furthermore the great variety of the heauenly motions doth sufficiently demonstrate that they proceed not from nature whose inclination is euer simple and vniforme For besides their motion from the East to the west vpon the Poles of the world which is common to all the Orbes seuerall Orbes of euery Planet enioy a proper motion froÌ„ the West to the East vpon a different Axis or Pole a different way and with different celerity The Orbe of Saturne perfecteth its course almost in 30. yeares The Orbe of Iupiter in 12 yeares of Mars about 2. yeares of the Sunue in one yeare of Venus in one yeare of Mercury almost in like space of the Moone in 27. daies and 6. houres Behold heere the great diuersity Neither is the poynt here lessened if in place of the motion of the Planets to the West we suppose their motioÌ„ to the East though somewhat slower according to the iudgement of some because euen granting this supposal yet the same variety is obserued the same difference of motion and the
same sympathy agreement proportion Againe the Planets sometymes are more neare to the earth other tymes more remote and distant now they are stationarij then directi and after retrogradi to the demonstration of which poynts are inuented the Eccentrick Circles and the Epicycles Furthermore many other obseruations in the Heauens most wonderfull and vnknowne for somany ages to all antiquity are lately discouered by the helpe of a Perspectiue glasse inuented by a certaine Batauiā As for example that the body of the moone is spongious consisting of some matter resembling little locks of woll that the star of Venus doth increase and decrease in light like the moone crooking it self into hornes as the moone doth and when it Orbe is full of light it is not opposed diametrically to the Sunne as the Moone is but is in small distance from the Sunne from which obseruation it may seeme to be necessarily inferred that the starre of Venus is carryed in a huge Epicycle about the Sunne so as it is sometimes far higher then the Sunne other tymes much lower In lyke sort by the former instrument there are obserued about the starre of Iupiter 4 small stars sometimes going before sometimes following Iupiter at one tyme they all appeare at another tyme but some of them and at a third tyme other some from whence also we may gather that the said starres do moue in little Epicycles about the starre of Iupiter Againe in the body of the Sunne there appeare certaine spots which notwithstanding do not euer retaine one and the same place in the Sunne but daily change their situation and at one tyme they appeare more in number at another fewer From which it is easily gathered that these spots do not inhere in the body of the Sunne but are little starres which interpose themselues betweene the Sunne and our sight and are moued in Epicycles about the body of the Sunne I my selfe haue often obserued these varieties with wonderfull admiration of the wisedome and power of God who hath disposed the course of the starres with that stupendious art and skill as that they are in no sort subiect to the apprehension of mans vnderstāding I here omit the infinite multitude of Starres which being neuer discouered to the Astronomers vntill this tyme are by the helpe of the foresaid instrument most distinctly seene in the Heauens To cōclude in the eight Sphere wherin the fixed Starres are there is obserued a triple motion The first from the Fast to the West absoluing its whole course in 24. houres The second from the West to the East which is thought to go one degree in a hundred yeares The third from the South to the North and contrariwise by force of which motion the beginning of Aries Libra of the eight Sphere doth descrybe certaine small circles about the beginning of Aries and Libra of the ninth Sphere which course is perfected in 7000. yeares Now who will maintayne that so multiplicious and so various a locall motion should proceed from nature and not from some one most Wise and Excellent an Vnderstanding or Power thus gouerning all the heauēs for the benefit of the sublunary or earthly bodies and particulerly of man to whome the rest are subiect and seruiceable Neither conduceth it any thing against our scope whether it be replyed that these motions are performed by diuers trāsient pushes euen as the rowling about of a potters wheele is occasioned by the Potter or els by certaine stable firme permament forces impressed in the celestiall Orbes as some do affirme for by whether meanes soeuer it is caused it necessarily proceedeth from some incorporeall cause indued with a mynd and vnderstanding not from any peculiar propension and inclination of nature Now this Cause which with so powerfull a hand and so many wayes turneth about the heauenly Orbes we call God who either worketh this immediatly of himselfe which is the more probable opinion or els by the ministery and help of inferiour Spirits and Intelligences as many do hould THE THIRD REASON TAKEN FROM that that Corporall substances and such as are subiect to the eye and sight cannot haue their being by Chance or Fortune CHAP. V. IN the whole course of the nature of things there must needes be some one cause of which all therest in respect of their substance do depend and that we call God That there is such a cause is proued in that corporeall and bodily things do proceed either from themselues or casually from fortune or from some incorporeall cause endued with a mynd vnderstanding and reason For neuer did any Philosopher set downe any other efficient cause of the world then some of these three neither can any other cause differēt from these be suggested or imagined except one will say that this world is produced of another world and that other of another and so still infinitly which assertion is in it selfe absurd seing it implyeth an infinity interminable progresse and proceeding Now it is manifest that things haue their beginning neither from themselues nor from Chance or fortune therfore it followeth necessarily that they receaue their production and being from some Mynd or Spirit endued with reason That they proceed not from Chance to wit from a casuall concourse of Atomies or smal bodies as Democritus Epicurus Lucretius and some other did teach appeareth both from the structure and forme of all things in the world as also from the great order and constancy which is discouered in the motion of the heauens and in the function office of other things for what man that is endued with reason will be perswaded that those thinges whose making are accompanied with the fulnes of all reason in that respect exceedeth the wit of all art and knowledge should notwithstanding be produced of a meere casual concourse of Atomies without reason and without art Since to say thus were as much as to defēd that some one most faire sumptuous and stately pallace were not made at all by any artificer with art but only by a suddaine mingling and meeting together of certaine peeces of stones into this curious and artificiall forme fallen from some huge rocke of stone shaken a sunder by an Earthquake or that the Annales of Ennius or Commentaries of Liuy were not cōposed by any wryter but by a strange and casuall concourse of letters for if the parts of the world and disposition of parts and the bodyes of liuing Creatures plants in the making wherof is found all reason art skil in the highest degree can be produced only by a meere cōcourse of Atomies without art without reason then by the same reason why cannot Pallaces Temples Cittyes vestmēts bookes epistles and the like in all which is discouered much lesse art skill and wit then in the former take also their making and being from Chance Therefore let that foolish absurd opinion of the concourse of Atomyes be abolished which seemeth to be inuented to
no other end then that the maintainers thereof should not be forced to acknowledge the world to be gouerned by diuyne Prouidence against which Prouidence they had a mighty auersion it selfe of necessity being most formidable and dreadfull to a mynd wallowing in all wickednes voluptuousnes as is euidently gathered out of Lucretius and Pliny That the world and the parts thereof cannot receaue their being from themselues is no lesse euident First among subblunary bodyes as all those be which are vnder the Moone those which are most perfect as Man other liuing Creatures cannot be of themselues for how can those things receaue their being frō themselues which need a preparation and concourse of so many causes that they may be borne and so many externall helpes and furtherrances that they may liue Or how can that be of it selfe which is extinguished perished with so great a facility Here perhaps it may be replyed that those bodies which be Indiuidua as particuler men are not of themselues but that the humane nature in generall as being eternall or for euer is of it selfe and that the like may be said of other Species or kindes of things But this is spoken ignorantly seeing the Species of any creature or body is not a thing separated from the Indiuidua as certaine Platonickes dreamed but doth exist in the Indiuidua neither hath it any esse or being in rerum natura but only by reason of the Indiuidua Yea for exāple species humana or the whole kynd of men is nothing els but the whole multitude of particuler men which haue beene are and may be as they all beare a liknes of nature among themselues Now then if Indiuiduall and particuler Men do depend of another cause then must also the whole Species or kynd which is not distinguished à parte rei as the Philosophers speake from the Indiuidua depend also of another cause This point is further manifested in that the whole Species or kynd may vtterly be extinguished or perishd But what dependeth not of another but hath it being only of it selfe cannot be extinguished for what is of it selfe did neuer begin but had euer its existency and therefore cannot cease or desist to be That it neuer begun is proued in that what once did begin sometimes was not and therefore it is produced as the phrase is à non esle ad esse from the not being of a thing to the being of the thing it selfe Now a thing cannot produce or cause it selfe and the reason is because that which doth produce ought to precede or go before that therby it may draw that which is to be produced à non esle ad esse Therefore whatsoeuer beginneth once to be is produced of another consequently receaueth not it s being of it self for to haue its being of it selfe is to haue its essēce without the influxe of any other efficient cause Therefore it is auident that what is of it selfe did neuer begin therefore shall neuer end and on the contrary syde what did begin hath not its being from it selfe but is necessarily produced of another Furthermore euery thing compounded of matter and forme cannot be of it selfe but necessarily is produed of some efficient cause which must dispose the matter and produce the forme and ioyne the forme to the matter for the matter neither receaueth those dispositions nor the forme from its owne essence since they may be separated therefore this vnion of the matter the forme is occasioned by some extrinsecal cause The same may be said of euery thing consisting of parts for seing the parts are not through any necessity vnited among themselues but may be mutually separated one from another it must needes follow that this vnion proceedeth from some cause which ioyned the parts togeather From these premises afore it appeareth that also the Elements as the earth the water the ayre and the fire are not of thēselues but haue some efficient begining for if those things which are most perfect for their nature among these sublunary bodyes haue not their being from themselues but from some other cause then much more those bodies which are most imperfect as the Elements are must for their being depend of another for to be of it selfe and not to depend of another is a signe of greatest perfection seing what is thus in nature is to it selfe the origen and fountaine of all good and standeth not in need of any thing externall Furthermore the Elements are not for themselues but for others I meane as they are parts of the world and as they afford matter to compounded bodyes therfore they haue not their being from themselues for that Axiome in Philosophy is true to wit Quod habet causam finalem ad quam ordinetur habet etiam efficientem à qua ordinetur What hath a final cause to the which it is directed and ordained the same hath also an efficient cause by the which it is so ordained for nothing is of it selfe to the end that it may serue another but that it may enioy it selfe Therefore euen in this respect that any thing is non propter se sed propter aliud not for it owne self but that it may conduce and be seruiceable to some other thing it followeth that the same thing is ordained by some one which hath intended the good of another Besides in that the Elemēts do enioy this or that magnitude or greatnes this place or that place in respect of the whole space and place in the world they receaue not this from thēselues seing their essence necessarily exacteth none of these circumstances therefore they take them from some extrinsecall cause which appointeth to euery one of the Elements their measure or greatnes their place or situation To conclude the Elements are subiect to so many mutations and changes and to so great a need of extrinsecall causes as that in regard hereof how can it be possibly conceaued that they should be of themselues or be at their owne fredome and liberty and in respect of their being not to depend of another These former reasons do conuince that Materia prima whereof the Philosophers do teach that all things were first made hath not its being from it selfe but from some other cause For this Materia prima either is not distinguished from the Elements as many auncient Philosophers did should who taught that the Elements are mere simple bodies without composition of matter or forme and the last subiect of all former or els if it be distinguished from thē as Aristotle with his followers maintained then is it far more imperfect then the Elements as seruing but for their matter whereof they are made Therefore seing this Materia prima is most imperfect and next to Nothing being subiect to all mutations and as it were a seruant to all natural causes and being of it owne nature depriued of all forme wherwith to be inuested and
it is able to driue them about with such a facility with such an incomprehensible velocity and so long a tyme without any slacknes or wearines doth sufficiently discouer it selfe to be the maker and Lord of the said heauens to whose good pleasure they are so seruiceable and obedient and thus it appeareth that from whence they receaue their most wonderfull motion from the same cause also they take their nature and being Doubtlesly no man who entreth into a serious consideration hereof can be otherwise perswaded seing there cannot be a greater argument and signe that a body is not of it selfe but dependeth of another then to shew that it enioyeth not it selfe but is made seruiceable and obedient to another The same poynt is also proued from the consideration of the diuersity of the parts wherof these Orbes do consist For seing these are altogether distinct in themselues and haue different qualities they could neuer meete altogether for the making vp of one and the same Orbe except there were some higher power which did vnyte the said parts distributing to euery one of thē their place their magnitude their measure proprieties and influences And this is further confirmed in that this different situation and disposition of parts whereby for example this Sarre is in this place of the Orbe that starre in another place c. is not of the essence of them nether doth it necessarily flow from their essence therefore it proceedeth from some extrinsecall cause so disposing them THE FOVRTH REASON FROM THE beauty of things and the structure and composition of the parts in respect of the whole CHAP. VI. THE very beauty of things which consisteth in a due proportion of parts both among themselues and with referēce to the whole manifestly sheweth that there is one most wise mynd or intelligence which first conceaued weighed measured and conferred with himselfe all these proportions and then after externally produced them out When we see any magnificent and sumptuous pallace wherein a most precise proportion and symmetry of parts is obserued so as nothing which belongeth to the exact skill of architecture is there wanting no man doubteth but that the same was builded by some one or other most artificiall architect How then cā any one call into question but that this world first had a most excellent and wise artificer and workeman seeing the parts thereof are so perfect and disposed and conioyned together with such an exact proportion sympathy and whose beauty is such as that it is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifyeth adorning beauty or comlines The heauen being extended aboue like vnto a vast and most large vault couereth and imcompasseth all things least they be seuered and dispersed It is for greater admiration beauty and ornament distinguished with an infinite number of starres as with so many Iewels certainly a most faire and pretious vault or couerture of this worldly pallace Now what is more pleasing to the eye of Man then those blewish and purple colours of the Heauens What more pure then those shining gems pretious stones What more solide then that adamantine firmnes of the heauēly Orbs which being neuer worne nor growing old haue continued so many ages inuiolable What is more admirable then the radiant body of the Sunne being the fountaine of light and heat What Nature hath imparted to all these their forme situation splendour and this celestial and vnchangeable beauty fairnes They do not receaue them from themselues since they haue not their being from themselues but from another And if from some other thing they take their essence then from the same they also take their beauty But this other thing cannot be corporeall since no corporeall thing can be more powerful and fayre then those heauenly bodyes are Therfore that which doth impart to them all these qualities must needs be a certaine incorporeall or spirituall substance whose infinite puissance and incomprehensible fayrnes we are partly able to glasse and see as it were by reflexion in so great a worke The Earth also though it be seated in the lowest place seruing as the flore or pauement of this princely and imperiall pallace or rather as a channell wherinto the excremēts of the elements are disburdened yet what pulchritude and beauty hath it What delight is discouered in the moūtaines and the vallies thereof in the springs floods gardens woods fields of pasture and graine orchards and plaines couered with all kind of colours exceeding al tapistry or other such artificial hangings whatsoeuer through its various and diuers vestment of hearbs flowers and groues Who can once dreame that all things are thus disposed of a Nature voyd of reason and vnderstanding seeing that the soule or mynd of man is not able to excogitate or imagine to it selfe any thing more admirable or beautifull Neither auayleth it any thing here to reply that the Sunne and the starres seeme to be the cause of all these things For although without the heat and influence of the starres wherby the generatiue and seminall power or vertue is stirred and the vegetatiue humors are prepared all these things cannot grow increase and come to their perfectiō notwithstanding these bodyes take not from the Sunne and starres their originall Cause and reason of their particular structure forming and making but from some intelligent mynd or spirit which hath impressed in the seeds a certaine power or vertue being as it were the image of its owne cōceit by the which as by its instrument it disgesteth disposeth and frameth the body that it may be altogether answerable and sorting to the intended forme For nether the Sunne nor the starres can know of what kynd euery tree for example will be or what temperature colour tast smell or medicinable vertue for diseases it will haue or with what leaues it is to be couered with what flowers to be adorned or beautifyed and with what fruites to be enriched finally what measure it ought to haue what figure extensions diffusions connexions and innumerable other such obseruations all which appeare in euery such particuler body with admirable artifice and wisdome for there is in euery worke of nature as their phrase it so great cunning skill and subtility as that no art can attaine to the thousand part thereof nor any wit can cōprehend the same Who then is so voyd of reason that can be perswaded that such bodies in whose making so eminent reason and wisedome is discouered could yet be made by any Cause that enioyeth not reason The Sunne of its owne nature imparteth its light and heat and in these two sorts in one and the same vniforme manner it cooperateth with all seedes to wit in heating the earth nourishing the seedes stirring vp the seminall spirit or vertue and in preparing the humours therefore this infinite diuersity of things and this proportion pulchritude which is in them cannot proceed from this Sunne seing his operation and working is vniforme
any benefit to it selfe or to any other thing euen as the fruition of great riches should be altogeather vnprofitable if the man possessing them should haue neither knowledge vse nor feeling of them The same poynt is further made euident froÌ„ the motion of the celestiall Orbs which motion bringeth no benefit to the heauens themselues but is wholy applyed to the good and vtility of man of those things which are commodious to the vse of man For first the motion of them is so tempered that all Countries of the earth excepting some few which are beyond 66. degrees neere to the Poles enioy within the space of 24. houres both day and night this being so directed to the most gratefull alteration and change of day and night Furthermore the Sunne by his proper motion vnder the Eclyptick eueÌ„ly cutting the equinoctiall lyne and declining sometimes to the south or at other tymes to the north more then 23. degrees causeth the foure seuerall teÌ„peratures of the yeares I meane Winter Spring-tyme Summer and Autumne all these being most accommodate and fitting for the good of such things as the Earth bringeth forth For the winter so worketh by its cold that the spirit and heat which is within the seeds and buds being inwardly receaued all things may be more strengthned with in that so they may better gather humour and nourishment that they may fasten their rootes in the earth and finally that all such things may inwardly swell therby to burst out in due tyme. The spring through its pleasing and teÌ„pered heat calleth all things forth drawing out buds leaues grasse flowers and the like The Summer with its greater heat consumeth the super abundaÌ„t humour disgesteth crude and raw things extenuateth and refineth things grosse openeth passages in the bodyes diffuseth or powreth in the spirit bringeth fruites to their maturity and rypenes To conclude the Autumne with its humour and moderate heat tempereth a new all things correcteth the drynes and heat of things which the summer aforehaÌ„d bestowed it also disposeth the earth to new seedes and new grothes lastly it repaireth the decayed states of liuing bodyes through want of naturall heat Now out of all these obseruations who seeth not that all this motion of the Sunne and the heauenly bodyes was first ordained euer after is perpetuated and continuated to the benefit of man to the grouth increase and fuller aboundance of all liuing creatures other bodies which may in any sort be seruiceable to the vse of man For no other benefit of it can be assigned theÌ„ this nor any other cause can be alledged why the motion of the Sunne and the other celestiall Orbes should be in any such and such sort Now if any enter into consideration of Wynds raine snow and frosts he shall easily discouer that these are ordayned for the good emolument and benefit of liuing creatures but chiefly of Man And first of Wynds the vse of them is various and great for they ventilate and fan the ayre and so mâ—ke it more wholsome to be breathed in which if it should continue vnmoued and vnshaken would putryxy and being by this meanes affected with some pestilent quality would kil both men and beasts For such close places we may obserue wherin the wynds blow not are become most pestiferous and noysome Secondly the wynds serue to carry the clouds about through the ayre and so to disperse and distribute them to seueral countryes regions for without the help of the wynds the mediterranean places and such as are farre distant from the sea would be euer destitute of cloudes and showers and so would become ouer hoate barren and inhabitable For seing from coasts and places far remote from the sea there cannot be drawne vp sufficieÌ„t store of vapours which may serue for clouds and raine except they being eleuated froÌ„ other places be thither carryed by force of the wynds the said mediterranean countryes would be continually scorched with the sunne and be depriued of all rigation and watering For it is the sea which chiefly ministreth matter for clouds out of whose vast bosome being directly and continually opposed to the Sunne great abundance of vapours are attracted vpwards by the heat of the Sunne which being after by force of the cold gathered into Clouds are lastly resolued into showers of raine wherfore except the wynds did carry these clouds vnto another place all raine would fall into the sea from whence the matter of it doth ryse and the whole earth through want of watering would remaine barren and vnprofitable Neither this aboue would happen but also all fountaines riuers would in a short tyme be drawne dry for these take their begining and continuance from the srow showers which fall vpon the mediterraneaÌ„ and mountanous places For the Snow which during the winter falleth vpon the hils melting by little and little through the Suns heat and distilling into the hollowes and concauityes of the hils doth in the end cause springs or fountaines In lyke sort the waters of showers being receaued and drink vp into the higher places of the hils and after many wyndings to and â—â—o vnder the earth meeting together do in the end fynding an issue or passage breake out into fountaines or springs Now of springs being mixed with other waters whether proceeding of snow or of showers running into one common channel are begotten Riuers And hence it followeth that during the summer when it but seldome raineth riuers are greatly decreased and except they be sed with snow water they are sometymes dryed vp So as if for the space of two or three yeares it should neither raine nor snow it would follow that all riuers and almost all fountaines would cease their ruÌ„ning through want of matter But these things are so disposed and gouerned that for certaine seasons so great store of raine and snow may fall as that therby the springs and riuers may be continually maintayned and fed Furthermore the wynds are necessary to dry vp the vnprofitable humour of the earth to recreate and refresh the bodyes of liuing creatures to rypen fruites to the turning of mils and such machines or workes and finally to the vse of Nauigation for â—â—â—â—â—â—â—ting there were no wynds all Nauigation would almost cease But what great proâ—â— doth ryse by Nauigation to Man For by this what merchandize is in forraine countryes which conduceth either to the commodities of mans lyfe or to the vse of phisick or to the delicacy of nature the same is most easily transported throughout the whole world and what is peculiar to few is by this meanes communicated imparted to all mankynd Neither is the profit of the showers raine inferiour to that of the wynds for it cooleth the ayre refresheth the bodyes of liuing creatures perpetuateth and continueth springs riuers ministers drinke to beasts watereth the earth and maketh it fruitful for without showers of raine the
mountaynes which teacheth that the first proceeded of Earthquakes by reason that the ayre and other such spirituall substance which being included in the bowels of the earth did aduance and lift vp the higher part therof This opinion might with some probability be maintayned if it were deliuered only of some certayne little hils But it cannot with any show or colour of lykelyhood be verifyed of that great multitude of most huge mountaines possessing many mediterranean places and extending in length 800. or 1000. myles But omitting many other strong reasons by the which this fiction is refuted I conclude that the saltnes of the Sea was first giuen to it by the authour and maker of it who as he implanted contrary to the course of nature a fecundity in the earth for the bringing out and nourishing of plants and liuing Creatures so the like the bestowed vpon the sea for the production ingendring and feeding of fishes From all which speculatioÌ„s it is most necessarily gathered and inferred that al these things aboue mentioned were so disposed and ordained for the vse and benefit of Man by some most wise and most powerfull Intelligence since all things euen besides their naturall condition do serue and become obedient to the vse of mans life and al do finally propend and are directed to this end Neither can there be rendred any other reason why they should be ordered in such sort as they are but only for the emolument commodity and seruice of Man Neither it is in any sort preiudicial to the being of a diuyne Prouidence that by reason and meanes of impetuous wynds hayle thunder earthquakes infection of the ayre inundation of waters drouthes the like men do often suffer great calamities miseries since these things do more euidently demonstrate the being of the said prouidence For as it is the property of a Prouident and wise Prince so to dispose his lawes tribunals or Iustice seats towers prouision of warres c. that they may be directed to the good and security of his subiects as long as they liue in due allegiance and duty towards him and the same things also to turne to their chastisings and punishments if after they should once endeauour to shake of the yoke of subiection Euen so although that supreme Power or spirit hath finally created the heauens the Elements for the seruice of man yet hath he so tempered these things that withall they may serue as scourges for the castigation of sinners which chasticement may neuertheles be beneficiall to such who know to make true vse thereof as hereafter we will shew Some here may obiect contrary to our former doctrine that such things wherof we haue intreated before haue not their eueÌ„t from any particuler end to the which they are by any intelligent cause directed but only by reason as the Philosophers phrase dialect here is necessitâ—tis materiae through the nature of the matter forcing or causing such effects as for example it is naturall that through the heat of the Sunne vapours and exhalations be attracted from the Earth the Sea the which being eleuated aboue are repelled backe by the cold of the midle Region so do cause wynds or els being gathered into clouds do minister matter for fayne snow and haile from which spâ—ngs and flouds do after take their souâ—ce and beginning I answere hereto and confesse that some of those things may seeme to take such their euents from their matter whereof they are made But this discouereth a greater and worth ver disposall of the diuyne Prouidence by the which the vniuersall cause of things to wit the motion of the Sunne staris is â—o ordayned and gouerned as that without â—â—e câ—course of any other efficieÌ„t cause it can occasioÌ„ the foresaid things as wynds â—â—â—â—e and the like at such tymes and in such sâ—â—soâ—s as are most conuenient for the producing and nourishing of plants and liuing creatures and for the benefit of man And therefore these effects do thuâ— fall out not only throgh the â—â—â—oâ—â—emeÌ„t of the matter but withall through the various aspect and applicatioÌ„ of the vniuersal cause Aâ—d herto for the greater fulnes of our answere herein that the disposition and placing of the Sea and the earth the first beginning large extension of mountaines the channels of riuers c cannot be referred to any necessity of matter or force of nature but are necessarily produced by art and Prouidence as is aboue shewed And thus it falleth out that for example Egipt being destitute of raine is in the summer tyme so watered with the inundation of Nilus therby so couered ouer with a fat vnctious â—ly me as it becometh most fertill In like sort one of the Iles of the Canaryes caâ—led Ferrâ— wanting altogether sweet water is supplyed heerein by diuyne Prouidence from a tree there growing whose nature is such as that it daily distilleth like vnto a spring or fouÌ„taine a certaine sweet humour which serueth for drinke both to man and beasts Now besides the heauenly and Elementary bodyes of which we haue spoken afore there are found three perfect kynds of mixed bodies to wit liuing Creatures Plants and all such things as are to be digged out of the bowels of the earth al which no doubt were first created and made for the vse of Man considering that we see they are subiect to Man he ruling ouer theÌ„ and applying them at his pleasure to his owne vse and benefit From all which this one true resultaÌ„cy or conclusion may infallibly be gathered that all this aspectable world with all the things which it containeth was first made for the cause of Man and that it serues for the tyme as a most ample and fayre house furnished with all things seruing either for necessity or pleasure and delicacy in the which man is placed to the end that he acknowledging a diuyne and supernaturall power to be the authour of this world may loue reuerence and adore the said power and that he may vse these things according to the true vse and prescript of Reason whether they conduce to the maintenance and sustentation of his body or solace and comfort of his mynd or to the health and increase of knowledge For seing the ranke of things intelligible and enduâ—d with Reason is the highest and most worthy among al things created it followeth that man as being an intelligent and reasonable creature is of a more eminent nature degree and order then any other thing in the whole world Therfore man ought to be the end of all things in the world and they to exist and be for his vse For man only considereth al things in the world apprehendeth all things and vseth and enioyeth all things Man only also feeleth and discerneth the sweetnes beauty of al things who being as it were a certaine secondary Numen or diuyne power doth produce and create by the help of his vnderstanding al this
thus rather then otherwise or to what end they so doe though all these he who thus taught them well knew Now if man can transfer a certaine imitation and shew of his art vpoÌ„ irrationable creatures to effect certaine functions and for certaine ends proiects theÌ„ how much more easily may that most wise most powerfull spirit and vnderstanding which we call God plant in all creatures a print of his Art and Prouidence which extendeth it selfe to al things necessary to the conseruation of their lyues and future propagation of their kynds Man in that he enioyeth reason and a certaine generall ProuideÌ„ce by the which he gouerneth himselfe setteth downe his owne end and disposeth of fitting meanes for the same end hath no need of these naturall instincts which other creatures haue And although diuers men in regard of their peculiar temperature of body haue peculiar instincts both for the stirring vp of seuerall motions and passions of the mynd as also for inclyning them to certaine artes yet they are not to gouerne themselues by these instincts but by the guyde and force of reason which is granted vnto them But other Creatures because they are depriued of reason cannot gouerne themselues nor direct their particuler operations to sutable coÌ„uenient ends therefore they stand in need of a certaine prudentiall instinct by the which they are to be directed both in the performance of their working as also in the directing and disposing of it to an end Therfore Man hath an vniuersal prudence or wisedome by the which he leuelleth all his actions to his end But other Creatures haue as it were a certaine sparke of prudence or rather a peculiar instinct lyke vnto prudeÌ„ce in certaine peculiar workes of their owne This instinct so far forth as it artificially performeth its worke as the web in the Spider and the hony combe in the Bee is a certaine participation of diuine art this not vniuersally but particularly to wit as it is considered in this or that worke In like sort as it fittingly directeth its working to an end it beareth the shew of diuyne Prouidence Now this instinct in beasts coÌ„sisteth chiefly in the disposition of the phantasy by the which it is brought to passe that it apprehendeth after a certaine manner a thing as conuenient or hurtfull according to tyme place and as occasion serueth Secondly it consisteth in the inclinatioÌ„ of the Appetite and in a certaine dexterity or hability of working From all thâ—se considerations theÌ„ I hould it sufficiently demonstrated that there is one Supreme Intelligence Mynd or Spirit whose wisedom is equally paralelled with his power by whom not only the principall parts of the world were framed and disposed to their particuler ends but also all the members and least parts of all liuing Creatures and plants as also the seed of all things by whose sweet prouidence the operations of al liuing Creatures are most coÌ„gruently and orderly directed to their defigned ends Out of which poynt this resultacy or collection also riseth to wit that his prouidence extendeth it selfe to the least things and that nothing is made without the same seing nothing can haue its being or essence without its vertue or instinct coÌ„municated and imparted by the foresaid Intelligence or Mynd But here it may seeme to be replyed that granting that Gods prouidence hath collated vertue power to all things to worke yet followeth not that his prouidence therfore stretcheth it selfe forth to all the operations and workings Euen as he who teacheth a Dog to dance or a Parret to speake Greeke doth not because he so taught theÌ„ know all things which after they may do by reason of their teaching To this I answere and say that here is a great disparity and difference for Man may be far remoued and distant from his worke and then he knoweth not what his worke performeth But God cannot depart from his worke but alwaies remaineth within the same both because God is euery where filling all places whatsoeuer as also in that he is to preserue support sustaine his owne worke since otherwise it would instantly decay vanishing away like a shadow For though a Wright for example building a house and after departing from it the house remaineth by it selfe to be seene yet neither the world nor any thing of the world can haue its subsisteÌ„ce being after God hath withdrawne himselfe from it And the reason of the difference here is diuers first because the Wright maketh his worke in a matter or substance which he neither made nor ought to conserue but which God made conserueth the Wright doing nothing therin but either by way of adding to or taking from or placing all things in a certaine order But now God worketh in that matter which himselfe only made and he only can destroy or preserue it Secondly because God made all things of nothing eleuating aduancing euery thing to its essence and being and therfore all things may againe reuert turne to nothing euen as a heauy body being by force lifted vp from the earth doth of it owne nature declyne towards the earth againe Wherfore as this body is continually to be supported that it doth not precipitate and fall headlong downewards euen so all things being first created by diuyne power need to be sustentated by the said power that they be not reduced againe to nothing And here I do not vnderstand by the word Nothing any positiue inclination such as the heauens or the earth is but a defect of power or hability to retaine its owne being because it hath no power preseruing it selfe but only from God Thirdly because all things haue their dependance of God after a perfect manner as the light of the ayre depends vpon the Sunne and the intentionall species or formes of Colours vpoÌ„ their obiect or as the shadow vpon the body exposed to the Sunne as the ancient Philosophers do teach and especially the Platonicks for we are not to thinke that there is lesser but rather far greater dependency of things created vpon God being the most vniuersall cause then is of these effects vpoÌ„ their particuler causes Therefore all things do need a continual preseruation and a continual influxe in so much that if God should but for a moment withdraw or diuert this substance-making beame for so doth Dionysiâ—s call it terming it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then would all things instantly vanish away returne to nothing I omit diuers other reasons which here might be alledged Only it sufficeth here to shew that God can in no sort be absent from his worke from which poynt it necessarily may be concluded that nothing can be concealed and hid from his Prouidence seing that himselfe is most intrinsecally inwardly present to al things THE EIGHT REASON FROM THE diuersity of Mens countenances and voices and from the pouerty of Man CHAP. X. THESE two things I meane the great diuersity of faces and
that euen in this respect that if an Intelligence by its owne peculiar force knoweth one thing to comeâ—â— knâ—weth all things Therfore this prenotion and fortelling of â—uture things is an euident signe of a Diuinity and for that cause this kynd of prediction is called Diuination as if to tell what euents are to happen were a proper signe of a Diuinity or deity and therefore vpon this ground the Gods of the Gentils are refuted by Isay in that they had not the ability to fore tell future eueÌ„ts for thus he saith Annunciate quae veÌ„tura sunt c. Shew the things that are â—come hereafter that we may know that you are Gods That there is a prenotion of future things is clearly proued from innumerable predictions which from their euents are found to be most true for prediction or foretelling euer presupposeth prenotion and foreknowledge This prenotion the Prophets had not from themselues and from their owne industry or perspicacity and clearnes of iudgment since prenotion far transcendeth mans capacity but they receaued it from some superiour power which hath it by its owne vertue from it selfe and not from another Now many of these predictions are 〈◊〉 in the holy Scripture out of the which I will alledge some which to haue bene accomplished is most euident First theâ— Genesis 3. it is foretold that the seed meaâ—ing the of springe of the woman should câ—ush the head of the Serpent that is shall ouerthrow the power domination and rule of the Diuell which 〈◊〉 is accomplished partly already by Christ abolishing in most places the worship of Diuels wherin the world afore did lye plunged and partly â—esteth to be further 〈◊〉 by Christ at the day of iudgment wâ—â—â— the power and sway of the Diuell the 〈◊〉 vtterly extinguished In Genes 〈…〉 18. and 22 it is prophesyed that a â—hold shal be borne to â—braâ—â—m by the benifit of whom all nations shall obtaine benedictioÌ„ and solicity which is euidently performed in Christ throgn whom the world is withdrawne from idolatry and pernicious errours to the worship knowledge of the true God and shall by him obtayne the hope of eternall saluation Againe in the 40 chapter of the said booke there is a woÌ„d 〈…〉 prediction of Ioseph which was to be 〈◊〉 within three dayes as also in interpretation of certaine most obscure dreames touching three stocks of a vyne and three baskets and c. 41. an exposition of Pharoes dreame touching the twyce seauen beasts twice seauen ears of corne Where we are to consider how expediteâ—y and with what coÌ„fidence are expounded all the particulers of the according to their euents Now those dâ—â—ameâ— being preâ—ages and â—ignes of things to coâ—ne cannot proceed but only from a diuine Power from whose prouidence all 〈◊〉 matters 〈…〉 disposall neither can the 〈◊〉 construction of them 〈…〉 but only by reuelaâ—ion of 〈◊〉 diuyne Power Againe c. 49. Iacob the Patriarch 〈…〉 before his death did prophesy to euery 〈…〉 of his sonnes what should happen to them posterity especially so far forth as conâ—erned their ofspring their riches and the diuision of the land of Promise which all particulers were after a long deuolutioÌ„ of Yeares fulfilled as appeareth out of the sacred Scripture But among other things that is very memorable and notorious which is there said Non auâ—eâ—eâ—ur sceptrum de â—uda c. The scepter shall not depart from Iuda nor a Lawgiuer from betweene his seete till he come who is to be sent and he shal be the expectation of the Gentils In which words three things are foreâ—ould First that regall principality shal be in the tribe of Iuda which was accoÌ„plished when it was translated vpon Dauid in whose family and race it continued 520. yeares Secondly that this Soueraingty should continue in the 〈…〉 till the 〈◊〉 of Christ 〈…〉 was also accomplished 〈…〉 that tribe 〈…〉 vpon Herod Ascalonites who was â—o â—â—w in the tyme of whose Reigne Christ was borne Thirdly that Christ was to be reiected by the Iewes receaued by the Gentils who for that respect is there called Expectatio gentium the expectation of the Gentils In the 24. of the booke of Numbers Balaam being possessed with a diuyne fury foretelleth many things and among the rest these three First that the King at Israel was to be taken away by reason of agag King of Amalec where we sâ—e that the name of that King is expressed who was to be borne some foâ—re ages after and for whose cause Saul was to be depriued of his kingdome which is fulfilled in the first booke of the Kings c. 15. Secondly that a King should rise out of Israel who like a glorious star was to enlighten the 〈◊〉 world and to haue dominion ouer all men which was performed in Christ. Thirdly that the Romanes were to come 〈◊〉 their gallies and should ouercome the Iewes â—â—d tâ—is was effected vnder Titus Vespasian more then a thousand eares after the 〈◊〉 prediction In the 18. of Deuteronomy Moyses prophesyeth that â—â—od would â—aise out of the Iewes a Prophet lâ—â—â— to himselfe whom all ought to heare such â—s would not were to be seuerely punished by God where in expresse words he prophesyetâ— of the comming of Christ and doth intimate his function the incredulity of the Iewes their ouerthrow Now Christ was like to Moyses as the body is to the shadow the 〈…〉 to the figure and the Exemplar of Sampâ—e to the image in that Morses was a typâ— and figure of Christ â—â—â— Moyses 〈…〉 people from the seruitude of 〈◊〉 Christ the world from the 〈…〉 Moyses brought 〈…〉 the Egiptians being theâ—e drowned Christ saued his Belieuers through 〈◊〉 which deriueth al its vertue froÌ„ the 〈◊〉 of Christ with the submersion and drowning of all their sinnes Moyses gaue to them the old law Christ giueth to the world the new and Euangelicall law Moyses â—ed the people in the desert with Manna from heauen and gaue them to drinke of the rock Christ feedeth his seruants in the Church with his owne celestiall body and bloud for he is the bread that descended from heauen and the hidden Manna he is the Rock of eternall saluation which giueth drinke The people by the endeauour of Moyses ouercame their enemyes comming at the length to the 〈◊〉 of Promise â—ee by the mediatioÌ„ of Christ vanquish our soules aduersaries are brought to heauen Thus by reason of these and other such comparisons Christ is called a Prophet like vnto Moyses In the 28. 29. 30. 31. and 32. of Deuteronomy the Idolatry of the Iewes their sins and diuers calamityes which were to fall vpon them for the same cause are propheâ—â—â—d and in the 33. of Deuteronomy Moyses â—â—â—â—telleth the particuler lot to euery try be and diuers euents which Iacob had not expressed in his benediction In like â—ort that Prediction which is related in the thâ—â—â— booke of the Kings â— â—â— is most wonderfull where when
related as prophecyed by Christ in 21. of Luke Cùm videritis circumdari c. When you shall see Ierusalem compassed about with an army then know that the desolation thereof is at hand Then let them which are in Iudaea flie to the mountaines and let them which are in the middest thereof depart out and let not them which are in the Country enter into it for these are the daies of vengeance that all things may be fulfilled that are written c. they shall fall by the edge of the sword and shal be led captiue into all nations c. All which that it is already accomplished is euideÌ„t out of the history of Iosephus the Iew. I omit many other predictious of our Lord as of the preaching and miracles of the Apostles of their persecution of the crucifixion of Peter of the stay of Iohn of the conuersions of the Gentils of the preaching of the Gospell throughout the whole earth of the continuance of the Church till the end of the world and the like I omit in like sort the innumerable predictioÌ„s of al the holy men which haue liued in the ages since Christ being assisted with the holy Ghost haue foretold future euents and haue reuealed many matters kept afore in great secret Now out of all these things which are here said we may gather three poynts as most true and infallible First that there is a diuyne Power who is priuy to all future euents and to the secretest things that are and by whome all humane matters are gouerned and that he reuealeth to diuers of such which truly serue and worship him those future euents whereof there are no determinate causes Secondly that Christ is the true and only Sauiour of the world since all his actions and doings were foretold by his Prophets so many ages before and since himselfe was so eminent and admirable for his birth works predictions doctrine life end and resurrection Thirdly that the faith of Christ is necessary to saluation for no man can with any shew of reason call these three poynts into question who hath with iudgment and maturity of discourse expended and waighed the forerehearsed predictions and Prophesyes THE ELEAVENTH REASON TAKEN from the being of Spirits CHAP. XIII IT is euident euen by infinite example and long experience that there are Spirits that is certaine inuisible substances indued with an vnderstanding and penetrating all things through their subtility of nature and which do far transcend and exceed all humane power wisedome and industry This is manifest first from Oracles and answeres which were accustomed to be giuen by Idols in all countryes to such as came to take counsell from them For those statuaes or images wanting altogether life and sense could not returne any answere but it was spirits or deuils entring into the said statuaes which so answered In some places these answeres were giueÌ„ by Idolatrous Priâ—stâ— who with certaine Ceremonies â—â—alling vpoÌ„ the Diuel were so possessed by them as if they had been stirred vp by some diuine power these powred out Oracles and answeres the Diuel speaking through their mouths or belly or Nauill or some other part of their body Herupon some were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or ventriloqui to wit speaking through their belly These things may not only be proued from the sacred Scripture but also from prophane history for the Oracle of Apollo at Delphos and of Iupiter of Ammon and diuers others were most famous for many ages The Diuels seconded by this imposture and deceit did propagate and spread Idolatry procuring themselues by this meanes to be worshiped as Gods or diuyne powers in their images throughout the whole world for diuers ages together And euen at this day they are so honoured in India China Iapon Taâ—tarr Brasil Perù seuerall other countries So as we see it was truly said of the Prophet Psalm 95 Quoniam omnes dij c. For al the Gods of the Gentils are Idols but the Lord made the heauens Secondly the same is made demonstrable from the doctrine and practise of Nigromanticks and Magi or Wisards which are found in all places For these through certaine ceremonies and verses are able to call vp the Diuels do cause that they not only shew strange effects which necessarily imply their presence but also make them to appeare in a visible forme and to conuerse familiarly and talke with men The forme of this raising vp of spirits is described by Homer where Vlisses calleth vp Tiresias and the spirits of Orcus questioning of them touching his returne The like Negromantical euocatioÌ„ to be made by Scipio is read in Siluius by Tiresias in Statius by Oeson in Flaccus by Canidia in Horace by Ericthon in Lucane from all which it is most cleare that this thing was much vsed in those former times yea that it is most ancyent appeareth from Gods sacred writ which speaketh of the WisemeÌ„ of Pharao and of the Pythonissa and the same is made most plaine euen in this our age I meane touching the commerse association and confederacy of sorcerers and witches with the Diueâ—l 〈◊〉 the iudiciall censures against such persons and the great and daily experience had herein Thirdly this verity is further confirmed by those which are obsessed which are called Energument for two things appeareth in them which are aboue humane power One that such as are possessed do speake strange tongs which theÌ„selues neither vnderstand nor euer did learne The other that they discouer things secret or do relate things done in great distance of place as if they saw them openly Both these two things afford an euident demonstration of a certaine superiour inuisible nature by the power wherof they are performed To conclude this point of the beeing of spirits is euicted from the many apparitions of spirits which are affirmed to haue beene from the testimony of diuers most probable histories From all these proofs then it may be concluded that there are in the world spirits and that in a wonderfull great number Since in all places and from all antiquiÌ„ty they haue most ofteÌ„ manifested themselues In so much as there is no kingdome no prouince no citty no village but there remaineth some memory of their apparitions Pythagoras was of opinion as Laertius wryteth that all the ayre was full of spirits or soules And this also was the iudgement of many of other ancients who taught that euery one had his genius or spirit assigned by God Thus did Hesiode Homer Menander Trismegistus Plato and the Stoickes affirme Now iâ— there be many spirits then it ineuitably may be concluded that there is one supreme spirit to the which all the rest are subiect and at whose command they are gouerned for euery multitude of things except there be a dependency and subordination to one most high begetteth disorder and confusion And hence it is that euen among bodies there is a superiority and predominaÌ„cy of one aboue all the
the one disposeth the meanes for the obtaining of the temporal end the other of the eternal end The first is humane and political as resting vpon mans wisdome and tending to a political and temporal good this other is diuyne as being grounded vpon diuyne wisdome and directed to an eternal good or benefit Therfore where it is said that it belongeth to Prouidence to bridle the wicked not to suffer them to afflict the vertuous without controule and the like this is true if we speake of politicall prouidence and of temporall coercion and constraint for seing this Prouidence is ordained to obtaine temporall peace and rest the function of it is to hinder what in it lyeth all wickednes and sinnes wherby the temporall peace may be disturbed Wherfore it may be truly granted that in what Commonwealth soeuer outrages are committed without any feare of punishment the same either wanteth a gouernour or at least the magistrate thereof is vniust partiall and tyrannous But if we speake of that Supreme Prouidence afore mentioned then is it false to affirme that it belongeth to its functiō not to suffer the impious to gouerne and rule temporally since indeed the contrary rather appertaineth to it to wit to suffer all things as they are heere furnished with their owne faculties and abilities for the tyme to take and enioy their proceedings and desires and this for many causes First that we may spontaneously and voluntarily be carryed to the exercise of vertue not be compelled thereto through any necessity for vertue coacted and forced is not vertue but rather a bondage of the mind since true vertue exerciseth it selfe not through any seruile feare of punishmēt but through loue of honesty therfore to the end that true vertue and perfect desert may haue their due place it was necessary that the Diuine Prouidence should not constraine men thereto but should leaue euery man to his free choice and liberty herein Secondly because the dignity and worth of eternall reward is so great that if it be duely considered it is abundantly sufficient to inflame our desires to the loue of it and to excite vs to all vertue and sanctity therfore it should much impugne the excellency of so inestimable a felicity if men through compulsion were driuen to the seeking of it Thirdly if eternall punishments be maturely expended and considered they are fully preuailing to deterre men from all flagitious and impious attempts Wherupon if God should not chastice men in this world yet were they not destitute of his Prouidence for it is sufficient that he promiseth rewards threatneth punishments for the tyme to come Fourthly if by Gods disposall his prouidence wickednes should euer receaue its retaliation and recompence in this world as we see politicall Prouidence inflicteth the same then would the world be in a short tyme extinguished and ended wherupon it would follow that there should be few imbracers of vertue and the meanes for the wicked to their saluation should be recluded and shut vp Fiftly the malignity of the wicked is not in vaine permitted by God seeing by reason therof the vertue of the iust is often more stirred vp and exercised and appeareth more worthily as also there is giuen them thereby an occasion of a greater merit and a more glorious crowne For take away the seuerity of tyrants and then there shal be no glory of Martyrs take away the wrongs proferred by euill men and there shall not appeare the patience or longanimity of the iust and vertuous briefly the world would be depriued of an infinite seed of goodnes if God should euer restraine and curbe the wicked in this world The same malignity serueth to punish as wel the sinnes of the iust as of the impious as is euident out of the holy Scripture So God diuers tymes vsed the malice and ambition of the Assyrians Chaldeans Persians Egiptians Romanes as a meanes wherwith to chastice the Israelites other nations suffering them according to a limited proportion of tymes places persons calamities and punishments to afflict and molest the people of God and otheer countries and this order God hath obserued in all ages and will obserue it till the consummation of the world Sixtly we are furthermore instructed from this Prouidence that temporall benefits are not much to be esteemed since both the vertuous and the vicious do promiscuously participate of them and in the which the wicked do commonly more increase then the pious and the iust Which point being so then how great are those benefits which God hath promised and prepared for his seruants For if he doth not giue these temporall commodities so much prized to such as daily dishonour him with their bad liues then what and how great are those rewards which he hath reserued only for such as do truly feare and serue him To be briefe this temperature of Gods prruidence doth greatly commend and magnify the wonderfull benignity clemency of God which while it slowly proceedeth to reuenge it daily expecteth the conuersion of sinners And yet it proceedeth in such sort as that it is not altogeather voyde of iustice seuerity because often by vnaccustomed meanes euen in this life it punisheth sinnes to show that God doth not sleepe but that he will in due tyme exact an account of all men From all which it appeareth that this Prouidence which suffereth so great a perturbation in humane and temporall things is perfect and grounded vpon most forcible reason since the wrong of the vertuous is temporall momentary and is to be changed hereafter for eternall rest and beatitude He that diligently weigheth this point wil not only not be scandalized at the vneuen dispensation of these humane things but will greatly admire prayse the Prouidence of God who vpon so iust motiues permitteth the same THE SECOND ARGVMENT AGAINST the diuine Prouidence answered CHAP. XIX EXPERIENCE instructeth vs that mens negotiations and busines haue for the most part euents and successe answerable to the industry care vsed by them therein and not according to the right or equity of the cause wherupon it often falleth out that who maintaineth the most in iust causes doth preuaile in thē which consideration may seeme to insinuate that each man is to be left to his owne Prouidence without disquisition or search of any other Prouidence Accordingly hereto it is to be remembred that a great Generall or Leader in the warres who had gotten diuers worthy victoryes and had taken a Prince prisoner discoursing with him of the Prouidence of God in matters of warres laying his hand vpon his sword said That no other was the Prouidēce wherupon he was to rest and depend I answere that the solution of this argument much relyeth vpon the former for Mens affayres for the most part do succeed according to their labour care and solicitude vsed therein in that the diuine and supreme Prouidence hath decreed to suffer that matters during
meanes the iust do learne to conteÌ„ne all earthly things to follow and seeke after heauenly matters to flie to God to repose al their confidence and hope in him to giue almes deeds and finally to practise all kinds of good works and vertues This is euident euen by daily examples therfore S. Augustine well said vpoÌ„ the Psalme 54. Ne putetis c. Do not thinke that the wicked are in vaine in this world and that God worketh not good from them for euery bad man therefore liueth that he may either repent or that by him the godly and vertuous may be exercised Thus in this sense God is said to vse and apply the wicked to the benefit and health of the vertuous Againe the greatnes of Gods goodnes and mercy touching the wicked in this life mightily shineth since he bestoweth on them so many benefits and gifts and inuiteth them with such a wonderfull longanimity patience that they may be only partakers of heauenly felicity To conclude the seuerity of his diuine iustice appeareth in them after this life by taking a most iust reueÌ„ge of their sinnes and withall from hence we may gather how great the malignity of sinne is which deserueth so dreadfull a castigation and punishment and lastly there is ministred hereby to the Elect a iust occasion of praising and thanking Gods holy name that they are deliuered froÌ„ these punishments Therfore although the wicked do not arriue to the principall end of their creation in which respect they may be said to be borne in vayne yet this cannot be absolutly pronounced so of them because they attaine the second end whereunto they were ordained vnder condition as it were to wit if through their vicious lyues they made themselues vnworthy and incapable of the first and chiefest end Now if the Soule of man should perish with his body none of these conueniences or profits could haue any place but in lieu thereof it would clearly follow as it shewed aboue that both man and the whole world should be created to no auailable purpose or end THE XVI REASON CHAP. XVII THE beauty of the world and of all the things contained with in the vast circumference thereof is made by the authour of the world to the end that it may be seene knowne and esteemed to wit that we behoulding the wonderfull magnificence of such a worke may admire praise and loue the workeman of it So the pulchritude and goodly structure artifice of Churches pallaces pictures other humane workes is framed that it may be looked vpon and worthily prized For if it be not seene by any it is houlden altogether as vnprofitable for to what conduceth fayrenes due proportion in pourtrature remaining only in darkenes For as smels sapours and pleasing sounds are but superfluous and needles if there be no senses of smelling tasting and hearing Euen so al beauty and splendour of things all subtility and perfection of art is but redundant and in vayne if there be no eye either of body or mynd which cansee apprehend and obserue it But if the Soule doth perish froÌ„ the body the beauty of the world and of all things in it remayne vnknowne vnapprehended and buryed as it were in eternall darkenes For in this life we hardly attaine the thousand part of what is to be knowne and this but confusedly and imperfectly like a man of bad sight behoulding pictures a far off For we wholy rest in the externall and outward grayne of things neuer penetrating into the internall and secret essences of the. And yet there I meane in the essence is shut vp all the beauty and truth of things there is the natiue and speciall â—orme there lyes all the artifice and wit of that great mâ—â—d supreme intelligeÌ„ce which with its wisedome hath inuented and framed all things there are coÌ„tained the reasoÌ„s of al things briefly so great is the beauty of things in their essence and so admirable is the excellency of the diuine art therein as that it may be boldly auerred that to behold clearly the nature of a flie or such like small creature as the Aâ—geis do see is more to be desired then to obtaine the empire of the whole world For the Soule and mind would doubtlesly draw more 〈◊〉 pleasure from this intellectuall light and contemplation then from all corporall delights honours whatsoeuer Such will easily belieue what I say who haue at any tyme tasted the pleaâ—sure of truth which lyeth hidden in these small things And the anâ—yent Philosophers do conspire with me herein who were so rapt and as it were drunke with the fairenes of truth and wisedome as that for their better leasure therein they coâ—reÌ„ned all riches and delights of the body Seing then it is imcompatible with reasoÌ„ that the beauty of the world and of all other things and the inward art discouerable therein should be ordayned but in vayne or but to continue euen in darkenes it is not to be questioned but that the soule of man suruiueth the graue and shall after this life attaine to the perfect knowledge of all things For then all hidden truths the countenance of nature her selfe which now is latent shall appeare in light theÌ„ shall the soule admire and praise the artificer of all who hath impressed a peculiar forme in euery body and hath so framed and disposed it through his infinite wisedome Some men may here say that spirituall substances such as we call Angels do perfectly know the structure of the world and of all other things therein Therfore though man neuer haue any full knowledge therof the world was not in vayne made I answere hereto and deny the inference for the structure of the world ought to be knowne of him for whose cause it was made that by such his knowledge he may giue thanks to his Creatour Now it was framed for the vse and benefit of man not of Angels who haue no need of a corporeal world Therefore man is to haue knowledge of it since to man it is made seruiceable and that in a double respect to wit with it profits and fruites conducing to the leading of a corporeall life with it splendour and pulchritude for the exercise of wisdome and contemplation that so from the worke he may know the workeman in knowing him that he may admyre honour and reuerence him and carefully obey keepe his lawes THE XVII REASON CHAP. XVIII THAT sentence opinion which banisheth away all vertue and introduceth all impurity and vice cannot possibly be holden as agreable to truth For Truth and VVisdome do auert men from al turpitude and vncleanes of conuersation and â—â—cite them to the loue of honesty and vertue For the vertue which is in the vnderstanding is the cause of all vertue which is in the affection and will and this from the other proceedeth no otherwise then the beauty of any worke riseth from the art which is in the
proportions temperatures vertues colours and smels Now then this Spirit impresseth all these in the seeds of things as the image of his conceite and then worketh and frameth them according to the same For the vertue impressed in the seeds do not otherwise worke then if it enioyed reason the cause hereof being in that it is a footstep of a diuyne conception and as it were a sealed impression thereof Therefore from this supreme Intelligence or Spirit as being the first inuenting and informing cause the beauty proportion and perfection of all things doth take its emanation flowing and proceeding Neither only this visible fayrnes and all variety which is subiect to the eye is to be ascribed to this cause but also all inuisible beauty which is inwardly hid in those visible things can be apprehended only by reason is to be referred therto For froÌ„ this inuisible pulchritude the externall and visible doth ryse since what appeareth externally in these corporall things either in respect of forme proportion colour kynd c. it cometh altogeather from the internall and inuisible substance which substaÌ„ce is so much the more fayre and to be admired by how much it containeth in it selfe more highly and simply the reason cause of those externall perfections In the vegetatiue soule by the vertue whereof trees hearbs flowers and the like according to their seuerall kynds do lyue the reason or cause of their structure whole forme or shape which so much delighteth the eye is latent and vnseene In like sort in the sensitiue soule which animateth all liuing Creatures the whole reason of the fabricke or forme of the body lyes hidden imperceptible by the eye the same is also latent in the genitall vertue or power by the which all these things are formed Therefore how great bewitching is the pulchritudâ— and splendour of these soules in whom all these perfections are secretly and simply included And how stupendious wonderfull are these soules in their owne nature which after one vniforme manner contayne in themselues so great multitude and variety of formes and figures Furthermore in the sensitiue soule is not only comprehended the entyre reason of the structure of the body but also of all the senses the imagination the sensitiue appetite all naturall instincts and operations euery one of which in respect of the wonders discouered therin transcends maÌ„s apprehension For how great is the power of the senses How far of doth the eye penetrate in a moment viewing all things apprehending the formes of them and expressing them in it selfe How forcible is the power of smelling in dogs Vultures many other such like And as touching the imaginatiue faculty it is neuer idle still reuoluing with it selfe and variously compounding the formes and shapes of things which it receaueth by the ministery of the externall sense The appetite draweth and inuiteth the soule to those things which the Imagination afore conceaued if they be conuenient and auerteth it from them if they be dangerous and hurtfull To conclude the motiue power obeyeth the appetite with incredible celerity and speed as appeareth euen in the motion and flying of flees It were ouer laboursome to prosecute al things in this kynd Euery power or faculty hath its obiect instrument operation its peculiar maÌ„ner of working so occult secret and wonderfull as no man is able to apprehend it and yet the reason of all these is contained inwardly in the soules of the said liuing creatures so as whosoeuer could perfectly penetrate the nature and the misteries of the soules should fynd the reasons of all the rest more clearly Wherfore I am fully perswaded if one could attayne the perfect knowledge of one small flye the pleasure of that knowledge would ouerballance and weigh downe all riches honours and dignities of Kings For if Pythagoraâ— as is written of him at his finding out of a mathematicke demonstration did so immoderatly reioyce as for the tyme he perfectly enioyed not himselfe then how much ioy exultation of mynd will a cleare knowledge of so many and so great misteries bring which are in themselues discouerable in the making euen of the least flye they being such as yet the most eminent Philosopher that euer was could not apprehend them and such as may serue to entertaine a most sweet and serious speculation of theÌ„ for the space of many yeares Verily touching my owne priuate censuâ—e I am of this former opinion as I said and I doubt not but all such as attentiuely consider the workes of God would conspire and agree with me in iudgment herein But now to speake something of the reasonable soule it transceÌ„deth in beauty worke and dignity the former by infinite degrees in the which not only the reason of the structure or making of the body and of all the senses but also the faculty of vnderstaÌ„ding of recordation or remembring and of imbracing or reiecting any thing freely in the which is included true electioÌ„ freedome of will is contained By the vnderstanding the soule coÌ„ceaueth the whole world and frameth to it selfe certaine inuisible images or pictures as it were of al things By the memory it retaineth al those images of things wrought by the vnderstanding and when occasion is ministred it maketh practise and vse of them Now how vast spacious are those entrances which are capable of so innumerable formes By the will the soule taketh fruition of all things disposeth of them according to its best liking yea and which is more it maketh to it selfe election or choyce of any course of life Neither is the difference here much to be regarded whether the soule performeth al these things immediatly by its simple substance or by distinct faculties powers seing the reason of all these are contained in its simple essence Therfore it necessarily followeth that the reasonable Soule is of wonderfull pulchritude splendour and perfection in so much that if it were to be knowne perfectly as it is in it selfe it would seeme to be a kynd of diuinity in the contemplation whereof the mind would be as it were absorpt and swallowed vp with an incredible pleasure delight seing the essence of it surpasseth by many degrees all corporeall things as also the vegetatiue and sensitiue soules of Plants and liuing creatures in worth and dignity Therefore out of the premises we may gather that there are foure degrees of beauty of things in this world The first which is lowest is of bodyes which are seene by the ye the secoÌ„d of the vegetatiue soule the third of the sensitiue soule the fourth of the Rationall or reasonable soule Therefore it is euident that not only the first but also the rest are formed by some most prudent and skilful intelligence or mind For if the beauty which is found in bodyes be to be ascribed to some such spirit or diuine power for the wonderful proportions appearing in them then much more the glorious