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
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
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
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
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
for the preuenting of Death for Death of the body depriuing the soule supposing it to be mortal of all good should become her chiefest infelicity and euill and present life her greatest good and happynesse And therefore it followeth that the soule should feare nothing so much as Death and on the other side affect desire and defend nothing so much as present life But now daily experience teacheth the contrary for many do make so small an estimate of life though abounding with all the goods of fortune as that they willingly spend it for prayse fame liberty auoyding of reproach and dishonour and for the exercise of vertue Yea some there are who for the declyning and shuning of disgrace or griefe and affliction of mynd or for the purchasing of a very little reputation sticke not to become their owne parricides murtherers So much more do those things which belong to the soule or mind preponderate ouerballance al that which appertaines to the body THE SIXTH REASON CHAP. VII SO great is the capacity and largnesse of the soule or mind as that no riches no dignities no Kingdomes not the Empire of the whole world no pleasures briefly no finite and limitable good can quench her insatiable thirst and desire but to this end it is needfull that she enioy some one immense infinite and boundlesse good and such as containeth in it selfe by way of eminency or preheminēcy the fulnes of all good whatsoeuer This the Prophet Dauid insinuateth Psalm 16. when he saith Satiabor cum c. I shal be satisfyed and filled when thy glory shall appeare as if he would say no other thing can giue me full contentment except the manifestation of thy glory which is an infinite and illimitable good And to the same end S. Austin saith Fecisti nos c. Thou hast made vs like vnto thee and our hart is vnquyet till it rest in thee Now if the Soule were restrained to the narrownes of the body it should not be capable of an infinite good neither should her desire be extended to any thing but what were conducing and accommodated to a corporall life as it appeareth in other liuing creatures For the Body and the matter doth restraine the appetite desire and capacity of the forme From whence it proceedeth that by how much the forme of any body is more materiall by so much it is more narrow and lesse capable but the more spirituall and more eleuated the forme is the more ample and the more enlarged it is and extendeth it selfe to more things thereby the better to perfect it selfe For bodyes wanting life as stones and metals as also their formes because they are materiall and grosse in the highest degree do desire nothing out of themselues neither do they endeauour any thing to further their perfection but rest in themselnes quiet and dead But Plants because their forme is more pure and perfect do couet after their manner nourishment and do attract it from without as also they change it distributing it through the whole body and conuerting it into their owne substance Besides they send forth flowers fruits and seedes so they continue dayly working to the augmentation conseruation perfection propagation of themselues but because they haue no sense or feeling of their nourishment they therfore receaue neither pleasure nor griefe thereby Liuing Creatures in that their forme is in a higher degree do not only performe all those operations which plants do but with all they haue knowledge and sense of their nourishment yea they mooue themselues to it they seeke it from the vse of it they take pleasure and from the want of it they receaue griefe and molestation Notwithstanding all their knowledge and affection or liking is limited within certaine narrow bounds for it only extendeth it selfe to the profit or hurt of their bodyes so as they apprehend no other thing they couet and fly no other thing they are delighted and grieue at no other thing which is a manifest demonstration that their Soule depends only of their body for their soule therfore perceaues and desires nothing but what conduceth to the rest good of their corporall life because their soule dependeth of the felicity of their body Aboue all other liuing Creatures is man indued with a reasonable soule or mind whose knowledge affection is not limited to things belonging to the body but is altogeather illimitable extending it selfe to euery truth to euery kind of good as is aboue said both which beare no reference or respect to the body And from hence it followeth that the Souls capacity or ability either in knowing desiring or in taking delight is infinite no otherwise then the ability of spirits or celestiall Intelligences which is an vnanswerable argument that the soule of man is not wholly depending of the body and necessarily tyed to the same This point is further thus confirmed Substantiae separatae as they are called that is incorporeall substances do therfore enioy the force of vnderstanding and do extend themselues ad totum ens to euery thing and ad totum verum bonum to euery verity goodnes because they are simple formes eleuated aboue all matter not depending of the same as Philosophy teacheth And hence it is that there is no spirituall substance but euen in that respect it is intelligent and vnderstanding Therfore seing the Soule of man is endued with the faculty of vnderstanding and is in her selfe of that expansion and largnes as that she stretcheth her selfe to the whole latitude of Ens in generall that is to euery truth and euery thing that is good by vnderstanding what is true and affecting and louing what is good no otherwise then spirituall and separated substances do it followeth that the soule doth not depend vpon any matter or bodily substance For where there is effectus adaequatus there is also causa adaquata that is where there is a proper and peculiar effect there also is to be found a proper and peculiar cause from whence the effect riseth But in the Soule of Man the effect is found to wit the force of vnderstanding and the capacity of euery truth and euery good therefore the cause also is to be found that is a spirituall nature independent of matter or of a body THE SEAVENTH REASON CHAP. VIII THere are in the nature of things some liuing formes which are separated from all matter both in their essence and manner of existence with the Philosophers do cal Intelligences or substantias separatas separated substances and Christians tearme them Spirits or Angels There are also some others which both in their Essence and existence are altogether tyed and immersed in the matter wherin they are and such are the Soules of beasts Therfore there oughtto be some other formes betwene the former two which in regard of their Essence may not depend of their body that so they may be like vnto spirits or Angels yet for their
dissolued with fyer ought to be corporeall and more grosse and corpulent then the fyre it selfe or that into the which it is dissolued It may be further added hereto that the foundation of the Stoicks wherupoÌ„ they grounded theÌ„selues that soules were to suffer no euill after this life notwithstading their great sinnes and enormities here committed was because they were perswaded that our soules were certaine particles or relicks of a diuinity And this diuinity they did hold to be anima mundi the soule of the world from which soule they further taught as being the common and vniuersal soule of al things that the particular soules of liuing Creatures chiefly the soules of men were decerpted takeÌ„ the which being after freed of their corporeall bonds and chaynes were to returne to that principle from whence they are deryued meaning to that vniuersall soule of the world with the which they finally close themselues All which assertioÌ„s are in their owne nature so absurd as that they need not any painfull refutatioÌ„ For if the soules be parcels of God how can they be dissolued with fyre Or finally how caÌ„ they be depraued with so many facinorous crymes and impieties Yea it would from hence follow that Diuinity it selfe should consist as bodyes do of parts and should be obnoxious to all euils and inconueniences whatsoeuer Therefore this vayne imaginatioÌ„ of the Stoicks is to be reiected which heretofore hath bene well refelled by Tully Origen did indeed confesse that soules were immortall and that they were neuer to lose their owne proper kind and nature notwithstanding he taught that the punishments of them were not sempiternall but were to take an end after certaine ages The same he in like sort affirmed of the paynes torments of the Diuels But this errour of Origen which he borrowed of the Platonicks was further accoÌ„panied with many other errours 1. First that all Soules Diuels Angels were of the same nature and consequently that soules were as free from all corporall commere as Angels were 2. That Soules before they were adioyned to the body did sinne and for guilt of such their sinnes were tyed to bodyes and inclosed in them as in prisons 3. That soules were coupled with bodyes in a certayne prescribed order As first with more subtill bodyes then if they continued sinning with grosser bodyes lastly with terrene and earthly bodyes further Origen taught that these seueral degrees of these soules desceÌ„ding into bodyes were represented by the ladder which appeared to Iacob in his sleepe Genesis 24. 4. That all soules as also the Diuels should after certaine ages be set at liberty and restored to an Angelicall light spleÌ„dour to wit when they had fully expiated their sinnes with condigne punishmeÌ„ts 5. That this vicissitude and enterchaÌ„ge of felicity misery should be sempiternal for euer in reasonable creatures so as the same soules should infinite tymes be both blessed and miserable for after they had continued in heauen for many ages blessed and happy then as being againe satiated and cloyed with the fruition of diuyne things they should contaminate defyle themselues with sinne for the which they were againe to be detruded into bodyes in the which if they liued wickedly they were to be cast into the paines of hel which being for a tyme suffered they were to be restored vnto Heauen This condition state Origen imposed vpon euery reasonable creature by what name soeuer it was called whether Angels Principalities Powers Dominations Diuels or Soules See of this poynt S. Ierome in his Epistle ad PaÌ„machâ—um against the Errours of Iohn of IerusaleÌ„ and Augustin l. de hâ—resibus c. 43. But Origen extremely doteth in these things 1. As first in affirming that all spirituall substances are of one nature and condition 2. That Soules are not the formes of their bodyes but separated substaÌ„ces which are inclosed in the bodyes as in certaine prisons 3. That all soules were created from the beginning of the world 4. That blessed spirits could haue a fastidious cloyed conceit of diuine contemplation and that they could sinne 5. That for such their sinnes they were sent into bodyes there for the tyme to be detayned as in prisons 6. That the torments of the Diuels of all soules are once to be expired and ended 7. That all the damned are at length to be saued 8. Finally that this Circle by the which the Soule goeth from saluation to sinne from sinne into the body from the body to damnation from damnation to saluation is perpetuall and continueth for euer Al which dreames of Origen might be refuted by many conuincing and irrefragable reasons but this is impertinent to our purpose would be ouer tedious to perform Only it shall suffice at this present to demonstrate out of holy Scripture that the paines of the wicked and damned are to be most grieuous neuer to receaue a cessation and end Of the Punishments of the life to come out of the holy Scripture CHAP. XXV ALTHOVGH it be most sorting to naturall reason that Gods diuine Prouidence should allot after this life to euery one a iust retribution according to the different comportment of each man in this world Notwithstanding what this reward shal be whether it be conferred vpon the good or the bad and of what continuance neither can mans reason nor the disquisitioÌ„ and search of the best Philosophers giue any satisfying answere hereto The cause of which inexplicable difficulty is partly in that it dependeth of the meere free decree of God and partly because the nature of sinne and consequently the puuishment due to it is not made sufficiently euident and perspicuous by naturall reason Therefore to the end we may haue some infallible certainty herein we are to recurre to the diuine Oracles of Gods written word in the which we are able to see what the holy Ghost by his Prophets other pious men haue pronounced of this point and especially of the paines of the wicked whereof we now intreate 1. The first testimony then may be taken out of Deuteronomy c. 23. in that most admirable and propheticall Canticle or song of Moyses Ignis succensus est c. Fire is kindled in my wrath and shall burne vnto the bottome of hell and shall consume the earth with her encrease and set on fire the foundation of the mountaines In which words fiue things are to be considered First that the fire with the which sinners shal be punished is already kindled both because the fire of hell is prepared from the beginning as our Lord insinuateth in Matth. 25. and the like is in Esay 30. as also in that though that fire with the which the world shal be consumed be not already enkindled yet it now existeth in Gods most certaine prescience and preordinance For what is certaine to come by the force of Gods decree is said after a propheticall manner now to exist or to be
ages it hath done seeing it belongeth and is peculiarly incumbent to the office of a Gouernour not to suffer the wicked to rule and sway much but to chastice them with diuers punishmeÌ„ts therby not only to cause them to cease from afflicting the vertuous but also by amending their manners to affect and prosecute a vertuous life And for example heereof let vs suppose any one Citty the which the worst most wicked meÌ„ do daily gouerne who without any feare of lawes coÌ„mit rapyne vpon the goodes of their neighbours do violate and desile the beds of others and without restraint do satisfy their lusts in all things who would say that this Citty eÌ„ioyed a Gouernour that is wise and prouident Wherefore since in the whole world there is such disturbance of order that we can hardly conceaue a greater perturbation then it iâ— to wit the religious worshippers of God to be oppressed to endure extreme want and other calamities to liue in a despicable and contemned state of life and finally most miserably to dy and on the contrary syde the wicked to gouerne sway all to liue affluently abundantly in all riches to insult ouer the vertuous to wallow in sensuality lastly to haue a quyet end and death Now who would here think saith the Atheist that Prouidence by the which all thinges are dispensed and giuen in an euen measure should haue any presidency or power in the vnequall disposall of these worldly affaires For from this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and want of order and from this confusion of things the former men did coniecture that there was no supreme gouernour which had any care in the dispensatioÌ„ of temporal busines This argument is the chiefest for the strengthing of this most wicked assertion which preuailed much not only with some of former auncient tymes but also with diuers in our daies Secondly they obiect that it is euident euen by experience it selfe that mens negotiations busines receaue their successe for the most part answerable to the industry endeauours employed in them not according to the right equity of the mater heÌ„ce say they it procedeth that many waging most iniust wars haue obtained the victory either because they were more numerous powerful in souldiersâ— or in that they were more industrious painful in their designments In like sort such men as maintaine vnlawful suites do oftentymes by periuryes and false witnesses purchase the sentence of the Iudge Finally we find that mens owne industry and laboriousnes doth much more predominate and rule ouer all their mutuall commercements then the prouidence or influence of any higher cause Al which obseruations may seeme to intimate that there is no superiour Diuyne Power gouerning and moderating mens actioÌ„s but that euery one is lest to his owne particuler prouidence and watchfullnes Thirdly we see that things consisting of nature do euer proceed after one the same manner keeping one immoueable course order Thus the Sunne euer ryseth setteth ruÌ„neth the same circles occasioning with his approach the Spring and SuÌ„mer with his departure the Autume Winter in like sort things natural do grow and after decay or dye still one thing begetting another without cessatioÌ„ or end to the perpetuating of the same species or kind which is a signe that all things are gouerned by the force of Nature and that there is no other higher power then Nature her selfe by the which all these thinges are effected Fourthly we obserue that man is first begotten formed in his mothers woÌ„be borne increaseth comes to his full groth or vigour growes old and dyes after the same maÌ„ner as other more perfect liuing creatures do and that he consisteth of the said members and organs therfore there is the like end of maÌ„s life as of other creatures and as they do vtterly perish away after death s also doth man Lastly if there be any supreme spirit or diuine nature it is credible that it doth not intermedle with mans affaires nor busieth it selfe with things done among vs. First because this seemeth vnworthy the maiesty of so great a Deity for as a mighty Monarch doth not trouble himselfe with the particuler actions of his Cittizens workemen or bond-slaues litle regarding what they say thinke or do as houlding the care of such small matters to be an indignity to his regall state In lyke sort Men scorne the labour busines of Ants or flees as not regarding their policy or course they hould But now in reference comparison to that supreme power we men are far lesse inferiour then the Ants. Furthermore seing that Diuinity is perfectly blessed containing all sufficiency within it selfe and seeking nothing that is extrinsecall or externall why then should it be sollicitous and carefull of our Actions Finally the former point seemes true in regard that by the meanes of humane things howsoeuer they happen there is neither any more neere approach or further distance from the sayd Deity Other Arguments to proue the same then are here alledged I fynd none and these former arguments are answered solued in the fiue last Chapters of this first booke THAT THERE IS ONE SVPREME Power by whose Prouidence all things are gouerned is made euident by many reasons CHAP. II. BVT the contrary sentence of this poynt is to be acknowledged and set downe as an inexpugnable verity to wit that there is a supreme Diuyne Power by whose prouidence and wisdome all things both humane others are gouerned and this power we cal God Now this truth is not to be belieued only by force of diuine reuelation but also is made most euident by many reasons and demonstrations which are most obuious and familiar vnto vs and are to be apprehended euen by our senses For although a diuine nature or diuinity in respect of it selfe is altogether inuisible notwithstaÌ„ding there appeare so many perspicuous notes and prints thereof in sensible thinges so many footsteps euery where finally so many sparcles of this light or splendour are shining in euery thing as that who will diligently insist in the coÌ„templation of them cannot possibly doubt either of the being of a God or of his Prouidence Fourteene or fifteene reasons do occurre to me from which this truth receaueth its proofe or rather demonstration which I wil briefly here explicate to wit first from the generall confession of all Countryes and wisemen 2. From the motions of the heauens 3. From that that thinges corporall and subiect to sight cannot receaue their first being from themselues 4. From the pulâ—hrâ—â—ude and beauty of things and from the structure and position of parts in respect of the whole 5. From the structure of the parts of the world in reference to their end 6. From the structure and position of parts in liuing Creatures and plants in reference also to their ends 7. From that that the actions and operations of all things most directly orderly tend to their end
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
earth would become dry barren depriued of all beauty ornaments of trees grasse hearbs and flowers and finally not fit and commodious for the habitatioÌ„ of man beasts Showers receaue their fecundity and fruitfulnes from a double cause first by the mixture of a viscous and fat matter which is exhaled and drawne vp with the vapours from the earth and the sea for the sea being fertil hath a certaine fatnes with the which fishes are nourished Therefore while the Sunne eleuateth vp the more thin parts of it which are vapours it withal attracteth a certaine oyle and fat matter which being mingled with the vapours after throgh cold conden sd and thickned into rayne doth water the earth The same thing also hapneth when vapours and exhalations are drawne vp through the Suns heat from a fenny earth froÌ„ gardeÌ„s fields woods Secondly showers take their fruitfulnes from the spirit and heat included and impressed in the cloud or shower by the beames of the Sunne for this spirit or heat causeth all things to grow and increase And to the end that the fall of showers should not ouerwhelme with an ouer great and impetuous force weight the tender buds and flowers therefore the diuyne prouidence hath ordayned that they do not fall ouer abundantly and precipitantly but that froÌ„ a great height they should distil by little little through a large tract of the ayre wherby they being deuided into infinite most small drops do be sprinkle the earth with a pleasing moisture and humidity And to the end that what is thus falen vpon the earth should not by the heat of the Sunne be instantly dryed vp consumed before it could penetrate and descend to the roots of plants therefore for the most part certaine dry remnants of clouds do intercept the beames of the Sunne vntill the earth do drinke and suck vp the raine and transmit it to the rootes for the better nourishing of the fruite which it bringeth forth Also Snow which is as it were the froth of clouds is accompanied with no small benefit for besides that it affords matter for the continuance of springs and riuers descending from the highest mountaines it doth couer the earth as it were with a fleece of wool and by this meanes keeping the heat of the earth within it hindreth that frosts penetrating ouer deeply the earth do not extinguish the seminall vertue resyding in rootes and thus Snow is one cause of the earths great fertility of plants Snow also hath in it selfe a fecundity and fruitfulnes in regard of the ayre included in it which shining with infinite bubles giueth that extraordinary whitenes to the Snow Frost in like manner is most profitable to all things for by a repercussion beating backe it keepeth within the spirit heat of the earth and of liuing creatures not suffering it to euaporate and vanish away And from this it coÌ„meth that in colder couÌ„tryes and such as are subiect to frosts men are of a more robustious greater stature and longer lyued then in hoater regions Now these to wit Wynds showers snow frosts and the like come not promisâ—â—ously in any tyme of the yeare but are so distributed by certaine seasons thereof as they most aptly agree and sort to the begetting growing increasing and perfecting of plants and liuing creatures and to the perpetuating of their species and kynds and further do serue most coÌ„modiously to Mens vses From all which it is euen demonstratiuely concluded that all these are ordained and instituted by a most wise and most powerfull mynd or spirit for the good and sâ—ruice of liuing creatures and chiefly of Man to whom all the rest are subiect And that the Elements are for the same cause made and do to that end enioy such their peculiar situations and their proper formes and figures which now they haue doth abundanâ—ly appeare from the consideration of the earth and water For if we consider precisely things as they should be in their owne nature the earth ought to be exactly round and the water ought on euery syde to couer encompasse the earth Seing all things that are ponderous and heauy ought to descend equally towards the Center of the earth and by how much one body is more heauy then another by so much it ought to be more neere to the center and lower in place then the other Therefore the earth ought to be vnder the waters and the waters specially to be powred about it But we see that these two Elements are far otherwise situated for a huge portion of the earth to wit all that which is not couered with the sea and all the immense weight and heape of mountaines is far higher and more remote from the Center then the water is For there ruÌ„neth a mighty vast channell through the middest of the earth of an infinite profundity deuided into seuerall passages which running diuers wayes and in some places of greater breadth in others of lesser do make Ilands Into this channell all the Element of water is receaued that only excepted which being extenuated and made thin turneth into vapours that so the earth as free from being couered with water might be made seruiceable for the habitation of men and other creatures and for the groth and increase of things Furthermore the Earth is so fashioned and brought into that forme that from the sea towards the mediterranean places it by insensible degrees lifteth it selfe vp riseth higher vntill it end into mountaines and rockes in which poynt consisteth a most admirable art of the diuyne Prouidence For first by this structure of the Earth it is made free from all perillous inundations which by little and little and in long processe of tyme by tne influence of the starres or force of the wynds might endanger al the Earth For we see by experience that such bordering parts of the earth as are neere to the sea and do not much exceed the Sea in height are often vtterly ouerflowed with the deaths of the Inhabitants and losse of all goods Furthermore if this easy ascent rysing of the Earth were not there could not be any riuers for if the superficies of the earth were equally distant from the Center as in a globe perfectly round then would there be no fall of riuers for the water cannot flow except it fynd places more low and neere to the Center And if the Earth should suddenly be lifted vp into steepe heights then would the fall of riuers be more impetuous and violent then were requisite neither could riuers being so precipitious and downfall be commodious to mans vse neither could they runne continually through defect of matter I here omit the danger of inundations which often do chance to the great losse and detriment of the inhabitants when abundance of raine aud melted snow being gathered together do suddenly and precipitantly fall from some great height Therfore the Earth ought to ryse in height by
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
No man would vndertake any laborious and painfull taske nor be seruiceable to any other since no man would performe these things were he not forced therunto through want penury And so we should want all rich attyre all fayre and stately edifices all costly furniture for houses all magnificent temples and Churches all Cittyes Towers Castels and other such fortifications In like sort then would cease all agriculture and tilling all nauigation fishing fowling all trafficke for merchādize againe there would be no nobie and potent men as being destitute of all seruāts and followers Moreouer all differences of degrees and orders which are necessary in euery common wealth would be taken away and consequently all reuerence and obedience◠Therefore whatsoeuer in the whole course of mans life is faire gorgeous magnificent and to be desired all the same would be wanting if men were not poore and nothing would remayne but rudenes barbarisme and sauagenesse To this former inconuenience may be adioyned another of greater importance to wit an extreme corruption of manners and an opening the sluce to all disorder dissolution of life For it is obserued that such lasciuious courses do commonly accompany idlenes and abundance of wealth an example of this we may borrow from the men liuing before the deluge whom lasinesse opulency and fulnes of temporalities did ouerthrow as also from the inhabitantes of Brasile who by reason that the country afforded them abundantly without labour through the natural temperature of the Climate all things necessary are altogeter become mancipated and slaues to Epicurisme lust and all vicious sensuality Two things then there are which chiefly hurt depraue all conuersation of life to wit idlenes and affluence of riches This later ministreth matter to all vices the first giueth opportunity and tyme for the practizing of thē But both these are taken away by pouerty the one to wit abundance immediatly seing want is nothing els then the want and not hauing of riches the other I meane idlenes in that whiles penury afflicteth and presseth men they are for the further preuenting thereof willing to vndergo any labour and paines Therfore penury serueth to man as a spur wherby a flothfull nature is pricked and stirred vp to industry and toyle which while it is wholely imployed bent and intent vpon its designed worke and taske is freed from dangerous and vicious cogitations and consequently hath not leasure and tyme to spend the tyme in sensuality From this then it is euident how healthfull and medicinable Pouerty is to mankynd since it extinguisheth and cutteth away the nourisher of all vices possesseth and forestalleth the mynd with hurtles thoughts and filleth the world with all ornaments and commodityes For what in humane things is to be accounted as fayre excellent and to bee admyred is the handy worke of pouerty and is chiefly to be ascribed to it Therefore it was truly said of one authour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Penury and want begetteth wisedome This argument is handled copiously by Aristopahnes in Pluto and we do euidently discouer in it Gods prouidence by the which he so sweetly and moderatly gouerneth mankynd THE NYNTH REASON IS FROM Miracles CHAP. XI TO the former argument we may adioyne this next which is drawne from miracles which do irrefragably demonstrate a diuine power for if euents haue and do happen which cannot be ascribed to any corporall cause then is it euident that there is some one inuisible greater vertue or power from whom all such stupendious actions do proceed and this power we call God Now that there are and haue bene many such which transcend the limits and bounds of nature is most cleare from reason it selfe from the frequent testimonyes of most approued histories and from the ioynt confession◠and acknowledgment of al countryes Among which great number I will heere insist in the most remarkable and notorious of those which haue bene effected either before or since our Sauiours Incarnatiō First then may be the creating of the world of nothing for seing this cannot be made of it self as is proued aboue in the third fourth reason then must it necessarily be made by some other agent but it is an incomprehēsible miracle to wit the producing of so huge a worke out of nothing and such as could be accomplished only by that power wisedome which is most infinite and illimitable The second may be the framing and making of so many liuing Creatures and Plants and the first institution of so many seuerall seedes by the which they are propagated increased as also that great fecundity of the earth and the sea by the cooperation whereof one Creature or seede is multiplyed in a short tyme into seuerall thousands The third The most swift motion of the heauens and the gouernement and disposall of this inferious world by meanes of this rotation and speedy turning about of the said celestiall bodies For by this is occasioned the most pleasing and gratefull alteration and change of day and night with the secret and stealing increase and decrease of them in length By this also are effected the seuerall tymes of the yeare so as all creatures plants are by this meanes brought forth after become mature rype and perfect in their due tymes In like manner by this motion of the heauenly Orbes the fieldes are beautifyed and enriched with flowers the pastures with grasse the woods with trees and leaues and the trees with fruit finally by the mediation of the foresaid motion is wrought the flux and reflux of the sea the blowing of wynds the darcknesse of the clouds the conueniency of showers the benefit of snow the first rising of springs the current of riuers the wholsomnes serenity of the ayre and the benefit proceeding from thunder diuers other Meteors To these may be addressed the deluge and inundation of the whole world the safety of men and beasts by the Arke the cloud or burning Sulphur with the which the Citty Pentapolis was consumed the plagues of Aegipt the diuision of the sea the submersion drowning of the Egiptians the pillar of the cloud and fyre the heauenly meate or Manna giuen to the people of israel for forty yeares space the wels springing out of rockes through the striking of thē with a Rod the infinite multitude of quailes sēt into the Camps so many apparitions of God euident to all men so great castigations and punishment of rebellious incredulous and misbeleeuing people destroyed sōtymes through the opening of the earth other tymes through fyre or touch of serpents so many admirable and vnexpected victories To these in lyke sort are to be adioyned the staying of the Sune in the midle of its course for the space of ten howres the retrograde or going back of it diuers degrees the force and burning of the fyre suspended and restrayned and the preseruation of the seruāts of God put into a burning fornace the fury of Lyons
rest at whose command all the others do moue or rest quyet Now then by force of this reasō there ought much more to be the like order among spirits so as all are in regard of soueraignty ouer them to be reduced to one supreme spirit for by how much any thing is more excellent by so much it ought to enioy a more perfect order in the world but spirits are far more worthy in nature then corporall things therefore among thē there ought to be the perfectest order to wit of subiection and domination For it were most absurd to grant an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and confusion in the noblest ranke of Creatures seeing we fynd the lowest and most inferiour degree of things to be so orderly disposed and distributed This poynt is further confirmed from the most dangerous and imminent inconueniences accompanying the contrary doctrine for if among spirits there were no order that the rest should not be subiect vnto one at the command wherof the power of them were to be restrained then might euery one of them trouble and afflict the world at its owne pleasure might take away mens goods burne and destroy all things might infest mens bodyes with griefes diseases death to be briefe might destroy and ouerthrow all mankynd neither could any redresse be found to the contrary seing there were no supreme spirit to the which this other did stand subiect and so the world could not in any sort long consist For how prone wicked spirits are to hurt and afflict men appeareth both frō the history of Iob all whose substance the Diuell destroyed killed his sonnes and daughters infected his body with most grieuous vlcers as also frō the innumerable sacrifices of the heathens in the which the malignant spirits commāded that mens bodyes should be sacrificed vnto thē still making choyce of that which was most deare to the sacrificer as his sonne his daughter or one who was in great estimation in the Common wealth finally frō the warres and tumults to the which the Diuels vnder the shew of diuyne and celestiall powers haue stirred men Now if they are thus cruell and merciles towards men God but giuing them in some sort the bridle for the offences of men what would they not do with what calamities would they not afflict men and what honours worships would they not extort at our hands if they were at their owne power and liberty receauing from no superiour spirit any restraint or inhibition Yea amōg themselues warres emulations dissētiōs would grow if there were not one that could impose a command ouer them For as among Princes who acknowledge no superiour oftētimes wars are stirred vp with the which the world is miserably afflicted because there is none to whose souerainty they stand subiect and who is of power to compose the rising controuersies among them Euen so among spirits there would grow repinings contentions wars with the which the world would be vtterly extinguished if they stood not in subiection to some one supreme power for euery one of them would seeke to aduance himselfe and labour to draw all things to his owne pleasure and desire wherfore Homer most truly did leaue it registred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is It is not good that there be many Princes in one kingdome let one Prince one King be And answerably hereto Aristotle as borrowing it out of Homer thus writeth in the twelth booke of his Metaphisickes c. vlt. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Things in nature do not couet to be gouerned in an euill sort and manner To conclude seeing there are many spirits as is shewed aboue I would here demand from whence this multitude had its begining Or who brought thē into the world They proceed not from bodies in that they are of a more excellent and eminent nature then bodyes are as also in that bodyes do bring forth only bodies Neither is one of them ingendred of another as we see liuing creatures are propagated seeing this kind of generation is peculiar to things which are subiect to corruptiō to wit that by this meanes the species kinds of things may be perpetuated whiles the nature being extinct in the parent is conserued in the issue Neither can it be said that euery one of these spirits haue their being from themselues so as they depend of no other cause granting that any thing receaueth its existence and being from it selfe it is far more probable that this so taking it existēce should be but one not many For it is much more fitting that there should be one certaine Nature independent of any in the which the whole fulnes of beeing resteth eminenter and vnitedly from which one nature the beeing of all things is deriued according to the degree of euery such thing thē to maintaine that there are many Natures which depend not of one supreme nature For where there is a multitude of seuerall species or Indiuidua and particuler things there is also a limitation and imperfection seeing those many things are altogither distinct and seuerall neither do one comprehend the perfection and vertue of another And hence it ryseth that none of those is for it selfe but for another and all together conspyre and meet in one and are as it were parts of one entyre whole which riseth out of them Thus do many bodies make the world many men a Common wealth many spirits one kingdome or cōmon wealth of spirits but what is of it self ought to be altogether perfect and sufficiēt to it selfe needing not the support help of any other thing And what may be the reason thereof Euen this that what is of it selfe is also for it selfe according to that Quod caret principio effectiué caret etiam fine What wanteth an efficient cause wanteth also a finall cause and therefore it selfe becomes the end to it selfe not seeking out of it selfe any ayde light truth ioy or beatitude but hauing all these things in it selfe and from it selfe Therefore that which is of it selfe and independent of another must needes be but one not many to wit a primordiall or illimitable essence sufficient by it selfe being the fountaine of euery thing and of each limitable nature We may ad hereto that to grant a being of many spirits independent of any is to introduce a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or confused company of Gods and many first beginnings as blynd Gentility was accustomed to do assigning proper and peculiar Gods to euery particuler busines affaires of man who should be the authours directours and vpon whome that kind of particuler negotiation should be peculiarly incumbēt So they made Venus the goddesse of loue and lust Diana of hunting Ceres of fruyte Mercury of negotiation Esculapius of curing diseases Mars of warre Pallas of wisedome Apollo and the Muses of Poetry Fortune of casuall euents and the like in diuers other things but all this with a strāge blindnes of iudgment as if one
the Immortality of the Soule THE SECOND BOOKE WHEREIN Is proued the Immortality of the Soule CHAP. I. IN the former booke we haue demonstrated that there is a God and a diuine Prouidence In this second the Immortality of the soule is to be proued For these two Articles are in themselues so linked together as that they do reciprocally presuppose the one the other for admitting the one for true the other doth ineuitably follow For if there be a God and a Prouidence it is necessary that the Soule after this life be immortal that it may be rewarded according to its merits and if the Soule doth liue after death it then must needes be that there is a God and a Prouidence which is to dispense to euery one answerably to the deserts of ech mans life as incideÌ„tally we haue shewed out of Chrysostome Againe supposing that there is no Prouidence or deity then is the immortality of the Soule taken away and supposing no immortality of the soule then is the being of a Deity denyed of which point we shall heearefter speake Now because this sentence of the Soules Immortality may be fortifyed and strengthned with many other reasons and that there are not few who do doubt thereof although perhaps they may seeme not altogether to doubt of a deity or of a Prouidence I hould it worthy the labour to discusse this point more elaborately and particulerly And here we dispute of the Soule of maÌ„ not of beasts for it is euident that this is mortall and corruptible since it desireth nothing nor reposeth its delight in any thing but what belongeth to the benefit and pleasure of the body Therefore that the soule of man which as it is endued with vnderstanding and freewill is called Animus or Mens is immortall may be demonstrated by many arguments which we will here briefly and clearly set downe And first if authority should sway or determyne the point herein it is certaine that whosoeuer haue bene at any tyme noted for eminency of wisedome haue belieued the soule of man to be immortall to wit the Sagi and wisemen among the Hebrewes or Iewes among the Chaldeans the Egiptians with their Trismegistus Mercurius among the Indians the Gaules whom they called Druides In like sort the Pithagorians the Platonicks with their first Maisters the Stoicks vnanimously maintayned the Soules Immortality though diuers of them were deceaued in this that they thought al the Soules of men to be certaine partes or particles taken froÌ„ Anima muÌ„di or the Soule of the world which they said was God that they were to be dissolued in the conflagration and burning of the world and being then dissolued they were to returne to their simple forme to wit into the soule of the world like as mixted bodies are resolued into the Elements of which they are framed What Aristotle thought herein is somewhat doubtfull because he speaketh variously and vncertainly yet in his secoÌ„d booke de ortu animalium c. 3. he thus writeth Solam mentem c. Only the soule of Man entreth into the body from without and it only iâ— a certaine diuine thing and the reason hereof is because the operation or working of the body doth not communicate it selfe with the operation of the Soule Now the soules of other liuing Creatures he affirmeth to be ingendred in the matter through the force of the seed in that all their operations depend vpon the body Now heere he euidently teacheth that mans Soule doth not depend of the body and therefore it is not ingendred by the vertue of the seed but proceedeth from without Vpon which ground or reason diuers followers of Aristotle do ascrybe the sentence of the Soules immortality to Aristotle To conclude all men whosoeuer that haue bene illustrious and markable either for sanctity of life the guiâ—t of Prophecy or working of miracles haue euideÌ„tly and indubiously houlden the Soules Immortality and who haue denyed the same were for the mâ—â—â—â—art most impious and wicked men as the Epicureans the Atheists Now if this point should be discussed by Philosophicall reasons the aduerse opinion would â—ynd small firmnes therin seing that reason wherupon it chiefly grounds it selfe is most weake This reason is taken from the similitude of bodyes which is found betwene Man and Beast For we see say the Patrons of this heathenish opinioÌ„ that men and beasts are conceaued formed borne nourished do also increase grow old and dye after one and the same maÌ„ner In like sort they consist of the like parts of the body both internall and externall which like parts haue the like vses in them both Therefore conclude they that wheÌ„ a beast dyeth and breatheth out his last the Soule vanisheth euapourateth it selfe into nothing nor any thing of it remaineth after life so also it may seeme to be said that man dying his soule also dyeth and turneth into nothing But this reason is most feeble and of no force for though there be a great affinity betwene the soule of Man as it is endued with reason is called Mens the soule of beasts the difference is infinite froÌ„ the which great disparity we may deseruedly gather that the Soule of man as being of a high and diuine order or nature dyeth not though that of beasts is absolutly extinguished euen with the body For beasts do not perceaue in any sort those things which belong to men neither is there any communication or commerce of busines or deliberation betwene man and them As for example dogs and horses know not whether their maister be rich or poore noble or ignoble old or young healthfuâ— or diseased maryed or vnmaryed vertuous or wicked an Italian or a Germane None of these I say do beasts vnderstaÌ„d or make difference of whereupon it followeth that they neither conceaue griefe nor ioy of those thinges which happen to men Againe they see the Sunne the Moone trees houses cittyes and villages but they know not nor thinke what they are to what end they are directed or from wheÌ„ce how they proceed All their knowledge is restrayned to few things to wit to those things as are pleasing or displeasing to their nature Of these only they iudge and this after a confused and brutish manner conceauing them vnder the shew and title of being profitable or disprofitable conuenyent or inconuenyent for they loue not their maister for any other respect but because by the help of their phantasy they apprehend him vnder the shew of profit in that he giueth them meat or the like In like sort on the contrary part the sheepâ— flyeth the wolfe for no other cause but by reason that by instinct of nature he conceaueth him as his enemy Therfore seing beasts haue a knowledge so imperfect and limited and apprehend nothing but what appertaineth to the coÌ„seruation of their bodyes and lyues nor are delighted or grieue at any thing but in respect as that thing affecteth their body well or
workemans mynd Furthermore light cannot occasion darkenes But truth is light and the square of what is right and vice is darkenes a lye and a deuiation or declining away from the path rule of truth Now this opinion which teacheth the Soule to be mortall corruptible doth subuert and ouerthrow the foundation of al probity and vertue and giueth the raynes to all licentiousnes and sensuality For who would walke in the cragged way of vertue refraine his desires tame his lusts abstayne from doing wrong and worship a diuine power if he did expect no reward for such his deportment and carriage nor fruite of this his labour Wherefore we find euen by experience that such as maintaine the Souls mortality are of a most licentious and prophane life conuersation for as in a commonwealth it cannot be brought to passe that externall iustice and politicall honesty be obserued and violence and iniury be restrained except rewards and punishments be ordayned by force of established lawes Euen so vertue in mankind cannot be practized vice prohibited where there is no expectation of reward and commination of chastisement set downe by the decree and ordinance of God The which remunerations and recompensations seeing they are not euer payed in this life it followeth that they are to be reserued for the life to come since otherwise it might be said which were a heynous offence to auerre that a coÌ„monwealth is more wisely and prudently ordayned and gouerned by man then mankind is by God The Wiseman in the second chapter excellently describeth the improbity of such as deny the soules Immortality in these words Exiguum cum taedio c. Our life is short and tedious and in the death of a man there is no recouery neyther was any knowne that hath returned from the graue For we are borne at all aduenture and we shall be hereafter as though we neuer had been c. Come therfore let vs enioy the pleasures that are present and let vs cheerfully vse the creatures as in youth c. Let vs leaue some token of our pleasure in euery place for this is our portion and this is our lot Thus we see how these men do place their chiefe felicity in the pleasures of the body Now after this Salomon proceedeth further shewing how such men beare themselues to the vertuous how they spoyle them afflict them kill them making their owne power and might the law of iustice so holding that for lawfull which they can and will execute then the which nothing can be reputed more iniurious for thus he bringeth in them saying Fortitudo nostra c. Let our strength be the law of our vnrighteousnes for the thing that is feeble is reproued as vnprofitable To conclude the Wiseman endeth thus in his owne person Haec cogitauerunt c. Such things do they imagine go astray for their owne wickednes hath blinded them and they doe not vnderstand the mysteries of God neither hope for the reward of righteousnes nor can discerne the honour of the soules that are faultlesse For God created man without corruption â— made him after the image of his owne likenes In which words he giueth a reason why man according to his Soule is inexterminable without end and incorruptible to wit because he is like to God as being his image For in respect of his mind and soule man is capable of diuinity as also of euery truth and goodnes Therefore seing this perswasion of the death and mortality of the soule is so pernicious to all vertue morality and conuersation we may infallibly conclude that it is most false as being not warranted with any iust shew of truth Againe that sentence which is the source and welspring of all iustice piety vertue cannot be false for as light cannot proceed out of darkenes so the shining spleÌ„dour of truth cannot rise from the obscurity of errours And certainly it is absurd in it selfe that the errour of iudgment and a false perswasion of mynd should become the fountaine of all iustice and probity But this article which teacheth the soules immortality and that after this life it is to be rewarded or punished is the ground-worke of all iustice and probity since through this expectation man is deterred from vice and impelled and perswaded to vertue Wherupon it hath been euer obserued that such men as euer grew eminent through the prayse of vertue were incited to the practise of it through the perswasion of the soules immortality from thence then it followeth that this sentence must be most true since it is is incredible that the nature of the mynd or soule should be so ordained as that the true perfect knowledge of it selfe should be the cause of all improbity and lewdnes and an erroneous perswasion the occasion of vertue For so it would follow that nothing would be more necessary and conuenient for the Soule then to be ignorant of its owne nature and nothing more dangerous then to haue a true knowledge of it selfe which paradox is most incongruous and absurd since all wisemen esteemed this sentence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nosce teipsum as an Oracle in so much that Plato in Charmide witnesseth that these words were inscribed in the front of the temple of Apollo at Delphos to the end no doubt that all should take notice that the obseruing of this sentence is the only way to true felicity reuealed to man by a supernaturall power Whereupon Iâ—uenal thus writeth E calo descendit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is this sentence Know thy selfe descended from heauen Perhaps thou mâ—ist heere say that vertue is a reward to it selfe and vice its owne punishment therefore though the Soule be mortall and that it is not to expect after this life either reward or to feare punishment yet by this meanes it is sufficiently incyted and stirred vp to imbrace vertue and flie vice I answere hereto and say that this Stoicall imagination is but weake and of small force to gouerne the affections of men though at the first appearance it heareth some shew of probability and this for seuerall reasons First because the beauty of vertue and deformity of vice is a very secret hidden thing and apprehended but by few wherupon it riseth that it cannot efficaciously mooue the mynds of men since nothing which is vnknowne stirreth the affection Secondly because this reason is little preuailing euen in those minds which make shew to admit the force of it for who is he which flieth pleasure only by reason of its inward turpitude as it is aduerse to the law of reason and imbraceth the way of vertue only because the vertue is in it selfe fayre and agreable to reason not being induced thereto through any other motiues For the Stoicks themselues who first did venditate and teach this doctrine were not perswaded to â—ine answerably hereto as mooued only through the force of vertue and vice but rather through honour