man the life the death and the resurection There câ—sented to the destruction of man The Serpent the woman and the man There haue repaired that downfal The Father the giuer the Sonne the gift and the holy Ghost the comforter In the numof three is a perfect conclusion of all things Much may be said of the nomber and orders made by this trinitie As fire water ayre and earth to make the world the Spring Somer Autum Winter to make the yeare East West North South to quarter the world Creatures going creeping flying swiming w e infinit milioÌ„s of celestial terestial bodies which he keepeth preserueth boundeth in holdeth within this Trinity And briefly to wind vp this point concerning nomber I hold it the original most worthy part of the three I mean that number is of higher coÌ„sideratioÌ„ theÌ„ place or time for God himself the can by no means stoup to be known to the capacity of man neither can be coÌ„tained within any place nor limited to any time in respect of his onÌ„ipotent greatnesse and eternall essence before and without respect of time yet hath hee vouchsafed to bring himselfe within the compasse of number And therein by the power therof to create man in a blessed and happy estate Thus hauing in som measure discouered the nature worthines of original number desiring by al meanes to auoyd tediousnes I leaue to be considered that these and diuers other auncient writèrs that haue left behind them learned workes had no other meanes to vnderstand any thing of the deity eternity of the God-head or immortality of the soule but the vse and helpe of Reason only proper and peculiar to man And so I proceed to the rest Of place IN respect of God before the creation of the world beginning of time All was Place And yet in respect of his greatnessâ— there was no place for he cannot be coÌ„tained in any thing but in himselfe If any be curious to demaund how spacious large or ample this place was let him take his answere with Cato of Vtica who would needs know of God why Caesar ouercame Pompey It is as if the meanest vassal in a kingdome should require the king to giue a reasoÌ„ for all things he doth or coÌ„mandeth Porpherius being much encumbred with vnderstanding of supernaturall causes breaketh out into these words Seeing that God did by skill dispose and ouerrule all things and ordereth them by incomparable propriete of vertue And on the contrary part mans reason being very smal is ignorant of most things how skilfull soeuer it seeme to be of the truth Surely we may theÌ„ cal it meaning Reason wise wheÌ„ it is not curious in searching such doubtfull and hard matters as are matched with danger of blasphemie but rather graunteth that the things which are done are very well as they be for saith he what can our weak reasoÌ„ find fault with or reproue in that great ReasoÌ„n meaning of the deitie As if he shuld haue said The waies the works the place of God and Eternity are not to be searched nor enquired after by any creature whatsoever If we descend but to the diuersitie of the condtion and nature of Creatures confined vnto place and their vnderstanding of matters not designed nor prouided for their estates conditions we shal haue sufficient cause to say that Place was such so much as it pleased the purpose prouideÌ„ce power wisdoÌ„ of God Before there was a creation of things and a beginning of time Place was infinit indefinit indeuisible without space or distance without being repaired vnto or departed froÌ„ neither containing nor contained w e out Center CircoÌ„ferieÌ„ce rule or diameter consisting neither of matter substaÌ„ce nor whatsoeuer stuffe Euery thing hath his point his Center his place and beginning Only the diuine esceÌ„ce place nature of god hath none as euery maÌ„ that wil seriously looke into his own self shall be enforced to coÌ„fesse In nature the greater can neuer be coÌ„prehended by the lesser But God in his nature place and essence is greater then man Therefore cannot â—od his incomprehensible place and nature be comprehended by the reason or vnderstaÌ„ding of maÌ„ Nature is a thing wrought by God Now no worke how great soeuer can perfectly expresse the cause or worker thereof Therefore nature caÌ„not vnderstand the diuine essence place and nature of God The reasonable soule is the admirable nature of man Now whosoeuer shall come to know his owne soule and the place thereof meerly by the power worke of it selfe shall confesse himself to be absolutely ignoraÌ„t thereof Therfore if nature reason with the powers affects of the soule reason commeth short to know it self much more must it come short to discouer or vnderstand the incircumscriptible nature essence and place of the holy Trinitie We see in the cours of the creatures of God as well terestrial as celestial coÌ„tinual mouings froÌ„ plà ce to place all those moued by their Creator the first mouer which argueth subiectioÌ„ obedience in the creatures to the Creator and out of a cessarie consequent of the contrarie it discouereth that God the mouer is neither moued nor doth moue too or from any place For to say he is here or there it is all one for he is euery where as it is anthentically prooued If I clime vp to heauen thou art there If I goe downe to hell thou art there also If I take the wings of the morning and remaine in the vtmost part of the sea euen there also shall thy hand leade me and thy right hand shall hold me for the heauen is his seate and the earth is his footestole To conclude this point we fee and confesse that God made and knoweth all things and hath appointed their natures beings times and places Now if he had in him the nature of any of his creatures that is to be limited vnto one contained in place or consisting of any materiall substance the same would incomber his diâ—ine essence for hee doth not come within the compasse of their limited nature place nor number for by that meanes wee should derogate from his holy and diuine Deitie and essence of a Creator Seeing therefore that God is not compounded of material substance he can not be a bodie And seeing hee is not a bodie he can not bee contained in place neither wholly nor in part wherof it may properly be said that hee is no where namely that no part of him is limited within any place to be pointed at or described For like as hee made all things by the power of his beeing So doth the same power enter into al things fill all things containe all things And for so much as the same being power is indiuisible it is whole in all and whole in euery part So likewise is he himselfe whole throughout in whome all things haue their being how be it he is not definitely nor
come againe to be nourished by the earth for that the mother which is the Sulphere is drawne from it And if you would put it againe into the earth you cannot giue it such a mixture of Elements as to make it growe If the Alchimist can doe any thing with it let him take the benefit for his labour But I would not haue ignorant men troubled therewith It is an Art vnfit for them and mee to deale with all But to come neerer to the point there is a deuise that Time should cause money to yeeld increase wherein they are driuen to vse the helpe and labour of man This will not serue the turne that also it is vnnaturall for albeit the labour of man may obtaine benefit yet Re vera there is no increase of the qualitie quantitie or nature of the gold or siluer But the vse that a man hath thereof must make something deerer and of more value then nature or Arte hath made it For though Art hath refined it yet cannot Art increase it but here is the fallacie a man is driuen thereby to purchase his owne labour a very vnnaturall thing For by Nature and Reason euery mans trauell should bee imployed for the seruing of his owne necessarie turne This is one of the cases I spake of before that men not contented with the things of Gods creation according to their owne values will set God to learne as if hee knew not what hee had done and willl adde further prouisions and meanes then euer was ordained of God Out of these reasoÌ„s it may be concluded that the raysing of increase vpon bare mony is vnnaturall and the meanes vsed to raise benefit thereby is an other course then was originally appointed by God and so directly against nature The consideration whereof ought not to be slightly regarded because God hath left nothing vnprouided that is requisite for the vse of man But there are that spare not to lay a very reproachfull ignomie on this kingdome of the vse of employing and disposing of mony to benefit and great increase aboue the principall by the way of vsurie And that the lawes of this kingdome either alone or at the least tolarate such taking of vsurie See how reason and truth is wronged In whose defence I am occasioned a little to digresse borrow leaue for a fewe words touching that point Caesar forbad that an Vsurer should be accounted a good or honest man This vnderstanding in all likely-hood continued a thousand yeares after that For Glannile chiefe Iustice of England one of the ancienst Writers we haue in the time of king Henrâ— the second censured the goods of an Vsurer at the time of his death to be confistcate to the King the name hath beene so odious that they were not admitted ciuill societie or Christian buriall I meane not to insist much vpon this point and therefore I referre the Reader for his satisfaction to peruse the margined Statutes wherein he shall finde the trade to be holden accursed and damnable The Trader is odious and the vse thereof vtterly forbidden by all the lawes that euer were made in this Kingdome concerning that matter And whosoeuer will enter into true vnderstanding of the reason whether it doth benefit or annoy shall be driuen to confesse a great devasting of the subiects estate therby which in this place I meane not to handle Yet seeing it is so repugnant vnto nature and reason let me craue pardon to goe a little further in this matter and vnder reformation to expresse such reasons for confutation of an error which I hold to bee maintained in this point and furthered and succoured vnder the shadow of a claâ—se in the law In which behalfe because demonstrations are very fit course to discouer the râ—asons as well of actuall as intellectuall things I haue composed 2. Tables The first discouering the fallasie and the second the truth Which course I take for that I finde falshood will euer vanish when truth commeth in place The point is this It is holden that the Lender vppon Vsurie may take at one months end his principall and a twelfth part for the vse being the highest rate he might haue taken if he had forborne his princiall and vse money a whole yeare and so for more or lesse time so he take not his vse before the principall and his contract be not to continue after the taking of his vse As the point is hard to be discouered so can I hardly admit my selfe to meddle therewith whereby to open the way into this seeming Labyrinth which notwtstaÌ„ding I hold to be plaine Before I come to the Table let me set downe the words that they build vpon No man shall take aboue 10. for the forbearance of 100. for one whole yeare and so after the rate and not aboue of or for a more or lesse summe or for longer or shorter time And no more greater gaine or summe thereupon to bee had Although I meane not to handle this cause by the course of a Law argument yet let me craue leaue to see how Reason and Art will conclude in one truth The law being to take construction most strongly and straightly for repressing of Vsury The law it selfe is a prohibiting law in no iote giuing libertie but repressing So are the wordes Negatiue and forbidding And vpon that reason none of these words can be strained to make any tolleration These wordes in the close of the sentence And no more greater gaine or summe thereupon to be had Do sufficiently explaine that by no means 100. li. by any course to be put out may yeeld aboue the gaine of 10. li. for a whole yeare But 100. li. put out for 3.6.9 months and the money and vse taken at that time being within the yeare may and doth yeeld a greater gaine then the rate of 10. li. for a whole yeare The Reason is the Lender may again dispose the same principal and vseâ— for more gaine within the same yeare and so not saued by the words nor meaning of the Lawe Let vs see how Reason can bring the former words to this conclusion And so after that rate and not aboue of or for a more or lesse summe or for shorter or longer time These words being in body of the clause haue refereÌ„ce to a rate which rate is before expressed that the â—orbearing of 100. shall not raise aboue 10. pounds for one whole yeare In this behalfe the borrower is not respected but the Lender for the words are No man shall take aboue 10 pounds c. Whereby appeareth that as the Lawe is made onely against the taker so is there no libertie for him to take any thing that may exceed the rate of 10. for a whole year Otherwise this mischiefe would ensue the Lender would depart with his monie for one two or three moneths to one man and then receiue his mony and vse and deliuer the same to an other debtor and
It is to be obserued that Christ in ministring the Sacrament of his blessed bodie and blood First he brake the bread and they eate it and then hee gaue the cuppe and all was done whilst he was really and personally amongst them It is vnnaturally holden that they did really and naturally eate his very flesh and drink his very blood This is against nature First it is against the nature of a Sacrament to be the thing which it representeth or for the thing signified to be the signifier or betokener of that which is signified Then it is against nature that Christ as he was very man being present and personally among them performing this office himselfe should at one instant be not be For as he was maÌ„ so was he local Now to deliuer himself to be eaten and yet remaine in the same substaÌ„ce of and by himselfe at the same instant is against nature Besides that he should so exhaust or drawe his most precious blood that wheÌ„ the bread which they inteÌ„d to be his real maÌ„ly body was eateÌ„ there should bee therein no parte of his bloud and more that himselfe should be at one instant absolute man at the same instant see himselfe visibly eaten with the teeth of men in distinct and seuerall places This is against the nature of the manhoode and so against both For Sacraments are not miracles nor natures to bee changed Besides in miracles things did not at one and the same instant containe two seuerall natures nor one nature in two seuerall places as in the miracle at the mariage as long as the water remained water it was not wine and after it became wine it was no longer water neither was it wine and water all at one instant though turned in lesse then a moment neither was it water in two seuerall places nor wine in two places otherwise then by diuiding it into seuerall cupps or vessells I make bolde to giue a touch of this misterie which I holde to be of deeper consideretion then mans reason can reach into which being a matter of spirit cannot be apprehended but by the eye of the same spirit hauing regard to the secoÌ„d life before spoken of Herein I obserue if men be so bold to rock and straine these great matters what is it that they will leaue vnâ—â— tempted in the lesse meaner causes In the cases of Alchemy there is some reason though the opinion thereof hath ouerthrowne many men for that they propone some matter to worke and some course of natures for incorporating and increasing But such as will graffe on a dead stocke long separated froÌ„ the earth a quicke graffe or impe and expect that the same shall prooue a tree is deceiued for it is against nature Likewise If any man will sowe egges in the ground or set corne vnder a hen hee will hardly finde either Chickens or haruest In such sort are the natures of things tide to their particular sorts and meanes of increase that necessitie will enforce nature to vse her owne meanes and manner of increase or generation An example of an vnnaturall product Let vs proceed to an example There is an opinioÌ„ that the earth would in time bring forth all the mettals that are in her bowels fully refined and pure without Phesies or drosse But either the curse hath so weakend her naturall heate or els she is not permitted her time of bringing forth her brood which hath caused Arts to trie conclusions If this be admitted what will follow of the next question In this case though time bee not agent nor the passiue part thereof yet you must giue this great bellied Lumpe time to worke to perfection and bring forth her great litter brood or spawne But it will be answered that Reason and Art hath found a meanes how to helpe Nature in this cause and to supply the defect of heate by fire for separating of the purer mettal from the drosse Admit this yet it must bee yeelded that these Mines were substaÌ„tially in the bowels of the earth who in time as is affirmed wold haue brought theÌ„ forth so as Reason and Art had to work vpon And in this case you must likewise giue Art and Reason time to worke their effect and that by degrees and meanes so that Reason nor Art cannot worke but vpon substances and by meanes which in the ensuing example is not allowed Ther is great difference betweene the Theoricke Practicke part of any thing or between matter of bare imagination and conceipt and matters of substance and truth betweene words and actions for a man by contemplation may behold many thousand places in a moment and set down a thousand proportions in his minde in shorte time conceiue a iourney of ten thousand miles by Sea with all the bowings and turnings But come to action and you shall finde another worke and labour to performe it Aman may by conceipt and in figures set down ten thousand millioÌ„s to be deuided betweene a hundreth thousand men but hee that shall come to action must haue mony in his purse words will buy no meate in the market neither will fantasie build Churches although it set down the proportion modell Contemplation conceit and art may plot set downe how or what to doe but substance matter and art must performe the action These words A thousand pounds written wil not pay one penny although Art hath found a way by letters to signifie or demonstrate such or any other sum Arte hath founde out by bills bonds and specialties to giue assurance for money but when it commeth to payment there must bee materiallie money or valuable matter to make satisfaction It belongeth to Art onely to proportion but essentiall money must make satisfaction By these it appeareth that God hath prouided substantial matters to passe from man to man or to be vsed by man And Reason hath found out Arts to proportion rate the same Besides this by the obseruations before remembred ther are sufficient things created to serue the turne of men in such liberall and plentiful sort as they shal not need any new inuention to create or raise benefite by fantasie imagination or any new sought deuise which wil deceiâ—e like dreames they are like witchcrafts enchantments seeming good yet in truth abhominable Let vs in this poynt consider one maine principal vsage which nature nor Art can make to cohere with Reason And that is that money should produce and increase money I would in this case willingly know the father and mother of this newe increase First let vs goe to the nature of the mettal bee it either siluer or gold and drawe from thence what reasons we may After that the mettal is taken out of the earths belly it can be no longer her child neither can the nourish or make it grow And being once ripened purified and brought to perfection by Art that is by fire It can then neuer