desire were both ouertaken with the reuenging hand of God the one of them causing his seruant to be his Butcher and the other embruing his hands in his owne blood The like befell Lucretius a most notorious Atheist who being depriued of the right vse of his senses abused by him to the denying of God and of all religion slewe himselfe in the middest of his madnesse Pope Iohn the 13. may woorthily be enrolled in this band as he that was not ashamed to put vp ◠supplication to the deuill to send him goodlucke at dice and one day in the middest of his iollitie hee tooke a cuppe of wine and dranke to the deuill But by the iust iudgement of God hee was stabbed in with a dagger by one who tooke him committing adultery with his wife so that hee died thereof within eight dayes after Leo the tenth Pope of that name who thought there was neither heauen nor hell after this life and blasphemously saide that the Gospel of Christ was but a fable was sodainely striken dead with an extreame laughter which he fell into by reason of newes brought him of the slaughter and ouerthrowe of certaine French men in Italie by his meanes The French histories make mention of one Frances Rabelais who hauing sucked in this poison of Atheisme made a mock at al religion as Lucretius his forerunner had done before him but the selfe-same author defender of true religion that tooke frō Lucretius al vse of reason did so depriue this beast of all sense that as he led a brutish life so he died like a swine in the midst of his drunkennes deriding those that spake vnto him of God and of his mercy Iodellus likewise a French Poet and a professed Atheist as he gaue himselfe in his life time to write tragedies so he made a right tragicall end For hauing through gluttony and riot wasted his patrimony and wealth he fell into such extreame neede that hee was miserably famished for want of sustenance It would aske a long time to set downe the iudgements of God that haue iustly ouertaken sundry others of this abominable crew only I will rehearse one history worthy our knowledge concerning this matter mentioned by Enguerran in the second volume of his Histories In the raigne of Lewes the eleuenth and vpon the fift day of Iune 1464. there happened saieth he a wonderfull accident in the Palace at Paris whilest there was a controuersie in pleading betweene the Bishop of Angiers and a rich citizen of that towne whome the Bishop accused of notorious Atheisme namely that he had saide in the hearing of many that he beleeued not there was any god or deuill either any heauen or hell Now as the Bishops Aduocate rehearsed these woordes the place where they were pleading trembled very sore insomuch that with the shaking a stone fell downe from the toppe to the bottome but hurt no body albeit they were all taken with a great feare Whereupon they went all presently out of the place vntill the next day when the matter was to be heard againe And then also the saide roome beganne to shake againe so that one of the sommers of the chamber sprang out of the mortesse and bowed downeward two feete but fell not All that were present supposed they should haue died no other death which caused them so violently to rush out that for haste some left their hattes some their cappes some their slippers behinde them neither durst any pleade any more there before it was throughly mended Nowe albert Enguerran speaketh nothing of the determination of that suite yet for asmuch as nothing commeth to passe by happe-hazard as they vse to speake but all things are guided by the good prouidence of God it is out of question that the Lorde woulde teach vs heereby howe wee shoulde detest and abhorre such execrable thoughtes and speeches seeing the very dumbe creatures as the stones the timber and the earth it selfe which of it owne nature is vnmooueable were so affected with the horrour thereof that they coulde not abide so much as to heare it spoken of without shaking But here some will say vnto mee that this labor might well haue bin spared considering that the sunne-shine of the Gospel which breaketh forth so cleerely in all quarters of the lande will quickely descry if any such ougly bird should once beginne to peepe out of the shell within the nest of this Iland And if the Athenians being meere heathen men banished Protagoras out of their territories and burnt his Bookes in a publike place because in the beginning of one of them he called the deity into question wee may not think but that in this land ouer-spread with the knowledge of God this monstrous brood shal be nipped in the head so soone as euer it shall dare to shew it selfe Indeed a man would thinke that Atheisme should not once be dreamed of or named amongst vs considering that we liue in those times of which the Prophets foretold That the earth should be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters that couer the sea that all the childrē of the Church should be taught of the Lord so that one neighbor shal not teach another saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest saith the Lord. So a man woulde thinke that Fraunce hauing bin for these thirty yeeres vpwards almost continually scourged with ciuillwarres and that for the cause of religion shoulde bee so farre from being stained with the least spotte of Atheisme as that it might now at the length truely say with the Prophet Dauid It is good for me that I was afflicted for thereby haue I learned to keepe thy law And yet both this our Author and some other of that nation knowing that this infection hath seazed vpon many of their countrie-men haue laboured by their writings to suppresse the same And surely it is greatly to be feared that as their disguised attire couereth the bodies of many of our people maketh them deformed so this poison of Atheisme hath passed the narrow seas is landed in the hearts of no smal number to their vtter destruction both of bodie and soule Neither is this the feare of some few without any ground but of a great many wise and godly Christians who seeing the generall prophannesse of mens liues almost euery where both publikely crie out against the present infection and priuately bewaile the future euils that necessarily follow the same And albeit per aduenture there bee none amongest vs that are so farre gone in Atheisme as Ligneroles a French Courtier of late daies was who is said to haue made open profession thereof yet if the tree may be iudged of by the fruites the outward effects of mens liues doe shew the inward affections of their hearts he that hath but halfe an eye may see that there are a great many
by any newe and sodaine motion but by an immutable and eternall counsaile For no newe thing can befall him neither is there any thing in him that is mutable but according to the height and depth of his riches hee hath multiplied the children of men And let them thinke imagine and dispute what they list yet all things haue had their beginning according to the good prouidence of God which no man in the worlde can sufficiently comprehend O great mysterie that God hath alwayes beene and that it pleased him some time past to make man first who was neuer made before and yet not to change his purpose and will Thus you see howe wee must steppe by steppe ascend by the workes of God vnto himselfe as we haue alreadie touched in the beginning of our speech and as wee can doe it well ynough in mens workes For when I behold a worke it by and by putteth me in minde of the instruments wherewith it was made and the instruments of him that made them and of him that set them aworke Then the Workemaster putteth me in minde of him that made him such a one namely both of his master that taught him and also of his parents that begate him Thus climing vp still from one to one and from degree to degree I must needes in the ende conclude that there is one chiefe Workmaster of whom all others are descended by their order degree And there I must stay as in like maner proceeding from one essence to another I may come to the contemplation of that infinite and eternall essence which is the spring and first cause of euery nature namely vnto God who hath giuen to that matter whereof he made all things a forme meete and conuenient for that worke which he would make of it This is that which I thinke we ought to conceaue touching the creation of the matter of mans body Now before we consider the disposition therof I thinke we ought to intreate of the creation of woman who is one selfe same flesh differing onely in sexe and appointed of God to bee a necessarie helpe for the originall and preseruation of mankinde which I desire to heare you discourse of AMANA Of the creation of Woman Chap. 2. AMANA No maruaile if the eye of mans soule be often dimmed yea looseth all light in the diligent consideration of the wonderful workes of Gods prouidence For as the eye of the body although cleare of it selfe cannot behold colours figures other visible things except it bee illuminated with light from heauen or from some other lightsome body so albeit our vnderstanding of it owne nature be very cleare sighted as being a beame of the diuine brightnes yet by reason of the bond that conioyneth it to the body wherein it is ouerwhelmed with the darknes of the matter it can in no wise attain to the glittering conceptions of eternall wisedome vnlesse it alwaies haue God that great euerlasting Sunne and his heauenly light to illuminat it and to guide it to the faithful contemplation of the woorkes of his almighty hand This hath bin the cause why so many great wits discoursing philosophically of the originall and beginning of things and looking on euery side yea doubting and fearing many things which they found contrary to humane reason haue bin caried hither and thither with diuers opinions like to a vessel tossed in a deep sea but could neuer come neere to the knowledge of the trueth But if wee follow the bright starre of trueth fixed in the heauenly booke of life as wee haue learned therein the creation of man so we may as easily be instructed in the creation of the woman to the confusion of the wise men of the world and of all Epicures and Atheists The holy scriptures teach vs that after God had created man placed him in the garden of Eden to dresse it and keepe it had forbidden him to eate of the tree of the knowledge of good euil which was a signe tokē of the homage obedience and subiection he did owe to God his creator Lord and of that blessed life appointed for him as a recompence and crowne of this obedience It is not good then saide hee that man shoulde bee himselfe alone I will make him an helpe meete for him And to shew the better how this helpe was not onely meete but also necessary for man Moses saith that God had already brought all the beasts before Adam that he might name them according to their natures and kinds which hee perfourmed Whereby we may iudge what great knowledge of naturall things was in Adam before he sinned For otherwise hee could not haue giuen to all liuing creatures names agreeable to their nature and if hee had not named them as he should hee had brought in great confusion in nature Afterwarde Moses addeth that amongst all those liuing creatures hee found no helpe meete for Adam yea the Lorde had spoken of him before as if he had bene alone in the worlde For although all the beastes and all the residue of the creatures were giuen to man to assist him so that being in that estate of innocencie wherein hee was then hee might receiue all seruice and readie obedience from all the creatures neuerthelesse hee had not as yet any helpe of his kinde For hee coulde not haue that familiaritie and conuesation with the beastes nor receiue such helpe from them as hee coulde from creatures of his owne kinde Therefore when the Lorde saide that it was not good for man to be alone hee declared plainely that he did not create him to liue and solitary in the world but with companie and that his will was that there should be men vpon earth who should liue in societie and fellowship together Nowe seeing that man was created for this ende he coulde not liue in company with others of his kinde without generation and multiplication thereof which coulde not be except hee were ioyned to a wise seeing it pleased GOD to appoynt it so Wherefore as hee created the other liuing and sensible creatures of two sexes in one kinde namely some males and others females that they might increase and multiplie by generation so likewise dealt hee with mankinde But as hee tooke an other course in the creation of man then he did in that of beastes so also dealt he in the creation of the woman whome hee purposed to giue vnto man for a companion For hee created not man and woman both together but man first and then woman afterwarde as wee will declare by and by Nowe because there is no coniunction or communion in any humane societie wherein that holy bonde which ought to knitte all men together and ioyne them one to another is better declared then in that whereby man wife are conioyned and vnited as it were in one selfe same bodie and in one soule therefore it pleased God not without cause to beginne this holie
in sorrowe the heart drieth vp and gathereth it selfe in so it causeth the face which is the image of it to retire and drawe backe yea it depriueth the face of all colour and causeth it to fall away Briefly it marreth all health and hath for continuall companions sighs plaints groanes teares and weeping and oftentimes gnashing of teeth as it is written of the damned because of that sorrowe and indignation in which they are by reason of the torments which they suffer It is true that the most of these things serue as a remedy against sorrow For howsoeuer griefe shutteth vp the heart as we haue said yet by groning sighing and weeping the heart doth in some sort open it selfe as if it woulde come foorth to breathe least being wholly shut vp with sorrow it shoulde be stifled Againe teares are giuen vnto vs to testifie our griefe and to manifest it to others that we may mooue them to haue pitie and compassion on vs and to help and succour vs. They serue vs further to declare what compassion we haue of other mens sorrowe and griefe which vse is very necessary for vs to get and preserue friendship one towardes an other and for our mutuall comfort and consolation For we are greatly comforted when we see any take pitie and compassion of vs. Wherefore when we can not otherwise solace them that are grieued but only by declaring that wee are sorrowfull for their heauinesse and for those euilles which they suffer yet doeth that affoorde great consolation And although it seemeth an easie matter to giue this comfort yet is it harder then many thinke it is For before wee can finde this in vs wee must first haue loue in our hearts which causeth vs to open our bowels and mooueth vs to compassion towards our like that we may weepe with them that weepe as we must reioyce also with them that reioyce according as Saint Paul exhorteth vs thereunto For by this meanes we testifie that vnion and coniunction which we haue one with an other as members of one and the same body and as if wee felt in our selues all that good and euill which others feele Nowe because in our definition of these affections of ioy and griefe we made two sorts of those that men feele in their hearts namely either of that good and euill which is present or if that which they looke for wee must consider more particularly of these things and see first why God hath put these affections in the soule and what is true and present ioy as also what that other kind of ioy is which hath regard to that which is to come which is properly called Hope Now let vs heare thee ASER vpon this matter Of the causes why God hath placed these affections of Ioy and Sorrow in the heart of true and false Ioy and of good and badde Hope Chap. 45. ASER. Men haue commonly sharpe wittes to know vaine earthly and carnall things but as for heauenly true eternall things they are able for the most part to vnderstand nothing So that wee may compare the eyes of their soule to the eyes of an Owle which seeth clearely by night but when the sunne is risen seeth neuer a whit Euen so man hath some knowledge of the troublesome things of this worlde but his sight cannot pierce vnto the celestial and diuine light Therefore it falleth out often that being beguiled by his owne sense and reason insteade of Good and Ioy hee chuseth and followeth after that which is euill and full of griefe For when the affection of the heart which naturally desireth Good and seeketh after Ioy is missed and deceiued by humane reason it easily embraceth euill in place of Good and that vnder some vaine shewe of good which seemeth to be in that euill thing it chuseth And although at the first the heart feeleth not that which happeneth vnto it yet hath it leisure enough after to complaine of the torment which is alwaies equall both for age and time to the fault committed and to the abuse of those gifts and graces which God hath placed in the nature of the soule Forasmuch then as the heart is the beginning of life we may well know that God hath not without good cause placed therein such vehement affections of ioy griefe which serue either to preserue or to destroy it and haue for their companions hope and feare as wee wil declare heereafter For by these affections God would giue vs prickes and solicitours to cause vs to thinke seriously of that lesson which Dauid giueth vs when hee saieth Taste yee and see howe gracious the Lorde is blessed is the man that trusteth in him Feare the Lorde yee his Saintes for nothing wanteth to them that feare him The Lions doe lacke and suffer hunger but they which seeke the Lorde shall want nothing that is good What man is hee that desireth life and loueth long dayes for to see good Keepe thy tongue from euill and thy lippes that they speake no guile Eschew euil and do good seeke peace and follow after it The Prophet sheweth here plainely wherein true life felicitie consisteth and the reason thereof hee setteth downe afterward namely that the Lord looketh both vpon the good and bad and that as hee preserueth the good so hee rooteth out the remembrance of the wicked from off the earth Therefore hee saieth afterward Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lorde deliuereth him out of all Malice shall slay the wicked and they that hate the righteous shall perish The Lorde redeemeth the soules of his seruants and none that trust in him shall perish Wherefore as the children of God that are partakers of his promises can not bee without great ioy in their hearts which feedeth and preserueth them and causeth them to liue happily through the testimonie and taste which they haue of the sweetenesse goodnesse and fauour of God towards them so contrariwise perpetual sorrow dwelleth in the heart of the wicked who cannot haue that ioy in them because they want that which should bring it vnto them For howsoeuer it seemeth that there is no ioy in the worlde but theirs yet they neuer haue any true ioy neither indeede can haue For they seeke not for it neither doe they knowe what it is And therefore in steade of seeking it in God in whome onely it resteth they seeke it in creatures and in al kind of vanitie and yet finde nothing but in offending the maiestie of God For this cause Iesus Christ hath long since pronounced their sentence saying Wobe to you that laugh for ye shall weepe Contrariwise ye that weep are happy for yee shall laugh Blessed are they that mourne that is to say that feele their miseries and seeke for ioy and consolation in God for they shal bee comforted After speaking to his disciples he sayeth Verely verely I say vnto you that ye shall weeepe and lament and
mainteineth that the vegetatiue and sensitiue soule is no other thing then the temperament of the liuer and of the heart which are assigned to be the seats and chiefe instruments of the nourishing and vitall power and vertue And as for the animall or reasonable power whose seat is commonly placed in the braine we haue alreadie shewed his opinion Now of this part there are many euen of them who greatly magnifie it that are not yet well resolued whether they ought to take it for the animal spirit or for the temperament or for an incorporeall nature that commeth elswhere then from the body Aristotle he calleth the soule by a new Greeke name that signifieth asmuch as a perpetuall motion and sayth that it proceedeth from a fift nature and beginning which he calleth Heauen But he speaketh not so plainly that a man may iudge by his words what he thinketh of the reasonable soule in man whether it be mortall or immortall Neuerthelesse he confesseth that there is great difference betweene that power of the soule which we call more specially by the name of spirite and betweene the other twaine which he calleth the Nutritiue and Sensitiue powers For he vseth this worde Powers and affirmeth that these two first proceede onely from the bodie and are bredde there and that the Vegetatiue soule and power is more in the seede and burden then the Sensitiue But as for the third hee saieth plainely that it onely commeth from without els-where and that this onely is diuine not communicating her action with any corporall action Thus we see sufficient agreement betweene the Philosophers and the Phisitions concerning the Vegetatiue and Sensitiue soule or power but there is not so good accord about the reasonable soule and power Yea many great Diuines Doctors agree with them in the two first points For this cause Occam saith plainly that there are two distinct soules in man the one reasonable the other sensuall the reason is because it is manifest that the Sensitiue soule hath no actions but instrumentall that is to say by meanes of those instruments whereby shee exerciseth her actions and from which she hath them Whereupon he concludeth that this sensuall soule seemeth to haue her originall and generation from the seede and that it is either the temperament or some facultie and power in the bodie He confirmeth this opinion by another argument taken from the contrarie appetites and desires of the reasonable and sensuall soule out of which he draweth this conclusion That it is very likely that these are two distinct substances because it seemeth inconuenient in one and the same nature not diuided or distinguished to place appetites so wholly contrary each to other Hee addeth farther that it is a thing very agreeable to nature that euery liuing creature shoulde beget his like therefore man begetteth man like himselfe at leastwise in respect of the Sensitiue soule if not of the reasonable soule Whereupon it followeth that the Vegetatiue and Sensitiue soule proceede from the nature of the seede The Platonicall Philosophers were of opinion that soules were bred in heauen and were taken out of the diuine nature as a portion thereof and that there they were instructed and adorned with sundry sciences with knowledge and vertue and that afterwarde beeing giuen of God they descended from thence into the bodies of men as into stinking filthy and contagious prisons Whereof it followed that through the infection of these prisons they were corrupted by euill affections as it were with the filthinesse of them So that they forgate all those gifts and celestial vertues where with they had been endued and adorned in their first birth and which they had brought with them And being thus detained as prisoners in this darke and filthy prison they could no more vse all those goodly gifts but onely so farre foorth as they were taught and instructed againe by doctrine which in respect of them may be compared to a light brought to prisoners kept in a darke dungeon to light refresh them For this cause those that were of this opinion affirmed that the knowledge of men is but a remembrance and calling againe to minde of that which their soules had learned and did know in heauen at their first birth before they entred into their bodies according as we heard euen now For being descended into this base and obscure prison and hauing forgotten that which they knew their memories are rubbed vp by doctrine and instruction bestowed vpon them which kindleth againe these celestiall sparkles of their mind and portions of the diuine fire by inflaming them and causing them to burne that were almost vtterly quenched Wherupon like Philosophers they conclude that soules so infected by descending and entring into their bodies cannot returne againe nor be receiued into heauen and into the place assigned for the blessed spirits vnlesse they returne pure and cleane decked with the selfe-same ornaments wherwith they were adorned at their first birth And this they say may bee wrought by good instruction by vertue by good workes or otherwise they say they haue sundry purgings being separated from their bodies Some diuines among the Grecians haue followed at least wise in some part the opinion of these philosophers by name Origen of whom S. August thus writeth But we may marueile much more that some beleeuing with vs that there is but one only beginning of all things that no nature which is not God can haue any being but from the Creator neuertheles would not beleue rightly and simply this point of the creation of the world that is so good and simple namely that God creating all those good thinges that were after him although they were not the same that God is notwithstanding they were al good But they say that the soules not being parts of God but made of God sinned in departing from the Lorde and so by sundrie degrees according to to the diuersitie of sinnes from the heauens vnto the earth haue merited sundry sortes of bodies to be as it were their chaines and fetters This say they is the world and this was the cause of making the worlde not to the ende that the good things might be created but that euill things might be stayed and repressed Of this opinion is Origen who is worthily to be blamed These are the very wordes of this great Doctor of the Church And by that which followeth in the same place hee plainely confuteth Origens errour who in his first booke of Beginnings writeth that things without bodies were first made of God and that amongst spirituall things our spirites or mindes were also created which declining from their estate and dignitie were made or named soules of which the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth as it were to grow colde and to decline from a better and more diuine estate beeing so called because it seemeth that the spirite or mind is waxen cold fallen
commodity or pleasure to the life of man the ignorance of our selues which hurteth this life and the other we looke for is a great deale more shamefull and dishonest Now a man may easily perceiue how commendable excellent and profitable the knowledge of the nature of our bodies and of euery part thereof was iudged to be by men in ancient time in that they had publike schooles amongst them in which euery one might daily behold Anatomies yea Anatomies were shewed to euery one that would see them in the priuate houses of Philosophers and Physicions And for this cause Galen saith that the Ancients would not write of this science But after when this diligence of the first louers thereof beganne to be despised and reiected of the most part of men it was necessary that some should write thereof for their good as also for the benefit of posteritie Otherwise they would haue fallen within short space into a dangerous ignorance of their nature and of the causes and remedies of such diseases as dayly trouble them But wee must referre that knowledge which in our discourses wee seeke for out of this science to another end Neyther do we vndertake to speake of that Art and Science that belongeth to Phisicions as though we made profession thereof but onely to shew the true vse of it and howe it may bee referred to the honour of God and to the knowledge of his wisedome and prouidence as also to the end that in beholding the wonderfull composition and disposition of the members of our body wee shoulde remember the creator thereof who seeth whatsoeuer heth most secret and hidden therein and who is able to make as it pleaseth him an Anatomy both of body and soule and to send them both to euerlasting hell fire when they will not acknowledge him to be the efficient and finall causes of their being Hauing regard therefore to this ende we will consider of the parts of mans body according to the subiect propounded vnto vs. The partes then of the body are diuided into two sortes or kindes the firstis the simple or similary parts the other the compound parts The simple partes are of that nature that euery portion of them howe great or little soeuer it be retaineth alwayes the name that is giuen to the whole whereof it is a part and of these simple partes the other kinde is named whereof wee will intreate heereafter because they are compounded partes and obtaine the place of members whose partes are not called by the name of the whole member but euery part hath his speciall name For all the partes of the head are not called by the name of the head and so it is in the other members of the body But if a bone bee broken into many peeces euery peece is still called a bone and the like may be said of the other simple parts which are nine in number namely the bone the ligament the gristle the sinâ—w the pannicle the cord or filament the veine the artery and the flesh Our speach therefore must be of these No man is ignorant that the foundation of euery building is as much a part thereof rather more although it appeare not then any other part howe sumptuous soeuer it be For the rest are laid and planted vpon the foundation neyther can they long continue in their beauty vnles that be good and firme We may say the like of the bones of a mans body which are made of the seede in generation when the thickest part of it is hardned by heat as stones are baked in the earth by great heat For they are not only like to foundations and pillers which sustaine the body al the members thereof but they are as it were pales and fences vnto it to containe all things that are within the building of the body and to inuiron al the parts of it as it were with walles and rampires For this cause they are more earthy drier and colder then any other part of the body And therefore the prouidence of God appeareth most wonderfull in this composition of the bones seeing that of one selfe same peece of earth or clay he maketh the bones so strong and hard in comparison of the ligaments griâ—tles and oter simple partes so that in respect of these the other are for strength hardnes like to stones and mettals in comparison of the other part of the earth Neither is the wisedome of God worthy of great admiration in this respect onely but also because hee made not the bones all of one peece nor yet of one fashion and forme For minding to giue motioÌ„ not only to man but also to al other liuing sensible creatures the bones were to be diuided distinguished into diuers pieces to the end they should not hinder this motion which is so necessary for those creatures the maner whereof wee may see in men armed at all points For the harnesse must be made of diuers pieces according to the ioynts of the members that their moouing may haue no impediment But because the bones being diuided and separated one froÌ„ another cannot be so conioyned or vnited together that euery one should sustaine that charge which it hath to beare therfore that they might serue more fitly for motion to the creatures God hath framed theÌ„ in such wise that they haue their ioynts in so good proportion so aptly interserted one within another as that the whole combination vniting of theÌ„ al together is maruailous exquisit goodly to behold like to a worke made of many pieces which all meet together in one body For some of them are hollow like to a round box that they may be conioyned with the other that are round in the ends to the end they might be knit together more coÌ„ueniently To be short they haue all their fashions proportionable one with an other according to that maner of vniting which is most meet conuenient for theÌ„ Now because this coniunction of ioynts cannot keep itself at that stay if it haue no other band therfore hath God placed there certaine ligaments or stâ—ings of the bones which are white partes without blood void of sence not holow proceeding from the bones differing from them in nature although not so much as the gristles do For the gristles which serue also for a stay that is softer then the bones to the end they should not rubbe together ouer hardly one within another are more earthy drier and harder then the ligaments and yet not so much as the bones so that they are as it were of a middle substance and nature betweene the bones and the ligaments which are also very earthy drie and hard but lesse then the gristles and the bones and more then the sinewes which also in some sort draw neare to the nature of the ligaments But they differ both in that they haue diuers originalles as also bicause the ligaments are altogether
forme and of so many goodly and pleasant members as are ornaments vnto it yea which are so necessary that without them all the rest are as it were vnprofitable neither coulde they preserue and keepe themselues I speake not yet of those partes that are hidden and contained within the head but onely of those members which appeare outwardly which are in such wise disposed euery one in his place that albeit they be not farre distant one from another yet the neere ioyning of them together doeth not cause them one to hinder the office of an other notwithstanding their diuersitie as wee see euidently and shall know more at large by the sequel of our speaches Hereby doth God admonish vs how wee ought to behaue our selues one toward an other and dwell eueryman within his boundoâ— and limites not setting one vpon an other and not incroching vpon any thing that is our neighbours For as these is spare and roome enough in the head for all the senses and members that are there and the like in the rest of the body for all the members whereof it is compounded by reason of the good order concord consent that is amongst them so the earth and the worlde is bigge enough and hath goodes enough for all if wee had skill and coulde beare one with another and be content euery one with his estate and office and with those gifts which we haue receiued from God as members of one and the same body If this good accord and consent were amongst vs a litle place would please vs but if we doe otherwise all the worlde wil not be great enough to suffice vs. No riuers seas or mountaines will be sufficient to keepe vs within our bounds and borders Therefore let vs learne of the senses and members of our body what rule wee ought to keepe one with an other The bodily senses which God hath giuen to man to bee ministers and messengers to the spirituall senses of the minde are fiue in number namely the sight hearing smelling taste and touching To al the members instruments of these senses which shal be hereafter declared vnto vs the facultie of sense is generally giuen by the sinewes which haue their originall from the braine as we haue already touched So that hereby we see what is the dignitie and excellencie of the head seeing God hath placed therein the fountaine and spring not onely of all the sence but also of all the motions of the boby which are wrought by meanes of the sinewes For we must know that foure things are required in the office and vse of the bodily senses The first is the power and vertue of the soule which giueth sense by the animall spirite guided by the finewes The second is the instrument being well applied and made fit for his vse and office by which the soule effecteth her worke The third is that thing that is to be perceiued by sense about which the soule exerciseth her office The fourth is the meane or way which receiueth the obiect of the sensible qualilitie and and carrieth it to the instrument As for example If the question were of sight first there must be this power and vertue of seeing in the soule Next the eie is necessarily required thereunto for it is the proper instrument appointed to receiue light Then there must bee light without which all thinges are couered with darkenesse and made inuisible For although the eies by nature are partakers of light yet that which they haue naturally and which they cary within them selues will affoorde them as small light as if they had none at all except they receiue a greater light that commeth from the heauens or from some light 〈◊〉 body as from fire or from a candle lighted as we see by experience the night time Lastly the meane or middle way is of necessitie required by which the light is to be brought and communicated with the eye and that is the aire through which it passeth as through a glasse or christall or such like bodies which are not so 〈◊〉 that they keepe backe the light from 〈◊〉 through them For if there bee nothing betweene them I meane betweene the eye and the light and those colours which it must beholde a can not apprehend and perceiue them The like is to bee saide of the senses of hearing smelling and tasting as we shall vnderstand berter when wee speake of them heereafter particularly But as for the sense of touching it is most earthy of all the rest Therefore it agreeth with th◠〈…〉 is common to all the partes and members of the body that haue sâ—nsâ— although it bee more 〈◊〉 lesse in some places theâ— in others This sense is giuen to the body to discerne the first qualities by namely hote colde moyst and drie from others that accompany them as heauy and light hard and soft sower and sweete thicke and thinne which are compounded qualities taken from the foure 〈…〉 all corporall things are made of the foure elements Concerning gâ—â—â—atnesse figures members motion and rest they are common to many of the senses Thus much for the sense of touching from which the rest do differ in that euery one hath his proper sense which is not communicated with any other For onely the eyes see the eares heare the nose breatheth the tongue and palate taste And heere wee haue to consider of the great prouidence of God in many points First forasmuch as the body cannot liue without the sense of touching which hath for obiect the elementary qualities it is giuen to all liuing creatures in euery part of the body to the ende that thereby they might knowe according to the proportion of the qualities what is profitable or hurtfull to their bodies in the participation of these qualities and so eschew more easily that which might hurt them But men haue this sense chiefely in the endes of their fingers that touching slightly with them they might make the first triall of all qualities For if they feele that the thing which they touch is too hote or too cold or that there is some other excesse in the quality which might hurt them they are admonished thereby to the end that by a very litle hurt they might auoyde a greater For a man may better cheape feele a litle griefe and that very lightly in the end of one finger or of many then in a whole member or in all the rest of his body Besides God hath further prouided for this sense in that it is not so sharp to â—â—ele suddainely and to the quicke as the sight or hearing to the end the body should receiue lesse dammage by that which it toucheth if it be hurtfull for it Now the eyes because they doe not touch that which they see nor the eares that which they heare therefore they can not be so damnified as the residue of the members may which feele not except they touch Moreouer we haue yet to note
the mouth for respiration and for the breath of the voyce as hath beene declared vnto vs so there is another from the stomacke vnto the same place properly calle the Gullet which the Physicions commonly call by the Greeke name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose office is to cary the meates and drinkes into the stomacke And as the other pipe is in the former part of the necke that it may goe right to the mouth to drawe in the aire so this second is behinde in the necke that it may keepe more heate in it and it is longer then the first Neuerthelesse many thinke that there is but one pipe for bruath and for meate and drinke as there are some also who albeit they know well there are twayne yet they suppose that the one is for meate and the other for drinkes that the lightes also might bee moystened thereby Yea there haue bneene skilfull and great Philosophers who seeme to haue beene in this errour or at leastwise haue disputed thereof But because GOD hath so distinguished these passages and that the first is the breathing pipe for the reason vttered before this excellent Woorkemaster hath made another litle instrument called Epiglot by the Physicions made of a grictly matter reasonable harde and fashioned like to a little tongue that is of a triangle forme or like an 〈◊〉 leafe This instrument serueth to couer the pipe for breath at the very toppe of Larinx as it were a couer of a potte It serueth the pipe to this vse not to keepe euery thing out of it but to suffer no meate or drinke or any other thing to enter in in any such quantitie as might hinder breathing and respitation For a litle thing will stoppe a mans breath and strangle him as appeareth in those whome Histories affirme to haue beene strangled some by a litle haire others by a stone of a grape some in supping vp milke and others by such like tirfles Yea many times wee haue experience of this pevill when wee eate and drinke if neuer so litle ineate or drinke enter into this passage Therefore God teacheth vs two things thereby the first is vpon what assenderthreed our life dependeth seeing so litle a matter is sufficient to depriue vs of it The other is to admonish vs how quier and sober we ought to be in eating and drinking not glutton like and alsoin speaking when we take our refection For then is the danger greatest if wee speake whilest wee eate because wee cannot speake without voyce not haue voyce without breathing nor breath without opening this litle couer And because the breathing pipe is formost the meate drinke must needs passe ouer this litle tongue as it were ouer a litle drawe bridge So that if this small couer were lift vp and opened in stead of going beyong the pipe of breathing it would enter into it But it most not bee so fast shut vp but that breath may alwayes issue out and that some thinne humour and liquor may enter in to moysten and supple both the arterie and the lungs otherwise potions appointed for that purpose by the Physicions were vaine and vnprofitable Hauing nowe spoken sufficiently of those instruments which are seruiceable to voyce and speech and of all the proper offices of the tongue it wil be thy part ASER to morrow to take in hande againe and to pursue our matter of the senses and of their instruments and first to instruct vs what the sense of taste is and what the palat is that serueth it The ende of the second dayes worke THE THIRD DAYES worke Of the sense of taste giuen to the palat what tastes are good to nourish the bodie of the diuersitie of them of hunger and thirst and of their causes Chap. 17. ASER It is wonderfull that God causeth all things whatsoeuer they be to serue his worke in such sort that nothin is in vain idel or vnprofitable wherof we haue alreadie seene many testimonies in our former discourses of the least partes of the bodie But which is yet more woonderfull in his prouidence hee hath created made and disposed nothing throughout all nature without great order excellent measure and modration in all things which gaue occasion to the first Philosophers to call the whole frame of the world Mundus which is as much to say as an Ornament or a well disposed order of all things Whereby God would haue vs especially learne to knowe how greatly order pleaseth him and how he abhorreth all disorder and confusion and how greatly he desireth that men after his example should obserue measure and moderation in all their workes Hereof wee may haue a goodly instruction in this place if we consider how all the senses and namely the taste with those sauoury relishes that agree with it receiue their strength vertue and nature from all the elements according to that agreement which their nature and offices have with them as also what pleasure wee take in the relish of all things when it agreeth with our taste and contrariwise how it troubleth vs when it is vnpleasant and not agreeable to our taste Yesterday we discoursed of the corporall senses and of their members and instruments whereupon we spake of the tongue both because of the agreement it hath with the eares by reason of speech as also because it is the instrument of taste together with the palat which is the vpper part of the mouth made like to a pretie vaute and to a little heauen Therefore Iob said Doeth not the eares discerne the wordes and the palat tastemeate for it selfe And again The eare trieth the words as the mouth tasteth meate The sense of taste then is that sense whereby the mouth iudgeth of all kindes of tastes which are many in number And this is a notable gift of God in that he hath giuen such relishes to meates and drinkes whereby not onely men but also all liuing creatures can presently know by their taste what things are good to eate and drinke and what are otherwise For if God had not giuen the sense of taste to all liuing creatures that they might iudge thereby of all meates and drinkes what would their life bee But wee are to know this thing further that men iudge by their taste not onely of such things as may serue to nourish them but also of medicines For Physicions knowe the qualities of herbes and simples more by their taste then by any other sense afterward by this knowledge they iudge easily of their natures and proprieties and for what remedies and vses of physicke they wil serue Therefore this iudgement of the taste is very necessary for the life of man especially for the nourishment of all litting creatures because all things which the earth bringeth foorth are not good to feede them For some things are diuers from nourishment as earth clay wood and stones other things are altogether vnsauery and haue no taste and some haue
those things which God hath giuen them for nourishment yea in their mouth also to the end to render vnto him honour glorie and prayse Whensoeuer beastes doe eate their tongue serueth to feede them no otherwise then that of men doeth helpe them but they prayse not God with that tongue which serueth to nourish them because he hath not giuen them that gift of speech wherewith he hath endued man and that for the cause which we haue already heard For as a fountain cannot be without a riuer so a riuer cannot be without a fountaine For this cause seeing reason of which God hath made man partaker is as it were a fountaine in him and speech as the riuer that issueth from it the Grecians expresse both reason and speech with one and the same worde which Saint Iohn also vsed when speaking of the Deitie of Iesus Christ he said In the beginning was the worde and the worde was with God and that worde was God For as all the woorkes of God are perfect in their kinde so hee maketh nothing without cause and which hath not his vse So likewise he giueth nothing to any creature but withall he giueth the instruments and meanes which it ought to vse thereby to be made seruiceable as the thing it selfe requireth Heereof it is that hee gaue not speech to beastes because hee made them not partakers of reason without which speech would stande them in no steade so that it woulde haue beene a superfluous woorke of GOD. Therefore seeing it is so God requireth not of beastes that they should by speech praise him with their tongue as he requireth it of men vnto whome hee hath giuen the meanes to performe it For beastes haue neyther reason to vnderstande what is spoken nor speech to vtter any thing thereby whereas man hath both the one and the other He hath both the fountaine and also the riuer that runneth from it Wherefore when hee sitteth downe to meate and whilest hee is taking his refection to which vse his tongue serueth him according as we heard before and when hee riseth from table truely he is much more brutish then any brute beast if with the selfe same tongue he doeth not prayse and glorifie God acknowledging as he ought the goodnesse of that celestiall Father that giueth him that foode and that nourisheth him If he doe otherwise hee looketh no more from whence the meate commeth vnto him then doeth the hogge who with his snowte alwayes towardes the earth feedeth vpon the akornes that are vnderneath the Oakes and neuer looketh or considereth from whence they fall Yea the hogge doeth a great deale better discharge his duetie in praysing GOD then such men doe that eate and drinke as brute beastes without giuing thankes to God for the benefites hee distributeth amongest them For hee prayseth God in his kinde as all other creatures doe in theirs according as the kingly Psalmist testifieth in many places of his Psalmes Neither doeth God require more of them then he hath giuen vnto them But seeing he hath giuen more to man then to all other visible and bodily creatures he requireth so much the more of him and that very iustly For as it is written To whome much is committed more shal be demaunded of him Wherefore man is not onely too too inexcusable but more vile and sauage then any brute beast if his tongue serue him no farther at the table for the praysing of God thereby then if beastlike his snowte and nose were in a cratch or manger For howe shall the foode in the vse thereof bee sanctified by the worde of God and prayer if hee take it after that sort And if it bee not sanctified vnto him by that meane as Paul teacheth hee vseth it not as the childe of GOD but as a theefe and a very prophane man For as Euery creature of God is good when it is receiued with thankesgiuing so it is defiled to the filthie not through any fault of the creature but of such as abuse it like to Infidels But all they abuse it that giue not thankes for it to the Creator Wherefore as euery thing is cleane to the cleane that haue their heartes purified by the worde of God which they haue receiued by faith so nothing is cleane to the defiled and to infidels But if these men of whome we speake bee vnwoorthy to be taken for men yea to be compared with hogges then whom they are much more vile and detestable wee may easily iudge what is to be saide of those that doe not onely not prayse God or giue him any thankes but which is woorse blaspheme and as it were despite him in liew of recompensing him for the benefites they haue receiued of him which is vsually done by gluttons drunkards and swearers What shall wee say of such men but that they deserue rather to bee called madde dogges then men except wee had rather call them children of the Deuill whose instrument tongue and mouth they are And as for those that cease not to prattle and babble about vaine and vnprofitable matters and that take delight in backbiting and slandering euery one wee may with good reason compare their tongue to the clacket of a mill For seeing euery one of vs carrieth a mill in his mouth as wee shewed before these men may truely boast that their mill is better furnished with all kinde of instruments then others are But they are not the more to bee esteemed for that but rather the lesse for the reasons which wee haue alreadie hearde And when they adde to their clacking euill speech and backebiting infecting all tables where they come with their tongue they may well bee compared to dogges that doe not onely barke but also bite But it is time to draw the last draught of the pensill vpon the face of mans bodie by considering the sense of smelling with the member that belongeth vnto it wherein we looke to be instructed by thee ARAM. Of the Nose and of the sense of smelling and of their profite and vse of the composition matter and forme of the Nose Chap. 19. ARAM. Forasmuch as beautie is a grace that proceedeth of the proportion agreement and harmonie of things it is then very seemely in mans bodie when it followeth nature onely and is without any blemish or defect Nowe this beautie consisteth in soure thinges namely in figure in number in greatnesse and in situation For the members of the bodie are well or ill coloured according to the disposition of the matter And the correspondencie of the members one towardes another aswell in the number as in the length and greatnesse of eache of them well compassed and proportioned together is one cause also of beautie as likewise the placing of euerie one of them in his proper place most conuement and agreeable to his nature and vse For if any thing bee wanting of all these thinges in any member of the bodie there is
to vs with beasts from reason groweth election which is proper to man and from the minde and spirite in which the image of the diuine essence is engrauen proceedeth the will As then sense knoweth none but sensible and corporall things so the appetite desireth only the same things and as the mind of it owne nature enclineth to the contemplation of spirituall and intelligible things so the will feedeth and contenteth it selfe onely with eternall and heauenly goods Now Man that is to say the soule by nature reasonable being placed as it were in the middest of these two extreames and sustaining wonderfull assaults and combates through the impression of these two contraries taketh part one while with the desires of this side an other while of that according as hee inclineth by his election either to this part or to that by stooping downe to the sense or by lifting vp himselfe to the minde But because of the darkenesse of errour which shadoweth his reason it is very necessary that the spirite of God worke mightily therein to this ende that by the power and vertue thereof the naturall affection of earthly things which offer violence to all the powers of the soule might be transported and lift vp to the desire of celestiall and eternall things Truely forsomuch as Good is the obiect of Loue good reason it is that wee should lift it vpward and separate it from the earth as much as we may For as so many rash affections which are the spring of all vices haue their beginning from earthly loue socōtrariwise celestiall and heauenly loue adorneth the soule with two excellent ornaments namely wisedome and vertue the ground of all true Beauty in which all good all contentation and felicitie consisteth And this loue which hath God for his ende and scope hath three great benefites among many others which are not to bee found in any other loue especially in that of concupiscence For first there is no good so excellent in the enioying of earthly things but it is mingled with some thing that may displease vs or some way harme vs. Whereupon taking it to be a lesse benefite and not altogether so good for vs wee are of this iudgement that it is the lesse to bee wished for of vs. But there is no such thing in God Therefore if the soule of man did beholde him by contemplation not such a one as hee is for that is impossible but as shee might contemplate him notwithstanding she is enclosed in this body shee woulde bee rauished in her loue with greater vehemencie then shee is stirred vp to embrace that which of all mortall and transitorie things shee iudgeth best and most certaine For she should know that God is a Good wherein there is nothing mingled that may breed yrkesomnesse or be hurtful but is altogether profitable and full of pleasure Although it can not be gainsaide but that the contrary seemeth to come to passe oftentimes when we see that they which loue God as they ought which by means of this loue are driuen forward induced to procure his honor and glory with all their might are commonly most visited with griefes losses and sorrowes Whereof it commeth to passe that many are alienated from this loue because they greatly dislike that troublesome estate But we must know that this humane and friuolous consideration proceedeth only of this that the price of loue is diuersly valued For there is one kinde of loue that is perpetuall and firme and another which is temporary according as the present motion of the heart pricketh one forward to followe any thing because at that instant it seemeth vnto him to be good or in regard of the profit which he seeth therein or of the appearance of good which he imagineth is in it As for example we know well that health is a greater good then is the swallowing downe of dainty morselles the pleasure whereof passeth away very quickely And yet it commeth often to passe that our appetite stirreth vs forward with such vehemencie that meere lickerishnes causeth vs to eate such meats as we know are contrary to our health The reason hereof is because we compare not the good that is in taste and in dainty fare which sodainely passeth away with that which is in health which is of a longer continuance or else because wee thinke there will not come so great hurt thereof as there may come or else we hope easily to remedy the same And thus is it with them that consider not what great good there is in God but forget him or els suppose that they cāeasily recouer that which they shal lose by folowing after a terrestriall and transitorie Good which causeth them to turne aside from God For if they thought well vpon it and knewe what losse they receiued they would neuer suffer themselues to be gouerned by their appetites and worldly desires But the bare imagination and consideration of honors and of earthly goods doth so dazell the eyes of their mind that they can not knowe the greatnesse and excellencie of celestiall goods which they forsake for those other Whereas contrariwise if they were not altogether blinde they should perceiue that this light affliction of good men which passeth away in a moment bringeth foorth in them an eternall waight of most excellent glory and maketh them partakers of God who is the perpetuall stedfast reward of their true and holy loue Now touching the second benefit which being in his loue is not to be foūd in the loue of creaturs we are to know that this latter is alwayes in feare and care for that thing which it loueth lest some euill should befall it So that notwithstanding any securitie that may be had yet there is alwayes some vexation in al loue towards men and towards mortall things But in that loue which is towardes God there is nothing but delight without care griefe or disquietnesse For we are very certaine that all things are most safe there full of ioy and lasting happinesse And for the third wee see that in the loue of concupiscence there is commonly enuy and euill iealousie which is one kind of it because many couet that which one alone would wholy possesse But it is cleane contrary in the true loue of the soule wherein is vprightnes and fellowship For he that loueth vertue and a vertuous man is so farre from being iealous that he would not onely haue many companions but wisheth that all the men in the worlde were like affected with him The same may be said of him that loueth God For he would haue al men his companions in that amitie iudgeth al those to be miserable wretched which are estranged from it As for that friend who would alone loue his friend hee loueth not perfectly but rather loueth some thing in him that is profitable to himselfe as namely to enioy alone whatsoeuer good he iudgeth to be in his friend
other as also we shall be altogither a great deale more conioyned with and in God For this cause Saint Paul had good reason to say that Loue doeth neuer fallaway though prophecyings be abolished or tongues cease or knowledge vanish away Wherefore in this respect hee concludeth that loue is the greatest of these three Faith Hope and Loue. But wee haue spoken enough of the nature of Loue for the subiect of our discourse of the naturall historie of man Nowe I thinke it will not bee vnprofitable if wee say somewhat of other affections that are neere neighbours vnto Loue and ioyned with it as of fauour reuerence honour and pitie which haue such good or ill qualities in man as the nature of that loue hath which bringeth them foorth as ASER will giue vs to vnderstand Of fauour reuerence and of honour of their nature and effectes of those outward signes whereby they shew themselues of pitie and compassion and how agreeable it is to the nature of man Chap. 53. ASER. I cannot marueile enough at the drowsines of many great spirits who are so delighted with the vaine dreames of their own fancies that they employ all the giftes and graces of their minde to lift vp euen vnto the heauens the pleasures that are receiued in the loue of humane and mortall things especially in the fruites of concupiscence and yet the least of them cannot be gotten without a thousand troublesome discommodities besides that they leaue alwayes in man an insatiable desire of them I would aske of them gladly when the most voluptuous man of them all hath not euen in the middest of his pleasures sighed and bene subiect to passions desiring some other thing besides or when there was euer founde betweene twaine that loued ech other corruptly that conformitie of wils that communication of thoughts those continual agreements that concord of life which is necessary in all true loue especially seeing it is a hard matter yea impossible to see a wicked man that is not daily at variance with himselfe insomuch that if he could leaue himselfe as two men forsake eche other there are many who vpon euery occasion woulde leaue themselues to take another body or another soule And as when one being very desirous to eate and thereupon falling asleepe dreameth that he is feeding and yet is not satisfied because it is not a dreame of meate that will content the sense and appetite which seeketh to bee appeased but substantiall meate it selfe euen so it falleth out when men dreaming in spirite which is as pernicious a thing as the sleepe of death giue themselues by a certaine natural inclination which they haue to the loue of Good to seeke for the beautie contentation delight thereof vpon earth when they are not to be found in the whole worlde As for their shadowes which in some sort appeare in corporall and earthly things and in those delights which proceede of them they doe not feede their mindes with sound and good thinges but rather abuse and deceiue them Therefore we ought to take great heed that wee set not our heart and affection rather vpon those miserable corruptible and deceiueable pleasures wherein worldlings and carnal men doe glory then vpon that great and infinite brightnesse of which the sunne is but a very small beame and vpon those singular blessed and heauenly trueths which the worde of life doeth teach vs and which are the onely true and solide meates that can content and satisfie our spirits eternally It is certaine that nature mooueth vs to set our affection chiefly vpon some one thing rather then vpon another forasmuch as loue is a gift bestowed by the Creatour vpon all natures at the time of their birth Nowe vnto Loue many other affections are ioyned among which Fauour commonly hath the first place This affection is a kinde of good will and liking which springeth from a iudgement conceiued of some Good so that wee may call it a loue begunne For in this iudgement of Good wee esteeme well of him towardes whome our fauour is extended and iudge him woorthie of some good thing and by this meanes wee beginne to loue him Wherefore although fauour may bee without true loue yet loue cannot bee without fauour Notwithstanding when wee fauour one before wee loue him euen then wee enter into the way that leadeth to loue him And for the least shadowe of loue in our heart towardes another wee fauour him as wee see it in those that are linked vnto vs by some degree eyther of consanguinitie or of affinitie or by meanes of some acquaintance and knowledge Now forasmuch as GOD loueth vs he beareth vs fauour also although not in the regarde or for the iudgement of any good which hee seeth in vs or in our corrupted nature but because of the loue hee beareth vs in Iesus Christ his welbeloued in whome by his grace hee hath made vs acceptable to himselfe Therefore this fauour bringeth with it the perfection of all Good vnto vs. For what can hee want that is fauoured of God who can doe all things This fauour which God beareth vnto vs is called grace and blessing in the holy Scriptures which comprehendeth all those benefites which wee receiue of his goodnesse For they proceede all of this fauour and this fauour of the loue hee beareth vs in Iesus Christ Reuerence also commonly accompanieth loue whereby we vnderstand an affection proceeding from the iudgement of some great good that hurteth vs not For if wee thought it woulde hurt vs there woulde bee feare ioyned with hatred and not true reuerence For although there is euermore in all reuerence some feare mingled with shamefastnesse neuerthelesse this feare bringeth no hatred with it This reuerence is bredde in vs by comparing the greatnesse of another with our smalnesse as if wee admired those excellent thinges that are in him For as the heart doeth enlarge it selfe through the consideration and opinion it hath of it owne greatnesse so doeth it restraine and close vp it selfe vpon the reputation and conceipt of another mans greatnesse so it bee good or at leastwise without hurt Therefore if wee compare our greatnesse with some other mans that is farre greater we know our owne smalnesse thereby Whereupon it commeth to passe that we doe not onely esteeme woorse but euen dislike and contemne our selues by which meanes wee become more humble whereas before wee were puffed vp with pride through the opinion of our greatnesse of which wee haue experience as often as wee compare our selues with GOD and lift vp our spirite euen to the consideration of his diuine maiestie comparing that with our basenesse For then beeing rauished with admiration of his highnesse and infinite greatnesse wee honour and reuerence him by reason of his power vnto which wee ioyne also his wisedome and goodnesse And according to that reuerence wee beare towardes him wee reuerence those also in whome wee see the same
an aduantage aboue other liuing creatures namely his hands giuen him of God for the doing of any work that he will as we haue already declared Wherefore if he be to fight against beasts his hand will furnish him with moe weapons then all theirs are which they haue by nature although they bee put all together For he can not only make weapons of all sorts but handle them also manage them as pleaseth him in his own defence both against beasts as likewise against those of his owne kind And I would to God he vsed them but in his owne defence and did not abuse them as hee doth to his own hurt very vnnaturally But let vs proceed forward and come to the thirde cause why God hath thus created man all naked which is that he would admonish him thereby of his naturall infirmitie in regarde of those wants and necessities that hemme him in on euery side vnto which he is more subiect thē any other creature Which instruction ought to worke two things especially in him first it ought to induce and mooue him to that peaceable and sociable life with his kinde for the which God created him Secondly by this meanes he is the more bound to acknowledge the prouidence bountie liberality of God towards him whereby he bringeth to passe that the necessitie and want which seemeth to be greater in man then in any other liuing creature declareth him to be the richest and best prouided for yea to be Lord of all For all the garments of beastes of what quality soeuer they be and whatsoeuer els they possesse belong to him Whereas if men were not subiect to such necessities as are incident vnto them what vse should they haue of so many creatures as God hath created for them or what seruice should they haue of their hands For here again we see how that by them he prouideth for their garments by setting on work the skins wools hairs of al other liuing creatures besides the silkes of wormes and other matter which the fruits of the earth affoord vnto them as flaxe hempe such like And if necessitie did not teach them the vse of all these things howe woulde they consider the power wisedome goodnes and prouidence of God in his works in his creatures to praise him to giue him thankes For although they haue necessitie want for their schoolemistres to the end they might learne this science in their schoole yet doe they profit very litle thereby but rather become most ingratefull towards God their Creatour who is so bountiful and liberal a father towards them Whereupon we haue further to note that God hath not giuen to men many thinges belonging particularly to beasts because he hath inriched them with so many other things of which all other creatures are altogether destitute For besides the helpe he hath of the composition and placing of those members which he hath giuen to their bodies being so conuenient to performe that which beasts cannot doe with theirs he hath endued them with speech and reason whereby not onely all that is in other creatures which is not in them is more then recompenced but they haue more in them then all other liuing creatures haue being put together For albeit they haue no fethers wings to flye and mount aloft by as birds haue yet how many means haue they to ascend and to descend to goe to come whither they wil And as for swiftnes and nimblenes how many beasts are there with whose swiftnes they may help themselues And although they haue not finnes wherby to swim in the sea in waters like fishes yet they haue skil hands whereby they can make guide ships and so conuey themselues whither they wil. Now as for strength which they want to cary heauy burdens afarr off how many waies is it recompensed both by land by water and that by means aswel of beasts whose seruice they vse as of artes sciences wherin they are skilful When by we see that God hath put more within a man namely in the sense vnderstanding wherwith he hath indued him then he hath put without in al beasts Concerning the fourth point of which I haue to speak touching this matter it is this that as it pleased God to giue vnto man a farre more excellent body for beautie then he did to any other liuing creature so he would haue this beautie also to appeare in al the parts therof For first this body was not fashioned either to flye in the aire as birds do or to glide vpon the earth to draw it self vpon the belly as creeping things doe nor to march vpō al foure as fourefooted beasts do nor with the head bending downward as theirs is but to stand and goe vpright with the head lifted vpwards towards heauen to the end he might be admonished that his true beginning birth came higher thē from the earth frō other corruptible elements namely frō heauen He is also admonished hereby that he is not borne to serue his belly as brute beasts doe to follow after gluttonie drunkennes whoredome such other carnal more then brutish pleasures wherein licencious men commonly obserue lesse moderation then beasts that are altogether without reason and vnderstanding For although the matter whereof a mans body is compounded diffreth nothing from that whereof the bodies of brute beasts are made neuertheles seeing it pleased God to lodge within it a soule of a diuine and celestial nature that is farre more excellent then all natures and creatures with bodies he would it should haue a lodging agreeable to the nature of it whereby also man might bee admonished of his excellencie and that he was created not onely to looke downe vpon the earth as beastes doe but to lift vp his eyes vnto heauen and to beholde therein the high workes of God his Creator and to doe the like in the residue of the whole world For as we haue heard man is not properly this body which we see but chiefly the soule and spirit which we see not and which hath the body for his lodging So that if we consider both the house and the inhabitant wee shall see that the things giuen of God to beastes and denied to men doe bring great beautie both to beastes because they haue them and to men because they haue them not For if the beastes were depriued of their armour and naturall ornaments they should lose all their beautie and profite that redoundeth vnto them as likewise man should be deformed an vgly if in any sort hee were made partaker of that which is proper agreeable to other creatures But because God hath created man so that he might be eternal and immortall he hath armed him inwardly euen in that part that shal be the meanes vnto him of eternall life Neither would hee clothe him with naturall garments nor arme him with corporall
which ought to admonish them of that that hath bin set downe to cause them to thinke more diligently therevpō We may say the same of their lust For although it be in the number of those pleasures that are most earthy brutish which the senses themselues both externall and internall ought to be soonest wearie of for the reasons before heard neuertheles they shew plainely how insatiable this appetite is in them in that no kinde of lust can content them insomuch as they are caried headlong there withall euē beyond the bounds of nature within which brute beasts containe themselues And truly all these things ought to driue vs into admiration and cause vs to consider the iust iudgement of God vpon men how he is reuēged of them for dishonoring him their own nature by suffring it to degenerate wax beastlike in forsaking spirituall heauenly diuine things for those are corporall earthly and brutish Therefore God depriueth them of that vnderstanding which he had giuē them that they shoulde torment themselues after such things as vexe their spirite as it were damned soules and that so much the more miserably and with lesse contentation as they enioy more of them For what a torment is ambition and couetousnes and other affections and vices that accompany them And if we speake of lust we see what is the vengeance of God vpon them who going beyond the bounds of nature so dishonor their bodies and their owne nature that there is no essence or nature whatsoeuer vnto which they may be compared For none doe so much peruert their nature as they I meane not beasts only but not the deuilles themselues And although they be so beastlike as to consider no more of the nature and essence of their soule then they doe of beasts yet the very figure of their bodies should make them to thinke that God hath not made it differing from beasts and namely in creating the head and face vpwards but that hee hath also endued them with a soule differing from theirs to the ende it might be correspondent to the body in which it is But it belongeth to thee ASER to prosecute this argument thereby to shew vnto vs the immortalitie of the soule Of the testimonie that men haue of the immortal nature of the soule in their very body by the composition and frame thereof of that which is in the motion and rest of their soule how the creation of the whole world should be vaine how there should be no prouidēce of God no religion no diuine iustice if the soule were mortall of the multitude and qualities of the witnesses that stand for the immortalitie thereof Chap. 93. ASER. That good king Ezechias complaining in his sicknes said Mine habitation is departed and is remooued from me like a sheepeheards tent I haue cut off like aweauer my life This holy man compareth his body and the life of man in it to a tabernacle and lodge or to a tent and pauillion which are no firme lodgings but remoueable and such as may be transported from one place to another as souldiers carry away theirs when they raise their camp to pitch it in some other place And indeed a mans body in this world is as it were a lodging assigned for his soule to abide in a while not to dwell there alwayes as it were in one place For this life is like to a militarie life and as a continuall warfare vntil such time as we depart hence and that God cutteth it off after wee haue finished our appointed dayes as a weauer cutteth off the threedes at the end of his web after it is finished Therefore Saint Peter also calleth his body a tabernacle when he saith I thinke it meete as long as I am in this tabernacle to stirre you vp by putting you in remembrance seeing I knowe that the time is at hand that I must lay downe this tabernacle euen as our Lorde Iesus Christ hath shewed mee Saint Paul also vseth the like manner of speech when hee saieth For wee knowe that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed we haue a building giuen of God an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens For therefore we sigh desiring to be clothed with our house which is from heauen And to this agreeth that which is written in the epistle to the Hebrews For here we haue no continuing citie but we seeke one to come Here truely are notable testimonies of the second and eternall life against them that doubt of the immortalitie of the soule But according to that which is giuen vs in charge to discourse of touching this matter wee must bring them other testimonies euen in their bodies seeing their spirit cannot mount vp to celestiall and diuine things We may easily iudge if there be any light of nature remaining in our minde that God would haue vs knowe by the composition and stature of our bodies howe the soule and spirit dwelling within them shoulde be affected and whither it ought to looke For why woulde God lift the head face of men vpwards and not the head of beasts but that hee woulde admonish them thereby that they are of a celestiall nature and that they must alwayes looke not to the earth as beasts do but to heauen as to their natiue country from whence they receiued their Originall in respect of their principall part which al Atheists and Epicures doe renounce And if the body be lifted straight vpward the spirite is much more which ascending by degrees from inferiour things maketh no stay vntill it come to heauenly and diuine things and hauing at length attained vnto them it stayeth there and contenteth it selfe therein In regard whereof as in naturall things we knowe by their moouing and resting which is their naturall place so by the same reason wee may iudge of the naturall place of mans soule which is in perpetuall motion and can finde no rest here below on the earth as the soules of beasts can which because they are altogether earthy and al their natural and proper good comming from no higher place then from the earth their snowts also are continually bending towards it and the more earthy and brutish they are the more downwards do they alwayes bend This we may easily perceiue if we compare not onely the beasts of the earth with birdes which holde more of the nature of the ayre and liue most therein but also if wee compare the beasts of the earth one with an other For albeit all of them haue their snowts inclining towards the earth yet the hogge hath his head more bending downeward then others haue For it is fashioned and bowed after such a fashion that no beast can lesse lift vp the head and stretch it towardes heauen then the hogge neither is any so much troubled as that is when by force it is compelled to looke vpward The same may bee saide
is the Original of all mouing he must of necessitie bee firme and stable because otherwise he could not giue motion to others as we haue dayly experience hereof in our selues For if we would moue one of our feete the other must abide steddie and firme and both the one and the other must alwayes haue some stay whereby to take their motion Nowe because God cannot haue stay from any other hee hath it in himselfe in that manner which hath beene declared alreadie For as hee is alwayes one so all things are present to him yea hee is euery where by reason that hee is eternall and infinite without beginning and without ende Iudge of all and is iudged of none gouernour of all and gouerned by none Secondly we haue those spirituall natures and creatures which are a great Good but not the greatest and chiefest Good which cannot be found but in the Creator This second Good hath qualities because all things in it are not substantial It hath also motion but receiueth the same from the first Good of which it dependeth and then it giueth the same to others This motion is in time but without place and this Good both iudgeth and is iudged gouerneth and is gouerned The Angels and humane soules are this great Good and these spiritual natures which are spirites hauing all these things But there is betweene them that difference before spoken off namely that Angels are spirits which were created to liue an immortal life and not to bee ioyned vnto any earthly bodies and that the spirite of men are created to dwell in bodies and to giue them life Therefore I let passe Angels for this time and purpose to speake onely of the spirite of man which is not immutable as God is but may receiue change of qualities as wee see in that it beeing created good became bad and of euill may also become good by the grace of God But no such thing can befall God For hee cannot but bee good in the highest degree and the soueraigne good of euery creature because goodnes is not accidental to him as it is to a creature but substantial and essential And as God is the soueraigne mouer who giueth motion to all creatures in this great world so the soule and spirite of man giueth mouing to the whole body of man who is the little world and to all the members thereof neither hath it this motion from any other creature beside it selfe as the body receiueth the same from it but onely of the Creator Nowe although this motion bee made in time yet it is not made by any change of place For what motion soeuer there is in the spirite yet it abideth alwaies in his place so long as it dwelleth in the body which it gouerneth vnder God the great gouernour by whome also it is iudged as it selfe iudgeth the body and all that is vnder the same Lastly followeth the body which is another Good but not so great as the spirit This hath not only quality but quantitie also whereas the spirite hath onely qualitie without quantitie For to speak properly no nature hath quantitie except it be corporal Therfore the soule of a great man is not greater then the soule of a little man in regard of corpulency because it hath none as the body hath So that when we say that a man is of a great spirite we meane it not in regard of bodily quantitie as when we speake of a great body but wee consider in him the experience of giftes agreeable to his nature wherewith he is endued aboue others And in taking it so it will often come to passe that the least bodies shall haue the greatest spirites and the greatest bodies the least spirites And by the same reason we consider in a little infant euen as soone as he hath receiued mouing in his mothers bellie the selfe-same soule that is in all the ages that followe his infancie vntill his olde-age and in death it selfe But according as those instruments whereby it worketh during life are fitte for their offices and as afterwarde when they waxe olde they faile of their naturall force and vertue so the soule sheweth her powers and wonderful effects in them and by them continuing still one and the same in substance and nature as these things haue beene at large declared vnto vs. And as for the motion of the body it is made both in time and in place and is gouerned and iudged but it selfe neither gouerneth nor iudgeth Thus wee may see howe these two good things the spirite and the bodie of which the one is greater then the other are vnited and ioyned together in man as if he caried heauen and earth linked together Wee may learne also howe in this coniunction the spirite occupieth the middle betwixt God and the bodie and agreeth with them both Wee see also the admirable workes of the soule during this coniunction all which are so many testimonies of the wonderfull workes of God and of his prouidence ouer all nature Moreouer we behold a very goodly disposition and excellent order in all the powers and faculties both of soule and body Let vs then make our profit of all these things and of these instructions and lessons which God giueth vs in them to leade vs to the principall end for which man was created namely to know and to honour his Creator Wherefore we ought chiefly to consider that seeing God in the wonderful compositiō of our nature hath placed the heart between the head and the belly and the vital vertue of the soule betweene the animal and the nutritiue vertue and the will betweene the vnderstanding and the most sensual part that is in vs therefore the heart and will must alwayes looke vpward and not downeward to the end that they may ioyne themselues to the noblest and most diuine part and not to the basest most sensuall and earthly part For they are in mans body as if they were placed betweene heauen and earth so that as man holdeth the middle place between Angels and other liuing creatures by reason of that communication of nature which he hath with them both so fareth it with the heart and the will betweene the head and the belly and betweene reason with that part which is capable thereof and the sensuall part which is without reason Wherefore if the will of man be ioyned with reason which is celestial and diuine and followeth the same it will become like vnto it and shal be able easily to gouerne the sensual part vnderneath it to be mistresse ouer it and to compel it to obey But if the Will despise reason and the counsaile thereof and if instead of mounting vpward towardes the noblest part it desecendeth to the sensual part and ioyneth it selfe thereunto then shall the Will be made like to that and shal serue it in place of commanding it And by this meanes the Will shall become altogether brutish wheras contrariwise