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
earth and water And so of fire water ayre and earth they hold the bodies of man to be composed wherein still number and place partake together in all occasions If I should speak at large of the infinite numbers of ioynts sinews arteries muscles vaines organs instruments matter and things whereof a perfect man doth consist beside his immortall soule it would be as admirable as the whole frame and hoste of heauen and earth and all wherewith they are replenished But if I should discourse of the reasonable and immortall soule and minde of man the qualities affects effects condition state attribute faculties of the soule and minde It would farre surmount all the creatures that eâ—er God made and all in number place and time which is the next point to be handled Then gentle friend I leaue thee a spectacle in thy selfe to behold all these 3. excellent things number place and time with the stuffe substance matter and essence wherof thou art composed much exceeding all the rest if they were all compared with thee Abuse neither of them least time turne thee instead of a better place from the number of the blessed to a place of damnation among the number of the damned spirites So that whether thou seeke heauen earth or hell thou shalt finde all things to consist of number and place therefore make account of them as of their worthinesse Much might be said of the number and place of the fixed and mouing Starres Of the number of Monarkes Kings Emperors and their Countries the vegitatiue and sensitiue creatures and of the things that haue onely being without sense or growing But because I am to speake in the next place of Time and of the vse thereof I cease further to enlarge this point with this conclusion that the exercise of reason euen amongst the heathen and prophane men hath waded farre into this matter Of Time IN this discourse of Time there is an other way to discouer the truth thereof then is vsed in handling the former For in number and place there is neither prioritie nor posteritie For though in the Deitie there be three distinct persons in number yet in reputation of place greatnesse or number none is greater or lesse then another and in respect of Time none is before or after an other But the whole three persons are coequall together and coeternall The Philosophers of auncient time found in the reason of their soules that there was a certaine nature and essence in which they alleage to bee three inbeings as is aforesaid And that this great and eternall nature and essence doe make the beginning of all other natures which are contained in Time And besides among many opinions There were of these Philosophers that did maintaine and vphold two beginnings which in all likely-hood they were induced vnto out of the two seuerall dispositions and inclinations of the same in men one to vertue the other to vice To these beginnings they giue seuerall names The one good which they call Oramases Tâ—e other euill and that they call Arimarius This opinion is furthered by some to haue his beginning from Zoroastres the grand child of Noa and from him by tradition to the Persians and from the Persians to the Manathiâ—s Their meaning vnderstanding in this behalfe is that the Elements the Plants the herbs the trees beastes men and Spirits were diuided between these two Gods holding one to bee Creator of the good and the other of the euil To the one they allotted light to the other darknesse to the one Sommer to the other winter c. The sins the wickednesse corruptions which they saw in the nature of me differing from the perfection of a righteous Creator drew them into these absurd opinions because they held their corruptions and euils in time and qualitie to be in the creation of those euill creatures Which opinion hath come neare to some in these Ages who entering into consideration of the euill things will not sticke if not to affirme yet at least to demaund whether God be the author of euil These opinions may be answered thus That making or creating are referred to natures and substances and that all originall natures substances are good And therefore that God who is al good is the Creator and maker of them Now euill is neither a nature nor a substance but an income which is fallen into natures and substances And therefore not in the time of creation but is come in since by a colaterall meanes Euill is a breathing or diminishing of the foure good qualities effects which natures and substances ought naturally to haue Hereby wee see that euen in time it selfe good was before euill and in place shall be farre preferred aboue it I conclude therefore that Euill being neither nature nor substance hath not nor can haue any being in it selfe but in the thing that of his originall nature or stuffe is good Euill is not an effect but a default not a production but a corruption Plato and Plotin hold opinion that euill is not a thing of it selfe nor can bee imagined but in the absence of goodnesse as a depriuation of the good which ought to bee naturally in euery thing And that euil is a certaine kinde of nothing hauing no abiding but in the the good whereof it is a fault or diminishing of perfectioÌ„ By which they conceiue that these things which haue their being nature and substance onely temporary and are finite with time tending to the matter whereof they were first created that is to an vnbeing of that it formerly was or to not beeing at all as were the things whereof they were created and vnto which creatures haue still a certaine inclination whereby they may fall froÌ„ their goodnesse By these many other reasons may bee concluded that there was not two beginnings but one beginning of creatures and time But the euill is crept in since in the default decay or absence of the good which in the originall creatioÌ„ was in the same natures substances that are now become euil Many supposals imaginations and opinions haue beene holden of euerlastingnesse eternitie of the world and of Time by old writers that had no other meanes to reach vnto the same but the scope of their owne weake reasons But omitting the rest I will come shortly to the point Plotinus in his booke of Eternity and of Time saith That Eternitie and Time differ in this respect That Eternity is verified only of the euerlasting nature meaning the Creator But Time is to be verified of the things that are created So as Eternitie is and abideth in God alone which hee calleth the world that is to be conceiued but in minde and vnderstanding And Time hee intendeth to abide in the world that is subiect to the senses Adding further that the world was not made in Time but together with Time Which opinion the Diuines themselues do hold The same Author hauing
shifts policies arts deuices that are vsed to crosse the ordinance and order of God to erect establish or set vp any other way or course of happinesse either terene or immortall more or other then God himselfe hath prouided ordained appoined are no lesse dangerous then the eating of the forbidden fruit These notes I thought fit to let drop by the way in regard that I shall after in an other place treate of a vse generally exercised which I take doth neither proceed from God nor nature Into this disease I feare many thousands are fallen so vnrecouerably sicke that with the sicke man at the point of death they fall to bite the sheetes and pull the threeds of the couerlet not knowing that they are sicke at all feeling no paine of their infection And so much the more daungerous is the sicknesse To come neerer to this point It is plaine by sundry places of the holy Bible that God alone numbreth weigheth diuideth he measureth times places and seasons Therefore let him stand for the numberer placer disposer and appointer of all creatures their places times seasons their beginings continuings finishings chaungings or ordainings And let all his creatures be then numbered placed and limited according to their creations nature qualities and estates not striuing against the purpose of his diuine prouidence or adding or diminishing too or from what hee hath appoindted or created To discouer this I must distinguish betweene man and the other creatures and the causes and markes they tend too and ayme at together with the admirable blessing of reason and to what measure the capacity of man thereby extendeth for the searching out the natures qualities times seasons places and vses of the other creatures which could not bee but out of a kind of immortall Nature aboue all other creatures It cannot be denied but that God hath created all things first for his owne glory and honour wherein he appointeth seuerall vses and seruices And within the compasse of this dutie are all creatures as well men and Angels as the other inferiour things And on this behalf God is satisfied with the seruice hee hath appointed to himselfe so his ordinance and will be obeyed From thence let vs come to things that are next vnto the seruice of God prouided to serue the vse of men And therin will appeare what an excellent creature man is in respect of his originall nature and reason And what wonderfull admirable and aboundant blessings and stores are prouided to serue his turne for both his liues The true consideration whereof may satisfie any tempered spirit to be contented with his Creators owne workes and not to soyst in or enâ—euor any other meanes of augmenting his happinesse And to this purpose let vs suruey in order the Creatures which serue for the vse and preseruatioÌ„ of the life of man and take them by degrees from the meanest to the greatest And it will make any man wonder at the admirable greatnesse plenty and waightinesse thereof Let vs consider them by degrees The lowest the meanest which is the earth therin behold the stuffe or matter wherewith this huge bale is filled to make her swelling sides stiffe strong and full stuffed that it shrinkeâ—ot Let vs consider the mettals mines and store of gold siluer and other mineralls inclosed in her wombe The miraculous hanging thereof in the ayre without support The vaines conducts fountaines springs and riuers of water that passe through her intralls The hearbs plants trees grasse and fruite of sundrie sorts that proceede and growe out of the richnesse and fatnesse therof The rayne and deawes that water and moisten the same The waters deepes feuered from the earth bounded and limitted within a compasse vpon the superficies of some parte of the same earth as it were in a great vessell by the side of this great garden ready at all times to be taken vp for the watering thereof as pleaseth the master Gardener small riuers brooks that issue from fountaines innumerably seruing the turnes of men beasts fishes and fowles of the ayre Then behold the sensitiue creatures their sundry kinds their vnknowne multitudes The beasts of the field and the varietie of their natures imployments vses together with multitudes of fishes their exceeding many sorts Consider all these well we shall find their creation was not to serue their own turnes but only alone for the vse of man whose they are to be disposed of by the direct bountie gift of the Creator But how To be vsed as he hath appointed and limitted for the preseruation benefit of all mankind not to the destructioÌ„ of any These things neither know themselues nor the ends wherefore they were made yet they vnknown to theÌ„selues serue the vse benefit of maÌ„ The leane and barren hastening their owne deaths by how much they take pleasure to make themselues more speedily fat If there were no more but this is not here a wonderful blessing and is not here sufficient plentiful prouision for al the race of mankind dispearsed vpon the whole face of the earth In which is not to be forgotten that these creatures cease not in any instant of time to yeelde increase for this prouision But let vs proeede a little further and beholde the other two Elements Fire and Ayre The one warming the sensitiue parts and the other maintaining the spirit that keepeth life neither of these know what they are nor the end they were made for The very Ayre it selfe sustaineth and in a sort preserueth the flying fowles in her concaue and hollow Region Let vs goe further these foure Elements though there bee contrarietie in their seuerall natures yet thâ—re is a Simpathy and a ioynt working together by the appointmeÌ„t of the chiefe work-master for the making growing cherishing and maintaining of the life of man as well by their incorparation in the body of man as by the vse and fruition of these other Creatures Will you not think these sufficient yea admirable blessings The earth to bring forth fruite and hearbs so vniuersally coÌ„tinually some for the foode of man and others for the foode of beastes to perpare them to be mans meate The sheepe to bring both lambe for meat fleece for clothing the beast to bring the calfe milke butter cheese to be eaten and to bee worne the fowle to bring first egs then chickens lastly feathers for easie lodging the fishes first spawn then frie. The trees to erect houses and make the fire The earth that produceth grasse serueth for tile to couer the houses The strawe that yeeldeth tâ—e corne serueth other purposes The timber that buildeth at land serueth for nauigation at sea Out of the line or flax that maketh the great Cable to bee drawne the threeds that make the fine curious linnen from the fauage wilde beasts their warm furs from the hearbs plants rich and estimable vertues from
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
determinatly in any thing nor in any particular place Vpon which reason Aristotle made this definition of the soule of man which commeth neerest to the nature of God Aniâ—a saith he est totum in toto totum in qualibit parte The neerest beholding of this is in our owne minds By the powers working of the minde we contemplate behold discerne vnderstand and iudge of things that are far remote from vs yet ouer selues neuer moue The mind in this case doth not entermingle truth nor participate with the nature substance nor condition of the the things it entereth into Iudge but of the reason thereof which is breifly thus These things are of lesse conditioÌ„ nature qualitie theÌ„ the reasonable soules that possesse these mindes God is said by the Philosophers to be vnmoueable vnchangeable beginninglesse endles bodilesse infinit incomprehensible c. Al which declare not what God is but the hee is not as his creatures are locall nor his creatures mixed or intermingled with him nor with his power or essence For by these negatiues all other things are discouered to have beginning to bee made to determine to be changeable weake materiall corruptible And to depend vpoÌ„ an other being then themselues And that God onely hath his being and place in and by himselfe And the the more deeply any man will enter into consideration of these things the more infinite and inscrutable shall he find theÌ„ For when he shal haue takeÌ„ all the paines he can possible he will confesse he hath learned no more theÌ„ to be ignoraÌ„t of the want of his owne knowledge in the behalf Thus holding it necessary to discouer that there is no place in respect of God as the most readiest way to explane what place is in respect of his creatures and the worthinesse thereof I proceede desiring to be vnderstood that my meaning is for opening the point of my maine argument by the way as I goe to discouer How supernaturall naturall and vnnaturall things haue their operations and workings and the monstrous products that some things against nature are enforced to bring forth There is nothing created but hath his speciall vse be it materiall or immaterial number serueth to make known to man his own weakenes that those things that are most certainly knowen by number to the Creator are notwithstanding innumerable to the capacitie reason and vnderstanding of men yea much more then the fantasie conceipt or imagination of men can by any meanes come neere vnto or conceiue All these thus made of nothing maketh the more wonderfull the power of the maker and the order and worthinesse of nomber within which coÌ„dition euery creature is contained To euery and to the very least of these innumerable creatures there is appointed a seuerall distinct particular and locall place diuided seuered and sundered from the rest which shewetâ— what congruence there is between number place that nomber being neuer so infinite yet nothing wanteth his place And place being neuer so spatious and large yet there is Nullum vacum no void place which declareth how the workes of God do depend one of an other in an admirable propotion order one in true vse seruing the turne of another For how could the creatures be if they wanted place Or to what purpose serued place if there were not creatures to supply them This sheweth that God made nothing in vaine therefore his workes ought not to be lightly esteemed much lesse abused The first Creation wee reade of is of Angels They were made in number They attended their Maker in Heauen There wâ—s their place although they were spirits and incorporall yea standing vnder the law obedience and command of their Maker they had such seuerall places as befitted creatures of such worthines vnder such conditions as they were enioyned vnto Their disobedience and fall thrusting remoouing out of that blessed place to another place of accursednesse shew that there were seueuerall places euen for the spirites themselues as likewise seuerall numbers appointed for these places So hitherto nuÌ„ber place go together as necessary attendants on the prouidence purpose and will of God But if any shall aske either nuÌ„ber or place of the blessed or damned spirits the time of their creation or fall or the reason why it is not discouered vnto men Let those men know that they neither be within the number creation nor place of any those angels or spirits but in another ranke of Gods creatures a little inferior to the Angels And therefore they must leaue them their creation number and place to their Maker as matters inscrutable and forbidden that men should haue to meddle with all The next creation is of the world which consisteth of things in number place The earth the water the Elements the Sun the Moon the stars the beasts birds fishes and lastly man as is said in holy Writ Male and female made he theÌ„ In all these there is number in respect of these diuers creatures that were made there is number in the reasonable creatures male female Place in worthines dignity and the seuerall diuers places their seuerall bodies were contained in or did supply Besides what the diuine spirit of God hath reuealed to holy men of the old ages concerning these places reason hath searched out diuers diuisions and subdiuisions of place done conceiued and vnderstood by number distance which alwayes go together in what action soeuer As relatiues that depend one vpon anothers being The Mathematitians in respect of the heigth of the Heauens from the earth haue diuided this great spacious place into ten Heauens which who so is skilled in their described Spheres may easily readily vnderstaÌ„d This is done in respect of the largâ— vaught and scope that is betweene heauen and earth and the creatures therein placed They conceiue aboue these ten Heauens to bee the place and seate of God the Creator and that all the creatures except the holy Angels are bound downe by this Primum mobile vnder their Maker not to approach his admirable presence Heere is still number place In their diuision they haue appointed seuen seueral Planets wherof we haue warrant to speak of the Sun and Moone by holy writ And of the other Starres there is great experience and very profitable learning hath bin collected and drawne from them Vnder the lowest of these being the Moone is affirmed to be a fierie Region keeping all other Creatures vnder that they may not mount aboue nor exceed their bounds The like fierie Region is conceiued to bee aboue the tenth Heauen to keepe down the creatures in that mighty scope and compasse So here goeth still together number place Vnder the moones Orbe they place the ayre to exist which may not mount aboue the fierie Region With this aire we haue more familiar acquaintance then with the rest because it partaketh with our nature And vnder the ayre the
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