Selected quad for the lemma: fire_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
fire_n	air_n	body_n	element_n	4,001	5	9.7677	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A37244	A work for none but angels & men that is to be able to look into and to know ourselves, or a book shewing what the soule is, subsisting and having its operations without the body ... : of the imagination or common sense, the phantasie, sensative memory, passions, motion of life, the local motion, intellectual power of the soul ... Thomas Jenner has lineas composuit.	Davies, John, Sir, 1569-1626.; Jenner, Thomas, fl. 1631-1656.	1658 (1658)	Wing D410; ESTC R27853	22,709	36

A WORK For none but ANGELS MEN THAT IS To be able to look into and to know our selves OR A BOOK Shewing what the SOULE Is Subsisting and having its operations without the Body it s more then a perfection or reflection of the Sense or Temperature of Humours Not traduced from the Parents subsisting by it self without the Body How she exercises her powers in the Body the vegetative or quickning power of the Senses Of the Imagination or Common sense the Phantasie Sensative Memory Passions Motion of Life the Locall Motion Intellectuall powers of the soul Of the Wit Understanding Reason Opinion Judgement Power of Will and the Relations betwixt Wit and Will Of the Intellectuall memory which is the Souls store-house wherein all that is laid up therein remaineth there even after death and cannot be lost that the Soule is Immortall and cannot dye cannot be destroyed her cause cease●h not violence nor time cannot destroy her and all Objections answered to the contrary Thomas Jenner has lineas composuit In faelix qui pauca sapit spernitque doc●ri Such knowledge is too wonderfull for me it is high I cannot attaine unto it Psal 139.6 LONDON Printed by M. S. for Thomas Jenner at the South-Entrance of the Royall EXCHANGE 1658. Of the Soule of Man and the Immortality thereof Why since the desire to know did corrupt the roote of all mankind did my parents send me to Schoole that my minde might be inriched therewith for when our first parents cleere and sharpe reasons eye could have approached the eternall light as the Intellectuall Angells even then the Spirit of lies suggests that because they saw no Ill therefore they were blind and breathed into them a curious wish which did corrupt their will for that ill they straight desired to know which ill was nothing but a defect of good which the Devill could not shew while man stood in his perfection so that they were first to doe the Ill before they could attaine the knowledge of it as men by tasting poyson know the power of it by destroying themselves Thus man did ill to know good and blinded reasons eye to give light to passions eye and then he saw those wretched shapes of misery and woe nakednesse shame and poverty by experience Reason grew darke and could not discern the fair formes of God and truth and mans soul which at first was fair spotlesse and good sees her selfe spotted hanted with spirits impatient to see her own faults therefore turnes her selfe outward and sees the face of those things pleasing and agreable unto her sences so that she can never meet with her selfe The lights of Heaven which are the fair eyes of the World they looke down upon the World to view it and as they run and wander in the Skies they survey all things that are on the Center yet the lights mine eyes which see all objects farre and nigh look not into this little world of mine nor see my face in which they are fixed since nature fails us in no needfull thing why doe I want means to see my inward selfe which sight might bring me to the knowledge of my selfe which is the first degree to true wisdome that power which gave me ability to see externals infused an inward light to see my self by means of which I might have a perfect knowledge of my own form But as the eye can see nothing without the light of the Sun neither can the mind see her self without Divine light for how can art make that cleere which is dim by nature and the greatest wits are Ignorant both where she is and what she is one thinkes her to be Air and another fire and another Blood defused about the heart and that she is compounded of the Elements Musitians say our soules are Harmonies Physitians the complexions Epicures makes them swarmes of Atomes which by chance fly into our Bodies some again that one soule fills every man as the Sun gives light to every star others that the name of soule is a vain thing and that it is a well mixt body and as they differ about her substance so also where her seate is some lift her up into the Brain others thrust her down into the stomack some place her in the heart and others in the liver Some say that she is all in all and all in every part and that she is not contained but containes all and thus the learned Clerkes play at hazzard and let them say it is what they will there be some that will maintain it the only wise God to punish the pride of mens wits hath therefore wrought this confusion but he that did make the Soule of nothing and restor'd it when fallen to nothing that so we might be twice his can define her subtle forme and knowes her nature and powers To judge her selfe she must transcend her selfe for fetterd men cannot expresse their strength but now in these latter dayes those Divine Mysteries which were laid in darkness are brought to light and this Lampe of God which doth defuse it selfe through all the Region of the braine doth shew the immortall face of it VNDERSTANDING I once was Aegle ey'ed full of all light Am owle eyd now as dim as darke as night As through a glasse or Cloud I all thinges vew Shall on day see them in there proper hue MEMORIE A com̄on Jnne all com̄ers to reteyne A Siue where good run̄e out bad remayne A Burrow with a thousand vermine hydes A Den where nothinge that is good abides This she doth when from particular things she abstracts the Universall kinds which are immateriall and bodilesse and can be lodged no where else but in the minde And thus from divers acts and accidents which fall within her observation she abstracts divine power and virtue again how can she know severall bodies if she were a body the eye cannot see all colours at once nor the tongue relish all tasts at one time but successively nor can we judge of Passion except we be free from all passions nor can a Judg execute his office well if he be possest of either party if lastly this quick power were a body were it as swifte as fire or winde which blowes the on one way makes the other a spier her nimble body yet in time must move not slide through all places at an instant she is nigh and far above beneath in poynt of time which thought cannot devide she is as soon sent to China as to Spain and returnes as soon as sent she as soon measures the heavens as an ell of Silke As then the soule hath a substance besides the body in which she is confinde so hath she not a body of her own but is a spirit and a minde immateriall Since the body and soul have such diversities we may very well muse how this match began but that the Scripture tells us Zachariah 12.1 sayth the Lord which stretcheth forth the Heavens and layeth

the foundations of the Earth and formeth the Spirit of man within him he makes the body of Earth and in it a beam of heavenly fire now in the wombe before the birth inspires in all men their soules and without a mother sends dayly millions into the world which neither from eternity nor at once in one time lay them up in the Sunne or Moone nor in some secret cloyster where they sleepe till they be awaked neither did he make at first a certain number infusing part in beasts and part in men and being unwilling to take further pain would make no more so that the widdow soul should be married to the next body that should be born and so by often changing mens souls should pass from beasts to men these are fond thoughts since there are far more born then dye then thousand soules should be abortive or others deaths should supply their soules but as nature Gods handmaid doth create bodies in time distinct and in due order so God gives soules the like successive date which himselfe formes in new bodies which himselfe makes of no materiall thing for unto Angels he hath given no power either to forme the shape or bring the stuffe from Air or Fire nor in this doth he use natures service for although she can bring bodyes from bodyes yet she could never traduce soules from soules as light springs from light and fire from fire as some learned fathers that were great lights of old did hold for say they how can we say that God made the soule and yet not make him the Author of her sinne for in her lies the corruption for Adams body did not sin but his soule and so brought the body to corruption So we would fain make him the Author of the wine if we knew whom to blame for her dreggs none were yet so grosse as to contend for this that soules may be traduced from bodyes between whose natures there is no proportion but many subtle wits have justified that soules may spiritually spring from soules which if the nature of the soul be tryed would even in nature prove as grosse for all things that are made are either of naught or of something that is already made of naught no Creature ever formed ought for that is proper for the Almighty if then the soule make another soule she must take it of some former stuffe or matter but there is no matter found in the soule then if her heavenly forme doe not agree with any matter in the World then must she needs be created of nothing and that is only proper to God alone again if soules doe beget soules 't is either by themselves or the bodies power if by themselves what hinders them but that they may engender soules every hour if by the body how can understanding and will joyne with the body in this act only since when they doe their other works they doe abstract them themselves from the body moreover if soules were begotten of soules they should move and change into each other but motion and changes brings at last corruption and then how should it be immortall If lastly soules did use generation then they should spread incorruptible seed and then what becomes of that which they doe loose when the acts of generation doe not speed but if the soule could cast spirituall seed yet she would not because she never dies mortall things desire to breed their like that so they might immortalize their kinde therefore the Angels who are call'd the sons of God neither marry nor are given in marriage their spirits and ours are of one substance and have one father the Lord of Heaven Who would at first that in each other thing earth and water living souls should breed but mans soul which he would make their king should immediately be produced from himselfe and doubtless when he took the Woman from the side of the man he alone inspierd the soul for t is not said he did devide mans soul but took flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone and lastly God being made man for mans sake and like him in all save only in sin tooke his body from the wombe of the Virgin but all agree God formed his soule within him then is the soule from God so say the Pagans which saw by natures light her heavenly kinde naming her kin to God and Gods bright ray a Citizen of Heaven confind to the earth This cloud may be further cleerd by heavenly light for questionlesse God made her and made her good and ingrafted her in the body there to grow which though it be corrupted flesh and blood yet can it not bring corruption to the soule yet this soule at first made good by God and not corrupted by the evill of the body yet in the womb is accurst and sinfull ere she can judge by wit or chuse by will yet God is not the Author of her sinne though of her being and if we dare judge him in this he can condemn us and yet be cleere himselfe first God from eternity decreed what hath been is or shall be done and that every man in his turne should run his race of life and did purpose to make all soules that ever have been or shall be and that they should take there being in humane bodies or not to be at all was it then fit that such a weake event weaknesse it selfe the sin and fall of man should prevent his execution and councells fixed and decreed before the world began and that one penall law broke by Adam should make God breake his own eternall law and revoke the setled order of the world and change all formes of things which he foresaw could Eves weake hand extended to the Tree rent a sunder that Adamantive chain whose golden linkes of causes and effectes remain fixt to Gods own chare O could we see how cause doth spring from cause how they are mutually linckt and foulded and that on disagreeing stringe doth rather make then marr the harmony and at once view how death is brought by sin and how a better life doth arise by death how in one his justice is seen and his mercy in the other we would praise this his decree a wise and right but we measure time by first and last and see the sight of things successively when the Lord sees all at once and at an instant he sees all things in himselfe as in a glasse for from him and by him and through him are all things His sight is not discorsive by degrees but he seeing the whole seeth every single heart He looks on Adam as a roote or spring and on all his heires as Branches and streames and sees all men as one man though they dwell in sundry Nations and Cit●es and as root and branch makes but one Tree and the spring and streame make but one River so that if one be corrupted the other is corrupted also So when the

the King serves the Magistrate and the commons feed them both the Magistrate preserves the commons by the power they have from their Prince The quickning power would be and there it rests the sences are not contented only to be but would be well but the soul desires endlesse felicity these three powers doe make three sorts of men for one sort of men desire as plants only to fill themselves and some like beasts think the world is only to take their pleasure in it and some men as Angels love to live in contemplation therefore the 〈…〉 turned some men into flowers others into beasts 〈…〉 to Angells which still travill and still rest Yet these three powers are not three soules but one as one and two or both contained in three 3 being one number by it selfe alone a shadow of the blessed Trinity These meditations may draw from us this acclamation What is man that thou adornest him with so bright a minde madest him over all thy creatures a King and an Angels Peer O what hast thou inspierd into this dying flesh what a heavenly life power and lively life spreading virtue and a sparkling fire In other workes of thine thou leavest thy print but in man hast written thine own Image there cannot be a creature more divine this exceeds mans thought to consider how highly God hath raised man since God became man the Angels are astonisht when they view and admire this mistery neither hath he endowed man with these blessings for a day neither do they depend on this life for though the soule was made in time yet lives for aye and though it had a beginning yet hath no end Her only end is never ending blisse and that consisteth in beholding the eternall face of the Almighty who is the first of causes and last of ends and to doe this she must needs be eternall then how sencelesse or dead a soul hath he that thinks his soul dieth with his body or if he think not so yet would fain have it so that he might sin with the more security Although light and vicious persons say our soules are but a smoake or Aiery blast which while we live playes within our nostrills and when he dies turns to winde although they say so yet they know not what to think for ten thousand doubts doe arise in their minds and although they strive against their consciences there are some sparkes in their flintey breasts which cannot be extinct which though fain they would yet cannot be beasts but whoso makes a merror of his minde and with patience views himselfe within shall cleerly see the soules eternity though all other beauties of the soule be defaced because of his sin For first we find an appetite in every mans mind to learn and know the truth of every thing this is connaturall and born with him on which the essence of the soul depends she hath a native might with this desire to finde out the truth of every thing if she had time the innumerable effects to sort a●ight and to climbe by degrees from cause to cause but sithence our lives slide so fast away through the winde as the hungry Eagle or as the ships which leaves no print of their passage of which swifte little time we spend while some things we strain through the sences that our short race of life is ended ere we can attain the principles of skil so that either God who hath made nothing in vain in vain hath given this appetite and Flower or else our knowledge which is begun here must be perfected in heaven To one whole kind the Allmighty never gave a power but most part of that kinde did use the same as though some eyes be blind yet most eyes can see perfectly so though some be lame in their limbs yet most can walke but no soule can know the truth in this life so perfectly as it hath power to doe if then perfection is not to be found here below he must ascend higher where it is to be obtained Again how can she but be immortall when with the motion of her will and understanding she still aspiers to eternity and is never at rest tell she attaineth thereunto water in conduit pipes can arise no higher then the well head from which they springe Therefore since she doth aspier to the Almighty she must be eternall the nature of all moveable things are to move to things of their own kinde as the earth downward and the fire ascends tell both touch their proper elements and as the thirsty earth suckes her moysture from the Sea to fill her empty veines and so glides along her grassie plaines she stayes long as loath to leave the land out of whose sides she came she tasts all places and turns on every hand unwilling to forsake her flowery bankes yet nature doth so carry and lead her streames that she makes no finall stay tell she return into the bosome of the Ocean Even so the Spirit of God doth secretly infuse into this earthy mould our soules which at first doth behold this world and at first her mothers earth she holdeth dear and embracerh the world and worldly things she flyes close to the earth and hovers here and mounts not up with her celestiall winges and cannot light on any thing which doth agree with her heavenly nature she cannot rest nor fix her thoughts neither can she be contented with any thing for who ever found it in honour wealth or pleasure and having his health ceased to wish or having wisdome was not vexed in minde as a Bee that lights on every flower and sucks and tasteth on all but being pleased with none at last ariseth and sores away like Noahs dove flyes into the Arke from whence she came When Hearing Seeing Tasting Smelling's past Feeling as long as life remaines doth last Mayde reach my Lute J am not well indeede O pitty-mee my Bird hath made mee bleede FANCIE Ape-like I all thinges imitate Dreame-like I them vary-straite New proiects fashions I inuent All Shapes to head harte present Hence it is that Ideots although they have a mind able to know the truth and chuse that which is good if she could find such figures in the Brain as she might find provided she were in her right temper but if a frensie doe possesse it it so blots and disturbes the formes of things Phantasie proves altogether vain and brings no true relation to the understanding then the soule admits all for truth and buildes false conclusions flyes the good and persewes the Ill beleeving all that this false spie propounds but purge the humours and appease the rage which wrought this distemper in the Phantasie then will the wit which never had disease discourse as it ought and judge discreetly for the eye hath its perfect power of sight although the streame be troubled then these defects are in the sences and not in the soule she looseth not her