REASONS Academie Set foorth by Robert Mason of Lincolnes Inne Gent. Vitet censura furorem LONDON Imprinted by Th. Creede for Iohn Browne and are to be solde at his shop in S. Dunstons Church-yard in Fleet-streete 1605. To the right Honourable sir Iohn Popham knight Lord chiefe Iustice of England one of this Maiesties most honorable priute Counsell and to the rest of the Iustices of Assâ—se RIght honourable seeing it pleased you to patronise my foâ—mer paines entituled Reasons Monarchie wherin is declared that reason is an essensial quality of the immortall soule with a descriptioÌ„ of certain faculties qualities belonging to so noble a Creature and other circumstances in that small tract handled to vpholde ttue sincere reason discouering the mischiefes inconueniencies that haue followed by corrupt abuse of reasoÌ„ with the designes of some office as wel for particular as general gouernmeÌ„r aduancing right reasons aboue all affectioÌ„s passions and perturbatioÌ„s as the great Queene to raigne gouern ouer them al. I am bold againe to become an humble Suter vnto your Lordships that you wil protect and further reasons true title or rather true Reasons title for the dispearsing of her Rudiments precepts and directions amongst her Schollers for their better gouernmeÌ„t and order To the kings great maiesty as the founder of her vniuersitie in the time of his admirable vnioÌ„ peace she appealeth To his maiesties great couÌ„sel of state she appointeth the office of visitors And your LL. she chuseth to be PresedeÌ„ts Prouosts Wardens heads of her Colledges acknowledging your intollerable paines taken continually in her behalfe And me the vnworthiest of al her poore schollers she hath enioyned to present this her sute to your Lordships knowing that you wil not account the lesse of her high worthines by the meannesse or insufficiencie of the messenger Who in all humblenes beseecheth your Lordships to take his dutie in good part And so with his praier for your happy estates he leaueth further to trouble you Your Lordships humbly to coÌ„mand Robert Mason To the Reader SEeing all men take most comfort and pleasure in the things wherin themselues haue title interest or propriete Therefore gentle Reader I yeelde and render to thee such place in this most famous Vniuersitie or Sâ—hoole as appertaineth to thy qualitie or degree for it cannot be but thou oughtest to haue an office or exercise there if not of command gouernment or teaching then at the least of being taught learned and instructed which may moue thy consideration the more to peruse the points herein handled which although it be but as an Acadenâ—e or introduction in respect of deepe learning yet herein is something to be seene which will be worth the consideration and may moue further progession to higher vnderstanding Let it not seeme straunge that I handle number place and time in the frunt of this worke as instruments moulds and frames to fashion set downe and worke the substances and stuffes that serue to make vp the worke it selfe Then will ensue a discovery of the worthinesse of man and his reasonable soule within which ranke thou slandest and of the innumerable blessings made for thy vse and the wrong done to thy genus or kind by corrupt false vsages Out of these thou must discerne that the greatest good that Reason hath by the looking into Nature is to grow to the vnderstanding of the price and value of the soule and the employment of the faculties of the soule is to search out the greatnesse of the Creator comforts or benefits that belong to her selfe which doth manifestly shewe that the worthyest operation of the soule is contemplation and contemplation is properly knowing of the best things now the best things are such as concerne the knowledge of God the vnderstanding of the worthinesse of the immortaÌ„ll and reasonable soule all which I leaue to thy due consideration And thy selfe to the fauour of God with increase of learning in this most famous Vniuersitie Vale. REASONS Academie Of Nomber AS I purpose not to discourse of al the deepe points therof for that wold require a large treatise yet because it is a needefull part to be known in the vnderstanding of Reasons exercise I will make bold briefly to touch the same Nomber doth coÌ„sist of diuerse things either of one or seuerall denominations and without nomber there can bee no true definition demonstration manifestation nor vnderstanding of any thing for if all things were but one then were there no nomber or order wherefore one is said to be no nomber Sed scala devniâ—â—â—e the beginning of nomber In the God-head being before all time the maker of time and all things that increase in time there is number The Trinity of persons and vnity of God-head do declare as much For although god be a most singular Diuine essense in himselfe yet hath he proportioned number in himselfe vnseperably vnited in his God-head which the diuines call the Father Son and holy Ghost And the ancient Philosophers cal three inbeings The Father the actiue or inworking vertue power nature The Son they cal the word speech or reason The holy Ghost Loue. These Philosophers haue striued wonderfully in this labor wherin they haue waded exceding deep Amelius the disciple of Plotin is said to name the trinity three things or three vnderstandings The Beer the Hauer and the Seer The Trinity is expressed in these words Power vnderstanding wil which Trinity maketh a full number of things belonging to a mind which the Philosophers esteeme to be the Godhead But to leaue off this kind of descriptioÌ„ I coÌ„clude with Plotinus There are saith he three chiefe Inbeings The one or the God 2. The vnderstaÌ„ding or wit 3. The soule of the world And of these three saith he it is not for any man to speake without praying vnto god And without setling his mind afore vnto quietnes And if it be demanded saith he how one of them begetteth an other it is to be considered that we speak of euerlasting things therefore we must not imagine any temporall begetting for this begetting which we speake of saith he betokeneth but onely cause and order This Trinitie and first and euerlasting number hath proportioned appointed other numbers in them a miraculous order If any aslee a reason hereof I answere It was the power the wisdome vnderstanding wil of God to expresse himselfe in this compleat number of persoÌ„s in one vnity of godhead By this nuÌ„ber three was the whole world created al things innumerable whose mouers are only known to the creator himself In that number three is expressed the woÌ„der of the world the taking vp of Henock Elias the Ascention of our Lord Iesus Christ. Ionas three dayes in the Whales belly and Christ three dayes in the grave So that in the nomber of three is manifested the eternall Trinitie of the God-head the creation of the world and of
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
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