and immortall qualities And so doeth the Apostle expound it saying in the same place The bodie is sowen in corruption and riseth in incorruption it is sowen in dishonour it riseth in glorie it is sowen in weakenesse and is raised in power It is sowen a naturall bodie and is raised a spirituall bodie there is a naturall bodie and there is a spirituall bodie As it is also written The first man Adam was made a liuing soule and the last Adam was made a quickening spirite Whereupon wee haue to note that Saint Paul speaketh still of the selfe same bodie which remaineth alwayes one in substance But forasmuch as it altereth in qualities and kinde of life therefore as hee calleth it spirituall in regarde of the Spirite of Christ and of his spirituall and heauenly vertues by which hee changeth the first qualities of it as the Apostle teacheth vs by such as are opposed against them so it is also called an animall or naturall body of the soule which giueth vnto it onely that naturall life that it hath in this worlde and not that spirituall and immortall life which it shall haue after this For the soule which nowe can giue none but this mortall life by reason of sinne shall then haue another vertue when sinne shall bee wholly abolished to giue vnto the body an immortall and blessed life by meanes of that spirituall and diuine vertue of Iesus Christ whereby it shall bee quickened that it may quicken the body with the same life But because this worde Animal deriued from Anima that signifieth the soule is not very common in our English tongue wee finde in the vsuall translation of these places of Saint Paul alleadged by vs these wordes naturall and sensuall insteade of animal which the Greeke worde properly signifieth Therefore in expounding the sence of these kindes of speech vsed by the Apostle wee must vnderstand that hee doeth not call animal or sensuall and naturall the body of man onely or man by reason of his body onely but the whole man compounded of body and soule For hee is altogether animal that is naturall and sensuall both in body and soule without Christ Iesus but being in him so long as hee liueth in this worlde hee is both animal that is to say naturall and sensuall and also spirituall First hee is animal both because hee is not yet perfectly regenerated as also because hee is not yet immortall and glorified as hee shall bee after his resurrection On the other side hee beginneth euen nowe to bee spirituall because hee hath a beginning of regeneration wrought in him which being once made perfect hee shall bee regenerated much more absolutely and made wholly conformable to Iesus Christ both for immortallitie and eternall happinesse For then hee shall be no more animal naturall sensuall and spirituall altogether but onely spirituall according as I haue already declared Wherefore let vs knowe that euery one shall retaine still the selfe same body and soule which hee hath in this life but by reason of that change of euill qualities which being in both shall bee made in the other life Saint Paul calleth it spirituall and not for any conuersion that shall bee of the bodie into the spirite For as a man is called animal in regarde of the soule that is giuen him because the soule is the chiefest thing in him so hee is called spirituall in respect of the other life and of the excellencie that shall be added to the soule and by the soule to the body through the heauenly and spirituall vertue and power of Iesus Christ Nowe then seeing the soule is taken in the holie Scriptures for the naturall life which is not without affections wee may see it sometimes also put for them Therefore when the worde of God woulde expresse a great affection of loue it sayeth of the sonne of Sichem that his soule claue vnto Dinah and after it is added that hee loued her and spake to the heart of the maide that is to say kindely and as her heart coulde wish In like manner it is written of Iacob that his soule was bound to the soule of Beniamin his sonne to signifie that hee loued him tenderly as his owne soule and life And of Ionathan it is saide that his soule was knit with the soule of Dauid which phrase is afterward expounded by the Scripture where it is saide that Ionathan loued Dauid as his owne soule Wee are also commaunded to loue GOD with all our soule as also with all our heart and minde Therefore Iesus Christ sayeth that whosoeuer seeketh and saueth his soule shall lose it but hee that hateth and loseth it for his sake shall finde it and saue it vnto eternall life In which wordes the soule is not onely taken for the life but also for all the commodities thereof and for the desires of the flesh such as are glorie honours riches pleasures delights ease and all kinde of prosperitie for the obtaining of which things many turne aside from the way of saluation and take the path that leadeth to destruction Also we reade many places in the Scriptures in which the soule is taken not only for the whole person liuing but also for the person dead yea for the dead body and sometimes for the spirite separated from the body But wee must well consider in what sence there is mention made of the death of the soule Balaam wisheth that his soule might die the death of the iust but hee speaketh after the manner of the Hebrews who vse many times to say My soule and thy soule for my selfe and thy selfe or for my person and thy person according to that before mentioned that the name of soule and of flesh are often taken for the whole man and for that which wee call Person For this cause whereas Moses sayde that GOD sware by himselfe Ieremie and Amos say that hee sware by his soule in the same sence and signification Likewise the name of Soule is not onely taken for a liuing person but also for him that is dead as when it is written in the Law Let none of you be defiled by the dead among his people it is in the Hebrew ouer the soule of his people that is ouer the dead body of any of the people by touching it after it is dead And when Iob saieth that the soule of a man draweth to the graue and his life to the buryers and that God deliuereth his soule from going into the pit he taketh not the name of soule for that spirituall essence that giueth life vnto man but for the life it selfe or for the man and body it selfe which is laide in the graue after death So that his meaning is no other then to say that God deliuereth man from death whereby otherwise he should be brought into the pit And when Dauid saith Lord thou hast brought vp my soule out of
THE SECOND PART OF THE FRENCH ACADEMIE VVherein as it were by a naturall historie of the bodie and soule of man the creation matter composition forme nature profite and vse of all the partes of the frame of man are handled with the naturall causes of all affections vertues and vices and chiefly the nature powers workes and immortalitie of the Soule By PETER DE LA PRIMAVDAYE Esquier Lord of the same place and of Barre And translated out of the second Edition which was reuiewed and augmented by the Author AT LONDON Printed by G.B. R.N. R.B. 1594. TO THE RIGHT HONOVrable Sir IOHN PVCKERING knight Lorde Keeper of the great Seale of England T. B. wisheth increase of honour here to the glory of the Highest and endlesse happines with the Saints in the worlde to come HAuing finished Right honourable the translation of the second part of the French Academie and pondering with my selfe vnto whose Patronage I might commendand committ the same as it were into a safe Hauen to be preserued from the tempestuous and surging waues of this Sea-like worlde it came to my minde vpon sundry good considerations that your Honour might chalenge the same as a thing that by all right appertaineth vnto your selfe For first calling to my remembraunce that the principall scope aymed at by this Author in the penning of his book was to vphold the glorious essence of God against all contradiction of Atheists and that by the viewe of his diuine woorkes in the creation of the bodie and soule of man I presently concluded with my selfe that the defence of this poynt against that viperous broode was a woorke best beseeming the sacred seate of Magistracie and such as for their places representing the person of the supreme Iudge wore by the infallible worde of trueth adorned with his owne titles Psal 82. 1. Exod. 21. 6. Nowe forasmuch as by the speciall prouidence of God it hath pleased her royall Maiestie to aduaunce you to that seate of magistracie next vnder her Highnesse in which you are placed it seemed vnto mee that I shoulde after a sort offer wrong vnto your Honour if I did not recommend vnto it the defence of the highest ruler whose person you doe in a higher degree then others represent Secondly when I considered with my selfe that this generation of Earth-wormes which place nature being but a creature in the roome of the Creatour and denie the immortalitie of soules after this life doe therein as much as lieth in them labour to put out the light of their owne conscience which yet could neuer be wholly darkened in the mindes of anie no not of the most desperate Atheist that euer was I thought it most conuenient to craue that your Honours lawfull protection in the behalfe of this Booke and of my small paines taken therein for the benefite of my countrey might bee as it were a Sub paena serued vpon the whole rabble of these deuils incarnate to cause them to appeare at that high court of Conscience in which you enioy the chiefest place next vnder her sacred Maiestie there to make answere to the humble complaint of Conscience vnto which they offer such notorious violence A third reason that moueth mee to become an humble petitioner that this booke may be gathered vnder the wings of your Honours safe defence is the constant report of your great care that none be intertained into your retinue and familie whose hearts are possessed with a liking of that Antichrist of Rome within the compasse of whose iurisdiction this dangerous infection of Atheisme beganne first in this latter age of the worlde to breake foorth and hath nowe set footing euen in those countries from whence by a generall consent of all Estates it hath beene banished long agoe Let Florence testifie this to all posteritie succeeding where that monster Machiauel first beganne to budde who hath nowe spredde abroade his deadly branches of Atheisme ouer the most countries in Christendome insomuch as fewe places but are so well acquainted with his doctrine that the whole course of mens liues almost euery where is nothing else but a continuall practise of his preceptes And yet Machiauel beeing Secretarie to that Florentine estate and employed altogether in ciuill affayres may seeme in some sort inexcusable if hee bee compared with manie of those vnholy Fathers of Rome who making open profession to bee the Ring-leaders forsooth of the whole worlde to bring them vnto GOD were plunged irrecouerably in this bottomlesse gulfe of Atheisme Pope Leo the tenth a Florentine borne was so farre from confessing Christ Iesus to bee the Sonne of God with Peter whose Vicar hee woulde seeme to haue beene that hee blushed not openly to deride the doctrine of the Gospel and to scoffe at Christ Iesus himselfe the Authour thereof For vpon a time as Cardinall Bembo by occasion cited vnto him a place of Scripture concerning the gladde tydings of saluation this sonne of perdition most blasphemously replied vpon him in this manner Howe profitable this fable of Christ hath beene to vs and to our crewe is well knowen to all ages A most horrible saying and such as coulde not proceede but from a flatte Atheist of whom also it is reported that he maintained there was neither Heauen nor Hell after this life Birds of the same feather were Siluester the second Benedict the ninth Gregorie the seuenth Iohn the three twentieth Alexander the sixt Clement the eight Paulus the thirde with diuers others of that rabble of whome some vtterly renounced God and betooke themselues to the Deuill some denyed the immortalitie of the soule some taught most damnable heresies and all of them turned the grace of our God into wantonnesse denying God the onely Lorde and our Lorde Iesus Christ Iude verse 4. It woulde require a long time to anatomize their seuerall liues and your Honours waightie affaires in behalfe of this Church and Common-wealth will suffer no long discourse in regarde whereof I am constrained in few words and yet in most humble wise to recommend my selfe and these my poore labours to bee shrowded vnder your Lordships safe protection most heartily crauing at the handes of the highest so to guide your Honor in the managing of that great charge he hath called you vnto as may make most both for his own glory here and for your blessed and endlesse rewarde else-where * â * Your Honors most addicted T. B. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER Grace and Peace SENECA the Philosopher reporteth gentle Reader that the looking glasse was first inuented to this end that man might vse it as a meane to know himself the better by Now besides that in a glasse wee may attaine to some kinde of knowledge of our selues when wee take a viewe of our owne countenance and of the lineaments proportion of our bodies outwardly Socrates applied the same to a further vse for the instruction of manners For as Apuleius writeth of him he earnestly perswaded his Auditors to looke
of the husband ouer his wife of the subiection of the wife towards her husband For the Church was not first but Iesus Christ who is eternall very God and very man neyther was Iesus Christ taken from her but shee from him Therefore that which Adam saide of Euah when God brought her vnto him and when he had seene her after he awoke from sleepe namely This now is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh Saint Paul applieth to Iesus Christ and to his Church because shee is made bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh and partaker of the very nature of Iesus Christ by faith in him and by that vnion coniunction and fellowship which she hath with him whereby shee is conioyned vnto him as his spouse Wherefore the faithfull haue good cause to reioyce knowing that there is the like spirituall vnion coniunction and communication betweene Iesus Christ and them as there is betweene the husband and the wife according to the flesh Nowe as wee haue answered to the friuolous speeches which Atheists commonly make about the creation of the woman so wee will not passe ouer with silence the opinion of naturall Philosophers who say that the male is as it were a perfect man in comparison of the woman and that shee is an imperfect man For they doe teach that nature tendeth alwayes to the greatest perfection that shee can attaine vnto and because the male is more perfect then the female therefore that shee alwayes endeuoureth to bring foorth males But when shee wanteth power and strength to doe that shee woulde she ingendereth females insteade of males Wherevpon it shoulde followe that the generation of the woman as also that of the other females of all liuing creatures is an infirmitie a defect and an imperfection of nature But I woulde gladly demaunde of them whether GOD made an imperfect worke or no when hee created the first woman and whether hee did not create her as perfect in her kinde and in that degree for which hee created her as hee did the man in his Moreouer seeing God is the creatour of nature it is certaine that hee created it perfect in all things belonging vnto it and that hee hath made it subiect to certaine Lawes vnder which it is alwayes guyded by his prouidence as well in the generation of females as of males of the woman as of the man And if some creatures excell others yet that hindereth not why euery one shoulde not bee perfect in his order and nature hauing regarde to their Creatour and to the ende for the which hee created them Wee must not therefore alleadge anie imperfection in the creation of the woman more then in that of the man seeing that if shee had beene created otherwise then shee was shee shoulde not haue beene so perfect in her nature as shee is because shee woulde not so fitly serue that turne for the which shee was created namely to helpe man both in the generation and continuance of his kinde and also in being a succour vnto him in such thinges as belong to his nourishement and in the guiding and gouernement of them Besides is it not sayd as well of the woman as of the man that she was created in the image of GOD as wee haue already heard For Moses after hee had sayde that God created man in his image addeth immediately In the image I say of God created hee him hee created them male and female And as man is the image and glorie of God so the woman is the glorie of the man neyther can the one be bee without the other For as the woman is of the man so the man is by the woman but all thinges are of GOD. Therefore the worde of Building which the Prophet vseth in setting downe the creation of the woman is duely to bee considered in this matter For when hee saieth that God built the woman of Adams ribbe this worde importeth more then if he had simply sayde that he made and formed the woman For thereby hee woulde haue vs knowe the perfection of man and of mankinde in the creation of the woman because without her his building coulde not be finished So that man is as it were the first foundation vpon whom the woman was builded as likewise by generation of children proceeding from them both this building is not onely preserued and continued still but also furthered and augmented Vpon the like reason the worde that signifieth a childe in the Hebrew tongue is taken from a worde that signifieth to build in the same language as in deede children also are the true building of a house But before we enter into any larger discourse of this matter to know the generation and multiplication of mankind I am of opinion that we shal do well to intreat first of the dispositioÌ of that matter wherof we heard before his body was made as also of the partes thereof For generation respecteth chiefly the third kind of the natural powers faculties of man whose vertue and properties we are not to consider of before we haue beene instructed in all things that concerne the particular composition of mans body and of euery part thereof to this end that we might haue the true knowledge of that lodging which God hath giuen to man to dwell in vpon earth and that step by step wee might come to consider of the host or tenant of this tabernacle namely of the spirite and soule which is truely man Let vs then beginne to take a view of the diuision of the chiefe partes of the body and so handle first the simple or similary partes of which all the rest are compounded This matter subiect I offer to thee ARAM for thy discourse Of the simple or similary partes of the body namely the bones ligaments gristles sinowes pannicles cordes or filaments vaines arteries and flesh Chap. 3. ARAM. If wee take pleasure in beholding materiall frames builded with mens hands especially if they be made by rare workemen and such as excell in their Arte and in viewing attentiuely the goodly workes that are in them we ought to be a great deale more delighted without al comparison in looking vpon the stately edifices builded with the very hand of God and vpon the exquisite and wonderful workes wherewith he hath adorned and set them forth Curiosity causeth many men to wander all their life time in lands and seas vnknowen to feede their mindes with a vaine knowledge of the maners and customs of strangers but very few will be found who haue a care to know themselues In so much that being able to discourse of the situation of diuers regions and of the beauty of those places and fortresses that are therein yet they know not their owne house wherein they alwaies dwel and much lesse themselues namely their soules which are the inhabitants But if we thinke it a shame for a man to bee ignorant of those things that belong or bring
that is more fitte to nourish it or more naturall feeing it is the accustomed and vsuall sustenaunce neither is there any difference but only in that it is otherwise coloured being somewhat changed in taste sauour as also in this that the infant receiueth it by another passage then it did before Wherefore it is needfull that it should haue a conuenient and pleasaunt taste for the mouth that receiueth it as also it is very requisite that it should bee of that colour which it receiueth in the pappes For it woulde bee strange to see the infant draw blood from his mothers breast to haue his throate full of it and his mouth bloodie All these things shewe well that the Prophets had good cause to say that the mouthes of litle infants preach the prayses of Gods prouidence and confounde his enemies For when that foode which God giueth to nourish them in their mothers wombe can feede them no more there it hath pipes whereby to retire to that place in which it may performe the âame duetie and that so fitly that if that blood which is turned into milke did descend as it ascendeth by veynes which passe from the wombe to the breastes the prouidence of GOD would not so manifestly appeare as it doeth And therefore we see by experience that so long as the childe is nourished in his mothers wombe there is no milke in the breasts but after it is borne the blood that ranne euen vnto the wombe ascendeth vpward by veynes making a good long iourney before it come to the breastes For these veynes reach vp hard to the throate on euery side insomuch that the blood which they carie to the pappes ascendeth aboue the breasts and then descendeth into them to this ende that through the length of time wherein it abideth in the veynes it might haue more leasure to bee the better wrought and to bee turned into milke and into that white colour which it receiueth And the milke is made the whiter not onely through the aboad which it maketh in the breasts but also by the meanes of that kernelly flesh whereof they are compounded For it is of a whitish colour that it might giue the same colour to the milke whereof the pappes are the vessels So that heere wee may the better knowe as wee touched before why GOD by his prouidence made the breastes of that matter and colour whereof they consist Nowe wee haue further to note another poynt wherein God hath very well prouided for the comfort of women as it were a recompence for the paines and trauaile which they haue both in the bearing and bringing vp of their children namely that whilest a woman is withchilde and giueth sucke to her infant shee hath not her monethly and vsuall purgations because her supersluous blood and that which at other times is an excrement and must be voyded is not then any longer a superfluous excrement if she be not otherwise euil affected in body by sickenes but is turned into the foode of the child whether she beareth it in her belly or giueth it sucke with her breasts Wherein wee see a maruailous worke of God For it is all one as if hee turned poison or venim into good meate and nourishment yea into most deintie foode for the vse of such a delicate mouth and tender nature as an infant hath that is newly borne Further also we will note heere that so long as the infant is in his mothers belly it is nourished more like to a plant then to those liuing creatures which receiue their food by their throat And yet after he is borne he knoweth wel wherefore his mouth sârueth before euer he vsed it without any other Master or Mistresse to teach him this skill them the prouidence of God which sheweth it selfe also in other creatures in the like case but not in such euident and excellent manner We may say the like of the breath which the infant receiueth not in ãâã mothers wombe by his mouth no more then the meate wherewith hee is fedde nor yet by the nosethrilles which are more specially giuen to the body for that purpose but by the nauill which is appointed to be the pipe to conuey both vnto him before he be borne But the discourse of this matter will fall out more fitly heereafter to be handled at large when wee shall speake of the naturall and internall powers of the soule Wherefore it is time to finish the couering of our building and so make an end of the speaches of this dayes worke Therefore it belongeth to thee ACHITOR to couer it with skinne and haire vnlesse you thinke good first to tell vs something of the fat that is found within the skinne Of the fatte and skinnes of mans body and of their vse of the haires thereof Chap. 8. ACHITOB. Hitherto our intent hath beene after speach had of mans creation first to erect vp his tabernacle as it were a dâie Anatomy which is a body consisting onely of bones After wee clothed it with sinewes muscles ligaments flesh and kernelles which serue it for a garment or standeth in steade of morter or plaister for the walles of a building For in this edifice of mans body the bones occupy the place of stone which must afterward be committed to the Mason to cause them to keepe close together euery one in his place But yet we haue to white it ouer which is the last couering to make it fairer better polished and more perfect For if we consider it onelie as hitherto it hath beene set out vnto vs we shall see it but as it were a frame not polished nor made perfect without or as it were a bodie without a skinne which is not very pleasant to sight Therefore wee will now put on the last garment which couereth all the rest namely the skinne but first a word of the fatte which being within is of great force to preserue and keepe it I will not stay heere to declare how and by what meanes the fatte as also the kernels and paps are made of the blood because our principall scope is to shew the prouidence of God in the vse of all the parts of the body leauing to the Physicions that which appertaineth to their office touching the intire and perfect knowledge of the Anatomy of the body Seeing then wee are to speake of the fatte that is found in the body it serueth for the defence and preseruation of those partes that are couered therewith not onely against heate and cold and other thinges that come from without which might indammage those partes but also to keepe in naturall heate the longer by whose vertue concoction of meate commonlâ ãâã led digestion is made in the body Likewise it is very profitable for those partes that are in greatest and most vsuall motion to supple and annoint them as well to make them more nimble and readie to mooue as to preserue them from drying and so consequently
the body which in the infancie of man hinder it from doing that which it doeth by them in other ages Besides wee may truely say that God hath created it of that nature that as hee hath ioyned it vnto the body which hath his degrees of growth so the soule hath some agreement therewith in this respect touching the manifestation of her naturall powers and vertues Neither is it any strange thing if God deale so with it in this matter In the meane time wee see that although the soule of man seemeth in nothing or very little to differ from that of plants as long as it is in the mothers womb nor from the soule of beasts during the time of his infancie neuerthelesse afterward it sheweth very well wherein it differeth from them and that it hath certaine vertues which are not in any other soule For if this were not so both in respect of the age and growth of the body as also in regarde of that property which is in the nature thereof it woulde be alwayes like to that which it is in the beginning as wee see it is with plantes and beastes in whose soule wee can perceiue no more change in the ende and when they growe vp then in their beginning and first birth According then to that I haue now saide we see by experience that in the gifts and graces wherewith GOD daily adorneth and enricheth his children he doeth not communicate all at once vnto them but by little and little and by degrees as hee iudgeth it expedient and as they are capable of reason and vnderstanding Therefore it is written of Iohn Baptist that the childe grewe and waxed strong in spirite which is as much to say as that according as hee grewe in age God increased the graces of his holie spirite vpon him wherewith hee had indued him euen from his mothers wombe And when wee haue profited well in his schoole so that wee are assured of and instructed in those things which wee ought to followe according to the worde of GOD wee easily attaine to that Good which is the ende of all inquirie of the trueth namely to contemplation which followeth iudgement as iudgement followeth reason and the discourse thereof For reason discoursing is as it were the inquisition of the trueth that is sought for and iudgement is as the election that maketh choice of the trueth and of that which it taketh to be most certaine and Contemplation is as it were a quiet and setled beholding of all those things which were gathered together by reason and receiued with approbation by iudgement For there is no more place for disputation seeing all things are certaine and cleere Nowe all pleasure and delight proceedeth from the conuenience and agreement that is betwixt the thing that pleaseth and him whome it doeth please And because there is nothing more agreeable to the nature of the spirite and minde of man then trueth hereof it commeth that notwithstanding al corruption that is in him there is no man but naturally desireth knowledge and skill accounting science to bee excellent and woorthie of great praise and ignorance to bee full of shame yea hee iudgeth it a verie ill thing to bee deceiued Wherefore wee may not doubt but that as knowledge is more true and certaine so doeth the spirite receiue greater pleasure and when it hath found the trueth it delighteth greatly therein And if for the causes before touched by vs it can not find the trueth so certainely as it desireth yet it taketh singular pleasure in approching so neere vnto it as it can For this cause the more certaine the trueth is which it knoweth it is the more agreeable and pleasant vnto it especially when it knoweth the true spring and first causes thereof Therefore as the mindes of men delight more in those things that resemble them most of so much the more noble and excellent nature they are yea more heauenly and diuine and so will take pleasure in such things as are most excellent and celestiall Contrariwise the more earthly vile and abiect they shall be the more will they delight in mortall base and contemptible things and despise such as are of greatest value For this cause many Philosophers haue esteemed more of the studie of Philosophie and the knowledge thereof then of kingdomes and great riches being prouoked and pricked thereunto by an vnspeakeable pleasure which their spirite tooke in the knowledge of those things that were reueled vnto them therein On the other side wee see that ambitious men delight more in honours and worldely greatnesse then they woulde doe at leastwise in their owne opinion in all the skill of the Philosophers A couerous man pleaseth himselfe a great deale more in telling and beholding his crownes then in any other thing whatsoeuer It is no maruell therefore if ambitious couetous and voluptuous men and such like doe commonly deride those that take delight in learning and chiefly in the doctrine and contemplation of those celestiall and eternall things which they set before their eyes or if they preferre greatly their owne estate and condition before others that take pleasure in such things For they are pearles cast before swine which are not valued as they are woorth but onely of such as knowe them and their value Nowe if heathen Philosophers haue oftentimes willingly abandoned all their goodes that they might wholly addict themselues to the study of their humane Philosophie to the contemplation of such things as they could know thereby notwithstanding that it was alwayes accompanied with some doubting and that they could neuer attaine to a certaine knowledge either of the beginning or ende of things what ought Christians to do when the question is of Diuine Philosophie and Wisedome the treasures of which are opened and offered vnto them in the word of God For it is without all comparision farre more certayne then any science and containeth in it other trueths and matters that are great deale more profound excellent and more worthy of contemplation And they to whome God hath beene so gratious as to giue some taste and experience of these things are able to iudge well of them yea farre better then any others For it is certaine that euen for a little true knowledge of God and of the trueth of those things which hee hath reuealed vnto vs in his doctrine wee receiue singular delight with great ioy and sweete consolation So that euery man may perceiue howe much greater the pleasure will bee when the knowledge shall be greater If then this small taste which wee may haue in this worlde of these delicacies and spirituall delights bringeth vnto vs such singular ioy we may easily iudge howe great it will be in that most happy contemplation which wee shall haue in heauen with God when wee shall beholde him face to face and knowe him as wee are knowen whereas heere wee see him but as it were in a glasse and
the temperatures and complexions of the bodie as he hath disposed of the nature of the affections in the soule seeing the one is to serue the other through that mutuall agreement which they ought to haue one with another Nowe to morrow wee will prosecute our speech begunne concerning the affections of the soule to the end we may fully vnderstand this goodly and large matter which may procure to the soule and body both life and death And first mee thinkes wee are to enter into the consideration of foure things which are in the will and in the power to desire that is in the soule namely natural inclinations actions habites and affections This shal be then ASER the subiect of thy discourse The end of the fift dayes worke THE SIXT DAYES Worke. Of foure things to be considered in the Will and in the power of desiring in the soule and first of the naturall inclinations of selfe-loue and the vnrulinesse thereof Chap. 41. ASER All the actions of the soule are bredde of the powers and faculties thereof and therefore by the benefite of nature which is the gift of God she hath receiued powers for all thinges which she ought to doe Now concerning the facultie of knowing in the soule and in the vnderstanding part thereof of which we haue intreated heeretofore we finde three thinges worthie of diligent consideration namely naturall principles actions and habites gotten by long custome Wee may remember those sundry degrees which we said were in the knowledge of the minde and how by this facultie it doeth not only know simple and particular things as beasts doe but also compoundeth and ioyneth them together how it compareth one with another separateth them and discourseth vpon them finally howe it iudgeth and eyther approueth or refuseth them All which things are actions of the minde proceeding from those notices and naturall principles of knowledge that are therein Nowe if these actions be sodaine and passe lightly so that the minde doeth not stay in them nor acquaint it selfe with them the bare and simple name of action belongeth to them But if the minde doeth one and the same thing often museth much vpon it calleth it often to memorie and accustometh it selfe thereunto so that it is in a manner imprinted in it and thereby the minde becommeth prompt and ready in regarde of thelong continuance therein then doe these actions take the name of habite which is bredde by the often repeating and reiterating of the same things Whereby the minde is made more skilful and ready and the spirites more fitte and apt to performe those exercises vnto which they haue addicted themselues and wherein they haue continued So that such a habite is as it were a light in the spirite and in the soule whereby the actions there of are gouerned In like manner wee finde in the Will and in that power o desiring which is in the soule foure things to be considered namely naturall inclinations actions habites and affections which intermingle themselues in euery one of the other All these thinges are good of their owne nature euen as nature it selfe being considered as God hath created her But as nature was corrupted through sinne so is it with these things by reason of that disorder which the nature of sinne hath brought vnto them But let vs first speake of naturall inclinations and then we will prosecute the rest As therefore the minde hath his naturall principles of knowledge so the will hath her naturall inclinations and affections which of their owne nature are good as they are taken from that first nature created of God neither woulde they at any time bee wicked if there were no excesse in them proceeding from nature corrupted which afterwarde breedeth in vs such inclinations and affections as are altogether euill and damnable We loue our selues naturally our wiues our children our kinsfolkes and our friendes yea we are by nature so enclined to this loue that if it were not in vs we shoulde not onely not bee men but not deserue so much as to bee accounted and taken for beastes no not for the wildest most sauage and venemous beastes that can be For we see by experience what great inclination affection there is in euery one of them towardes their litle ones Therefore when S. Paul maketh a beaderoll of the vices and sinnes of such men as are most vicious and execrable and as it were monsters of nature he saith expresly that they are without naturall affection which indeede cannot be cleane rooted out of any nature liuing vnlesse it be altogether monstrous and vnnaturall For it is an affection which is as it were a beame of the loue that God beareth cowards all his creatures and which he causeth to shine in them so that it is not possible that they which are capable of any affection of loue should not loue their owne blood and their like especially men Wherefore if this loue and this affection were well ruled and ordered it is so farre from being vicious that contrariwise the spirite of God condemneth as Monsters those men that want it And therefore God doth not forbid and condemne this loue and affection in his law so farre forth as it is ruled thereby but he approueth it appointeth it to be the rule of our loue towards our neighbour when he saith Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe But when this loue affection is disordered in vs it is not only vicious but also as it were the originall and fountaine of all other vices and sinnes whereas if it were well ordered ruled according to the will law of God it would be as it were the fountaine and welspring of all vertues For wee should not loue our selues but in God and through him nor consequently our wiues nor our children nor our friends nor any other creature whatsoeur wheras cleane contrariwise wee set God aside and seeke nothing but our selues and the things of the world Therefore this loue and affection being nowe so vnruly through sinne is so violent in vs that it withdraweth vs from the loue of God and of his creatures to loue the deuil and his wicked workes because it seemeth to vs that he is a greater friend vnto vs then God For whereas the holy spirite doeth resist and set himselfe against our euil affections and wil haue vs to bridle them Satan on the contrary part letteth them loose not onely giueth vs ouer to follow our peruerse and vitious affections with full sway and libertie but also prouoketh and thrusteth vs forward with great vehemencie Whereby we may iudge what loue and affection a man may cary towardes creatures in those things wherein they may be contrary vnto him and with what fury and rage he may be ledde against them that resist his disordered affections seeing he carieth such an affection towardes God his Creator Therefore Saint Paul speaking of wicked men that should be
and euill to the ende that all the actions therof might agree with these rules which are the beames of heauenly wisedome in our selues For it is an order which God hath so ordained established And forasmuch as the soule was to dwell in the body God gaue vnto it this naturall power of the affections that it might bee wakened and stirred vp by them as it were with prickes thereby to be kept from idlenesse and from being lulled asleepe and oppressed with the heauines of the body and so neglect all care of good things of that which is very expedient profitable for it self For this cause the soule hath her affections of which some serue for spurres to pricke her hither thither as ofteÌ as need requireth others serue for a bridle to keep her back to stay her from rushing vnto euill from following those things that are hurtful for her And indeede we stand in need of such spurtes and bridles but herein we erre greatly in that we knowe not howe to keepe a moderation betweene these twaine For because wee make these spurres too sharpe and pricke the horse too much which we haue to guide the bridle on the other side is two grieuous vnto him so that he lifteth vp and girdeth forward ouer furiously And this commeth to passe because wee doe not content our selues with that which is requisite for the succouring of our naturall necessities but we adde there vnto infinite superfluities For vpon some light necessitie that might soone be dispatched we torment our selues a great deale more then neede is because wee perswade our selues that our necessities are greater then they bee and so seeke after moe remedies and helpes then is requisite Of this wee haue daily experience in that care which wee take for thinges necessarie for this life which is the cause that wee burne continually with insatiable couetousnesse which is such a marueilous spurre vnto vs that wee take very little rest for it For if wee woulde bee contented with enough it woulde not put vs to that torment which wee dayly suffer But nothing sufficeth vs and therefore the affections are in our soule as the windes vpon the sea For some windes are very small and mooue the water but a little others are more vehement and rayse vp certaine waues and some againe are so tempestuous and make such horrible stormes and gustes whereby the Sea is so mooued that sea and sande and fishe and all seeme to bee turned topsie toruie The like may bee sayde of the motions of the soule For some are so light that they seeme to bee nothing els but small beginnings of moouing There are others stronger which moue it somewhat more And some also are so violent that they altogether trouble the soule euen in such a vehement manner that they driue her from her seate of iudgement Therefore these two first kindes of motions are properly called affections and the other that are so violent are termed Commotions and Perturbations For they bring a kinde of blindnesse with them which is the cause that iudgement and reason see neuer a whit Whereupon it followeth seeing neither Reason nor Iudgement beare any more rule that the soule is as if shee had no more power ouer her selfe but were subiect to the iurisdiction of some other The Grecians terme such affections with a worde that signifieth as much as if wee shoulde say passions And in deede wee commonly say that a man is passionate when hee is tormented by such violent affections For as the whole bodie suffereth when it is mooued or thrust too and fro and stricken on euerie side so is it with the soule beeng violently mooued euerie way And as the moouing is more or lesse moderate so shee suffereth more or lesse and if the motion bee verie violent confusion followeth thereupon Nowe for the sequele of this speech let vs consider how the affections are more or lesse moderate according to the disposition of the iudgement and what is the spring and originall of so many sundry affections as we see in men It belongeth then to thee ARAM to handle this matter That according to the dispposition of the iudgement the affections are more or lesse moderate or immoderate of the cause of all the motions of the soule and heart of the varietie of affections of the generation nature and kindes of them Chap. 43. ARAM. Whatsoeuer we doe or wish for wee doe or desire it for some Good whether that which we iudge to bee good bee so in trueth or in opinion onely And therein wee resemble God our Creator who is not only good but also goodnes it selfe euen the perfection of all Good Wherefore if we desire to know what is the true Good we must vnderstand that there is but one onely true Good euen the same by participation of which we are first made good and then of good most happie For we cannot be happy and blessed which is the end we all looke for but we must first become good For as there is no true felicitie and blessednes but in Good being th source and fountaine yea the perfection of all happines and contentation so also there is no felicitie nor blesse dues but in goodnes which is as proper to God as his very diuinitie because that as he cannot be God except he be good so he cannot be good with that goodnesse that is in him but he must bee God And as he is the essence of all essences so he is the essential Good and the essential Goodnes of al Goods and of al Goodnesses But although our nature doeth of it selfe alwayes tend to that which is Good as wee haue shewed in the handling of the chiefe powers of the soule Vnderstanding and Will neuertheles we differ much nay we are cleane contrary to God when wee come to the election of Good because of the bad iudgement we haue by reason of the darknes of ignoraunce wherewith our mindes are blinded Hereof it commeth that the more the iudgement is corrupted infected and deeper plunged in the flesh the more euill and carnal are the affections the moe in number and the more violent yea such as doe not onely trouble and peruert the internal senses of the soule but the external senses also of the body This we may obserue in them that are caried away with loue who thinke oftentimes and are verily perswaded that they see and heare those thinges which indeede are nothing so Contrariwise the purer the iudgement is and the higher it is lifted vp from the fleshe and from the earth the feweâ and lighter are the affections which trouble and molest it For then it taketh greater heed and marketh what trueth or what falsehood what good or what euill there is in all thinges Whereupon it commeth to passe that the iudgement is not so often nor so easily mooued And when it is mooued it is not so violent nor headie but more mature
any in him that is true and sounde but onely that which is counterfeite and fayned towardes them that submit themselues vnto him through flatterie But that which is most dangerous in pride is when it is bredde of humilitie of modestie and of vertue For there are manie who considering their owne modestie and other vertues and condemning pride and other vices are delighted therewith after an insolent manner and are puffed vp with pride thereby Whereby wee see what windings and slipperie turnings are in that olde serpent the Father of pride into howe manie fashions hee changeth himselfe and in what manner hee hath infected and poysoned our heart For hee hath brought it to this passe that as venimous beastes turne all they eate howe good soeuer it bee into venime so the proude man turneth all his thoughtes wordes and deedes into pride For hee draweth and referreth euery thing to his owne honour and glorie and therefore Saint Chrysostome verie aptly compareth Vaine-glorie to a Mothe For as the mothe marreth and consumeth that cloth in which it is bredde so vaineglorie sometime springeth of vertue and afterwarde corrupteth it For there is no vertue so excellent which is not turned into vice and made abominable before GOD so soone as it is mingled therewith Seeing then pride is such an horrible monster as that which breedeth and bringeth foorth so manie other monsters wee ought to seeke diligently after all remedies for it that may possibly bee had whereby it may bee tamed and kept vnder and so our soules cured of such a dangerous disease and plague Nowe forasmuch as it proceedeth of ignoraunce and of inconsideratenesse and through the want of the due knowledge of God and of our selues wee must redresse this euill by the vertues contrarie to these vices namely by the true knowledge of God of his worde and of our selues Which wee shall obtaine if hee deale so gratiously with vs as to fill vs with his holie spirite and to giue vs an humble heart that renouncing all pride and all arrogancie wee may learne to walke in his feare and in all obedience to his holie will so that wee wholly consecrate our selues vnto him both in bodie soule and spirite in will heart and all our affections Nowe hauing spoken sufficiently of that matter into which wee fell whilest wee handeled the second bellie which God hath placed in man for the lodging of the vital partes and namely of the heart which is the seate of the affections it remaineth that we consider of the third beilie which is the seate of the naturall powers and vertues of the soule of which thou shalt beginne nowe to discourse ACHITOB. Of the naturall powers of the soule and what sundrie vertues they haue in the nourishment of the bodie of their order and offices of their agreement and necessarie vse where the Vegetatiue soule is placed in the bodie and what Vertue it hath to augment the same Chap. 60. ACHIT The dispositioÌ placing of the principal parts of our body of that noblest meÌbers therof is a goodly schole wherin we may learne how much more carefull wee ought to be of heauen then of the earth and of the spirite then of the bodie We haue already heard how the internall partes of man were deuided into three bellies and lodgings of which the two former namely the braine and the heart together with the vertues offices and works of the soule in them haue beene declared vnto vs. It remaineth that we consider of the last lodging of the bodie which properly beareth the name of belly which is the seate of these naturall powers and vertues of the soule which we call Vegetatiue and nourishing and is diuided into three kinds namely into the vertue of nourishing of augmenting or growing and of engendring Nowe when we see this order and disposition in our nature we ought seriously to thinke that seeing God hath placed the heart betweene the head and the belly the Vitall vertue of the soule betweene the Animal and Nutritiue and the will betweene the vnderstanding and the most sensuall part in vs therefore the heart affections and will ought to looke alwayes on high and not downward to the ende they should ioyne to the most noble celestiall and diuine part and not to that which is most base sensual and earthly Whereunto that also ought to induce and leade vs which we learned before of the agreement between the highest and middlemost of these principal and more noble parts of the body vnto which this last is inferiour in all kinde of excellencie beautie and dignitie This belly of which wee are nowe to discourse containeth all the members and instruments that serue for nourishment and generation whereupon it is termed the Kitchin and Nurserie of the body and the seminary and welspring of mankinde But before we enter into a particular consideration of these members and instrumentes wee are to looke into the naturall powers of the Vegetatiue soule that is in them And first we will note that which we spake of elsewhere of the office of heate and moysture in the nature of the bodie that as moysture keepeth heate within it so heate drinketh and soaketh vp moysture as much as it may digesting and dispelling it by the vertue and action of it owne nature Now whilest this moysture is thus digested by the heate there is a separation made of that which is profitable in the bodie from that which is superfluous and consequently hurtfull to the bodie That which is profitable for it is the iuyce and humour that agreeth with it in regarde of the similitude and likenesse that is betweene them Whereupon it followeth that all moysture that is greatly diuerse or contrary to the body is hurtfull for it as also all drye matter which likewise hurteth the health and life thereof So that this vertue of the soule which we call naturall or otherwise Vegetatiue and which comprehendeth vnder it the vertue of nourishing of augmenting and of engendring euery of which hauing sixe others tending all to one ende as we heard alreadie this vertue I say causeth that which is profitable for the nourishment of the bodie first to bee distributed vnto the members and then to bee turned into the bodily substance of the liuing creature because that vertue and power of the soule doeth imbrace and receiue it acknowledging it alreadie to bee a part of the bodie Therefore the vertue of drawing nourishment that is in the soule hath for an helper the vertue of retaining and keeping vntill there bee a conuenient change thereof made by the facultie and power of digesting and as it were dressing of it For otherwise the attractiue and retentiue power were to small purpose Now when the meate is digested so much of it as is pure must bee separated from that which is impure by the vertue of purging and that which is impure must bee deliuered ouer to the
and to diminish and as it were to retire backe and to restrayne it selfe And as for the vertue of engendering it differeth from both the other first in that it is not giuen so generally to all liuing creatures as they are and then in that it beginneth not so soone For it commeth then when the liuing creature through nourishment and growth hath attayned to those vertues that are necessary for generation Besides it hath this common with the vertue of augmentation that it hath certaine limites and bounds vnto which after it is once come it weakeneth and in the ende decayeth vtterly Wherein it differeth from the nourishing vertue Nowe the vertue of growing greater hath as many other particular vertues vnder it for the execution of it owne office as the vertue of nourishing hath according as was touched before Whereby wee learne that bodies growe not greater neither augment by the heaping vp of much matter outwardely applied as when a house is set vp wee see timber ioyned to timber and stone to stone in the building of it but this is done by the same hidden and secrete arte and cunning in nature whereby wee are nourished For in this poynt there is no difference betweene the vertue of nourishing and that of augmenting but onelie heerein that in nourishment the meate is turned into the substance of the bodie and in augmenting the foode beeing thus turned doeth from within stretch foorth the quantitie of the bodie outwardly And so this vertue of augmenting dependeth of the nourishing vertue For meate nourisheth as it is a substance with qualities meete for nourishment and augmenteth by reason of the quantitie it hath For this cause hath God created the bodies of liuing creatures with such a substance that as they haue sundrie passages and holes in them like to sponges to the ende to purge by them so he would that the substance they receiue by their foode might passe by the same holes that they might augment and grow greater So that all of them haue their pores and litle holes albeit they appeare not to the eye whereby nourishment entreth and extendeth it selfe in greatnesse length and thicknesse The consideration hereof hath caused some skilfull men to place mettals and stones in the ranke of liuing creatures because they growe in the earth as the bodies of plants and liuing creatures doe Neither is their opinion without some shewe of reason For wee knowe that they grow and increase and that inwardly which seemeth not to bee done without drawing vnto themselues some inward nourishment as liuing creatures vse to doe Besides they haue also their pores and passages to stretch foorâh and augment themselues by Notwithstanding all this there is greater reason to place them in the ranke of those natures and creatures which augment and grow greater by adding and ioyning of matter vnto them as wee see fountaines and riuers to increase and so likewise fire Which albeit it seemeth to be nourished and augmented with that matter which is put vnto it yet is it not nourished as liuing creatures are by meanes of that foode which they receiue For they haue their boundes of growing set them which they cannot passe as wee see the like also in plantes but fire hath no limites as that which alwayes increaseth as long as it findeth any matter to burne Whereby we may conclude that naturall heate in man or in other liuing creatures is not the cause of their nourishing and growth but onely the instrument and that the true cause in regarde of second causes is in the soule next after God who is the first cause of all things yea the cause of causes Therefore it is hee that hath alotted out to euerie man the terme first of his life and growth and then of his declining and death so that according as hee will eyther prolong or shorten our life and cause vs to encrease or diminish so hee disposeth the seconde causes and those meanes whereby hee will bring it to passe Nowe wee must consider what instrumentes the soule vseth to execute in the bodie of man her naturall woorkes of nourishing and augmenting it of which wee haue nowe spoken and after what manner shee vseth them First then wee will looke into the ventricle and stomacke and see what figure what Orifices and filaments it hath This matter then ASER belongeth to thee to intreate of What instrumentes the Soule vseth in the bodie about the naturall woorke of nourishing and augmenting of the Ventricle or stomacke and of the figure Orifices and Filaments it hath of the coates of the stomacke and of what substance and nature it is of the causes of hunger and of appetite of the inferiour Orifice Chap. 61. ASER. Wee shoulde bee very happie if wee knewe howe to followe that order in all our doings which God hath set downe in all his woorkes and whereof he giueth nature vnto vs for a Mistresse But if the simplicitie of our vnderstanding bee not able to attaine to so high wisedome at the least we may knowe howe farre short euery one of vs commeth of our duetie and from whence proceedeth all the confusion that is in the life of man and all those miseries which wee commonly beholde On the other side nothing coulde hinder vs were it not a voluntarie and malicious ignorance in that wee consider not what a marueilous and excellent Woorkemaster God the Creator sheweth himselfe to bee in this part of the soule whereof our present discourses are and in that order which hee hath set therein and in those vertues which hee hath bestowed vpon it For his woorke is so excellent and woorthie of so great admiration that no wisedome or power whatsoeuer is able so much as to imitate it Wherefore wee are to account it a very great and noble blessing to haue onely some knowledge of it and to bee able to comprehende some thing thereof by our vnderstanding For there will be alwayes enough whereat to marueile greatly and namely in the consideration of those instruments which the soule vseth in the nourishment and growth of bodies as we shall know in the sequele of our discourses Therefore as heeretofore wee haue handled and spoken of the diuers powers of the soule and of those instruments it hath in regarde of the Animal and Vital partes as of the braine heart head and other externall members of the bodie so nowe wee are to consider of the internall instruments which serue the naturall powers of the soule And first it hath the liquors and humours of the bodie tempered together by a certaine Lawe and reason of the Creator that created them Secondly the other instruments of the soule are those members both externall and internall which are framed and haue their seuerall proportion euery one as neede requireth for the office assigned vnto them by God their Creator For before the soule bee clothed with the bodie these instrumentes are fashioned and made fitte for it by nature
branches of the veines of their names and vses and of the similitude betweene them and the arteries Chap. 63. ARAM. When we consider how the prouidence of God reacheth so far vnto those things that are profitable necessary in our bodies that it forgetteth not neither omitteth the least thing that is in them we should be very blinde of vnderstanding if we doubted that our God prouided not aswell for all things that are profitable and necessary for our soules for the spirituall foode and growth of them and for their perfect purging and saluation For albeit there is no superfluity or excrement in that spiritual food wherewith the soule is nourished yet is it requisit and needful that the soule be purged from those excrements and filthines of sin wherwith the deuil hath infected filled it And so indeed is it purged in Iesus Christ who hath washed clensed vs from our sins by his blood doth daily purge vs by his holy spirit and by those means which he hath ordained in his church Therefore I am out of doubt that God meant to put men in minde of these things by the order necessitie which he hath appointed in the nature of their bodies both in regard of their food and of their nourishment and that we shal alwaies find good and holy instructions for the soule by considering the nature and office of euery part of the body Let vs then consider of other instruments of the naturall powers of the soule then hitherto we haue spoken of After the entrals guts the Mesentery foloweth which is placed in the midst of them whereupon it is so called of the Graecians as if you would say dwelling in the midst of the guts And because it is carried and lift vp into the middle of all these vessels it is also called by some Mesareon which name signifieth the selfe same thing in Greeke Others take Mesareon to be the highest part of the Mesentery which is also called Calicreas by the Graecians because the flesh of it is very pleasant to eate according as the name giueth vs to vnderstand So that it is no entrall or gut but a coat and folded couering in the midst of them or rather a thicke white flesh of a sinowy and kernelly substance that beareth fat distinguishing the entralles and knitting them vnto the backe But it was chiefely created to beare vp and sustaine the Meseraicall veines and arteries with the sinewes that are in that member which because they are in danger of breaking through the vehement motions of the body such other accidents therefore the prouidence of God would not haue them without a foundation prop and defence to countergard them For this cause he hath fortified and fastened the branches and diuisions of the veins by such a member and instrument which serueth in steade of a band and stay both to the great and little ones Besides his action and vse also is to fasten and keepe the entralles euery one in his place and to conuey vnto the liuer by the meseraicall veines that are called the handes thereof that liquor which the Graecians call Chylus of which wee haue already spoken For as the bodies of trees haue their rootes which spread abroad in the earth to drawe nourishment from thence euen so there are branches dispersed throughout the Mesentery and deriued from the liuer veine which are ioyned to the bowelles as it were small rootes to drawe foode being much like to haires or cob-webs These braunches or small rootes are the Meseraicall veines so called because they are placed in the vpper part of that member and instrument that is called Mesareon whereof I spake euen nowe Their office and nature is to draw and sucke out nourishment from the guts and to carry it to the liuer from whence they haue all their beginning as appeareth by Anatomie howsoeuer there are that thinke that some of them come not from thence The flesh of the Mesentery is kernelly and fatty not only seruing in steade of a munition and defence as hath beene said but also to moisten the entralles and guts and to preserue the heate both of the bowelles and veines So likewise the arteries are ioyned to the veines to giue them heate and to the guts also to concoct the liquor and nourishment Besides the nerues and sinewes there serue to giue sense to the guts There is moreouer a kernelly flesh which the Physicions call Pancreas because it doeth wholly resemble flesh as the Greeke name importeth It is placed in the hollow part of the liuer that it might be as it were a cushion vnto it and a preseruer of the diuided partes thereof by filling the void places that are betwene the stomach the liuer and the spleene to the ende it may vphold and protect the meseraicall veines and keepe euery thing from breaking either by falles or by violent motions Nowe touching the liuer it is a very noble member For it is the principallest member of all the naturall partes and the chiefest instrument belonging to the vegetatiue and nourishing power of the soule It is the first of the nobler partes that is made perfect when the childe is framed in the mothers womb it is the author shop and forge of the blood the originall and fountaine of the veines Therefore the substance of it is a soft and red flesh like to blood newly pressed out clodded Neuertheles in it own nature it is perfect flesh hauing sundry different veins dispersed throughout as it were threeds arteries also ioyned vnto theÌ for their refreshing Now after the stomach hath finished the first concoction of meat and turned it into liquor as it hath bin declared vnto vs the second is made in the liuer after it hath receiued this liquor so prepared by the stomach and guts as we said and turned it into blood This concoction is perfected in the small veines that are dispersed throughout the body of the liuer And because God hath inioyned this office to this member he hath compounded it of such a flesh matter as hath giuen vnto it this proper and peculiar vertue to conuert into blood that foode and nourishment that is brought vnto it to the end it may bee the instrument of the generation of that thing wherewith the body is nourished Hauing thus transformed the liquor receiued it maketh it redde like vnto it selfe as contrariwise blood is made white in the breasts of a woman both by reason of their nature and substance as also for other causes touched by vs. The temperature of the liuer is hot and moist such as becommeth the blood and concoction it hath to performe which is like to boiled meat Now forasmuch as this instrument and member is the chiefest in the kitchin of mans body GOD hath giuen vnto it such a nature and property as if there were in it a harth a table a knife and a wagoner
the compression and contraction of the Midriffe I speake not heere of the stone which wee carie in our kidneyes or of that which oftentimes breedeth both in the kidnes and in the bladder I meane of such stones as bake there as it were in a Tile-kill or potters fornace I omitte also the passions of the kidneyes and the extreame paines proceeding from thence which are further instructions vnto vs of our infirmities and miseries and of the frailetie of mans life but the handling of these things properly belongeth to the Physicions I will onely adde to that which I haue spoken of the necke of the bladder where the Vrinary pipes ende that the hole thereof is full of wreathings and turnings to the ende it may the better holde and keepe in the water And for this cause also it hath a muskle as well as the fundament to open and to shut and to yeelde and retaine the vrine according to natures will euen as it is with the other excrementes that are purged by the bowels Wee propounde these things as it were a generall Anatomie of the bodie because if I should lay them open at large and by peece-meale eche member hath in it sufficient whereof to make a great booke For as I haue alreadie declared the artificiall woorkemanship of mans bodie is incredible and incomprehensible if a man consider all the partes of it For there is nothing bee it neuer so small but the woorke of it is very marueilous the vse great and so fitted to the purpose as cannot possibly be better But wee neede not discourse more particularly of the composition and nature of mans body and of the partes of it seeing our intent is not to become Physicions but in some sort naturall Diuines by learning to knowe the prouidence of God in his woorkes especially in our creation composition nourishment and preseruation that wee may glorifie him in them as becommeth vs. Nowe in all that wee haue hitherto propounded of the foure naturall humours of the bodie wee haue spoken of them according as naturally they are and ought to bee without corruption and such as are necessary for the life of man But forasmuch as they are of great vertue and power in regarde of the affections and manners of men whether they abide in their right nature or whether they be corrupted wee must speake somewhat of their corruption and of the hurt that commeth thereby not onely to the health and life of the bodie but also to that of the soule considering withall what are the sundry naturall temperaments of men Marke therefore ARAM what you haue to say vnto vs concerning this matter Of the names wherby the humors of the bodie are commonly called with the causes wherefore of the comparison betweene the corruption and temperature of the humors of the body and betweene the manners and affections of the Soule of the meanes whereby the humours corrupt and of the Feuers and diseases engendred thereby of the sundry natural temperatures in euery one Chap. 67. ARAM. The nourishment of mans body hath many degrees and passeth through many pipes and vessels before it bee perfect and conuerted by true generation into the proper substaunce of euery member whither it is caried as wee may iudge by that which wee haue alreadie hearde to this purpose But there is such an accorde betweene all the members of the bodie whereby euery one executeth his office and such a communion of all their powers that eche member keepeth his ranke and order neyther doeth any one retayne and keepe to it selfe more nourishment then is requisite but sendeth as much as is needefull vnto the rest euen vnto the nayles and haires and vttermost excrements Nowe if through some defect or corruption falling out in their nature any of them breake the order of this equall distribution a common detriment seazeth vpon the whole bodie and vpon all the members generally so that those partes also taste of the hurte that offered wrong vnto the residue For they cannot liue alone nor without helpe from others The like is seene in the Common-wealth and in the members thereof For what is the cause that some are readie to burst for farnesse and multitude of meates whereas others are emptie and die of hunger that some haue so much wealth that they are greately troubled therewith and others are so poore Nay what is the cause of all the confusion in the worlde but that euerie one raketh to himselfe and no such equalitie and communion is obserued as becommeth the estate of euerie one Wherefore as sundrie diseases are bredde in mans bodie whereby in the ende it is vtterly ouerthrowen when there is no such communion betweene the members thereof nor any such distribution of the nourishment as there ought to bee so is it with the bodie of the Common-wealth when some oppresse others and when euerie one hath not that that belongeth vnto him For first there followeth great confusion and of confusion subuersion as diseases followe faultes committed by the members and after diseases death it selfe Nowe the infinite number of infirmities and ordinarie diseases whereby moe violent deathes are procured then naturall by reason of the defectes and excesses brought in by sinne into the whole life of man causeth men to speake diuersely of the foure humours of the bodie necessarie for the preseruation and nourishment thereof For they are more often taken for the vices and excesses whereby they are corrupted then for the true naturall humours which are the chiefe instruments of the soule whereby it giueth life and nourishment to the bodie The cause whereof as I thinke is because men doe sooner and more easily perceiue and marke what is euill and hurtfull vnto them then that which breedeth their good and profite And indeede it falleth out commonly that they knowe not the good thinges they haue vntill they haue lost them or else are become hurtfull vnto them No marueile then if they knowe not from whence these good things come or of whome they haue receiued them and so become ingratefull towardes GOD. Wherefore let vs not woonder when God withdraweth them from vs or suffereth them to corrupt and to bee spoyled that they might hurt vs in steede of helping vs to the ende that by this meanes wee might learne to acknowledge that good which before wee knewe not and not to despise it when wee haue it I meane that wee shoulde learne this by the euill that succeedeth after wee haue lost the good For wee are such scholers as cannot otherwise imprint in our mindes those good thinges which God bestoweth vpon vs but by beeing depriued of them and by our owne hurt Heereof it is that wee alwayes learne to our owne cost as wee say because wee cannot conceiue so well as wee ought to doe of the free goodnesse of God Nay it were well if all coulde learne aright by their owne harmes For there are but fewe that profite
that ye henceforth walke not as other Gentiles walke in vanitie of their minde hauing their cogitation darkened and beeing strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the hardnes of their heart We see here that in the first place he putteth the mind by which he meaneth vnderstanding and reason which is the principal faculty and power of the soule that which is so much magnified by the Philosophers that it is called of theÌ the Queene Damé Mistres Neuertheles S. Paul testifieth clearely that all of it is vanity without Christ so that a man may well iudge what wee are to esteeme of the rest that is in man Therefore also wee see howe from the minde hee commeth to the thought whereby hee comprehendeth both imagination and memory and all the faculties and powers of the internall senses which he testifieth to be shadowed with darkenesse so that there is no heauenly light at all therein without Iesus Christ who is the light of the world For which cause also he affirmeth that they are estranged from the life of God that is to say from that life by which he liueth in his and which he commaundeth and approoueth Afterward hee referreth the cause thereof to their ignorance which he ioyneth with darknesse and with the thought obscured thereby Finally hee commeth to the will and affections which he comprehendeth vnder the name of heart to whose hardnesse hee referreth their ignorance as to the fountaine thereof For by reason that through their malice and contumacie they reiect the light of God that is offered to their hearts and mindes they blinde themselues by the iust iudgement of God by which also they are made blinde as they iustly deserue seeing they loue darkenesse more then light and lying more then the trueth Now when al these faculties of the soule are reformed with the body according as we haue already declared then is man come to that entire sanctification of which Saint Paul speaketh in the place before alleadged which is requisite for the true children and seruantes of God But it seemeth that in all these diuisions and distinctions of the faculties and powers of the soule rehersed out of the Scriptures there is not one of them wherein any mention is made of the naturall powers by which the soule giueth life and nourishment to the body notwithstanding that this office also is assigned vnto it as well as the rest Heereof three reasons may be rendered The first is that the word of GOD maketh expresse mention of the chiefe faculties and powers which most properly belong to the nature of the soule and are giuen vnto it more specially to knowe and honour God by and which appertaine not onely to this life but also to the other The second is because these naturall powers may bee comprehended vnder the vitall and vnder the seate of the affections by reason of that communication which they haue both with the spirites and with the humours vsed by the soule in the body not onely to nourish it and preserue life in it but also to serue for all other things spoken of before The third reason is that forasmuch as these naturall powers are more terrestriall then celestiall and more corporall then spirituall and the vse and profite of them endeth with this humane life we may comprehend them vnder the name of body as things more neerely ioyned to it for the vse of this life and of which it shall haue no neede after this life when it shall bee made incorruptible and immortall And because this power of the soule appeareth more in this life then any of the rest therefore it is better knowen For this cause the name of soule is oftentimes taken not onely for this naturall power which wee call Vegetatiue and Nutritiue but also for the life it selfe and for all the commodities and desires thereof yea for the whole estate of life We may call to minde what wee heard before of the soule which is in the blood And when Reuben sayde to his brethren that woulde haue slaine Ioseph Let vs not strike his soule it is as much as if hee had saide Let vs not kill the soule Nowe it is certaine that the soule can neither bee slaine nor striken therefore by the soule hee meaneth the life And so his speech was all one as if hee had sayde Let vs not take his life from him as himselfe declareth it by and by after in the verse following where hee sayeth Shead not blood Also when Moses speaketh of the Lawe that requireth punishment like to the euill committed as hee sayeth Eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand and foote for foote so hee sayeth Soule for soule that is life for life And to seeke the soule of one in many places of Scripture signifieth to lye in waite for the life and to pursue it vnto death as it is written of the enemies of Ieremy and of Herod against Christ Iesus There are infinit such like places both in the olde and newe Testament in which the soule is taken for this corporall and naturall life Nowe because the soule giueth life by meanes of the stomach belly and other members and instruments of nourishment of which wee haue spoken before therefore it is often taken for them also as when Esay sayeth Therefore Hell that is to say the graue hath enlarged his soule and hath opened his mouth without measure and their glorie and their multitude and their pompe and hee that reioyceth among them shall descend into it The Prophet propoundeth heere the graue as a great and horrible monster that hath a throate with a stomach and belly as it were a deepe gulfe and bottomlesse pit to swallowe vp and to consume all And therefore as hee sayeth that hee hath opened his throate or mouth so hee sayeth that hee hath enlarged his soule that is to say his stomach and belly that it may bee more capable to receiue greater store of meate The same Prophet in an other place meaning to set downe the vaine hope that shall deceiue them that band themselues and enterprise any thing against the people of GOD and that looke for aide and deliueraunce from any other besides him sayeth that They are like to an hungry man who dreameth that hee eateth but when hee awaketh his soule is emptie or to a thirstie man who dreameth that hee is drinking but when hee awaketh beholde hee is faint and his soule longeth Which is as much as if hee had sayde that such a one supposing hee hath well eaten and well drunke findeth his stomach and his belly emptie and is still as hungrie and thirstie as hee was before Also when Ieremy saieth I haue satiate the weary soule and haue replenished euery languishing soule it is certaine that by the soule he meaneth the members and instruments of nourishment with the bodie that receiueth it and the life
creatures forged by them but men through ignoraunce haue taken them in a wrong sence and so reaped small profite by them No marueile then if this hath happened both to Philosophers and Poets in their doctrine and manner of teaching seeing there are so manie that profite so little by the doctrine of the holie Scriptures themselues and by the studie thereof For were there euer any Heretikes that did not wrest the sence of manie places of Scripture to make them serue for their heresies And doe wee not dayly see the like in all seducers and false prophetes It is verie certayne that there were neuer anie so absurde and straunge heresies which the fauourers of them haue not laboured to mainteyne by the holy Scriptures themselues But to returne to our purpose what meaning soeuer the Authors and inuenters of such things had their doctrine was so vnderstood that manie helde this opinion that mens soules passed from bodie to bodie as we haue heard Insomuch that this errour howe grosse soeuer it were came not onelie to the Iewes but to the Christians also who boast of true religion and of the authoritie and knowledge of the holy Scriptures I speake not of the Manichees auncient Heretikes who were open mainteiners of this opinion But what shall wee say of them who not onely haue their braines infected with this follie but which is woorse imagine they can confirme and prooue it by testimonies out of the worde of God As where it is reported that when Herode hearde the fame of Christ Iesus spread throughout all Iudea hee sayde This is Iohn Baptist hee is risen againe from the dead and therefore great woorkes are wrought by him And Saint Luke sayeth expressely That Herode doubted because that it was sayde of some that Iohn was risen againe from the dead and of some that Elias had appeared and of some that one of the olde Prophets was risen againe We reade likewise that when Iesus Christ demaunded of his disciples saying Whome doe men say that I the Sonne of man am they answered Some say Iohn Baptist and some Elias others Ieremias or one of the Prophets and some that one of the olde Prophetsis risen againe A man my iudge by these speeches that not onelie Herode was tainted with this Pythagoricall and Platonicall opinion but also that it was very common among the Iewes with whome hee conuersed and whose religion hee followed at least in part and in outwarde shewe For Iesus Christ was knowen well enough in Iudea and in Galilee and amongst all the Iewes as it appeareth by the testimonie of the Euangelists They knewe his kinred according to the flesh and coulde tell that he was brought vp in Nazareth in the countrey of Galilee for which cause they called him him a Galilean a Nazarean a Carpenter the sonne of a Carpenter and the sonne of Ioseph and Marie They saide that they knewe his brethren and sisters whereby according to the Hebrewe manner of speaking they meant his cousins Neeces and his kinred taking occasion thereby to despise and reiect him But on the other side many seeing the woorkes and miracles which hee wrought were constrayned to passe farther euen Herode himselfe hearing onely the fame that went of him throughout the countrey so that some tooke him to bee that Christ others to be some great Prophet And of them that helde him for a Prophet it appeareth by those sundry opinions that were among the people that they did not thinke him to bee a Prophet borne at that time but that some one of the olde Prophets was risen againe in him not in bodie but in spirite For they knewe well whence hee issued in respect of his bodie as that which was commonly knowen throughout the countrey Therefore it is easie to iudge that they spake of resurrection in regarde of the soule as the skilfullest Interpreters expounde these places referring these speeches of Herode and of the people vnto that Pythagoricall opinion of the transmigration of soules from bodie to bodie For according thereunto those soules that had behaued themselues vertuously in their first bodies in which they dwelt were sent into other more honourable bodies endued with greater giftes of God according to their deseruing Nowe because Saint Iohn the Baptist had not the gift of miracles annexed to his Ministerie neyther did woorke anie all his life time it might bee thought that this gaue occasion to Herode to thinke thus of him that beeing risen againe from the dead after a Pythagoricall manner hee had this gift and vertue added vnto his former graces that so he might haue the greater authoritie Neither ought wee to thinke it verie strange if a great part of the Iewes were infected with manie foolish and naughtie opinions seeing they were not onely corruptly instructed by their teachers but also had sectes amongst them there which plainely denied the resurrection of the bodie the immortalitie of soules and that there was any Angel or spirite Therefore wee see their great brutishnesse who woulde ground their transmigration vpon that which is saide in the Scriptures touching the opinion of the Iewes in this point which notwithstanding is openly reprehended and condemned by the selfe-same worde of GOD. True it is that the ignorance of the true sense thereof gaue occasion to many to fall into such dreames For the Lorde speaking thus by Malachie Beholde I will sende you Elijah the Prophet before the comming of the great and fearefull day of the Lorde the Iewes vnderstood this place diuersly Some of them thought that the auncient Prophet Elias who was rapt vp into heauen shoulde be sent againe in proper person others vnderstoode it onely of the transmigration of his soule and spirite into an other body For this cause they asked of Iohn Baptist whether hee were Elias but Iesus Christ himselfe expounded those wordes of Malachy and declared vnto the Iewes that Iohn Baptist was that Elias which should come and that although hee were come yet they did not knowe him For when he spake so of him hee meant not that hee was the very person of Elias in body and soule or that the naturall soule and spirite of Elias was entred into his body but his meaning was according as the Angel spake to Zachary when he tolde him of the Natiuitie of Saint Iohn his sonne saying He shall be filled with the holy Ghost euen from his mothers wombe And many of the children of Israel shall he turne to their Lorde God For he shall go before him in the spirite and power of Elias A man may easily iudge by these words that he meant not to say that the naturall spirite of Elias shoulde enter into the body of Saint Iohn Baptist but that God would giue a spirite adourned with such giftes and spirituall graces and with such zeale and constancie as he gaue long before to Elias Therefore he addeth power vnto spirite thereby
fallen into such execrable beastlinesse and such horrible blasphemies as in a manner to say that God or Nature had brought men into the worlde onely to make them more miserable and more wretched then all other creatures so that they can finde no better happinesse and felicitie for themselues then during their life to become like to beastes or plants or some other insensible creatures or else after their death to bee brought to nothing as they were before their conception and birth Is it possible for a man to thinke of a straunger thing more against GOD more vnwoorthie mankinde or more iniurious to all nature For the Atheists themselues that reiect God doe yet confesse if they be Philosophers that nature doeth nothing without cause or if they confesse it not they haue testimonies enow in nature to conuince them of it And yet if their doctrine were true God and Nature haue done woorse in the creation and production of men then to doe some thing without cause For this were a cause most vnwoorthie of God and of Nature to create and bring foorth men into the worde onely for this cause and to this ende that they shoulde bee more miserable and more wretched then all other creatures and to make mankinde onelie to beholde in him the perfection of all miserie and vnhappinesse as though God and Nature tooke pleasure in beholding such cruell pastime as is the viewe of mans miseries in such a cursed estate Wherefore seeing all the doctrine and Philosophie of these dogges bringeth with it so many so strange so beastlike and so horrible absurdities euen once to thinke of them being so vnbeseeming God all mankinde and whole nature and so contrary to al the testimonies which the whole world affordeth vnto vs in the behalfe of Gods eternal prouidence ouer al his creatures I thinke there is no body except hee be as brutish as the Authours and Teachers of such kinde of Philosophie and doctrine but hee can easily iudge that it is altogether impossible to bee true or to haue any foundation ground in reason seeing it confoundeth and ouerthroweth al reason al nature Which causeth me to be so much the more abashed that there are men found euen among Christians yea a great number who rather followe the false opinion of these masties and giue greater credite to these sottish and vain arguments which they propound both against God and all diuinitie and against all nature and trueth then to the true sentence of so many vertuous learned holy men as haue bin in the world from the beginning and to the common and publike testimony of all mankind and of al people and nations But if God hath not spared the very heathen who so shamefully abused that knowledge which he gaue them of his works in nature and of the testimonies of his diuine nature prouidence manifested vnto them therein but punished them with such a horrible iudgement as to deliuer them vp into are probate sense into a woorse estate then is that of brute beasts we are not to maruell if he deale so and more hardly at this day with them that deserue a great deale more then they did because he hath manifested him self more cleerly without all comparison to these men if they would see and know him yea we ought to thinke it more strange if he dealt otherwise For the moe means he affordeth vnto men to know him the greater iudgement they deserue when they abuse the same and labour to blind themselues by their own ingratitude peruerse malice As for vs we cannot God be thaÌked doubt in any sort of the immortalitie of the soule seeing wee see on our side the aduantage euery way in defence therof namely multitude authoritie nature reason and which is most of all the testimonie of God who alone is sufficient I doubt not but that some to whome God hath giuen more knowledge and greater graces then to vs are able to alleage other arguments and reasons for the confirmation of this matter which we haue omitted For truth is not vnprouided but hath great abundance of all sorts But wee haue alleaged the chiefest taken out of the writings of learned men that haue written best of this matter especially of them that in our time haue written most Christianly And although there are other reasons then those which wee haue set downe yet I thinke there are enow in our discourses to stoppe the mouthes of all Epicures and Atheists at leastwise to conuince them if we cannot confound them For what can they alleage against them that is of any great shew or strength It may easily bee iudged by their best arguments discoursed vpon by vs. What will they haue more Do they expect or desire of vs that we should point with the finger at soules when they depart out of bodies that dye Then they shoulde bee no soules and inuisible spirits but bodies that may be seene And yet vnles they may behold them comming forth as they do smoke from the fire they will not beleeue that they depart at all from the bodies or that they haue any beeing at all Surely I think that these men who would so faine haue soules to bee mortall and to bee extinguished by death with their bodies would not beleeue that they were departed and that they once liued their bodies being dead no not although they had seen them come foorth visibly but woulde perswade themselues that they were some illusions and that their eyes had some mist before them so strong is a lying perswasion in a man when he wil iudge of a thing not according to reason but according to his affection Now seeing we are come to the end of our purpose namely to lay before our eies as it were a naturall history of man by the consideration of the matter of his body of the diuersitie of that matter and of the forme that God hath giuen it together with the profite and vse both of the one and the other and also by a description of the partes powers vertues and faculties of his soule therby to be instructed at large in the nature and immortality thereof by causing the soule to behold her selfe in the glasse of her marueilous actions and all to this ende that wee should know our selues as it becommeth vs there remaineth nothing now but that wee shoulde draw out a generall instruction from these aduertisements and lessons which God giueth vs in the admirable composition of our nature to the end that hereafter we should become more fitte for the contemplation of this diuinitie by the consideration of the wonderfull works thereof in the heauens and in the earth of which we desire if God giue vs grace hereafter to discourse Therfore doe thou ACHITOB put an ende to the cause of our present assembly meeting by some goodly discourse vpon all these matters of which we haue intreated Of the image of God in the soule
a lamp and mans body The causes of chirst and hunger Of physicke and the causes therof Instructions from the sense of taste The equality of heate and moysture preserueth life Of the inequality that is in the nature of the body A testimonie of the great prouidence of God What meate is fittest for infants From whence commeth the different substance of our members Men haue more varietie of drinks then beasts We must eate neither too much not too litle The chiefe end of foode Iohn 1. Vnthankful men are like to hogs Luke 12. 48. 1. Tim. 4. 4. Food must be receiued with thankeâ giuing Some more like to madde dogges then men What beautie is and wherein it consisteth The nose is very seruiceable to the braine Why the sense of smelling is placed so neere to that of tasting Of the agreemeÌt of these two senses How men abuse these senses Iohn 12. 3. How the spirites are resâestâed with sweete odours Of the diuers vses of the nose Of the matter of the nose How the nose is in steade of a spowt to the braine Of the nosethrils and of their parting asunder Of the spungie or siue-bone Of the muscles of the nosethrils and of the sinews of smelling Notable instructions for the soule Psal 16. 11. Of the vse of the externall senses Of the fupersluities that proceede out of the body Of the passages meete to purge the body by Of the pores in the skinne Of the spowts of the braine and head The face compared to a Limbeck Good instructions for all men The profite of care-waxe The diuersitie of faces is wonderfull The great variety of noses Varietie of countenance in one man The description of an angry visage Of an arrogant countenance Pride is seated vpon the eie lids Matth. 23 12. Luke 14. 11. The seate of shame Esay 48. 4. Ezech. 3. 8. Of the true Physiognomy Iob 10. 12. Genes 2. 7. Three sortes of faculties in man Of the animal power Of the sensitiue Of the motiue How we come to the knowledge of the soule The knowledge of the soule how necessary and excellent it is The knowledge of our selues very necessary The diuision of creatures Of creatures without life The celestiall bodies are immutable Of creatures hauing life Of the vegetatiue life Of the sensitiue Of the cogitatiue Of the reasonable soule The soule of man differeth from that of beasts in vnderstanding and immortality The soule is the proper inhabitant of mans body Two natures in man Two sorts of spirites The description of Angels Mens soules haue alwaies life in the. Matth. 10. 28. Luke 12. 4 5. The soule compared to a cunning workman To a musicion To an inhabitant The soule is the workeman the body the toole A glasse to see God in The world is not the body of God How the soule in the body resembleth God in the world The absurd collection of Atheists Of the Animall vertues Three bellies attributed to mans body Of the braine of the image of God therein The braine most resembleth the heauens Three kindes of knowledge Of the first kinde of knowledge common to all liuing creatures Of the second kind of knowledge Of the third kind of knowledge Of the naturall vertue and of the kindes thereof Of the Animal vertues and powers in the internal senses Of Imagination Of Memorie Of Fantasie and Common sense Of Reason and Iudgement The nature of the reasonable part in the soule is hard to be knowne Of the litle Bellies of the braine Of Dââa mater or the hard mother Of the skull Three vses of the hard Mother Eccles. 12. 6. Of Iia mater or the godly mother Of the braine and office thereof The diuision of the braine Of the presse and Vault in the head Of the Like worme and of his office Of the passage whereby the superfluities of the brain are voyded None can here attaine to a perfect knowledge of the essentiall power of the soule The mind cannot perfectly know it selfe God cannot deceiue nor be deceiued The testimony of the scriptures most firme Rom. 2. 15. Of the seate of voluntary sense and motion Of the Common sense and of his office Of Imagination and of Fantasie Dan. 2. 28 29. The giddinesse of Fantasie Fantasie is dangerous It is very subiect to the motions of good or ill spirites How sorcerers are deluded by the Diuell The deuill counterfaiteth the workes of God Of the force of imagination The strong fancie of women with childe Imagination preuaileth much in beasts Good counsaile for euery one Psal 119. 37. Beasts search only after corporall things belonging to this life Of the seate of reason and of his office Reason is the iudge of Fansie Of Memorie and of his office Dan. 2. Of the seate of memorie Causes of good and bad memories Of the agreement betweene all the senses The memorie is a spirituall eye Of the effects of Reason Of vnderstanding and contemplation A double discourse of Reason in man Memory compared to a picture What remembrance is The minde compared to the keeper of Rolles A good admonition to humble vs. Diuers kindes of madde folkes The imagination troubled Reason troubled The memory lost Dan. 4. How a man may ââdge of the âeats of the senses Of such as are possessed with Deuilles The power of euill spirites Matth. 26. 4â and 6. 13. Iob 7. 15. 1. Sam. 16. 14 15. 314. Good instructions for all men Psal 148. 8. Of contemplation and action The senses of âââserue for the good of his soule Contention betwixt the spirite and fantasie What is meant by the reasonable soule Proofe that the soule of beasts is mortall but of men immortal What is in plants aboue stones and in beasts aboue plants in men aboue beasts The end of mânâ being Only God knoweth the soule perfectly What actions men doe which beasts cannot How beasts discourse Ezech. 37. 1. Act. 10. 3 10 11. 2. cor 12. 2 3. Of the VnderstaÌding and of Will The memory coÌpared to the rolles of Chancerie What degrees are betweene Iudgement and Will What knowledge we may haue of variable things In what things coniecture taketh place Of what things science or knowledge may be had In what things wisedome taketh place Ephes 1. 16 17 18. The author of wisedome Ephe. 3. 19. Much darknesse mingled with our natural light The cause of the diuersity of knowledge and of ignorance in men 2. Cor. 4. 4. Causes of the variety of mens opinions The manners of men follow the disposition of their bodies Two kindes of discourses Of the end of al discourses A comparison The seueral powers of the soule Of the office of Iudgement A sound iudgement is an excellent gift of God Two kindes of consents Agreement betwixt Beleefe and Science What Opinion is What doubting is Of saith in diuine things Of the light of faith Of the senses of faith Ephes 4. 30. 2. cor 1. 22. Ephes 2. Hebr. 11. The conclusions of faith are most true
Shame Impudencie a very dangerous disease Ierem. 3. 3. Ezech. 2. 4. and 3. 7. The cause of rednesse in the face in blushing A cause of feare in men The rule of all true iudgement Shame of well doing The cause why men deceiue themselues What pride is Two kindes of pride Three causes why God created man so excellent Of a good kind of pride Ecclus. 10. 14 19. Of the euil pride Ecclus. 10. 7. Who are most giuen to pride Causes of pride What vices follow pride Pride lifteth men against God Prou. 13. 10. Pride bred of vertue A similitude A remedy against pride Three kindes of the Vegetatiue facultie in the soule A profitable meditation Of the third and last belly of the body The office of heate in man The power order and office of the Vegetatiue soule A similitude taken from ãâ¦ã A good lesson for euery one Of the seates of the naturall vertues How excrements are voyded Of the growing of bodies Wherein the natural vertues differ ech from other How meate nourisheth the body How mettals and stones growe The true cause or nourishing in creatures The instruments of the naturall powers of the soule How the soule vseth the instruments of the body Of the Ventricle and stomackâ Of the figure of the stomacke Of the mouths of the stomacke How the name of the heart is abused The originall of appetite The doore of the vpper Orifice Of the lower Orifice Of the small strings of the Orifices The stomake compared to a pot on the fire Howe the stomacke is placed Of the substance of it How it is warmed by other neighbour partes Of ãâã Kell or Kall The causes of appetite in the stomach The originall of hunger The stomach compared to a wombe The office of the lower Orifice The poorer sort are not to be contemned The necessitie of the bowelles The number and names of the guttes The bowelles haue two couerings Of the Peritone or inner âine of the belly ioyned to the kall The vses of it The substance of the bowels The bowels are made of two coates Of the three ãâã gutâ Of their names The Duodene or stomacke gut The hungry gut The Ileon or folded Gut Of the three great Guts The blinde Gut The fift gut called Colon or the great gut The colike and Ileacke passions The straight gut The vse of it Of the muscle Sphincter A lesson against pride Against the contempt of inferiour persons Of the Mesentery Of the Mesareon The chiefe vse of it Other vses of the Mesentery Of the Meseraicall veines Their vse Of the Pancreas or sweet bread The vses of it Of the liuer and excellencie thereof The seconde coction is made in the liuer Foure degrees of concoction in the liuer The fountaines of the blood and veines spirites and arteries Our life compared to a lamp Two great veines in the body The Port-veine The hollow veine Eccles. 12. 6. A place of Salomon expounded Of the arterie Aorta A similitude What a humour is Of the nature of blood Of the cholericke humour Of the flegmaticke humour Of the melancholicke humor The agreement betwixt the humours and the elements How the humours and elements agree in places Agreement betwixt the great garden of the world and that of the litle world A goodly conteÌplation in nature Of the heart of plants The body of man compared to a garden Mans life in the midst of two waters Vapours ascending vp to the braine Watry clouds in the braine Inconueniences that come from the braine Instruction for euery one Testimonie of the prouidence of God Gen. 9. 4 5. The mixture of the humors necessary The causes of health and of sicknesse Sinne the cause of all the discord in the world The causes of death A politike instruction Of the cholericke humor Of the Gall and of his bladder The vses of the cholericke humour Of the melancholicke humor Of the spleene What effects follow the oppilation of the liuer The commodities of the melancholike humour Of the flegmatike humour and profite of it Of the kidneyes Emulgent vcines How the vrine is made yellow Of the Vreteres and of the bladder Of the necke of the bladder What it is to be a naturall diuine What communion ought to be among men Why the humors are taken in the euill part The cause of mens ingratitude The agreement betweene the maners and humors of the body By what meanes the naturall humors corrupt The originall of Feuers and other diseases The corruption of the flegmatike humour Of the cholerike humour From whence all sortes of agues proceede The corruption of the melancholie humor From whence madnesse commeth Three chiefe workers of mens actions He speaketh of such goodnes and vertues as were âo esteemed of by the heathen that knew not their naturall corruption God ruleth in all and ouer all Ierem. 1. Galat. 1. Actes 9. 15. The nature of flegmatike persons The nature of a cholericke complexion The nature of the melancholicke body What natures are most abused by euill spirites Matth. 17. 15. mar 9. 20. luke 9. 39. How vigilant the Deuil is to hurt vs. What profit we reape by the knowledge of our complexions What natures we are to eschew The true meanes to cure our vices Matth. 7. 11. Luke 11. 13. Psal 127. 1. Verse 3. Genes 1. 28. The vertue of the blessing of God for generation Of the Radicall humour Of the defect of mans life with the causes therof What is meant by nature Genes 1. What Generation is What the generatiue power is What seede is What is meant by a vegetatiue soule Of the cause of monsters Malach. 2. 15. Two effectes of ignorance Of the similitude that is in generation From whence the seede commeth The seuerall vertues of the generatiue power The chiefe cause why the generatiue power was giuen to man Of the seate of Generation Hebr. 7. 10. Genes 35. 11. Psal 139. 13. Iob 10. 10 11 What is man properly Psalm 139. 5. Verse 6. Iob 10. 8. Psalm 36. and 138. A good lesson to be learned from our creation The afflictions of Gods children turne to their good No mans knowledge perfect Gen. 2. 4. The creation of the world and of man compared together An argumont of the prouidence of God Of the forme of an infant Of the After-burthen The first sixe dayes work from the conception Psal 139. 16. All the members receiue their forme together The nauill first made perfect When the seed is called Embryon When the burthen is called a child or infant When the childe fââst moueth Galens opinion of the birth of sonnes The word profitable for all Mans birth a woonderfull worke of God How the childe is nourished in the wombe The cause of child-birth Which is the easiest kinde of child-birth Why children cry when they are borne A testimonie of Gods prouidence in the wombe Gal. de vsâ ãâã lib. 15. An argument against Atheists Psal 139. 17 18. 22. 9. Two things to be considered of in
rest and also compound as the Charles-waine the Lion both the beares and others so in the body there are simple or similar partes as the sinewes bones arteries veines c. and compound partes as the heart liuer braine stomacke lungs and such like Moreouer it is certaine that the Planets howsoeuer in regarde of their moouing to and fro they are saide to be wandring starres haue yet their certaine liâââtes in the heauens especially in the Zodiacke in which as in their dwelling houses they exercise those naturall powers wherewithall they are endued as the proper mansion of the sunne is in Leo of the Moone in Cancer of Saturne in Capricorne of Iupiter in Sagittarius and so of the rest In like manner although the body of man bee so framed as that there is no one part but it is seruiceable vnto all yet there are certaine seuerall places appointed as peculiar shoppes for each facultie to woorke in especially as the braine for the Animall spirite the heart for the Vitall and the liuer for the Naturall the gall is the receptacle for choler the spleene for Melancholy the sucking veines serue to purge the blood from the serous substaunce of it and so of the other powers and partes of the body To conclude this third vse for a day woulde not suffice to vtter all that might bee spoken in this matter as the Sunne by reason of the Annuall progresse through the twelue signes maketh a sensible diuision of the yeere into foure partes which haue their different seasons and qualities if they fallout according to the course of nature and so likewise the Moone by her ãâã quartereth the moneth accordingly euen so farethit with the body of man in regarde of his whole age which being considered from the beginning vnto the ending agreeth very fitly to those seuerall seasons both for number and praedominant qualities if the threede of life bee not cutte off in the midway by the rasour of death For the body of man in his first age which is his childehoode is moist and hote and so is the former part of the yeere called the Spring as also the first part of the moneth from the new moone to the ending of the first quarter In the second part of mans age which is his florishing and youthfull time the body of man is hote and dry such as are the qualities of the second part of the yeere or Sommer season and of that second part of the moneth which is from the first quarter to the full Moone Thirdly the bodie of man in the third part of his age commonly called Mans-age is colde and moist according to the disposition of the third part of the yeere called Autumne and of that season of the Moone which is from the full to the last quarter To conclude in the fourth and last quarter of mans age called Olde-age his body is coldâ and drie like to the Winter season and to the fourth part of the Moneth which is from the last quarter to the next newe Moone Nowe as these three former vses of the Anatomie of mans bodie serue for the commoditie and delight of man so the fourth is the same that ought to be made not onely of the body of man but as Salomon teacheth vs of all the creatures both in heauen and earth and that is the glorie of God For the Lord hauing set in his visible creatures euident markes of himselfe and of his eternitie power goodnes wisedome and prouidence as the Apostle teacheth what remaineth but that man for whose sake seruice the Lord created al things should thereby acknowledge his soueraigne Lord and returne vnto him all glory praise and duetifull obedience for the same That we ought to make this vse of the Anatomicall consideration of our bodies the kingly Prophet Dauid teacheth vs most diuinely by his owne example when after a view taken of the admirable woorke of God in fashioning him in his mothers wombe he breakâth forth into this saying I will praise thee for I am fearefully and wonderfully made maruellous are thy works and my soule knoweth it wel And surely vnles we tread in the steps of this worthy king propoââd this as the scope of all our trauailes in searching out the seuerall parts of our bodies that God our Creatour and gratious preserâer may bee praised worshipped feared thereby we shall neuer know our selues aright and as we ought to doe but rather ioyne with the most part of men who not vsing their skill in this behalfe as a ladder to climbe vp by vnto God sticke fast in the very matter and forme of their bodies so that many of them become meère Naturalists and very Atheists One especiall cause whereof as ãâã it is because they lay not the ground and foundation of their skill in the holy Scriptures the fountaine of all sound knowlege which teach vs that ât is the Lord that made vs and that formed vs from the womb but followe after some small streames of this knowledge euen such as are polluted with the inâentions of mans braine placing the course of nature in the procreation of mankind which is but an effect of Gods almightie working power in the roome of God himself the supreme cause of al. In which respect they may not vnfitly be resembled to Moles that are alwaies plodding in the earth or to swine that finding acorns vpon the ground neuer looke vp to the tree from which they fall They forget that mans eies are therefore set in the head which is the vpper part of the body rather then in his breast belly or feet because he should be admonished thereby to lift vp his mind vnto heauen and heauenly things therfore Plato saith that mens eies were set in a body erected and looking vpward that they might be as guides to leade them to the knowledge of God vpon the sight of the celestiall light notice taken of the heauenly motions Otherwise althogh a mans skill be neuer so great althogh he knowetâ the way of the stars the walles of the world the foundatioÌs of the earth the top of the heauens yet if he be ignorant of the creator moderatour of them all it shal profit him nothing But as no man is to look for grapes of thorns or figs of thistles so we must not thinke that Epicures and Atheists wil once either labor to know God or open their lips to praise him when as yet they haue not learned to beleeue that he is much lesse that he is a rewarder of them that seeke him And surely of all Sathans delusions wrought by him in the hearts of vnbeleeâers this monstrous error of ãâ¦ã as that which is destitute of all shew of ãâ¦ã selfe into the heart of man For ãâ¦ã râption hunger and thirst is not more incident vnto him then ãâ¦ã relâgion and aberration in ãâã yet for any man not to see and acknowledge by the dimme candle of nature that God is
French Academy as it is diuided into seuerall dayes workes and distinguished by Chapters The first dayes worke Pag. 15 OF the creation of the first man and of the matter whereof the body of man is made Chap. 1. 22 Of the creation of woman Chap. 2. 28 Of the simple or similarie parts of the body namely the bones ligaments gristles sinowes pannicles cords or filaments vaines arteries and flesh Chap. 3. 34 Of the compound parts of the body and first of the feete and legges and of the armes and hands Chap. 4. 41 Of the backbone of the marrow thereof of the ribs and of other bones of mans body Chap. 5. 47 Of the share bone and marrow of the bones of the bones in the head and of the flesh of the muscles and of their office Chap. 6. 52 Of the kernels in the body and of their sundry vses especially of the breasts of women of their beauty and profite in the nourishing of children and of the generation of milke Chap. 7. 57 Of the fatte and skins of mans body and of their vse of the haires thereof Chap. 8. The second dayes worke 62 Of the bodily and external sences especially of touching of their members instruments and offices Chap. 9. 67 Of the eyes and of their excellency profite and vse of the matter and humors whereof they are made Chap. 10. 73 Of the tunicles and skinnes of the eyes of their forme motions of their sundry coulors of the sinewes whereby they receiue sight and of other parts about the eyes Chap. 11. 79 Of the eares and of their composition office and vse Chap. 12. 85 Of the diuers vses of the tongue of the instrumeÌts necessary both for voyce and speach howe there is a double speach of the forme thereof how the spirite of man is represented thereby Chap. 13. 91 Of the agreement which the instruments of the voyce and speach haue with a payre of Organs what things are to be considered in placing of the lungs next the heart of the pipes and instruments of the voyce Chap. 14. 96 Of the tongue and of the nature and office thereof of the excellency profite of speach which is the art of the tongue what is to bee considered touching the situation thereof in the head and neare the braine Chap. 15. 103 Of the office of the tongue in tasting and in preparing meat for the nourishment of the body of the teeth and of their nature and office of the conduite or pipe that receiueth and swalloweth downe meates Chap. 16. The third dayes worke 108 OF the sence of tast giuen to the palal what tastes are good to nourish the body of the diuersitie of them of hunger and thirst and of their causes Chap. 17. 113 Of helps and creatures meete for the preseruation and nourishment of the body how God prepareth them to serue for that purpose of their vse Chap. 18. 119 Of the nose and of the sence of smelling and of their profit and vse of the composition matter and forme of the nose Chap. 19. 124 Of the vse briefly of all the outward sences of mans body namely in purging the superfluities and ordures of his nose of the diuersity that is in mens faces and of the image of the minde and heart in them Chap. 20. 130 Of the nature faculties and powers of mans soule of the knowledge which we may haue in this life and how excellent necessary it is into what kinds the life and soule are diuided Chap. 21. 136 Of the two natures of which man is compounded how the body is the lodge and instrument of the soule how the soule may be letted from doing her proper actions by the body and be separated from it and yet remaine in her perfection Chap. 22. 142 Of the braine and of the nature therof of the sundry kinds of knowledge that are in man of the similitude that is betweene the actions and workes of the naturall vertues of the soule and of the internall senses Chap. 23. 147 Of the composition of the braine with the members and parts thereof of their offices and that knowledge which ought to content vs touching the principall cause of the vertues and wonderfull powers of the soule Chap. 24. The fourth dayes worke 148 OF the seate of voluntary motion and sense of the office and nature of the common sense of imagination and of fantasie how light and dangerous fantasie is of the power which both good and bad spirits haue to mooue it Chap. 25. 158 Of reason and memorie and of their seate nature office of the agreement which all the senses both external and internall haue one with another and of their vertues Chap. 26. 164 That the internall senses are so distinguished that some of them may bee troubled and hindered and the rest bee safe and whole according as their places and instruments assigned vnto them in the body are sound or perished and of those that are possessed with deuils Chap. 27. 170 Of the reasonable soule and life and of vertue of the vnderstanding and will that are in the soule and of their dignity and excellency Chap. 28. 176 Of the variety and contrarietie that is found in the opinions deliberations counsayles discourses and iugdements of men with the cause thereof and of the good order and ende of all discourses Chap. 29. 182 Of iudgement and of his office after the discourse of reason and how beliefe opinion or doubting followe it of the difference that is betweene them Chap. 30. 187 Of the meanes whereby a man may haue certaine knowledge of those things which hee ought to beleeue and to take for true of the naturall and supernatural light that is in man and how they beare witnesse of the image of God in him Chap. 31. 192 How the vertues and powers of the soule shew themselues by litle and litle and by degrees of contemplation and of the good that is in it of that true and diuine contemplation which wee looke for after this life Chap. 32. The fift dayes worke 198 OF the appetites that are in all liuing creatures and namely in man and of their kinds and particularly of the naturall and sensitiue appetite Chap. 33. 203 Of will and of the diuers significations and vses of these words Reason and Will of the actions freedome and nature thereof of the power which reason may haue ouer her Chap. 34. 208 Of those good things which both men only guided by the light of nature are able to propound to themselues and to follow and they also that are guided by the spirit of God of the power and liberty of the will in her actions both externall and internall Chap. 35. 214 Of the distinction that ought to bee betweene the vnderstanding knowledge and the will and affections in the soule and betweene the scates and instruments which they haue in the body of the agreement that is betweene the heart and the braine Chap. 36. 219 Of the
nature and composition of the heart and of the midriffe of the tunicles or skinnie couerings of the breast and of the Pericardion or Cawle about the heart of the motion office and vse of the lungs of the heart and of the arteryes Chap. 37. 224 Of the substance situation and counterpoize of the heart of the nature and vse of the vitall spirite and of the forge vessels and instruments thereof of the sundry doores and pipes of the heart and of their vses Chap. 38. 229 Of the second motion of the heart which belongeth to the affections of the soule and of those that goe before or follow after iudgement of the agreement that is betweene the temperature of the body and the affections of the soule Chap. 39. 233 Of the health and diseases of the soule of the agreement betweene corporall and spiritual physicke how necessarie the knowledge of the nature of the body and of the soule is for euery one Chap. 40. The sixt dayes worke 237 OF foure things to bee considered in the will and in the power of desiring in the soule and first of natural inclinations of selfe loue and the vnrulinesse thereof Chap. 41. 241 Of the habite of the soule in the matter of the affections and of what force it is of the causes why the affections are giuen to the soule with the vse of them of the fountaine of vertues and vices Chap. 42 246 That according to the disposition of the iudgement the affections are more or lesse moderate or immoderate of the cause of all the motions of the soule and heart of the variety of affections of the generation nature and kindes of them Chap. 43. 250 That ioy or griefe are alwayes ioyned to the affections and what ioy and griefe are properly Chap. 44. 255 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 bad hope Chap. 45. 260 Of feare and of the nature and effects thereof toward the body the mind and the soule and how it troubleth them of the true harnesse and armour against feare Chap. 46. 265 Of the delight and pleasure that followeth euery ioy and of the moderation that is required therein of diuers degrees of pleasures and how men abuse them especially those pleasures which are receiued by the corporal senses Chap. 47. 270 Of the comparison of pleasures receiued by the internall senses and how men descend by degrees from the best to the basest pleasures of the difference betweene the vse of spirituall delights and corporall and how the one chase the other Chap. 48. The seuenth dayes worke 276 OF the affections of loue of the nature kinds and obiect of it of the beginning of friendship of the vertue and force of alluring that is in likenesse and in beauty of the agreement that is betweene beauty and goodnesse Chap. 49. 281 Of other causes why beauty procureth loue and of diuers degrees and kinds of beauty how it is the nature of loue alwayes to vnite an what other effects it hath how loue descendeth and ascendeth not what power it hath to allure and breed loue Chap. 50. 286 Of desire and coueting and of the kinds of it of the infinitenesse of mens desires and what Good is able to satisfie and content it of the difference betweene desire and loue and of the vtmost limit and end of loue Chap. 51. 291 Of the good things that are in true loue of the diuers valuations of loue and of the benefits which it procureth what knowledge is requisite to allure loue and how one loue groweth by another of the friendshippe that may bee both betweene the good and the badde Chap. 52. 297 Of fauour reuerence and of honour of their nature and effects of those outward signes whereby they shewe themselues of pity and compassion and howe agreeable it is to the nature of man Chap. 53. 302 Of offence in the heart and soule of the degrees of offence and of the good and euill that may be in this affection of contempt that is bredde of it and of mockery which followeth contempt Chap. 54. 307 Of anger and of the vehemency and violency thereof of the difference that is betweene anger and rancor of the affection of reuenge that accompanieth them of the motions of the heart in anger with the effectes thereof wherefore this affection is giuen to man and to what vse it may serue him Chap. 55. 313 Of hatred and of the nature and effects thereof of a good kind of hatred and of the remedy to cure the euill hatred of enuie and of the kindes and effects thereof of the difference betweene good and euill enuy Chap. 56. The eight dayes worke 319 OF iealousie and of the kindes thereof how it may bee eyther a vice or a vertue howe true zeale true iealousie and indignation proceede of loue of their natures and why these affections are giuen to man Chap. 57. 324 Of reuenge cruelty and rage and what agreement there is among them what shame and blushing is and why God hath placed these affections in man and of the good and euill that is in them Chap. 58. 330 Of pride with the consideration thereof aswell in nature intire as corrupted of the orginall thereof and of such as are most inclined thereunto what vices accompany it how great a poison it is and what remedy there is for it Chap. 59. 335 Of the naturall powers of the soule and what sundry vertues they haue in the nourishment of the body of their order and offices of their agreement and necessary vse where the vegetatiue soule is placed in the body and what vertue it hath to augment the same Chap. 60. 341 What instruments the soule vseth in the body about the naturall works of nourishing and augmenting of the ventricle of stomacke and of the figure orifices and filamentes it hath of the stomacke and of what substance and nature it is of the causes of hunger and of appetite of the inferior orifice Chap. 61. 347 Of the intalles and bowels and of their names and offices of the nature of the three smaller guttes and of the other three that are greater of the instructions which wee may learne by these things Chap. 62. 353 Of the Mesentery and Mesareon of the Meseraicall veines of the Pancreas or sweete bread and of their nature and office of the liuer and of his nature and office of the rootes bodies branches of the veines of their names and vses and of the similitude betweene them and the arteries Chap. 63. 358 Of the blood and of other humours in the body of their diuersity and nature and of the agreement they haue with the elementes of the similitude that is betwixt the great garden of this great worlde and that of the little worlde touching the nourishment of things contayned and preserued in them Chap. 64. The ninth dayes worke 363 OF the vapours that ascend vp to the braine
and of the waters and cloudes contayned therein and in what perils men are ãâã why the soule and blood are put one for another of the temperature of the humors necessarie for the health and life of the body of the causes of health and of diseases and of life and death Chap. 65. 368 Of the vses and commodities of the humors ioyned with the blood and what vessels are assigned vnto them in the body and of their nature and offices and first of the cholericke humor and of the spleene then of the flegmaticke humor and of the kidneys and other vessels which it hath to purge by Chap. 66. 373 Of the names whereby the humors of the body are commonly called with the causes wherefore of the comparison betweene the corruption and temperature of the humors of the body and betweene the manners and the affections of the soule of the meanes whereby the humors corrupt and of the feauers and diseases engendred thereby of the sundry naturall temperatures in euery one Chap. 67. 379 Of the diuers temperatures and complexions of men according to the nature of humors that beare most sway in them of the disposition whereunto they are naturally mooued by them eyther to vertues or vices of the means to correct the vices and defects that may be in our naturall inclinations Chap. 68. 383 Of the restauration and reparation of all natures created by the generatiue power and vertue that is in them and namely in man what generation is and what the generatiue power of the soule is what the seede is and how generation proceedeth of strength and of infirmity Chap. 69. 388 Of the powers of the generatiue vertue and of their offices of the principall cause why God gaue to man the power of generation in what sence the reines are taken for the seate of generation how we ought rightly to consider of the generation of man Chap. 70. 393 Of the fashion of a childe in the wombe and how the members are framed one after another in the mothers belly of the time and daies within which a child is perfectly fashioned Chap. 71. 398 Of childbirth and the natural causes thereof of the great prouidence of God appearing therein of the image of our eternall natiuitic represented vnto vs in our mortall birth Chap. 72. The tenth dayes worke 404 WHy God created man naked and with lesse natural defence then he did all other liuing creatures how many wayes he recompenceth this nakednesse of the generall beauty of the whole body of man ioyned with profite and commodity Chap. 73. 409 Whether the life of the body can proceede eyter of the matter or of the composition forme and figure or of the qualities thereof or else of the harmony coniunction and agreement of all these whether any of these or al of them together can be the soule of the length and shortnes of the diuers degrees and ages and of the ende of mans life of death and of the causes both of life and death of the difference that is betweene naturall and supernaturall Philosophy in the consideration of things Chap. 74. 414 Of the causes generally of the length and shortnesse of bodily life of naturall and of violent death in what maner the life of man consisteth in his breath of the principall things required to life and without which it cannot be of the difference betwixt the life of men and the life of beastes of the image of the spirituall death in the corporall of the true comfort which wee ought to haue therein Chap. 75. 420 Of the chiefe consolations which the wisest among the Pagans and Infidels could draw from their humane reason and naturall Philosophy against death of the blaspemies vsed by Atheists and Epicures against God and nature what nature is and who they be that attribute vnto it that which they ought to attribute to God Chap. 76. 426 That there is but one soule in euery seuerall body that one and the some soule hath in it all those vertues and powers whose effects are dayly seene of the seate of the soule in the body and of the principall instrument thereof of the vnion of the body and soule of the diuers degrees of nature and of the excellency that is in it of the fountaines and bounds of all the powers and vertues of the soule Chap. 77. 432 Of the nature and varietie of the animal spirits how they are only instruments of the soule and not the soule it selfe of the nature of those bodies wherin the soule may dwell and worke of the difference that is not onely betweene the soule and the instrumente by which it worketh but also betweene the instruments themselues and their natures and offices and which of them are nearest or farthest off of the degrees that are in the vnion and coniunction of the soule with the body Chap. 78. 438 Of the diuisions of man made in the holy scriptures aswell in respect of the soule as of the body in what significations the names of soule spirit and heart are vsed therein and the causes why of the intier sanctification of man how the soule is taken for the life and for the members and instrumentes of nourishment and for nourishment it selfe Chap. 79. 444 What is meant by a liuing soule what by a sensuall and naturall body and what by a spirituall body how the name of soule is taken for all the desires of the flesh and for all things belonging to this life and not onely for the whole person aliue but also for the person being dead and for a dead ãâ¦ã for the spirite sepârate from the body Chap. 80. The Eleuenth dayes worke 490 WHether the soule of man is engendred with the body and of the same substance that the body is of or whether it be created by it selfe and of another substance whether it be needefull for vs to knowe what the soule is and what is the eââence thereof or onely to knowe of what qualitie it is with the workes and effects thereof Chap. 81. 495 Whether there be any thing mortall in the soule of man of the distinction betweene the soule and the powers of it of the opinion of Philosophers and what agreement is betweene them touching the soule of brute beasts and the nature and substance of it of their opinion that deriue the soule of man and the soule of beasts from one souâtaine of them that ascend higher and of their reasoââ Chap. 82. 499 Of the opinion of Galen of Plato and of Aristotle touching the substance and nature of mans soule of the opinion of Occâm touching the vegetatiue and sensitue power thereof and of the distinction of soules he maketh in man of the sentence of the Platonists and of Origen touching the creation birth and nature of the soule of the coniunction of the soule with the body and the estate thereof in the same Chap. 83. 503 Of the opinion of the Platonists and some others touching the substance of mens
all natures contayned therein if it shall please God to giue vs grace as he hath giuen vs wils to performe it True it is that we haue now taken in hand a very long piece of worke and not greatly necessary in respect of the principall cause of our meeting together if we meant here to make an entire and perfect Anatomy of mans body This duetie belongeth to Physicions which we will not take vpon vs but it shall suffice vs to open a gappe to the consideration first of the matter whereof the body is made and of the diuersitie thereof then of the fourme which God hath giuen vnto it and lastly of the profit and vse of them both For through a litle vnderstanding and knowledge which wee may haue of these things if we consider them as we ought we shal haue great occasion to maruayle at the worke of God in the frame of the body yea wee shall see therein store of testimonies of his almighty power knowledge wisdome goodnesse and prouidence But as for the soule we will labour to make her to behold herselfe in the glasse of her wonderfull actions so farre forth as she is able to contemplate herselfe and to measure her greatnesse by her owne compasse Wherefore we will here make as it were an Anatomy of the soule and of all her partes powers vertues and faculties instructing our selues at large in the consideration of her nature creation and immortalitie and eschewing in all our discourses as much as we may obscure words and phrases subtill curious and vnprofitable disputations which the ancient Philosophers haue vsed in the searching out of such matters we wil apply our selues to the greatest number of such as haue not haunted the schooles of philosophy that we may profit many and instruct our selues in the truth by familiar speaches so farre forth as our weake iudgement is able to comprehend being directed by the gift and grace of God and made coÌformable to his word which is the true touchstone whereby all doctrine is to be examined Moreouer we wil obserue in our discourses the same order which we kept in our Academical treatises but only that I thinke it meetest for our present purpose that euery one of vs after he hath discoursed of some point should offer matter subiect to his companion to prosecute and speake of as if he gaue him instructions concerning that thing which he propoundeth vnto him And thus we will deale all foure of vs euery one in his course making one discourse round in the morning and another the afternoone continuing vntill we haue finished as it were a naturall history of man and of his parts the body and soule First therefore thou shalt instruct vs ASER in the creation of first man and in the matter whereof mans body is made Par la prieres Dieu m'ayde ¶ THE FIRST DAYES worke of the second part of the French Acadamy Of the creation of the first man and of the matter whereof the body of manis made Chap. 1. ASER God only hath his being of himselfe therefore he is eternal without beginning without end But because hee would not be alone he created the creatures and by their creation gaue being to that which was nothing before Therefore all natures tooke their beeing and essence and do hold it of that first euerlasting essence Thus also he answered to Moses who asked of him what his name was I will be that I will be or I am that I am Moreouer he said Thus shalt thou say to the children of Israel I am hath sent me vnto you We see heere what name hee giueth himselfe whereby hee sheweth that he onely is and hath an immutable essence and existence which onely to speake properly a man may call a Being Wherefore seeing God is the first essence and that onely that hath being of it selfe and from which all others proceede as riuers from their spring and fountaine we shall easily come vnto the Eternitie of God if we know how to ascend thither by the degrees of the essences of all those creatures which descended from his eternall and vnchangeable essence by reason whereof he is called Iehouah by the Hebrews If then we consider our selues euery one of vs shal know that he had a beginning that he made not himselfe neither came into the worlde but by the help of another This consideration wil leade euery one to his father and mother that begat him being come so far he wil passe on and ascend step by step to his ancestors making the like iudgement of al his predecessors as of himselfe For he wil by and by think that they came into the world after the same maner that he did and not otherwise and that they were not the first men Thus if a man ascend vp stil from father to father he must needes in the ende come to some one father that was the first father of all of whome all others tooke their beginning as hee that was the stocke of all mankinde This first father must either haue his being of one or be eternall or come of some eternall matter like to God or bee God himselfe Which because heâ coulde not be âhee must needes haue some beginning and bee borne after another fashion then they were that descended of him Now what ãâã can we say he had but the Creator of the whole world Being come to his first beginning wee can mount no higher but must stay there and conclude that this first builder of nature was without beginning that he is infinite and eternall otherwise we shall neuer find place to stay at Thus we see how the creature leadeth vs from essence to essence proceeding from one to another vntill it come to the first essence which is infinite and eternall the spring and fountaine of all others which we call God But let vs speake of this creation of the first man After the almighty power of ãâã Eternal had within nothing and of nothing made the onely matter of the world had seucred out of this Chaos the ayre the fire the earth and the water inriched the whole with celestiall lights herbes plants earthy ayery and watry liuing creatures Let vs sayd he make man in our owne image according to our likenesse and let them rule ouer the ãâã of the sea and oâer the foule of the heauen and ouer the beasts and ouer all the earth and ouer euery thing that creepeth and moouethon the earth Nowe we will note here in the first place three things well worthy of consideration First that God did not barely command that man should be made and created as he commanded for the other creatures but he speaketh as though some great king or prince should ideliberate with his Councill about the making of some great worke declaring afterward himselfe why he tooke this way in the cruation of man onely and not in the creation of the other creatures like wise
consumed but haue also their proper action to congele and gather it together Nowe we must vnderstand that of this first matter which contained all the elements and which God made the mother of all things and capable of all formes euery bodie is compounded euery one returneth into the same againe of that taketh a new forme so that the true matter of all corporall things doth not turne into nothing neither increaseth or decreaseth in any sort So that euer since the Eternall that can doe all things made this whole great frame of nothing no one thing is made of nothing neither doth any thing vanish into nothing but the change of euery thing that is bred or that dieth is only in forme Now by this knowledge of the matter of the first mans body we may easily vnderstand of what matter al mens bodies are made For certain it is that of one only man al others haue had their beginning being all his seed offspring multiplying daily according to his first vertue The reason hereof is this because this power is naturally ingraffed in euery thing to bring forth his like to continue it selfe in the same kind being inhabled therunto through a quickening vertue infused into it by that diuine reason which is the efficient preseruing cause of all creatures Now I doubt not but the Epicures Atheists such like deriders of God his word with whom this age is pestred more then any age past will account all this to bee a very fable that hath bene hitherto spoken of the creation of the first man For they giue no more credite to the writings of Moses and of all the Prophets Apostles then to an old wiues tale or to the fables of doting dreames Neither wil they beleeue any more of God of his prouidence and of his workes then they are able to vnderstand know and comprehend by their naturall reason They will say then that they haue not seene the like workes in nature which they put in stead of God and so by the same reason they wil account for lies whatsoeuer the word of God teacheth vs coÌcerning the creation of this great visible world of all things contayned therein as also that which we shal heare anon touching the creation of woman And thus because they saw not when God created the worlde because he did set another order in nature after the creation thereof then there was before he had created nature therefore according to their goodly phylosophie there shal be neither God nor Creator nor difference betwixt the workes of the creation in which nature it selfe was created and those that sollowed after God and disposed the order of nature created by him What then shall we say of man of al the world Shal he be without a creator and eternall or made of some matter that was eternall with God or shall he be God himselfe For eyther he was created or he was not created If he were not created then is he eternall as euen Aristotle saith following the discourse of humane reason which notwithstanding blinded him in this marter of creation Wherein hee is not onely contrarie to the worde but also to his master Plato and to the best and most excellent amongst the Philosophers But if the worlde was created it must needes bee that it had some beginning that the first man as likewise euery other creature was begotten after another maner then the vse is at this present But what would these sharpe wittes or rather dull beasts say if they had not seene by experience the woorke of God which they call the worke of nature onely in the generation of men For of what are they daily begotten and conceiued but of a supersluitie and as it were of an excrement of mans body as hereafter we shall vnderstand more at large Is this farre more easie to digest in humane reason then the first creation of man If these skorners had neuer seen such a thing and if they were not conuicted heereof by dayly experience they would giue as litle credite to those that should tell them of it as they doe to the spirite of God speaking of his workes by the mouth of his Prophets As for those that set nature in the place of God what greater brutishnes can proceede from them For doeth not the very same of nature declare sufficiently that nature is a thing made and created and so consequently hath her creation and her birth of God as all other creatures haue But God punisheth these poore ignorant fellows with the like iudgement that he doeth many other skilfull and great Philosophers whome hee oftentimes giueth ouer into a reprobate sence because through their pride and ingratitude they abuse the knowledge of naturall things which God giueth them and so that science which should lead them to a greater knowledge of God maketh them more beast-like then any other through their owne fault For it cannot be otherwise but that euery one considering the nature and composition euen of one only member of mans body most of necessitie acknowledge and confesse that some Woorke-master made it and that this Woorke-master is of no bodily or humane nature but of a spirituall and diuine being that hee hath not onely vnderstanding and knowledge of all things but also that hee is vnderstanding it selfe that hee knoweth loueth and is the authour of all order and that his wisedome and vertue is so infinite that it surmounteth all mens vnderstandings Heereupon it followeth that hee is worthie to be esteemed for God and to bee woorshipped of all men There are others that aske why man was not created an infinite space of time before hee beganne to be by the testimonie of the holy Scripture which teacheth vs that it is not yet fully 6000. yeeres since his creation as though he had bene created very late But if the shortnesse of time offendethe them because they thinke that there are so fewe yeers since we reade in holy Scripture that man was created let them consider that nothing lasteth long if it haue any ende and that the whole space of ages past if it be compared with eternitie that is endlesse is not onely not to be thought litle but none at all Therefore that question which now they aske after 5000. yeres they might with the same curiositie demaund after sixe hundred thousand yeeres if the world had endured so long They also that were before vs when man was but newely created might haue moued this question yea the first man might haue enquired also assoone as hee was made why he was not made before And so this controuersie about the beginning of mans being had neuer at any time heretofore any other reasons then it hath nowe neither shall haue heereafter Let vs knowe then that God being eternall and without beginning began time and in time made man whome hee had neuer made before being ledde thereunto not
rehearse manie moe vses if we woulde speake more particularly of this matter whereof wee meane to speake but generally as also of all the rest that concerne the anatomie of the bodie according to that ende which wee propounded to our selues in the entrie of our speeches namely to open a gappe onely to the consideration first of the matter whereof mans bodie is compounded and of the diuersitie thereof then of that forme which God hath giuen vnto it and lastly of the profit and vse of both to the ende wee might dayly learne the better to knowe the great power skill wisedome goodnesse and prouidence of him that hath created and disposed all things in so good order But as touching that which we spake of the pappes and of their substance wee haue yet to consider of two poynts well worthie the noting concerning the place where God hath seated them First they are there placed where they serue to shroude and to defend the noblest and most necessarie partes for life that are in the breast namely the heart and the lungs For they are set before them to countergard and keepe them both from ouer great heate and from excessiue colde and from many other inconueniences And as they serue for the heate of the heart so their owne heate is increased by reason they are so neere the heart whereby the milke that is ingendred in them is the better baked So that wee see that although GOD hath not giuen men pappes for the generation of milke and nourishing of children as women haue neuerthelesse they are not without profite and vse in them as wee haue hearde Whereunto also wee may adde the beautifying of that part of the bodie where they are placed especially in women Againe could they possibly be set in any place that were more fit and more easie both for Mothers and Nurses and for the children to whome they giue sucke and nourishment For if the mother bee disposed to giue her childe sucke shee hath this commoditie to sitte downe if she will to holde it in her bosome and vpon her knees and likewise to imbrace it in her armes whether she sit lye downe or stande also shee may carie it vp and downe whither shee please euen whilest shee giueth it sucke and feedeth it This commoditie is not graunted to the females of beastes when they giue sucke and nourish their little ones with their teates Wherein wee haue to marke one notable difference which GOD hath put betweene men and beastes For beastes haue no other care of their yong ones but onely to nourish their bodies with foode vntill they bee able to feede and gouerne themselues afterward both syre and damme and little ones forget one another taking no more knowledge eche of other nor louing one another more then other beastes of their kinde But amongst men both the father and the mother are caried with an affection towardes their little children which is the cause why they forget them not as beastes doe And as they loue their children so are they loued of them insomuch that there is a mutuall loue proceeding from that naturall affection which they beare one towardes another On the other side this loue causeth parents to let their children haue instruction that they may bee wise and vertuous And therefore it is not without good cause that womens pappes are placed in the breast namely to the ende they shoulde bee vnto them as signes and testimonies of the affection of the heart and of that loue which they ought to beare towardes their children whereof they ought to make them partakers aswell as of the milke of their breastes and as if they gaue vnto them their heart as they giue them their blood turned into milke Likewise children are by the selfe-same meanes to bee admonished of that mutuall affection and loue which they ought to carie towards their mothers as if they had sucked it out of their breasts and from their heart together with their milke that they may returne the like vnto them againe Wherefore mothers and children haue a wise mistres in nature and in the prouidence of God that appeareth therein if they knew how to followe it well Againe for this cause mothers ought to take greater delight in nourishing their owne children then in committing them to the handes of strangers and hyred Nurses For out of doubt the mutuall affection and loue of eche to other woulde greatly increase thereby Nowe hauing spoken of the place which God hath assigned to the pappes let vs consider his prouidence in their forme which is such that fayrer and more fitte for that office of theirs coulde not bee deuised For wee see howe they hang there in the breast of the mother and Nurse as it were two bottles hauing nipples and holes made fit for the infants mouth that hee might take holde of them and drawe and sucke the milke that is within the dugges which are filled presently after the child is borne so that hee is no sooner come into the worlde but hee hath such foode and nourishment readie drest as is meete for him For albeit the infant bringeth his teeth with him from his mothers wombe yet because they are hidde within the gummes and are not yet come foorth hee must haue such meate as needeth no chewing but may bee sucked which GOD hath prouided for him Wherein wee haue a woonderfull testimonie of the care hee hath ouer vs and what kinde of Father and cherisher hee is For this cause Dauid had good reason to say Out of the mouth of babes and suckelings hast thou ordeyned strength because of thine enemies For if one consider the prouidence of God which dayly sheweth it selfe ouer children onely there is no Atheist Epicure or other enemie of God so great which shall not bee confounded conuinced and constrayned will hee nill hee to giue glorie to GOD. For before children can speake euen from their mothers breastes they shewe foorth and preache the prouidence of God in prouiding milke for them But wee shall finde it a matter of greater admiration if wee consider not onely in what manner they are nourished presently after their birth but also howe they are nourished in their mothers wombe For there they are not sustayned by the mouth nor with milke as they are after their byrth but with their mothers owne blood receiued by the Nauill which is in the middest of the bodie But God hath made such an agreement betweene the wombe in which the little childe is nourished in his mothers belly and betwixt her breasts that that blood wherewith the Infant was feede before it was borne presently after the birth ascendeth into her pappes in which by reason of the aboade it maketh there it becommeth white and is so well heated and prepared that it hath as conuenient and pleasant a taste as can be put into the infants mouth And as for the substance of the milke there cannot be any
place easily as sinewes will do The second inconuenience would be this that the endes of the nosethrilles could neither open nor shut neither enlarge nor restraine themselues but woulde continue alwayes at one stay whereupon two other mischiefs would follow First the nose could not open and inlarge it selfe so much as were requisite many times to drawe in great store of aire to coole and refresh both the lungs and the braine especially when they are heated and set on fire For at such a time there is perill of strangling Secondly forasmuch as the nose is giuen to man that it might serue the braine in stead of a pipe and spowt to purge it of slegmatike humours a man could not by blowing close it together and straine it to get the filth out of it as neede requireth many times For the humours that distill from the braine are not alwaies very liquide running but sometimes so grosse thick that a man cannot easily purge the braine or nose except it be closed and strained hard Thus you see two euident causes why it was needeful that the nose should be compounded of gristles not of bones onely at lest wise from the middle downward On the otherside if this lower part had beene made of flesh onely or of kernelles or of skinnes the nosethrilles could not so well haue bin inlarged or reÌstrained nor continued so open as is requisite for the seruice of all those dueties and offices already mentioned besides that those parts could not so well withstand the inconueniences whereunto they might be subiect if they were of a more tender matter Lastly as it was needefull that one part of the nose should consist of that matter for those causes spoken of so also it was necessary that the vpper part should bee made of bones not onely to keepe the sense of smelling the better which is in that part and to be as it were a buckler vnto it but also to serue in steade of rampires both for the eyes and for the braine As for the inward parts there are two nosethrilles distinguished one from another by a gristle which is betweene them both as it were alittle wall to diuide them to the ende that if the one be stopped the other may alwayes discharge the offices assigned to them both And to the end they may more easily draw in the aire for the seruice as well of the lungs as of the braine and also receiue in the odours they are larger at the first entrance and after as they ascend vp they waxe more narrow and that not without good reason of the prouidence of God For hee hath in a manner taken the selfe same course that he did in the composition of the eares which he made large wide at the entry hauing that form that hole within which we heard spoken of before together with the causes why The self same reason in a maner may be reÌdred here For as it is to be feared that ouer great soundes woulde hurt the eares if they entred in all at once so the lungs and much more the braine might be ouer cooled by the ayre that should enter in at the nosethrilles if it should ascend vp too fast at once too sodainly or too vehemently By reason wherof it is requisite that it should be retained in some sort to the ende that by the tariance which it maketh it should bee heated and better tempered The like consideration is to bee had of the vapours and smelles in regarde of the braine not onely of euill sauours but also of those that are good For some are so violent by reason of the abundance of heat in them which falleth out chiefly in such as are most excellent that if they be not dispensed moderately they hurt the braine This commeth to passe in some persons through the weaknes of their braine There are others and namely such as care not for sweet things who take no peasure no not in good smels so that oft times the sweetest most delicate odours are hurtful to their head Now God hath wel prouided for al these things hauing placed a little bone in the top of the nose which is pierced through like to a litle siue Hereupon it is called by the Phisicions the siue-bone or otherwise and that more properly the spuÌgy bone because the holes therof are not strait as are those of a siue but somwhat slopewise like to the holes of a spunge And this serueth for the better more coÌmodious discharging of all those vses declared by vs for the auoyding of those discommodities which we haue heard of Whereunto may be added that the humors which descend from the braine may not fall downe so fast together but distill better by little and little and the good humours be kept more easily from falling downe all at once together with the euill I passe ouer heere briefely the muscles giuen to the nosethrilles to mooue them as also the nerues which are sent from the braine to the sense of smelling to bring vnto it the vertue of smelling as the eyes eares palat and tongue receiue from thence their nerues also which bring vnto them that facultie and vertue that is meete for their nature Wherein wee may further note one goodly point of the prouidence of God in that giuing motion and sense to euery member of the bodie by the sinewes hee giueth a speciall and proper sense to those nerues that are to minister vertue and power to euery one of the corporall senses which the other sinewes haue not For there is none that giueth the sense meete for sight but those that are allotted to the eyes for that purpose The same may bee said of those that are giuen to the eares for hearing and to the tongue and palat for the taste and to the nose for smelling Now to end this speach wee are to draw out some instruction meete for the minde according as we haue done in our discourses of the other senses of the body As then wee iudge by the nose sense of smelling which God hath giuen vnto vs what difference there is betwene a good and a stinking smell and how the one is pleasant delightsome and the other vnpleasant abominable so likewise we ought to consider what small pleasure God taketh in the infection and stinch of our sinnes and how he is delighted with the sweete smell of the iustice and vertues of Christ Iesus when wee are prefumed therewith and when hee smelleth the sauour thereof in vs. Therefore whensoeuer and as often as we feele some stinch and abhorre the same that euil smel ought to admonish vs of the filthines of our sinnes and teach vs to haue them in greater abomination then any catrion smell whatsoeuer and to abhorre our selues when wee present our selues before God prefumed with such an infernall sauour For if we turne our faces aside and stoppe our nose and euen spit vpon
fiue They which make fiue sortes distinguish betweene the common sense the imagination and the fantasie making them three and for the fourth they adde Reason or the iudging facultie and for the fift Memorie They that make but three kinds differ not from the other but onely in that they comprehend all the former three vnder the common sense or vnder one of the other twaine whether it be the imagination or the fantasie As for the Sensitiue facultie it comprehendeth the vertues of the fiue corporall senses of which wee haue spoken before As for the Motiue vertue it comprehendeth the moouing of all the outward parts of the body from one place to an other especially of the feete and legges which is to walke and of the handes which is to apprehend and to gripe This moouing is done by the sinewes muscles and filaments as we haue already declared but not without knowledge and will as the other that are more properly called naturall motions of which we may speake in their order And this motion is led by the imagination in regard of beastes but in regard of men by reason But because we haue already handled at large these two last powers of the soule namely the Sensitiue and Motiue when we spake of the externall members of the body we wil now speake especially of the first which comprehendeth the internall senses spoken of by me euen now which answere to the externall senses according to the bond agreement and communication which the body and soule haue together And because wee cannot know the faculties vertues of the soule but only by means of those instruments whereby it worketh as we haue shewed in our former discourses the nature and vse of the externall members and howe the soule is serued by them so now we will do the like by the internall parts to the ende that we may the better knowe the nature of the soule by her operations and instruments as the labourer that worketh by his instruments and frameth those woorkes that are before our eyes For the soule being of a spirituall nature and not bodily we cannot see it in it owne substance and nature nor haue any knowledge thereof but by the effectes by which wee may iudge and conclude of their cause as also by those testimonies of the soule which the Lorde affordeth vs in his worde And although the vnderstanding of man can not attaine to an entire and perfect knowledge of the soule yet that smal knowledge which wee may haue doeth exceedingly profite end delight vs. For seeing it is the most excellent creature that is created vnder the cope of heauen yea more excellent then the heauens themselues or any of the celestiall bodies because the soule only is endued with reason and vnderstanding there is no doubt but the knowledge thereof is more excellent profitable pleasant and necessary yea more worthy admiration then of any other thing whatsoeuer as that which alwaies yeeldeth profit to the greatest things that can be Therfore we ought not to set light by that knowledge of it which wee may attaine vnto For there is in it so great varietie beauty and harmony yea it is so wel adorned and set forth that no heauen nor earth is so wel painted or bedecked with such beautifull liuely and excellent images and pictures as that is On the other side she is the Mistresse and Authour from whence proceedeth the inuention of all Artes and Sciences and of all those wonderfull woorkes that are made throughout the whole course of mans life Therefore no man can beholde her or thinke vpon her without great pleasure and admiration And seeing the fountaine and well-spring of all the good and euill that befalleth vs is in the soule there is nothing more profitable for men then to know it well to the ende they may labour more carefully to keepe this fountaine pure and well purged that all the riuers of their actions and workes may issue and flowe pure and cleane from thence For that man can neuer gouerne his soule wel nor be master of himselfe that doeth not knowe himselfe If wee desire to knowe what workes wee are to looke for of a workeman what hee can doe or what may befall him what hee is good for and for what hee is vnmeete hee must first of all bee knowen what hee is Therefore that sentence of which we haue already spoken that saith Know thy selfe ought heere especially to take place and to bee practised For it is a harder matter to knowe the nature and qualitie of our soule and of our minde the vertues and affections thereof to enquire and consider of it well and to knowe what may be knowen thereof as also the diuerse and holow lurking holes the turnings and windings therein then to know the bones flesh sinews and blood of our bodies with all the matter whereof it is made and all the partes and members thereof Seeing then wee are to make enquirie of the nature and powers of the soule by the effects thereof according as I haue already spoken and seeing the principall effect is the life which it giueth to all liuing creatures let vs first consider of the difference that is betweene the creatures void of life and those that haue life in them Afterward let vs looke into the sundrie sortes of liues that are in liuing creatures as that which will helpe vs well to the vnderstanding of that wee seeke for First then wee must note that all creatures are either spirituall or bodily All they are spirituall creatures that are without bodies and which cannot be perceiued by any bodily sense and such are the Angelles both good and bad and the soules and spirites of men The bodily creatures are all those that are visible and that may bee felt and perceiued by corporall senses amongst which some haue no life and some haue life Againe those creatures that haue no life differ in two respects for some of them haue no naturall motion as stones metalles mineralles and such like creatures Others haue their naturall motion among which some are mutable corruptible and subiect to change others are immutable incorruptible continuing alwaies firme in their estate during the course of this world The water the aire the windes and the fire are creatures hauing motion albeit they haue no life but they are subiect to corruption and so are all the creatures that are compounded of the elements whether they haue life or no. For being made of contrary matters and qualities they corrupt and change not in respect of their first matter and substance which can neuer perish according to the testimony of Philosophers notwithstanding it alter in forme but alwayes returneth to the first nature Stones and metalles albeit they be very hard yet are they not freed from corruption and consuming through vse But the celestiall bodies are of that matter and nature that they mooue continually and yet abide
it cannot doe those woorkes by a maymed and lame hande which it will doe by him that hath both his handes nor cause a lame creeple wanting a foote or legge or hauing some defect in those partes to walke as well as an other that hath all these sounde and perfect And a man may iudge of my speech by that which happeneth not onely to them that fall into an Apoplexie but also to such as haue some quaume about their heart so that they faint and sowne and are for the time as it were dead and yet afterwarde plucke vp their spirites and come againe to their former estate But before they be reuiued they seeme as though they had no soule in their bodies because it is not perceiued by the woorkes thereof as it is when the bodie is well affected And this is chiefly to be seene in a strong Apoplexie or falling sicknesse in which the patient looseth all motion and sense Wherevpon it hath come to passe oftentimes that many haue bene buried for dead in that case who were notwithstanding aliue and some haue recouered and done well afterward as wee haue many examples both in common experience and in histories olde and newe Nowe whilest the soule is thus letted from performing her actions by such inconueniences who would not iudge that she were cleane extinguished with the body Neuerthelesse afterward when she can vse her instruments shee sheweth plainely that the fault commeth not of her but of the instruments that faile her Therefore when we speak of the soule and of the body we must put the same difference between them that is betwixt a Workman and his tooles considering the nature of both and what they can doe both ioyntly and seuerally For an instrument hath neither knowledge nor force nor vertue of it selfe being able to doe nothing alone but onely so farre foorth as it is set on woorke by some Woorkeman But there is another reason in the Woorkeman For although hee cannot vse his arte without those instruments that are necessary thereunto yet hee hath alwayes abiding within him that arte power force and dexteritie whereby he woorketh So that when wee speake of the soule wee are to consider what shee can doe of her selfe and of her owne nature without the bodie and what shee cannot doe without it For we learne in the holy Scriptures that when Angels appeared to men because they are spirits and haue no speech like to that of men as being bodilesse and wanting instruments necessary for the framing therof therefore they tooke mens bodies to appeare and speake to men in and by them No marueile then if the soule which is created to vse the members of the body as instruments speaketh not without a tongue as it doeth with one and with the other Organs of voyce and speech Now forasmuch as wee know that the soule giueth life motion and sence to all the body and that it hath sundry instruments in the body in which and by which it perfourmeth those workes for which they were created of God we are now to consider what facultie power and vertue it hath in euery part of the body For albeit that we cannot assigne to the soule especially to the spirite and vnderstanding which is the most excellent part therein any certaine place of lodging as if it were inclosed within any one part or within all the partes of the body neuerthelesse we may iudge of the nature thereof by those instruments whereby it worketh and by their nature and by the workes it produceth And in this consideration we haue a goodly glasse wherein wee may contemplate God that is inuisible making him visible and knowne vnto vs by his workes euen as the soule is become as it were visible and sheweth it selfe to vs by the bodie in which it dwelleth and by the workes which it doeth therein Therefore let vs propound vnto our selues this whole visible world as it were one great bodie then all the partes as members thereof next let vs consider how the soule of all this great body namely the vertue and power of God worketh therein and effecteth all the workes that are done therein according to that order he hath set therein as the soule worketh in the bodie of man and in euery member thereof Thus doing as we know that there is a soule in the bodie and another nature beside that which is bodily and which worketh therein and this we perceiue by the effects thereof so let vs marke withall by the works done in this visible world that there is another nature that effecteth them which being inuisible differeth from all this world wee see as that which is farre more excellent which filleth the whole and by vertue and power is in all the partes thereof as a soule in a bodie But in propounding this glasse before our eyes we must take heede that we fall not into their dotage who haue thought and affirmed that the worlde is the body of God and that himselfe is the soule thereof For therevpon it would follow that God is mortall and corruptible in regard of his body and that some part or other thereof would alwayes corrupt as we daily see corporall things doe Againe if it were so God should not be infinite and incomprehensible as he is for the worlde doeth not comprehend and containe him but he all the world whereof he is the Creator and by whom the world is and consisteth Seeing then the soule is the image of God in man as the body of man is the image of this great world in which God worketh as the soule doeth in the body of man let vs coÌsider how God hath distributed the powers vertues and offices of the soule in the body and in euery part thereof as he manifesteth his glory and vertue in all this visible world in all the partes of it For first they agree herein that as there is but one soule in one body which is sufficient for all the partes and members thereof so there is but one God in the world sufficient for all the creatures Next if we cannot conceiue howe the soule is lodged in the body or how it giueth life vnto it neither yet howe it worketh displayeth therein the vertues which it hath but onely so farre foorth as it testifieth the same by those diuers effects which we see and perceiue in euery part and member thereof no marueile then if wee cannot with our eyes discerne or comprehend how God is throughout all filling heauen and earth how he displayeth his power and vertue howe he worketh in all his creatures and how hee guideth gouerneth and preserueth them by his heauenly prouidence For if wee cannot comprehend the creature nor the nature thereof how shall wee comprehend the nature of the Creator And if it be not in our power to know the workes of God wrought in vs neither the woorkes of our owne soule how shall we know his works done
in the whole world And if we be not able to vnderstand or comprehend them doeth it followe therefore that he doeth them not yet there are many that conclude after that sort For they beleeue nothing but that which they are able to coÌceiue know comprehend by their natural reason And so because they caÌnot know how the soule being of a spirituall nature is ioyned with the bodie which is cleane of another nature nor conceiue howe it is lodged and worketh therein therefore they must conclude that they haue no soule which worketh that in them that is there done For they see not neither can they shewe howe it worketh by those instruments which it hath in the bodie but onely so farre foorth as they behold the worke But we shall haue occasion elsewhere to handle this more at large For this time let vs goe forward with our speech of the powers and faculties of the soule considering first of the braine which is the principall instrument thereof and the seate of the internall senses already mentioned by vs of which wee are to be instructed particularly Of the Braine and of the nature thereof of the sundry kinds of knowledge that are in man of the similitude that is betweene the actions and woorkes of the naturall vertues of the soule and of the internall senses Chap. 23. ARAM. The woorkemanship which God hath wrought in the whole course of nature as well in the nature of the heauens as of the elements of liuing things of plants mettals and other creatures doth vndoubtedly containe in it great miracles and very excellent and euident testimonies which shewe plainely vnto vs that the nature of all things yea of the whole worlde commeth not by fortune and at aduenture but that they were created and ordeyned by a more excellent nature then any can be found in al the world But there is not a more expresse and clearer image of the diuine nature then in that part of man wherein are to be found those great and marueilous vertues and properties which are commonly called Animales as namely the thought vnderstanding and knowledge of numbers and of order reason iudgement memory with the discerning of honest things from those that are dishonest of good things from bad together with the election or reiection of them Therefore the contemplation of these vertues and powers is very necessary for vs that by the knowledge of them wee may dayly learne to knowe GOD the better by that resemblaunce and similitude of his wisedome which hee hath vouchsafed to transferre and to imprint in mans nature and that wee might bee induced thereby to glorifie him and that wee shoulde labour to the vttermost of our power to haue this image shine in vs more and more and daily to encrease in likenesse vnto the paterne from whence it is taken Nowe let vs followe that diuision which wee haue alreadie made of the sundry faculties vertues properties and offices which the soule hath in the bodie namely the Animall Vitall and Naturall and that diuision also which wee made of mans bodie vnto which many attribute three seuerall partes and call them bellies the first and highest of which they place in the head for the Animall faculties and vertues the second which is the middlemost belly in the breast and stomacke for the Vitall vertues and the last from the Midriffe to the share-bone for the Naturall faculties They vnderstande by the first the whole brayne which they diuide also into sundrie partes and call them likewise Bellies and little Bellies Wee haue alreadie hearde of the excellencie of the head of the place and situation thereof of the goodly outward members wherewith it is beautified of the bones whereof it is made and of the couering wherewith they are couered that the braine might haue his conuenient lodging and such a one as is requisite for the nature and office it hath that it might be wel fortified and defended on euery side to preserue and keepe it well against all outward inconueniences that might come vnto it and to the end also it might haue neere about it all those seruaunts and senses which it guideth and gouerneth and all those instruments which it standeth most in neede of both in regard of the workes it is charged with as also for the purging thereof Forasmuch then as it is lodged in the head we are to know that as the head hath a certaine agreement with the heauens and the eyes with the celestiall lightes as wee haue already touched so is it likewise with the braine For it is of a more heauenly nature and approcheth neerer to the spirituall and diuine nature then any other part of the whole body as that wherein a man may finde all those excellent vertues and Animall powers of which I made mention in the beginning of my speech and which are no actions or workes of a brutish nature Whereof also it followeth very wel that the Woorkemaster and authour thereof cannot bee of a brutish nature without vnderstanding and knowledge of order of things honest and dishonest and of good and bad Which teacheth vs moreouer that hee greatly esteemeth of the preseruation of nature and of humane societie detesteth whatsoeuer is contrary therevnto seeing hee hath imprinted in man such an image of his diuine nature as hee would not willingly haue defaced blotted out Wherfore although we cannot throughly know either the nature of the braine or the actions thereof or of the soule which it serueth yet that which may come to our knowledge will greatly helpe to confirme more more this testimony of God and of his prouidence which is already imprinted in our hearts by the light and law of nature Therfore it were very good and profitable for vs to consider diligently of that resemblance of God which euery one of vs beareth in a very small image that wee may giue him thankes and referre to their proper ende all those giftes and excellent partes which he hath placed in our nature Wee are to note then for the first poynt that as GOD manifesteth more excellently his diuine nature and the glorie of his maiestie in the heauens and in the highest partes of this great visible worlde then he doeth in other partes more base and terrestriall as we may easily knowe by the contemplation of them so dealeth hee with the head and brayne of man which is as it were the lodging of the internall senses already named which are farre more excellent and noble then the outward senses For if liuing creatures and chiefly man should onely and barely apprehend those things that are before them without any imagination thought or consideration of them thereby to know how to chuse or reiect them as they may be eyther profitable or hurtfull it would not be greatly profitable to haue them presented to the outward senses For this cause God hath ioyned vnto them another facultie and vertue which is much more
wayes First because wee may in some sort take a viewe of nature by searching out therein those thinges of which shee doeth heere set before vs very euident testimonies euen those thinges which may bee demonstrated although grossely according to the capacitie of our dull vnderstandings The second way which is the chiefest and most sure is by that testimonie which himselfe affoordeth vs in his worde For let vs not thinke that the minde can pronounce any thing for certayne but as it is directed by the testimonie of GOD seeing the senses which hee hath giuen vs come short herein and are not able to ascende vp so high For the excellencie of this creature and of the nature thereof is such and so great that it cannot perfectly knowe and comprehend itselfe especially where it is of greatest dignitie So that if wee desire to haue certaine knowledge whither should we haue recourse in this defect of our senses but vnto him that is able to certifie vs truely in this poynt And who can testifie the trueth of the worke but the Workemaster that made it and therefore knoweth it better then any other and all the perfection that is in it Why then doe wee not yeelde to GOD that honour in a thing not to bee comprehended by vs which wee doe to men of whome wee are well perswaded in thinges which wee cannot knowe but by their testimonie For howe manie thinges doe wee beleeue of which wee knowe not the causes and for which wee haue no other reason shewed vs but onely the testimonie and authoritie of men whome wee iudge woorthie of credite who notwithstanding may themselues bee deceiued and deceiue others But GOD cannot bee deceiued nor deceiue those that giue credite to his testimonie which hee hath not so hidden from men but that it is manifested vnto them yea hee hath chosen some amongst them to testifie the same from him to others And if it hath pleased him to haue such witnesses amongest them a man may soone see that hee hath chosen them in whome hee hath caused his image to shine most excellently and whome hee hath made more like to himselfe aswell by the reuelation of his holy spirite in all those excellent graces and vertues wherewith hee hath indued them as also by those holy and heauenly woorkes which he effecteth by them whereby hee hath as it were marked them with his seale to giue them authoritie and to cause them to bee acknowledged of all for his faithfull witnesses and seruants If then wee desire to haue certaine and true witnesses in any such matter where can we finde them sooner then amongest the Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles with all those Martyres and other holy personages whose doctrine and life testifie vnto vs howe farre they differ from other men But aboue all howe highly ought wee to esteeme the testimonie of the very Sonne of GOD who is to bee preferred before all others Seeing therefore wee haue so many faithfull witnesses let vs keepe vs to their testimonie wayting for that perfect light and more cleare and ample knowledge which shall bee reuealed vnto vs in that heauenly glorie In the meane time let vs consider howe wee are able to comprehende the infinite nature of the Creator of our soule seeing wee cannot conceiue the nature of the soule which he hath created and let vs reiect those dogges and hogges those Atheists and Epicures who iudge of God and of the soule of man so farre foorth onely as they are able to knowe and comprehend by their naturall sense whereby they see no further into the soule of man then they doe into the soules of beasts whome themselues resemble But suppose they had no other testimony of the celestiall and diuine nature of the soule but that which it affoordeth vs daily by those faculties and vertues where with God hath endued it and the effectes it sheweth vs yet ought they to learne to iudge otherwise Now to morrowe it will be thy part ASER to beginne the particular handling of these goodly internall senses whose vesselles and instruments wee haue considered of in this speach as also thou art to teach vs who be the chiefe ministers of the soule for all her actions The end of the third dayes worke THE FOVRTH dayes worke Of the seate of voluntary motion and sense of the office and nature of the common sense of imagination and of fantasie and howe light and dangerous fantasie is of the power which both good and bad spirites haue to mooue it Chap. 25. ASER The knowledge of many things is so natural to men that being borne with them it is like to a light attending vpon the minde as the sight doeth vpon the eyes For the knowledge of numbers and of order the Principles and beginning of Artes the knowledge and distinction of things honest and dishonest proceede from such a light And when Saint Paul sayeth that the Gentiles and all that haue not receiued of God the Lawe of the two Tables as the people of Israel did haue notwithstanding a Law written in their hearts that doeth accuse or excuse them no doubt but by this Lawe hee vnderstandeth that naturall knowledge which men haue both of God and of good and euil which issueth from a higher spring then from the outward sences and which euery one hath for a schoolemistress within himselfe euen they also that would extinguish wholly this light if they could For although God hath imprinted many similitudes and testimonies of himselfe in all creatures whereby hee manifesteth himselfe vnto vs yet should we know nothing more then the brute beasts do if there were not a light in our mindes that causeth vs to see and knowe them and to conclude that which wee doe which light is not in beasts albeit they haue outward senses as wel as wee But it is commonly said that there is nothing in the vnderstanding which hath not first beene in the outward senses that is to say that it can know nothing which is not first discouered and manifested vnto it by them But wee must vnderstand that saying of such things as fall vnder their powers and faculties which being knowen and noted by the senses doe awaken and stirre vp the vnderstanding which after by that vertue it hath in it selfe proceedeth forward namely from signes and effects vnto causes from accidents to substances and from particular things to vniuersalities But let vs consider how We must first remember the diuision which before wee made of the animal facultie and power and thereupon wee note that the sensitiue and motiue powers whereby the soule vsing the meanes of the sinewes and muscles giueth voluntary sense and motion to all the body haue no speciall place or seate in the braine as the other internall senses haue but are dispersed throughout the whole substance thereof Concerning the chiefe power and facultie we were told before how some distinguish betweene Imagination fantasie and the Common sense
and disagreement of things that ioyneth together whatsoeuer is to be ioyned and separateth that which ought to bee separated that distinguiseth things which followe or are contrary each to other by comparing one thing with another by considering all circumstances by referring euery thing whither it ought to be referred It is requisite therefore that he should keepe his owne place and not be shuffled vp and confounded with imagination and fantasie of which hee is the Iudge to approoue or condemne that which is good or euill as also to correct to stay and to keepe them in awe For if reason intermeddle and mingle it selfe with them it will be so troubled that it will not be able to iudge as it ought of those things which they present and bring vnto it but will bee so carried away as if it were deposed and thrust out of it owne place and as if maides shoulde rule their Mistresse and take place before her The like also happeneth vnto it when it is carried away with the affections which it ought to rule moderate and gouerne But if it be vpright and sound after it hath well considered and debated of the whole matter brought and laide before it by the former senses it giueth sentence as Iudge and iudgeth finally without appeale For there is no other iudgement after that Hereof it is that it hath a iudiciall seate in the middest wherein being placed it heareth sutes and causes Besides it hath neare vnto it Memorie which is in place of a Notary and Secretary and as it were a register booke in which is entred whatsoeuer is ordained and decreed by reason For as we haue neede of such a Iudge as reason is to conclude and determine finally in the minde whatsoeuer may bee called into question and doubted of so it is requisite that the conclusion and definitiue sentence should be registred in Memory as it were in a roll or booke of accompt that it may alwayes be ready and found when neede requireth For what good should we get by that which imagination fantasie and reason conceiue and gather together if it shoulde all vanish away presently through forgetfulnesse and no more memorie thereof should remaine in man then if nothing at all had bene done The like would daily happen to vs that befel Nebuchadnezzar when God reuealed vnto him by dreame in the vision of an Image what should become of his Monarchie and Empire and of those that followed him For he remembred well as himselfe testifieth that he had dreamed a dreame whereupon his spirite was troubled whilest he laboured to vnderstand it but hee was so farre from knowing the signification of his dreame that he remembred not what he had dreamed and seene therein Where wee see that his imagination and fantasie were so mooued by the image and vision represented vnto them in this dreame that they imprinted in his memory how they had seene a vision and that it was very strange and woonderfull Yea reason it selfe iudged that the vision and image was of another nature then those that are coÌmonly in the imagination or fantasie or those which they coyne themselues in sleeping and dreaming and that it had some diuine signification And this did reason imprint in the Kings memorie who remembred all these things generally but when he beganne to enquire of the matter more specially and particularly hee could not call to minde the kinde and manner of his dreame but confessed that the thing was gone from him Afterward hauing heard and vnderstoode Daniel hee knewe that hee spake a trueth and then remembred what hee had dreamed and was gone from him because it was not well imprinted in his memorie but had passed ouer lightly by it Heere then wee see how necessary this secretary and register whome wee call Memorie is for the vnderstanding and spirite not onely to marke lightly such things as passe by it but also to note and ingraue them as it were in tables or pillars of stone or brasse Therefore hath God assigned his seate and lodging in the hindermost part of the braine to the ende that after such things as are to be committed vnto it haue passed by all the other senses they should be committed to it to keepe as to their secretary And for this cause that part of the braine is lesse moist and most solide and firme for two manifest and apparant reasons First because it is the fountaine of the marrowe in the back bone of which those sinews are deriued that giue the strongest motions to al the members of the body Therefore also it was requisite that they shoulde bee of a more firme and solide matter then the rest that are taken from the substance of other partes of the braine which are not to sustaine so great stresse Secondly forasmuch as the memory is as it were the Register and Chancery Court of all the other senses the images of all things brought and committed vnto it by them are to be imprinted therein as the image and signe of a ring or seale is imprinted and set in the waxe that is sealed Therefore it is needefull that the matter of the instrument of Memorie shoulde bee so well tempered that it be neither too soft nor too hard For if it be too soft the images will be soone ingrauen but they will not stay there any long time as they that will be quickely blotted out Contrariwise if it be ouer hard it wil be a harder matter to imprint them therein But when it is well tempered it receiueth the images easily and keepeth them well For the Memorie hath two dueties as well as the hand namely to receiue and to hold fast Therefore they that are of a moist braine receiue more easily into their memories that which is offered vnto them and they that haue a drie braine retaine and keepe better in memorie But following that which wee haue hitherto spoken of all the internall senses we are nowe to obserue and note this that the knowledge of things which wee haue by the outward senses is as if wee beheld the shadowes of them and that knowledge which wee haue by the common sense by Imagination and Fantasie is as if wee did looke vpon the images which represent vnto vs those things whereof they are images moreliuely and cleerely then their shadowes can do And the knowledge wee haue by vnderstanding of which facultie wee will intreate heereafter is as if wee viewed not onely the shadowes or images of things but also their very bodies which is more And that knowledge which wee haue by reason is as if besides all this wee sawe their effectes and vertues Therefore there is as much difference betweene the knowledge that a man may haue by euery one of these faculties and powers as there is betwixt the shadow and image and body and effects or vertues of one and the same thing to the end that the nature thereof may be throughly knowen
For all these senses and vertues of mans mind agree so well together that as the outward senses serue the common sense so the common sense serueth Imagination and imagination fantasie fantasie vnderstanding and consideration consideration recordation recordation conference and conference reason and lastly memorie serueth them al as they also serue memory Therfore it is not without the great wisdome prouidence of God that the seate shop thereof is in the hindermost part of the head because it must looke to the things that are past So that we haue in that part as it were a spirituall eye which is much more excellent and profitable then if wee had bodily eyes there as wee haue before or else a face before and an other behinde as the Poets fained that Ianus had Thus we may learne by our speach what reason is and the discourse thereof and how it causeth the nature of man to approch in some sort to that nature which is diuine and heauenly making man farre to excell all other nature in the world For it goeth from things knowen to them that are vnknowen and descendeth from generalles to specialles and from them to particulars and mounteth aloft againe by the same steppes from one to another and compareth one with another For after that Imagination hath receiued the images and impressions of things offered vnto it by the outward senses the consideration of Reason followeth which enquireth of all that may be in the minde of the plentie or want that is there and causeth it to returne to it selfe as if it did beholde and consider it selfe to take knowledge what it hath or what it hath not howe much it hath and of what qualitie and nature it is After this reason draweth out and concludeth inuisible things of visible of corporall things it concludeth things without bodies and seeret things of plaine and euident matters and generalles of particulars then it referreth all this to the vnderstanding which is the chiefe vertue and power of the soule and that which comprehendeth all the faculties thereof as wee will discourse in place conuenient yea that which finally resteth in the contemplation of the spirite which is the ende of all enquirie of trueth and as it were a setled and assured view of all those things that haue beene culled out by reason and receiued and approoued by iudgement Heereof it is that wee say there is a double discourse of Reason in man whereof the one consisteth in speculation hauing Trueth for the scope and ende thereof and goeth no farther after it hath founde the trueth The other consisteth in practise and hath Good for his ende which after it hath found it stayeth not there but goeth on to Will which is an other power of the soule of great vertue as wee wil declare heereafter and is giuen of God to man that hee should loue desire and followe that which is good and hate eschew and turne from euill But these things shal be handled more at large in the sequele of our speeches Now to resume and finish this present matter as wee learne that man by the discourse of reason that is in him lifteth vp himselfe aboue the outward senses yea aboue Imagination and fantasie and knoweth well that hee is inclosed within the body as in a prison which neuerthelesse can not altogether hinder him from vnderstanding and contemplating the things hee seeth not so also hee vseth the helpe of Memorie to keepe and retaine in his minde whatsoeuer hee hath knowen by any of the senses eyther externall or internall Therefore is the Memorie compared to a Picture For as a Picture by the sight of the eyes giueth the knowledge of that which is painted therein so is it with Memorie by the sight of the minde endewed with vnderstanding and knowledge for it doeth not onely looke vpon things simply as beasts doe but considereth of them and diligently enquireth into them and hauing found them it placeth them in the Memorie and there keepeth them And the better to haue them in memorie it often thinketh and meditateth of those things it turneth and tosseth them to and fro that they may bee the better imprinted therein For this cause some Philosophers attribute vnto man beside memorie both recordation and remembrance which is one recordation vpon another whereby we call to mind that which was slipped out of it For it commeth to passe oftentimes that that which before we haue seene heard and knowen and euen kept a while in our memory is escaped vs and so forgotten that we thinke of it no more then if wee had neuer vnderstoode or knowen it neither should we euer remember it vnlesse some body did put vs in minde of it or some euident token made vs to thinke of it Some things also there are which albeit they are not cleane gone from vs but are somewhat better registred in our memory yet wee cannot readily remember them and bring them foorth without great and long inquirie Therefore must the minde turne ouer all the leaues of his Booke or Register of Memorie or at leastwise a great part thereof to finde them out as if a Chauncellour or Secretary shoulde search all his Papers and Registers and all his Rolles of Chauncery vntill hee had found that which hee sought for And wee see among our selues what notes and obseruations wee vse that they might bee as it were a memoriall booke vnto our memories You see then why some haue attributed to man both recordation and remembrahce thereby to put a difference betweene them and bare memorie without any other consideration which they say is in beastes who forgetting presently what they perceiued by their senses when they see those things againe that in some sorte putteth them in minde thereof then they call them to minde as if they had knowen them before But nowe that wee vnderstand the nature office order and seates of the internall senses of the soule that all may be more casily perceiued I thinke wee ought to shewe by some familiar examples howe a man may knowe that these internall senses are so distinguished disposed and ordained and that they haue their seats and instruments in the braine in such sort as wee haue already spoken Let vs then heare ARAM discourse to this purpose That the internall senses are so distinguished that some of them may be troubled and hindered and the rest be safe and whole according as their places and instruments assigned vnto them in the body are sound or perished and of those that are possessed with Deuilles Chap. 27. ARAM. Howsoeuer it pleased God to enrich man with heauenly gifts and graces aboue all visible creatures yet foreseeing the future pride of mankinde he alwayes and in all things gaue him great matter of humilitie and modestie to the end that they which knowe howe to profit thereby should neuer forget the graces receiued from the goodnesse of their Creator and
moderation or defect in the internall senses which exercise their offices in the head as well particularly as generally Therefore it is not without reason sayde in our common speach of him that hath a good spirite sense and iudgement that his head is well made and contrariwise that his head is ill made that wanteth these things For whatsoeuer the inhabitant or workeman is that laboureth the lodging in which hee dwelleth or the tooles and instruments which hee vseth are of great moment to further or hinder him in his worke But nowe that we are in hand with frenetike persons and haue saide before that good and ill spirites haue great meanes and such as wee can not comprehend whereby they mooue the imagination and fantasie of men it shall not be altogether fruitlesse if we speake somewhat of them that are possessed with spirites For there are some who thinke not that the Deuilles in their very substance enter into the bodies or soules heartes or mindes of men I speake not heere of such as thinke there is neither God nor Angelles nor Deuilles but euen of them that beleeue all these thinges who neuerthelesse thinke that euill spirites trouble the heartes and mindes of men onely by prouocations temptations and illusions Others there are that referre all the madnesse of Lunatike folkes to naturall causes as if they proceeded either from melancholike or cholerike humours or some such like causes as frensinesse madnesse and furie or some such diseases whereby men are carried beside themselues True it is and cannot be denied that many are thought to be possessed with Deuilles when in deede they are nothing so For there are some counterfeit crankes as many haue beene taken with the maner who vpon some occasion haue by meere knauery fained themselues such And some also there are that bee but melancholy madde and carried away by some disease of the braine but because their melancholie and furie is very violent and strange ignorant people suppose they are possessed with some spirite Notwithstanding wee may not doubt but that euil spirits desirous to hurt men both in their goodes bodies and soules vse al the meanes and occasions they can possibly inuent and finde out to execute their malice when it pleaseth God to giue them leaue For they can driue forward and mooue the hearts and mindes of men and set them in such a fury that euen their reason and iudgement wil be wholly confounded and as it were cleane extinguished Heereupon it commeth that many being caried headlong with such madnesse teare and kill themselues or their owne wiues children or others whereof we may daily see many examples Neuerthelesse we say not that the naturall light which God hath giuen them is wholly put out in them much lesse in those that are not so farre gone but the Deuill doeth stirre them forward with such violence that they are as it were taken perforce from themselues when they are forsaken of God Which examples ought to admonish vs to call vpon God incessantly that hee woulde gouerne vs by his sonne Iesus Christ who is come to destroy the woorkes of the Deuill that so the light of reason and of iudgement may not be darkened or put out in vs and that our heartes be not so possessed and pusshed on by Satan that wee rush our selues through a deuilish furie against the will of God And this did our Sauiour teach vs to demaund of him when hee saide Pray that yee enter not into tentation and when hee taught vs to say Leade vs not into tentation but deliuer vs from euill For if euill spirits durst set vpon those that were sounde both in body and soule after that manner which I haue spoken of according to that power that was giuen them wee may not thinke that they spare such as are sicke especially those that are already troubled in braine and beside themselues For the Deuill as our mortall enemie continually watcheth for those occasions that are fittest and most for his aduantage to hurte vs withal Therefore he intrudeth himselfe amidst our diseases and miseries chiefely when there is weakenesse of braine ioyned therewith vsing against vs those weapons which hee findeth in our owne nature as also those which his owne malice and rage ministreth vnto him whereof wee haue a very profitable example in the historie of Iob. Hee declareth plainely by his speach that if the feare of God had not kept him backe he had rather haue strangled himself then liued in that miserable estate wherein he was And no doubt if God had not helde a strong hand ouer his seruant Iob and brideled the rage and euill will of Satan that persecuted him the Deuill had had great power ouer this good man to haue perswaded him to make away himselfe desperately as Achitophel and Iudas did Nowe if the Deuill preuailed so farre with Iob by that leaue which God gaue him to afflict and trouble him wee may well thinke what hee can doe with the wicked and reprobate whome GOD wholly abandoneth and giueth ouer vnto him We haue a very plaine example in Saul of whome it is written that the spirite of the Lord went from him and that hee was giuen ouer of the Lord to an euill spirite which troubled and vexed him and that in the ende he fell into such desperation that hee vtterly forsooke God and slew himselfe We may know also by that which the holy Euangelists haue written of such as were possessed and were healed by Iesus Christ and by his Apostles what power euill spirites haue ouer theÌ whilest God suffered them to execute their rage and furie A man may easily iudge that such persons are not onely out of their wits through sicknesse but that euill spirites possesse them For he so troubleth their minde and spirite that they knowe ãâã more what they doe then the veriest bedlems that can be And although hee horribly vexeth their bodies yet they feele not his torments or if they doe feele them yet they cannot abstain from vexing theÌselues So that it is easily knowen that the deuill is in them and that it proceedeth not onely of a simple frenzie or melancholy humour seeing some of them haue done such things as coulde not possibly bee perfourmed by the power of man whereof some of those are witnesses whom the holy scripture rehearseth vnto vs. Wherefore it is out of all question that euill spirites haue wrought both in them and by them Therefore we haue good occasion offered vnto vs by all that hath beene hitherto spoken to humble our selues before God and to pray vnto him continually as wee saide in the beginning of our speech For being as we are we ought still to praise God who distributeth his graces as it pleaseth him and that by a most exquisite kinde of iustice And when wee see those that are infirme and beside themselues some for a certaine time and by fittes others continually and after diuers manners
imagination and fantasie being neerer to the corporall senses draw the soule to those things that are bodily but reason and the spirite pricke it forwarde and cause it to lift vp it selfe to more excellent things For the spirite which the Philosophers expresse by Vnderstanding mounteth vp vnto those things that cannot be knowen nor comprehended of imagination and fantasie nor of any other sense Moreouer it keepeth fantasie brideled and bringeth it into the right way which otherwise wandreth farre wide and entereth into many turnings and windings Neither doeth the spirite wholly yeeld vnto euery present profite or decline the contrary but calleth things past to remembrance coniectureth and foreseeth things to come and searcheth out what is true and what false to giue iudgement thereafter and then to followe after or to eschew that which ought to bee followed or fledde from Thus you see what the reasonable soule bringeth to men which is not in beastes nor in their soule Besides from this vigour and nature of the spirite speech proceedeth which being his messenger is wanting vnto beastes because they are voyde of reason and vnderstanding in regard whereof speech is giuen as wee haue already hearde Therefore we vnderstand by the reasonable soule and life such a soule and life as hath counsaile iudgement and reason and which was created to this end that knowing God her Creator and louing him in respect thereof she might honour and serue him and finally by degrees attaine to immortall life and happinesse which is appointed for her ende For as nothing is more excellent then reason whereof God hath made man partaker so there is nothing more beseeming reason then to know loue and honour God seeing there is nothing greater more excellent or that may be compared vnto him Therefore as man differeth from brute beasts in respect of reason wherewith God hath indued him so he differeth from them in that he is capable of religion created and borne thereto which consisteth in the things alreadie touched But beasts are not capable of any kind of religion being altogether voyde thereof as on the other side there is no man but he hath some sense of it Whereby wee may gather a good argument that beasts are not onely voyde of reason but also that their soules are mortall and the soules of men immortall For the fountaine and fruit of the religion and seruice of God consisteth not in this mortall life and therefore it must needes bee in some other that followeth And for this cause Reason which is so great and excellent a gift of God in man is not bestowed vpon vs for things of so smal price and so transitorie as these are which we vse and enioy in this life and in which it is wholly busied much lesse for those whereby the life of beastes is preserued but in regarde of these thinges which I haue nowe declared Therefore as God hath not giuen such a life to stones as he hath giuen to trees and plants nor yet sense imagination and fantasie to trees and plants as he hath done to beasts so hee hath not graunted reason to beasts as he hath to men and that not without iust cause For as it is enough for stones in regarde of the perfection of their nature to bee heauie and such as they are and sufficient likewise for trees and plants to haue a Vegetatiue soule seeing they want not that which beastes haue more then they so beastes stand not in neede of that which men haue aboue them For it sufficeth for the preseruation and defence of their life and beeing that they haue some kinde of cogitation ioyned with imagination and fantasie although they want reason which is not necessary for them as it is for men for the causes already specified and chiefly because they were not created by meanes of the knowledge of God and of true religion to come to a better life then their brutish life is Therefore as man is created to the end that the light of the knowledge of God might shine in him and that God might communicate with him his wisedome and goodnesse so he would that the soule of man shoulde bee an euident testimonie of himselfe For this cause it was said in his creation that God made man after his owne image and likenesse as wee haue already heard Seeing then there are in the reasonable soule so cleere and excellent testimonies of God and that by it especially the difference appeareth betweene man beasts as also in the diuers gouernments of their liues it behoueth vs to conâider thereof very diligently And albeit this glasse of God cannot be so euidently seen as those that are made of steele or of glasse and lead by the hand of man to represent the image of our bodies neuertheles the actions and works of the soule doe plainly shew that there is such a power and vertue in vs which God hath giuen vs more to vse for our benefite then to know it and that for the causes already touched by vs. For the true and perfect knowledge thereof belongeth to God onely who being aboue it hath created and giuen it and will cause vs to know it better when we shal be in that eternall light in which wee shal know those things that are nowe hidden from vs. In the meane time let vs in this life consider of and distinguish the actions and workes of the soule whereby we are seuered from beasts and which being very euident testimonies of God in vs gouerne the life of man and bring foorth all honest sciences and artes We haue spoken alreadie of the powers and vertues of the soule which by the vse of corporall instruments labour and manifest themselues but it appeareth euidently that there is in man another higher power because we haue many actions and doe many woorkes which beastes cannot performe nor imitate For man hath the knowledge of numbers and can reckon hee vnderstandeth not onely particular things but also generall and vniuersall things he discourseth that is gathereth and concludeth one thing of another and that very farre he inuenteth artes and disposeth them he iudgeth of his owne reasons and discourses and marking his owne faults he correcteth them he changeth his intents and purposes he discerneth vertues from vices honest things from those that are dishonest finally hee deliberateth by a long discourse of reason As for beastes they haue not these thinges common with vs as they haue the vse of the senses as of seeing hearing smelling tasting and other such like things wherein they oftentimes excell vs in many respectes For many of them haue these senses more sharpe then wee haue And although they haue some imagination fantasie and apprehension of thinges offered to their bodily senses yet that holdeth but for the present and in the place or fielde where the thinges are offered vnto them The like may bee sayde of those discourses of reason which many thinke are in
are soone perswaded to giue ouer all care to seeke for and to prouide thinges necessary for the soule And if the bodie be neuer so little out of square yea the verie feare least they should procure it any griefe causeth them wholly to abstaine from labouring the minde in the searching out of wisedome and trueth so that they voluntary become ignorant There are others that haue running heads who will neuer continue and stay in one thing and some also that when they shoulde hearken to that which they are about haue their wittes a wool-gathering and as wee vse commonly to say are building of castles in Spaine But aboue all we must herein acknowledge that God distributeth his giftes and graces to men and bestoweth witte and vnderstanding as it pleaseth him Nowe that we haue intreated sufficiently of the vnderstanding and of the discourses of reason therein let vs speake of Iudgement which followeth it and of his office This then shal be the matter subiect of thy speech AMANA Of Iudgement and of his office after the discourse of reason and how Beleefe Opinion or doubting follow it of the difference that is betweene them Chap. 30. AMANA If I iudge aright of the doctrine contained in our former discourses which handled the nature powers faculties and vertues of the soule I finde that the spirite is as it were the chiefe part therin in which is the Mind the Vnderstanding Memory The Mind is as it were a white paper wherein as a man groweth in yeeres and iudgement so he writeth his cogitations and thoughts which he hath by learning and by the instruction of wisedome Vnderstanding is framed by the knowledge of reason and last of all Memorie followeth For there is great difference betweene that which the senses and the vnderstanding are able to doe in the time of infancie and that which is done by them in other ages wherein there is greater vse of them And although the seeds of al the operations of the soule are included within it euen from the beginning of the creation thereof neuertheles God hath created it of that nature that as hee hath ioyned it to the body which hath his degrees of growth in euery part thereof so the soule hath some agreement therewith in this respect touching the manifestation of her powers and vertues If then any man bee endued with an excellent spirite that is quicke and ready to conceiue and with a memory apt to retaine and holde fast it is a great meane for him whereby to attaine to the knowledge of the trueth But for the perfection of these two great giftes of nature it is necessary hee shoulde haue a good and found iudgement proceeding from a sounde disputing and discoursing of reason lightened by the spirit of God and by it purged of errour illusion and of all vaine opinions which the nature of man hath of his owne inheritance and which hindereth him from iudging aright of the trueth Nowe the office of Iudgement is to like or dislike the discourses of reason and the conclusions which are made thereby For it belongeth to Iudgement to iudge whether reason discourse and conclude well as it ought to doe And therefore it is in the spirite and in the minde as a rule or as the skoles in a payre of balance and whilest reason is a woorking it is quiet But when shee hath concluded and done iudgement afterwarde examineth and considereth whether there bee any fault in the discoursing or in the conclusion or in both or whether all bee well referred before it eyther approue or mislike any thing And if it finde any thing that breedeth feare least it be deceiued then it beginneth againe to aduise of the matter Nowe the greatest cause it hath to feare least it bee deceiued ariseth of probable reasons which albeeit they bee like to bee true yet indeede are not true And because there are some which haue such great shewe of trueth that it is a very harde matter to bee able to discerne them from true reasons and not take them to bee such indeede therefore the Iudgement may bee often deceiued by this meanes For it will not easily flippe aside but abide constant in that wherein it is once setled if it bee not ledde and induced to allowe or disallowe of a thing eyther by vertue of true and certaine reasons that may mooue it or of such reasons as are so verie likely and carry so greate a shewe of trueth that they cannot bee knowne and discerned for others Therefore wee may well saye that a good vpright and sounde iudgement is an excellent gift of God neither is there any thing more necessary in all artes and disciplines yea in the whole course of mans life and chiefly for the principall end of our being which is to know and to serue God For as Good is a thing agreeable to the Will so is Trueth agreeable to the Minde whereupon it followeth likewise that as Euill is contrarie and an enemie to the Will so is lying in respect of the minde Wherefore if iudgement iudgeth that the conclusion made by reason is true and followeth well it ioyneth it selfe thereunto receiuing and imbracing it as agreeable to it selfe This approbation is called Consent But if it iudge the conclusion to be false it turneth aside and reiecteth it and this refusall may be called dissent because it is contrary to consent when there is no agreement of sentences but disagreement and contrarietie As touching Consent we may diuide it into two kindes For one kinde thereof is firme and stedfast and another weake and vnstayed If the consent bee firme certaine and throughly resolued it is called Beleefe But there is difference betwixt that beleefe or faith which concerneth humane matters and that which is of diuine thinges For then doe wee giue credite to humane thinges when wee take them to bee so certaine that wee doubt nothing thereof as namely when wee are so perswaded eyther by very euident reasons which remoue all doubting from vs or els by testimonies which we take to bee most certaine Wherefore wee may say that there is great agreement betwixt this kinde of beleefe and betweene Science because there is a certaine resolution both in the one and in the other For Science is a kind of knowledge in which the demonstration made vnto vs compelleth vs to approue that which is spoken because we see the reasons so certaine that we cannot gainsay them nor thinke otherwise The like is done in beleefe which is a kinde of knowledge that causeth vs without doubting to giue credite vnto that which is tolde vs because wee are ouercome by witnesses and by authoritie which wee approue For if wee doubted any thing our consent woulde bee yet weake and so it coulde not properly be called beleefe but rather Coniecture or Opinion For considering that in this there is some kinde of consent which inclineth to one part rather then to another
word of God But forasmuch as the darkenesse which sinne hath brought with it keepeth man from hauing any sound and perfect knowledge of God or of heauenly things as he had in his first estate it is necessary therefore that hee should restore and kindle againe in him this diuine and perfect life which hee hath lost by the benefite of regeneration and spirituall renouation as if hee created him anew giuing him a minde to vnderstand his worde and a will to followe and to embrace it This is that which I thought we were to note and learne concerning the meanes that bring vs certaine knowledge of such things as we ought to iudge and accompt for true Let vs nowe consider howe the spirit of man being enriched in measure with heauenly gifts and graces doeth finally attaine to the ende of all inquisition and searching out of trueth which is contemplation that followeth iudgement as iudgement followeth reason and the discourse thereof Therefore doe thou ACHITOB take vpon thee to discourse of this matter subiect and so ende all speaches of this dayes worke concerning vnderstanding that afterward wee may looke particularly into the will which is the second part and vertue of the highest and most soueraigne power of the soule How the vertues and powers of the soule shew themselues by litle and litle and by degrees of contemplation and of the good that is in it of that true and diuine contemplation which we looke for after this life Chap. 32. ACHITOB. I was much troubled oftentimes about the vnderstanding of these two words Soule and Spirite in seeking to find what difference or agreement they haue one with another seeing that many times I sawe one of them taken for the other and also opposed as repugnant one to another In the ende I learned of skilful men that wee might vse the worde Soule to signifie man as hee is borne hauing onely the giftes of a humane soule namely the humane senses and those other powers and vertues both animall and naturall of which wee haue already spoken And as for the Spirite that wee must vnderstand thereby whatsoeuer heauenly grace and knowledge of the trueth is giuen to man by the spirite of God dwelling in him which guideth and leadeth him to the contemplation of the diuine nature wherein consisteth his good and felicitie Moreouer wee may see in sundrie places of the Scriptures according to the Hebrew phrase the worde Soule taken not onely for the life of man and for all things belonging thereto but also for the whole nature of man and thus also is the worde Flesh taken Therefore when the flesh is opposed and set against the spirite in man wee vnderstand thereby not the body only but also the soule of man I meane such a one as it was at the beginning when being left vnto it selfe it followed the corruption of it owne nature And likewise by the spirite wee meane that which is regenerated in euery part of man whereby hee being withdrawen from the peruerse desires and corrupt affections of his nature is lift vp to the contemplation of celestiall and eternall things But our God vseth in such sort to apply himselfe to the nature and abilitie of his creatures that by little and little and by degrees he dispenseth vnto them those things which hee will bestowe vpon them alwayes keeping that order which hee hath vsed and followed in the creation of the worde For as Moses testifieth hee first created it of nothing Then hauing created the matter of all natures hee brought it into a woorke and gaue vnto it a forme and so polishing it by degrees and day by day at length hee set it in that perfection which hee minded to bestowe vpon it Wee see likewise that in the continuation of his woorkes hee beginneth alwayes at the basest and least thing and so goeth on encreasing augmenting and ascending vp vntill hee hath placed them in their perfection whereof we haue daily experience principally in plants and liuing creatures For the generation of plants commeth of their seedes from which they take their beginning And when the seede which is the least part of the whole plant is put into the ground it taketh roote therein and then commeth foorth encreasing dayly vntill it come to those bounds that are alotted vnto it by the Creatour which it can not passe because it can not attaine to greater perfection being of that kinde but then daily falleth to decay vntill it be wholly consumed and returned to the elements from whence it was taken The like is done in the generation of all liuing creatures and namely in that of man For what is his beginning and what is his conception natiuitie childehoode adolescencie youth mans estate and then old-age Wee see howe small his beginning is and howe hee groweth steppe by steppe and from age to age vntill hee commeth to the flower of his age and to his full strength as plantes doe and from thence the neerer hee draweth to olde-age the more hee fadeth and decayeth vntill hee come to death whereby the body returneth to the Elements out of which it is taken For as God hath giuen him a beginning so hath hee appointed him limites vnto which hee may ascend vp vntill hee come to his highest and then hee is to descend as the ordinance of God shall leade him As for the soule the same can not befall it in regard of bignesse seeing it is not corporall as the body is neither yet in respect of death seeing it is immortall For it can not be resolued as the body may to returne into the elements out of which it is not taken but it abideth alwayes in that substance and nature which first it had because it is of a celestiall and diuine nature But if the question be of the faculties powers and vertues thereof the seedes of which it hath in it selfe wee see by experience howe they shewe themselues more and more perfect and howe the vse of them is greater in one age then in an other For as long as the infant is in his mothers wombe no man can perceiue that as yet hee vseth anie other vertue and facultie of the soule that is in him then that which heeretofore wee called the vegetatiue or nourishing facultie by which hee is nourished as plants are After when hee is borne hee continueth a long time like to other liuing creatures as though he had only a vegetatiue and sensitiue soule as they haue Then by little and little as hee groweth from one age to an other those vertues of the soule whereby hee differeth from beastes appeare euery day more and more And yet hee hath no other soule in substaunce nor any other senses and minde throughout his whole life then hee had when it first mooued as also hee hath no other body But a man may easily iudge that this coÌmeth not of the nature of the soule but of the instruments it hath in
qualitie of that Good which being fitte for them is the greatest they can attaine vnto so also hath man a knowledge according to his nature and to the ende for the which hee was created So that the knowledge that God hath giuen him serueth to stirre vp his appetite and desire of that Good which hee knoweth and this appetite also serueth his knowledge so farre foorth as man being mooued and pricked forward to loue God reioyceth and reposeth himselfe in him huing knowen him to bee his soueraigne Good But to the end wee may the better vnderstand this whole matter we must note that there are three kinds of appetites among the creatures which are commonly called the one naturall the other sensitiue and the third voluntary As for the naturall wee may diuide it into two sortes For there is one generall to all creatures whether liuing or without life which is nothing else but a naturall inclination without any action proceeding from any soule or life as when wee say that heauy things desire to go downeward and light things vpward as wee see it in the nature of the Elements which are without soule and life But beside this naturall appetite common to all creatures there is an other that hath action ioyned with the inclination which neuerthelesse proceedeth not of any sense This appetite is proper to the vegetatiue and nourishing soule and life whereof plants are partakers For wee see by experience that they haue a naturall appetite to drawe vnto them and to retaine that which is meete for their nature and foode and to expell the contrary For if a plant waxe drie it desireth to be watered and draweth and keepeth humour and moisture necessary for it selfe Wee see the like in mens bodies For when the members want nourishment they sucke the veynes and the veines drawe vnto them blood And as the members desire their foode so they desire to bee vnburthened when they haue too much The appetite which we call hunger thirst may be referred to this kind of naturall appetite if this be excepted that we can not say it is without sense and feeling For beside the desire of eating and drinking there is withall a sense of this attraction whereby the members sucke the veines and the veines the blood and this sense is not without greefe and displeasure So that euery liuing creature is stirred vp to seeke for his foode and to take his refection Wherevpon wee may diuide this naturall appetite also into two kindes whereof the one shal be proper to plants that haue no sense and the other belong to liuing creatures that haue this feeling of which I made mention euen now and which differeth from that sense that is proper to the outward senses already spoken of The reason whereof is because it is properly such a kind of feeling as those creatures haue which keepe a meane betweene plants and liuing creatures beeing partakers of both their natures and yet are neither simply plants nor perfect liuing creatures as it hath beene already shewed As therefore we heard in our former discourse speaking of the growing vp of mans body and of the manifestation by little and little of the powers of the soule namely that as long as the child is in his mothers wombe he is like to plants so also hee hath then great agreement with these middle sorts of creatures in regard of this kinde of appetite and of the manner of nourishing whereby it is fedde For the seede whereof hee is begotten and conceiued is nourished and groweth vp as plants do vntill such time as the Infant that is fashioned haue sense and feeling much like to that sense of the aforesaide creatures which are partakers of the nature both of plants and of liuing creatures For as yet he hath no vse of his externall senses vntill such time as hee be borne Nowe the seate of this kinde of naturall appetite is chiefly in the liuer and in the stomacke and generally in all the members that serue for nourishment For these members haue that appetite that is ioyned with this kinde of sense of which I spake euen nowe And as for the appetite of the other members which serue not for the nourishing of the whole body but onely for themselues it is more like to that appetite that is in plantes For they feele neither hunger nor thirst as other members doe And thus much for the natural appetite and the kinds thereof Concerning the sensitiue appetite it is that which accompanieth the sense and belongeth onely to liuing creatures There are two sorts of this For either it is made with touching or without touching Pleasure and griefe belong properly to the first kinde and the instruments and seats thereof are in the sinewes or els in that small sinewy skinne which giueth the sense For those things delight the sinewes which agree with their nature and looke what is contrary vnto them the same affecteth them with griefe which tendeth to their destruction as delight procureth their preseruation So that heate colde drynesse and moysture reioyce helpe and comfort the sinewes or els grieue hurt indamage them according as they are eyther wel or ill applied vnto them Therfore the sinewes were created to the end they might be instruments of sense and motion and that they shoulde receiue pleasure and paine Now all these sorts of appetites are not in the will and power of man neither proceed they from his imagination For whether he will or no he shall be subiect to hunger and thirst and shall in the same manner feele and perceiue thinges as they are applied vnto him if he be so disposed in body as he ought to be True it is he may wel abstaine from eating drinking from touching whatsoeuer he pleaseth but this abstinence in the meane time wil not take from him that appetite which hee hath but will increase it the more For it cannot hinder but that all the members will still desire their nourishment and the body will alwayes haue this sense and feeling And as for the sense of touching it will alwayes feele that which it toucheth and euen such as it is when it shal be touched But there are appetites of an other kinde which are bredde without any touch at all and follow the thought and imagination of a man These are properly called affections and haue their seate in the heart Therefore they must bee distinguished from others that hauing sence of delectation and of griefe are placed in the stomacke or in the sinewes or in the rest of the body Now by the affections we meane properly those motions of the heart which follow knowledge and either seeke after or reiect that which is offered vnto them so that according to the order of nature knowledge goeth before these motions Hereof it is that we commonly say that a man must know before he loue and that no man desireth that which
our Will to be seruiceable to him that hath bestowed it freely vpon vs as wee ought also to perfourme the like seruice vnto him with our minde and reason wherewith he hath endued vs for the ruling and direction of the Will But when our Will taketh any other obiect beside obedience to God it proceedeth from the same cause that blindeth our minde and reason namely sinne which reigneth in vs through the corruption of our nature as wee haue already touched it Neuertheles that which I haue said is alwaies true that the wil hath Good in such sort for her obiect that she cannot truly without dissembling Will that which is euil if it hath no shew or reason of some good But notwithstanding she hath free libertie yet is shee so ordeyned of God that shee cannot will that which is euill but onely that which is good whether it bee good in trueth or in opinion onely For if shee were not created and ordayned of GOD to desire and followe after good there woulde bee no cause why she shoulde loue or desire vertue more then vice or loue God rather then hate him But wee must consider diuers degrees in the actions of Will and in the freedome theereof For some there are whose heart and Will agree so together that there is no dissimulation neither any commaundement of the Will eyther towardes it selfe or towardes any other but it heartily desireth or refuseth that which it seeketh after or escheweth As we may say of an ambitious man that hee doeth truely and with all his heart desire honour and glorie as also a couetous man doeth riches But there are other actions of the Will wherein she commaundeth her selfe or els the inferiour powers that are subiect vnto her as wee see in a man infected with the dropsie who beeing verie drye and thirstie desireth greatly to drinke But this appetite that commeth from the senses of the bodie is restrayned by the Will that hath power ouer it which knowing what hurt would issue thereof to the sicke partie commandeth this appetite and appoynteth that hee shall not drinke The reason why she will haue it so is to the ende that the patient might auoyde greater euill then that which hee endureth knowing well that to drinke woulde hurt him more then helpe him because the thirstinesse woulde not bee taken from him but encreased Wherefore although the sensuall appetite putteth the patient in minde to desire drinke yet Will following the iudgement of Reason opposeth it selfe against this appetite and commaundeth it selfe to abstain also the outward members as namely the mouth not to drink and the handes not to giue it any drinke Now if it so fall out that the Will giue place to the appetite it is alwayes with her consent and that because shee agreeth rather vnto the sensuall appetite then vnto Reason Which agreement proceedeth of her impatiencie and incontinencie because she hath not patience to stay for the better but rusheth vpon that pleasure which at that present seemeth best vnto her and neerest at hand Therfore it is alwayes requisite that the grace of God should gouerne our minde and will to perswade them euermore to counsaile and to imbrace the best otherwise wee shall make choyce of the worst and of euill rather then of good Which we shall easily vnderstand if we consider what good things the wisest and most vertuous men guided only by the light of nature are able to propound to themselues and to follow and what difference in that poynt there is betwixt them and those whome God doeth guide and gouerne by his spirite The discourse then of this matter belongeth to thee ARAM. Of those good things which both men guided onely by the light of nature are able to propound to themselues and to follow and they also that are guided by the spirite of God of the power and libertie of the Will in her actions both externall and internall Chap. 35. ARAM. Among the heathen Philosophers there haue alwayes beene some great personages endued with excellent doctrine who seemed to haue bene led with a burning affection towards good and vertuous things this no man can deny But if we compare them that haue had none but naturall light with them who beleeuing the worde of life haue receiued that light which the spirite of GOD hath kindeled in their heartes and mindes wee shall finde very great difference betwixt them For they that followe the light of nature take not an infinite spirituall and eternall good which is God for the obiect of that good which they desire but a finite carnall and temporarie good and that also no farther then their reason and sense iudge it good for mankinde or for the societie of men or for themselues and those whome they loue The like respect they haue in eschewing euill which they iudge contrary to such a good And yet there are very fewe that goe so farre who giue not themselues to vertue rather for their owne profite or glorie then for the loue they beare to vertue or to the benefite of the common societie of men And surely I thinke that if glorie had not more mooued so many excellent men as haue beene heeretofore among the Grecians Latines and other heathen people and nations then their loue to vertue and to thinges profitable for the common wealth they woulde not willingly haue incurred so great dangers to effect so many valiant deedes as Histories specifie of them neyther woulde they haue set vertue at so high a price if no glorie or profite shoulde haue redounded to them in following her or at leastwise in seeming to seeke after her If any haue beene founde to haue done otherwise as wee reade of some it is to bee attributed to a speciall grace that God hath bestowed vpon them in their ignorance more then to others But yet all this would bee nothing or very litle seeing the good which the Will propoundeth to it selfe and pursueth in this sort is not the true and soueraigne good which of it selfe is able to make men blessed Wee are then to knowe that the wisest and most vertuous men guided onely by the light of naturall reason doe not propounde to themselues nor seeke after any other good then that which consisteth in ciuill honestie in worldly honour and glorie in this bodily life and in the commodities thereof and in those delightes and pleasures which their humane sense and reason desire according as some delight eyther in the knowledge of thinges or in ciuill and morall vertues or in honours or in riches and in such like thinges Yea the best that euer were among the Heathen and the wisest of this worlde that are like vnto them neuer went farther neyther in deede coulde For seeing they knowe not GOD truely they can neither loue him nor seeke after him either because they are not throughly perswaded that there is a God or if they bee sure of that yet
Therefore he hath giuen them a nature that is partaker of Vnderstanding and prescribed vnto them rules of iudgement and of certain knowledge which are vnto them as it were lawes ordained by a soueraigne Prince for the ruling of his subiectes And to the end that these lawes should not be in vaine he hath placed in man a Will to execute them and an affection of ioy that is brought to him by meanes of the good which he receiueth or expecteth when he obeyeth these lawes that command nothing but iust things So that hee would haue the nature of man to leade a ioyfull life and by this meanes be preserued that he might solace himselfe in the knowledge of God his Creator and in obeying him settle and rest himself in him As contrariwise it pleased him to place there an affection of sadnesse to take vengeance of rebellion against his lawes and of the transgression of them to the end there might be a flame of anger and griefe to destroy that nature when it doeth not conforme it selfe to the rule of his diuine wisedome and will Hereby we know by experience what difference there is betweene a ioyfull life and that which is sad full of griefe and how ioy preserueth and maintaineth the one and sorow consumeth and extinguisheth the other But to the end we may fully vnderstand these thinges and bee able to iudge aright of the diuers powers vertues and offices of the soule wee must diligently consider that as GOD hath distinguished the Vnderstanding from the Will and affections and the Animall vertue and life from the Vitall so also hee hath giuen them diuers seates and instrumentes in the bodie There is likewise great difference betwixt Vnderstanding and Knowledge and the Will and Affections as we see it by experience in common life For it falleth out often that after we know a man we either loue him or hate him And if at the first we loued him wel yet after hee is knowen vnto vs we may fall to hate him or if wee first hated him afterward vpon better knowledge we may receiue him into our loue Nowe although these affections of loue and of hatred bee thus mutable in vs yet the selfe same knowledge remayneth alwayes with vs. For if wee did not still knowe him wee coulde neyther loue nor hate him because as a man cannot loue without knowing the thing loued so hee cannot hate that which is vnknowen Therefore it is no difficult matter to iudge that the Vnderstanding differeth from the Will and affections and that they are distinct offices and seuerall properties and vertues of the soule which haue also their diuers seates and instrumentes For the internall senses are ioyned with that power which the Soule hath to knowe and the heart with the power of the Will and Affections Heereof it is that wee see manie endued with great knowledge of honest and vertuous thinges but they haue no good affection to followe after them and to put them in practise so that their heart agreeth not with their braine nor their will and affections with their vnderstanding reason Contrariwise there are others that haue not so great knowledge of goodnes and of their duetie and yet they haue a good affection and Will to do wel but for want of vnderstanding what is right and iust they obserue and keepe it not according to that measure of desire which is in them Where wee see againe how and in what sort there is no good agreement betweene the brayne and the heart and betweene those powers and vertues of the soule which wee haue alreadie named So that wee may compare the former sort of men to one that hath eyes to guide him but no legges or feete to goe vpon or if hee haue any yet hee will not set them on woorke As for the other sort they are like to blinde men that long to goe and to walke and haue legges to carrie them but they cannot goe whither they woulde because they haue neyther eyes nor sight to direct them nor guides to leade them Nowe by the consideration of these two sortes of men wee may well conclude and iudge with ourselues what they are that want all these thinges mentioned by vs because they haue neyther sounde knowledge of the trueth and of that which is good nor Will and desire to haue any nor any affection to followe that which is good whome I woulde compare to them that are blind and withal haue both hand and feete lame at one time But this matter may yet bee vnderstoode better if wee make this our speeche to agree with that which Saint Paul wryteth to the Romanes where hee sayeth That the wrath of God is reuealed from heauen against all vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse of men which withholde the trueth in vnrighteousnesse For wee may vnderstande by trueth those true and naturall impressions of the knowledge of GOD and of his lawe and of good and honest thinges which are in men as beames of the diuine wisedome shining in that part of the soule whereby hee knoweth But because the Will and the affections of the heart agree not with this knowledge and there are no diuine motions nor celestiall flames to stirre vp and to kindle the heart with the loue of God and to procure it to followe after that knowledge therefore men are detayned in vnrighteousnesse and yeelde not vnto God that honour and obedience that they owe vnto him Wherein they shew themselues vnthankefull and vnrighteous And therefore the Apostle expounding himselfe saieth by and by after That when they knewe God they glorified him not as God neither were thankefull but became vaine in their imagination and their heart voyde of vnderstanding was full of darknesse Whereby hee declareth that their ingratitude and naughty heart was the cause why they abused that vnderstanding and knowledge which they had receiued of God and afterward also he depriued them of these excellent gifts of his grace which he attributeth to the heart for certaine reasons which wee are to note For wee may see in many places of the Scripture and in their writings and exhortations that folowe the doctrine and stile thereof that the heart is often taken for the seate of the minde of the vnderstanding and of reason as well as for the affections of the soule Neuerthelesse the Philosophers and they that followe them in such discourses attribute these soueraigne powers of the soule onely to the braine which they make the seate of them as wee haue sufficiently shewed heeretofore and as for the affections of the soule they assigne the seate of them to the heart Now one body hath not two but one soule Therefore although it haue many faculties powers vertues and offices yet they are all comprehended vnder those two and depend of them euen as in one body there are many members appointed to diuers operations Nowe because reason ought to be the Gouernesse and Mistresse
of the affections it is necessary they shoulde agree together For as reason guideth before the affections will followe after Therefore wee may alwayes iudge of reason by the affections which it ought to gouerne as of the gouernement of a good Prince by the estate of his subiects of a good father of a family by those of his houshold Moreouer seeing the affections proceede from the heart there is the seate of that loue which wee ought to beare as well towardes God as towardes men which comprehendeth the whole lawe of God and all iustice For he that loueth God is not onely afraide to offend and displease him but desireth also to serue please him and he that loueth his neighbour doeth not onely abstaine from procuring him any dishonour or losse but laboureth also to aduance his honour and profit Therefore if the minde be lightened and inflamed with diuine light and the reason also that ruleth therein then the heart will waxe hote and burne with the loue of God and of his neighbour Which if it fall out so the heart will not be slacke in shewing foorth those heauenly motions that are within it in giuing matter to the soule to glorifie God and to the tongue and mouth which will speake out of the abundance thereof Likewise there will be an accord and consent betweene it and the voyce and tongue which then will vtter nothing but the trueth And this is the cause of that which wee were taught before namely that God by his prouidence and wise counsaile hath ioyned neere vnto the heart the chiefe instrument of the voyce which is the lungs as the other instruments that are higher are lodged neere to the braine and cheefely the tongue as the Oratours and Embassadours of Kings are placed next vnto them Wherefore if mans nature had not beene corrupted through sinne but had continued perfect and sound there woulde alwayes haue beene a goodly concord and consent betweene the heart and the braine the voice and the tongue the reason and the affections Next wee must note that seeing the heart is the first member of the whole body that receiueth life and theÌ giueth the same to others as also the last that leaueth life and seeing it is the shop of all the vitall spirits without which neither the braine nor the rest of the members can haue life or perforume their dueties it is not without cause that this member is taken to be as it were the seate not onely of the affections but also of reason Therefore it is taken in the Scripture one while for the minde as when Moses saieth to the people of Israel Yet the Lord hath not giuen you a heart to know and another while it is taken for the affections as when our Sauiour Christ saieth Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy minde For wee see heere howe he putteth a difference betweene the heart and the minde Sometime they are put indifferently one for another or one for both especially the heart as when the Lorde saide to Salomon Beholde I haue giuen thee a wise and an vnderstanding heart the heart is taken for the senses and minde as it appeareth very euidently For the same cause Saint Paul continuing his speach of Gods punishment aboue mentioned against the vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse of men hee addeth to that before recited this saying Wherefore also God gaue them vp to their hearts lustes vnto vncleannesse to defile their owne bodies betweene themselues which turned the trueth of God vnto a lie In which place wee see howe the Apostle maketh the heart to be the seate of the appetites and of the affections and howe hee calleth the vnruly and disordered affections of the heart by the name of lustes for so hee expoundeth himselfe by and by after calling them Vile Affections vnto which God gaue them vp Whereupon wee will note this that the naturall affections of the heart which pricke it forward to the desire of pleasure and which minister pleasure vnto it shoulde be no sinne at all vnto men but a benefite giuen them of God in the perfection of their nature were it not that by reason of the corruption which hath raken holde of it such desires and affections cannot containe themselues within the limites of their sound nature but there is alwayes some excesse euen in the perfectest and that being sinne is properly called euill concupiscence because it continually prouoketh vs to euill and causeth vs to goe beyond the bounds which God had set to our affections Whereof it is come to passe that that which should be a benefite vnto men in their naturall pleasures is become hurtfull vnto them Nowe forasmuch as the order of our discourses hath brought vs to the tractate of affections which haue their seate in the heart before wee goe any further we must say somewhat of the nature of this part of the body as we haue done of the braine to the ende we may the better know the seate and instruments of the vital power and vertue of the soule and of the will and affections as those which belong to the animal power and vertue haue bene declared vnto vs. Let vs then heare ASER handle this matter Of the nature and composition of the heart and of the midriffe of the tunicles or skinny couerings of the breast and of the Pericardion or cawle about the heart of the motion office and vse of the lungs of the heart and of the arteries Chap. 37. ASER. It is not without good and iust cause that God hath ordained that reason should lodge in the highest part of the frame of man and that the will and affections should lodge lower namely in the heart For by this order hee would admonish and tell vs what part and power of the soule ought to beare greatest sway therein and that vnderstanding and wisdome which teach vs the true rules according to which wee must square our whole life ought to raigne and haue the first place seeing the principall cause wherefore God hath created vs is to knowe him to the end that knowing him we should loue and honour him as wee ought and as for the affections they are to be ãâã and gouerned by wisedome and vnderstanding Wherfore if this order appointed by God be confounded and turned topsie turuy in vs hee causeth vs to feele and knowe it well enough For although sinne be the cause yet the impression of that diuine image which God hath set in the nature of man cannot be so wholy defaced in vs but there will alwayes remaine very euident and wonderfull testimonies thereof And therefore presently after we haue ouerthrowne this order and that the will lifteth her selfe vp against reason euen then doth reason condemne that fault of hers and compelleth the heart to take vengeance thereof and to punish in it her selfe disobedience and rebellion
euil must of necessitie be fled from And of this naturall inclination to good proceede all those affections of the soule that draw it hither and thither to seeke for it but because of her badde iudgement proceeding of the darkenesse of ignorance which is in the minde she chooseth oftentimes the cleane contrary to that which she desireth as we haue already touched We call then properly by the name of affections the motions and acts of that naturall power of the soule which consisteth in following after good eschewing of euil For receiuing of God in our first creation to be to be wel we haue still some naturall seedes of the perfection of these two great gifts which teach vs naturally that it is a good thing for one to preserue himselfe and his beeing as also to be wel and happy in his beeing but this is only generally For wheÌ we are to come from these generalities vnto particulars there are wonderful errors and disorders throughout the whole course of mans life Now among the motions of the soule some go before iudgement others follow after although oftentimes they are so sodaine headstrong withall that it appeareth plainly they haue shaken off the bridle neuer expected staied for any iudgemeÌt Notwithstanding it is true that the hart is not moued before there hath bin some iudgement to determine whether that which is then offred vnto it be good or euil But bicause the motions of our spirit mind are very light sodain and need not so long time as otherwise is requisit for vs if wee will take good heede to our matters hereof it is that they seem to vs many times to preuent goe before iudgement giuen when indeed they follow it And as for those naturall motions which in truth go before it they are such as are bred borne of the disposition of the body as the desire to eate in hunger and to drinke in thirst sorrow in time of sickenes or the motion of a melancholike humor or ioy proceeding from good and pure blood in the heart But the other motions follow the aduice of iudgement as that is mooued and changed diuersly by such meanes as haue alreadie bin declared so the affections alter and increase or decrease or otherwise vanish cleane away and come to nothing Whereof it followeth that they are appeased by the same meanes by which they are moued according as they are applied vnto them But although it behooueth that the affections should be pricked forward by iudgement yet it followeth not thereupon that they can not be stirred vp except this mature ripe iudgement be alwaies there which ordaineth things to be done after the discourse of reason For it is enough for them if they haue another iudgement that obserueth not such an exact diligent examination but onely that which fantasie offereth without any other discoursing And this iudgement thus moued by fancie is most vsual ordinary and that which most guideth ruleth the affections of men Therfore it is a sodain tumultuous iudgement of which a man may truly say a short sentence of a sottish iudge Thus fancie being very turbulent skittish drawing to it selfe confusedly some shew and apparance of opinion iudgement whereby it deemeth that which is offred vnto it to be either good or bad is the cause that wee liue in the middest of marueilous troubles in respect of our affections of feare of desire of sorrow of ioy and that one while we weep and sodainly we laugh againe And because it hath great power ouer the body as wee haue already declared these perturbations doe manifestly incline that way We see also by experience that there is great agreement betweene the qualities and temperature of the body and the affections of the soule insomuch that as the bodies of men are compounded of the qualities of heate colde moisture and drienesse so among the affections some are hote others colde some moist others drie some mingled of these diuers qualities So that euery one is most subiect to those affections that come neerest to the nature temperature complexion of his body As for example the affection of ioy is hote and moist therefore they that are hot and moist as children yong men sound and healthy folkes and idle persons are more easily inclined to that affection Contrariwise sorrow is a colde and drie affection and therefore they that are colde and drie are most giuen to that affection and such are olde folkes and they that are of a melancholy humour which is earthy cold and drie For the like reason they that haue a soft and tender heart receiue more easily the impression of ioy and griefe as wax taketh the print of a seale and they that haue a haâd and hote heart quickly receiue ioy keep it a long time And on the other side they that haue hard and cold hearts receiue sorrowe and grieâe very soone and retaine it long as appeareth in melancholy and melancholike persons And as the affections followe the temperature and complexion of the body so they for their parts haue great vertue and power ouer the body Therefore we see that ioy is as it were a medicine to the body and foode to the naturall heate and moisture in which two qualities life chiefely consisteth as we haue already heard For it greatly preserueth and increaseth them forasmuch as it strengtheneth the animall and naturall vertues stirreth vp the spirites helpeth digestion and generally profiteth the habite and disposition of the whole body For the heart thereby sendeth with the blood much naturall heate and more spirites vnto all parts of the body By meanes whereof the members are watred and moistned by the humiditie contained in the fountaine of blood whereupon it followeth that all the partes increase in bignesse and waxe fatte For this cause Physicions alwayes exhort sicke persons to be as merry as they may and to auoide sorrowe and sadnesse which being colde and drie is contrary to life and so consumeth men For it drieth vp the whole body because the heart thereby is closed vp and restrained so that no great quantitie of spirites can bee made there and those fewe that are there can not easily bee distributed and dispersed with the blood throughout the members Whereupon the vitall vertue and her companions being weakened the liuely colour of the face waxeth wanne and pale and in a manner vanisheth cleane away and so consequently the whole bodie becommeth leane and consumeth as if it tooke no nourishment yea death oftentimes followeth thereupon This agreement therefore which is as we see betweene the temperature and complexion of the body the affections of the soule ought to teach vs to be very temperate in our eating and drinking and in all other things belonging to our life For as wee arre either temperate or intemperate so will the qualities be whereof our bodies are
compounded and so consequently according to the temperancie or intemperancie that is in vs the affections of the soule also will be more moderate or immoderate and the perturbations which they shall bring with them will be greater or lesse and more easie or vneasie to be prouoked or appeased Whereby wee might knowe what great agreement God hath made betweene the body and the soule For not withstanding their natures differ much one from an other yet seein they must be linked together it is necessary they shoulde haue some agreement betweene them to the end they may be conioyned and vnited in one It is true that by the reasons of humane Philosophie we know well howe the coniunction of corporall things and of their qualities what contrarietie soeuer it is betweene them may be effected and wrought But as wee cannot see or knowe our soule or any spirituall nature as wee knowe our bodies and bodily natures so can wee not iudg so easily of the meanes whereby the body agreeth with the soule and corporall natures with spirituall but onely as experience and the effectes giue vs some sight thereof For wee see by experience from whence the good or ill disposition of the body and health and sickenesse proceede namely from the good or ill temperature of the qualities thereof Wee see also that according to the nourishment which the body taketh that sobrietie or gluttoniâ it vseth in eating and drinking and according to the abstinence or the effectes it bringeth foorth in all things it is either better or worse affected and disposed We see likewise the changes and alterations that befall it according to the ages and exercises it hath Wherefore although we had nothing else to looke vnto but to maintaine and preserue our health yet ought we to desire to be sober moderate and very temperate in all things seeing moderation beareth so great sway in all the partes of mans life But it ought to be more pretious in our eies when wee see that the temperance or intemperance that may be in our bodies extendeth it selfe vnto the estate of our soule and that it can do much eyther in the helping and maintaining or in the hurting and troubling thereof For wee knowe already by experience that which is of a cholericke nature is more subiect to those diseases that are bredde of a cholericke humour then a flegmatike person that is of a contrary temperature and that a flegmatike bodie is most subiect to diseases proceeding of flegme The like may bee saide of all the other qualities and complexions If then euery one encline more to such diseases as may proceede from those naturall qualities which abound most in his body it is an easie matter to iudge what is like to fall vpon him if they exceede whereby they are encreased much more And if that humour which naturally exceedeth most in a man and of which his temperature and complexion hath his name cause him to incline most to those diseases that may be bred thereof a man may iudge into what disposition of body he may fall through excesse of other qualities which are more repugnant to his nature and complexion if there be no such counterpoize and equalitie that one contrary may serue as a remedy against another But hauing considered of these things we must goe forward and prosecute our speech of the affections of the soule which are as it were health and sicknes therein according as they shal be eyther well or ill moderated and see what conueniencie there is betweene corporall and spirituall phisicke Finish therefore this dayes woorke ACHITOB with some discourse vpon this poynt which may serue to instruct vs in the matter of the affections of the soule of which to morowe we are to intreate particularly and in order Of the Health and diseases of the soule of the agreement betweene corporall and spirituall Phisicke how necessary the knowledge of the nature of the body and of the soule is for eueryone Chap 40. ACHITOB. It is alwayes in his power who hath giuen vs beeing namely God the spring and fountaine of all essences to preserue and keepe vs therein and to take it also from vs when it pleaseth him But forasmuch as he delighteth not in destroying the woorkes which himselfe hath wrought hee hath giuen vnto his creatures certaine meanes to preserue themselues in that nature wherin he created them And that they might haue those meanes neere at hand he hath placed them euen in their owne nature For they haue by nature an inclination that moueth and vrgeth them to keepe and defend themselues asmuch as they can possible from euery thing that may corrupt their nature that is contrary vnto it or that wil bring to an end that beeing which they haue receiued of God But that which herein is most to be lamented in man is his ouer great care and curiositie in searching out remedies meete for the maintenance and preseruation of his bodie the least griefe and ill disposition whereof seemeth vnto him to be very burthensome but as for thinking eyther vpon those means wherby God hath appoynted him to attaine to an eternall and blessed life or vpon the diseases of the soule which in steed of life will bring death vnto it and are farre more dangerous stubberne and vneasie to be cured then those of the body he dreameth litle thereof his care is very small he esteemes them not great and therefore is very slouthfull in seeking remedie for them We are to know then that the affections of the soule are as it were health and sicknesse therein according as they are either temperate or intemperate For as there is no euill disposition or sicknesse in the bodie but contrariwise good health if there bee not some excesse in the qualities of which it is compounded which may destroy that equalitie that is requisite for the keeping of it sounde so is it with the faculties powers qualities and affections of the soule which according to her nature hath her health and her diseases Wherefore when the harmonie conueniencie and temperature of her powers and affections is such as her nature requireth then is shee well disposed and in health as contrariwise thee is ill affected and diseased when in place of temperance and mediocritie there is intemperance and excesse Nowe according to that which wee hearde in the former speech of the conueniencie betweene the temperature and complexion of the bodie and the affections of the soule wee see that a man of a cholericke nature is a great deale more easily stirred vp to anger then an other that is of a flegmatike or melancholy nature For seeing the cholericke humour is by nature hote and burning like to fire that man in whome this humour raigneth is sooner inflamed with anger and wrath then an other that is of a contrary nature For fire will more speedily kindle in a matter that commeth neerer to it owne nature and of which it
may more easily take holde then in another that is more contrarie to it It is otherwise with flegmatike or melancholike men according as the humours which rule in them dispose and incline them more to be caried with one affection rather then with another Therefore wee see that they which are of a cholericke complexion as they are of a more hote and dry nature so their affections are more sodain burning and violent like to fire Flegmatike and melancholy persons as they are colder so they are not so easily mooued but are more slowe and heauy and haue also other inclinations and other affections And as they that are coÌmonly said to be sanguine are of the best temperature so their affections are for the most part more cheerful more temperate And as there are diuers mixtions of bodily qualities so there are sundry sorts of temperatures and complexions of the body and consequently of soules in regard of their saculties and affections Therfore also there is great agreement betweene corporall and spirituall Physicke For this cause the Physicions both of the bodies and soules of men are to follow almost one the same methode and obserue a like order in their arte practise euery one according to the subiects propounded vnto them insomuch that looke what the one doeth vnto the body the other is to deale so with the soule such things being applied as best agree with their seuerall natures Wherein they may further eche others worke greatly obseruing that ende at which both of them aime which to the one is the health of the body and to the other the cure of the soule considering that the one may helpe the other as hath bin already touched For if the body be not temperant hardly wil the soule be if the soule be intemperate the body desireth not to be temperant Therefore also we see that not only Physicions for the body appoint men diets both for the preseruation of their bodily health and also for the recouery restoring thereof again but also spiritual Physicions doe the like in regard of the soules health so farre foorth as bodily sobriety wil serue greatly to that purpose For this cause not only ordinary sobriety moderation which ought to be kept throughout the whole life of man is so greatly recommended vnto vs in the holy scriptures but fasts also which being more strict abstineÌces are very profitable yea necessary oftentimes according to times places and persons For they serue to tame and humble the flesh that it may be the better kept in lesse hinder the spirit which thereby is the better inabled to attend to euery good worke to the contemplation of diuine celestial things Therfore the people of God holy men fasted ofteÌ wherof wee haue many testimonies in the scriptures And as it is necessary that bodily Physicions should know wel the teÌperatures complexions of mens bodies and their natures their health and diseases also with their conuenient and apt remedies so is it needfull that spirituall Physicions shoulde knowe the nature of soules of their faculties powers affections the natures of vertues which are their health and of vices which are their diseases together with those medicines remedies that are necessarie for the preseruation increase of vertues and for the diminution abolishing of vices For without this knowledge neither of them can be good Physicions but it may bee feared least they make the diseases worse or in steed of curing the sick persons kill them outright But we must yet draw more instruction out of this matter here offered vnto vs. For whatsoeuer hath beene hitherto spoken concerning the agreement between the temperature of the body and the affections of the soule or concerning the health diseases of them both or the knowledge that is requisit in Physicions to follow a good method in their art practise for the healing of their patieÌts I say the vnderstaÌding of al these things is not only necessary for the PhysicioÌs both of soules bodies but euen for euery one of vs particularly For if we were all skilfull in the art of corporall Phisicke I meane not such skil as is needful for them that make publike profession thereof to all but onely so much as is necessary for the preseruation of our owne health I doubt not but we might easily auoyde many infirmities and diseases whereinto we fall daily for want of good diet good gouernment and the vse of those meanes which might either retaine vs in health or restore it quickly vnto vs when it is somewhat altered or impeached Moreouer we should haue this aduantage besides if we fell into any disease that we should know the better howe to keepe and gouerne our selues more moderately and wisely and obey the Physicions counsell the better because we should haue greater knowledge of that which we ought to doe of the danger whereinto we might fall or which we might easily auoyde Wee may say as much of the soules phisicke the knowledge whereof is a great deale more necessary for vs not onely because the soule is more noble and precious then the body but also because it is a harder matter to knowe the nature and diseases of the soule then of the bodie And if wee prooue so happie as to be able to comprehend any thing wee shall know daily better and better what things are in vs of God and what is his order as also what there is of Satans and what is that disorder and confusion which by meanes of sinne he hath brought into all things For as sinne is cause of that excesse which is in the qualities of which our bodies are made and consequently of the diseases that proceed from thence which afterward bring death to the bodie so is it in respect of the soule and of the excesse that is in the affections thereof and in all the other partes of it contrary to that nature in which God created the same And as sinne is the cause of the disorder and confusion that is in both of them so it is the cause that one helpeth to spoile another whereas there should be a pleasant harmonie and concord not onely of the bodily qualities among themselues and so likewise of the qualities of the soule among themselues but also of the qualities both of soule and bodie one with another For God hath put nor onely into our soules but into our bodies also the seedes of all the vertues and the pricks and meanes to incite and to leade vs vnto them in such manner and forme as shal be declared hereafter Although wee may learne somewhat by that which we haue heard alreadie of the conueniencie that is betweene the body and the soule betweene the temperature of the one and the affections of the other For if the one bee answerable and correspondent to the other no doubt but God so disposeth of
will note what he meaneth by these flames of fire For if the face waxe pale through feare as it falleth out for the most part it seemeth that it cannot be enflamed for then it would be red rather then pale But we are to know that when nature will strengthen the heart she sendeth vnto it from all parts succours of heat and blood to encourage it the more Therefore they that haue but a little warme blood in the heart are naturally the greater cowardes so that it is a better token of courage when the face is pale through feare then when it waxeth redde For this cause Cato misliked that a child should becom pale in the face through shame in stead of being red and that a souldier should looke red in time of danger in stead of being pale For as it is a token of impudencie in a child not to blush for shame so is it a signe of cowardlinesse in a man of warre to looke redde when hee seeth himselfe in any danger Therefore a pale countenance sheweth that the blood and naturall heate are gone to the heart to strengthen it but when it is redde that argueth that the blood and heate are not much gone inward to strengthen the heart whereupon it is made more weake and so the feare of it is greater and the trembling much more And because the blood and naturall heate mount vpward in steade of descending therefore doth the face looke red Which argueth want of courage and a fainting heart as it befell the Babylonians whose heartes were possessed with feare and terrour at the comming of their enemies because God woulde giue them ouer into their hander Wee might also referre this rednesse and inflammation of visage to the paines and griefs which they were to endure For when one is pressed with griefe his countenance is redde and fierie because men are then as it were shut vp in a fire And as the face is red through Feare for the reasons set downe by vs so if the naturall heate leaue the heart and goe downeward the feare is not onely encreased but it bringeth withall a loosenesse of the belly Therefore it is written in the Booke of Iob where it is spoken of the feare that Liuiathan bringeth vpon men that the mightie tremble at his maiestie and purge themselues through his moouings that is through feare of him Hereupon a heathen Poet when hee would note a fearefull and dastardly fellowe saieth to this purpose That his heart was fallen into his heeles Nowe if feare mooueth all the body in this sorte no doubt but it greatly mooueth also the minde and the whole soule of man For it so troubleth the minde that it confoundeth all the thoughts thereof as wee may trie by this that many times the least fancie of euill that entreth into our braine is enough to trouble the minde very much For as imagination and fancie beare great sway ouer the affections so they shewe what power they haue chiefely in the affection of Feare And surely among all liuing creatures none hath such a confused feare or is more amazed therewith then man is Therefore we may well say that no misery is greater no bondage more shamefull seruile or vile then feare is For it maketh men very abiects flatterers and suspicious and so daunteth their courage that it leaueth them as it were halfe dead yea causeth them sometimes to despaire vtterly so that they are as it were Images destitute of counsaile not knowing which wayes to helpe themselues For this cause the holy Scriptures make often mention of a heart that is powred out like water for feare or that melteth like waxe And in Ieremy it is saide In that day saieth the Lorde the heart of the king shall perish and the heart of the Princes and the Priests shall be astonished and the Prophets shall wonder For truely if a man be once possessed with feare especially if hee bee enclined thereunto by nature but aboue all if GOD terrifie him a man may well exhort him to boldenesse and to take courage vnto him and alleadge all the reasons that can be to strengthen him against Feare but it will be to small purpose Therefore one saieth very well that no harnesse can be founde which is able to incourage feare and to make it hardy For if any Armorers had the skil to make such harnesse they should want no customers But onely God is able to arme vs against this because it is he that giueth or taketh away the heart of man that sendeth feare or boldenesse as pleaseth him For although hee hath sowed the seedes of them both in the nature of the body and soule of man with the meanes also that leade thereunto yet he hath not subiected himselfe to all those meanes no more then hee hath to the whole order of nature but hath alwayes reserued in his power both Feare and faintnesse of heart and boldenesse and assurance which are their contraries For assurance is a certaine perswasion and trust whereby wee are confirmed in danger against euilles that threaten vs and come neere vs and boldenesse is a confidence which pricketh forward the courage either to repulse euilles or to followe after good things which are excellent and harde to obtaine Therefore when GOD is minded to punish men hee taketh away their heartes whome hee will destroy causing them to tremble and to flie for feare as it is written in Ioshua where Rahab speaking to the spies of the Israelites that were sent to Iericho vseth these wordes I know that the Lorde hath giuen you this land for the feare of you is fallen vpon vs and all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you Contrariwise our GOD heartneth and emboldeneth those by whome hee will ouerthrow others and to whome hee mindeth to grant victorie Therefore it is written that hee will cause the feare of his seruants to fall vpon his enemies that the wicked and such as haue not called vpon GOD shall feare where there is no cause of feare and shall tremble and flie for feare although there be none that persecute them So that if wee doe desire to finde a harnesse that will arme our heart thorowly against all feare let vs put on the armour of the true feare of GOD and of sounde Faith in him For as the Prophet Dauid sayeth Blessed is the man that feareth the Lorde the iust shall liue in assured hope hee shall neuer be moued hee shall not be afraide of euill tidings for his heart is fixed and beleeueth in the Lorde his heart is stablished therefore hee will not feare For whosoeuer feareth God and walketh in innocencie God is with him and hee that hath God on his side what can hee or ought he to feare For when hee is with vs who shal be against vs May hee not well say with Dauid When I was afraide I trusted in thee In God doe I trust I will not be
dispensed to the eyes and sounde to the eares in good measure and moderation For if the light bee too great the eyes cannot receiue it insomuch that they will bee hurt and offended in steade of receiuing delight On the other side if it bee too little it will not suffice them and therefore it must bee betweene both And as euery mans sight is sharper and stronger or more dull and weaker so must the light bee dispensed according to that measure The like may bee sayde of soundes in regarde of the eares and of all other thinges in respect of those sences vnto which they agree And if this moderation bee requisite for the outwarde sences it is no lesse necessary in respect of the inward senses and of all the powers of the soule Therefore as God is incomprehensible and infinite so is hee receiued with delight of that part of the soule which commeth neerest vnto his nature and which is most incomprehensible most ample and most infinite in regarde of other partes and that is the Spirite and Vnderstanding On the other side because there is no proportion or agreement in greatnesse and infinitenesse betweene GOD and the Soule shee receiueth and comprehendeth him by such meanes whereby hee may bee applied vnto her and shee made after a sort capable of him For if hee shoulde present himselfe vnto her such as hee is in his high and diuine maiestie especially man beeing in this estate wherein hee is in this mortall life shee coulde not beare so high maiestie as beeing too exceeding great for her So that insteede of receiuing pleasure ioy and delight shee shoulde not onely bee very much frighted but euen wholly ouerwhelmed and swallowed vp as a droppe of water woulde bee consumed beeyng throwen into a great fire as wee may iudge by so many examples as are in the holie Scriptures to this purpose For when God manifested himselfe to the Patriarkes hee neuer appeared vnto them in the greatnesse of his maiestie but tooke vnto him alwayes some shape and vsed such meanes as were agreeable to their nature Therefore also it is verie requisite that GOD shoulde descende and applie himselfe vnto our small capacitie to the ende wee may enioy him and his Goodes and take pleasure and delight in them For this cause hee hath not onely appointed the ministerie of his worde and Sacraments to shewe and communicate himselfe vnto vs by them applying himselfe vnto our nature and capacitie but hath also manifested himself in flesh in the person of his sonne Iesus Christ to become more like vnto vs and to drawe neerer vnto vs in our owne nature to this ende that wee might enioye him and all his benefites the better and receiue more true and entire delight in them And thus much for this poynt of the agreement that ought to bee betweene the thing that delighteth and that which receiueth pleasure Next wee are to note that a man may take pleasure by all those partes whereby hee may knowe as well by the internall as the externall senses and by all the powers of the minde and soule Whereupon it followeth that as euerie one is more or lesse addicted to any of these partes so hee delighteth most in those pleasures which hee may receiue by that part vnto which hee is most giuen Therefore wee see that the baser and more vile sort of people and such as are most rude and ignoraunt are more mooued by corporall and externall thinges which moue the bodily senses then by spirituall and high things that are more meete for the spirite and wherein it taketh greater pleasures But with prudent and wise men and such as are more spirituall it is otherwise So that as euery ones nature is more noble and excellent or more vile and abiect and according to the nature of those things wherein euery one delighteth so is the delight either more noble and excellent or more base and contemptible more pure quiet or more impure and troublesome of longer or of shorter continuance and hath moe or fewer pleasures and those either more or lesse tedious Now among those delights which a man may take by the bodily senses the basest and most abiect of all is that which is receiued by the sense of touching For as it is most earthy of all the external senses so are the pleasures that are taken by it That delight which is taken by the sense of tasting is a litle more honest and lesse contemptible and yet is it brutish enough As for the delight that may bee receiued by the sense of smelling it is very light and nothing so pleasant as the yrkesomnesse that commeth of the contrary is vnpleasant For a good smel bringeth not so great pleasure as an euill smell causeth displeasure besides that this sense of smelling is not so sharpe in man as in beasts And concerning those pleasures which a man may receiue by the eares they haue some more beautie and excellency in them For the more they holde of the nature of the ayre they are so much the lesse earthy and brutish And those which we receiue by the eyes are yet more excellent then all the rest because the eyes are of the nature of the fire which commeth neerest to the celestial nature And thus much for those pleasures which a man may receiue by the corporall senses of which the noblest and best are baser and of lesse excellency then the least of those which we may receiue by the basest parts powers of the soule For as much as the soule is more noble and more worthie then the body so much is the least thing in it greater and more magnificall then that which is most noble and most excellent in the bodie And as there are diuers degrees of pleasures according to the varietie of the externall senses and according to the difference that is betwixt them and the powers of the soule so is it betweene the powers of the soule as some of them are more noble and more diuine then others For those which appertaine to the nourishing and generatiue powers are more corporall earthy and brutish then those that belong to the vitall partes and to the heart And those that are proper to the spirite and minde are purest and best of all among which that delight that is in contemplation is the chiefest as we may iudge by that which we haue alreadie spoken Wherefore if we would consider well of all these degrees of delight and pleasure and could iudge well of them we should not be so deceiued in them as commonly we are preferring the least before the greatest the basest before the noblest those that are most earthy before them that are most heauenly and those that fade soonest before them that continue longest Besides the very enioying of euery one of them ought to suffice to make vs know their nature and the difference betweene the one and the other and how farre one is to be
receiue and to embrace it Wherupon ariseth a desire of coniunction to knit the same thing to it selfe and this loue is called Cupiditie Lusting or Coueting But because this affection is so out of square in this our corrupt nature these names are commonly taken more in the euill then in the good part Nowe this affection of desire or coueting hath respect either to that good which we enioy alreadie or which we haue yet in hope onely and in expectation If it be already present this cupiditie breedeth a desire to retaine and keepe it still if it be yet in expectation it bringeth forth a desire and longing to enioy it And in this sort we loue all those things which we esteeme and take to bee profitable for vs either for the soule or for the body or for the external goods For this cause many loue God because they know that it is he who giueth good things vnto men But this is not that true loue wherwith we must loue him For although they are very wicked and too vnthankfull which loue him not at leastwise with such a loue and for that cause yet if we goe no further we loue our selues more then wee doe him in this kind of loue seeing the chiefe cause for which we loue him is not in respect of himselfe but of vs. For we loue him by reason of that good which we receiue from him But true loue is that which causeth vs to loue a thing because it is good in it selfe and not in respect of any profite that may come vnto vs thereby With this loue we ought to loue God and our neighbours and friendes and of this loue wee haue a very cleare and manifest image in the loue of Fathers and mothers towards their children For they loue them not because they haue respect to some good which they may receiue of them but because they are their children For although they receiue nothing but trouble by them from the time of their childehood and expences rather then profit yet that letteth them not from louing them tenderly and with great affection Nowe if by this loue grounded vpon such a cause we iudge the like of the loue of God towards vs seeing it is hee that hath imprinted the same in the heartes of parents towards their children as an image of his loue towards vs we conclude well For seeing he is the fountaine of all true and perfect loue all other loues are but as it were little riuers which flowe from this liuely spring But there is none so expresse an image thereof in all the creatures as in the loue of fathers and mothers towards their children For doeth God loue vs in respect of any profite which hee looketh for at our hands Hereof it is that he setteth forth himselfe vnto vs as a Father to the end we may the better know that he loueth vs with a right fatherly loue Therefore also hee will haue vs to call him Father and so to accouÌnt of him yea hee will not haue vs to take any other for our Father of whome to depende wholly but him alone And no doubt but we shoulde receiue wonderfull ioy and consolation if we coulde as well feele within vs that loue which this good Father beareth vs as we feele the loue which we beare towardes our children Now when loue is reciprocall and mutuall so that he which is loued doeth also loue for his part the partie that loueth him then is friendship bred of loue wherein there is mutuall beneuolence and goodwil Wherefore as God loueth vs so muust we for our partes loue him seeing this is the chiefe cause why he hath created man according to his image and similitude and hath giuen him a soule that is immortall and endued with vnderstanding and reason to knowe him first and then to loue him Therefore if wee consider by what steppes wee ascend vp to God we shall finde that as by the loue which he first bare vs we descended from the highest to the lowest so likewise we mount vp againe from the lowest vnto the highest by that loue which wee beare him For our soule descendeth from the highest which is God vnto the lowest which is the bodie by the loue of the Creator towards her who by meanes of this descending and coniunction communicateth his blessednesse both with the soule and with the bodie And as she came downe from him so through the knowledge which she hath of God and loue which she beareth him she ascendeth vp again returneth to her first birth CoÌcerning those degrees by which we come thither we begin first at materiall and corporal things as the beginning of mans generation and birth teacheth vs then we come to the senses of the bodie by that vse which we haue of them Afterwarde we vse imagination and fantasie and from that we come to reason and iudgement next to contemplation and last of all to loue Heereby we may learne also to know the steppes of descending seeing they are the same but begunne at the contrarie ende Wherefore if iudgement bee gouerned and ouercome by the affections and reason by fantasie the estate of the soule is wholly ouerturned and peruerted as if the bodie beeing minded to walke shoulde set the head vpon the ground and lift the heeles vpwarde So likewise is it if in steede o mounting vp to God by loue we descend in such sort to the creatures that we ascend vp no more to him that wee may bee one with him For loue maketh all things one Therefore if we be vnited with God there must needes be perfect friendshippe betweene him and vs. For as he loueth vs so we loue him and then our selues for loue of him And from the loue of our selues springeth our loue towards our wiues and children as though they were a part of vs as also towardes our like and towards our woorkes For similitude and likenesse is a great cause of loue seeing that when one resembleth vs it is as if wee our selues were another because similitude maketh many things to be as one and the same thing Wherefore seeing God hath created vs to his image and likenesse it cannot bee but that he loueth his image and similitude in vs and vs also in respect of that as if it were himselfe For this cause the more this image is reformed and renewed in vs the more no doubt hee loueth vs and the like also may be said of our loue towards him In like manner beautie hath great vertue to procure loue and that for many causes For first the beautie which appeareth without in any body is as it were a witnesse and testimonie of the beautie in the soule according to that which we haue already spoken of the agreement of the powers affections thereof with the temperature of the bodie For God hath created all things in such manner that he hath commonly ioyned beautie and goodnes together
the miserie of our like Whereupon it followeth that as euery one is of a more tender heart so he is more mercifull as contrariwise hardnesse of heart extinguisheth mercie and compassion As for this word Compassion it signifieth asmuch as alike compassion that is a like sense and feeling of euil and of griefe as if we our selues suffered that which we see others endure by reason of that coniunction which we ought to haue one with another as members of one and the same body among which there is such agreement that if one suffer all feele it and so all are carefull for it Therefore it is written in the Epistle to the Hebrewes that brotherly loue continueth Bee not saith he forgetfull to lodge strangers Remember them that are in bondes as though ye were bound with them and them that are in affliction as if ye were also afflicted in the bodie Wherefore we may well conclude that this affection of mercie is very necessary for men yea as sweet as milde and as profitable an affection as any can be amongst them which they haue receiued of God for their mutual succour and consolation in the midst of so many miseries as commonly happen in the life of man And this hee commaundeth vs expresly in infinite places of his woorde that the image of his vnspeakeable mercy might shine in vs by our mercy towards others Hitherto we haue spoken of man as of man and of those affections that are most humane in him now others remaine which often make him more brutish then any sauage beast that is For seeing they come of the opinion of euill they prouoke and stirre him vp greatly making him marueilous wilde and vntamed To the end therefore that we may enter into the discourse of this matter we will first see what Offending and Offence is in the heart and soule consider what degrees it hath and what good or euill may be in this affection This we shall learne of thee AMANA Of offence in the heart and soule of the degrees of offence of the good and euil that may be in this affection of contempt that is bred of it and of mockery which followeth contempt Chap. 54. AMANA The Philosophers haue set downe foure causes of al the troubles of the soule from whence all the residue proceed into which they returne and haue their end namely immoderate desire vnbrideled ioy vnmeasurable griefe and extreame feare These as they say proceede through imprudence or ignorance of the minde and pusillanimitie of heart from the opinion of good or euill things present or to come which we imagine to be in the things of this worlde being vnperfect and of small continuance Now forasmuch as these foure causes are the springs of all vices and sinnes into which men plunge themselues in this life they are called perturbations of the soule which if they be not mastred by reason doe so carie the soule hither and thither that in the ende they constraine the reasonable power thereof to giue ouer all authoritie and libertie and to obey the lustes of the sensuall and vnreasonable Will Nowe desire and ioy they commonly accompanie the perishing goodes of the bodie For they are of that nature that they inflame the soule with an insatiable lust inso much that the obtaining of one thing is the beginning of a new and vehement desire of hauing another And the enioying of them besotteth the spirite with a sugred poison of fained delight and pleasure vnder the yoke of which it easily suffreth it selfe to be ouercome to be bound and to be gouerned As for griefe feare although they also be not farre remooued from such false and vading goods of the body yet for the most part they respect those aduersities and miseries which in our opinion wee iudge to be in the want and priuation of those goods For they fill the soule with trouble and disquietnesse as she that thinketh her estate to be most miserable if she obtaine not the ende of her carnall and inordinate affections So that if the body endure neuer so little shee casteth foorth strange cries and complaintes And although the bodie suffer nothing at all yet is shee alwayes in extreme feare least some euill shoulde befall it But these very passions may bee diuided into good and badde For honest desire modestioy and moderate griefe and feare are naturally in vs for the preseruation of our being Yea all these affections are endued with the qualities of commendable vertues if they respect the soueraigne Good of man as we may learne by our former speeches touching this matter which were chiefly of good affections and of such as are most natural in man Therefore following our matter subiect we must from hencefoorth consider of a great number of other affections of the heart which for the most part make men more beastlike then the very beasts themselues that are voyde of all vnderstanding and reason yea then the wildest beastes that are All which affections take their beginning from the opinion of euill as these that are good proceed from the opinion of Good For the feare of euil doth wonderfully prouoke a man when he is touched therwith he waxeth very sauage and wilde Now the first sting and byting of euill is offence by reason that the heart is offended euen as when one rusheth against a thing hurteth himself Therfore by offence we vnderstand properly a certaine griefe of the soule of the heart which commeth through some touch of euill that agreeth not to our nature This first sence of griefe is like to the first pricking of ones bodie and is contrarie to the first pleasure which we receiue of some Good that is offered vnto vs and is agreeable to our nature So that as this pleasure when it is confirmed is turned into loue so out of this first feeling of griefe which I call offence the other affections that are ioyned with griefe doe budde foorth afterwarde namely anger hatred enuie indignation reuenge crueltie and such like The euill that may offend vs is whatsoeuer we iudge to be contrary to vs and to our nature as well in regard of the body as of the soule For as the bodie is offended by those euils which trouble the harmonie and temperature thereof and which bring griefe and hurt vnto it so is it with the soule and with all the powers senses and affections thereof For she may be offended in her imagination and fantasie in her reason in her will and in her affections Nowe because euery one followeth his affections or his natural inclination and not the right rule and iudgement of reason it is an easie matter to offend and displease many and that in many things but not so easie to please them For there is but one onely reason or at leastwise it hath no great diuersitie in it But the naturall dispositions of men are infinite and wonderful
heart and first of Reuenge Crueltie and Rage And because Reuenge is appointed to punish offences and euery vice findeth a Iudge within it selfe wee will speake also of the affection of Shame which commonly followeth euery vile acte It belongeth therefore to thee AMANA to intreate of this matter Of Reuenge Crueltie and Rage and what agreement there is among them what Shame and Blushing is and why God hath placed these affections in man and of the good and euill that is in them Chap. 58. AMANA If euery one might be a Iudge in his owne cause and execute his own decrees the malice of men doth declare sufficiently that there would be no iustice obserued in the world but robbery publikely put in practice insomuch as the strongest would alwayes carry away the spoile For that blind loue which euery one beareth towards himselfe causeth vs that we cannot see clearly either into our owne or or into other mens affaires so that wee are alwayes more ready to doe wrong to others then to depart from anie thing of our owne Euen so if wee might be suffered to reuenge those iniuries which oftentimes without cause wee suppose wee haue receiued it is certaine wee woulde obserue neither measure nor meane but suffering our selues to be guided by the passion of anger and wrath wee would fall into more then brutish crueltie and rage For as God hath reserued vengeance to himselfe and promised to recompense it so no man carrieth that minde to doe it iustly that is in him neither indeede can any because it is the spirite of a man that offereth iniury to an other whereas the body is but the instrument of the minde and as it were a sworde vnto it which the spirite manageth and causeth to cutte Whereupon it followeth that the party offended can not reuenge himselfe of his chiefest and greatest enemy For God onely is able to take vengeance of the soule and to throwe it together with the body into hell fire Moreouer when wee thinke to hurt the body of our enemy which is but the executioner of the euill disposition of his Spirite wee hurt our owne soule making it guiltie of the iudgement of God who forbiddeth vs all reuenge and commaundeth vs to possesse our soules in patience and neuer to requite euill for euill but to waite the Lordes leasure being assuredly perswaded that he will saue and deliuer vs. Nowe looke what the affection receiueth and embraceth the same doeth it desire to returne and send backe againe where it did receiue it whether it be good or euill Therefore as a good affection both wisheth and doeth well to him of whome it receiueth good will and beneficence so a naughty affection desireth to returne euill receiued vnto him of whome it hath receiued it For this cause when the heart is wounded with griefe by any one it desireth to returne the like to him that hath hurt it and to rebite him of whome it is bitten This affection is a desire of reuenge which being put in execution is reuenge accomplished namely when wee cause him that hath offended vs to suffer that punishment which in our iudgement he hath deserued This punishment is to damnifie him eyther in soule or in body or in his goodes yea sometimes by all the meanes that may bee And when power to reuenge is wanting there are some that fall into outrageous speeches into horrible and execrable cursings crying out for vengeance eyther at GODS hand or of some other that can perfourme it Euery offence therefore that ingendereth hatred anger enuy or indignation bringeth with it a desire of reuenge which is to render euill for euil and to requite griefe receiued with the like againe And when the offence is growen to that passe that nothing can asswage the extremitie thereof nor stay it from breaking foorth into reuenge and hurting by all the meanes that may bee then is this Reuenge turned into Rage For a man in such a case is not much vnlike to a madde dogge For because Reuenge can not take that effect which it woulde haue it vexeth and closeth vp as it were the hart bringing great griefe great torment to the whole body so that a man so affected is as if his heart body were ready to burst asunder Nowe when the heart is hardened with Reuenge it is turned into Crueltie which is a priuation of pitie and compassion For when Offence and Anger are set on fire they exclude all good thoughtes out of the minde and perswade to all kinde of Crueltie of which there are three degrees For there are some that procure it who neuerthelesse woulde not execute it themselues There are others that execute it Besides there is a third kinde of Crueltie when wee faile in perfourming our duetie towardes them that are in necessitie whome wee both ought and might helpe and succour whether this come of euill will or through negligence For thereby wee shewe that wee are without pitie and compassion Heereof followeth inhumanitie which is as if wee shoulde lay aside all humane affection and bee transfourmed into brute beasts Therefore wee may well conclude that all priuate Reuenge proceeding of enuy or of hatred or of anger is vicious and forbidden by God who commaundeth vs to render good for euill and not euill for euill For hee hath ordained the meanes whereby hee will haue vengeance execucuted among men Therefore hee hath appointed Magistrates to execute it according to his Lawe and following his ordinaunce not with any euill affection but with iust indignation proceeding from loue and from true zeale of iustice For to punish the wicked is a very acceptable sacrifice so that there be no intermingling of our own passions withall and that wee exercise not our enuies rancours and reuenges vnder the name and title of Iustice and of the glorie of God For if wee doe so wee cease to exercise the punishments and corrections of the Lorde and put our owne in practice Wee must therefore followe his example For hee suffereth not euill to goe vnpunished if men auoide not punishment by his grace and mercie and by those meanes which he hath appointed for the obtaining thereof Therefore it is often saide of the wicked in the Scripture that GOD will returne into their bosome the euill which they haue done and his children and seruantes desire him also to perfourme the same But when hee doeth it hee is not mooued with any euill affection but onely with the loue hee beareth to iustice and vertue and to his children and with pity and compassion towardes them in regarde of the iniuries done vnto them And as himselfe commeth in iudgement to take vengeance so hee woulde haue them that supplie his place among men vnto whome hee hath committed the sworde for the defence of the good and punishment of euill doers to followe his example But whether they doe so or no there is no sinne that can auoide
in those things wherein it coulde doe nothing of it selfe For the soule cannot create her bodie But after that God hath created the bodie for it and that by his appoyntment nature hath disposed and fitted the same for the soule so farre foorth as is requisite before it can shewe what vertue it hath and settle it selfe to worke in the bodie then is shee left to doe that which shee is able to performe by the powers of her presence and to exercise her selfe therein beginning alwayes at the least and basest of her offices before shee apply her selfe to the chiefest by displaying her principall powers For whilest the childe is in his mothers bellie the soule practiseth vpon it her Vegetatiue and nourishing vertue by which it is nourished and groweth in greatnesse as wee see the like in plantes And when it is borne it receiueth besides from the soule the power of moouing and of sence as we see beastes haue and last of all by litle and litle the soule displayeth her other principall vertues But to speake of our matter subiect and to handle particularly those instrumentes of the soule which shee vseth in the nourishing and augmenting of the bodie wee will beginne at the Ventricle commonly called the stomacke Nowe because this name is vsed diuersly wee are to note that the Physicions who distinguish the partes of the bodie more exactly and properly apply this name of stomacke more specially to the vpper mouth of it and call the whole by the name of Ventricle whereof wee will speake anon Oftentimes also they take the stomacke for the whole passage and pype called Oesophage or the throate but commonly the whole Ventricle is called by that name Therefore I will vse it indifferently thereby to apply my selfe the better to the vsuall manner of speaking Wee are to knowe then first of all that amongest all the members seruing to nourishment GOD hath appoynted this to bee the first as that which receiueth the meate and drinke sent vnto it by the throate And to the ende wee may the better knowe the prouidence of God in the offices and commodities of this member I will first speake somewhat of the figure and forme thereof then of the situation of it and last of all of the substaunce of it The figure of it is rounde and long much like to a bagge-pipe as that which is beeing somewhat larger at the bottome and arising vpwarde towardes the left side groweth narrower by litle and litle For seeing it was to occupie the whole pace that is betwixt the liuer and the spleene it was requisite that it shoulde bee long to the ende it might not trouble that place which is assigned vnto them but giue them place Likewise it was requisite that it shoulde bee rounde both because the rounde forme is most capable and also because it will not so easily be broken and marred as other formes will be Vnto the stomacke is ioyned this narrow pipe called Oesophage to the end it might receiue into it thereby all kinds of meate and drink as wee declared when we spake of the pipes in the throate and of meates and drinkes For this cause there are two mouthes or doores in the stomacke called Orifices of which the one is called the higher Orifice or mouth because it is vppermost and the other for the same reason is called the lower Orifice The first is to receiue the meate that is sent to the stomacke by the Oesophage And this is that which the Physicions call by the proper name of stomacke as wee hearde before although commonly it is called the heart For when wee feele any weakenesse there or anie desire to vomite wee commonly say that wee are ill at the heart or that something lyeth vpon our heart But this sense of griefe is not at the heart but in that part of the Ventricle which is called the vppermost Orifice or stomacke whose seate and place is on the left side neere to the backe-bone And this Orifice or mouth of the stomacke is a great deale more large then the nethermost because the meate is oftentimes not well chewed besides many great and hard morsels that are swallowed nowe and then Againe this part is verie sensible because there is the originall and place of appetite by reason of those nerues of which it is chiefely made that growe together like vnto nettes Heereof wee may note this that the prouidence of God hath so well prouided for all the members and instruments of nourishment that there is not one of them but it hath some small sinewe to giue it sense whereby it may feele and perceiue what humours are hurtfull vnto it that by the griefe which it receiueth men may be moued to haue recourse to such remedies as are able to releeue it But to returne to our matter wee are to knowe that the vpper Orifice hath the Midriffe ioyned vnto it which is in steede of a doore to close and shutte it vp that when it is full of meates and drinkes they shoulde not ascende vp againe by the throate Concerning the nethermost Orifice it is both by the Greeke and Latine Writers called by a name that signifieth a Doore-keeper being made to let out the meate concocted in the Ventricle together with the superfluities and excrementes Therefore also it is narrower then the vpper Orifice and compassed about with a certaine kernelley fleshe to the ende that nothing shoulde passe by which were not well digested before and that by meanes of the mouth of it made in the manner of a ring It is situated on the right side vnder the hollownesse of the liuer a little lower then the other Orifice But it is not at the very bottome of the Ventricle but a little higher to the ende the foode beeing retayned and kept at the bottome might bee heated and digested there So that after the stomacke hath receiued into it the meate and drinke both these doores as well aboue as beneath are shut that the heate within might be retained and kept close For this cause there are certaine filaments or small stringes of which some are direct and straight hauing in them a marueilous secret vertue of nature to drawe vnto them others are ouerth wart and passe cleane crosse the former through certaine little corners that lie long-wise Their office is to close vp the vpper part from the body of the stomach Besides there are other crooked filaments which through oblique corners passe alongst the sides of both the other and these because they close the whole body of the stomacke haue power of retaining and serue to shut vp the mouth of the stomacke So that these filaments or threedes in regarde of their office may be compared to the strings of a purse whereby it is shut And because the stomacke being closed and shut vp digesteth the meate a great deale better then if it were gaping and wide open therefore nature
as some name them hauing regard to the diuerse actions thereof and to the sundrie degrees of concoction made therein They call the first action or degree of concoction by the name of a harth because it serueth to heate the foode as a harth doth in a kitchin The second is called a table namely when the food beginneth to gather it selfe together in the liuer and is there placed as it were vpon a table to be sent vnto the members The third action hath the name of a knife giuen vnto it because it diuideth maketh a separation of the humors And the fourth is as it were the wagoner because there is the carriage and conueiance of all from thence into the hollow veine For the naturall vertues and powers gouerne the humors very well conducting and leading them to their due places For this cause the liuer is the fountaine of blood and the spring of all the veines by which it is distributed throughout the body as the heart is the fountaine of the vital spirits the originall of the arteries whereby the spirits necessary for the body are conueied into it as the blood from the liuer Wherfore euen as the arteries are a kind of veins to carry and to distribute the aire breath and vital spirites so likewise the veines proceeding from the liuer are ordained to distribute the blood into all partes of the body These two are lincked together with such a neere alliance and agreement that the veines administer matter to the vitall spirit which is ingendred in the heart of the purest and most spiritual blood as the spirit likewise helpeth the blood by his heat in the arteries Therfore they haue mouths ioyning each to other to the end the spirit as it were a litle flame may receiue norishmeÌt out of the veines and that the veins may draw spirit heat from the arteries For as we haue already touched our life is much like to a flame in a lamp that receiueth food from the oile put into the lamp euen so the vital spirit which is as a flame within vs draweth taketh norishmeÌt from the veins Wherein we haue a goodly example of that mutual societie which we ought to haue one towards another in this life Now of those veins that deriue their originall froÌ the liuer there are 2. principall ones that are very great of which the others are but as it were branches that from the liuer spread theÌselues vpwards downwards through all the partes of the body These two veines comming out of the liuer take their beginning from many little veines which being as it were their rootes ioyne together afterward into two trunks or great bodies that diuide themselues againe into diuers boughs branches whereof some are greater and some lesser after the maner of trees The first is called the Port-veine because it is as it were the doore of the liuer out of which it proceedeth being placed in the hollow part thereof The vse and profit of it is to receiue nourishment prepared by the stomach and guts then to keep it vntill the liuer hath turned it into pure blood for to send it afterward to all the body by the other great veine called the Caue or hollow veine And this proceedeth from the outside of the liuer resembling the body of a tree and diuiding it selfe into two great branches of which the lesser ascendeth vp to the vitall and animall parts and to the ends of them and the bigger branch descendeth downe alongst the hinder part of the liuer vpon that part of the chine bone that is betweene the kidnies and so goeth to those partes that are contained vnder them Forasmuch therefore as the arteries and veines are the principall instruments whereby the soule giueth life vnto the body some learned men expound that of the vitall and naturall parts which Salomon speaketh of the siluer coard not lengthened of the golden ewer broken of the pitcher broken at the well and of the wheele broken at the cisterne Wee haue already spoken of the siluer chaine and of the golden ewer when wee discoursed of the chine bone of the backe and of the marrowe of it Touching the residue they vnderstand by the well the liuer which is the fountaine of blood and by the pitcher the veines because they are the vesselles whereby the blood is taken out of the liuer and drawne thence that it may be distributed to all the bodie and by the cisterne is vnderstoode the heart and by the wheele the head For we may already perceiue by that which wee haue already saide of the heart howe seruiceable the liuer is vnto it considering that the heart is the fountaine of the vitall spirits and the originall of the arteries as the liuer is of the bloud and of the veines and that the vitall spirits are engendred in the heart of the purest and most spirituall bloud which it draweth and receiueth from the liuer Moreouer these vitall spirites are by meane of the heart sent vnto the braine and the head to serue the animal powers that haue their places and instruments there and to serue all the senses as well spirituall as corporall Therefore the head is aptly compared to a wheele both for the roundnesse of it as also because it draweth and receiueth the vitall spirites from the heart which sendeth them vnto it as the water is drawne from his fountaine well or cisterne by meanes of the wheele Further as it is needefull that there shoulde bee a coard to reach from the wheele downe to the well and a pitcher or bucket at the ende of the coard to drawe water withall so the arteries reaching from the heart vp to the head are like to the coarde and pitcher whereby the braine draweth vitall spirites from the heart For the great artery called Aorta by the Physicions which commeth out of the heart and is diuided into two great branches of which the one goeth vpward to carry the vitall spirite to the superiour partes and the other downeward to doe the like belowe forasmuch as it ioyneth vnto the heart may bee taken for the pitcher that draweth from thence the vitall spirites as from a well and the branch that ascendeth vpward may bee taken for the coard ioyned vnto the wheele The like may bee seene in the liuer For the great veines of it are as it were the pitcher and the veines that ascend vp vnto the head as likewise the arteries are the coarde that draweth vp the blood from out of the liuer If then wee ioyne that which wee haue already heard of the siluer chaine or coarde and of the golden ewer with that which wee speake nowe of the pitcher and of the well of the wheele and of the cisterne wee may bee well assured that Salomon hath most wisely comprehended in so small a number of wordes all the internall partes of the body and all the powers both animall
holes vnable to hold in and keepe anie secret matter they are fierce in assailing but inconstant in sustaining the assault in some sort resembling the nature of dogges which barke and bite if they can and afterward flie away And if there bee excesse of the melancholike humour the natures of such are sadde still hard to please suspicious conceited obstinate some more and some lesse And if the cholericke and melancholike humours be corrupt and mingled together their natures become monstrous prowd full of enuy fraud subtilties venemous and poisonfull hatefull and diabolicall And when the malignant spirits know mens natures thus disposed no doubt but they take occasion thereby to intermingle themselues if God permit them and purpose to vse them for the punishing of men I say they will ioyne themselues vnto them and make them their instruments as God on the other side vseth those natures that are most moderate and best tempered making them instruments of his glorie Now we may call to mind what we learned before almost to the same ende touching the meanes whereby euill spirites might trouble the imagination fantasie and mindes of men We may say as much of the humours of the body whose motions and nature they knowe very well Whereby they can so much the more easily abuse them in their damnable worke and will as wee may iudge by the example of him that was possessed and lunatike of whom the Euangelists make mention and whome they call by those two names And by that which they wrote of him it seemeth that he was subiect to the falling sickenesse that returneth oftentimes according to the course of the moone which naturally hath great affinitie with the humors and great power ouer them And therefore it is very likely that the euill spirit which tormented this poore lunatike watched the occasions of his disease to afflict him the more and to cause him to fall either in the fire or in the water as he did indeede thereby to worke his death if he had could Which example sheweth vnto vs what is the malice of the deuil what pleasure hee taketh in hurting of men what meanes and what occasions he seeketh for and maketh choice of and what accesse vnto vs we may offer him through our corrupt nature through our vices and sinnes and through our inclinations and manners that are naturally euill and peruerse if God letteth him loose the bridle by his iust iudgement seeing he spareth not the little children as it appeareth in that which is written of him of whom we spake euen now For this cause we ought to take good heede that we giue not our common enemie those occasions that he seeketh to haue from vs to the ende that hee abuse vs not nor any thing that is ours and which God hath bestowed vpon vs. This is the reason why the consideration of our temperature complexion and naturall inclination is very necessary for vs because the knowledge hereof affoordeth vnto vs many good instructions that may stand vs in great steade throughout our whole life as well for the preseruation of the health of our bodies as for the rule and gouernement of our affections and manners as also in regarde of the familiaritie and acquaintance which wee haue one with an other For through the contemplation hereof wee may knowe not onely the causes of health and sickenesse of the life and death of the body but also of that of the soule For as the good humours corrupt in our bodies according as wee haue heard and breede in them sundry diseases which finally leade them vnto death euen so by means of sinne all those good and naturall affections which ought to bee the seedes of vertues in vs are corrupted and turne into vices that are the diseases of the soule and bring vnto it the second and eternall death as contrariwise vertues are the health and life thereof But as GOD hath prouided corporall medicines for the bodie so hee hath prepared spirituall Physicke for the soule against all the diseases thereof Therefore when wee consider with our selues vnto what vices wee are inclined by nature wee must labour to correct and bridle them and to quench such inclinations as much as wee can through sobrietie vigilancie and continuall practise to the contrary least wee nourish and encrease them when as wee ought to diminish and wholy to abolish them For the common prouerbe is not without reason that Education passeth Nature or that it is another nature Wee see by experience what Education and Instruction are able to doe both to goodnesse and vice according as they are either good or euill For as there is no nature so good which can not bee corrupted and peruerted through euill education and teaching so there is none so vicious and euill which can not at the least in some measure through the helpe and grace of GOD bee corrected and amended by good education instruction and discipline And because conuersation and familiaritie are of great efficacie in this point wee are diligently to consider with what persons and natures wee acquaint our selues and bee carefull to eschew such natures as are vicious prowd fierce enuious hatefull malicious suspicious disloyall and traiterous as well in regarde of the corruption of manners wherewith wee may bee infected by them as also in respect of other harmes that may befall vs by reason they are vnsociable natures or at the least very difficult to conuerse withall being indeede such as towardes whome no man can beare any true loue or firme friendship But when wee haue vsed all the diligence wee can possible about these things the chiefest point wherein the whole consisteth is this that wee haue recourse to Iesus Christ the eternall sonne of GOD to the end that by his holy Spirit hee woulde correct represse and quench in vs all the vicious affections and disordered motions that wee haue contrary to his holy will according to that promise which is made vnto vs wherein it is saide that if fathers knowe howe to giue good gifts to their children and such things as are necessarie for them much more will our heauenly Father giue his holie Spirite to them that aske it of him And this is the true meanes wee ought to keepe for the correcting of these vices and defectes that are in our naturall inclinations Now wee haue spoken sufficiently of those things which concerne the naturall powers of the soule in respect of the nourishment and growth of the body and of those instruments which it hath in the same for the performaunce of her actions It remaineth nowe that wee consider what effectes it hath in Generation First then ASER thou shalt handle the restauration and reparation of all natures by that vertue and power of Generation that is in them and namely in man to the end wee may after proceede with those other points that concerne this matter Of the restauration and reparation of all
first creatures which he created of nothing in the beginning For he created vs all in Adam and Eue and shut vs vp as it were in a store-house or in a spring or fountaine or as in one stocke of mankinde out of which hee produceth men continually Wherefore wee ought diligently to consider of this woorke of GOD and of this vertue which hee hath giuen to Nature by his worde and blessing to ingender like and to encrease the whole race and kinde thereof For this cause as it is the office of Nature in the beginning to nourish bodies and then to cause them to encrease and augment so in the ende it is her duetie to preserue the seuerall kindes of things as long as shee may by Generation of the like Whereby it appeareth that Generation is a worke of liuing creatures after they are come to their growth and vigour as wee see the like also in plants themselues For in the beginning of the Spring al their vertue is in the root from thence it commeth after into the boughes leaues next into the floure fruit and lastly into the seed which being sowen another plant is brought forth like vnto the first Wherfore wee may say that the Generatiue vertue is a power in liuing creatures that engendreth his like being ordained for the preseruatioÌ of the same kind So that wee must diligently meditate and often set before our eyes this goodly order of nature according whereunto the nourishing facultie is first giuen to the soule for the preseruation of euery particular Next the power to cause it to grow and to augment to a iust sufficient greatnesse and lastly the generatiue vertue whereby the kind is preserued For albeit the order that is throughout the whole course of nature bee an euident testimony that neither the worlde nor any thing therein standeth vpon chance or fortune yet among others this is most singular and excellent in that the same kinds of al things abide continually that euerie one begetteth multiplieth his like without any maner of confusion amongst them which could not be eschewed if so be that creatures were bredde and borne at aduenture without the counsel and prouidence of their Creator of him that wrought such a worke Nowe wee are to vnderstand that the seede is a body that hath in it selfe a vegetatiue soule which body in Generation is turned into an other like to that from which it is taken and because nourishing growing and engendering are the effectes of foode and sustenance they are contained vnder the name of a vegetatiue soule which is a facultie and power that not onely conuerteth foode into the substaunce of the liuing bodie for the good thereof and by that conuersion augmenteth that it may attaine to a conuenient bignesse but also engendereth an other body of the same forme and kinde And therefore after that this vegetatiue power hath doone that duetie which it ought to perfourme about the growth of the liuing body then hath it time and meanes enough to gather together into a small roome many of those qualities that keepe the soule in the administration of the bodie out of which it can soone drawe and engender a like kinde so farre foorth as the qualities of the matter will be able to beare For when they are repugnant to the qualities meete for that kinde whatsoeuer commeth thereof degenerateth as we see it in the earth when in steade of wheate whereof it receiued the seede it bringeth foorth darnell or some other hearbs of an other nature and as wee see it also in monsters that are borne both of women and of other liuing creatures For there are in many countries namely in Sicilia and in the kingdome of Naples and in Flaunders as many Authours worthy of credite haue testified women in whom haue beene bredde oftentimes sundry kindes of beastes in steade of children and sometimes together with the childe either liuing or dead Which thing commeth to passe in such women as abound with euill humours that are putrified and corrupted either by reason of the ayre or of badde meate or of excesse in eating as in such bodies wherein wormes and such other filthinesse breedeth The Astrologians referre this vnto constellations as they doe all other things I leaue the secret iudgements and punishments of GOD whereby such things may come to passe neuerthelesse these things ought to admonish women to pray vnto God to recommend themselues to him and to be sober The moone calfes in the womb which fall out often proceed also of the like causes In like maner it falleth out oftentimes that the kinde degenerateth through corruption of the seede But to go on forward with our matter of the Generation of liuing creatures and namely of man wee must knowe that forasmuch as the male hath naturally more heate in him then the female hee is also by nature the chiefest in Generation For this cause when the holie Scriptures speake of mankinde it is ordinarilie comprehended vnder the name of man And when mention is made of his generation they speake as though all proceeded onely from man as when Malachie speaking of his creation sayeth Did not hee make one and wherefore one because hee sought a godly seede And Saint Paul He hath made saith hee of one blood all mankind Neuerthelesse GOD hath put in nature such a temperature betweene the male and the female that if both their natures were altogether alike there could be no Generation For it consisteth in force and in infirmity But the wisdome of God hath so wel prouided as that it knoweth how to draw strength out of weaknes so that the one can do nothing without the other in generation because he hath so willed and ordained it Nowe I leaue to thee AMANA to discourse vnto vs more particularly of such things as are most worthy to be noted in this maruailous worke of God and of the principall cause why he hath giuen to man the Generatiue power Of the powers of the Generatiue vertue and of their offices of the principall cause why God gaue to man the power of Generation in what sense the reines are taken for the seate of Generation how we ought rightly to consider of the generation of man Chap. 70. AMANA As noueltie causeth a man through the errour of iudgement to thinke that rare things are greater and more woorthie of admiration so most men imagine those matters to bee small and not worthy to be wondered at which fall out daily before their eyes But ignorance is the cause of both these effectes For as a man admireth that which hee neuer knewe coulde be perfourmed so hee maketh no reckoning of that thing which he vsually beholdeth because hee hath alwayes beene ignorant of the secrets of nature or rather of his Author and Creator who appeareth woonderfull in the least of his woorkes euen in the very Ant or Pismire This selfe same ignorance is
the cause that so fewe contemplate as they ought the forme and fashion of their beeing or that giue due glorie to him who daily bringeth them into the worlde by such woonderfull workemanship Neither is it possible that men shoulde giue such glorie to GOD as they ought except they esteeme all those workes which hee effecteth daily amongest them to be so many miracles woorthie admiration which way soeuer they turne their eies Moreouer let them knowe that what measure of knowledge soeuer they are able to get of his woorkes yet that which they doe knowe is very little yea almost nothing in regarde of that whereof they are ignorant euen in that which concerneth their creation and generation Nowe following that which wee haue already heard touching this matter we are to consider a maruailous prouidence of God in the similitude that is betweene the creature engendering and that which proceedeth from it Where by the way we may obserue this that there is greater resemblance in the Generation of plants then in that of liuing creatures and more in that of beasts then in that of men forasmuch as plants are void of imagination and that imagination which is in beasts is more firme and staied then that which is in men because our mindes are more floting and vnstable But it is woonderfull to consider what great similitude there is insomuch as we commonly see that the infirmities of some members in the parents are founde also in their children and that oftentimes they expresse their very lookes countenances and gesturs Which also may serue for a further confirmation of that which wee haue already touched concerning the agreement of euilles with the complexion and temperature of the humours of mens bodies Againe it appeareth by the strength or weakenesse that is founde to bee as well in children as in their fathers and mothers that the seede of which they are begotten descendeth not onelie from the braine as some haue thought but that it is also taken from all the other members and from all partes of the body And because it is a profitable superfluitie taken from the nourishment of the blood scattered throughout the whole body after the fourth digestion it hath peculiar vesselles in the body some to drawe it others to perfect and preserue it for generation and some to expell it out And as this expulsiue vertue is necessary in Generation on the behalfe of the male so in regarde of the female it is requisite that there shoulde be a vertue to containe and preserue and secondly to change mingle and temper it with the womans seede so farre foorth as shall bee expedient for the temperature of the whole bodie and of euery member thereof Besides there must bee another vertue to fashion into members all this matter mingled and tempered and to giue vnto them that figure and shape which agreeeth to euery one of them Lastly there is an other vertue requisite which shoulde driue out the childe after it is fashioned at the time which GOD hath appointed in nature for that purpose And these are all the partes with their offices which are to bee founde in the Generatiue power of the vegetatiue soule Nowe because there are so many sortes of them it is very meete that they shoulde haue sundrie places and diuerse instrumentes in the bodie for the exercise of them For this cause there are to serue all these offices sundrie partes and many members composed with woonderfull Arte and distinguished in most admirable fashion both with figures and qualities But our meaning is not to make any long particular narration both by reason of the matter which woulde bee very long as also because sinne hath made the Generation of man so full of shame that men can hardly speake of it or of those members that serue thereunto especially of one part of them without shame Neuerthelesse as before wee haue considered the counsaile and prouidence of God in that hee hath ioyned to man created to immortalitie that part wherein the light of his diuine wisedome shall shine the loue of God shall be feruent and righteousnesse shall dwell for euermore with the kitchin of mans body whose vse shall passe away after this life so wee must consider the cause why hee hath ioyned vnto this kitchin the Generatiue power and wherefore hee hath giuen it to man Let vs knowe then that as man was created for an other ende then plants and beastes so God hath giuen to him the power of Generation to an other ende then hee hath to them vpon whome it is bestowed onely for the preseruation of their kindes For it was especially giuen him because the Creatour of the whole worlde purposed to collect and gather together a perpetuall Church out of mankinde that is a companie of men begotten after this manner to bee dedicated and consecrated vnto him Therefore wee ought diligently to meditate and to thinke often vpon this woonderfull counsaile of GOD and to yeelde him praise in that hee hath manifested himselfe vnto vs and of this weake and corrupt masse of flesh hath assembled and culled out an euerlasting Church and in that hee aydeth nourisheth and preserueth vs yea is carefull ouer vs and heareth vs calling vpon him Neyther doeth hee onely preserue the whole course of nature for our sakes but also giueth himselfe vnto vs which are such benefites as exceede all the imagination and eloquence of man Wherefore wee ought so much the rather to awaken our mindes to consider them well and bee very much displeased with our selues because wee doâ not so well as wee ought beholde this presence of GOD in that obscuritie and darkenesse wherein wee liue as also because wee are no more stirred vp to loue serue and honour him in regarde of that true and great loue wherewith hee loueth vs. But to goe forward with our matter of Generation wee must call to minde what wee heard before of the vse of the kidneis for the purging of blood in respect whereof wee call all that part of the body wherein they are seated by the name of Reines And by reason of the neerenesse that is betweene them and the seede vessels seruing for Generation which are many in number all that part is taken chiefely in the holy Scriptures for the seate and spring thereof and as it were for the seminary of mankinde Therefore it is written in the Hebrewes that Leui was yet in the loines of his father Abraham when Melchisedec met him And Moses speaking in the person of the Lorde of the promise made to Iacob sayeth Kings shall come out of thy loines Dauid also minding to shewe what knowledge God hath of men whome hee hath created saieth Thou hast possessed my reines thou hast couered mee in my mothers wombe And Iob declaring the selfe same thing more fully and speaking of the seed whereof he was begotten after hee had saide Hast thou not powred mee out as milke
mans flesh haue testified that no flesh or meate whatsoeuer approcheth neerer in taste or is more like it then the flesh of a Hog And if we consider the inward members and parts there is no beast if we will giue credite to them that haue had the experience thereof that hath them liker to those in man then the Hog hath both for substance disposition forme and figure Contrariwise wherein doeth the Elephant resemble man either for forme or composition of body or of the members both internal and external in comparison of a Hog And yet there is no beast more teachable then the Elephant or that approcheth neerer to the sense and vnderstanding of man as on the other side there is no beast further off in this respect nor more hard to be taught and more brutish then is the Hog And if any man thinke that the industry and docilitie of an Elephant proceedeth either from the greatnesse of the matter whereof it is made or from the abundance of the qualities ioyned vnto the matter or from the harmony coniunction and concorde that is betweene them or lastly from the composition forme figure of his body and of the members thereof wee will oppose vnto him the Ant which is one of the least among the creatures of the earth as the Elephant is the greatest of all as farre as we know The like may be said of the Bee For are there many creatures although greater in substance that yet haue such industrious ingenious natures as these litle beasts haue that are to be reckoned among the smallest of them And by this it appeareth plainly that the soule of beasts is of some other substance nature then their bodies notwithstanding there is great difference betwixt the soule of beasts the soule of meÌ But we haue further to note touching the soule of man that the spirit doth not only not folow the nature of the body but which is more gouerneth carieth recarieth it whither it pleaseth yea it withstandeth the affections which approch neerest to the corporal terrestrial nature And as for the facultie of sense of the senses it is a vertue that surpasseth all bodily power and vertue all things depending of the body so that there is no facultie of the body that is able to expresse the actions thereof What shall we say then of the vertue of vnderstanding which is the highest and most soueraigne facultie that is in man Which wee cannot say is a body compounded of matter and forme For that thing is the fountaine and original of life which first mooueth a liuing creature to the works belonging vnto life So that when wee inquire what this fountaine and spring is then doe we seeke to know what the soule is Nowe we may soone know by that which hath bene spoken what the soule is not but as yet we cannot perceiue what the proper substance and nature thereof is And in deede it is not that which wee haue to speake of at this time hereafter we may say somewhat of that matter Let it suffice for this present that we know that the true cause of the life of the body in regard of second causes is in the soule next vnto God who is the first and principall cause of all things Therefore it is hee that hath ordained and limitted to euery liuing creature his appointed time wherein to liue and to grow and next to decrease and to dye and as it pleaseth him either to prolong or to abridge their life so doeth he dispose of the second causes and meanes whereby hee will haue it brought to passe Wherefore although euery one hath his certaine bounds and terme of life set him yet none but God onely can attaine to the knowledge thereof For all come not to the last age which hee hath appointed to be the ordinarie end of euery ones life following those degrees into which it is diuided according to that diuision which we make of dayes and yeeres For the infancie of man may be resembled to the morning and to the spring time of the yeere mans age to midday and to the sommer olde-age to the Euening and to Autumne and death to night and to winter Therefore Iob sayth very well speaking of man the number of his moneths are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds which he cannot passe Nowe if it be demaunded what is the ordinarie terme of life appointed by God we are to know that nature by the ordinance of God appropriateth the matter being in the forme of members vnto the soule that is to giue life vnto the whole body Nowe when the soule is entred into it and hath taken possession thereof by little and little it prepareth and maketh fit the internall instruments vntil at length it hath brought them to that perfection which the qualitie constitution and composition of the matter is able to receiue and to beare And after these instruments are come to their greatest perfection by vsage they waste and consume away returning by little and little vnto their first nature so in the end wholy corrupt and dye Thus you see how the members are appropriated in the belly of the mother howe the spirits and humors are fitted in the time of infancie after which the flower of age in youth is as it were the vigor and vse of the perfection of the instruments and olde-age is the decreasing age wherein they decay continually become worse and worse euen vntill they come to their corruption which is death And this death we call naturall when following this course it attaineth without violence to these bounds Nowe although this bee no long course yet there are but very fewe that hold out to the vttermost end thereof in regard of them that stay by the way of whome some are cut off euen before they haue begunne their course others presently after they haue begun it and some in the midway and that through so many sortes of sicknesses with other inconueniences and accidents that a man cannot possibly comprehend or conceiue them all Therefore Moses sayd long since that the time of our life is threescore yeeres and ten and if they be of strength foure score yeeres yet their strength is but labour and sorowe for it is cut off quickly and we flee away And after hee hath compared man to a streame of water caried violently away to a Morning dreame to the grasse that florisheth and groweth in the Morning and in the Euening is cut downe withereth he giueth the reason of all this saying for we are consumed by thine anger and by thy wrath are we troubled Thou hast set our iniquities before thee and our secret sinnes in the light of thy countenance for all our dayes are past in thine anger we haue spent our yeeres as a thought Iob also agreeth well with Moses in this point when hee sayeth Man that is borne of a
vnto others And if we take it so then God and Nature shal be taken to be all one Wherefore in this respect it were better to let the name of Nature alone and to speake of God onely to whom Nature is but a seruant and seeing that by him it was created and that all things were made before Nature had her being Otherwise we are like to fall into that errour of Galen and others his like in these dayes who albeit they be conuicted and rauished with admiration through the contemplation of those wonderfull workes which they beholde in all the partes and powers of mans body are notwithstanding so vngratefull that insteade of yeelding vnto God that honour that belongeth vnto him it seemeth they woulde despite him to his face and seeke all possible meanes to put out their owne eyes and wholly to blinde their vnderstandings to the end they might not be constrained to acknowledge that there is a God the Creator maker of this so excellent a piece of worke and so to glorifie him as becommeth them Nowe rather then they would giue him this honour they will make an idole of Nature thereby to cast a vaile before mens eyes that they should not see and acknowledge God in his workes They will rather put out their owne eyes then follow this Nature which they forge vnto themselues as a soueraigne Mistresse whereas she is but the meanes to leade them to God her and their Creator of whom shee is but a seruant and a verie small image Thus much I thought meete to bee knowen concerning Nature that wee might learne to speake better and more reuerently both of God and of his woorkes and that we might know that Nature is nothing els but the order and continuance of the woorkes of God Now that wee are instructed in the causes of life and death and what true comfort and consolation we may haue against the horrour therof and so haue finished our discourses concerning the frame of the body and of the powers and faculties of the soule therein we must enter into a particular contemplation of the nature of the soule and learne what is the creation and immortalitie thereof so farre foorth as the minde of man is able to comprehend and as the worde of trueth shall affoord vs sure and certaine doctrine thereof First then it is necessary and very profitable for vs to consider that there is but one soule in one bodie which hath all those powers and vertues of which the effects are daily seene also what place the soule hath in the bodie and what vnion there is betweene them Nowe ASER this shall bee that matter Subiect which thou shalt haue to continue our speech withall That there is but one Soule in euerie seuerall bodie that one and the same soule hath in it all those vertues and powers whose effectes are dayly seene of the seate of the Soule in the bodie and of the principall instrument thereof of the vnion of the bodie and Soule of the diuers degrees of nature and of the excellencie that is in it of the fountaines and bounds of all the powers and vertues of the Soule Chap. 77. A SER. Saint Paul maketh a prayer in the end of his first Epistle to the Thessalonians which agreeth very well both to that matter whereof wee haue alreadie intreated touching the nature as well of the soule as of the body and to that also which wee haue yet to handle concerning the nature creation and immortalitie of the soule Now the very God of peace saith he sanctifie you throughout and I pray God that your whole spirite and soule and bodie may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ Where first he sheweth vs that none but God who onely is holy sanctifieth vs through Iesus Christ his sonne the most Holy and that by the vertue of his holy spirite Moreouer hee teacheth vs that as we are to acknowledge all sanctification alreadie begunne in vs to proceede from God alone so wee must expect from him the accomplishment of that woorke which he hath begunne in vs. For as hee is the beginning so from him must proceede the perfection which comprehendeth all the partes of man Therefore the Apostle heere maketh a diuision of three members placing the spirite first in the second place the soule and in the third the bodie Then he teacheth vs that the entire and absolute sanctification of all these partes of man shall be in the comming of Iesus Christ in which it shall obtaine the last perfection Nowe we vnderstand already sufficiently by our former discourses that man is compounded of two diuers natures namely of a body and of a soule and yet heere wee see that Saint Paul setteth downe three partes and ioyneth the spirite vnto the soule as if they were two diuers and different thinges as well as the soule and the bodie are Therefore wee must searche out the cause of this diuision of man after this manner But before wee enter into this matter it shal be very profitable for vs to refresh our memorie with those things wee haue alreadie intreated of so farre forth as they may serue for the vnderstanding of this and that according to the matter subiect propounded to discourse vpon Wee hearde before howe the bodie is the lodging and instrument of the soule and howe the soule serueth it selfe with all the members thereof and setteth them on worke And as for the Soule albeit there be but one in each seuerall body neuerthelesse that one soule hath diuers faculties powers and vertues which wee also call partes and offices thereof Wherefore as wee saye not that there are so many bodies in one bodie of a man as there is diuersitie of partes members and offices therein but account them all ioyntly together as one and the same bodie euen so wee meane not that there are so manie soules as there are powers and offices in the Soule or according to that varietie of effectes that appeareth in euerie part and member thereof albeeit wee knowe verie well that they are distinguished one from another both in time and place For we perceiue by the effectes thereof that the sight is in the eyes hearing in the eares vnderstanding and cogitation in the braine and the like is to bee sayde of all the other partes and members of the bodie according to the nature and office of euerie one and according to the offices of the Soule in them as wee haue alreadie shewed when wee handeled all the powers thereof particularly Moreouer wee see howe the childe so long as it is in the Mothers wombe differeth almost nothing at all from plantes and after it is borne howe it differeth but a little from brute beastes as else-where it hath beene alreadie declared vnto vs. Neuerthelesse as in euerie bodie there is but one and the same kinde fashion and essentiall forme of nature whereby it commeth to bee that which
yea they haue some sense and perseuerance of the alteration of seasons according as they fall out by the course of the spheres but yet not by any such knowledge and vnderstanding as is in man Nowe sense and knowledge cannot proceede of the power of the elements but is deriued from some higher thing For it is by meanes of a more celestiall power that beastes are distinguished from plants holding more of the excellencie of their Creatour declaring it a great deale more But man hee mounteth vp much higher For hee ascendeth vp aboue all the heauens euen vnto God and to those spirituall natures by meanes of reason and vnderstanding which make his soule capable of heauenly light and wisedome and of diuine inspirations Whereupon it followeth that the originall and birth of the Soule is celestiall And therefore in this diuersitie of the faculties and powers of the soule and life of man wee must note this that the lower kindes of the soule and life are not the Well-springs and fountaines of the highest as if those powers and faculties did first set these latter awoorking or as if the highest did spring of the basest and receiued their vertues from them but they are onelie certaine aydes and degrees of helpe whereby the highest and chiefest descende and ascende So that the Vegetatiue and nourishing life and vertue is not the originall of the sences and sensitiue vertue but onelie a degree by which the facultie of sense is deriued to the bodie and by little and little ascendeth vp to her powers and offices The like may bee sayde of the vnderstanding and of reason in regarde of the sensitiue facultie For euerie sort and kinde of life and euerie power of the soule hath beginning of it selfe and certaine boundes within which it is conteined Wherein we haue to consider a marueilous woorke and prouidence of GOD in that hee hath ioyned and linked togethet in man things that are so diuers For wee take this as graunted that the soule of man is a spirituall nature and not corporall that it is immortall and created for the contemplation of celestiall and eternall things On the other side wee see howe this so excellent and diuine a nature is ioyned to that part and power that is called Vegetatiue and Nourishing which seemeth rather to bee corporall then spirituall to bee more terrestriall then celestiall and to bee as it were the Kitchen of the bodies of liuing creatures and the Store-house and Originall of their generation So that there is no man of any sounde minde who knowing this marueilous coniunction of nature in thinges so diuers and considering that it cannot come to passe by happe-hazard and at aduenture but hee must needes bee rauished with great admiration and acknowledge an admirable prouidence of God the Creator and Lord of nature But they that are instructed in the holie worde and in the doctrine of the Church haue yet a further consideration of these thinges For they knowe well that albeeit this Kitchin of mans bodie shall haue no necessarie vse in the life to come neuerthelesse God hath established this order and woulde haue it thus ioyned to the soule and spirite to the ende that those beginnings of eternall life and of that true and perpetuall wisedome which hee hath put into vs shoulde bee kindled and inflamed in this mortall life For they shall not shine foorth in anie there who haue not heere had some beginnings but haue suffered those to bee cleane extinguished which they haue receiued of GOD. For this cause doeth the voyce of God and of his heauenly doctrine sounde in mens eares and to these endes hath hee ordayned that gouernement which ought to bee amongest them and hath bounde and fortified it with manie bondes and rampires Wherefore wee stande in neede of doctrine of instruction and discipline vnto which things the consideration of mans nature may greatly helpe vs. For there is no science or humane wisedome howe great soeuer it bee that is able to rehearse and comprehende the great profite which this consideration can affoorde to men euen so farre foorth as they may verie well learne and knowe And of this wee may the better bee resolued if we consider well of that which hath alreadie bene handled yea we may the better iudge hereof if wee perfectly vnderstand that diuision of man made by S. Paul and mentioned by vs in this discourse Therefore AMANA proceede you in the residue of this matter giuing vs first to vnderstand what is the nature and offices of those pure animal cleare and bright spirits which we saide were seruiceable to the soule for all kinde of vnderstanding and knowledge Afterwardes you may more easily instruct vs at large and teach vs what difference there is not onely betweenethe soule and the instruments thereof whereby it worketh but also betweene the instruments themselues and their nature and offices and which of them are nearest or remoued farthest from the soule Of the nature and varietie of the animall spirites and how they are onely instruments of the soule and not the soule it selfe of the nature of those bodies wherein the soule may dwell and worke of the difference that is not onely betweene the soule and the instrumenes by which it woorketh but also betweene the instruments themselues and their natures and offices and which of them are neerest or farthest of of the degrees that are in the vnion and coniunction of the soule with the bodie Chap. 78. AMANA It is requisite that workmen should haue instruments answerable to those works which they are to make and if they haue taken in hand but one single and simple worke they neede but one toole fitte for that purpose as to sawe timber there needeth but a sawe But they that are to make many workes or one woorke that is full of varietie stand in need of many instruments as painters ioyners carpenters masons and such like The same may bee saide of the soule and therefore it hath many members in the body that are giuen vnto it as instruments to serue for those woorkes which it hath outwardly to perfourme Moreouer the soule hath humours to preserue and vphold the members and to keepe them alwayes ready for their worke by those meanes which we haue heard already besides it hath vital spirits of which the animall spirites are bred which serue in steade of a light to garde and conduct it in the actions both of the external and the internall senses And as there is great force in a toole or instrument to cause a good or euil worke so is there in the humors spirites and members of the bodie whereby we are made fitte to exercise and to execute all actions whether they concerne life and sense knowledge and vnderstanding or will and affections For it fareth in this matter as it doeth in the disposition of the aire which the thicker and more obscure it is the lesse cleare will the light
of soule spirite and heart are taken with the causes wherefore Of the diuisions of man made in the holy Scriptures as well in respect of the soule as of the bodie in what significations the names of soule spirit and heart are vsed therein and the causes why of the intire sanctification of man howe the soule is taken for the life and for the members and instruments of nourishment and for nourishment it selfe Chap. 79. ARAM. Forasmuch as God so honoureth our bodies as to call them Temples of his holie spirite I thinke they cannot bee such in deede except they bee wholly dedicated and consecrated vnto him so that wee separate them from all filthinesse and pollution by giuing our selues to all kinde of sanctimonie and honestie of life For then is the body wholly sanctified when all the senses and members applie themselues onely to good and holy woorkes commaunded by God and when they abstaine from the contrarie Whereupon it commeth to passe that the eyes turne aside from beholding all vaine things and take pleasure onely in seeing that which may rauish man with admiration at the excellencie of the woorkes of God and induce him to well-doing The like may bee sayde of soundes of voyces of wordes in regarde of the eares And as for the tongue it is not polluted with vile speeches with lying slandering and blasphemie but prayseth God and rehearseth his works and woonders speaking alwayes with a grace to the edifying of all In like manner the mouth serueth man for the selfe-same vse as the stomacke also and the bellie with all the rest of the members that serue for the nourishing of the bodie are not defiled through gluttonie and drunkennesse So that the bodie liueth not to eate but eateth to liue and to make supplie to those necessities vnto which GOD hath made it subiect Therefore it obserueth sobrietie and is contented to minister to the naturall affections that God may bee serued in this life Neither doeth it abuse the members of generation to whoredome and villanie but conteineth them within their office and lawfull vse And as for the feete and hands with all the rest of the externall members it keepeth them also within the compasse of their duety But seeing the whole body all the members therof take from the soule all their actions and vses they cannot bee sanctified for the seruice of God and of holy things vnlesse the soule be first sanctified which giueth vnto them life motion and sense For this cause Saint Paul speaking of the sanctification which he wisheth to the Thessalonians before hee maketh any mention of that of the bodie hee beginneth with the Spirite and Soule as wee haue alreadie heard Now because the soule hath diuers powers he vseth two wordes the better to note them out especially the chiefest of them For as it hath beene alreadie declared vnto vs albeit the soule hath manie powers and offices in the bodie of man yet there are not so manie soules in the bodie as there are faculties and effectes thereof but one onely soule which doeth all that For this cause the name of soule is diuersly taken in the holy scriptures Sometime it is taken for that spirituall substaunce that is ioyned with the bodie to giue life vnto it and for all the powers thereof and sometime againe for one part of those faculties and powers The like may be sayd of the name of spirite and of heart and that for the same reason Thus doeth the Scripture sometimes diuide the whole man into two partes onelie namelie into bodie and soule as when Iesus Christ sayeth Feare yee not them which kill the bodie but are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him which is able to destroy both soule and bodie in Hell And often also the same holie worde taketh the one of these two partes for the whole euen in that signification wherein wee take the name Person in our tongue For this cause wee reade so often in the worde All flesh and euerie soule for euery person Also Giue mee the Soules for giue mee the persons And all the Soules of the house for all the persons thereof Nowe because the vnderstanding and the will are the principall faculties and powers of the soule when the Scripture meaneth to set them downe distinctly and to expresse them together with the nature and vertue of the soule it taketh the spirite for the one and the soule for the other namely the spirite for the reason and vnderstanding the soule for the wil affections For otherwise how should euery man be entire souÌd vnles his thoughts were pure holy all his affections rightly ruled finally his whole bodie made obedient and seruiceable to euerie good woorke For wee haue hearde alreadie what Lordship is attributed to the reason and to the vnderstanding then howe the will and affections are in the middest to commaund and lastly the bodie to serue and obey So that a man is then altogether pure and sounde when he thinketh nothing in his minde desireth nothing in his heart neither executeth any thing with his members but that which pleaseth God Wee haue a place in Esay which teacheth vs verie clearely that the spirite and soule are so taken and distinguished as wee say The desire of our soule saith he is to thy name and to the remembraunce of thee With my soule haue I desired thee in the night and with my spirite within me will I seeke thee in the morning We see how first he attributeth desire to the soule thereby to declare the affection of the people towardes the Lorde Then hee maketh mention of the remembrance and memorie that hee hath of God which is in the minde So that it seemeth hee comprehendeth the vnderstanding and will in the first verse vnder the name of Soule Afteward in the verse following he distinguisheth them more specialy attributing desire to the soule then watchfulnesse and diligent inquisition to the spirit which is not without thinking and discoursing that appertayne to the minde Wherefore the Prophet minding to signifie how he was wholly addicted to the Lordè with all his senses and vnderstanding and with all his heart and will and that all his affection was towardes him hee vseth this distinction betweene the soule and the spirite Likewise wee finde these two names Soule and Spirite ioyned together in this signification in the Psalmes and I am perswaded that for the same reason the blessed Virgine ioyned them together in her song when she sayd My soule magnifieth the Lord and my spirit reioyâeth in God my Sauiour Nowe as the Scripture vseth this distinction the better to expresse the faculties and powers of the soule so Saint Paul sometimes distinguisheth them into three that they may the better bee knowen as when hee writeth to the Ephesians in these woordes This I say therefore and testifie in the Lorde
that is preserued for the soule neither eateth nor drinketh But Ezechiel sheweth vs this yet more clearely saying They shall not satisfie their soules nor fill their bowelles For himselfe expoundeth that by the worde Bowelles which before hee called soules Moreouer wee haue further to note that forasmuch as the soule can no more giue life to the body without foode then without these members and instruments by which it distributeth and deliuereth the same it is likewise taken not onely for the foode of the bodie but also for those instruments and meanes whereby men get and obtaine foode Therefore it is written in the Lawe of the hired seruant that is poore and needy Thou shalt giue him his hire for his day that is the same day hee laboureth neither shall the sunne goe downe vpon it for hee is poore and therewith sustaineth his soule as if hee shoulde say it is his life and foode whereby hee must bee sustained So that hee which beguileth him of his hire taketh away his soule and life from him as much as in him lieth It is written also That no man shall take the neather nor the vpper milstone to pledge for this gage is his soule By which phrase of two milstones that serue to grinde the corne the Lorde comprehendeth all those instruments wherewith men get their liuing by their labour of what occupation and trade soeuer they be For as a man can not grinde without a milstone or without corne to haue meale for breade to maintaine life withall so poore Artificers and Handicraftsmen can not grinde nor consequently liue if those tooles and instruments bee taken from them whereby they must get both their owne liuing and the liuing of their wiues and children Therefore God sayeth that such a gage is the soule by which he vnderstandeth the life and by life the foode and nourishment that preserueth it and consequently the instrumentes by which poore men and Artificers get their liuing To conclude it seemeth that this kinde of phrase vsed by the Hebrewes agreeth well enough with our common speech in which we often take the life for foode and charges to maintaine life As when wee say that a man getteth and purchaseth his life or liuing with the sweate of his face We say likewise that we giue life to those whome wee feede and take life from them whom we depriue of foode and nourishment and of the means to get it But wee must learne some other significations of this worde soule taught vs in the holy Scriptures And first what is meant by a liuing soule and what by a naturall or sensuall body and what is a spirituall body and howe the name of soule is taken for the desires of the flesh and for all things belonging to this life Therefore it belongeth to thee ACHITOB to discourse vpon this matter What is meant by a liuing soule what by a sensuall and naturall body and what by a spirituall body howe the name of soule is taken for all the desires of the flesh and for all things belonging to this life and not onely for the whole person aliue but also for the person being dead and for a dead corps and lastly for the spirite separate from the bodie Chap. 80. ACHITOB. Men may well study in the schooles of the most skilfull and excellent Law-makers Philosophers Oratours and Doctors that are in the worlde yet they shall reape small profit thereby except they come to that schoole where the spirite of God is our master and teacher For this cause Iesus Christ after he heard the confession that Peter made of him saide thus vnto him Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas for flesh and blood hath not reueiled it vnto thee but my Father which is in heauen Nowe in that hee opposeth flesh and blood to the Father in heauen hee declareth sufficiently that according to the manner of the Hebrew speach hee vnderstandeth by these two words whatsoeuer is in man that is of man As when Saint Iohn saieth that as many as receiued Christ to them hee gaue power to bee the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name which are borne not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God And to confirme this it is saide elsewhere What man knoweth the things of a man saue the spirite of a man which is in him euen so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirite of God Now we haue receiued not the spirite of the worlde but the spirite which is of God that wee might know the things that are giuen to vs of God To this purpose when Saint Paul opposeth a spirituall man to him whome he called before a naturall man and altogether vncapable of the spirite of God he saith that the spirituall man discerneth all things and is iudged of no man For being such a one he hath certaine knowledge of heauenly things to be able to discerne light from darkenesse and trueth from lies that hee be not deceiued by a false shewe of trueth Neither is hee iudged of any body because the trueth of God is not subiect to the iudgement of men how skilfull and conceited soeuer they be without the spirit of regeneration Nowe then as wee haue heard that the soule is taken in sundrie significations declared by vs wee may nowe knowe that it is taken oftentimes in the holy Scriptures for al the vertues for al naturall gifts and graces for all affections and desires for all pleasures and commodities and for other things appertaining to this life For this cause liuing soule signifieth in the Scriptures as much as creature hauing soule and naturall life and it is so taken for all liuing creatures of what nature and kinde soeuer they be And Saint Paul in the place alleadged and in the fifteenth of the same Epistle calleth a naturall man and a naturall body that man and that body which liueth with such a soule and such a life vnto whome hee opposeth diuersly a spirituall man and a spirituall body For by a naturall man hee vnderstandeth a man not regenerated by the Spirite of GOD and by a spirituall a man regenerated and by a naturall body hee meaneth a body that liueth by this corporall life such as it is in this worlde before the death and resurrection thereof By a spirituall bodie he vnderstandeth not only such a body as men haue that are already regenerated in this life but also such a one as it shall bee after the resurrection when it shall bee fully regenerated and made immortall and like to the glorious body of Iesus Christ For besides the humane soule wherewith it liueth heere and in regarde of which Saint Paul called it naturall it shall haue also a diuine vertue that shall wholly change in it all corruptible and mortall qualities and all humane infirmities vnto which it is subiect in this life into incorruptible
the graue hee sheweth after very euidently what he vnderstandeth by his soule when he saieth Thou hast reuiued me from them that goe downe into the pit Hee taketh this worde Soule in the same sense when he saieth that God deliuered his soule from death and from the midst of lions and when he prayeth him to deliuer his soule from the sword his desolate soule from the power of the dogge For it is easie to iudge by these wordes that he taketh not the soule in these places for the essence of the soule and proper substance thereof because the soule can not be smitten with the sword nor deuoured of lions nor carried away by dogges Therefore seeing the soule is so often put in the Scripture for corporall life which endeth with the body and which the soule giueth vnto it by meanes of those instruments which it hath in the body the name of Spirite is many times vsed therein to signifie more specially this essence and spirituall substance which wee call the soule and which may be separated both from the body and blood as that which liueth after the death of the body Therefore Dauid did so vse the word Spirite when he recommended his soule to God by the same wordes which Iesus Christ vsed vpon the crosse Afterward Saint Steuen tooke it in the same sense when he saide Lorde Iesus receiue my spirite For this is that spirite of which Salomon saieth that it returneth to God that gaue it after that the body is returned to the earth and to dust of which it consisteth And yet this difference is not alwayes obserued in the Scriptures For as wee haue already heard both the heart and soule and spirite are oftentimes generally and indifferently put for all the partes and powers of the soule and not onely for those of men but also of beastes as when the Wise man attributeth spirit vnto them hauing regard to this corporall life For when Salomon speaketh so it is in consideration of this life that consisteth in breath which is also called Spirit in the holy Scriptures which vse one the same word to signifie both wind and breathing and whatsoeuer we call spirit taking it both for the soule of man for the Angelicall natures and for the Diuine nature Therefore Iob speaking of this present life sayth So long as my breath is in me and the spirit of God in my nosethrilles my lippes surely shall speake no wickednesse and my tongue shall vtter no deceit But when Saint Paul saieth The same spirite beareth witnesse with our spirite that wee are the children of God hee taketh the worde Spirite in an other sence then Iob did in the place nowe alleadged For in the first place hee taketh the name of Spirite for the Spirite of GOD and in the second place for the Spirite of man which signifieth the humane soule It is true that in this place hee taketh it for the soule and for the spirit such as it is in regenerate men but when hee saieth elsewhere that the spirite of man knoweth the things of man hee taketh the spirite simply for a humane Spirite and for the vnderstanding part thereof Likewise the name of soule is put not onely for this naturall life and for the will and affections but also for the selfe same thing that is comprehended by this worde Spirite when one woulde signifie thereby the greatest excellencie of the soule As when Dauid sayeth Our soule waiteth for the Lord for hee is our helpe and our shield Surely our heart shall reioyce in him because wee trusted in his holie name And againe My soule reioyceth in the Lorde and is glad in his saluation And when Saint Peter sayeth Abstaine from fleshly lustes which fight against the soule and haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles hee taketh the name of Soule for the spirituall man who hath his minde and all his affections well ruled according to the will of GOD. As then wee haue heard in what sort the soule may die in regarde of this corporall life according to the phrase of the Scriptures and of the Hebrewes so by this which Saint Peter saieth that fleshly lustes fight against the soule wee may learne after what manner the soule may be said to die and to be slaine For nothing can bring death vnto it but sinne Wherefore it is not said without good reason in the Booke of Wisedome that the mouth that telleth lies slayeth the soule Albeit then the soule is immortall in that it can neuer be without life no more then the Angelles who are spirites like to it neuerthelesse it is after a sort mortall so farre forth as being farre off separated from God through sinne it liueth no more that blessed life wherewith it shoulde liue if it were vnited and ioyned vnto him by true faith and sincere obedience For it shoulde enioy the selfe same life which the heauenly Angelles with the soules and spirites of the blessed doe enioy As contrariwise the soules of the wicked liue with the same life that the Diuelles doe which is called dead because it is a more accursed life then death it selfe and therefore called the second and eternall death Nowe wee may thinke our selues sufficiently taught touching the diuerse significations in which the name of Soule is taken It seemeth to mee that wee haue spoken enough of the Anatomy of the bodie and soule of which the most of our discourses hitherto were made which may suffice for the contentation of euery one that will keepe himselfe within the bounds and limits set downe vnto vs by the wisedome of GOD in his word But to finish this whole matter concerning the soule which we haue chiefly considered in her parts powers and effects we are further yet to be instructed in the creation generation nature and immortalitie thereof And because they are marueilous difficult matters and such as are not without great contrarieties of opinions euen amongest the learned I am of opinion that these things are to be discoursed of according to that manner of teaching of the ancient Academickes which wee followed in our first meeting namely vpon the theame propounded vnto vs to ballance the arguments on the one part with the reasons of the other side that so we may diligently search out the trueth Notwithstanding it shal be lawfull for vs to deliuer our opinion so long as wee ground it vpon the infallible testimonie of the worde of God leauing to euery one his libertie to iudge which is best and to embrace and follow the same For our entrance therefore into so goodly a matter thou shalt beginne ASER to morrowe to declare vnto vs what thou shalt thinke good concerning this proposition namely whether the soule is begotten with the body and of the seede thereof or whether it be created apart and of another substance and what is requisit for vs to know therein The end of the
tenth dayes worke THE ELEVENTH dayes worke Whether the soule of man is engendred with the body and of the same substance that the body is of or whether it be created by it selfe and of another substance whether it be needfull for vs to know what the soule is and what is the essence thereof or onely to know of what qualitie it is with the workes and effects thereof Chap. 81. ASER I am of opinion that in discoursing philosophically concerning the knowledge of the soule we ought to practise that which Socrates saide being tired with the consideration of the nature of things namely to bee very carefull lest it happen to vs as it doeth to them that are busie beholders of the Sunne eclipsed whose sight is dazeled thereby except they beholde the image thereof in water or in some such like thing For euen the Spirite that is wholly giuen to the vnderstanding of it selfe is often as it were amazed and carried farre out of the way of true contemplation vnlesse it knowe howe to consider it selfe in the glasse of all brightnesse layed open in the sacred worde of GOD and not stay altogether in the discourses of naturall Philosophie and humane reason which many times blinde euen the sharpest wittes of men True it is that wee haue many things in Nature that affoorde vs euident testimonies of the creation nature and immortalitie of the soule which haue greatly mooued not onely those Philosophers that haue borne greatest reuerence to GOD and acknowledged him to bee the Creatour of all things but euen those also that were most prophane and made the greatest Idole of Nature Neuerthelesse the knowledge of so high and difficult a matter coulde neuer bee perfectly comprehended but of them onely that haue heard the doctrine of the Spirite of GOD and haue receiued the testimonies of his worde as certaine demonstrations of those thinges which the sense of man is not able to conceiue For in deede wee can not pronounce anie thing certaine of so high a nature as is that of the soule except it bee by his testimonie who hath created it and who onelie knoweth it as the workeman knoweth his worke Yet wee ought not to contemne naturall reasons founde out by the learneder sorte which are as it were beames of that true light but rather diligently consider of them as helpes that may greatly further vs in the vnderstanding of that wee seeke and serue for the confounding of so many Atheists as impudently dare to deny the immortalitie of the soule and that iudgement of God which shall be to the euerlasting happinesse and ioy of the good and to the perpetuall griefe and torment of the wicked Nowe albeit the soule of man hath no partes nor members into which it may bee diuided as the body may neuerthelesse in the sequele of our discourses concerning the Anatomy of the body wee haue also made as it were an Anatomy of the soule in regarde of her faculties powers and offices whereby wee may attaine to some good measure of knowledge touching the nature thereof and of the difference that is betweene it and the soules of all other creatures that haue soule and life But there remaine yet very great difficulties concerning the creation and substance thereof vpon which points it shal be very profitable for vs to be well resolued Wee knowe well enough by that which wee heard before that the soule of man can not bee of any corporall nature or compounded of any corruptible nature as the body is For if it were so then must it necessarily bee mortall as the body is and be farre from doing that which it doeth Besides it woulde followe thereupon that the soule of man differed in nothing from the soule of beastes But wee knowe by the effectes of it that there is great difference betweene them yea greater then betweene heauen and earth which being so it followeth well that it is not engendered with the body of the same substance with it and that the substaunce of the soule is not deriued from the same seede Againe if the soule bee created of some other substance and not begotten with the body of any humane seede a man may aske from whence then commeth that pollution that is in it through sinne whereby the whole race of mankinde is corrupted and what power Originall sinne ought to haue ouer it For if GOD daylie createth soules for those humane bodies that come into the worlde continually as wee doe beleeue and that to place and lodge them in those bodies euen from the wombe surely hee createth them no otherwise then hee did all other creatures which hee created good Whereupon it followeth that hee created not soules corrupted and infected with sinne but pure and sound as those were of our first Parents before sinne entred into the worlde Neuerthelesse wee see that the chiefe corruption and infection in man through sinne is in the soule For if the soule were not infected the body shoulde not bee stained therewith as that which is but the lodging and instrument of the soule and as it were the seruant thereof Wherefore when the soule is cleane and pure the whole man both bodie and soule is altogether pure but when that is defiled all is defiled From whence then will some man say doeth the soule receiue this infection of sinne wherewith shee is polluted after her creation Hath she it of her selfe or of the body after shee is lodged therein and of the corruption of that seede of which the body is begotten These are very profound questions and woonderfull difficult about which many great Diuines haue troubled themselues a long time But the wiser sort enquire soberly into them so as they giue euident testimony of that modesty wherewith they seeke after the vnderstanding of the great secreats of God rather then make profession that they haue found them out Others there are who one while with coniectures according to their fancie an other while with reasons drawne from the nature of things set downe for a certaine trueth whatsoeuer commeth into their minde Nowe then being to heare what reasons can be alleadged wee will omit and passe ouer as well them that walke wholy in the darkenesse of ignorance as those that will not goe faire and softly and as it were feeling with the hand but runne on swiftly whither they please without feare of downefalles Wee wil take a middle course neither too high nor too lowe keeping our selues within the limites of the worde of trueth which teacheth vs that wee incurre originall sinne because wee are all the children of Adam to whome and to whose posteritie God gaue originall iustice which made man obedient to God and the body subiect to reason But it was giuen him with this condition that if he kept not the commandement of God both he and his posterie shoulde bee depriued of that gift and priuiledge euen as if some nobleman hauing committed treason shoulde
be disgraded from the title of Nobilitie both hee and his children This depriuation of gifts bestowed vpon man by God of which wee shoulde haue beene the Inheritours but for the sinne of our first Parents is called by the Diuines Originall sinne To proceede then with our former matter first I say that in my minde it is not so necessarily required of vs to knowe what the soule is or what is the essence and substance thereof as to knowe of what qualitie it is and what are the actions and woorkes of it And that this is so wee may iudge by that bountifulnesse which GOD the Lorde of nature vseth towardes vs and which hee manifesteth vnto vs on euery side by manifolde signes and testimonies For whatsoeuer is expedient for vs the same hee propoundeth vnto vs both very abundantly and with such facilitie that wee may easily finde it out and bring it into vse Wherefore wee can haue no more euident token that a thing is not profitable or not very necessary for vs then this that it is rare farre off and hidde from vs yea very hard to finde out and to attaine to the vse of it So that when wee are admonished to knowe our selues we must not referre this to the knowledge of the essence of the soule which wee are not able to knowe or comprehend but to the knowledge of the effectes and woorkes of it thereby to knowe howe to frame our manners and our whole life to the ende that chasing vice away we might followe after vertue And this by the grace of Christ Iesus will leade vs to that life in which wee shall bee perfectly wise and good and liue immortall and blessed with GOD for euermore Then as wee shall see the Creatour of all things face to face who otherwise is incomprehensible vnto vs so wee shall knowe our selues perfectly in him True it is if wee vnderstand well the principall cause that is taught vs in his worde why hee created man after his image and likenesse and gaue him an immortall soule partaker of vnderstanding and reason wee shall bee well instructed in that point wee desire to knowe touching the nature of the soule So that although wee can not throughly knowe or define what is the essence or substance thereof neuerthelesse seeing it was created of GOD that being ioyned vnto him it might haue eternall happinesse wee must needes say that it is a substance in some sort capable of the diuine nature and that may bee ioyned therewith For being indued with the knowledge of the diuinitie the loue of the same is bredde within it by which loue the soule is so ioyned vnto GOD that it is indued with perpetuall happinesse And thus wee may say that the soule of man is a spirit that giueth life to the body whereunto it is ioyned and which is capable of the knowledge of GOD to loue him as being meete to be vnited vnto him through loue to eternall felicitie But let vs consider the diuersitie of opinions of the best learned as well vpon this matter as vpon the doubts mentioned by vs in our speech For the first there are many who thinke that wee take our generation and birth of our fathers and mothers not onely in regard of our bodies but also of our soules and that soules are produced of soules as bodies are begotten of bodies being ledde by the reasons before spoken of For they can not conceiue howe originall sinne which is the pollution of our nature that before was good and pure by reason of the hereditary corruption of the first father of men can bee deriued from Adam to all his successours and from father to sonne if the soules of children take not their originall from the soules of their Parents as the bodies do of their bodies considering that the soule is the chiefe subiect of originall sinne and of all the rest that proceede from it as riuers issue from their fountaine Wherefore as wee set Adam before our eyes for the first stocke or roote of all mankinde in regarde of mens bodies that haue all their beginning from him so these men doe the like with his soule and the soules of all other men as if soules were deriued from soules and bodies from bodies And in deede at the first blush a man might thinke that Christ Iesus was of this minde when hee saide That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirite is spirite if it bee so that the name of flesh in that place ought to be taken for the whole man comprehending vnder it the body soule and spirite and whatsoeuer excellent thing is in man being considered in his corrupt nature as the worde flesh is commonly taken in the holy Scriptures when it is opposed to the spirite or to God And for this cause many do not take this worde flesh so largely neither in this place nor in any other like to this as if the spirite of man and the chiefe power of his soule were comprehended therein but they restraine it to that part which they call sensuall vnder which they vnderstand not onely the body of man but also those powers of the soule which we haue common with beasts Therefore they doubt not to say that the soule which is called Vegetatiue and sensitiue like to that of plants and beasts is produced of the same seede that the body is and that it is aswel contained in the seede as the matter and nature of which the body is compounded Whereupon it would follow that in this respect there is no difference betwixt the soule of man and the soule of beasts and plants They say well that euery liuing creature hath but one onely soule albeit there be diuers powers thereof in certaine creatures in some more in some lesse Hereof it is that they call that of plants by a more speciall name Vegetatiue because it hath but this vertue and office only of which it taketh the name And albeit the soule of beasts hath the same vertue also yet they call it not by the same name but onely sensitiue vnder which they place the vegetatiue soule that is in plants as a power and propertie thereof So likewise although the soule of man hath both these together yet they call it not either vegetatiue or sensitiue but onely reasonable vnder which they place the vegetatiue and sensitiue soule that is in beasts for powers and properties thereof as before I said they placed the vegetatiue vnder the sensitiue But I woulde very gladly AMANA bee instructed in that which thou canst deliuer very well to this purpose following this excellent matter which will serue greatly to cause vs more specially to vnderstand the nature and immortalitie of the soule the chiefe obiect whereat we aime Whether there be any thing mortall in the soule of man of the distinction betweene the soule and the powers of it of the opinions of Philosophers
and motion that are therein are inflamed by this vital spirite and not by any other means whatsoeuer whether it be the blood or the flesh And yet this spirite is as well of a corporall and bodily matter as all the rest of which the body is compounded so that it hath his originall of the selfe-same elements from whence that matter is deriued out of which it springeth But of such inquisitours I woulde likewise demaund from whence the heauens the Sunne and Moone with the other planets and starres haue their motion their light and properties It is very certaine they can yeeld mee no other true cause but that God hath created them of that nature that hee hath so framed them and that hee alwayes preserueth them such by the diuine vertue and power of his prouidence So I say to them that wee ought not to searche for any other cause or reason of that we mentioned before or goe any further or mount higher in the inquisition thereof But forasmuch as that which wee haue nowe deliuered of the nature and matter of the Soule is proper to that Sensitiue and Sensuall soule which wee attribute to beastes we must come more particularly to that that is proper to men which wee call the reasonable soule This is that matter and poynt about which the greatest and most ingenious wittes haue most laboured and disputed from time to time For they that affirmed the soule of man to bee no other thing then the Vitall and Animall spirites by means of which the body receiueth life or the temperature and temperament of the humours and matter of which the bodie is compounded these men put no difference betweene the soule of beastes and the soule of men And as for them that take it to bee the breath or a fire of which the naturall heate proceedeth they iumpe in opinion with the former who place it in the Vitall spirites And they that say it is in the harmonie of the whole bodie are of the same minde with them that place it in the temperament So that according to the opinion of all these the soule of man is nothing els but naturall heate or els the Vitall spirite that is in the blood as the Physicions commonly take it whose consideration reacheth not farther then to that they can comprehend by their naturall reason following therein Hippocrates who agreeable to this opinion saieth that the soule is daily engendered after that manner which wee haue alreadie declared But they that more diligently looke into the properties and excellent giftes wherewith the reasonable soule is endued know assuredly by their naturall reason that these opinions are very vnworthy the noble excellencie thereof and that they are of no force in regarde thereof For they iudge very well that the vnderstanding and reason with the discourses thereof that the iudgement and such memory as it hath that the discerning of good and euill of thinges honest and dishonest of vertues and vices with the knowledge of humane and diuine thinges whereof it is partaker are woorkes and actions which cannot proceede from such matter as the elements are as we haue touched else-where Whereupon it followeth that it is some other thing then the Vitall spirite or the temperament of the bodie and that it is of a farre differing nature from that of beasts which consisteth in these thinges And by the same reason also they conclude that if the soule of man were of any such matter as to be the Vitall spirite or the temperament of the bodie it would follow that it were mortall like to the bodie and that nothing shoulde remaine of it after the death thereof Which thing they finde to be too much contrarie vnto that which a man may iudge of the nature and substance of the soule by those effectes of it that were euen nowe mentioned which effectes are such as cannot agree to a corruptible and mortall nature nor to any other then to a celestiall and immortall nature like to that of the Angels aud blessed spirits which are endued with such vertues But I desire to heare thee ARAM vpon the things now spoken of that thou maiest goe on with the matter of our discourses Of the opinion of Galen of Platâ and of Aristotle touching the substance and nature of mans soule of the opinion of Occam touching the Vegetatine and Sensitiue power thereof and of the distinction of soules he maketh in man of the sentence of the Platonists and of Origen touching the creation birth and nature of the soule of the coniunction of the Soule with the bodie and the estate thereof in the same Chap. 83. ARAM. The Ancients speaking of man often call him a great miracle and indeede the more wee bend our mindes to consider of it the more marueilous weshal find it to be Insomuch as in the particular contemplation of the soule which is truely man I woulde gladly aske whether it were better either to discourse Philosophically of this matter hauing store of argument or by way of admiration to crie out with S. Paul O the deepenes of the riches both of the wisedom and knowledge of God! Neuerthelesse being drawen on with the same desire that hath hitherto pricked vs forward to search out and to be instructed in the trueth according to my knowledge I will goe forward ARAM with thy speech For the causes then alleged by thee out of them that consider more diligently the properties excellent gifts of the soule although Galen who otherwise was a prophane man in respect of the knowledge of God and an idolatrous worshipper of nature durst not boldly determine what the reasonable soule was yet as for that which is commonly called the vegetatiue or nourishing and the sensitiue or sensuall soule he feareth not boldly to affirme that it is no other thing then either the naturall and vitall spirits or the temperament But as for the reasonable soule he leaueth it in doubt whether it be of a bodilie nature or of some other that is not corporall and which subsisteth by it selfe being seperated from the bodie Neither doth he conclude any other thing but that it is either a shining substance and an ethereall body that is to say of a more pure and celestiall nature then any of the elements or els that it is of a nature that is not corporall but yet hath this body by which he meaneth the animal spirit to be as a chariot to carie it Plato before him sayd that soules were litle portions taken from the substance of the celestiall fires and hee maketh three parts of a mans soule diuiding them according to the principall parts of the body and those instruments which they haue in the same Which diuision is vnderstood of some as if he made so many sorts of soules as we haue shewed that there are principall powers and offices which haue their seuerall seats and places assigned vnto them in the body Therefore Galen
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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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
seruants in regarde of his vertue that it is giuen to such as resemble them and haue receiued the same graces from aboue For as the holy Spirite who wrought heeretofore in others worketh nowe also in them that haue receiued like grace euen so it is saide of that euill spirite in regarde of the wicked who are all led with the selfe-same spirite of Sathan Wherefore he doth such workes in them whome hee nowe possesseth as he wrought heeretofore in their predecessours So that in this sense it skilleth not though wee say that the spirite of one entreth into another who succeedeth him in the same wicked works But the Pythagoreans of whome I nowe speake take it not so but as hath bin already declared And to set the more colour vpon this so strange an opinion their prophanenesse is such that they dare to alleadge those places of Scripture which were spoken of in the former discourse whereby they labour to perswade themselues and others also with them that the worde of God confirmeth the same No doubt therefore but that they who haue yet such toyes in their head are not without others also yea there is no question but that there are wonderfull puddles of errours and of very strange heresies in their fantasticall braines so that they are ougly monsters among men and would be abhorred of euery one if that which they carry enclosed in their frantike heades might be seene with corporall eies But leauing this point wee are to returne to our principall matter into which we haue made some entrance namely the nature and originall the pollution purgation and immortalitie of the soule of man concerning which thing we haue heard the opinion of the Philosophers and of many that follow them Whereupon we haue to obserue this that notwithstanding any errour in opinion which they helde yet they alwayes came to this point that they concluded the immortalitie of the soule Nowe as touching the ancient Doctors of the Church and the late Diuines they haue written diuersly of the originall of mens soules and of their entrance into their bodies about which point there haue beene and are at this day great disputations and controuersies namely amongst the Physicions and the Diuines Some haue beene of that opinion touching the generation and beginning of the soule with the body whereof we haue already spoken But some restraine this to that soule which they call Vegetatiue and Sensitiue as hath bin shewed vnto vs others comprehend also the reasonable soule therewithall And besides that which wee haue spoken already touching originall sinne in the soule they ground themselues vpon that which is written in Genesis howe that after God had created man who was the last in the creation of all the creatures he rested the seuenth day from the worke which he had made after he had accomplished whatsoeuer it pleased him to doe Therefore they conclude that from that time forward God created not any newe creatures but hauing set such an order as it pleased him to appoint in the nature of things created he preserued the same afterwardes by his prouidence whereby he worketh alwaies in the guiding and conseruation of his creatures although not after that manner whereby he worketh in the creating of them And thus he rested in regarde of the worke of creation so as he created no more any creatures in such sort and maner as he did the first creatures in the beginning Neuerthelesse he rested not in respect of the worke of his prouidence which neuer ceaseth but daily createth all those creatures that come newly into the world by meanes of those seedes which he hath put into euery one of them according to their kindes and by other meanes which hee hath ordained to that purpose Hauing then laide this foundation they conclude that mens soules are not daily created of nothing nor in such maner as the soule of the first man was created but by that meanes which God then appointed for the preseruation of mankinde But because they knowe well enough that there is great difference betwixt the soules of men and of brute beasts they agree that God vseth other means in the procreation and producing of mens soules then in that of beasts by the concurring of his generall action whereby he sustaineth and preserueth the natures of all things according to that naturall disposition which he hath indued them with from the beginning agreeable to that which is written that In him we liue and mooue and haue our beeing Therefore as God vsed other meanes in the creation of the soule of man then he did in that of beastes and placed it also in the body of man after an other fashion that was speciall and peculiar vnto man euen so in the procreation and production of mens soules he hath his speciall order for them which differeth from the order vsed in the generation of the soules of beasts And indeede he sheweth very euidently that he ruleth after another fashion in the production of men and namely in regard of the soule then in that of beasts by the excellent gifts wherewith their soules are adorned not onely in that their soules doe farre exceede the soules of beasts but also in that one soule excelleth another in the nature of man as wee see it in many to whome God hath giuen heroicall spirites which are gifts that cannot proceede from the body And so much for the opinion of these men Others do not only deny the reasonable soule to be taken from any portion either of the diuine nature and essence or of the body of man but they say farther that God by his diuine power and vertue createth it of nothing after that the body of the infant is made perfect in the wombe of the mother hauing all the parts and members thereof And being thus created of God he presently placeth it within that body which he hath appointed for the lodging of it that it may dwel therein vntil after the death of the body it depart immortall out of it as it was created immortall and was so indeede when it entred thereinto These men ground themselues vpon that which we reade in Genesis where it is saide that after God had fashioned man of the dust of the earth he breathed into him the breath of life he was made a liuing soule For it appeareth plainely by this testimonie of Moses that the soule of the first man was not only not created together with the body as the soule of beasts was but also that it was giuen vnto him of some other nature and substance For if there were no more in it then in that of beasts and if it had no kinde of participation with the diuine nature why should God inspite it into the body of man after another fashion then he did that of beasts and what should that inspiration or breathing of God signifie and import Wee haue heard already what some answere vnto this For they
heare from heathen Philosophers so many goodly instructions as they haue left vs concerning the nature and immortalitie of the soule It is true that the reason of man cannot of it selfe contemplate the soule in her first perfect nature in which it was created but it doth consider of it as it is at this present and yet as though it were verie sound Whereupon the Philosophers greatly magnifie the nobilitie and excellencie thereof Therefore when they are to consider of those points vpon which they ground the powers and vertues of the soule for the first they take the vegetatiue vertue which it hath common not onely with the beasts but also with the plants and this comprehendeth three other faculties vnderneath it namely the vertue of nourishing secondly of encreasing lastly of procreation as it hath bene already declared vnto vs. This vertue with the rest that are comprehended vnderneath it is the basest most earthy and vilest of them all besides that it followeth the sensitiue vertue which may be referred aswell to the internall as to the externall senses So that we may diuide it into two parts and more properly call that the sensitiue vertue which the soule hath in taking knowledge of corporall things by corporall senses and by their vse in the body The other part that belongeth to the internall senses may more specially be called the cogitatiue vertue And because these two powers serue to encrease knowledge and vnderstanding they are as it were the fountaine thereof or rather helps and instruments The Astronomers who referre all to the vertue of the starres and planets place the influence of the vegetatiue power with the parts of it vnder the Moone of which the soule as they say receiueth it the other two parts of the sensitiue power of which I spake euen now they place vnder the Sunne as they doe the fourth which is the will and vertue of desiring vnder the planet Venus The fift which is called the angry faculty giuing heart courage to a man and moouing him to wrath vnder the planet Mars Then for the sixt they place the vertue that giueth motion from one place to another For the seuenth that which the Physicians call the vitall vertue and others the spirituall because it conteineth vnder it the power of respiration and both these are attributed to the same because it is a propertie of the sensitiue power to moue and breathe Now all these powers of the soule are common to man with beasts or at least wise there is no great difference But these which now follow are proper and peculiar vnto him namely the reasonable power of which the other that ensue are kindes of which number the Philosophers or Astronomers place in the first ranke the vertue of speech where by the soule expresseth her conceits thoughts affections And although all meÌ vse northe same words to vtter their thoughts ech to other by reason of the diuersitie of languages that is amongst them notwithstanding as the things which they vnderstand conceiue and by which they are moued to speake are al of one substance and nature amongst all nations so all the conceits and affections of men which are signified by their language are alike in their soule and minde where they are written and ingrauen This vertue they attribute to Mercurie as the other that followeth to Iupiter which they call the practicke and actiue vertue whereby a man that hath his will at libertie doeth by counsaile and setled reason exercise and bring to passe through arte prudence and wisedome those things of which he hath sure knowledge For it is not enough to haue the contemplatiue vertue vnles the actiue also be ioined vnto it to declare it by effect Thus you see where they place free will which comprehendeth vnder it first election then action which is the practicke that followeth it And because the practicke dependeth of the theoricke which is the speculatiue and contemplatiue vertue and goeth before the actiue vertue therfore they ioyne this to that and so referre it to the planet of Saturne which is melancholicke And this is that vertue of the soule whereby man hath vnderstanding knowlege wisedome it comprehendeth the seats of such things as the minde is able to vnderstand and comprehend as also those generall rules and principles which it must afterward bring into vse and practise For this cause this speculatiue vertue must of necessitie go before the actiue because the practike is not very certain and sure without the theorike Afterward followeth that which they call the pollitike vertue which hath for her subiect al morall philosophie They vnderstand by this vertue of the soule that whereby a prudent wise and well experienced man moderateth his naughty desires pernicious affections through his vertue wherby he declareth by practise and setled reason that vertue goodnes which is requisit in the publike societie of men that not onely in his priuate behauiour but also in his publike affaires The principall vertues contained vnderneath it are prudence iustice fortitude and temperance which are commonly called cardinall vertues because they are chief containe vnder euery one of them many other vertues which depend of them as branches do of their stock He is accompted a ciuil good man a iust that hath this vertue which is diuided into sundry kinds according to the diuersity of estats that are in common societie For it is sufficient for a priuate person to haue so much of it as whereby he may know how to guide himselfe honestly according to his estate If he be a father of a family he hath need of that prudeÌce skil which is necessary for the gouernment of his house If he haue any publicke charge concerning ciuil affaires it is needful for him to haue that art skil and those vertues without which he cannot wel execute his office according to that place degree in which he is set For if he occupieth the roume of a Lawier or Counsailour at the Law he must haue skill and knowledge of the lawes If he be a captaine or souldier he must be skilful in military discipline If he be a iudge magistrate it is necessary likewise that he vnderstand what belongeth to his office If he be a diuine and pastour in the Church the science of Diuinitie which is the knowlege of the holy scriptures is necessary for him not only so much as is requisit for his owne saluation but also that he may be able to instruct others and to direct them in those things that appertaine to religion Besides to al these vertues they adde the heroicall vertue which is no vulgar common vertue but very rare and excellent if I may so speak rather diuine then humane In regard wherof they that were endued with this vertue among the Heathen were placed in a ranke degree by themselues betweene
ought to depart and the place where they are to be receiued according to the estate of euery one euen vntill they returne into their bodies at the resurrection If they be soules of the reprobate they are deteined in Hel in eternall fire where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth if they be the soules of Gods elect they shine as the sunne in the kingdome of heauen in a life accompanied with perpetual ioy and happinesse But wee must vrge them better that require testimonie for the immortalitie of soules by their returne into this world or of some that haue come from another world For it is an easie matter for vs to bring them as credible witnesses as any can bee to tell them most certaine newes if they will beleeue them according as they deserue it And for the first haue wee not Iesus Christ who first came downe from heauen and became man to bring vs newes and to declare the same vnto vs in his owne person not onely before his death but also after his resurrection Besides how many other witnesses haue we that haue testified most certainly of the same who saw with their eyes and touched with their hands euen to the number of moe then fiue hundred according as Saint Paul testifieth Moreouer they that were raised as wel by him as by Elias and Elizeus and by the Apostles and disciples may they not serue vs also for good withnesse to assure vs not onely that soules are immortall but also that their bodies shall rise againe and that God is of sufficient vertue power to doe it as he hath promised I omit here the testimonie which the Angels haue giuen both of the resurrection and ascension of Iesus Christ besides that of the holy spirite which is the chiefest of all with signes and giftes wherewith he came accompanied and those woorkes and effectes that followed them Wherefore seeing wee haue for this point the worde of God that is most certaine cleere which teacheth vs what we ought to beleeue and hold let vs rest our selues in the testimonie thereof and not desire to make further inquiry For it is he that said to Moses I am the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Iacob Whereupon Iesus Christ concludeth that Abraham Isaac and Iacob doe liue yet after their death seeing God is the God of the liuing and not of the dead that is to say of them that are yet in being and not of them that are nothing at all For otherwise if all men should so perish by death that nothing of them should remaine in life at leastwise in regard of the soule then should he be the God of nothing And although it seemeth that Iesus Christ alleaged this place against the Sadduces not onely to proue against them by the doctrine of Moses the immortality of soules but also the resurrection of bodies we may well gather that if it be fitte to proue that bodies arise it is much more strong to assure vs of the immortality of soules For when the Lord spake these words Abraham Isaac and Iacob were not aliue in regarde of their bodies but onely of their soules And yet Iesus Christ alleaged it to confirme also therby the resurrection of the dead although at the first sight it may seem not to be very fit firm to proue that so much as the immortality of soules But if it be narrowly looked into his argumeÌt shal be found to be very well deduced grounded vpon inuincible reason For Iesus Christ had respect to the promise which God made to those holy Patriarkes of whom he spake which was not made only to their soule but to the whole man together compounded of body soule Wherfore al they to whoÌ it was made to whom it appertaineth should not haue the whole effect of it nor the ful fruition of that which it coÌtaineth if they were not whole inheriters therof both in body soule For if it were otherwise the promise should be accomplished but in one part of man not in the whole man Wherupon it followeth that seeing the promise is not of a teÌporal benefit but of an eternal therefore the whole man that must enioy the same must of necessitie liue an euerlasting life beeing of the same nature that the benefit is of which he must inherit Wherefore seeing the course of mans life is brokeÌ off by death in regard of the body the body must necessarily rise again to liue again with his soule in a better longer life to the end that the whole man may possesse that inheritance which is promised him of God or els the promise made by God to his seruants is altogether vain or the testimony which the holy scripture beareth is wholly false so also the scripture that propoundeth the same vnto vs. But none may once think either of these two last points without great horror of blasphemy contained in theÌ So that the first point concludeth very strongly according to that grouÌd which it hath most certaine in the word of God Whereunto may be added further that seeing the soule of man is created not to liue alwaies without a body as the Angels do nor yet to wander from body to body but to be knit and ioyned to that body which is assigned to it of God it must needs be that being part therof as of her lodging she should once againe returne thither Besides seeing the body hath serued the soule either in obeying God or in disobeying of his wil the nature of Gods iusticerequireth that it should be rewarded also with the soule according to the qualitie of those workes whereof it hath bin an instrument Therefore according to that which we haue discoursed of this matter the resurrection of the body doth so depend of th'immortality of soules that it foloweth necessarily vpoÌ this so that if we haue assurance of the one we ought to haue it of the other seeing both of them are certainely grounded vpoÌ the iustice of God which caÌnot be iust vnlesse he iudge men both in body soule according to his word according as euery one liueth But seeing the matter of th'immortality of soules that of the resurrection of bodies are sundry questions and that wee are to handle but one of them we must returne to our first point of the soule touching th'immortality thereof which is easily beleeued of al that approue of the doctrine of holy Scriptures that giue credit to the word of God For they are throughly resolued therof Yea we may know by the writings of al antiquity that the common opinion of all people nations of what religion soeuer they haue bin hath bin this that mens soules were immortal Wherfore in regard of this point we are to fight only against Epicures Atheists And because they wil not beleeue the word of God but deride it as tales made vpoÌ pleasure I am of opinion that now we
are to search chiefly for those testimonies which God hath giuen vs in nature touching th'immortality of the soule euen the actions and effects therof by meanes of which we come to the knowledge of hidden and secret causes from whence they proceed Therefore consider Amana what you mind to speake vnto vs of this subiect Of naturall reasons whereby the immortalitie of soules may be proued against Epicures and Atheists and first of the argument taken froÌ the facultie of knowledge which the soule hath and from that knowledge of eternitie which is in it how it appeareth that it is not begotteÌ of this corruptible nature because it ascendeth vp vnto God and how by a special benefit of God it is daily created not by the vertue of nature Cha. 90. AMANA Seeing Epicures Atheists giue credit to natural Philosophy in things whose causes it proueth by their effects they haue no reason to refuse it in the consideration of the nature of mens soules Now it is verie certaine that if we will take this course besides the testimonies of God in his word touching the immortalitie of the soule which way soeuer we turne our eyes whether aboue vs or beneath vs on the right hand or on the left we shall finde euery where arguments and reasons concluding the same For we haue nature and the necessitie of causes proportion and similitude life the excellent dignitie of man the goodnes of God and the profit of mankind proceeding from his bountifulnesse which with one common consent and as it were all with one voyce teach vs and crie out that the soule cannot bee mortall First then we obserue that the true naturall essences of all things are not knowne of vs by themselues but continue hidde in the secret closets of euery one of them vnto which our minde being burthened with this masse of the body and ouerwhelmed with the darkenesse of this life is not able to reach Therefore we must enquire by the accidents adhering vnto them and principally by their actions whereby our reason discourseth and concludeth of euery thing what it is and of what qualitie For euery thing hath his actions and workes according to it owne substance and nature and by them declareth and maketh it selfe knowne so that if wee consider the actions of the soule we shall by them know the nature and immortalitie thereof Let vs then consider her first and principall action which is to know and this importeth also to vnderstande to comprehende and to conceiue Whereupon we haue to note that there is no power of Knowing that can attaine to the knowledge of any thing but it hath some agreement and proportion with the nature of the same thing because knowledge is as it were the image of things which is imprinted in the soule as in a glasse Now it is certaine that a looking glasse cannot represent the image and similitude of a spirituall thing because it selfe is a corporall thing which hath no agreement in nature with that which is spirituall Likewise it cannot represent any thing belonging to the other senses but onely that which concerneth the sight and therfore it cannot represent either soundes smelles or tastes because the vse thereof is onely for the eyes neither doeth it agree with any of the other senses but onely with the sight And as for our externall senses they cannot perceiue those things that haue neither quantitie nor bodily substance because they themselues are corporal Neither yet can they perceiue things that are absent And the internall senses as the fantasie the imagination cannot perceiue spiritual things as namely either God or Angels but onely the spirite of a man doeth perceiue know and comprehend them which power and facultie no other creature vnder heauen hath For if it were otherwise it could not in any wise comprehend a thing that surmounteth it with an infinite greatnes and with which it hath no agreement at all For further confirmation of that which I say let vs consider of Eternitie as it is whole and entire in it selfe then let vs diuide it into that which was since the creation of the worlde and finally into that which followed the same and which shall be for euermore When our spirite entereth into the consideration of that which was before the creation our thought is not able to comprehend it so that it is ouerwhelmed with the greatnesse thereof but wee doe well vnderstand and comprehend that part of eternitie which shall followe vs heereafter throughout infinit ages Whereby it appeareth that this first consideration of it is too great for our soule as hauing no proportion therewith nor yet agreeing thereunto but it is otherwise with the soule in the consideration of that other eternitie for the fruition whereof it was created For the soule is not eternall as God is as though it had no more beginning then he had and therefore it hath no agreement with him in this respect The soule then entereth into a bottomlesse gulfe when it discourseth of an eternitie of which it is not partaker but it hath agreement with the eternitie of God as angels haue in that it is created immortall to liue an eternall life with him which appeareth in that it is able to comprehend the same Therfore Saint Iohn in the beginning of his Gospel leadeth vs euen to the gates of this first eternitie but forasmuch as it is a gulfe in which we shall be swallowed vp if we enter farther into it hee proceedeth not forward but stayeth vs there and calleth vs presently vnto the means whereby God manifested himselfe telling vs how he did this by his eternall worde and first by the creation of the worlde then by those other meanes which hee setteth downe afterwarde all which our soule comprehendeth well and so cannot the soule of beasts do Wherfore when we consider God in his essence and nature before the creation of the world the time that was before that wee are then ouerwhelmed therewithall see no whit at all into it But if we enter into the consideration of the times after the creation of the world into those which shal follow stil after vs vnto all eternity wee looke into it more cleerely and are not so much dazeled therwithall because our soule is more capable of this consideration then of the other which was before all creatures From hence wee may conclude that the soules of beasts and plants that haue not in them this cogitation or apprehension of eternitie are produced and taken out of the power and vertue of that matter of which they are engendered but the spirit of man is more specially bredde in the bodie by God aboue all the powers of the matter and nature of the same For nothing ariseth higher or passeth beyond that thing of which it receiueth essence and beeing and those powers and strength that it hath for if it did then should it not receiue being from thence
but of some other thing before and aboue that or else farther off vnto which it tendeth We see this in all the senses both externall and internall which are common to vs with beastes For they know nothing else beside that which is of this nature which we see neither doe they ascend higher but our spirite not content with the sight and knowledge of the heauens starres and Angels themselues mounteth vp to God and being come thither can go no further What other thing els doeth this signifie and declare vnto vs but that the soules of beasts are engendered of this corruptible and mortall nature beyonde which they cannot lift vp themselues but that ours are produced of God aboue the power of this nature And so that may bee saide of our soule which is spoken of a spring water namely that it ascendeth as much vpwarde as it descendeth downeward but can goe no higher For when a man woulde carie the water of a spring any whither and would haue it mount vpwarde it will be an easie matter to bring it as high as the spring-head from whence it floweth but no higher except it bee forced by some other meane then by it owne course and naturall vertue Notwithstanding it will easily descend lower And so fareth it with our spirite For as it came from God so it is able to mount againe to the knowledge of him and no higher but it descendeth a great deale lower And as for our senses they remaine lower then the woorkes of nature and pearce not to the depth of them but are alwayes busied about the externall face of them Neither is it to bee doubted but that Moses meant to teach vs these things by that which hee rehearseth of the meanes vsed by God in the creation of man which differed from that hee kept in the creation of all other creatures either liuing or without life For we haue heard what deliberation and counsaile he vsed before he put hand to the worke how he fashioned the body and how he placed the soule therein by and by after Therefore in that the Prophet describeth the creation of the bodie apart and then that of the soule he giueth vs to vnderstand that wee must seeke for something more high and excellent in that of man then in that of beastes whose soules were created with their bodies and of the selfe-same matter with them Moreouer he teacheth vs this very plainly when he saith that God created man after his owne image and similitude which hee did not say of beasts as we haue alreadie heard Therefore there must needes be in the soule of man some other power and vertue then that by which it giueth life to the bodie and which is common to it with those of brute beastes So that as God gaue to this dead bodie taken out of the earth a soule that endued it with life motion and sense so hee imprinted and ingraued his image into this soule vnto which immortalitie is annexed Therefore when Moses sayeth that man was made a liuing soule no doubt but by the name of soule he meaneth another nature and substance then that of the bodie And in that he calleth it liuing hee declareth plainly that the bodie hath not of it self and of it owne nature that life wherewith it is endued but from the power of this soule And although hee there maketh not any speciall mention of the other vertues thereof it is because hee considered the capacitie of the people with whome he liued vnto whom he would frame himselfe being content to speake openly of that power of the soule which appeared best without and which the externall senses might most easily know perceiue by the effects thereof But I thinke it will not be vnfit for this matter if wee returne to that question which before we touched concerning the creation of the soule namely whether since it was created by God in the first creation of man it be still created after the same sort as it were by a new miracle in them that are daily borne in the worlde or whether it bee naturally created but yet of God by a certaine order appointed for that ende by him Nowe albeeit it bee very requisite that we should bee sober and not rash in this matter for the causes alreadie set downe notwithstanding we will here propound the opinion of some learned men grounded vpon that order which God hath accustomed to obserue in his workes and in his creatures For seeing he hath set a law in nature for all other creatures according to which he createth produceth them not by any new miracle it is more likely that he createth soules naturally and that he hath ordained a stedfast law for mankind but differing from that of beasts so much as his creation differed from theirs For hauing once established an order he vseth not to change it into a diuers or contrarie order but keepeth still the same except it bee that sometimes he vseth extraordinarie meanes by way of a miracle For although all his woorkes bee great miracles and chiefely man neuerthelesse wee call none by that name but onely those which he woorketh by supernaturall meanes not against but beside the common order of nature But that which I say derogateth nothing from the nature immortalitie of mans soule For although it be placed in that matter which is alreadie prepared and appropriated for the fashioning of the body yet he doeth this aboue the vertue of the matter and of the worke of nature by a lawe which he hath established to that effect For this cause he doeth not onely giue a soule to them that are begotten by lawfull marriage but to those also who are brought foorth in whoredome whether it be adultery incest or any other such like For although that honestie which is enioyned mankind by God be not kept in such a birth and generation but contrarieth the same yet it is not contrary to the lawe of generation ordayned by God as that generation is which is by buggerie wherein not only the Law of honesty is violated but also the law of nature We will conclude then that it is not only true that our soule is not brought forth by the power of nature but by the benefit of God only but also that it is expedient and very behoofefull yea necessary for mankind that it should be true and because it is behoofefull and necessary it is true also without all question For God hath omitted nothing that is agreeable to his glory and profitable and expedient for mankinde For seeing the soule is placed within the bodie not by the vertue of nature but properly and peculiarly by a speciall benefite of God man oweth the chiefest and best part of himselfe not to nature but to God Which is the cause why he should acknowledge him as the onely father of his spirite consecrate the same wholly to him alone not yeelding
conscience Wee say then that feare is not without a speciall prouidence of GOD giuen to men after an other manner then vnto beastes who in deede haue some feare put in them to the ende to keepe themselues from hurtfull things before they take and vse them but this apprehension of theirs goeth not beyond the euils which may befall them in this life as that doeth in men which reacheth a great deale further For they that haue committed some horrible crime can not bee without feare although they did it so secretely that no bodie coulde come to the knowledge of it or else were so mightie and powerfull that they stoode not in awe of any humane power whatsoeuer Now if they that haue not this authoritie and assuraunce shoulde replie vpon me that they are afraid least men should come to the knowledge of the fact committed by them so they should be punished I demand of them from whence this feare commeth but from an apprehension which will they nill they is in them and proceedeth from a certaine sense and feeling of nature which causeth them to feare that their offence shal be discouered by some other meanes then humane As if nature testified vnto them that there is some diuine prouidence and vengeance which watcheth ouer offences and discloseth them how secret soeuer they are and causeth them to be punished As experience teacheth in many whose secret crimes haue bin discouered by woonderfull and incredible meanes so that all men are astonished at it and are constrained to confesse that there is a diuine iustice which wil not suffer horrible facts to remaine alwaies hid and vnpunished Therfore how secret and close soeuer they carry the matter this diuine iustice rappeth continually at the doore of their conscience as it were an Apparitor or Sergeant calling them to iudgement so that whether they will or no they must alwaies liue in feare And this also hath bin the cause that hath alwayes induced men I speake not of Atheists who are brute beasts not men to seek after some power out of their own nature aboue all creatures to gard and defend them from the euill which they feare For notwithstanding their diuersity of opinions touching the diuine nature all with one consent from time to time haue euermore yeelded publike constant testimonie that there is some diuine essence and power that can help or hurt them Whereupon it followeth that they can not be without feare of it or els not without som hope that by the help therof they shal be kept from the euil which they feare obtaine that good which they desire Wherefore if Epicures and Atheists say that feare was the first shop in which the gods were forged and made in the world I will take their saying against themselues For hereby they are compelled at least to confesse that feare hath constrained men from time to time to seek after some god and that the same is a publike testimony of nature which hath caused theÌ to lift vp the eies of their mind beyond the reach of brute beasts forced them to think that there is some diuine power and nature And by the same reason also they may learne that this is no light fancie vaine opinion entred into the braine of man but a naturall firme and constant notion and knowledge which no age of man could euer abolish nor any thing els in the world Yea this hath bin daily confirmed in them more and more and shal be continually notwithstanding these swinish Epicures grunt in their sties these dogged Atheists barke against God and his prouidence against his iudgement the immortalitie of soules which is the principall foundation of religion and the establishment and preseruation of humane societie Nowe then after so great a multitude of strong arguments powerfull testimonies which like a mighty armie fight in battel aray to maintaine the truth of the soules immortalitie who can doubt there of in any wise Let them that vphold the contrary bring forth their arguments testimonies against ours place them in the froÌt of the battel as it were army against army that all may know on which side not only the number but the strength also is the greatest For the greatnes of the number would do small good vnles strength also were ioyned therunto For we must not so much reckon as waigh the sentences nor consider so much how many men affirme a thing as what maner of persons they are of what waight their testimony is as also what they affirme with what reasons If we fal into this consideration I doubt not but that euery way the aduantage will be on our side for the trueth namely in regarde of multitude authoritie nature reason and which is more the testimony of God who alone is sufficient Nowe to the ende that this may bee well knowen vnto vs let vs heare AMANA the best arguments that our aduersaries can bring for the ground of their errour Whether Epicures and Atheists be reasonable beasts yea or no and what reasons they bring to ouerthrow the immortalitie of the soule of the false opinion of Pliny touching the same and of his friuolous and brutish reasons to this purpose of the brutish conclusion vnbeseeming the whole race of mankinde which he maketh of this matter and of the iudgement of God vpon him Chap. 98. AMANA Many men by reason of their ignorance in the Latine tongue think that Animal is a beast whereas it signifieth a liuing creature and comprehendeth vnder it aswell men as beasts euen euery creature endued with a liuing soule And therefore when they woulde shew the difference that is betwene men and beasts they take the contrary species or kind for the whole say that a man is a reasonable beast not considering that they speake contraries For there is as great difference betwene a beast and reasonable as betweene a man brutish or brutishnes For-seeing it is the naturall property of euery beast of what kind soeuer it be to be brutish it cannot bee that any should bee reasonable except peraduenture Epicures and Atheists will say that they bee such beasts And indeede they should haue wrong offered them to bee reckoned among meÌ seeing they do voluntarily make themselues brutish If then they will not confesse that they are beasts altogether vncapable of reason I demand of them whether they be reasonable beasts and whether they will argue this matter whereof we intreat with reasons or no seeing they wil not rest in the iudgement of humane reason and of naturall Philosophie and seeing all the holy Scriptures holy Doctors wise Ancients and most notable personages seeme vnto them to be no better then toyes and fables Let vs come then to the reasons of these vnreasonable beasts without reason Is there any point in all humane Philosophie that is better grounded and laied vpon so strong firme and well concluding reasons
of man and of the image of the worlde in mans body of the coniunction that is betweene God the Angels and men of the sundry degrees of Good that are therein of those lessons and instructions which we ought to receiue from the wonderfull composition and coniunction of the soule and body Chap. 100. ACHITOB. If we could diligently consider of the naturall historie of man which we haue prosecuted hitherto we should finde in it a goodly glasse wherein we might beholde God who is inuisible making him after a sort visible vnto vs and come to the knowledge of him by his woorkes euen as the soule is made as it were visible to vs shewing it selfe vnto vs by the body wherein it dwelleth and by those woorkes which it effecteth in the same Therefore first let vs set before our eyes the whole frame of the world as it were a great body then all the partes of it as the members thereof and lastly let vs consider God as the soule of this great body woorking in the same and doing all his works there according to that order which he hath set therein euen as the soule hath his operation in the body of man and in all the members thereof Thus doing as we know that there is a soule in the body and another nature besides that which is corporall which woorketh in the same as we perceiue by the effectes of it so by the woorkes done in this visible world we may iudge that there is another nature that doeth them which being inuisible is some other theÌ this whole frame which we behold and farre more excellent filling the same and being in al the parts of it as the soule is in the body But whilest we propound to our selues this glasse to looke vpon let vs beware we fal not into their fond dreames who both thought and affirmed that this world was the body of God and that he was the soule thereof dwelling in it as the soule of man doeth in his body For if it were so then should God bee mortall and corruptible in regarde of his body so that still some part or other of him should perish as we see that corporall things daily corrupt On the other side God should not bee infinite and incomprehensible as hee is for the world doeth not comprehend and containe him but hee comprehendeth and containeth the whole world Wherefore neither is the worlde God nor God the world but the Creator of it by whom it is and consisteth And albeit we behold him not with our eyes in his nature and diuine essence yet wee must not therefore conclude as Atheists doe that hee is not at all no more nay much lesse then the soule is because those woorkes whereby hee manifesteth himselfe in the worlde are farre greater without comparison then those which the soule woorketh in mans bodie Besides that all the woorkes of the soule are the woorkes of God seeing it receiueth from him that life and vertue that is in it Forasmuch then as the soule is the image of God in man as his bodie is the image of all this great worlde in which GOD woorketh as the soule doeth in mans bodie let vs consider diligently howe God hath distributed the powers vertues and offices of the soule in the bodie and in all the partes of it as he manifesteth his glorie vertue and power in this visible worlde in all the partes of the same For the first there is agreement heerein that as one onely soule is in one bodie and is sufficient for all the partes and members thereof so there is but one God in the worlde who is sufficient for all his creatures Againe if wee cannot conceiue howe the soule is lodged in the bodie howe it giueth life vnto it displaying all her vertues and doing all her woorkes therein but onely so farre foorth as shee giueth vs instructions and testimonies thereof by those diuers effects which wee see in euerie part and member of the bodie no maruaile then if wee cannot beholde with the eye nor comprehende howe GOD is euerie where filling heauen and earth and howe hee displayeth his power and vertue woorking in all his creatures guiding and gouerning them and preseruing them by his diuine prouidence and vertue For if wee cannot comprehende the creature or the nature thereof howe shall wee comprehende that of the Creator Iesus Christ saide to Nicodemus If when I tell you earthly things yee beleeue not howe shoulde yee beleeue if I tell you of heauenly things Wee may say the like heere that if it be impossible for vs throughly to know the earth or the bodie or soule of man or the nature and vertue thereof howe shall wee knowe the heauens and spirituall natures or God and his woorkes For if it bee beyonde our reach to discerne them in our selues no not the woorkes of our soule howe shall wee comprehende his woorkes in the whole worlde Notwithstanding if wee can well consider of that coniunction and agreement that is betweene God and his creatures with the the disposition of those sundry degrees which euerie one of them holdeth in this coniunction euen from the highest and most celestiall things that approch neerest to the nature of God vnto those thinges that are lowest and most terrestriall then shall we set God as it were present before the eyes of our spirite and by the contemplation of him woonderfully content all the partes of our soule Therefore to prosecute this poynt let vs note that GOD created and fashioned in his Angels images of himselfe that are altogether spirituall as indeede himselfe is all spirite and not inclosed or shut vp in any bodies that are of an earthly and corruptible matter Besides it pleased him to make another kinde of his image in the nature of man which should holde the second degree next to the Angelical nature in which hee represented himselfe more excellently then in any other visible nature and creature namely in a nature that came neerest to his owne next to that of Angels and in which the bodily and visible nature was ioyned vnto a spirituall and inuisible nature Now for the better vnderstanding hereof wee will set downe a coniunction of three kinds of good things which are in diuers degrees The first is God the creator who is the greatest of all and the soueraign good of all his creatures and is a nature without any qualitie or accident whatsoeuer For all that is in him is substantiall and essentiall This Good is such a nature as hath all his mouing of himselfe and receiueth it not from any other then from himselfe but giueth mouing to all creatures according to their nature and measure And yet all the motions in God are without any change either of time or place or howsoeuer so that hee abideth still immoueable and may alwayes say I am the Lorde I change not as it is in Malachie For he is euer one And seeing he
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 compositioÌ 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
our birth What similitude there is betweene our spirituall and our natural birth Why we abhorre natural death The first point to be considered touching mans nakednes Gen. 3. 19. The second point Man by nature hath least defence for himselfe A commendation of the hand of man The third point A double vse to be made of our wants Wherin men excell all other liuing creatures The fourth point What we ought to learne by the proportion of our bodies What man is The excellent frame of mans body Who they be that know not themselues Ioh. 15. 1 2 3 4 The soule proceedeth not of the matter Nor of the qualities Nor of the harmonie Nor of the composition of the body The nature of a Hog And of an Elephant The soule of a beast differeth from the substance and nature of his body The facultie of sense commeth not from the body The cause of the life of the body The degrees of mans age Iob 14. 5. The cause of the length and shortnes of life What naturall death is Psal 90. 10. Psal 7. 8 9. Iob 14. 1 2. Of the true difference betweene naturall and diuine Philosophie The cause of so many Atheists Gen. 3. 17 18. Iob 5. 6. The cause of barrennes Nothing abideth still in the same state The cause of the length of life What death is Naturall death Violent death Of the windpipe From whence the cough commeth Esay 2. 22. The blood necessary for life The difference betweene the death of beasts and of man An image of our spirituall death in the bodily Only sinne hurteth the soule What it is to be well A comfort against death Rom. 8. 22. Naturall philosophie affoordeth no found comfort against afflictions or death A profitable contemplation in nature The miserable estate of Atheists that haue no hope of another life Philosophicall reasons against the feare of death Sinne the cause of death Atheists more miserable then beasts The common sayings of Atheists Naturall reason not sufficient to stay the conscience Two sorts of Atheists Why there must needes be a second life What Nature is Nature is a creature The error of Galen such like Atheists nowe adayes What we are to iudge of Nature 1. Thes 5. 23. Dan. 9. 24. Man diuided into three parts One soule in one bodie The soule like to a man that hath many offices Of the seate of the soule in the body The soule compared to an Husbandman The chiefe instruments of the soule Two kinds of vniting things together Of the vnion betweene the soule and the body How the soule is ioyned to the bodie Diuers degrees of nature in the soule Beasts haue some kinde of knowledge The originall of the powers of the Soule An admirable worke of God Why God hath ioyned the body to the soule The naturall knowledge of mans body very profitable Why the soule worketh with sundry instruments Of the Vital and Animal spirites and of their operations The effects of the Vital and Animal spirits in man The Vital Animal spirits are not the soule A wonderfull worke of God 1. Sam. 18. 10. 31. 4. 2. Sam. 17 23. Matth. 27. 5. 1. Thess 5. 23. A comparison of the soule and a workeman A similitude Against the transmigration of soules The aptest instrument for the soule The necessary vse of the humours The humors are in continuall motion What partes of the body come nerest to the soule 1. Cor. 6. 19. Of the entire sanctification of mans bodie The body liueth not to eate but eateth to liue 1. Thes 5. 23. The name of Soule taken diuersly Math. 10. 28. Gen. 6. 17. esai 40. 6. luc 3. 6. leuit 4. 2. ezech 18. 4. rom 13. 1. Gen. 14. 21. 46. 27. When a man is perfectly sanctified Esay 26. 8 9. Luk. 1. 46 47. The soule deuided into three partes Ephe 4. 17 18. Iohn 1. 9. and 8. 12. and 9. 5. and 12. 46. Why the naturall powers are not mentioned in these diuisions Genes 37. 21. Deut. 19. 21. Ierem. 11. 21. Matth. 2. 20. Esay 5. 14. Esay 29. 8. Ierem. 31. 25. Ezech. 7. 19. Deut. 24. 15. leuit 19. 13. Deute 24. 6. Matth. 16. 17. Iohn 1. 12 13. 1. Cor. 2. 11 12 What is meant by liuing soule Genes 1. 1. Cor. 15. 44. What is meant by a naturall and by a spirituall man Genes 2. 7. What is meant by an animal or naturall man The soule put so the affections Gen. 34. 3. Gen. 44. 30. 1. Sam. 18. 1. Deut. 6. 5. matth 10. 39. mar 8. 35. luke 9. 24. iohn 12. 25. How we are to vnderstand that the soule dieth Num. 23. 10. Gen. 22. 16. Ierem. 51. 14. Amos 6. 8. Leuit. 21. 1. The name of soule put for the dead body Iob 33. 18 22. Psalme 30. 3. Psalm 56. 13. and 22. 20. What is meant by Spirite in the Scriptures Psalme 31. 5. luke 23. 46. Actes 7. 59. Eccles. 12. 7. Iob 27. 3 4. Rom. 8. 16. 1. Cor. 2. 11. Psal 33. 20 21. 1. Pet. 2. 11 12. Wisd 1. How the soule is after a sort mortall The ancient Academicall kinde of teaching Pâatân Phad The word of God the true glasse for the minde Who know the soule best The soule is not bred of corporall seede Genes 1. Modestie requisite in searching the trueth How we become guiltie of original sinne What originall sinne is How wee must learne to know the soule When wee shall know our sâlues perfectly What the soule is Varietie of opinions touching the essence of the soule Iohn 3. 6. Why one soule is called vegetatiue another sensitiue the third reasonable Iohn 3. 12. Of the distinction of the soule from the powers there of The soule of the beast is of a corporal substance Gen. 9. 4. Leui. 17. 14. The Vitall spirite compared to the flame of a lampe It is engendred of the blood in the heart God the author of nature Sundry opinion of the reasonable soule The soule proceedeth not froÌ the elements Rom. 11. 33. Galens opinion of the soule Gal. dâ plâs Hip. Platoes opinion touching the soule Aristotles opinion of the soule Occams opinion of the soule Of the creation of soules according to the Platonists Lib 11. chap. 23. of the citie of God Origens opinion of soules The Platonists opinion of the soule confuted God is not the soule of the world Act. 17. 28. Arat. Phae. How men are the linage of God Platoes opinion of Daemones or celestial spirits Plato dwelt with the Egyptians Lactautius lib. 2. cap. 13. Ecclus. 24. 5. The Soule created of nothing Of the transmigration of soules The regeneration of the Pythagoreans A fond opinion of certaine Heretikes Against the transmigration of soules Why Plato inuented the transmigration of soules Mans nature compared to a Monster How meÌ become like to beasts The ignorant wrest the sence of good writers Math. 14. 2. marke 6. 14. Luke 9. 7 8. Mat. 16. 13 14. luke 9. 19. Of the Iewes opinion of the transmigration
of liuing creatures might not be hindered hee hath not made the ligaments nor the filaments nor the sinewes of any such boisterous or stiffe matter but that the creatures may easily bend euery way whithersoeuer they list to mooue and turne their members Neyther hath hee made them of so tender and soft matter but that they are strong and powerful enough to holde fast all the members within their ioynts to the ende they might not easily become bare and thrust out of their places as also to furnish the creatures with strength and power which consisteth principally in the force and might of these partes It is requisite also that they shoulde be such because they are as it were in continuall labour and sustaine great stresses Wherefore they must needes bee of such matter as will not easily yeelde or weare away or breake in pieces And because all the members and all the ioyntes are not to sustaine labours and brunts alike therefore the Lorde hath very well prouided for that as hee hath done the like also in the composition and distribution of the bones For those members that must sustaine the heauiest burthens and greatest brunts that are to dispatch most laboursome businesse and therefore require the greater strength haue biggest strongest and mightiest bones ligaments and sinewes so that their bulke bignesse breadth and thickenesse are answerable to their necessary vses The lesser members and such as are to vndergoe lesse paine which are ordained to effect more fine and witty workes wherein Arte is more required then force haue also their bones ligaments and sinewes lesser and smaller so that in certaine places there are some bones passing small and sinewes which are onely as it were little threedes Thus much I thought meete for vs to vnderstand concerning the simple parts of the body nowe wee must consider the compound partes and first intreate of the outermost partes and so followe that which wee spake of the foundation of mans building to the ende that by little and little wee may set him vpright and consider him throughly in all his partes Therefore thy speach ACHITOB shall be of the feete and legges and of the armes and handes Of the compound partes of the body and first of the feete and legges and of the armes and hands Chap. 4. ACHITOB. Among the manifolde and great commodities which wee may reape by the diligent consideration of the Anatomy of the body there are two of greatest weight The first is to put vs in minde of our mortalitie in regarde of our bodies to the ende that we should not please ourselues too much in the beautie of them and so waxe prowde and abuse our selues as also that wee should remember all those testimonies which wee haue in the holie Scriptures of the frailtie of man and of his whole nature For when wee see that those partes of the body that are hardest strongest most firme and such as after the death of a man continue longest before they returne into powder and into that first matter out of which they were taken as namely those partes that were propounded vnto vs in the former discourse especially the bones I say when we see that these notwithstanding their hardnesse must in the ende returne to dust as well as the rest what shall wee thinke of the other partes that are softer and more tender and lesse able to resist corruption Therefore the spirite of God doeth so often by his worde call and send vs backe to that instruction which hee giueth vs by the matter whereof hee made and framed our bodies and by the consideration of our owne originall and birth to the ende wee shoulde learne to containe our selues euermore within the compasse of all humilitie and modestie as well towardes him as one towardes an other Hereof it was that Isaiah had commaundement giuen him from the Lorde to crie that all flesh iâ grasse and all the grace thereof as the floure of the field Man that is borne of a woman saieth Iob is of short continuance and full of trouble Hee shooteth foorth as a floure and is cut downe hee vanisheth also as a shadow and continueth not Againe for the second point wee are taught to consider and to knowe by that prouidence of God which sheweth it selfe in the composition of the vilest and most earthy partes and in that frame which hee maketh for the building of the whole body howe great and woonderfull it ought to be in the residue namely in the noblest partes thereof especially in the soule if wee could see it with our eyes as wee beholde the body Wherfore that wee may the better knowe the excellent worke of God in this building we must raise it vpright before our eyes to the end wee may behold it on the out-side as it were a frame ready made from the foote to the top and from the foundation to the couering and highest part thereof The whole body of man is commonly diuided into foure principall outward parts which are called compound in respect of the simple partes spoken of before which serue for matter to make them of whereupon afterward they take the name of member according to that forme that is giuen to eche of them These foure principall parts are the head the breast the belly the outward partes namely the armes and handes the legges and feete The head endeth where the necke beginneth The breast comprehendeth that part which we commonly call the breast also the backe the ribs and whatsoeuer else is contained in them from the necke vnto the midriffe which is a skinne that separateth the heart and the lungs on the one side and the inferiour intralles on the other The belly reacheth from thence where the breast endeth vnto the bone aboue the priuie members and neare to the groine The extreme or outward parts are already named by vs and of them our present discourse shall be beginning as it were at the foundation vpon which all the body is laide First therefore wee see how God hath so aptly fashioned the feete that they doe not onelie beare vp al the rest of the body but also carry and recarry it wheresoeuer a man wil. Next the legs are set vpon them as it were the pillers of this whole building being closed in such sorte vnto them as neede requireth to helpe the feete to sustaine and beare vp all the rest of the frame laide vpon them For this cause Salomon calleth them the strong men that stoope in olde age when their vertue and strength faileth them For they bow through weakenes and tremble as the hands do which the same Prophet calleth the keepers of the house Now because the chief streÌgth of the body lieth in the bones when the scriptures meane to set forth any violeÌt griefe as when a man is extremly pressed as it were altogether oppressed they say that his bones are vexed or broken or out of ioynt that is to say all
his strength and power so that he is as a bodie whose bones are wholy broken and shiuered And when the Scripture woulde signifie the contrarie it saieth that their bones runne full of marrow and that they flourish like an hearb Nowe if we take the whole legge namely from the huckle bone vnto the endes of the toes it hath three great partes answerable to the three partes of the whole arme which part of the body reacheth from the shoulders vnto the endes of the fingers In the first place is the foote which is the nethermost part of the whole legge and it consisteth of three partes which also are answerable to the three partes of the hand The first is the heele which by a ioynt and conuenient knitting together vniteth the foote to that parte of the legge which reacheth from thence vp to the knee or gartering place The second is the sole and as it were the backâ of the foote being long large and hollow in the middest to the ende it might be more fit to stand fast and to walke vpon The toes are the third part of the foote being set and placed in such wise as is most conuenient for that duetie of the foote For they differ much from the fingers not onelie in length but also in situation because the office of the hand and the foote is not all one Therefore as the fingers are longer then the toes so the thumbs are otherwise placed then the great toes For if the great toe were placed as the thumbe is it woulde hinder the foote in steade of helping it and the like may bee saide of the other toes The two other partes of the legge are first that which is from the knee to the foote which is commonly called the legge for want of an other proper name in our tongue next the thigh which is from the huckle bone vnto the knee And as this hath his ioynt and band to fasten him to the knee so the other by the like meanes is ioyned to the foote Therefore both the foote and the whole legge haue their necessary motions through the helpe of the sinewes and muscles as well to stretch it selfe out as to bowe and bend forward and backeward vpward and downeward as also to turne it selfe on the right hand and on the left and round about both to set forward and to retire to ascend and to descend and for all the motions that are meete and conuenient both for this member and for all the partes of it Thus much for the lowest foundation of the frame of mans body and for the pillers that holde it vp Nowe wee must consider of the other outward partes the armes and the hands As God hath giuen to man two legges and two feete to holde him vp and to carry him whithersoeuer hee woulde goe so hee hath giuen him two armes and two handes to dispatch all businesse which hee thinketh good Therefore the hand is rightly called by Aristotle âhe instrument of the instruments For there is no member in all the body nor instrument whatsoeuer that maketh moe or more sundry workes This instrument maketh all other instruments and setteth them a worke as wee see by experience And because man onely of all other liuing creatures is capable of Artes and knoweth how to vse them therefore hath God giuen to him onely this instrument to exercise them We see also that there is no worke which he cannot doe with his hands And what worke of God is there which hee doth not counterfaite as if he were some litle god vpon earth that had vndertaken to make an other visible worlde within this worlde created by God For if wee consider the Sciences and Aâtes of men and those excellent woorkes which they make by the meanes of their handes who will not be rauished with admiration That sentence of Anaxagoras may well be approoued wherein hee saieth that the hand is the cause of knowledge and wisedome although Plutarch doeth learnedly vnderstand experience by the hand For if it did not frame letters and figures nor made instruments requisite and necessary for all Sciences and Artes they could not in any wise be either taught or learned Therefore considering well that which we say man may bee called a second Creatour who taking patterne by the worke of God in the creation of the worlde hath endeuoured to make woorkes answerable vnto those which God hath giuen him in the worlde for a pattetne to imitate But there is great difference betwixt the workes of man and the workes of God especially in three pointes namely in the matter in the forme and in the life of them together with all those thinges which it bringeth with it For first man can not worke without matter which he cannot find in himselfe as God who made all things of nothing and made that to be which was not But man dealeth contrarily For hee can make nothing of nothing but must of necessitie haue matter meete for the worke he taketh in hand vnto which he is able to adde the forme onely And yet hee cannot giue it any fashion except hee first had the patterne thereof in the woâkes of God For although he can make very strange figures and such as the very like hath not beene seene in all nature nor amongst all the creatures yet hee cannot pourtraite any so new or so strange whereof he had not before some resemblance in the workes of God in sundrie creatures For hee taketh diuers pieces of many sundry figures with which afterward heaped together hee counterfaiteth one altogether newe and strange As for example neuer man sawe a mountaine all of golde yet a man may imagine one in his mind and frame an image thereof in his imagination For albeit he neuer sawe such a mountaine yet because hee hath seene both mountaines and also golde by ioyning these two together which hee knoweth he can frame the image of such a mountaine in his minde and then hauing in this sorte formed and conceiued it hee can counterfaite it with his hand But as God taketh not the matter of his woorkes without himselfe and without the treasures of his infinite power so hee needeth not to seeke else where for formes and patterns then in the treasures of his eternall wisedome and infinite knowledge Againe there is this besides which is chiefest of all that hee is able to giue not onely being but also life sense and motion to his workes yea such nature and properties as pleaseth him which man can not doe For hee can not change the nature of that matter vpon which hee worketh but it must stâll continue the same in nature and disposition And although hee can drawe sundry effectes from those matters about which hee is occupyed according as hee may mingle and compound them together neuerthelesse hee altereth not their nature but they retaine it still according to their portion euerie one in his place Neither can hee giue to the