affections No better proofe we neede of this matter then the infinite experiences in every Countrie are tryed The same I may say of Ire Ambition c. All which Passions consisting in prosecution of some thing desired and bringing with them a certaine sence of delight enforce the mindâ— for fostering and continuing that pleasure to excogitate new meanes and wayes for the performance thereof How Passions seduce the Will CHAP. II. WIthout any great difficultie may be declared how Passions seduce the Will because the witte being the guide the The first reason why passions seduce the will eie the stirrer and directer of the Wil which of it selfe beeing blinde and without knowledge followeth that the wit representeth propoundeth and approveth as good and as the sensitive appetite followeth the direction of imagination so the Will affecteth for the most part that the vnderstanding perswadeth to bee best Wherefore the waves and billowes of apparant reasons so shake the sandye shealfe of a weake Will that they The second reason mingle it with them and make all one Besides the sensitive appetite beeing rooted in the same soule with the Will if it be drawne or flieth from any obiect consequently the other must follow even so the obiect that haleth the sensitive appetite draweth withall the Will and inclining her more to one part than another diminisheth her libertie and freedome Moreover the Will by yeelding to the Passion receyveth some little bribe of pleasure the which moveth her to let the bridle loose vnto inordinate appetites because she hath ingrafted in her two inclinations the one to follow Reason the other to content the Sences and this inclination the other beeing blinded by the corrupt iudgement caused by inordinate Passions here she feeleth satisfied Finally the Will being the governesse The third reason of the Soule and loathing to bee troubled with much dissention among her subiectes as an vncarefull Magistrate neglecteth the good of the Common-weale to avoyde some particular mens displeasure so the Will being afrayde to displease sense neglecteth the care she ought to have over it especially perceyving that the Soule thereby receyveth some interest of pleasure or escheweth some payne By this alteration which Passions worke in the Witte and the Will we may vnderstand the admirable Metamorphosis and change of a man from himselfe when his affectes are pacified and when they are troubled Plutarch sayde they changed them like Circes potions Plutarch in moralib from men into beastes Or we may compare the Soule without Passions to a calme Sea with sweete pleasant and crispling streames but the Passionate to the raging Gulfe swelling with waves surging by tempests minacing the stony rockes and endevouring to overthrowe Mountaines even so Passions make the Soule to swell with pride and pleasure they threaten woundes death and destruction by audacious boldnesse and ire they vndermine the mountaines of Vertue with hope and feare and in summe never let the Soule be in quietnes but ever eyther flowing with Pleasure or ebbing with Payne How Passions alter the Body CHAP. III. ALthough in the ninth Chapter sufficiently was declared how the Passions of the minde alter the humours of the body yet some peculiar discourses concerning that matter were reserved for this place Two sortes of Passions affect all men some as wee sayde before dilate and some compresse and restringe the heart Of the first was sayd Vita carninum est cordis Proverb 14. 3â— sanitas the life of flesh is the health of heart for indeed a ioyfull and quiet heart reviveth all the partes of the body Of the other was written Spiritus tristis exsiccat prb 17. ossa a sadde Spirit dryeth the bones And for that all Passions bring with them ioy or payne dilate or coarct the heart therefore I thinke it not amisse to declare the reason why these two Passions worke such alterations in the body to the end that by the knowledge of them we may attayne to the vnderstanding of the rest Pleasure and Delight if it bee moderate bringeth health because the purer spirites retyre vnto the heart and they helpe marvellously the digestion of blood so that thereby the heart engendreth great aboundance and most purified spirites which after being dispersed thorow the body cause a good concoction to be made in all partes helping them to expel the superfluities they also cleare the braine and consequently the vnderstanding For although while the Passion endureth it blindeth a little the indifferent iudgement yet after that it is past it rendereth the brayne better disposed and apter to represent whatsoever occurreth for speculation From good concoction expulsion of supersluities and aboundance of spirites proceedeth a good colour a cleere countenance and an vniversall health of the body But if the Passion of pleasure bee too vehement questionlesse it causeth great infirmitie for the heart being continually invironed with great abundance of spibecommeth too hote and inflamed and consequently engendereth much cholericke and burned blood Besides it dilateth and resolveth the substance of the heart too much in such sort as the vertue and force thereof is greatly weakened Wherefore Socrates was wont to say that those men which live continently and frugally had more pleasure and lesse payne than those who with great care procured inticements to pleasure because intemperate pleasures besides the remorce of minde infamie and povertie which waiteth vpon them for the most part hurt more the body than delight it And some with too vehement laughter have ended their dayes as Philemon did Plutarch recounteth also howe Erasm lib. 6. Apotheg Plutarch in Hannib the Romanes leesing to Hannibal newes was brought to Rome and specially to two women that their sonnes were slaine afterwards a remnant of the souldiers returning these two afflicted ranne with many more to know the manner of their sonnes deaths and amongst the rest found them both alive who for ioy gave vp their ghosts And vniversally after much pleasure and laughter men feele themselves both to languish and to be melancholy Yet the Passions which coarct the heart as feare sadnesse and despayre as they bring more payne to the minde so they are more dangerous to the body and commonly men proove lesse harme in those than in these and many have lost their lives with sadnesse and feare but few with love and hope except they changed themselves into heavinesse and despayre The cause why sadnesse doth so moove the forces of the body I take to be the gathering together of much melancholy blood about the heart which collection extinguisheth the good spirits or at least dulleth them besides the heart being possessed by such an humour cannot digest well the blood and spirites which ought to be dispersed thorow the whole body but converteth them into melancholy the which humour being colde and drie dryeth the whole body and maketh it wither away for colde extinguisheth heate and drynesse moysture which two qualities principally concerne life These
friends and secretly iniuried like enemies this dissimulation addeth an other vitious circumstance covering enmity with amity Secondly if along time the Iniury was thought vpon and premeditated then the continuation sheweth a more confirmed ill will against vs if at Christmasse Easter or such times as are religiously celebrated Thirdly if in place where wee ought to be loved and honored or reverenced there we be wronged dishonored disgraced as if a Bishop should be beaten in the Church or a Preacher threatned preaching in the pulpit a Iudge vpon the Bench a Councellour at the Councel table a King in his Throne Fourthly in every particular iniury the manner of offending and demonstrating internal exuperant ill wil may a hundred wayes be varied Who is able to recount the manners how enemies kill wound and iniury their Adversaries as the very cudgell wherewith a Cavalero is bastonated greatly aggravateth the offence and many would wish rather to bee deepely wounded with a sword then beaten in that fashion Caracalla the Emperour hearing that the Lawyer Papinian was beheaded with a hatchet was greatly offended wishing it Dio. in Caracal Herod li. 4 had been e effected with a sword for his more disgrace and ignominie Fiftly if the iniurie bee publike before a multiude then the greater number concurreth to blaze abroad the Infamy for commonly if with words or deeds we iniury one the cause will be supposed to have beene given by the person iniuried and so he must beare the blowes and also an vniversall discredite I say commonly for it seemeth difficill how the iniuried vpon a sudden can quit himselfe of the calumniations imposed vpon him though never so innocent because the iniurer in a trice may cogge out a world of lyes sweare and stare against him the which flatte denyall will not suffice to confute and to convince them by witnesse or evident reason vpon a sudden all wise men will confesse to be extreme hard Meanes to moove Hope § 13. HOpe is a Passion whereby we expect probably or certaynely any future good or any evil to happen conceaved as good For example the Souldyer expecteth and hopeth for riches when he lyeth before a Cittie to besiege it the blessed Saintes in Heaven live in a most certayne Hope of the glorious Resurrection of theyr bodyes the Dyvell in temptyng Gods Servants hopeth to prevayle Hope therefore beeyng grounded vpon perswasion specyally of obtayning therefore all those Motives which render the atchyevement more likely all those styrre and moove the Passion of Hope and the more forcibly they which perswade it most apparantly and presently This obiect is endlesse and hardly can be brought to any Methode for as the thyngs hoped for are without number so the Meanes and Motyves to induce men thereunto be infinite Howbeit these generall Preceptes may be observed First for that Hope expecteth the thing hoped for of an other or by a mans labour endevour or industry therefore wee must in stirring it have alwayes an eye to the groundes and foundations whereupon our Hope shall be built for as these fadge so Hope followeth if these bee small or frivolous Hope is vayne and ridiculous if they be strong and sound Hope will proove more certayne and prudent for wise men alwayes according to these groundes iudge of the event for example a man may well hope the Turkish Empyre cannot long continue because theyr manner of governement repugneth with stabilitie and continuation for how is it possible but that in every change of Emperour there should succeede civill warres among them seeing the new Emperour presently causeth all his brethren to bee slayne lest afterwards they should growe potent and trouble his Raigne I omitte that this bloody vnnaturall Tyranny which demaundeth dayly vengeaunce at Gods handes deserveth Division Rebellion and Destruction and onely inferre that they being certayne to dye in all humane Policie nay in naturall equity are enforced to make partes and while theyr Father lyveth provide Forces and Friends and after hee is dead to prevayle by Mayne and Might that theyr Brothers Creation be not theyr destruction Secondly among grave men few reasons and strong are more effectuall then a number but weaker because they bee able presently by the strength of theyr wittes to confute and overthrow them But a multitude of slender reasons among the common people strike a greater stroke for coniectures and probabilities worke as forcibly with them as deepe demonstrations Thirdly to gather these Motives into heads I hold it best in that hope which dependeth vpon the good will of another to performe to discourse over the Circumstances of actions Quis quid vbi quibus auxilijs cur quomâ—do quando And out of them picke some perswasions of obtayning a graunt For example if the granter be our friend or kinseman if of his nature liberall and bountifull c. Quid if the thing bee profitable to the giver or receyver without any harme or detriment vnto the giver Vbi if the giver or granter be in place where vsually he granteth such requests as entertayned of vs taking possession of great landes c. If we have potent Intercessours for vs and wise Agents to procure what we desire then this Circumstance of Quibus auxilijs will greatly further our purpose Cur If hee have many reasons to grant our suite and none to withstand it Quomodo If in the manner of granting hee winne himselfe great credit and reputation eyther because it argueth a bountifull minde or a compassion-full heart or a charitable conscience or most or all Fourthly it were not amisse to set downe all the obiections which any way may frustrate our Hope and briefely orderly and as evidently as may be refute them for thereby all cavilles and impediments shall be remooved Fiftly that which I have sayd of Hope by a contrary rule may be applyed vnto Desperation for the difficulty of obtayning that we desire being remonstrated to be inseperable either by the parties malice or inviticible meanes which must be vsed in the procuring of it that I say rendreth the thing desperate and consequently vnexpectable Meanes to move ioy and delight § 16. AS there is nothing in this life more potent then pleasure to move men to action and the attempting of great exploits so there is nothing more requisite to be knowne to any man that will be gratefull acceptable vnto men then how to move and excite them to pleasure True it is that ambitious men aspire after honours but why thirst they so after theÌ„ but because they take an extraordinary delight to be honored why do covetous cormogions distill the best substance of their braines to get riches but after they have gotten them to delight in the possession or fruition of them the same may be said of all inordinate passions which consist in the prosequution of some amiable or desiderable obiect And the reason is for ioy delight are a possession of some good thing wherin nature receiveth great contentation
of his Auditors I remember a Preacher in Italy who had such power over his Auditors affections that when it pleased him he could cause them shead aboundance of teares yea and with teares dropping downe their cheâ—ks presently turne their sorrow into laughter and the reason was because he himselfe being extreamely passionate knowing moreover the Arte of mooving the affections of those Auditors and besides that the most part were women that heard him whose passions are most vehement and mutable therefore hee might have perswaded them what hee listed The same commoditie may be gathered by all other Oratours as Embassadours Lawyers Magistrates See Aristotle Rhetorikes Captaines and whatsoever would perswade a multitude because if once they can stirre a Passion or Affection in their Hearers then they have almost halfe perswaded them for that the forces of strong Passions marvellously allure and draw the wit and will to judge and consent vnto that they are mooved Many things more might be saide concerning this matter but in all the other Chapters folowing except this first I meane to touch this point very largely As this Treatise affordeth great riches to the Physitian of the soule so it importeth much the Physitian of the bodie for that there is no Passion very vehement but that it alters extreamely some of the foure humors of the bodie and all Physitians commonly agree that among diverse other extrinsecall causes of diseases one and not the least is the excesse of some inordinate Passion for although it busieth their braines as also the naturall Philosophers to explicate the manner how an operation that lodgeth in the soule can alter the bodie and moove the humors from one place to another as for example recall most of the bloud in the face or other partes to the heart as wee see by daily experience to chance in feare and anger yet they consent that it See Fracastoriuâ— libr. de sympathia lib. 2. de intellectione circa medium may proceede from a certaine sympathie of nature a subordination of one part to another and that the spirites and humors wait vpon the Passions as their Lords and Maisters The Physitians therefore knowing by what Passion the maladie was caused may well inferre what humor aboundeth consequently what ought to be purged what remedy to be applied after how it may be prevented If all the aforesaide Professions may challenge each one a part in this Discourse surely the good Christian whose life is a warrefare vpon earth he who if he love his soule killeth it he whose studie principally standeth Iob 7. 1. in rooting outvice and planting of vertue hee Mar. 8. 35. whose indevour specially is imployed in crucifying old Adam and in refining the image of Christ he who pretendeth to be ruled by reason and not tyrannized by preposterous affection this man I say may best peruse this matter he may best meditate it he may best know where lieth the cave of those Serpents and Basiliskes who sucke out the sweete blood of his soule hee may see where the thorn sticketh that stingeth his heart finally he may view his domesticall enemie which never Matt. 10. 36. permits him to be quiet but molesteth in prosperitie deiecteth in adversitie in pleasure makes him dissolute in sadnesse desperate to rage in anger to tremble in feare in hope to faint in love to languish These were those temptations of the flesh that S. Paul did punish 1. Corint 9. 27 saying Castigo corpus meum in servitutem redigo I chasten my body and bring it into servitude these were those members the same Apostle exhorted vs to mortifie vpon earth Mortificate membra vestra quae Coloss 3. 5. sunt super terram Seeing then how all the life of a spirituall man ought to bee imployed in the expugnation of these molestfull Iebusites without all doubt it importes him much to knowe the nature of his enemies their stratagems and continuall incursions even vnto the gates of the chiefest castell of his soule I meane the very witte and will Not only the mortified Christian had need to know well his passions because by brideling them he winnes a great quietnesse of minde and enableth himselfe better to the service of God but also the civil Gentleman and prudent Polititian by penetrating the nature and qualities of his affections by restraining their inordinate motions winneth a gratious cariage of himselfe and rendereth his conversation most gratefull to men for I my selfe have seene some Gentlemen by blood and Noblemen by birth yet so appassionate in affections that their company was to most men intollerable for true is that Salomon saide Vir iracundus provocat Prover 15. 18. rixas qui patiens est mitigat suscitatas An angry man raiseth brawles but a patient man appeaseth them after they be raised And therefore howe vngratefull must his company seeme whose passions over-rule him and men had neede of an Astrolabe alwayes to see in what height or elevation his affections are lest by casting forth a sparke of fire his gun-powdred minde of a sodayne be inslamed I omit how he may insinuate himselfe into other mens love and affections how in traveling in strange countries he may discover to what passion the people are most inclined for as I haue seene by experience there is no Nation in Europe that hath not some extraordinarie affection either in pride anger lust inconstancie gluttonie drunkennesse slouth or such like passion much it importeth in good conversation to know exactly the companies inclination and his societie cannot but be gratefull whose passions are moderate and behaviour circumspect I say nothing of Magistrates who may by this matter vnderstand the inclinations and dispositions of their inferiors and subiects But finally I will conclude that this subiect I intreat of comprehendeth the chiefe obiect that all the antient Philosophers aymed at wherein they placed the most of their felicitie that was Nosce teipsum know thy selfe the which knowledge principally consisteth of a perfit experience every man hath of himselfe in particular and an vniversall knowledge of mens inclinations in common the former is helped by the latter the which knowledge is delivered in this Treatise What we vnderstand by Passions and Affections CHAP. II. THree sortes of actions proceede from mens soules some are internall and immateriall as the actes of our wittes and willes others be meere externall and materiall as the acts of our senses seeing hearing moving c. others stand betwixt these two extreames and border vpon them both the which wee may best discover in children because they lacke the vse of reason and are guided by an internall imagination following nothing else but that pleaseth their sences even after the same maner as bruite beastes doe for as we see beastes hate love feare and hope so doe children Those actions then which are common with vs and beastes wee call Passions and Affections or pertuâ—bations of the mind Motus saith saint
passion continueth the force of our imagination because whatsoever passeth by the gates of our senses presently entreth into the court of our imagination where the sensitive appetite doth entertaine it therefore seeing all passions cause some sence or feeling more or lesse in the body so long as they endure the imagination likewise representeth to the vnderstanding so long the obiect of the passion and as a deceitfull Counsellor corrupteth his Iudge The last reason which importeth more then both the other proceedeth from a naughty will for that the soule hauing rooted in it these two partes sensitive and reasonable the will perceiving that the soule reioyceth she also contenteth herselfe that the inferior appetite should enioy her pleasure or eschew her griefe with reason or against reason she careth not so she may be made partaker as the great Turke permitteth every one to live in his Religion so they pay him tribute And for this cause she commandeth the witte to employ all the power and force to finde out reasons and perswasions that all the appetite demaundeth standeth with reason and is lawfull the which collusion I take to be one of the rootes of all mischiefes that nowe cover the face of the world that is a wicked will commanding the wit to finde out reasons to pleade for Passions for this corrupteth yea wholy destroyeth the remorce of conscience the carefull gardian of the soule this maketh men obstinate in all enormious vices for when the witte is once perswaded and no further appellation can be admitted then the soule is confirmed almost in malice this maketh so many Atheists for vinum mulieres apostatare Eccles 19. faciunt sapientes wine and women make men leave Religion for as wine maketh men drunke and robbeth the vse of reason so inordinate love and affection make drunke the soule and deprive it of iudgement this in fine robbeth soules from God and carrieth them to the divell For if we examine exactly the groundes and origens of Apostasie from true fayth and the causes of heresies we shall finde them to be some one or other wicked vice of the will or vehement Passion which perverteth the iudgement specially when the Religion forbiddeth or punisheth those vices wherevnto the wicked will or Passions tend S. Augustine relateth diuers who denyed the tormentes of hell and their Eternitie thereby to flatter their vitious affections Aug. lib. 1. de â—â—â— cap. 18. with a pretended assurance of impunitie S. Chrysostome reporteth that the arch-heretike Paulus Samosetanus for Chrysost hom 7. in Iohan. the love of a woman forsooke his fayth and religion S. Gregorie the great imputeth it to avarice and covetousnesse that many fall from their faith or not admit a true faith for the Iew that thirsteth after Vsury will hardly admit Christianitie which shutteth from the Gregor lib 20. moral cap. 12. holy mount of Gods eternal blessednesse all those that lende their money to Vsurie as in the 14. Psalme is manifest Furthermore wee may aptly remonstrate how inordinate Passions cause and ingenerate in the soule all those vices which are opposite to prudence The first is Precipitation or Rashnesse which is nothing else but Precipitation an vncircumspect or vnripe resolution or determination in affaires or negotiations for the iudgement being blinded with the Passion considereth not exactly for the importance of the businesse those circumstances which may withdraw it from the prosecution of such a vitious action I remember that when I was in Italy there was a Scottish Gentleman of most rare and singular partes who was a Retainer to a Duke of that Countrey hee was a singular good Scholler and as good a Souldier it chanced one night the yong Prince either vpon some spleene or false suggestion or to trie the Scots valour mette him in a place where hee was wont to haunt resolving eyther to kill wound or beate him and for this effect conducted with him two of the best Fencers hee could finde the Scot had but one friende with him in fine a quarrell is pickt they all draw the Scot presently ranne one of the Fencers thorow and killed him in a trice with that hee bended his forces to the Prince who fearing least that which was befallen his Fencer might happen vpon himselfe he exclaimed out instantly that he was the Prince and therefore willed him to looke about him what he did the Scot perceyving well what he was fell downe vpon his knees demaunding pardon at his handes and gave the Prince his naked rapier who no sooner had receyved it but with the same sword he ranne him thorow to death the which barbarous fact as it was condemned of all men so it sheweth the Precipitation of his passionate irefull heart for if hee had considered the humble submission of his servant and loyaltie of his subiect and valour of his souldier if he had weighed the cowardlinesse of his fact the infamie that hee should thereby incurre hee would never have precipitated into so savage an offence But if with overmuch rashnesse a man contemne or despise any Lawe preferring his passionate iudgement before the prescript of lawe and reason then his headdinesse is termed Temeritie The second vice is Inconstancie which is a change Inconstancie or alteration of that purpose or resolution which a man had prudently determined before And this we may daily try in al incontinent persons who resolutely determine in the calme of their passions never to fal into their former filthinesse but presently when the Passion ariseth all the good resolutions are forgotten and that which an vnpassionate mind detested a passionate soule most effectually pursueth Not much vnlike that which David once writ of himselfe Ego dixi in abundantia Psalme 29. mea non movebor in aeternum I sayde once in my abundance or as the Calde text hath in my tranquillitie I will not be moved eternally Avertisti nanum tuum factus sum conturbatus Thou turnedst away thy hand and I was troubled as if he had sayde thou permittedst me to be troubled with a Passion and then my confident determination was changed The third vice against Prudence groweth vpon excesse of wicked consideration as precipitation inconstancie Astutia or craftinesse vpon the want or defect of circumspection For the Passion delighting or afflicting the minde causeth the iudgement to thinke invent devise all meanes possible eyther to enioy the Passion of delight or to avoyde the molestation of sadnesse and feare Wherefore Love is sayd to be Ingeniosissimus most wittie for the thought of such matters as concerneth love continually delighting the minde and rolling daily and hourely in the fancie suggesteth a worlde of conceites and inventions to finde out meanes and wayes to nourish preserve and increase the Passion insomuch as they which love vehemently are never well but eyther with them whom they love or solitary by themselves coyning some new practises to execute their inordinate love and
attayning vnto learning Whereupon grew those dissenting and contradicting Sectes of Peripatetikes Academikes Stoickes Epicures Thomists and Scotists Realles and Nominalles but by the disprooving of one anothers opinion which proceeded from the difficulty of vnderstanding and conceyving of Learning V. Ignorance and Errours about God YEt if men by sweate and labour by distilling their Braynes and spending their Spirits in studies at last could winne the victory of Errours and Ignorance then all paynes were sufficiently rewarded the interest would defray the expences of the Voyage But alas how many have wandered in a vast desart of learning amongst brambles and bryars not able to passe forward nor returne backeward who would thinke men could be ignorant of the Maiestye of God which all bruite and Interroga Iumenta et docebunt â—e Volatilia Coeli indicabunt tibi loquere terrâ— respondebit tibi narrabunt pisces Maris Quis ignorat quod manus Domini haec omnia fecerat Iob. 12 7. senselesse creatures confesse and yet such is and hath beene the palpable ignorance of the world that in place of God some worshipped Calves others Serpents other Crocodiles others Onions and Garlike I omit how many supposed very wise adored the Sunne Moone and Starres the Elements of earth fire and water for these errours might have carried some shew of wisedome in respect of the other absurdities How could men be more besotted than to imagine God by whom they lived mooved and were whose goodnesse sustayned them whose power vpheld them whose wisedome directed them to be a Crocodile or a Calfe or Commoâ—a quibus vtimur lucem qua â—rutmur spiritum quem ducimus a Deo nobis dari impartiri vâ—demus Cic. pro Rosâ— Amer. that Divinitie could inhabite such savage Beasts where was the imortall soule the Image of the Trinity the faculty of vnderstanding the power of apprehending iudging and discoursing Were all these drowned in darkenesse did no sparke of light or life shine over them O ignorance intollerable O blindnesse more grosse than not to see when the Sunne lodgeth in his Zenith VI. Ignorance and Errours about our Soules and bodies BVt some will say Gods Maiesty dazeled theyr eyes they were not able by the weake light of Nature to behold so super-excellent a glory well at least they might have knowne themselves for what was more neere them then their owne soules and bodies their five senses the operations of vnderstanding and affecting the Passions of the Minde and alterations of the body yet the Ignorance and Errours which both inchaunted them and inveigle vs are almost incredible I could propound above a hundreth questions about the Soule and the body which partly are disputed of by Divines partly by naturall and morall Philosophers partly by Physitians all which I am of opinion are so abstruse and hidden that they might be defended as Problemes and eyther parte of Contradiction alike impugned Some I will set downe that by them coniecture may be made of the rest Problemes concerning the substance of our Soules 1 WHether in mens bodies there reside more formes then one 2 Whether it can bee demonstrated by naturall reason that the Soule is immortall 3 How can the Soule extend it selfe thorow the whole body being a Spirit indivisible inextensed and able whole and entire to reside in one only and indivisible poynt 4 How are the Soule and Body Spirite and Flesh coupled together what chaynes what fetters imprison a spirituall Substance an immortal Spirit in so base stinking and corruptible a carâ—â—asse 5 How by punishing the flesh or hurting the body the Soule feeleth payne and is afflicted 6 Whether the hayres spirites blood choler fleugme skinne fatte nayles marrow be animated or no. 7 Whether the Bones and Teeth be sensitive or no. 8 How the Soule contayneth those three degrees of vegetative sensitive and reasonable 9 How these three degrees do differ 10 How the Soule of a Child being contained and dispersed in so little a body when it is borne afterward dilateth it selfe and spreadeth in the body of a man 11 When an Arme or a Legge is cut off by chance from the Body what becommeth of the Soule which informed that part 12 Why departeth the Soule from the Body in a vement Problemes concerning the faculties in generall Sicknesse it being immortall and independing of the Body able to live in ayre water or fire 13 How many faculties do spring from the Soule 14 How they spring in order one depending vpon an other or without any dependance 15 How do they differ from the Soule 16 Whether are they subiected in the Soule Body or the whole 17 What dependance hath our vnderstanding vpon Problemes concerning our vnderstanding the imagination 18 How a corporall imagination concurre to a spirituall conceit 19 What is apprehension and conceyving 20 What iudgement and affirming 21 What discourse and inferring 22 How these three differ what is their obiects 23 How apprehend wee so many things together without confusion 24 How are these three operations of our wit subordinated 25 How they erre 26 How they may be certified 27 What is a vitall acte of Vnderstanding 28 How the formes faculties habites and Soule it selfe concurre to such an acte about every one of these foure many questions may easily be propounded but hardly resolved 29 What is a Habite 30 How ingendred 31 How augmented 32 How diminished and corrupted 33 In what faculties of our Soules habites principally allodge 34 Whether the acte or habite be more perfite 35 How are habits distinguished in the same faculty 36 How the habites of our imagination and vnderstanding of our sensible appetite and will differ when they tend vnto sensible obiects 37 What is the vniversall obiect of our Vnderstanding every thing or onely the trueth of things 38 Whereupon commeth the difficulty we finde in Vnderstanding proceedeth it from the obiect or the weakenesse of the faculty or both 39 How doth Reason direct and correct Sense 40 Whether knowledge concurreth as an efficient cause to effect the operations of our will or no. 41 What is Arte what the Idaea in the Artificers minde by whose direction hee frameth his woorkes what is Prudence Wisedome the internall speech and words of the minde 42 What is the habite of principles 43 What the law of Nature and how engrafted in our Vnderstanding 44 What is Conscience 45 Whence-from proceedeth Remorce 46 What is evidence and certitude in Knowledge and how they differ 47 How Knowledge and perfit Science differ from credulity and opinion and whether feare be necessarily included in every opinion 48 If ever man had such a demonstration as Aristotle describeth in his first Booke of Posteriors 49 Whether a Demonstration once had can ever be lost or no. 50 Why can we not come by as firme knowledge in Logick Physicks or Metaphysicks as in Mathematicks 51 How wee vnderstand discourse and dispute in Dreames 52 Whether children discourse actually or no.
shall converse very long with him before you shall know what is in him he will shew a countenance of friendship although he intendeth revenge he can trayne his purposes afarre off to vndermine where hee pleaseth hee will praise where he spiteth and disprayse where he loveth for a further proiect hee can observe his times better than we for his plots and marke fitter occasions to effectuate his iâ—tent he can winne ground in a mans affection by some small conversation and after prevaile in what he list when he hath got the advantage In sine he can dissemble better his owne passions and vse himselfe therein more circumspectly than we can doe Wherefore I thought good to trie if a little direction would helpe â—ur Countriemen to counterpoise their native warinesse and open the way not to become craftie and deceitfull which is vitious but how to discover other mens passions and how to behave our selves when such affections extraordinarily possesse vs the which is the chiefest poynt of prudence and fittest mean to attayne vnto religious civil gentlemanlike conversation which is vertuous Whereunto especially this discourse of Affections aymeth albeit for more compleate doctrine I have handled almost all those questions which concerne the Passions in generall But for all this I would not have any man to thinke that I am of opinion that all Italians and Spaniards go beyond all Englishmen in subtiltie and warinesse for I have found divers of our Nation whom I beleeve neyther Italian nor Spanyard câ—uld over-reach in what negotiation soever but onely I meane that for the most part those Nations surpasse ours in a certaine politique craftinesse the which Nature first bred in them Education perâ—ited Vertue amendeth and Art discovereth The which I have endevoured first of all as I thinke to draw into forme and method according to the principles of Sciences hoping that some other will hereby take occasion eyther to perfite mine or to attempt a better my desire is the good of my Countrie the effect every mans prudent carriage the last end the glory of God whereunto all our labours must tend and all our actions be directect and therefore to him let these little sparkes be consecrated to kindle the â—ire in his most holy Temple in tremore sperando To the ternall and aeternall Vnitie FLame of bright love and beauty thou whose beames Reflected heere have so â—â—bellished All Creatures finding how my fancy fed Vpon this earthy circles glimmering gleames Not else reclaimable from those extreames Centrally drewst my heart to one faire head Enamelled with browne blew white and red So to allure it to those heavenly Reames Purify all the Passions of my Minde And light my vnderstanding So may I Reede foorth and heed what Passions heere I find Kindle my will and heave it vp for why Even as thy love like fire drawes vp my love Right so my love like fire will mount above To the Author IN Picture they which truly vnderstand Require besides the likenesse of the thing Light Posture Height'ning Shadow Culloring All which are parts commend the cunning hand And all your Booke when it is throughly scan'd Will well confesse presenting limiting Each subt'lest Passion with her source and spring So bold as shewes your Art you can command But now your Worke is done if they that view The severall figures languish in suspence To iudge which Passion 's false and which is true Betweene the doubtfull sway of Reason ' and sense T is not your fault if they shall sense preferre Being tould there Reason cannot Sense may erre B. I. The first Booke of the PASSIONS of the MINDE wherein is declared the essence of Passions The end and profite of this Discourse wherein are declared the Passions and Affections of our Soules CHAP. I. THERE can be no man who works by right reason but when he first intendes his worke he aymeth at some end he levels at some good viz. either to instruct the wit with doctrine move the will to virtue delight the minde with pleasure or in fine direct the Reader to do some thing that may be either commodious to himselfe or profitable to the common weale This Treatise therefore of the Passions of the Minde cannot but carry with it a goodly and faire glosse of profite and commoditie not onely because it concerneth every mans particular but also for that there be few estates or conditions of men that have not int'rest in this matter the Divine the Philosopher the curers both of the bodie and the soule I meane the Preacher and Physitian the good Christian that attendeth to mortification and the prudent civill Gentleman that procureth a gratefull conversation may reape some commoditie touching their professions and in sine every man may by this conse to a knowledge of himselfe which ought to be preferred before all treasures and riches The Divine herein may first challenge his parte because the inordinate motions of Passions their preventing of reason their rebellion to virtue are thornie briars sprung from the infected root of original sinne the which Treatise wholy concerneth Divines and all the deformed broode thereby ingendred the Passions likewise augment or diminish the deformitie of actuall sinnes they blinde reason they seduce the will and therefore are speciall causes of sinne whereuppon among Divines grew that common distinction of sins that some are of Passion others proceede from ignorance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 others from malice and wilfulnesse Finally Passions are meanes to help vs and impediments to withdraw vs from our end the Divine therefore who specially entreateth of our last end and of the meanes to atchieve it and difficulties to obtaine it muâ—â— of necessitie extend the sphere of his knowledge to this subject of our Passions and for this respect of Divines they are See Thom. cum Scholasticis in 12 q. 22. alios in 1. part vbi de hâ—mine divinely handled The Philosopher as well naturall as moâ—â—ll the one for Speculation the other for Practise wade most profoundly in the matter of our Passions The naturall See the Philosophers in the second and third de Anima Philosopher contemplating the natures of men and beasts sensitive soules for Passions are common to both consequently enter into discourse about the actions and operations thereof for without the knowledge of them it were impossible to attaine vnto the perfite vnderstanding of either of them The morall Philosopher describing maners inviting to virtue disswading from vice sheweth how our inordinate appetites must be brideled with fortitude temperance he declareth their natures their craft deceit in what sort of persons they are most vehement and in whome more moderate and to be briefe he spendeth wel nie in this disputation all his morall Philosophie in teaching how they may be vsed or abused The christian Orator I meane the godly Preacher perfitely vnderstanding the natures and proprieties of mens passions questionlesse may effectuate strange matters in the mindes
their eyes and gestures may quickely be marked so honest matrons by their grave and chaste lookes may soone be discerned To which effect the Spose sayd vnto his Spouse Vulnerasti cor meum in vno oculorum tuorum Cantic 4. 9. Thou hast wounded my heart with one of thine eyes because thorow the window of her eye hee beheld the chastitie of her heart By this wee may knowe the cause why children and epsecially women cannot abide to looke in their fathers masters or betters faces because even nature it selfe seemeth to teach them that thorowe their eyes they see their heartes neyther doe we holde it for good manners that the inferiour should fixe his eyes vpon his superiors countenance and the reason is because it were presumption for him to attempt the entrance or privy passage into his superiors minde as contrariwise it is lawful for the superior to attempt the knowledge of his inferior The Scriptures also teach vs in the face of a harlot to reade the impuritie of her heart Mulieris fornicatiâ— in extollentia oculorum Eccles 26. in palpebris illius agnoscetur The fornication of a woman shall be knowen by the lifting vp of her eyes and in her eye-bries Hereby also we may perceyve the cause of blushing for that those that have committed a fault are therein deprehended or at least imagine they are thought to have committed it presently if they be Candidae naturae that is of an honest behaviour and yet not much grounded in vertue they blush because nature beeing afrayd lest in the face the fault should be discovered sendeth the purest blood to be a defence and succour the which effect commonly is iudged to proceede from a good and vertuous nature because no man can but allowe that it is good to bee ashamed of a fault And thus to conclude we must confesse that Passions have certayne effectes in our faces howbeit some doe shew them more evidently than others Yet wee may not say that this face is the roote and kore where the Passions reside but onely the rhinde and leaves which shew the nature and goodnesse of both the roote and the kore That there are Passions in the reasonable soule CHAP. VIII NOw that we have determined how the Passions must dwell in an other soyle than the face the order of methode requireth wee should wade deeper into the soule to view if in the reasonable part we might finde out their habitation And to be briefe in this poynt I thinke it cannot Three causes why there bee affections in the will like those which reside in the sensitiue appetite be douted vpon but that there are some affections in the highest and chiefest part of the soule not vnlike to the Passions of the Minde for to God the Scriptures ascribe love hate ire zeale who cannot be subiect to any sensitive operations And therefore as in him they are perfections and we are commaunded and may imitate him in them there is no reason why they should be denyed vnto vs in such sort as they be perfite and that is principally in the Will Besides we know most certaynely that our sensitive appetite cannot love hate feare hope c. but that by imagination or our sensitive apprehension we may conceyve for Malum amare possumus incognitum vero amare non possumus wee may love an ill thing but wee cannot love an vnknowne thing nowe experience teacheth vs that men doe feare the iudgements of God they love him and hope in him they hate sinne and finally exercise many notable affections which reason prescribeth and whereunto the sensitive apprehension ascendeth not Furthermore as beneath shall be declared the sensitive appetite often yea and for the most part traleth and haleth the will to consent and follow her pleasures and delights even for the same reason that she pretendeth the as for example I would to God it were not true howe oft yeeldeth the will to the appetite in procuring sensuall pleasures and pastimes for no other ende than to pleasure the vnpleasable appetites and lustes of the flesh this experience more pregnantly prooveth it than any reason can confirme it finally as our witte vnderstandeth whatsoever our senses perceive even so our will may affect whatsoever out passions doe follow for as the obiect of the wit is all trueth teall or apparant so the obiect of our will is all goodnesse indeede or carrying the glosse thereof Neverthelesse I must confesse that these affections which reside in the will differ much in nature and qualitie from those that inhabite the inferior partes of the soule because these being bredde and borne in the highest part of the soule are immateriall spirituall independant of any corporall subiect but those of the sensitive appetite are materiall corporall and depending vpon some bodily instruments as beneath shall be delivered That the heart isc the peuliar place where that Passions allodge CHAP. IX NO Philosopher can deny but that our Passions are certayne accidents and qualities whose immediate subiect house and lodging is the very facultie and power of the soule because all vitall operations of which sort Passions are challenge by right that the mother which hatched them should also sustayne them and harbour them in her owne house But a question may be demaunded and not easily resolved whether the faculty of our sensitive appetite hath allotted vnto it some peculiar part of the body where shee exerciseth her proper functions and operations for as wee see by experience the facultie of seeing the power of hearing the sense of smelling tasting and touching have assigned vnto them divers corporall instruments habitations or seates wherein they see heare smell taste and touch as eyes eares nose tongue flesh and sinewes nowe the question propounded is thus to bee vnderstood whether may there be determined any Parte of the bodie wherein peculiarly the passions of the minde are effected To which question I answere that the very seate of all Passions is the hearte both of men and beastes divers reasons move me to this opinion First the very common experience men trie daily and hourely in themselves for who loveth extreamely and feeleth not that passion to dissolve his hearte who reioyceth and proveth not his heart dilated who is moyled with heavinesse or plunged with payne and perceiveth not his heart to bee coarcted whom inflameth ire and hath not heart-burning By these experiences wee proove in our hearts the working of Passions and by the noyse of their tumult wee vnderstande the woorke of their presence The second reason is because as our sensitive apprehension hath her seate in the brayne for we all proove that in vnderstanding we especially bend the force of our soule to the former part thereof so the affections and passions in proportionate manner must have some corporall organ and instrument and what more convenient than the heart for as the brayne fitteth best for the softnesse and moysture to receyve the formes
feare hope c. what motions are stirring in the eyes hands bodie c. And then leaue the excesse and exorbitant leuitie or other defects and keepe the manner corrected with prudent mediocritie and this the best may be marked in stage plaiers who act excellētly for as the perfection of their exercise consisteth in imitation of others so they that imitate best act best And in the substance of externall action for most part oratours and stageplayers agree and onely they differ in this that these act fainedly those really these onely to delight those to stirre vp all sorts of passions according to the exigencie of the matter these intermingle much leuitie in their action to Cicer lib. 3. de Orat. make men laugh those vse all grauitie grace and authoritie to persuade wherefore these are accounted rediculous those esteemed prudent But a discreet oratour may see in them what he may amend and what he may follow If there were an excellent preacher who were admirable not onely for doctrine but also for action hee would serue as a glasse for euery oratour to behold the beautie or blots of his action Secondly loue desire and ioy require a plaine pleasant soft mild gentle voice and the like countenance true it is that a discourse sermon or oration being wouen with various periods and compounded of sundry parts generally cannot be said to admit one onely sort of pronuntiation action or gesture because although wee intend for example to induce our auditors to loue God to obey their prince c. yet reason requireth and art perscribeth that our probations be often grounded vpon contraries incommodities disgraces punishments and diuers inconueniences which would ensue vpon the want and defect thereof and therefore in euery part and period the nature and qualitie of the affection must rule and moderat the voyce and action Hatred and ire exact a vehement voice and much gesture a pronuntiation sharpe often falling with patheticall repetitions iterated interrogations prouing confirming and vrging reasons the manner of this action wee may best discouer in wittie women when they chide because although their excesse be vitious and not to be imitated yet for that they let nature worke in her kind their furious fashion will serue for a good meane to perceiue the externall manage of this passion Their voyce is loud and sharpe and consequently apt to cut which is proper to ire and hatred which wish ill and intend reuenge their gestures are frequent their faces inflamed their eyes glowing their reasons hurry one in the necke of another they with their fingers number the wrongs offered them the harmes iniuries disgraces and what not thought sayd and done against them if a prudent oratour could in this case batter their matter circumcise the weaknesse of the reason abate the excesse of their furie certainely he might win a pretie forme for framing his action In sadnesse and commiseration a graue doleful plaine voyce is best without much varietie either of eye face or hand for the orator must shew himselfe in soule and hart afflicted oppressed halfe dead and therefore no more life ought to appeare without externall eyes and eares than is necessary to deliuer the force of our reasons and the griefe of our minds our proofes may bee vrged and prosecuted but alwayes with a pitifull weeping eye and a fainting lamentable tune yet notwithstanding the voyce sometimes ought to bee interrupted with wofull exclamations and ruthfull repetitions with alas woe is me c. The eye also may be grauely eleuated vp to heauen or abiected to earth but it must be done seldome and merueilous soberly As feare participateth of hatred and sadnesse in detesting an imminent euill and sorrowing least it befall and therefore requireth like voyce countenance and action so because little it would auaile to explaine the perill and daunger thereof except we encouraged and stirred vp our hearers to attempt meanes to prosecute labours to enterprise difficulties to encounter and resist the euill therefore according to Saint Pauls instruction we must arguere obsecrare increpare accuse request reprehend The example we may haue in the passion of a man whose next neighbours house being set a fire if he should first of all discouer it and perceiue that verse likely to be verified in him Tunc tua res agitur paries cum proximus ardet Then tend thy turne when neighbors housen burne Hee would not come to his neigbour to aduise him of the fire in this manner O deare neighbour although I am farre vnfit by eloquence to persuade you to looke to your house and carefully to watch about it least fire fall vpon it as now of late I perceiue it hath done therefore prouide water and succour for otherwise both all your goods and mine will bee consumed were not this speech ridicolous would not men account such a man a foole nature hath taught vs another course in such a case for he would run crying into the street fire fire help help water water succour succour alas alas wee are vndone quickly speedily run for ladders pull downe this rafter cut that beame vntile the house what meane you stirre hands armes and legs hie thee for water run thou for iron crookes and hookes hast hast we are all vndone This is the effect of feare indeed here a man seeth the danger and endeuoureth to preuent the harme The like should a preacher doe who knowing his auditours wallowed in sinne ought not with filed phrases and mellow mouthed words tickle their eares but with terrors and feares pierce their hearts he should crie fire of hell fire fire is kindled sinne is entred into the soule water water teares teares help help repentance repentance the deuill stands readie to deuoure you death watcheth at vnawares to strike you hel mouth gapeth to swallow you downe looke about you stirre your selues Non in commessationibus ebrietatibus non in cubilibus Rom. 13. impudicilijs sed induiminm dominum nostrum Iesum Christum Leaue off your riots forsake your vanities abandon your false deceitfull pleasures put on Christ imitate his puritie follow his fasting prosecute his mortification see you not men die dayly vpon a suddaine falling into hell hast hast flatter not your selues time is vncertaine the perill too certain the punishment eternal irreparable inexplicable thus ought a zealous preacher speake and so God commaundeth him not to speake but rather to crie and that incessantly Clama ne cesses Isa 58. tanquam tuba exalta vocem tuam annuntia populo meo scelera eorum domui Iacob peccat◠eorum Crie cease not lift vp thy voyce like a trumpet tell my people their sinnes and the house of Iacob their offences Fiftly although exquisit action be first commenced by nature and then perfitted by art yet both nature and art require practise and exercise otherwise all precepts though practicall will be resolued into meere speculations and when these three concurre together with
the Gift in it selfe THe fuller Fountaine causeth a greater Spring the better Plant the more pretious Fruite the fatter Soile the more plentiful Harvest and the kinder Heart the greater Gifts Among speciall and intier friendes Gifts admitte not degrees of greater or lesser because such have all their goods and habilities one at the becke and least intimation of an other whereupon grew that solemne sentence Amicorum omnia sunt communia But this Circumstance holdeth among our common friends and generall wel-willers whose affections by little and little discover themselves vnto vs and this rule is not to be esteemed one of the worst that greatnesse of gifts argueth greatnesse of good will for although some few prodigall persons lavish forth their substances for a vaine proiect and estimation to be reputed liberall bountifull and despisers of Fortunes favours yet when evidently we are not certayne our Well-willer is such a braine-sick person right Reason teacheth vs to inferre out of the greater gift the greater good will and consequently to deserve a correspondence of a semblable affection Some gifts are so exceeding in value and so vnprizable that a man is never able perfitly to recompence them as for example yong Toby conferring with his old father what reward they should bestow vpon the Angell Raphael who had guided and protected him in Toby 12. all his iourney said thus vnto him What reward shall we give him or what thing worthie of his benefits he carried me and brought me back againe in health he received the money of Gabelus he procured me a Wife and delivered her of the Devill he comforted her parents he hindred the Fish from devouring me he hath caused you see the light of heaven and thus hath he replenished vs with all good things What condignely may we for all these bestow vpon him But I beseech you father to request him if perhaps he will vouchsafe to accept the one halfe of all these riches we have brought Thus the gratefull Toby acknowledged the Angels gifts greater then he could ever satisfie howbeit in recognition of his good will he offered halfe he had whereby with the greatnes of the remuneration he intended to declare vnto the Angell the greatnesse of his affection It is a common received principle as well among prophane philosophers as sacred writers that the gifts of God of nature and grace the gifts of parents of body and life the gifts of instructors in learning and manners are vnvaluable and inecompensable for as vertue learning body life soule grace farre surpasse in degree and perfection all other riches and treasures whatsoever so all men in respect of such persons must for ever hold themselves obliged and never out of debt because the vertue of gratitude is such that a man should ever recompense the benefit received like the earth which receiveth one graine of â—â—lieate and yeeldeth therefore twenty and more so benefits should ever be repayed with interest for if we returne lesse we remayne in debt if equall we seeme to exchange and rather follow the law of iustice and equalitie then of friendship and amitie therefore by gratitude we ever ought to exceed the gift in value which we receive wherein equalitie releeseth recompense and the excesse an emulous superioritie in good will Zuxis a famous Painter so prized his Pictures that he gave them all away and never would sell any because he thought them so pretious as no gold could countervayle them Some others I have knowne who esteemed no lesse their literall labours because they were of-springs of wit distilled from the purest spirits in their braines the which therewith they had aboundantly consumed and therefore not to be bought with any treasure besides bookes divulged are generall gifts and common communications of wisdom the which ought so much more to be esteemed how much wisdome surpasseth all worldly wealth bonum quo communius eo melius and every good the commoner the better for it were malitious perversitie to withhold from others a good thing profitable to many without our impeachment and hindrance wherefore I cannot but condemne that repining indignation of Alexander the great who vnderstanding that Aristotle his inâ—â—â—â—â—or had divulged publiquely his booke of Metaphysicks which he had taught him privatly wrote vnto him in anger that in so doing he had left him nothing peculiar whereby he might excell all others in knowledge and science as though it grieved him that any man should be wise except himselfe With how much more reason and charity desired Moses that all the people might prophetize Quis tribuat vt omnis populus prophetet â—â—â— 11. 29. det eis dominus spiritum suum 6. Circumstance If the gift tended to our great good or riddance from some great evill A Showre of rayne after a long drought is more worth then ten showers another time Money lent a Merchant falling bankerout to vphold his credit may be accounted so much money given Those loaves of bread and that sword Achimelech gave David in his flight from the face of Saul were questionles in his penurie 1. Reg. 22. ten times more gratefull and acceptable then in his abundance Therefore it is great prudence friendly policy to reserve gifts and helps for men till great wants because they prize a little more then then much another time And withall it deserveth consideration that in such cases not only the affection wherewith we bestow the benefit vpon him but also the good which ensueth and the evill which he eschueth and all such desiderable consequent effects are thought intended wished and to proceed from that favour we shew in such a case so opportunely and in such extremity 7. Circumstance If it be given with alacritie I Have received some gifts of friends given with such a promptnes alacritie shew of affection as in very truth it seemed vno me that the very manner of giving doubled the gift When the Angels came to Abraham in the vale of Mambre he invited them to dinner with Gen. 1â— such alacritie so civilly and affectuously as in very deed they had seemed to have vsed him discourteously if they had refused his importune courtesie 1 If you favour me 2 passe not your servant 3 I will bring a little water to wash your feet 4 and rest vnder the tree 5 I will bring you some bread 6 and you shal 〈◊〉 your harts 7 and then you shall depart 8 therfore you came this way the Angels accepted his invitation 9 and the good old man ranne presently and brought the tenderest and best calfe he had and caused one of his servants to kill him 10 Sara in as great haste moulded paste to make theÌ„ ember-cakes 11 when all was done Abraham stood served while they sat downe All these circumstances shew the great desier that Abraham had to entertaine those strangers I have seene some men so ready prompt to grant what was requested them that they would have moved
circumspectly 4. Circumstances more VNto the former Circumstances we may for better distinction fuller comprehension of the matter adde 4. more The first is Vehemency of affection which appertaineth to the maner of giving may be reduced to the 7. Circumstance of Alacritie yet in very deed these two differ for divers times wee give things speedily and quickly because wee esteeme them not much or for some interest or other respect albeit with no great affection yet the way to wade into mens heartes and discover whether they bestow their benefites vpon vs with such intire and full affections or no may bee these First alacritie in giving is a good signe 2. If in the giving we perceive the giver much presseth himselfe 3. If the gift be great in it selfe 4. If some danger be imminent vnto the giver for such a gift 5. If the giver be our intire friend 6. If our capitall enemie for therein we may thinke he by a vehement charitable good will overcommeth himselfe The second is if the gift be common to many as if a Prince bring a Conduit of most excellent water into the Centre of a Cittie If a Noble man erect a great Hospitall for the poore blind lame and impotent If a devout Cittizen give all he hath to builde a Church Bridge or such like charitable workes these benefites as they are extended to many so they are more worthie in this respect then such as are communicated to few The third is if in giving gifts among a multitude of equall desert one be singled from the rest vpon whom it is bestowed for in such a case affection signiorizeth and love maketh election because when in the receyvers there is none or small difference in merite then the determination resteth vpon the givers good will which then may best be declared when among many specially one is severed The last is lacke of interest for such gifts as are vnspotted with any blemish of private profitte warrant vs of a sincere affection but how may we know when givers ayme rather at vtilitie then amitie first if wee be well acquainted with their prowling shifting crafty vndermining nature we may assure our selves that that flame is the effect of sea-coales which carrieth ever more smoake of selfe-love then fire of refined good will 2. If apertly by some circumstance of speech or request he maketh we see evidently some commoditie conioyned as for example in all suiters presentes a man of a bad scent may easily feele a smell of profit which perfumeth those gifts 3. If a mean man bestow a great gift vpon one in authoritie which hath no neede of it such a token for most part telleth his masters errand to wit that such a present must prepare the way for some future favour and this rule we are to thinke holdeth so much the surer when the giver is in some want and necessitie 4. If the customary vse of such giftes require some interest as commonly poore mens New-yeere giftes require better recompensations then they bring Certaine Corollaries deducted out of the precedent Discourse of the Motives to Love THe first Corollarie concerneth the love of God the which in giving vs the second Person in Trinitie to be our Saviour and Redeemer hath almost observed all these Circumstances of giftes in a most emminent degree as if I would enlarge this Chapter I could make most manifest but every discreet learned Divine without much labour by appropriating onely these generall considerations to those speciall meditations may performe it by himselfe The second Corollarie touching the Motives of Love which are in number seventeene for memories sake we may reduce to 3. heads For love is an operation of the Wil the Wil affecteth nothing but canded with Goodnesse Goodnesse generally is divided into three kindes Honestie Vtilitie Delightfulnesse but in regard that things profitable are esteemed good or badde honest or vnhonest in respect of the end whereat they ayme for they be alwayes meanes and levell at some ende therefore I thought good to obliterate that second member and in lieu thereof insert conveniency or agreeablenesse to Nature for such things we love for themselves and as it were in them stay our affections without relation to any other particular proiect Goodnes the obiect of our will is the perfection or appetibilitie of every thing reall or apparant and is divided into 1. Honest which is the obiect of vertue and consisteth in conformitie to Reason comprehending these motives to Love 2 Excellencie in Prudence Learning Fortitude Magnanimitie Temperance Iustice c. 3 Bountifulnesse 4 Condonation of iniuries 5 Toleration of wrongs 6 Riddance from evill 7 The manner of giving gifts 8. Convenient to nature that is agreeable to nature for the conservation therof eyther in being perfection or preservation of the kinde and includeth these motives to Love 9 Parentage 10 Beneficence 11 Necessitie 12 A speciall kinde of hatred causing vnion 13. Delightful that is a certaine kinde of goodnes polished with pleasure or wherin pleasure specially appeareth and containeth these motives to Love 14 Beautie 15 Profit of Soule Body Fortune 16 Resemblance in Nature Affection Iudgement Exercise 17 Love of Benevolence cōcupiscēce I am not ignorant that the immensity of mans will may chop and change these motives of love in diverse manners for if we releeve often poore mens miseries for vaine-glory we pervert the vertue of mercy if some fast for hypocrisie they abuse the virtue of temperance if some pray with pride and contempt as the arrogant Pharisee they stayne the vertue of religion and questionles any wicked man may love him that easily condoneth iniuries not for honesty and vertue but thereby to prevayle more against him and crow more insolently over him to coosin him the more boldely and deceyve him without punishment Likewise though beuty be placed among the obiects of Delight yet it may be affected for honesty and so I say of almost all the rest But heere I consider the first aspect and connaturall shew that all these obiects carry with them and how they first enter into a mans affection and are apt to moove and in this sense I doubt not but theyr seates are right and in consideration thereof I have reduced them to these heades The third Corollary It may easily be perceyved in every one of these motives how much more is insinuated then is sette downe and a good Scholler with a flight meditation may by discourse apply these generalities to particular matters for the motive of pleasure or profite may be minced into many partes and in every one a number of particular reasons found out apt to induce the perswasion of the same passion and so I say of the rest Much more I could have added to every one but then the Treatise woulde have growne too great wherefore I iudged it sufficient to touch the tops of generall perswasions to stirre vp love intending therby by to represent occasions to wise men of
that errours once drunke vp are quickly converted into nature and consequently sealed vp with vitious habites X. Of Distractions AS the earth vnmanured bringeth foorth brambles and briars with many stincking weedes and manured also springeth forth here and there darnell and cockle even so our vnderstanding if it be ill guided yeeldeth not only vayne discourses if it be ill guided yeeldeth not only vayne discourses but also in the middest of most serious meditations it blasteth foorth many impertinent distractions what exercise can be more holy than prayer and where occurre more impertinent thoughts than in the heate of such an holy exercise the which imperfection Saint Ierome feeling and Hieron in dial go adversus Lu. â—serianos lamenting sayd Nunc creberrimè c. Now most often in my prayer I walke in galleries now I reckon my gaines or withdrawne by some vncleane thought I do those things which are shamefull to be spoken Abraham could not offer sacrifice vnto God but with one hand he was constrayned to warde his offring from the molestfull crowes which were about him ready to carry it away Alas how often do the infernall kites seize vpon our soules and hinder the holy sacrifices of our prayers by impertinent thoughts In the depth of studies how oft do we proove that idle cogitations distract our minds and inforce them to wander in forraine countries in such sort as although the body be consistent in one place yet the soule runneth like a vagâ—ant person or rather slieth from country to country and almost in a moment sayleth over the immensive Ocean Sea wherevpon ensueth that the vse of a mans soule lieth not in his owne hands because his actions be subiect vnto so many interruptions which proceede eyther from the malignitie of the Divell the vehemence of some passion a strong imagination and deepe impression or an inconstant mind desirous of varietie and alteration The Defects and Imperfections of our Willes NOt only the land by the vniversall course of God was plagued with sterilitie and vnprofitable ofsprings but also the Sea bordering vpon the Land with horrible tempests mists rocks shelves and other miserable dangers whereupon poore Marriners miscarrie even so not only our vnderstanding by that bitter Apple which edged all mens teeth was distasted by ignorance and infected with errours but also our wills were troubled with tempests of wicked inclinations and shelves of vitious perversitie whereupon soules perish and fall into eternall calamitie Difficultie to do well ONe huge rocke I finde in this vast Ocean of our boundlesse Will common to all men and wherevnto all others may be reduced yet not in like degree I meane an exceeding difficultie to do well our vnderstandings I confesse must labor to find out the truth but no labour to be compared with the labor to do good few beasts you have which do themselves more ill than good and as few men which do themselves not more ill than good Were it not a miracle to see a mightie huge stone ascend by it selfe above all the cloudes or the Sunne descend to the earth Yes doubtlesse but why were this a myracle Because a stone by nature is inclined to descend and the Sunne to rowle about the world therefore it were a wonder to see them move against their owne inclinations As great and as strange a marvell it might seeme to see our wills so prone to vice to descend to the vayne pleasures and delights of the flesh because these motions are most opposite to their naturall and principall inclination for no wise man can be ignorant how the chiefest force of our will bendeth to follow the rule of reason prosecute vertue and honestie detest vice and iniquitie therefore to follow vertue is connaturall to affect vice a vitious miracle Notwithstanding we daily try what difficultie we find in the narrow way to goodnes and what extreame facilitie in the broad way of wickednes for one man that is vertuous how many thousands are vitious Whereupon commeth this notable excesse Of the extreme difficultie meÌ„ find in doing well which deterreth the most part of them from it the rootes of vertue sayeth one are bitter and therefore delicate lips will not taste them well-willers of vertue must resist flesh and blood which worldlings so beastly pamper and cruelly cherrish Yet I know some would desire to vnderstand from whence proceedeth this wonderfull difficultie â— we all prove to do well the reason which may moove a man to doubt questionlesse deserveth good consideration for if we that be Christians well expend what meanes we have to do good and what to do ill we shall finde that these be fewer in number and weaker in force and efficacie then the other the which I thought good briefly to set downe partly to declare our wilfulnes and perversitie who having so many meanes will not vse them partly to remember the Reader that hereafter he may benefit himselfe of them and be confounded for his misdemeanour in them We are moved to do well First by the law of nature imprinted in our harts like a lanterne or a torch to direct vs in the darkenes of the continuall night of this miserable life 2 Our will principally bendeth to follow this lawe as our hands and feet the direction of our eyes 3 The remorce of conscience which in the very act of sinning keepeth the watch of our soules adviseth vs by barking that enimies are present and after that we have sinned how the wall is broken and consequently opened to the invasion of infernall theeves 4 The infamie and discredit which waiteth vpon vice for such aversion all men by nature carry in theyr minds from sinne that no man can esteeme in his heart or love truely any vitious man 5 We see in every good common-weale vertuous men preferred esteemed and accounted of and therefore honos alit artes why then should not credit and reputation nourish and augment vertue 6 By naturall discourse a man may well perceive how the oyle of his carnall Lampe dayly consumeth the naturall heate vanisheth death approacheth and therefore why should not the vicinitie and certaintie of death cause him to leade a vertuous life 7 All states and kingdomes ordered by lawes and governed by reason appoynt punishments for vices according to their qualities for what meane prisons stocks fetters gives racks gallowes hatchets but to warne vs that their creation was for sinnes extirpation 8 Nothing can have more force to allure a man to do well than the peace and tranquillitie of the minde a quiet and serene conscience is iuge convivium this we gayne by vertue this we leese by vice 9 The Infidels brought vp in the mistie fogges of infidelity conceived a terrour of their gods iudgement thinking them ready to punish their sins and condemne their offences which feare even nature teacheth vs when we offend that God being most iust will not permit vnpunished iniustice 10 And did not the same Infidells expect Elizian
Passions I oppose the law of Nature the brevity of all pleasures for no Passion can long content the minde but even a gust of pleasure gulleth the soule and so cloyeth it that the very dainties seeme loathsome Nam ab assuetis non fit Passio If hereunto you adde so many diseases so many disgraces such infamy which commonly accompany exorbitant Passions You shall find that they have no such efficacy to pervert vs as the other to convert vs. The sixt Impediment is of Inconstancie MOst men feele in themselves a certayne Inconstancy whereby they become wonderfull various and fickle in theyr owne estates exercises and manner of living for if we discourse vniversally about the nature of man we shall finde him continually as it were in a cyrcle that is winding about pleasures or flying paynes and after a small while returning to them agayne For example who live in Citties desire to enioy a while the Countrey and those that possesse the free ayre of the Countrey wish the sights of Citties and both after a while loath that they most desired and would returne to theyr former estates and then after awearied of them they renue theyr desires and effectuate their purposes the selfe same we proove in senses wee see greene fields beautifull pallaces pleasant gardens But not long time this obiect will content vs shortly after the eyes beeing satiated then our eares must bee delighted with Musicke and after they are loathed then must we have varieties of meates the stomacke being filled then followeth rest then sight talke or such like exercises as wee vsed before and after this manner we rowle vp and downe Gods creatures ever thyrsting and never content even so in the servyce of God for our soules herein consort with our bodyes which are feeble and tender in youth but grow till they come to a certayne perfection the which once obtayned they returne agayne to theyr former imperfections ever fading consuming and resolving till they come to their finall decreement and as great weakenesse as they begunne withall In spirite and minde many beginne to doe well but after a while they loathe the very Manna of Heaven the best and most precyous liquors of Paradice savour not to them they seeme taynted they beginne in spirit and finish in flesh they follow God but after a while they sigh for onyons of Egypt And I needes must say that this inconstancy hath caused many soules miscarry and those which seemed to have entred the gates of Paradice fell most miserably into the dungeon of Hell This inconstancy raigneth not onely over the soule A certayne contrariety in the soule hindereth men from goodnesse at divers times as now the Sea ebbeth now floweth now is tempestuous now calmed but at the selfe same time it will and will not loveth and hateth affecteth God and his enemies the slesh and the world not vnlike to two contrary winds which at the selfe same time tosse the clowdes one beneath an other above one into the East the other into the West the which contention Saint Paul felt well when he sayde Sentio aliam legem in membris meis repugnantem legi mentis meae and Aug. lib. 8. coâ—sess cap. 10. S. Augustine in resolving himselfe to serve God sayd Nec planè volebam nec plenè nolebam ideo mecum contendebam but as he had pronounced before Ego eram qui volebam ego qui nolebam for indeede the lower part of the soule draweth the will one way and reason haleth another so that in the selfe same will there is a double motion the one to vertue the other to vice even as the Philosophers say the lower heavens are mooved from West to East by their proper motions and from East to West by the force of the first mooved or highest heaven But against this Inconstancy I can oppose many meanes to goodnesse of greater force and efficacy the which can more constantly further vs to goodnesse then inconstancy can incite vs to ilnesse have we not registred in holy Writ and sounding alwayes in our eares the inexplicable ioyes of Heaven promised to Vertue and the terrible paynes of Hell threatned to vice Will not the feare of Gods iudgement which hourely we attend enforce vs to watch and pray lest we be taken at vnawares May not the incertainty of our deaths moove vs to a constancy in life Will not so many warnings of death iudgement hell heaven so often inculcated sufficiently stirre vs vp to stand vpon our warde Cannot so many stayes of grace vphold and stay the inconstancy of Nature Howe many are withholden from wickednesse onely thorow terror of temporall punishment and shall not so many terrors countervaile a fickle and inconstant inclination Where lyeth the anchor of Hope and the vnmooveable grounds of Faith and charity The seventh Impediment is discontentment of our owne Estate AN other Impediment I thinke most men feele at one time or other which hindereth not a little the the progresse of Vertue and it is that none can be contented with their owne estates we perceive not onely a warre or battell in our mindes but also a certayne discontentment in our selves whereupon broke foorth those saying Nemo sorte sua contentus laudet diversa sequentes wee may be well compared to certayne sicke men who would ever be changing theyr beds yet they never finde rest for that the cause of theyr griefe lyeth not in the beds but in their bodies the reason why men live so discontented with their owne estates proceedeth from many crosses which every state condition exercise or office carrieth with it besides the often exercising of one thing engendreth fatiety and therefore alwayes Nature affecteth variety Against this tediousnes and loathing life many great helps I can obiect for those which attend indeed to serve God find a certaine secret Manna a Paradice of consolations which will easily mittigate the crosses and discontentments ministred by a nature ill inclined for as God permitteth no evill to escape vnpunished so he letteth passe no good vnrewarded and although this reward shall be reaped in the harvest of eternall life yet with a quiet conscience the tranquility of mind an internall peace and consolation in heavenly affaires he fully in this life recompenseth all disasters and calamities which occurre Cucurri viani Psal 118. 32. mandatorum tuorum said one dum dilatasti cor meum and as he that guideth by his providence the sterne of mens soules permitteth them not to bee moyled with tentations above the forces and habilities wherewith they are indued so likewise he will not see them so deiected with crosses that he wil not erect them with consolations so said he which well had tryed the passions of the crosse that Sicut abundant passiones Christi in nobis ita per ChristuÌ„ abundat consolatio nostra for as the passions of Christ aboundeth in vs even so by Christ aboundeth 2. Cor. 1. 5. Iudit 8. 20. Psal 93.
great dispute among Phisitians what should be the cause of the Paroxismes or fittes in Agues and once I my selfe being troubled with a tertian Ague in Italie in the Cittie of Como there came two Phisitians my deere friends and a Doctor of Diuinitie all at one time to visite me and euen then I stood in expectation of my fit After many complements discourses about my sicknes at last I demaunded these two Doctors of Phisicke that they would resolue mee in one doubt about my disease they aunswered with a good will Well sayd I you both conclude and it stands with good reason that this sicknes of mine proceedeth from excesse of choller now I would know of you when my fit is past is the choller all disguested consumed and voyded away or no If it be consumed why dooth my Ague returne if it be not consumed why dooth mine Ague depart The Phisitians here aunswered one contraâ—ie to another for the first sayd it was disguested Why then returneth mine Ague For this cause quoth he the Ague proceedeth not onely of choller but of choller putrified corrupted and poysoned Now sir the choller poysoned is consumed but other choller which remaineth is not corrupted but by the next paroxisme it will be corrupted Well sayd I what thing is that which corrupteth poisoneth that good choller which before was not corrupted It seemeth strange to me how so much precisely should be corrupted and the other beeing so neere lying by it or rather vnited with it yea mingled in it not to be infected In truth I remember not what he aunswered but I am sure he satisfied none of vs all The other Doctor of Phisicke sayd it was not consumed but nature feeling the force of that poyson vnited her selfe to fight against it and so allayed most of the vehemencie vigour and malignitie thereof and hee gaue an example of a pot of water set on the fire for quoth hee if the coales be couered with ashes the hote water cooleth blow the fire and it warmeth and boyleth let ashes returne or the fire die the water returneth to the first coldnesse So quoth hee the poyson of the choller by natures might is ouercome when the Ague departeth but after that those spirits and forces which nature had vnited are dispersed the fire is quenched and choller againe corrupted But quoth the other Phisitian so the sicknesse should neuer depart for if your choller be still in cooling and heating and nature now fighting now ceasing when I pray you shall this combat be finally ended Marry sir quoth his fellow Doctor in this sort nature mittigateth the forces of choller this fit and allayeth them now nature in the meane time is strengthned with good foode and the humour either purged or quailed with phisicke and so by little and little it is quite disguested Not so said the other for then the second fit should alwayes be lesse then the first and the third lesse then the second and so forward to the last but this is false for his third and fourth fits were much more vehement then either the first or second And besides by this declaration no man should euer die vpon an Ague For if in euery fit the sicknesse ceassed not vntill the humour were allayed then certainly in Agues which are mortall the fitte shoulde neuer passe which is most false With this the Doctor of Diuinitie who was a very good Philosopher and for that he had beene much troubled with maladies he was like manie wrangling Gentlemen a petty-fogging Phisitian at his owne costs as they be petty-fogging Lawyers thorow theyr owne sutes Why said the Diuine may we not hold that the Ague is in the liuer and hart No quoth the Phisitians both that cannot be because no Phisitian euer held that any Ague was in partibus solidis that is in the hart liuer c. except the Hecticke Well said the diuine I say not that it is in the hart and liuer immediatly for that I will confesse perforce must be choller but I say the fountaine and spring the roote and crigen to reside in the liuer the which immediatly causeth corrupted blood and inflamed choller for they beeing extraordinarily corrupted themselues with vehement heate cannot but engender blood spirits and humors of like infection and corruption And by this way I aunswere the first doubt that when the Ague ceaseth choller is diguested Why then returneth it againe Marie sir because the hart and liuer beeing out of temper in that space of time engender so many more peruerse humors as opprâ—sse nature so vehemently and dangerously that shee must imploy all her might to resist them abate them extinguish them In truth Maister Doctor said I this opinion I like very well and I will confirme it for since mine Ague first beganne these Phisitians haue inculcated nothing so much vnto me by word and deede as to coole my liuer to this effect all their syrrops and waters of Endiue Sicory and Barley tended And with this discourse wee ended our dispute mine Ague the which with this pleasant conference passed away Fiftly Plato auoucheth that Agues haue ages Plato in Dialog de Natur. like men as also consummations and ends vvith whom Galen consenteth This sentence of Plato Valesius a worthy Phisitian explicateth in this maner As there are two sorts of diseases sharpe and Valesius de Sacra Philo. cap. 7. cronicall both which haue theyr decretory daies but not alike for the sharpe haue odde dayes especially seauen the cronicall twenty sixty eightie a hundred so there are two prerogations or courses of life the one is common to many the other to fewe and such as are of a most liuely constitution both of them haue theyr Clymactericall or decretory yeeres The first wee number by seauen and nine the latter wee count by tenne and the last period is a hundred and twenty To this Discourse of Valesius lette vs adde a certayne poynt of experience and doctrine of Galen Galen lib. r. de diebus decretorijs c. 22. who in the decretorie dayes of a feuer which numbreth by seauen specially he will tell you the fourth day whether the Agew will leaue the patient the seauenth or whether hee shall die vpon the seauenth day or no and also withall hee teacheth to foretell the very houre of death vppon the seauenth day Last of all out of these considerations we may gather as much as will sufficiently I hope satisfie the Question proposed in the beginning of this Section viz why in these Clymactericall yeeres men commonly die To which I doe aunswere That for euery sixe yeeres or eight men still gather vppe more or lesse humours which prepare the way for an Agew in the seauen or nine As wee sayde before when the fitte is past the heart and liuer prepare humours for the next ensuing and in case they be not sufficient in the seauen they multiply to the nine if in this they faile then they passe to the foureteene then to eighteene c. And for this cause Physitians councell theyr Patients to purge in the Spring and Authumne to hinder the increase of humours albeit they feele themselues nothing diseased at all This we may declare by the example of them who are infected with hereditary diseases as the gowte or the stone for albeit they euidently appeere not till olde age yet in all the progresse of their yeeres the partes and humours infensibly are prepared Or wee may say that in sixe or eight yeeres the liuer and heart which are fountaines of bloud and origens of humours are so infected and corrupted that in the last yeere they engender more vnnaturall superfluous humours than can stand with the right and naturall constitution of the body But some will say by this opinion a man should euer be sicke for hee shoulde neuer want corrupted humours wherein sickenesse consisteth To this I answere first that health consisteth not in indiuisibili in an indiuisible poynt so that it admitteth not some few peccant humours withall but hath a certaine amplitude like as if into a But of strong Canary Wine a man euery moneth shoulde put in halfe a pinte of water euery day a spoonefull at the moneths end yea the yeeres end the Wine woulde be almost as potent as at the first yea and perhaps more if it bee well helped Secondly wee see that Custome breedeth qualities and alterations so insensibly as in long time till they come to a full growth they can hardly be perceiued Thirdly I doubt not but hee that hath for example the first foureteene yeere of his life for his Clymactericall in the precedent yeeres shall gather more corrupted humoures then hee whose Clymactericall yeere is nine and fortie and also feele himselfe proportionally more weake albeit hee can not well perceiue for I my selfe haue knowne a man almost with halfe his lungs rotten with a consumption and yet boldelie auowch that he was strong for Ab assuetis non fit passio Some will obiect that wee see by experience many menne die within the space of a day or two who before were as sound and whole as coulde be neyther in their vrine blood or pulse appeared any signe of sickenesse or superfluous humour To this I aunswere that such a man was eyther oppressed with some vehement Passion or some violent exercise or some other extrinsecall cause which accelerated peruerted and extraordinarily augmented the humour and so caused death for as I saide aboue although a man considering the common course of his dayes can not passe his prefixed time and Clymactericall periode yet by many meanes he may shorten it Much more I coulde say prò and contrà for this Declaration but because it were something too Physicall and not so necessarie for this Morall Treatise therefore I will bury it with silence for this poynt in very trueth is so intricate that I perceiue the best wittes are exceedingly troubled to extricate themselues out of it And therefore as this I esteeme probable so I woulde giue any Physitian most hearty thankes who in few woordes woulde teach mee a better way I sayde in briefe for I haue seene some such long tedious Discourses as I loathed to peruse them doubting lest the vncertaine profit would not repay the certaine payne Finis
ioyes and diuers sorts of sadnesse or paine the which as men are affected may be diuersly applied Let a good and a Godly man heare musicke and hee will lift vp his heart to heauen let a bad man heare the same and hee will conuert it to lust Let a souldiour heare a trumpet or a drum and his bloud will boile and bend to battell let a clowne heare the same and he will fall a dauncing let the common people heare the like and they wil fall a gazing or laughing and many neuer regard them especially if they bee accustomed to heare them So that in this mens affections and dispositions by meanes of musicke may stir vp diuers passions as in seeing we daily prooue the like True it is that one kind of musicke may be more apt to one passion than another as also one obiect of sight is more proportionat to stirre vp loue hatred or pleasure or sadnesse than another Wherefore the naturall disposition of a man his custome or exercise his vertue or vice for most part at these sounds diuersificate passions for I cannot imagine that if a man neuer had heard a trumpet or a drum in his life that he would at the first hearing be mooued to warres Much more might bee said in this matter and yet not all fully satisfie and content a sound iudgement but what occurred vnto me in this question I haue set downe leauing the choise and approbation or sensure to them that see more in it than I doe How Passions are moued by action §. 2. ORators whose proiect is persuasion haue two principal parts where with they endeuour to compasse their purpose Ornatè dicere concinnè agere To speake eloquenly and to act aptly That consisteth specially vpon proper words and sound reasons this in a certaine moderation of the voice and qualifications of gestures We said aboue that externall actions as voice and gestures were signes of internall passions and there we taught how thorow those windowes a man might passe with the sight of his vnderstanding and discouer the secret affections of anothers heart the which ground and vndoubted veritie is the foundation whereupon now we must build this third meane to moue passsions for Cicero expresly teacheth that it is almost impossible for an oratour to stirre vp a passion in his auditors except he be first affected with the same passioÌ„ himselfe Neque enim fieri potest vt doleat is qui audit vt oderit Cicerâ— lib. de orat vt inuideat vt pertimescat aliquid vt admisericordiam fletumque deducatur nâ—si omnes ij motus quos orator adhiberi volet iudici in ipso oratore impressi esse atque inusti videbuntur It cannot be that he which heareth should sorrow hate enuie or feare any thing that he should be induced to compassion or weeping except all those motions the oratour would stirre vp in the iudge be first imprinted and marked in the oratour himselfe And therefore Horace well obserued that he which will make me weepe must first weepe himselfe Si vis me flore dolendum est De art poet Primum tibi tunc tua me infortunia laedent If thou wilt haue me weepe a dolefull brest First show and then thy woes will me molest And the philosophicall and morall reason hereof is most apert because with them it is a common receiued axiome Nemo dat quod non habet a man cannot communicate August lib. 2. de lib. arb cap. 17. that he wanteth Quod in causis vniuocis est semper verum And therefore how shall one who hath no feeling of the passion he would persuade induce an other by passion to accept or reiect it For if thy reasons moue not thee why wouldest thou haue them to moue Aristo 1. post me Propter quod vnumquodque tale illud magis If my hand be hot for the fire the fire must be more hot it selfe if my chamber be lightsome for the beames of the sunne the sunne it selfe must be more lightsome If I must bee moued by thy persuations first thou must shew me by passion they persuaded thy selfe And therefore no meruaile if many preachers persuade not the people to vertue and pietie for they seeing the instructors want in themselues that they endeuour to persuade to others let all their sermons enter in at one eare and slip out at another Ab immundo quis mundabitur who shal be cleansed by Eccles 34. the vncleane For as Saint Gregorie well noteth Manus quae sordes abluit munda esse debet the hand which washeth filth away should bee cleane True it is that the people ought to follow the Godly doctrine of their preachers although their liues be corrupted for so Christ hath commaunded because they sit in the chaire of Moyses Neuerthelesse let them be assured one day to smart for it in that they prepared and disposed not themselues to be fit instruments for such eminent functions Therefore if we intend to imprint a passion in another it is requisit first it be stamped in our hearts for thorow our voices eyes and gestures the world will pierce and thorowly perceiue how we are affected And for this cause the passion which is in our brest must be the fountaine and origen of all externall actions and as the internall affection is more vehement so the externall persuasion will be more potent for the passion in the persuader seemeth to mee to resemble the wind a trumpeter bloweth in at one end of the trumpet and in what manner it proceedeth from him so it issueth forth at the other end and commeth to our eares euen so the passion proceedeth from the heart and is blowne about the bodie face eies hands voice and so by gestures passeth into our eyes and by sounds into our eares and as it is qualified so it worketh in vs. But I know some would vnderstand the cause why a good reason in the preacher or oratour will not suffice to persuade the people vnlesse they themselues be affected with the like passion I answere that wise men are most moued with sound reasons and lesse with passions contrariwise the common people or men not of deepe iudgement are more persuaded with passions in the speakers the reason is because as we haue two sences of discipline especially the eyes the eares reason entreth the eates the passion wherewith the oratour is affected passeth by the eyes for in his face we discouer it and in other gestures the eyes are more certaine messengers and lesse to be doubted of for we many times suspect the reasons least they be friuolous although we cannot answere them but those passions we see nature imprinteth them deeper in our hearts and for most part they seeme so euident as they admit no tergiuersation wherefore the euidence and certaintie of the passion persuadeth much more effectually the common people than a suspected reason and the suspition of sophistication is much more encreased when
wee see it not worke that effect in the teacher which he would stirre vp in the hearer Againe vsually men are more moued with deeds than words reasonable persuations resemble words affectuall passions are compared to deeds Furthermore the passion passeth not onely thorow the eyes but also pierceth the eare and thereby the heart for a flexible and pliable voice accommodated in manner correspondent to the matter whereof a person intreateth conueyeth the passion most aptly pathetically and almost harmonically and euery accent exclamation admiration increpation indignation commiseration abhomination exanimation exultation fitly that is distinctly at time and place with gesture correspondent and flexibilitie of voice proportionat deliuered is either a flash of fire to incense a passion or a bason of water to quench a passion incensed A man therefore furnished himselfe with the passion or affection he wisheth in his auditors shewing it with voice and action although his reasons be not so potent hath no doubt a most potent meane to persuade what he list Wherefore Demosthenes as of all Oratours the prince for action so he defined that the principall part of Cicero in Brut. an Oration was action the second the same the third no other than action Isocrates otherwise called the father of eloquence for lacke of a good voice neuer pleaded publickely Cicero saith some were viri diserti that is very eloquent but for lack of action or rather vntowardnesse habiti sunt infantes they were accounted infants and I haue seene some preachers very meane schollers and in truth otherwise but sillie men yet for that they excelled in action all the world followed them For action is either a certaine visible eloquence or an eloquence of the bodie or a comely grace in deliuering conceits or an externall image of an internall mind or a shaddow of affections or three springs which flow from one fountaine called vox vultus vita voice countenance life that is the affection poureth forth it selfe by all meanes possible to discouer vnto the present beholders and auditors how the actor is affected and what affection such a case and cause requireth in them by mouth he telleth his mind in countenance he speaketh with a silent voice to the eyes with all the vniuersall life and bodie he seemeth to say Thus we moue because by the passion thus we are mooued and as it hath wrought in vs so it ought to worke in you Action then vniuersally is a naturall or artificiall moderation qualification modification or composition of the voice countenance and gesture of bodie proceeding from some passion and apt to stirre vp the like for it seemeth that the soule playeth vpon these three parts as a musition vpon three strings and according to his striking so they sound A number of precepts Oratours prescribe about these three parts and labour extreamly by art to perfit and accomplish the rude indigested motions of nature to them therefore I will leaue the minching of this matter in particularities and onely set downe certaine generalities First although art supplie the defects of nature yet if a man haue not a good naturall habilitie it is impossible by art to come to any perfection for this manner of motion The reason hereof is manifest because as in musick he that wanteth a tunable voice by nature although he otherwise excell in the art of musicke yet it were lesse paine to heare him say than sing And I haue knowne most exquisit musitians vnable to sing aptly fiue notes so in action he that wanteth a good voice a good nimble eye a proportionat bodie and other parts naturall may speak with reason but neuer almost aptly for persuasion indeed if the habilities of nature be not very vntoward art may correct many defects of nature as Demosthenes had a little lisping at first but by labour and diligence amended Isocrates impediments were incorrigible and therefore all his labour had been lost if he had emploied himselfe to acting Secondly he that will act well must of necessitie stir vp first that affect in himselfe he intendeth to imprint in the hearts of his hearers and the more vehement the passion is the more excellent action is like to ensue The reason is for as I said aboue the voice eyes and gestures sound without as the heart striketh within and therfore the vehementer passion venteth forth the liuelier action Yet here must one or two cautions be considered First in ire and indignation that the passion and action relish not of some priuat quarell or reuenge for then it leeseth all the force and grace of persuasion because the passion smelleth then of proper interest and vtilitie and consequently will be accounted inordinate and vitious Secondly in feare and sadnesse that they render not the actions vile and abiect for then the passion will rather be occasion or cause to smother and kill them than to reuiue and animate them Thirdly euery part of action ought to expresse the mind as grauely as prudently as solidly as may be The reason is because he that publickely intendeth to persuade must be esteemed a wise and a good man wisedome must make the auditors beleeue he erreth not vpon ignorance honestie must induce them to thinke hee will not lie therefore all his actions ought to be prudent and graue for if they be any way light or rash then presently he will be suspected either not to haue premeditated maturely his matter or not to regard what he saith or not to be so setled in vertue and knowledge as such an important matter requireth for leuitie and rashnesse at least argue imprudence inconsideration immortification and precipitation which all are capitall enemies to deepe consulation specially in matters which concerne persuasion to vertue or dissuasion from vice exhortation to goodnesse or dehortation from ilnesse Wherefore in action all leuitie must be auoided In voyce that the words be not pronounced too fast nor any light or scurilous word enter in In face that the eye range not abroad vagabond like nor be tossed or turned too lightly that the oratour make no faces writhing of mouth wrinkling of nose or too much shaking of head Ingesture no tickling with fingers quickly wresting of the bodie light going or much gestiâ—ulation Fourthly he ought to endeuour that euery part of action immitate as liuely as may be the nature of the passion Sextus Philosophus said our bodie was imago animi because the maners of the soule followed the temper of the body and therfore he that knew perfitly this could not be ignorant of that so the actions of the bodie shold be in a perfit persuader an image of the passion in the mind But how shal this be performed Two general rules at this present occurre vnto my memorie not very hard to be learned but exceeding profitable to be practised The first is that we looke vpon other men appassionat how they demeane themselues in passions and obserue what and how they speake in mirth sadnesse ire