Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	faith_n	heart_n	work_n	7,151	5	5.4540	4	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A16845	A treatise of melancholie Containing the causes thereof, & reasons of the strange effects it worketh in our minds and bodies: with the physicke cure, and spirituall consolation for such as haue thereto adioyned an afflicted conscience. ... By T. Bright doctor of physicke.	Bright, Timothie, 1550-1615.	1586 (1586)	STC 3747; ESTC S106464	155,522	312

and sealed vp in the christian heart by the worke of Gods spirite is so farre of from disquieting the spirit or breeding doubt that the children of God in all temptations finde the immutability mutability of Gods counsell and the testimony of his fauour in their consciences by his spirite to supporte them in all stormes of temptation and to be the rocke against which no violence of Sathan or his ministers or whatsoeuer their owne infirmity offereth of discouragement can preuaile Besides these such as read the word of God with passionate humour fall into this inconuenience especially if without guide and instruction they carie any presumption of minde and are not modest and warie in their collections such being melancholicke may easily fall into distrust of Gods mercy perish in dispaire So that ignorance and infidelity are the chiefe causes of this miserable estate whereinto many haue fallen especially such as haue neuer bene able to be recomforted which for the most part are they who with neglect of Godds feare and hardnes of heart against their conscience and knowledge haue with desperate purpose gathered strength in the wayes of sinne and haue cast of all remorse til the Lordes vengeaunce in this sort ouertake them or haue fallen into that sinn whereof the Apostle speaketh of that none should pray for and which our Sauiour calleth the sinne against the holy Ghost Other some ther be of which number I know you deare M. that fearing the Lord with sincerity of hearte haue bene notwithstanding this way distressed the weight of their sinnes exceeding for a time the strength of their faith whose case I take to be thus farre other then such as I haue before mentioned euen as in stormie tempest the ship stirreth at euery blast and sourge of the sea to be in daunger of wrack and the yong ash bending to euery blast of winde seemeth in perill of breaking rooting vp wheÌ„ both the ship kepeth her constant course the tree yet hath his rooting so in you those of your disposition in this case the tempest and storme of this temptation raysed partly by your owne weakenes and partely through Sathans tempestious malice causeth your faith to bend and seeme feeble yeelding to this force while notwithstanding you be built on the rocke planted with the hand of God in the Eden of his gracious election remayne a plante for euer in his paradise of eternall felicitie Such as you your self herm offend that you measure your selues by your infirmities which hath so farre vse in vs to breed a watchfull care ouer our owne wayes not to discourage vs consider that we are as the Lord esteemeth who is more glorified in shewing mercie theÌ„ in executing of his wrath whose word declareth vnto vs that he loued vs being ennemies and found vs wheÌ„ we were lost and loathed not our polution but for himselfe onely offered his mercy so that we must stand in that reckning of our selues which the Lord will haue vs to doe in his mercie else shal we be wroÌ„g iudges of the wayes of the Almighty Euen as one that hath not had experience of trauaile by sea feareth euery wea uing of the ship doubteth of perill where the nature of the trauailer is such without hazard or daunger So you such as are in like case afflicted imagine euery puffe of this kinde of teÌ„ptation to be nothing else but the gate of destruction when as notwithstanding it is the verie course way where through God doth lead his dearest children whose counsells are not to be measured by our infirmities nor by that we cast forecast or doubt but as he himselfe hath pronouÌ„ced of his own wayes as many of his children haue proued before vs. Here the melaÌ„cholie taketh aduantage and Sathan prosecuteth a maine with beÌ„ding your affectioÌ„s to feare doubt distrust stoppeth that consolation the mercy of god affordeth which his childreÌ„ are ready to minister vnto you And these are melancholickes of another sort who notwithstanding they endeuour to feare God yet not aduised through this base vile humor receiue discouragemeÌ„t in theÌ„selues more then through Gods mercie they haue need til such time as the coÌ„fort of his spirite by due means alteration of their body by coÌ„uenieÌ„t remedy of the godly phisician raise theÌ„ vp againe These are melaÌ„choliks most disposed by reason of the euill temper of their bodies to this affliction not by power of the humor which resteth in their bodies toucheth not the minde but by reasoÌ„ they are more curious distrustfull theÌ„ other coÌ„plexioÌ„s which being ioyned with ignorance or a preposterous knowledge cast theÌ„ into these laberinthes of spirituall sorow whereout very hardly are they at the length able to dispatch themselues without great mercy of God and diligent and carefull applying of his meanes But you may say vnto me can a man by his owne power drawe on this kinde of crosse which you haue before declared to be the hand of God yea verily if Gods only mercie be not his stay euen as our first parents voluntarily gaue their neckes and in them all their posterity vnder the yoke of Sathan and as the vengeance of Gods iustice alwayes burneth against the wicked his sword continually employed which nothing caÌ„ queÌ„ch but the water of his grace flowing from the sids of his Sonne and that spiritual complet armour where of S. Paul speaketh of so should euen all of vs in this life taste of the heate feele the dint of that sword if his mercy in his Sonne for his Saintes cause on the earth he staied not the ielousie of his wrath His anger our sinnes pull on but his mercy is only for himselfe Thus you haue heard what manner affliction this of the minde and conscience of sinne not comforted by assurance of pardon is how it differeth from melancholy how melancholicke persons are most subiect therunto and by what meanes this calamity is procured with the diuersity of persons thus afflicted hereafter you shall vnderstand which is your chiefe desire my counsell and cure both in that state of minde wherin you stand and whereof the Lord graunt you speedy and comfortable release and also in what your crased body surgayned with melancholy and all his vncomfortable accidentes doth of naturall phisick help of medicine require But first my deare M. giue way to my wordes of comfort and for the old friendships sake and sweete society we haue had in times past alwayes seasoned with heauenly meditations and spirituall conferences denie me not that interest which shal be both comfortable vnto you and ioyfull to many of your friendes whose prayers are with sobbes powred out for your release especially beware least vnaduisedly you dishonour god in this kind of sorow who is the God of peace and comfort CHAP. XXX A consolation vnto the afflicted conscience YOu feele you say the wrath of God kindled against your

of teares and thinke that it is Gods businesse we are in hand with that we are inabled of him mooued and carried by his spirite increase with his increases not to be measured with the eye of flesh or carnall vnderstanding but by the same spirite which worketh in vs who as he hath begunne will also make perfect his worke to his owne glory which lieth in taking pity and compassion more aboundantly then in shewing veÌ„geance By this which hitherto hath bene said it appeareth plainly that no sinne hath yet passed you which can seclude you from hope of saluation and therefore necessarily it followeth that the crosse you are now vnder is an attempt of Satan against you to cast you into vtter dispaire and if it were possible to vndoe that knot more surely knit then that of Gordius which coupleth vs vnto our God and wherewith we are espoused vnto Iesus Christ euen our most glorious faith which ouercommeth the world where against not SataÌ„ nor all his force or stratageme is able to preuaile I say it is only a temptation of the ennemy purposed of him to your confusion but from your louing God and mercifull father a triall of faith and patience and the proofe of those vertues which before laye hid in secrete which he will haue now shew themselues in the combat he himselfe a beholder an incourager a succour at neede and prest with the crowne of triumph to giue rewarde and honour to the victory Wherefore only haue patience be not discouraged stand sure and the feeblenes of Sathan shall soone appeare and his weapons shall be al broaken in peeces and God through faith and patience and comfort of the Scriptures by his spirite shall be glorified in the weakenes of his poore afflicted seruant and you shall againe as Dauid was be restored to those woÌ„ted ioyes which you haue sometimes felt in the sweete mercies of the Lord. Now the ground of all teÌ„ptation is our owne weakenes this is tried and proued by Sathan or the world or both ioyned together as considerations of our destruction Besides this continual buddes of iniquity which do rise from our originall corruption Sathan sometimes playeth his part vpon our weakenes alone and sometimes by outward temptations and sometimes layeth siege round about vs and besetteth all the parts of our complete armour We are weake in vnderstanding and in what so euer action riseth therefrom euen in will affection Our vnderstanding is turned into blindnes of error Our will embraceth not only those thinges which corrupt iudgement directeth vnto but euen wher sometime vnderstanding staÌ„deth sound ther will beÌ„deth to affection neglecteth the light of reason Our affections are both rebellious to right iudgement and will in that they rage where they should not and wher iust cause is giuen there they inordinately exceed Thus iudgement wil and affection hauing degenerated vse the bodely members as weapons and instrumentes of all impietye and in iustice so that if the grace of God did not for preseruation of humaine society and especially for his Churches cause restraine this streÌ„gth of iniquity the pillers of the world would shatter in sunder and the vault of heauen would fall all things woulde turne againe to their former Chaos be consumed with the terrible fire of Gods vengeaunce and perishe in his heauy displeasure Our misery being such no maruaile though both Sathan and the world preuaile against vs except the Lord stretch foorth his hand and vphold vs. This our infirmity Sathan doth sometimes assaye without meanes and sometimes by outward occasions of euill forcible perswasion of sinne and rebellioÌ„ against God How he doth it without means the experience is more lamentable and infallible then the manner how easie to finde out In corporall possession it seemeth there needeth no meanes when Sathan possesseth all partes of the howse and as maister commaundeth at his pleasure But how without such accesse he is able to teÌ„pt that is a matter of more difficult consideration which because it maketh not a litle to the better laying open of your estate I will somewhat stande vpon referring you for the rest to the resolutions of the diuines who haue chiefe part in this busines For my owne part I do take it am assured you find the experience that SathaÌ„ after a personall manner vnto the soule though not in bodely shape to the eye without meanes of outward thinges which might moue our wils or affections tempteth vs in the very secrete thoughts of our heartes For being a spirite and by creation most excellent it is not to be doubted but that he hath a spirituall accesse vnto our spirites to trouble them and to disorder all their actions as we see corporall creatures with bodely and corporall force to annoy one an other And as men haue fellowship one with other by corporall presence and are delighted or displeased with the quallities of the minde according as they like or dislike vttered by speach talke so is it most like that the spirites haue their society maintained by a spirituall conference whereby their wills and purposes are entercommunicated one to an other without corporall sound whereof both the spirites want the instrument and the voice nothing affecteth the mind Dayly experience maketh this manifest in such as are possessed how Sathan so beareth the sway in them that their speach and phrase altereth and their discourse is farre other then before their whole nature at Sathans becke and their vtterance of minde as he only suggesteth In others whome Sathan hath not layed such hold on the same no lesse is to be seene as when the false prophetes did deceiue Ahab there came forth a spirit which was sent to be a false lying spirite in the mouth of all his prophets which accordingly did make promis vnto him of victory who notwithstaÌ„ding found a contrary euent of ouerthrow destructioÌ„ So entred Satan into Iudas the traitor moued him to betray our Sauiour not by a corporall possession but by a spirituall impulsion whereby he worketh in the children of disobedience and Peter in the fift of the Actes sayeth to Ananias why hath Sathan filled thine heart c and againe in the second to the Ephesians the Apostle calleth the Deuill the prince that ruleth in the ayre the spirite that nowe worketh in the children of disobedience by which it is plaine that the deuill hath power where God permitteth him ouer the minds and iudgements and wills of the reprobate and wicked and may also in such sort tempt the faithful seruants of God For the Apostle saith in the same place that the Ephesians to whome he wrote in times past walked according to the course of this world after the conduct of that spirite Neither do we stande thus subiect vnto Sathans annoyance through the subtlenesse of his nature being a spirit but through that loÌ„g experience and practise of our miserie from age to age whereby he

they be his plantes and ingraffed oliue brauÌ„ches in his sonne who take not their ful perfection at once but according to the nature of a plaÌ„t require dayly watering dressing wherby by degrees they attaine in the ende a full stature in Christ So that you may not accompt your selfe voyde of grace because you are not perfect for in this life both faith and knowledge and loue are all imperfect and shall partly be furnished and partly receaue perfectioÌ„ elsewhere but you are godly wisely to consider the secret worke of Gods spirite and grace and take comfort of the smallest crumme and drop of this heauenly sustentation and attend your time of perfect growth according to the good pleasure of God You can not at all times feele and followe with your conceir and naturall capacitie the worker of this mysterie more then you are able to discerne where the wind riseth and where it lighteth You know we that are called are borne againe and as the growth and increase of our bodies is not perceaued of vs though we do increase the birth is not apprehended of the infant borne bred euen so is it with vs in the heauenly birth and spirituall regeneration the spirit worketh without our leaue and acquainteth vs not with his maruelous working more then is expedient at his pleasure when and in what measure for our comfort much lesse can a body ouercharged with melancholy drowned in that darke dungeon see the comfortable beames of his daystar brightnesse of the cheerfull Sunne of God aboundant mercie and a mind whose actions are hindered by meanes thereof whereby it neither conceiueth nor iudgeth sincerely and vprightly as the case requireth and neither so only affected but blinde folded by the humour and brought into this darknesse of feare is buffited also and beaten with Sathan on all sides whereby being distracted it obtayneth no respit and release of due and iust consideration howe can it discerne rightly of these thinges Wherefore your case being such yeelde not so much to the enemy as to iudge of your selfe according to his sentence who is a lyer from the beginning and the father of lyes but according to those olde testimonies which you haue felt in your owne conscience and haue giuen comfortable shewe of to others in the course of your life heretofore Oh but you feele not the testimonie of Gods spirit which might assure you Neither do any of Gods children at all times feele it Dauid coÌ„plained of the want hereof Iob complained likewise so haue diuerse of Gods children in all times made mone hereof Sufficient it is if at any time that assurance be giuen and if it be the will of God for a time to withdraw it that you may feeling your owne frailty with more earnest desire call to him for his wonted grace Who are you to interrupt the wayes of God and to preuent his counselles and for your comfort be assured that the former grace you haue receaued is of that nature that it neuer decayeth but remaineth an euerlasting seed of immortalitie proceeding from the Father of eternitie and with whom there is no chaungeablenesse nor shadowe of turning who doth nothing to repent him of but is only wise stable sure and hath no neede to correct anie thing of his owne workmanship And if he with hold the comfort of his spirite from you for a season it is that you may with greater appetite seeke after it and hauing found it more ioy therein and praise his mercie with thankfulnesse of hart and readinesse of vtterance to found out the aboundance of his mercie If the Lord withhold it not but the frailtie wherein you stand diminish the sense thereof or the temptation presse so farre vpon you that you are not free to iudge aright or the perill which the temptation carieth with it moue you to distrust knowe that nothing befalleth you straunge herein more then to other of Gods children before you and that to wade through these violent streames patience and constancie is most needfull with a resolute mind to abide the Lords wil who in the end wil come and will not tarie This is the broken contrite heart which the Lord will not despise this is the poore spirit on whome the Lord pronounceth blessednesse and this is the affliction whereof the Spirit of God is called the comforter so that although before the Lord hath vouchsafed you many graces yet were you neuer meete to receaue diuerse other which he will nowe bestowe vpon you before this present and so shall you in the end receaue the cup of saluation in steed of the bottell of vineger and teares and in steed of the bread of affliction the heauenly Manna and the bread of life from the table of God Christ Wherefore suspect these thoughtes to be of the enemie and not of your selfe cast into your mind of him and not springing of incredulitie I am out of Gods fauour I am reprobate from his kingdome there remaineth no hope for me I haue no faith For such are his temptations of old daily they be the points he laboureth in against Gods childreÌ„ if not to wring froÌ„ theÌ„ their hope at the least to weary their dayes with heauinesse and discomfort Neither esteeme your selfe presently by that you feele but by that you haue felt when nothing hath ouershadowed that light of knowledge faith and zeale but the full brightnesse of these graces hath broken forth For why haue not these doubts risen vnto you before time and where is nowe the auncient assurance They before time rose not because the temptation was far of and that assurance although by tempest of temptation and by this spirituall storme it seeme to bend and to giue backe yet is it inuincible and recouereth thereby more strength then euer it had before Is the souldier worse appayed that sustaineth the combat and standeth in the face of his enemie though the terrible thunder of shot beat his eares and he in perill of hitting though he maintaine the heate of the battell against the force of his enemie with perill not a whit he becommeth hereby more valiant he learneth experience his skill increaseth and his courage doubleth vppon him So in this spirituall battaile you must not be discouraged like a milk soppe or a fresh souldier vntrained or vnacquainted with warfare but set the victorie before your eyes which is alreadie attained and purchased for you and so much the more are you to endure with Christian valiance in that here is no feare of ouerthrowe the battaile is broken and the enemies scattered and onely the captaine requireth to be followed of you for whome he hath obtained the crowne of victorie if the stragling tayle of the enemie annoye they may shewe their malice and hostilitie but their force is foyled and take heart onely and endure and you shall see them vanquished and submit vnto that power of Christ which inableth you You must

distinct in all partes The purest part which we call in comparison and in respect of the rest bloud is temperate in qualitie and moderate in substance exceeding all the other parts in quantitie if the bodie be of equall temper made for nourishment of the most temperate parts and ingendring of spirits The second is fleume next to bloud in quantitie of a waterie nature cold and moyst apt to be conuerted into the substance of purebloud if nature faile not in her workinge ordained for nourishment of moyster partes The thirde is melancholie of substance grosse and earthie cold and drie in regard of the other in quantity inferiour to fleume fit nourishment for such partes as are of like temper The fourth choler fierie hote and driest of qualitie thinne in substance least in quantitie and ordained for such parts as require subtiller nourishment and are tempered with greater portion of the fierie element These differences nature hath so distinguished that although in veine and place they remaine linked together yet in facultie and vertue they are diuerse the one from the other which as they fit the varietie of parts bloud the temperate and the rest such partes as haue like declining from temperate so by the maruelous working of nature these varieties of humours are entertained by nourishmentes inclining to like disposition although no nourishment can be vtterly voide of all these parts no not those that are counted most to encline to any one humour as beefe and veneson to melancholie honie and butter to choler and fish to fleume Hereof riseth then this humour melancholie euen from nourishments as all the humours do and although not of such excellent vse yet as necessarie for the maintenance of life and substance of the bodie as anie other neither do these humoures fall into mans nature onely but what soeuer liuing creature hath bloud can not be destitute of them as partes thereof more or lesse according to their diuerse complexion Thus then as man consisteth of partes requiring this diuersitie of foode necessarie it was and so ordained by God such humours might aunswer in like varietie and as humours are diuerse so likewise the matter whereof they should be wrought could not be of one sort and therefore all kinde of nature ordained for nourishment affoord this choyce some in greater scarsitie this or that to the end no state of body should complaine Here you may moue a question not impertinent to the matter in hande whether some bodies do not turne good nourishment of the purest sort into greater quantitie of melancholie then other some and whether that of nourishment which of it selfe would yeeldstore of the best iuyce by melancholicke or rather cold and drie disposition of the bodie can so be altered as to faile of that store wherewith by nature it is replenished and in steede thereof yeeld this grosse thicke cold earthie humour whereof I nowe discourse Againe whether these humours are in such natures as yeeld nourishment and so by separation only after any Anaxagorian manner appeare or rather are made as a stoole out of timber bread of corne wine of grape c. CHAP. III. VVhether good nourishment breedeth not store of melancholie by fault of the bodie whether it turneth not into melancholie and whether these humours are found in nourishments or rather are made out of them THESE questions are not voide of probabilitie on both sides which to the ende the truth may lye the more apparant I will not stick to declare vnto you It should seeme as the obiection importeth that which before hath bene attributed to the kind of nourishment should rather rise of the bodie nourished coÌ„sidering how it altereth which it embraceth for nourishment as consider the earth it selfe the mother very nurse of all corruptible thinges howe out of the same soyle not halfe a foot betwixt the wholesome fruit and soueraigne medicine both spring vp together with deadly poison yea how in the self same creature what strange diuersitie of nature ariseth of the selfe same nourishment as in the pastinacamarina whose substance flesh is wholsome to eat yet the taile carrieth a most deadly weapon wherewith whatsoeuer is wounded perisheth without recouerie not by anie foraine tincture but by the nourishment altered in that part into such a pernicious disposition The same is also found in the flies Cantharides whose bodie exulcerateth all parts but especiallie the bladder and is not inferiour to the chiefe poisons contrarilie the wings help wherein the bodie hurted which may be no small reasons of of doubt whether the humors be found in nourishments or rather are made by a certaine disposition of the bodie as who would imagine bloud could euer be made of yron which notwithstanding the Ostridges alter in such sort as by no heate of fire it can be sooner molten then it is digested in the stomach of that fethered foule nowe nature digesteth nothing but to make vse of nourishment thereof else whatsoeuer entreth into the bodie passeth as it cometh and hath no welcomming but is refused as impertinent nature bestowing no handling therof more then a skilfull painter to counterfait the fashion of some excellent beautie would dip his pensill in the mire in steed of perfect colour To these probabilities may be added how some natures chaunge into a farre diuerse qualitie that which they haue receaued then it stood by nature as the family of Marsie in Italie Psillie in Lybia which was so teÌ„pered that they did without hurt sucke the poyson of vipers and without perill did vsually hunt them and so by necessary consequence to be gathered that they did receaue nourishment by them What soeuer entreth into the stomach either is altered into familiaritie of nature or else hauing an actuall power not hindered altereth with repugnancie the nature which hath receaued it If it altereth it wholly then destroyeth it if in part then carieth it on the one part nourishing and alimentarie vertue and on the other a medicinable power so it should seeme these Psillie euen by vertue of nature made nourishment of that which to other is deadly poyson Whereupon it may be gathered that nourishments in some bodies haue not such power as I haue said before seeing they be made in certaine of poyson The same may be declared in duckes and hennes which feede vpon toads notwithstanding their flesh we feed of with health and strength to our bodies Quailes likewise feede of neesing powder seeds and feldfares of hemlocke the one much approching nigh vnto and the other famous by the Athenian executions for most infamous poison all which notwithstanding their flesh is not refused at the tables of the most delicate and daintiest hereby in apparance it seemeth that it skilleth not much what meat is receaued in respect of sustaining this or that complexion seeing that poysons may be made by vertue of concoction familiar nourishment yea which is more auailable to vphold this matter and straunge

naturall melancholie both iuyce and excrement It remaineth next to shewe what that humour is which riseth of this or anie else corrupted called also by the name of melancholie CHAP. VIII VVhat burnt Choler is and the causes thereof THAT kinde of melancholie which is called Atra bilis riseth by excessiue heate of such partes where it is engendred or receiued wherby the humour is so adust as it becommeth of such an exulcerating and fretting qualitie that it wasteth those partes where it lighteth this most commonly riseth of the melancholie excrement before said and diuerse times of the other thicke parte of blood as also of Choler and salt fleame which take such heate partely by distemper of the bodie and partly by putrefaction that thereby a humor riseth breeding most terrible accidentes to the minde and painefull to the bodie which the melancholicke and grosse bloud doth more forcibly procure in that that anie heate the grosser the substance is wherein it is receaued the more fiercely it consumeth whereupon the seacole giueth more vehement heate then charcole and the cole then the flame and a cauterie of hote yron then a burning firebrand Otherwise choler being by nature of the hotest temper carieth with it more qualitie of heat then the other but by reason the substance of the humor is more subtle and rare the lesse it appeareth as the heat of a flame in comparison of the other more speedily passeth Hitherto haue I declared vnto you all the kinds of melancholy and causes of ech of them hereafter you shall vnderstand how they worke these fearefull effectes in the mind wherby the hart is made heauie the spirites dulled the cheerfull countenance altered into mourning and life it selfe which the nature of all thinges most desireth made tedious vnto persons thus afflicted CHAP. IX Howe melancholie worketh fearefull passions in the mind BEFORE I declare vnto you how this humor afflicteth the minde first it shall be necessarie for you to vnderstand what the familiaritie is betwixt mind and bodie howe it affecteth it and how it is affected of it againe You knowe God first created all things subiect to the course of times and corruption of the earth after that hee had distinguished the confused masse of things into the heauens the foure elements This earth he had endued with a fecunditie of infinite seeds of all things which he commaunded it as a mother to bring forth and as it is most agreable to their nature to entertaine with nourishment that which it had borne brought forth whereby when he had all the furniture of this inferiour world of these creatures some he fixed there still and maintaineth the seedes till the end of all things and that determinate time which he hath ordained for the emptying of those seedes of creatures which he first indued the earth withall Other some that is to say the animals he drewe wholly from the earth at the beginning and planted seede in them onely and food from other creatures as beasts and man in respect of his body the difference only this that likely it is mans body was made of purer mould as a most pretious tabernacle and temple wherin the image of God should afterward be inshrined and being formed as it were by Gods proper hand receaued a greater dignitie of beauty and proportion and stature erect therby to be put in mind whither to direct the religious seruice of his Creator This tabernacle thus wrought as the grosse part yeelded a masse for the proportion to be framed of so had it by the blessing of God before inspired a spirituall thing of greater excellencie then the redde earth which offered it self to the eye onely This is that which Philosophers call the spirit which spirit so prepareth that worke to the receauing of the soule that with more agrement the soule and bodie haue growne into acquaintance and is ordained of God as it were a true loue knot to couple heauen earth together yea a more diuine nature then the heauens with a base clod of earth which otherwise would neuer haue growen into societie and hath such indifferent affection vnto both that it is to both equally affected and communicateth the bodie and corporall things with the mind and spirituall and intelligible things after a sort with the bodie sauing sometimes by vehemencie of eithers actioÌ„ they seeme to be distracted and the minde to neglect the bodie and the bodie and bodilie actions common with other creatures to refuse as it were for a moment that communitie wherby it commeth to passe that in vehement contemplations men see not that which is before their eyes neither heare though noyse be at the ayre and sound nor feele which at other time such bent of the minde being remitted they should perceaue the sence of with pleasure or paine This spirit is the chiefe instrument and immediate whereby the soule bestoweth the exercises of her facultie in her bodie that passeth to and fro in a moment nothing in swiftnesse nimblenesse being comparable thereunto which when it is depraued by anie occasion either rising from the bodie or by other meanes then becometh it an instrument vnhansome for performance of such actioÌ„s as require the vse therof and so the minde seemeth to be blame worthy wherein it is blamelesse and fault of certaine actions imputed thereunto wherein the bodie and this spirite are rather to be charged thinges corporall and earthly the one in substance and the other in respect of that mixture wherewith the Lord tempered the whole masse in the beginning And that you may haue greater assurance in reason of this corporall inclination of spirit consider how it is nourished and with more euidence it shal so appeare vnto you It is maintained by nourishments whether they be of the vegetable or animall kind which creatures affoord not only their corporall substance but a spirituall matter also wherewith euerie nourishment more or lesse is indued this spirit of theirs is as similitude of nature more nighly approcheth altered more speedely or with larger trauell of nature Of all things of ordinarie vse the most speedy alteration is of wine which in a moment repaireth our spirits and reuiueth vs againe being spent with heauinesse or any otherwise whatsoeuer our naturall spirites being diminished which bread and flesh doth in longer time being of slower passage and their spirites not so subtile or at least fettered as it were in a more grosse bodie and without this spirit no creature could giue vs sustentation For it is a knot to ioyne both our soules and bodies together so nothing of other nature can haue corporall coniunction with vs except their spirites with ours first growe into acquaintance which is more speedily done a great deale then the increase of the firme substance which you may euidently perceaue in that we are ready to faint for want of foode after a litle taken into the stomach of refreshing before any concoction can be halfe

coÌ„dition nothing that proceedeth from God in such special manner as the soule did can be subiect vnto Againe we see this spirit maintained and nourished by the vse of earthly creatures and is either plentifull or scanteth as it hath want or abundance of such corporall nourishment Now to drawe the originall ofspring of the spirite of man from God were in a maner to drawe from him the spirit of all other things wherewith that of man is releeued which can not be accompted to flowe from that breathing of God both seeing the Scripture pronounceth it as peculiar to the soule of man and otherwise should they be not inferiour in that respect to the soules of men which by nature are set vnder his feete and in all respects are farre inferiour vnto him that I mentioÌ„ not too nigh approching the maiestie of God which without impaire thereof admitteth not so nigh the accesse of the nature of inferiour creatures honoring mankind therwith only of all his visible workes Thus then as I take it both the spirite had his first beginning and is of such nature as I haue declared and serueth for these vses I know commonly there are accompted three spirits animall vitall and naturall but these are in deede rather distinctioÌ„s of diuerse offices of one spirit then diuersity of nature For as well might they make as many as there be seuerall parts and offices in the bodie which were both false superfluous Next ensueth the nature of the bodie and his seuerall instruments with their vses which my purpose is here so farre to touch as it concerneth the vnderstanding of that ensueth of my discourse leauing the large handling thereof to that most excellent hymne of Galen Touching the vse of the parts the bodie being of substance grosse earthy resembleth the matter whereof it was made and is distinct into diuerse members and diuerse parts for seuerall vses required partly of nature and partly of the humane societie of life whereupon the braine is the chiefe instrument of sense and motion which it deriueth by the spirit before mentioned into all the partes of the bodie as also of thoughtes and cogitations perfourmed by common sense and fantasie and storing vp as it were that which it hath conceaued in the chest of memorie all which the braine it selfe with farther communication exerciseth alone The hart is the seate of life and of affections and perturbations of loue or hate like or dislike of such thinges as fall within compasse of sense either outward or inward in effect or imagination onely The liuer the instrument of nourishment groweth is serued of the stomach by appetite of meats and drinkes and of other parts with lust of propagation as the hart by arteries conueigheth life to all partes of the bodie so the liuer by vaines distributeth her faculties to euery member thereby the body enioying nourishment increase serued with naturall appetite whereby ech part satisfieth it selfe with that which therto is most agreable And these actions are bodily performed of the soule by employing that excellent and catholicke instrument of spirit to the mechanicall workes of the grosse and earthy partes of our bodies Thus then the whole nature of man being compounded of two extremities the soule and the bodie and of the meane of spirits the soule receaueth no other annoyance by the bodie then the craftes man by his instrument with no impeach or impaire of cunning but an hinderance of exercising the excellent partes of his skill either when the instrument is altogether vnapt and serueth for no vse or in part only fit wherby actions and effects are wrought much inferiour to the faculty of the worker as the instrument is of more particular vse so is the soule the lesse impeached and as more generall so yet more hindered both from varietie and perfection of actioÌ„ as the hart more then the liuer and the liuer more then the braine the stomach more then the rest of the entrailles and all publicke parts more then priuate of which sort the spirit being disordered either in temper or lessened in quaÌ„titie or entermixed with straunge vapours and spirits most of all worketh annoyance and disgraceth the worke and crosseth the soules absolute intention as shall more particularly appeare in the processe of my discourse which that it may yeeld vnto you full aunswer of such doubts as may arise vnto you and make question of the truth of this point I will my self set downe such obiections as may encounter the credit thereof and aunswer them I hope to your satisfying CHAP. XI Obiections against the former sentence touching the maner how the soule is affected of the bodie with answer thereto THE obiections which seeme to enforce vpoÌ„ the body farther power ouer the soule then to withstand the organicall actions are such as are taken from the dispositioÌ„ of our bodies both in health and in sicknesse In health we see how the minde altereth in apparance not onely in action but also in facultie both in that some faculties spring vp which before were not and those through occasions of chaunge of the body either more perfect then otherwise they haue bene or would be This appeareth in age and in diuerse order of diet and custome of sensuall sensible things First touching age and yeares we see in childhoode howe childish the minde beareth it selfe in facultie incomparable to that which afterward it sheweth as the vnderstanding dull the wit of blunter conceipt memorie slipperie and iudgement scarse appeareth The body growing vp and attaining at length the height of his increase all these giftes more and more growe vp therewith and euen as the bodie get maturitie and strength which is the perfection in their kind Againe the bodie passing the point of his vigor and virilitie of age turneth all the wits and sage counsels into more then childish doring by which alterations and chaunges in apparance the mind both suffereth detriment and againe receaueth greater ability of facultie Neither is this only brought to passe through processe of years but also it may seeme that certaine faculties which before were not at a season of age put forth and aduaunce them selues which before gaue no countenaunce of shewe and except we shall make nature keepe idle holy day in them were not at all as the facultie of propagation of all naturall sorts one of the chiefest which if we say it slept as it were in the mind or waited a day it should seeme verie ridiculous that nature should be furnished so many yeares with a facultie which it should put in practise so long after especially considering how particular faculties attend onely vpon single and particular vses and haue no-other employing If it were not before then either should the mind be imperfect at the first wanting some part of the furniture or else should it seeme to rise of the temper of the bodie either of which attribute more vnto the bodie then of right

to be accoÌ„pted These two pointes being sufficiently proued establish euidently the simple and vniforme faculties of the soule For hereby it is most manifest that by reason of the simple nature thereof it cannot beare any mixture or be support of diuerse thinges neither that diuerse will so neighbour it together as to dwell in one indiuiduall subiect Then seing that they which of al the disagreers least disagree will not so nighly be linked neither can any diuersity of faculty in the minde in a nature so simple and impartible be coupled together where ther is no disagreemeÌ„t of substance nor dissent of mixture but euery parte like the whole and ech like other Againe these pluralities being essentiall can be but one seing essence is not many and nature alwayes farre vnlike the sword of Delphos which serued for diuerse vses euer employeth one to one and not to many otherwise waÌ„t should enforce her which she abounding with sufficiency refuseth in all her actions Moreouer being in euery part like it selfe and ech parte like other no dissimilitude can arise by distinction of faculty Accidentall if they be then is the minde in daunger of loosing all faculty which it cannot do seing it is subiect to no force but of God himselfe that made it Now whatsoeuer naturall faculty in any thing fadeth it is by reason the thing first fadeth which enioyeth that faculty else would they alwayes continue wherefore the minde being euerlasting and exempt from chaunge and corruption her faculty is also essentiall and of like perpetuity I neede not yeeld reason why contrary faculties or such as we call disparates in logicke can haue no roome in a nature so simple as the soule is both in respect of the repugnance within themselues and vnitie of the subiect seing such as are diuerse only refuse that cohabitation and neighbourhood Thus much shal suffice to proue the simple faculty of the soule it followeth to proue the spirite and body to be wholly organicall by organicall I meane a disposition aptnes only without any free worke or action otherwise then at the mindes commaÌ„dement else should there be mo beginninges causes of action then one in one nature which popularity of administratioÌ„ nature will none of nor yet with any holygarcicall or mixt but commandeth only by one souerainty the rest being vassals at the beck of the soueraigne commander The kindes of instruments are of two sorts the one dead in it selfe and destitute of all motion as a saw before it be moued of the workman and a ship before it be stirred with winde and hoised of saile the other sorte is liuely and carrieth in it selfe aptnes and disposition of motioÌ„ as the hound to hunt with and the hauke to fowle with both caried with hope of pray the hand to moue at our pleasure and to vse any other kinde of instrument or toole The second sort of these twaine is also to be distinguished in twaine whereof the one obtaineth power in it selfe and requireth derection only as the beast and fowle aboue mentioned and the other not only direction but impulsion also from an inward vertue and forcible power as the motion of the hand and the variety of the hand actions do most euidently declare Of these three kinds of instruments I place the spirit and bodie both to the mind as the saw or axe in the workmans hand or to the lute touched of the Musician according to the sundry qualities conditions of the instruments of the body in the thirde sort but so as the spirit in comparison of the bodie fareth as the hand to the dead instrumentes Of the first sort they are not because they partake of life of the second they may not be because of them selues they haue no impulsion as it appeareth euidently in animall and voluntarie actions and although more obscurely to be seene in such as be called naturall For the spirit being either withdrawne from the outwarde parts by vehement passioÌ„ of griefe or ouer prodigally scattered by ioy or wasted by paine the outward partes not only faile in their sense and motion but euen nourishment growth therby are hindered and contrarily though the spirit be present except the part be also well disposed not only feeling is impaired such actions as require sense and motion but also concoction and nourishment Againe the spirit it self without impulsion of minde lieth idle in the bodie This appeareth in animall actions more plainly as the mind imploying vehemently the spirit an other way we neither see that is set before our eyes nor heare nor feele that which otherwise with delight or displeasure would vehemently affect vs. In naturall actions and parts it is more obscure either because the spirit can not be altogether so separated by the order of nature being rooted so in the part or because the verie presence of the soule in an organicall bodie without further facultie or action carieth the life withal and is not subiect to arbitrement and will as the royall estate of a Prince moueth silence reuerence and expectation although there be no charge or commaundement therof giuen nor such purpose of presence so life lieth rather in the essence or substance of the soule giuing it to a fit organed body rather then by any such facultie resident therein except we may thinke that lesse portion of spirit serueth for life onely then for life sense and motion so the parts contented with smaller prouision thereof are entertained with life though sense and mouing require more plenty But howsoeuer this be obscure in naturall actions the mind transporting the spirits another way by sudden conceit study or passion yet most certaine it is if it holde on long and release not the nourishment will also faile the increase of the body diminish and the flower of beautie fade and finally death take his fatall hold which commeth to passe not onely by expence of spirit but by leauing destitute the parts whereby declining to decay they become at length vnmeete for the entertainement of so noble an inhabitant as is the soule of stocke diuine of immortall perpetuity and exempt from all corruption Then seeing neither body nor spirit are admitted in the first or second sort of instruments they fall to the third kinde which being liuely or at the least apt for life require direction and also foreine impulsion foraine in respect of them selues destitute of facultie otherwise then disposition but inward and domesticall in that it proceedeth from a naturall power resident in these corporall members which we call the soule not working as ingens by a force voide of skill and cunning in it selfe by a motion giuen by deuise of the Mechenist but farre otherwise indued with science possessed of the mouer as if Architas had bin him selfe within his flying doues Vulcanne within his walking stooles and the mouing engine as it were animated with the minde of the worker therein excelling farre all

and auoyding of riuers of water out of drowned fennes and marishes which to an American ignorant of the deuise would seeme to be wrought by a liuely actioÌ„ of euery part and not by such a generall mouer as the wind is which bloweth direct foloweth not by circular motion of the mill saile Nowe if this be brought to passe in artificiall practises the varietie of action inferre not so many faculties but meere dispositions of the instrumentes let the similitude serue to illustrat that vnto you whereto the reasons before alleaged may with more force of proofe induce you If yet you be not satisfied for melancholicke persons are for the most part doubtfull and least assured and although ye acknowledge the truth hereof in organicall actions yet in such as require no instrument iudge otherwise that scruple also by a similitude I will take away and make it plaine vnto you referring you for strength of reason to that which hath bene aforsayd Before I shewed the varietie of action to spring of diuersitie of instrument now where there is no instrument what diuersitie say you can there be yet to giue but one action to the soule were to depriue it of many goodly exercises whereby it apprehendeth the creator thankfully acknowledgeth his goodnesse and directeth it selfe to his honour besides those spirituall offices which the soules departed out of this life in loue performe to ech other with that knowledge of eternall things If you require reason of proofe the simplicitie of the soule and the nature of diuerse things will make aunswer if of illustration and comparison of similitude then consider howe with one viewe a man beholdeth both top and bottome of height and both endes of length at once the situation of the thing being conuenieÌ„t thereunto yet are there neither diuerse faculties nor diuerse instruments the Sunne both ripeneth and withereth and with an influence it bringeth forth mettals trees herbes whatsoeuer springeth from the earth some things it softeneth and other some it hardeneth other some it maketh sweete and other some bitter an hammer driueth in and driueth out it looseneth fasteneth it maketh it marreth not with diuersity of faculty keping the same waight temper and fashion it had before but onely diuersly applied and vsed vpon diuerse matters so many vses arise of one instrument Moreouer if a man were double froÌ„ted as the Poets haue fained Ianus the instruments disposed thereafter the same facultie of sight would addresse it selfe to see both before and behind at one instant which nowe it doth by turning As these actions of so sundry sorts require no diuerse facultie but chaunge of subiect and altered application so the mind in action wonderfull and next vnto the supreme maiestie of God and by a peculiar maner proceeding from him selfe as the things are subiect vnto the apprehension action thereof so the same facultie varieth not by nature but by vse only or diuersity of those thinges whereto it applieth it selfe as the same facultie applied to differring things discerneth to thinges past remembreth to thinges future foreseeth of present things determineth and that which the eye doth by turning of the head beholding before behind and on ech side that doth the mind freely at once not being hindered nor restrained by corporall instrument in iudging remembring foreseeing according as the thinges present them selues vnto the consideration therof For place mo then one where will you stay and how will you number them why are there not as well three score as three If you measure them by kindes of actions they are indefinite and almost infinite and can not beare any certaine rate in our natures seeing such as are voluntarie rise vpon occasions and necessitie vncertaine and naturall are diuerse in euery seuerall part and so according to their number are multiplied and of them sundrie actions being performed as to attract to concoct to retaine to expell to assimilate agglutinate c. not generally but the peculiar and proper nourishment the number would fill vp Erastosthenes siue to count theÌ„ all Wherfore to conclude this argument and to leaue you resolued in this point let the facultie be one and pluralitie in applicatioÌ„ vse diuersitie of those things whereabout it was conuersaunt otherwise the mind shal be distracted into parts which is whole in euery part and admit mixture which is most simple and become subiect of diuerse qualities which are distinct in nature and communicated by mixture of substances whereto they belong not confused together in one against nature Thus you haue mine opinion touchinge these three parts of soule of spirit and bodie with their peculiar actions and howe euerie one is seuerally brought to passe which I thought necessary first to make plaine before I entred into particular aunswer to the former obiections as the grounde of the solution and rule whereto the particular aunswers are to be squared So then I take generally the soule to be affected of the bodie and spirit as the instrument hindreth the worke of the artificer which is not by altering his skill or diminishing his cunning but by deprauing the action through vntowardnesse of toole and fault of instrument This in the Chapter following I will particularly apply to the former obiections CHAP. XIIII The particular aunswere to the obiections made in the 11 Chapter AS for those faculties which age seemeth not only to alter but also to breede they are altogether organicall and are not of this or that sorte or appeare not because the faculty suffereth violence or wanteth but because the instrumentes as yet lacked such disposition as the soule requireth being altogether vnapt or else although faulty in parte yet employed as they may be whereupon the actions become imperfect As the brayne in a child new borne ouercharged with humidity causeth discretioÌ„ of sensible obiectes for 40 dayes as sayeth Hippocrates and Aristotle to be so dull that they feele not though they be rubbed neither laugh they though they be tickled as afterward they doe both and take pleasure in the one and as we be affected after a mixt sorte in the other which obscurity of sence ioyned with want of experience of sensible thinges and comparing of their euents with want of exercise is the cheefe cause of that simplicity of children in affaires of this life wherein prudence is most conuersant For better conceiuing of which point you are to vnderstand or call to minde how the soule hath certaine principles of knowledge ingenerate called Criteria of the Greekes and certaine taken from obseruation of sensible thinges and from them framed agreeably to those grounded principles and ingenerate knowledge of the soule These Criteria discerne betwixt good and badde trueth and falshood and are euer firme and certayne in themselues and are abused only by the imperfection of such instrumentes by which the discretion and report of outward obiectes do passe From this do springe three seuerall actions whereby the

which you haue hitherto professed and presently do hartely embrace Where is that malice which prosecuteth this mischiefe What persecution haue you in word or deede raised against the truth What sword haue you euer drawne against it or what volumes haue you written against sound doctrine with purposed opposition against your own conscience neither that of frailtie but of meere will and obstinacie If your humour be not able to alleadge such testimonies as it cannot in deed these thinges being matters of iudgement and will and not of fancie and consisting of euidencie to be knowen of others and not of imaginacie conceit of a fearful and distrustfull hart giue ouer I pray you these melancholicke priudices against your selfe and prepare your heart to receaue comfort which the word of promise ministreth vnto you For that sinne except onely all other are within compasse of grace and haue no power to shut vs from Gods fauour Be it that you haue sinned against your conscience yet certaine condemnation and casting of doth not necessarily ensue thereupon else should there be not a person on whome God should shewe mercie For we all sinne in that manner and the good we would our conscience bearing witnesse of our duetie and breach of that we are bounde to do we do not but the sinne which we would not do in respect of regeneration that we commit through our frailtie which groweth vp in strenghth by increases of God to perfefection and hath euermore in it not to discourage vs but to breede circumspection and to remember vs where our perfection and excellencie lieth euen without vs in that vnspotted lambe Christ Iesus For our willes are corrupted not onely in that they are seduced by corrupt iudgement which is the least part of their want but when contrarie to iudgement grounded either vppon nature or the plaine worde of trueth we make choyce of that we knowe is naught or preferre the greater euill before the lesse Otherwise should our nature obtaine in this life a greater perfection then our first parentes had in paradice whose freedome of will was peruerted to that which was against the knowen commaundement of God and giue any one faculty or practise of the minde be perfect all must needs be of like purenesse seeing equallie they were corrupted and equallie receaue restauration This perfection we are to hope for and attende the consummation of the rudimentes of righteousnesse which both in knowledge and vse are in part blind and impotent and in heauen are to receaue the absolute perfection and beautie fully agreeable to Gods good will and vprightnesse of his iustice If then you haue neither sinned against the holie Ghost which is plaine through manifold testimonies of vnfaigned faith euen at this time being full of sighes and groanes for your offences carefull to eschue what soeuer is repugnaunt to Gods will releeuinge with tender affection of Christian loue the necessities of others neither in the whole course of your life hauing bene of notorious marke of iniquitie much lesse a blasphemer of that holie name and a renouncer with contumelie of the holie profession assure your selfe that your present estate is no other but a storme of temptation and no marke of perdition from which the Lorde after triall of faith and patience will deliuer you and sende that calme peace and tranquillitie which in times past you haue enioyed and shall by his grace againe recouer to your euerlasting comfort Of temptations some touch our fayth and other some the fruites thereof Our faith as whether we beleeue or not The fruites either of profession of the truth when persecution or feare or fauour of men slaken our zeale and smother the outwarde shewe of those glorious graces of faith of the spirite or in the fruites of obedience sutable and kindly vnto our profession as those which concerne persons possessions or name wherein charitie towarde men is broken all these temptations though both affection do incline vnto them excepting incredulitie which bringeth foorth impenitencie and renunciation of the faith and will bring them to effect yet are they not of power to separate vs from the loue of God in Christ whose sacrifice is all sufficient and propitiatorie for all kindes of sinne that onely before mentioned excepted You say you beleeue not and therefore drawe vppon you the payne due to the vnfaithfull here beware deare brother and waigh with circumspectipn and due consideration of your state in so waightie a point as this is and although you haue not at this time the sense thereof in your imagination which is now disguised and blemished with melancholie conceits and corporall alteration of the instrument of the bodie yet do you beleeue and shall hereafter feele the sweete comfort thereof as you nowe aboundantly declare the fruites of so holy a roote patience meeknesse charity prayer newnesse of life and what soeuer good vertue springeth in the children of God therefrom For euen as in outwarde senses we do see sometimes and feele and heare when wee do not perceaue it so we may also haue faith and not alwayes haue the sensible perceauing thereof especiallie our bodies as yours presently is being oppressed with melancholie which alwayes vrgeth terror and distrust and deludeth vs with opinion of want of that whereof wee haue no lacke euen as in another extremitie other men are oft carried with an opinion and confidence of those thinges whereof they haue no part And if it be so with melancholickes as it is crediblie recorded in historie that some haue complained they haue bene headlesse so that as AÃ«tius reporteth Phylotymus the Phisitian was faine to put a cap of lead vpon a melancholickes heade that he might by feeling the waight conceaue otherwise and Artemidorus the Grammarian did imagine he wanted both a hand and a legge though he wanted neither you are to lay aside this fancie and to weigh the presence of the cause by the effectes which are most euident tokens of faith in you and not to rest vppon your deluded conceites which if you yeeld vnto will perswade you in the ende that you want both head and heart also after it hath dispossessed you in part of the right vse of both but you will say vnto me do not men otherwise doubt of this point but vpon melancholie Yes verely and especially such as most hunger and thirst after righteousnesse and are poore in spirit and broken in hart the rest of the world except some vengeance of God laye holde vppon them or some horrible fact gnawe their wounded conscience passing their time in a blinde securitie carelesse of God and emptie of all sense and hope of a better life or feare of that eternall destruction passe their dayes and finish their course as the calfe passeth to the shambles not knowing their ende to be slaughter by the butchers knife Such I saye as are most carefull to walke before their God in righteousnesse as they doubt and feare in euerie action

lest God be dishonoured by their conuersatioÌ„ so are they ielouse of their pretious faith lest it be not in such measure as they defire or in truth be none at all wherein they may easily be deceaued first in the discerning then in the measure and portion Touching the discerning thus may they be ouertaken when the inward feeling thereof doth not aunswere their desire and the actions proceeding therfrom do not satisfie their thirst of righteousnesse whereby reliefe may rise to the nourishment of faith the satisfying of that holy appetite they are discouraged and entangled with spirituall cares from which a more aduised consideration agreable to Gods worde might easily deliuer them Touching the portion their fault lyeth in this that they measure the excellencie thereof and the power partly by measure and quantitie and not by vertue wherewith through Gods mercifull grace it is indued to the saluation of all those that haue it but in measure of a graine of mustard seede which both errours are to be corrected by pondering of the case not by that we iudge but by that God him selfe hath geuen rule of both touching the sense of faith the sinceritie of the fruites and increase of measure all being his giftes and graces dispenced vnto vs according to his mercie and wisedome as is most for his glorie and expedient for vs. For if we duly weigh from whence we are fallen and howe deepe into this degenerate nature wherein we are captiues of Sathan and slaues of all iniquitie we shall receaue comfort of the least sparke of faith and may praise God and receaue comfort in the smallest worke of obedience perfourmed in sinceritie though not in perfection and if we finde the increases slowe and the victorie harde in this our warfare let vs consider with whome we fight and for what crowne and howe both heauen and earth was moued at our redemptiion and the same power concurred thereto as in our first creation And as the great and mightie oakes are slower in attaining their full grouth then shrubs and weedes whose enduring is for many ages when the other in short time wither and fadde away so esteeme your encrease of heauenly graces slow but sure euerlasting as immortalitye that you may be as a beame or a piller in the teÌ„ple of God for euer and euer Neither are we to accompt the nature of any thing according to our sense or to the shew it maketh For then should the most fruitefull tree in winter be takeÌ„ for barren and the lustie soile dry and vnfruitefull while it is shut vp with the hard frost but rea son as in other deliberatioÌ„s so in this must lead vs being guided by the word of God rightly to iudge of the presence life of faith in our souls which being the shield in this our spirituall warfaire endureth much battering many bruntes and receiueth the forefront of the encounter oft times faireth as if it were pearced through and worne vnfit for battaile yet is it in deede of nature inuincible and repelleth whatsoeuer ingine the enimy inforceth against vs and staÌ„deth firme rooted whatsoeuer storme Sathan raiseth for the displacing thereof How then are we to behaue our selues in this temptation wheÌ„ both the sence of faith is dulled in vs and the fruites minister discontentment you remember the saying of the Apostle the graces and mercy of God is without repentance and Christ Iesus whome he loueth to the end he loueth them if then you haue in times past felt that gift of the spirit which you haue done haue ioyed therin be assured it is a marke neuer to be defaced of your election firme staÌ„ding in Gods fauour For what moued the Lord to bestow the grace but his owne mercy that he bestoweth who caÌ„ take away if he himself take it froÌ„ vs for some deserte of ours did not he foresee the same loÌ„g before so why did he not withold his mercy but as he knew vs when we were straungers from him and loued vs when we hated him and had nothing which might prouoke his mercy but our misery so is his goodnes continued vpon vs still for his owne sake and not at all for our deseruing that all being subiect to his condemnation he might be glorified in the saluation of some for that righteousnes sake which is in his sonne and that oblation of his offered vp not for himselfe but for others from whose righteousnes so much is detracted as we attribute vnto our selues or seeke to attaine vnto in respect of satisfying Gods iustice and so much impaired of Gods mercy as we shall rest vpon any vertue or power in our selues whereby to auoid his veÌ„geance of iustice Our election as it first riseth from God and is established in his immutable counsell and decree and lyeth in no power else befide so the hazard thereof is not committed to the aduenture of our frailty but the continuance and stablenes in the same decree hath the fouÌ„dation For alas the wofull experience of Adams frailty in his best estate giueth sufficient testimony and more then sufficient what hope there is of continuance of grace if the assuraÌ„ce of our saluation should depend vpon our keepe who without support of God are like the wynde inconstant and as fraile as the tender hearbs and want all habil tie of withstaÌ„ding the affaults of our enimie and constant perseuerance in any religious vertue and worke of pietie Then if the foundation of our election lie in the counsell of God and be founded vpon his decree who hath reuealed the one but the Spirit of the Lord and what is able to vndermine the other where the Lord himselfe hath layed the corner stone This assurance in time past the Spirite of God hath confirmed vnto you you haue felt it with pleÌ„ty of heauenly ioy and comfort and if in the coÌ„flict of temptation you esteeme the strength according to that remaineth after the battaile or that which you feele being somewhat tyred in the conflict you may here giue vauntage to the ennemy through discouragement and loose the field as much as lieth in you wher there is hope of assured victory For be it that you feele the hability weake and the ennemy strong and your owne corruption vpon the point to preuaile yet consider there is a roote of this vertue whose fruite and braunches although these stormy teÌ„pestes may nippe and shake yet the sappe shall neuer be dried vp in the roote neither can anie euill winde of Sathan so blast that the immortall seed be at any time quit withered yea though all his fiery dartes be thereto with all might and maine employed but that the storme being blone ouer by the spirite of grace and the comfortable sunne of consolation shining vpon our gloumie heartes it will budde forth againe into blossome fruit and braunch as a most beautifull tree in the paradice of God Let the comparison of bodely sicknes and the consideration

consider that as in warfare the seruice is not alwayes alike neither keepeth the souldier the same degree but is aduaunced of the generall as he seeth cause euen so if the Lorde nowe bestowe you in a straunge peece of seruice in his spirituall warre and place you in the forefront whome he hath hitherto tendered as your condition required you must be contented and quite your selfe like a man and knowe that the wisedome of the heauenly captaine is such and his tender affection so great towarde his followers that in the middest of perill not one haire of them shall miscarrie whom he leadeth Then to conclude this point seing your case is onely a teÌ„ptation and no temptation is of it selfe except that one a signe of reprobation cast of these discouragementes and learne howe to behaue your selfe herein that you may passe through with credit of your vocation and honour vnto God ioy comfort to your faithful friends in the Lord Iesus You haue read your selfe may partly perceaue by my former discourse howe melancholie perswadeth of miserie where there is no cause some haue imagined them selues to haue wanted their heads some their armes other some haue thought themselues dead men and other some one member of their bodies as bigge as three which as it perswadeth in corporal things that which is not so no lesse doth it in spirituall things especially being like a weapoÌ„ taken into Sathans hand and vsed to all aduantages of our hurt and destruction This maketh all more grieuous is called of Serapio the very seate of the deuill being an apt instrument for him both to weaken our bodies with and to terrifie our minds with vaine fantasticall feares and to disturbe the whole tranquillity of our nature Wherefore ascribe I pray you these troubles of your mind to no other but to the frailty of your bodie I meane this excesse of distrust feare otherwise the temptation may be without it and giue no way to Sathans practise in yeelding your iudgement and affection to his suggestion but resist as against a sicknesse and as nature doth with her spirit against bodily disease so take courage and call together the wisdome and knowledge God hath giuen you and nowe put it in vse against this subtle and forcible enemie And through Gods blessing by due vse of such naturall means as I shall hereafter declare vnto you both mind and bodie shall againe be restored to the former integritie and you haue greater cause then euer to prayse God for his mercie and goodnesse towardes you Hitherto nothing hath befallen you that diuerse of Gods children haue not passed through before you although the battaile hath bene sharp bloudy euen as our Maister hath sweat dropps of bloud in the like combat remember the victorie is the more glorious and the conquest so much the more honorable sure as we haue experience in the person of Iesus our Sauiour which found no other way to his kingdome and hath left vnto vs an example of like patience constancie hope and whatsoeuer vertue else is requisite to this battaile of the spirit and doth furnish vs in all partes with spirituall armour He girdeth vs with truth and buckleth on vs the brestplate of righteousnesse he shoeth our feet with the preparation of the Gospell of peace he deliuereth into the left hand the shield of faith wherby we may quench the firie dartes of the deuill into the right the sword of the spirite the word of God and couereth our heads with the helmet of saluation If we shall cowardly cast our armor and weapon from vs and betake vs to flight besides there is no place of safetie we shall dishonour our captaine giue ouer our selues to the pleasure and crueltie of our enemie and finally perish for euer Wherefore trie the strength of this armour and the sharpnesse of this sword nowe occasion is offered march on with those shoes of peace which is the ende of warre and wherof they are the pledge and assurance hold out that shield of faith and although it be battered on all sides yet forsake it not for the temper is such as no fierie darte of the wicked can pierce it and bestowe that sword of Gods word the word of consolation of ioy of assurance of spirituall and heauenly wisedome whereby the iudgement is perfected the hart established and the whole man of God made absolute Forsake not that breastplate of the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ and that frute of our sanctification whereby we are in his Sonne acceptable vnto God with the helmet of saluation couer your head that all the good meanes of God being to the full employed you may fecle the power of this heauenly furniture to your present encouragement herafter to your euerlasting saluation Let not your sinnes dismay you for Christ came not to saue the righteous he supplieth all our wantes and hath aboundance to discharge our debtes In him is God well pleased with vs as him selfe hath pronounced so that being discharged in him let vs giue ouer all feare with boldnes approch vnto the throne of grace that we may receaue the mercie promised vnto vs for if we be righteouse then is Christ vnrighteous and suffered for him selfe and not for vs but he was iust pure a lambe without spot or blemish slaine for the attonemeÌ„t that we might thereby liue broaken that we might be healed and humbled for our aduancement Wherefore lay the burthen vpon him who hath sayd come vnto me all ye that are heauy loden and he shall ease your wearied shoulders thereof and geue you refreshing If ther were no sinne wheron should Gods mercie be shewen and whereto tendeth the promise of the Gospell But you say you are a great sinner what then is not the mercie of God greater is there anie ende of his compassion If sinne do abound who shall stint the grace of God that it should not also ouerflow Dauid was a great sinner so was both Peter and Paule yet were they not refused but receaued mercie And if the grace of God were so great that our sinnes could not withholde his mercie when we were straungers from his couenant aliens from the common wealth of Israell and led with that spirit of errour and darknesse like the nations that knowe not God much more being reconciled stand we sure and vnremoueable in his fauour though the cloudes do somtimes ouercast the bright beames therof our owne imbecillitie comprehendeth it not Remember the tryall of Iob who would haue taken him for other then one forsaken of the Lord what were his thoughts let the day perish wherin I was borne Why died I not in the birth wherefore is light giuen vnto him that is in misery and life vnto them that haue heauy harts And in an other place oh that I were as in times past when God preserued me wheÌ„ his light shined vpon my head c. But

vrgeth and alwayes carieth a passioÌ„ therwith aboue the harts affection euen the entry of those torments which caÌ„not be coÌ„ceaued at full as our nature now staÌ„deth nor deliuered by report Here in this passion the cause is not feare nor passionate griefe but a torment procuring these affections and euen as the punishment of bodily racking is not the passion of the hart but causeth it only so the hart fareth vnder this sore of the mind which here properlie fretteth and straineth the sinnes of the soule wherefrom the heart taketh his grieuous discouragement and fainteth vnder Gods iustice Hitherto you haue described that which your soule feeleth not to instruct you but that other may more truly iudge of the case and the distinction betwixt melancholy it may be more apparant CHAP. XXXV The affliction of mind to what persons it befalleth and by what meanes ALthough no man is by nature freed froÌ„ this affliction in so much as all men are sinners and being culpable of the breach of God lawes incurre the punishment of condemnation yet is the melancholicke person more then any subiect therunto not that the humor hath such power which hath before bin declared to stand far a loofe of such effect but by reason the melaÌ„cholicke person is most doubtfull iclous of his estate not only of this life but also of the life to come this maketh him fall into debate with him selfe to be more then curious who finding his actions not fitting the naturall or written line of righteousnesse waÌ„ting that archpiller of faith assurance in Christ Iesus our hope partly thorough feare findeth the horror and partly if it please God so far to touch feeleth the verie anguish due vnto the sinner in that most miserable condition falleth into flat dispaire This commeth to passe when the curious melancholy carieth the minde into the senses of such misteries as exceed humayne capacity and is desirous to know more theÌ„ is reuealed in the word of truth or being ignorant of that which is reuealed thorough importunate inquirie of a sudden falleth into that gulfe of Gods secret counselles which swalloweth vp all conceit of man or angell and measuring the trueth of such depth of misteries by the shallow modill of his owne wit is caught deuoured of that which his presumptuous curiositie moued him to attempt to apprehend Of melancholy persons especially such as are most contemplatiue except they be well grounded in the word of God remoue not one haire therfrom in their speculations are this wayes most ouertaken receaue the punishment of ouer-bold atteÌ„pt of those holy things which the Lord hath reserued to his owne counsell while they neglect the declared truth propounded for rule of life and practise in written wordes reuealed not remembring the exhortation of Moyses to the children of Israell the secrets are the Lords but the reuealed will appertaineth to vs our children And this in mine opinion is one cause wherefore melancholicke personnes are more prone to fall into this pitte then such as are in their organicall members otherwise affected Nowe contemplations are more familiar with melancholicke persons then with other by reason they be not so apt for action consisting also of a temper still and slowe according to the nature of the melancholie humour which if it be attenuated with heate deliuereth a drie subtile and pearcing spirite more constant and stable then anie other humour which is a great helpe to this contemplation As the melancholicke is most subiect to the calamitie before mentioned and especially the contemplatiue so of them most of all such whose vocation consisteth in studie of hard pointes of learning and that philosophicall especially of Nature haue cause in this case to carie a lowe saile and sometime to strike and lay at the anker of the Scriptures of God lest by tempest of their presumption they be caried into that whirle poole whereout they be in daunger without the especiall grace of Gods mercie neuer to deliuer them selues Such except they be well ballaced with knowledge of the Scriptures and assurance of Gods spirite are neuer able to abide the ouglinesse of their sinnes when they shall be once vnfolden and the narrowe point of reprobration and clection propounded vnto their melancholicke braines and hearts and most miserale polluted soules vnacquainted with Gods couenaunt of mercie and that earnest of his fauour the comfortable spirit of his grace Of such as haue some knowledge in the worde and practise of obedience the want of the true apprehending of gods reuealed wil touching election and reprobation and the right method of learning conceauing the doctrine causeth some to stumble and fall at this stone For as a sworde taken at the wrong end is readie to wound the hand of the taker held by the handle is a fit weapon of defence euen so the doctrine of predestination being preposterously conceiued may through fault of the conceiuer procure hurt whereas of it selfe it is the most strong rocke of assurance in all stormes of teÌ„ptations that can befall vnto bodie or soule The one part of predestination is Gods immutable will the cause and rule of all iustice and vttermost of all reason in his workes the other part is the execution of that will according to mercie or iustice sauing or condemning with all the meanes thereto belonging Christ Iesus in those of whom the Lorde will shewe mercie and the iust desert of a sinner on whome he is determined to shewe the iustice of his wrath If this most comfortable doctrine and the firme ancher of our profession be not in all partes equally apprehended we may not onely misse the benefite therof through our owne fault but receiue wounde and daungerous hurte thereby For if the consideration be bent vpon Gods will and counsel only without respect of the means it is impossible but the frailty of mans nature must needes be distracted into diuerse perilous and desperate feares finding nothing in it selfe that may answere his iustice and withstand the fearefull sentence of condemnation if it stay in the meanes of his iustice only and haue not eye vpon his mercy in his sonne Christ then likewise ariseth an assurance of eternall destruction to the conscieÌ„ce defiled and the guilty soule deformed with iniquity if the meanes of his mercy be regarded without farther respect of his eternall decree and immouable iustice then is there also no assurance of his mercy vnto miserable man who melteth like snow and vanisheth like a vapour before his iustice and doubting of the continuance of his fauour alwayes hangeth in suspence All these considerations thus seuerally falling into the melancholick person moue doubt and care and either breed a resolute desperatnes or a continuall distrust tossing hither and thither the soule not established by knowledge and faith in Gods eternall counsell the most wise iust and mercifull meanes of his execution which being perfectly knowne according to the word

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