weapons both because that had bene superfluous hauing giuen vnto him that which is farre better as also because his beautie had bene thereby much diminished and his spirit should not haue bene so well knowen as now it is by meanes of that skill and of those artes of which God hath made it capable For what could he inuent and doe and wherein should he shew that naturall light and dexteritie that is in him if nature had furnished him with all those things wherewith his reason giuen vnto him is able to inrich him But to conclude our speech hauing spoken sufficiently of the creation generation and birth of man let vs looke into this beautie that is in the forme and figure of mans body by calling to remembrance our former discourses And let vs know that both for the matter also for the forme and composition thereof there is not the like worke in all the worlde none so goodly so proper nor so well vnited knit together none so wel proportioned polished in euery respect in euery part thereof So that when we consider thereof from one end of it vnto the other we shal find that the workemaster that made this body hath throughout the whole worke ioyned beautie and profit together But there is yet another excellencie worthy of great admiration in that hee hath not only beautified this body with so goodly a shape as we see it hath but hath also endued it with vertue and abilitie to make other bodies altogether like it selfe as we heard yesterday Wherefore men shewe indeede that they knowe nothing of the excellencie of their nature and that they haue altogether forgotten or at leastwise very ill considered of that instruction which God hath giuen them by the composition of their bodies but principally by the soule that is lodged therein if despising celestiall and eternal things for which they are created they affect and seeke after earthly and transitorie things preferring the earth before heauen as commonly they doe Which is all one as if they declared openly that they are displeased that God hath made them men and not beastes ramping on the earth or marching vpon all foure and turning their snoute alwayes downeward because they haue nothing in them that sauoureth of a diuine and celestiall nature as man hath and so they deale no otherwise then as if they would reproch God for that honour which hee hath bestowed vpon them by creating them differing from brute beastes vnto whome notwithstanding they had rather be like But enough is spoken of this matter And seeing wee may be sufficiently instructed by all our former discourses what are those principall partes powers and offices of the soule I meane the animall vitall and naturall vertues as also what instruments they haue in mans body let vs nowe looke into the life and death thereof and consider more narowly then hitherto we haue done what are the causes both of the one and the other Whether the life of the body can proceede either of the matter or of the composition forme and figure or of the qualities thereof or els of the harmony coniunction and agreement of all these whether any of these or all of them together can be the soule of the length and shortnes of the diuers degrees and ages and of the end of mans life of death and of the causes both of life and death of the difference that is betweene naturall and supernaturall Philosophie in the consideration of things Chap. 74. AMANA Iesus Christ purposing to teach vs that we cannot haue life but in him by him who is the life and who hath the words of eternal life compareth himselfe to a Vine his disciples vnto Branches For as the branch hath life vigor and beareth fruite so long as it remaineth in the vine receiueth nourishment from thence so if it receiueth no sap from thence or if it be cut off it withereth and dyeth We may say the same of the members of the body if the soule be not in euery one of them and if it giue not life vertue and vigor to them all for the performance of their offices For if it fall out so that it withdraweth it selfe altogether from any one part of the body that part is without life as we see by experience in a member dried vp or putrified or cut off from the body And so is it with the whole body when the soule is separated frō it But we are to handle this matter more at large By our former discourses wee may learne the nature both of the soule and of the body what is that vnion and coniunction which they haue together albeit their natures substances and essences are diuers and very different also we haue learned that the one of them namely the spirituall essence is a great deale more excellent then the other which is corporall Wherefore we may well conclude that the life in the body proceedeth not of the matter whereof it is made nor of the qualities ioyned vnto it nor yet of the composition forme and figure thereof For if the life and soule were in the matter of the body the larger and greater mens bodies were and the more matter they had in them the more life and soule the more wit spirit and vnderstanding should be in them But we see by experience that it is farre otherwise and that there is no more life soule in a great body then in a litle And if it were so that the life proceeded from the matter a dead body should bee as well a man as a liuing body We may say the same both of the qualities ioyned to the matter according to the nature of the elements as also of that conformation and agreement that is betweene all the members both within and without And as for the harmony coniunction and concord that floweth from the diuersitie of these qualities and from their temperature it may be increased and diminished Wherefore that cannot be the effect of nature which causeth a thing to be that which it is and giueth vnto the same thing his forme and kinde that continueth alwayes in his estate and naturall disposition For if it were otherwise the nature of kindes might bee changed which neuer any of the Philosophers did so much as imagine or thinke to affirme And as for the composition and figure of the body there is yet lesse reason to say it commeth from thence forasmuch as that continueth the same in a dead body which it was in a liuing Againe those liuing creatures that resemble most the nature and forme of the members of mans body and the matter thereof are oftentimes farther off from the nature of humane sense and vnderstanding then they that do lesse resemble thē Which we may easily know by considering the natures of a Hog and of an Elephant For they that through want and famine haue bene constrained to eate
enioy whatsoeuer GOD hath prepared for it euen that which is most agreeable and proper to the nature thereof Wherefore wee may say that the death of man is a separation or a departure of the soule from the body wherein GOD propoundeth vnto vs a perfect image of our separation and departure from him which commeth by the meanes of sinne For wee see what becommeth of the body when the soule is gone from it and what it is during the time that it is ioyned therewith The difference is very great Let vs then propound our soule as if it were in the place of the bodie and imagine that God were insteade of the soule in it as wee fee the soule is in the body Then let vs consider what might be the estate of the soule both when it is ioyned with GOD and when it is separated from him For there is greater difference betweene the soule separated from GOD then betweene a body separated from his soule Forasmuch as there is no bodie so stincking nor so infected when it is separated from the soule as the soule is when it is separated from GOD if wee will compare spirituall things with corporall things And contrariwise wee may iudge of the estate thereof when it is ioyned with God by the estate of a body ioyned with his soule and by that difference which is betweene a dead body and a quicke Nowe if wee woulde well consider these things and compare the corporall death of the bodie with the spirituall death of the soule wee woulde abhorre sinne in greater measure then wee doe and bee more afraid of it then of anie thing that may come vnto vs. For there is nothing either in heauen or earth that can hurt vs but sinne as in deede nothing can bring dammage to vs but that which can hurt the soule But it is sinne onely that is able to hurt the soule because by it those meanes are taken away from the soule whereby GOD bestoweth spirituall life vpon it Therefore wee ought not to thinke that bodily death can anie way hurt the soule vnlesse it be in regarde of the euill life past It is true that seeing GOD hath created man to bee of such a nature as to be compounded of a bodie and of a soule and that his true and perfect estate consisteth heerein that they shoulde liue vnited and ioyned together it is very like that there is some euil in the seuering of thē asunder especially if any of them corrupt and perish and the euill may seeme to be doubled if both of them should corrupt perish as many epicures and atheists would haue it For if it be euill to haue but halfe a beeing the euill and imperfection is much more not to be at all seeing there is nothing more goodly or more excellent then to haue a beeing And if it be an excellent thing to bee then to bee well is a farre more goodly and excellent thing For therein consisteth the perfection and absolute felicitie of man Nowe there is no sound or perfect estate of anie man but onely that in which and for which GOD created him And although man bee fallen from that estate yet it hath pleased GOD not onely to restore him againe thereunto by his Sonne Iesus Christ but also to make it vnto him more entire and more perfect yea much more sure and stedfast then it was in the beginning For this cause if besides the benefite of creation wee consider also that of regeneration and of the restauration and repairing of man wee shall finde therein ample matter of true and sound consolation against death For wee knowe that this tabernacle of our body which is infirme faulty corruptible fraile and tending to putrifaction shall bee destroyed and as it were pulled downe to the ende that afterwardes it may bee restored vnto a perfect firme incorruptible and celestiall glorie Wee see that by death wee are called backe againe from a miserable exile to the ende that wee may dwell in our countrie euen in our heauenly countrie In a worde wee are assured by death to enioy such a blessed and permanent estate as the like whereof appeareth no where vpon the earth And if the brute beastes euen the insensible creatures as Saint Paul teacheth vs as wood and stone hauing some sence of their vanitie and corruption doe waite for the day of iudgement that they may bee deliuered from the same shall not wee bee very miserable hauing both some light of nature and also boasting that wee are inspired with the spirite of GOD if wee doe not lift vp our eyes aboue this earthly corruption when the question is concerning our beeing Shall wee not contemne and disdaine the vanitie of the worlde to aspire after the good beeing of the immortalitie to come Let vs knowe then that wee can not finde any true and sound consolation without this consideration and hope which is most assured to them that beleeue in Christ Iesus Therefore they that went not beyond the boundes of naturall Philosophie coulde neuer enioy anie true consolation either against the miseries of mans life or against corporall death And although they beleeued that together with the body whatsoeuer is in man was extinguished or otherwise that after the death of the body the soule remained immortall yet notwithstanding some haue done nothing else but mourne and complaine in this life insomuch as they haue laid violent handes as it were vpon Nature reuiling her and calling her the stepmother rather then the mother of mankind others haue doubted of their future estate and condition not being able to learne and knowe whether their soules should liue either in ioy and rest or els in paine torment but only by opinion Of which if we would discourse at large and consider particularly of their reasons we should be confirmed more and more in that true consolation that ought to bee in the heart of euery Christian against the honour of death Therefore I greatly desire ACHITOB to heare thee discoursing vpon this matter Of the chiefe consolations which the wisest amongst the Pagans and Infidels coulde drawe from their humane reason and naturall Philosophie against death of the blasphemies vsed by Atheists and Epicures against God and Nature what Nature is and who they bee that attribute vnto it that which they ought to attribute vnto God Chap. 76. ACHITOB. Trees haue their seasons in which they beginne to budde and afterwards do blossome which blossome in conuenient time taketh the forme and fashion of the fruite and after that it continueth growing vntill it becommeth ripe and beeing come to the greatest maturitie and ripenesse that it can haue it falleth down of it selfe and still consumeth more and more The same may bee saide of leaues But this happeneth not to all nor yet altogether after the self same maner to all those vnto whō it doth happen For some fruits perish euen in the very bud or els
God and men and were accompted and taken for demy-gods And these are those vertues which the philosophers by experience find to be in the reasonable soule which are no fained or imaginatiue but true vertues neither are they found in the soule of beasts as those are of which we spake in the first place Wherfore albeit man hath the vertue of desiring common with beasts yet he hath reason to moderate his desires which is wanting in beasts Nowe al this doctrine touching the vertues of the soule accordeth well with the doctrine of Christianitie so farre foorth as the soule agreeth with that nature in which it was first created of God But that which the Astrologians affirme of the influences and infusion of vertues into the soule by the planets as we heard I take it to be a bird of their owne braine whereby they attribute to the creatures that which belongeth to the Creator only For although he vseth the creatures according to that order which he hath placed in them neuertheles when the question is of the reasonable soule wee must ascend vp higher then the heauens vnto which it can not be subiect as the body is seeing it is of a farre more excellent nature For how should the heauens starres and planets giue that to the soule which themselues haue not I verely beleeue that when God created the soule of the first man placed it in his body that was before created of the nature and substance of the corruptible elemēts he took not those vertues with which he indued and adorned it either from the heauens or from the planets And seeing he created al mankind in this first mā after his image which he imprinted in his soule no doubt but that which yet remaineth in mans soule proceedeth from the same fountaine as also what euil soeuer is befallen since whereby this image abode not perfect it proceedeth from sinne and from the nature of man corrupted by sinne and not from the heauens or planets And as the Astrologians easily beleeue whatsoeuer they haue imagined touching this point and woulde haue the will of man subiect to their influences and constellations so the other Philosophers abuse themselues greatly in magnifying the vertues of the soule more then they ought to be esteemed in this corrupt estate of mans nature not iudging the corruption to be so great as it is Heereof it is also that they faile in regarde of vertue which they attribute altogether to the libertie of man as if he coulde by his owne vertue moderate his affections make himselfe iust and righteous Which fault proceedeth from hence in that they content themselues with a iustice that seemeth so to be before men and put no difference betweene diuine and humane iustice that is betwixt that which is able to stand approoue it selfe in the iudgement of God and that which men approoue For there is no iustice able to satisfie the iudgement of God but that of Iesus Christ which it pleaseth him to impute vnto his children and in regard thereof to accompt them iust But let vs returne to our matter We haue further to note that besides the forenamed vertues the Platonists attribute to the soule foure others which they cal contemplatiue vertues as those that belong to the contemplatiue life vnto which they are referred by them The first is named the purgation or second death of the soule for the first death of it say they is her descending into the body of man into which it is throwen as it were into a prison in a maner buried in vices Therefore they say that the soule standeth in neede of this second death whereby she being purged from her vices is as it were dead vnto them that shee may liue vnto vertue The second kind of these vertues is called pure or purified because the soule being purged from all her euill affections exerciseth good works by the same The third is called by them an exemplarie or patterne-vertue in the minde of God whereby they meane that as God conceiueth and knoweth the Idaeas kindes and images of all sensible intelligible things so he sendeth downe from heauen this vertue into the soule of man who is thereby purged and purified as we haue alreadie heard And for the last they adde a fourth vertue which they account greatest and chiefest aboue the other and therefore they call it Diuine because it bringeth to the soule a vertue to doe more then humane workes euen such as we call miraculous works Which foure kindes of vertues appeare euidently to haue beene drawen by them from christian doctrine but yet disguised after their fashion As touching the first it agreeth to that which the worde of God teacheth vs of regeneration and mortification of the flesh whereby wee die to sinne and to the deuill that we may liue to righteousnesse and to God The second agreeth to good woorkes proceeding of faith which being done in the same purifie the heart and to christian holinesse which accompanieth and followeth iustification by faith The third agreeth to giftes and graces inspited by the holy Ghost and to the infusion of them into the soules of Gods true seruants and the fourth agreeth to the giftes of prophecie and to that vertue of working miracles which hath beene heeretofore in the holie Prophets Apostles and Disciples of Iesus Christ But to conclude this whole point wee are to obserue this that what praise soeuer may bee giuen to the Platonicall Diuinitie yet it is in no respect to bee compared with Christian Philosophie because this is pure and true and endited by the Spirite of GOD but the other impure disguised and counterfaited by men who haue mingled with their Philosophie many things which they coulde eyther heare or learne out of the holie Scripture Moreouer as concerning the whole doctrine of the Philosophers touching the nature and vertues of the soule we may truely say that of it selfe it reacheth higher then those politicke vertues of which we made mention euen now For when a ciuil good and wise man hath attained to that politicke vertue and to the highest degree thereof he is able to goe no farther except hee be holpen elsewhere euen by the illumination of the holy Spirite And indeede all those other vertues of the soule propounded by the Platonists are but dreames and opinions in the ayre by which the Spirite of errour laboureth to disguise the doctrine of the holie Scriptures which leadeth vs to those true supernaturall vertues which the soule receiueth by the inspiration and infusion of the giftes and graces of the holie Spirite who is the true Doctour of whom wee must learne this Philosophie which is not naturall but supernaturall Nowe then being instructed and guided by him hauing discoursed of the creation and nature of the soule let vs enter into this goodly field of the immortalitie thereof in which we knowe there are many ranged battailes of enemies who waite to
ought to depart and the place where they are to be receiued according to the estate of euery one euen vntill they returne into their bodies at the resurrection If they be soules of the reprobate they are deteined in Hel in eternall fire where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth if they be the soules of Gods elect they shine as the sunne in the kingdome of heauen in a life accompanied with perpetual ioy and happinesse But wee must vrge them better that require testimonie for the immortalitie of soules by their returne into this world or of some that haue come from another world For it is an easie matter for vs to bring them as credible witnesses as any can bee to tell them most certaine newes if they will beleeue them according as they deserue it And for the first haue wee not Iesus Christ who first came downe from heauen and became man to bring vs newes and to declare the same vnto vs in his owne person not onely before his death but also after his resurrection Besides how many other witnesses haue we that haue testified most certainly of the same who saw with their eyes and touched with their hands euen to the number of moe then fiue hundred according as Saint Paul testifieth Moreouer they that were raised as wel by him as by Elias and Elizeus and by the Apostles and disciples may they not serue vs also for good withnesse to assure vs not onely that soules are immortall but also that their bodies shall rise againe and that God is of sufficient vertue power to doe it as he hath promised I omit here the testimonie which the Angels haue giuen both of the resurrection and ascension of Iesus Christ besides that of the holy spirite which is the chiefest of all with signes and giftes wherewith he came accompanied and those woorkes and effectes that followed them Wherefore seeing wee haue for this point the worde of God that is most certaine cleere which teacheth vs what we ought to beleeue and hold let vs rest our selues in the testimonie thereof and not desire to make further inquiry For it is he that said to Moses I am the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Iacob Whereupon Iesus Christ concludeth that Abraham Isaac and Iacob doe liue yet after their death seeing God is the God of the liuing and not of the dead that is to say of them that are yet in being and not of them that are nothing at all For otherwise if all men should so perish by death that nothing of them should remaine in life at leastwise in regard of the soule then should he be the God of nothing And although it seemeth that Iesus Christ alleaged this place against the Sadduces not onely to proue against them by the doctrine of Moses the immortality of soules but also the resurrection of bodies we may well gather that if it be fitte to proue that bodies arise it is much more strong to assure vs of the immortality of soules For when the Lord spake these words Abraham Isaac and Iacob were not aliue in regarde of their bodies but onely of their soules And yet Iesus Christ alleaged it to confirme also therby the resurrection of the dead although at the first sight it may seem not to be very fit firm to proue that so much as the immortality of soules But if it be narrowly looked into his argumēt shal be found to be very well deduced grounded vpon inuincible reason For Iesus Christ had respect to the promise which God made to those holy Patriarkes of whom he spake which was not made only to their soule but to the whole man together compounded of body soule Wherfore al they to whō it was made to whom it appertaineth should not haue the whole effect of it nor the ful fruition of that which it cōtaineth if they were not whole inheriters therof both in body soule For if it were otherwise the promise should be accomplished but in one part of man not in the whole man Wherupon it followeth that seeing the promise is not of a tēporal benefit but of an eternal therefore the whole man that must enioy the same must of necessitie liue an euerlasting life beeing of the same nature that the benefit is of which he must inherit Wherefore seeing the course of mans life is brokē off by death in regard of the body the body must necessarily rise again to liue again with his soule in a better longer life to the end that the whole man may possesse that inheritance which is promised him of God or els the promise made by God to his seruants is altogether vain or the testimony which the holy scripture beareth is wholly false so also the scripture that propoundeth the same vnto vs. But none may once think either of these two last points without great horror of blasphemy contained in thē So that the first point concludeth very strongly according to that groūd which it hath most certaine in the word of God Whereunto may be added further that seeing the soule of man is created not to liue alwaies without a body as the Angels do nor yet to wander from body to body but to be knit and ioyned to that body which is assigned to it of God it must needs be that being part therof as of her lodging she should once againe returne thither Besides seeing the body hath serued the soule either in obeying God or in disobeying of his wil the nature of Gods iusticerequireth that it should be rewarded also with the soule according to the qualitie of those workes whereof it hath bin an instrument Therefore according to that which we haue discoursed of this matter the resurrection of the body doth so depend of th'immortality of soules that it foloweth necessarily vpō this so that if we haue assurance of the one we ought to haue it of the other seeing both of them are certainely grounded vpō the iustice of God which cānot be iust vnlesse he iudge men both in body soule according to his word according as euery one liueth But seeing the matter of th'immortality of soules that of the resurrection of bodies are sundry questions and that wee are to handle but one of them we must returne to our first point of the soule touching th'immortality thereof which is easily beleeued of al that approue of the doctrine of holy Scriptures that giue credit to the word of God For they are throughly resolued therof Yea we may know by the writings of al antiquity that the common opinion of all people nations of what religion soeuer they haue bin hath bin this that mens soules were immortal Wherfore in regard of this point we are to fight only against Epicures Atheists And because they wil not beleeue the word of God but deride it as tales made vpō pleasure I am of opinion that now we
and that hath moe or so many reasons as this whereof wee dispute at this present Howe many things doe these fellowes beleeue according to naturall Philosophie for which they haue not so many nor so euident reasons And howe many things shoulde bee doubted of except so many arguments coulde bee brought for their proofe and confirmation as wee haue alleadged and as might yet bee found out for this matter Nowe what can they alleadge on the contrary side For if they beleeue nothing but what they see and whereof they haue experience I demaund of them howe many things there are in humane Philosophie where of they are throughly resolued and yet haue no experience at all in them neither can haue any certainetie but onely as they giue credite to such as haue written of them who yet are deceiued themselues oftentimes so haue deceiued others And yet they are not so hardly brought to beleeue their reasons as to giue credite to them that maintaine the immortalitie of soules which is a matter of so great consequence and waight And as Spiders turne into poison the sweetest liquors they sucke so they maliciously gather the reasons testimonies and places not onely of Poets Philosophers and others but also of the holie Scriptures which they thinke will serue to confirme them daily more and more in their errours and in their false and wicked opinions howe little likelihoode soeuer they seeme to haue and howe flenderly soeuer they make for them In the meane season they dissemble and make shewe that they see not all the other reasons that fight directly against them which being in number infinite are so cleere and so certaine as nothing can bee more There are many of them that haue no other reason but their opinon who can alleadge no other thing but this It is not so or I beleeue it not or I doubt of it or Peraduenture it is otherwise And in trueth none of them all in a manner haue any reasons of greater shewe or that can vrge them that haue neuer so little iudgement as wee may easily iudge by the examination of one of their cheefe Maisters and strong Pillers I meane Pliny by whome we may iudge of all the rest For if hee who is so much esteemed among them shewed himselfe to be such a grosse and blockish beast and so farre from reason in that which hee wrote touching this matter a man may soone guesse what can bee in the others who are no body in respect of him or at leastwise haue not gotten so great credite and authoritie But let vs heare the reasons of this venerable Doctor First he derideth all that men haue spoken or written of the beeing of soules after the death of the bodies accompting all this to be but toyes and dreames and then hee propoundeth his resolution that there remaineth no more of a man after his corporall death then there was of him before hee was conceiued and borne After that he laugheth at the vanitie of men in that they are so foolish as at the very time of their death voluntarily to flatter and beguile themselues in promising to themselues life euen after life some by the immortalitie of the soule others by the transfiguration thereof and a third sort by attributing sense to the dead and by honoring their soules and making a god of that which hauing beene a man is now nothing at all I maruaile not if Plinie mocked at many foolish opinions that were among the Heathen touching this matter and namely the fooâ—eries of the Pythagoreans and Platonists which I doubt not but hee meant by the transfiguration of soules whereof hee maketh mention For Plato was so farre from yeelding that the soule of man was mortall that hee will not confesse the soule of beasts to bee so because according to his opinion of the creation of soules hee thinketh that there is but one kinde of soule for all sortes of bodies that haue life and that soules passe and repasse from one to an other as wee heard vntill that being well purged they come to the place of the blessed Likewise this Authour of the naturall historie had reason to deride the follie and vanitie of men in deifying them that died and in making them immortall gods that had beene before but mortall men But from these fond opinions he had no reason to conclude that if soules did not passe and repasse from bodies to bodies and if men coulde not become gods after their death therefore they ceased to be men any longer and nothing remained of them but their ashes so that their soules also perished as well as their bodies But what reasons hath hee to vpholde this conclusion For the first hee alleadgeth that men breathe not otherwise then beasts doe because hee seeth nothing of the soule of either of them and goeth no further then to the externall senses as if the soule of men as well as of beasts were nothing else but a breath Wherby we see what a grosse beast he sheweth himselfe to be We may say the same of him in that he requireth both the internall and externall senses after the death of a man and the same offices which the soule performed in the bodie when it dwelled therein concluding that without these things there could be no good for maÌ„ after death Then he taketh this for an other argument that there are many other things in the world which liue a great deale longer then man doth and yet we attribute no immortality vnto them After he demandeth whither maÌ„ goeth after death what lodging he hath and what a multitude of soules there should be in the world from the time it hath bin a world if al they shuld liue that haue bin so concludeth that they should be but as it were so many shadows We haue sufficiently answered all these goodly arguments before when we spake of brutish men who rest only in the witnes of their senses and go no further then beasts doe Besides what an argument is that for so great a man to say that we attribute not immortalitie to many things that out-liue men and therefore why should wee rather beleeue it of mens soules There are not only many beasts whose life is longer then the life of men but also many trees and therefore wee must aske of man why we should think that he is rather capable of reason and more excellent then other creatures are that he hath a soule of another nature more noble then they But I will further vrge these arguments against himselfe according as we made answere to the complaint of som Philosophers who accused nature because she had graÌ„ted loÌ„ger life to many beasts then to meÌ„ seeing it was so necessary for them For seeing Nature hath endued man with so many goodly gifts and so excellent wherewith she hath not adorned beasts certainly she should be a stepmother and no true mother or if she were a
mother yet shee should be a very cruel mother if she had giuen longer life to beasts then to men had not reserued a better a longer for them But this reason would not greatly moue Pliny who is the man himselfe that gaue these goodly titles to nature vnder which name he blasphemed God whom he knew not Neuertheles this argument wil be of force with them that waigh it aright considering the prouidence and goodnesse of God towards mankinde He addeth further that this fantasticall opinion is entred into mens braines because they woulde neuer faile but be eternall But this pretended reason is so far from confirming his opiniō that contrariwise it greatly weakneth the same in that it agreeth with the argument for the immortalitie of soules that was taken from this natural desire which God hath not giuen to men in vaine as hath bin shewed vnto vs by good reasons Moreouer he iudgeth it great follie to keepe bodies in hope that they shall liue and rise againe according to the vaine promise of the Philosopher Democritus who did not rise againe himselfe But I maruel not if Pliny spake so of the resurrection of bodies seeing he held that opinion of the mortalitie of soules seeing those Philosphers who maintained the immortalitie of soules did not so much as once dreame of the resurrection of bodies except this Democritus only at whom I much more woonder then at all this which Pliny writeth of the mortalitie of soules For it seemeth that Democritus could not learn this of reason and of natural philosophy vnles it were so that he builded his doctrine vpon the same foundation that he took from his Motes cōcerning the matter of which all things are made For according to this opinion hee taught that all the essences that euer were shoulde in time haue their beeing againe by the meeting together of those matters of which they had beene compounded Surely a very fond opinion for a Philosopher so that Pliny may well derde it although the argument hee maketh against him is not strong enough to ouerthrowe his imagination For hee woulde haue had Democritus to haue confirmed his opinion by his owne resurrection But his Philosophie did not insinuate so much that it shoulde haue beene done so quickely but after the reuolution of many Ages which Pliny shoulde haue stayed for before hee coulde haue euicted Democritus of his foolish opinion if hee had no better argument to ouerthrowe it Nowe if this Philosopher did not lay this ground for his opinion which I haue mentioned I woulde haue thought that hee might haue vnderstoode the same by some speech come to his eares of the doctrine of the holie Patriarkes and of the Hebrewes touching this matter by meanes of the Aegyptians amongest whome those good Fathers long dwelt because they that wrote the liues of the Philosophers put Democritus in the number of them that descended into Aegypt to learne the wisedome of that people as Pythagoras Plato Orpheus Socrates and Pherecydes with others did the same But let vs returne to Pliny and heare his other reasons such as they be He accounteth it great follie in men to thinke that by death a man may enter into a second life and thereupon breaketh foorth into an exclamation as if men were out of their wits so to thinke But he would haue found it no lesse impossible that generation shoulde come of corruption and that of seede which is but as it were a little slime a man coulde be engendered or a beast if experience had not taught the fame And because hee hath not seene a soule liue after the death of the bodie nor a dead man risen againe therefore hee concludeth that there is neither immortalitie of the soule nor resurrection of the bodie But wee may call to minde that which was vttered to this purpose when wee spake of the similitude that is betweene our first and second birth I omit that which he saieth of the rest and quietnesse taken away for euer from men that are borne if that diuision of the soule separated from the body which some Heathen Philosophers made shoulde take place namely when they so diuided it that the sence of soules remained aboue and their shadowes beneath among the dead for all this is but fopperie Neuerthelesse the argument taken from the common consent of men touching the immortalitie of soules remaineth still and is confirmed euen by Plinie himselfe in this place although peraduenture hee neuer thought it Let vs then come to the finall conclusion which hee maketh of this whole matter Hee calleth it deceit of woordes and foolish credulitie whatsoeuer men speake or beleeue of their immortalitie and accompteth it as a poison that destroyeth the chiefe good of Nature which as hee sayeth is death adding further that by this meanes death shall doubled or as some reade it the greefe of him that is to die shall be doubled when hee shall thinke vpon that which is to come For if it bee a sweete and pleasant thing to liue to whome can it bee pleasant to thinke that hee did once liue Therefore hee setteth this downe for his last resolution that it is more easie and certaine for euery one to beleeue himselfe and that whereof hee hath experience in himselfe then to trust any other and to fetch his assurance from that which a man was before hee was borne Thus wee see howe hee laboureth to perswade that no man can bee blessed in the life to come because the cheefe good thing hee can haue in nature is taken from him except hee bee wholly like to beastes in his death and except hee beleeue that there remaineth no more of him after death then there was before his conception and natiuitie And to confirme and assure himselfe in this opinion hee woulde haue euery one to fetch an argument and proofe heereof from the similitude of that estate in which hee was before hee was conceiued or borne to compare it with that which followeth his death that a man may iudge of the one by the other But what reason is in that For is there the same reason from not beeing to beeing that is from beeing to not beeing Wee knowe well howe man is come from not beeing to beeing but can wee heereby bee so assured that hee shall bee no more after hee hath beene as we knowe hee hath beene after a time wherein he was not And whereas hee woulde haue vs giue more credite to our owne experience in our death then to all that can bee saide by others I woulde demaund of him what that is of which wee haue experience and whether wee ought to conclude that wee die wholly as beastes doe because to the sence of man wee see no difference betwixt their deaths and the death of man It seemeth this is his meaning But as they of his coate aske who euercame from the dead to testifie that soules are immortall so we may aske of him
the partes and members of which the body of man is made that are not found in any of the other as wee haue sufficiently shewed in our former discourses vpon this matter Whereby God would teach vs that hee hath prepared and built this lodging for an other manner of inhabitant then he built the bodies of beastes euen for a soule that differeth farre from theirs For seeing he maketh nothing without good reason or that is without his profit he sheweth by the instruments prepared for the workeman whom he will set on worke what maner of one he ought to be what workes he hath to make And because hee hath appointed workes and offices for the soule of man which he woulde not haue in the soule of brute beastes hee hath giuen to man such members and instruments as hee hath not giuen to other liuing creatures As for those instrumēts which he hath common with beasts God hath otherwise disposed and placed in his bodie according to the office euery one hath as wee may learne by their discourses It is very euident that man is not onely this masse and lumpe of skinne flesh sinewes bones and of such other matter gathered altogether in one bodie whereof we haue spoken alreadie but that there is yet in him another nature whose substance is inuisible ouer and aboue this bodily nature which we see For experience sheweth vs what difference there is betwixt one and the same body when it is aliue and when it is dead When there is no life in it none of all those faculties and vertues whereof the former discourse intreated appeare within it as we see they doe so long as life dwelleth therein And yet then the body is not depriued of those members which it had before death but keepeth them still vntill such time as they corrupt and waste away of themselues and finally faile altogether for want of the soule and life that shoulde preserue and keepe them sounde In the meane time we see that they are without force and as vnfit for vse as if they were not at all because they want soule and life which giueth them vigour and setteth thē a working It is very cleere then by death that the body hath no life of it selfe nor any of those faculties and vertues which life bringeth with it but that it receiueth them from another nature then from it owne And this nature is called Soule hauing sundry offices in man as we haue alreadie vnderstood and will hereafter handle them more particularly and in order But in the meane time we must note that although the soule be not bodily neuerthelesse it vseth a bodily nature and instruments which it receiueth from that for the performance of those workes that are assigned vnto it which the soule coulde not doe without such instruments as are necessary thereunto For as we heard in the former speech that among the creatures of God some are spirituall others corporall so we are to knowe also that among the spirituall creatures there are two sortes of spirits of which some namely the Angels were created to liue a spiritual life agreeable to their nature approching neerer to the nature and life that is in God then any other not being vnited or conioyned to any bodies that belong vnto them vnto which they should giue life as if they were creatures compounded of body and spirite Therefore we call them not by the name of soules as wee doe the spirites of men which God hath created to dwell in bodies to giue them life and to be ioyned with them in one person made of two natures to wit of a spirite and of a bodie These spirites which are also called humane soules can liue wel enough and preserue themselues in their substance hauing life alwayes in them euen after they are separated from their bodies But the like cannot bee saide of the bodies which cannot liue nor be preserued in their substance without their soules and spirites Therefore Iesus Christ sayde Feare not them that kill the bodie and cannot kill the soule but rather feare him that can destroy both bodie and soule in hell Wherefore albeit wee cannot see the soule neyther when it entreth into the bodie and is ioyned vnto it nor when it dwelleth there nor yet when it departeth yet it followeth not therevppon that it is not at all or that it commeth to nothing For the effectes thereof shewe vs the contrarie so long as that life which it giueth to the bodie continueth therein And albeit wee see no more effectes of it when it is seuered by death yet it followeth not therevpon that the same thing shoulde befall it that doeth to the bodie and so corrupt therewith For it is so farre from corrupting with the bodie that it keepeth the same from corruption so long as it is therein And being separated no maruaile if it effect no more that which it did in the bodie by those instruments which it had because it hath them no longer Wherefore in this respect it is like to an excellent Woorkeman who cannot labour in his occupation without such instrumentes as necessarily belong thereunto Yet in the meane season the Woorkeman continueth alwayes in the same estate and hath no lesse knowledge and arte in him without his instruments then when hee hath them albeit hee vse them not when they are away And although hee enioyeth both his instrumentes and his arte yet can hee not well vse them nor perfourme those woorkes which hee hath to make if they bee not founde but corrupted or spoyled as wee see in an instrument of musicke For if the chaunter or Musicion bee very expert in his arte and handle his instrument as hee ought to doe yet can hee neuer deliuer those soundes tunes and harmonie which otherwise hee woulde if his instrument were good And yet that shall not hinder the Musicion from beeing alwayes as skilfull and expert in his arte as if his instrument were very good and sounde Likewise if a man dwell in a darke lodging hee cannot see so well and cleerely as in another that is very lightsome and yet hee shall not haue sundrie eyes but the selfe same in both places So that it followeth that his dimnesse of sight in the one lodging rather then in the other proceedeth not of any defect in his eyes but of the house and habitation wherein hee is The like may bee saide of the soule lodged in the bodie whose actions and woorkes therein are much hindered if it bee badly lodged if any part of the lodging bee not good or if it want those instruments and tooles that are necessary for it For although it hath the vertue of sight in it selfe yet it cannot without eyes see those thinges which by meanes of them it beholdeth And although it hath in it selfe the vertue to cause the handes and feete to mooue and to set them on woorke according to their office yet
euil must of necessitie be fled from And of this naturall inclination to good proceede all those affections of the soule that draw it hither and thither to seeke for it but because of her badde iudgement proceeding of the darkenesse of ignorance which is in the minde she chooseth oftentimes the cleane contrary to that which she desireth as we haue already touched We call then properly by the name of affections the motions and acts of that naturall power of the soule which consisteth in following after good eschewing of euil For receiuing of God in our first creation to be to be wel we haue still some naturall seedes of the perfection of these two great gifts which teach vs naturally that it is a good thing for one to preserue himselfe and his beeing as also to be wel and happy in his beeing but this is only generally For wheÌ„ we are to come from these generalities vnto particulars there are wonderful errors and disorders throughout the whole course of mans life Now among the motions of the soule some go before iudgement others follow after although oftentimes they are so sodaine headstrong withall that it appeareth plainly they haue shaken off the bridle neuer expected staied for any iudgemeÌ„t Notwithstanding it is true that the hart is not moued before there hath bin some iudgement to determine whether that which is then offred vnto it be good or euil But bicause the motions of our spirit mind are very light sodain and need not so long time as otherwise is requisit for vs if wee will take good heede to our matters hereof it is that they seem to vs many times to preuent goe before iudgement giuen when indeed they follow it And as for those naturall motions which in truth go before it they are such as are bred borne of the disposition of the body as the desire to eate in hunger and to drinke in thirst sorrow in time of sickenes or the motion of a melancholike humor or ioy proceeding from good and pure blood in the heart But the other motions follow the aduice of iudgement as that is mooued and changed diuersly by such meanes as haue alreadie bin declared so the affections alter and increase or decrease or otherwise vanish cleane away and come to nothing Whereof it followeth that they are appeased by the same meanes by which they are moued according as they are applied vnto them But although it behooueth that the affections should be pricked forward by iudgement yet it followeth not thereupon that they can not be stirred vp except this mature ripe iudgement be alwaies there which ordaineth things to be done after the discourse of reason For it is enough for them if they haue another iudgement that obserueth not such an exact diligent examination but onely that which fantasie offereth without any other discoursing And this iudgement thus moued by fancie is most vsual ordinary and that which most guideth ruleth the affections of men Therfore it is a sodain tumultuous iudgement of which a man may truly say a short sentence of a sottish iudge Thus fancie being very turbulent skittish drawing to it selfe confusedly some shew and apparance of opinion iudgement whereby it deemeth that which is offred vnto it to be either good or bad is the cause that wee liue in the middest of marueilous troubles in respect of our affections of feare of desire of sorrow of ioy and that one while we weep and sodainly we laugh againe And because it hath great power ouer the body as wee haue already declared these perturbations doe manifestly incline that way We see also by experience that there is great agreement betweene the qualities and temperature of the body and the affections of the soule insomuch that as the bodies of men are compounded of the qualities of heate colde moisture and drienesse so among the affections some are hote others colde some moist others drie some mingled of these diuers qualities So that euery one is most subiect to those affections that come neerest to the nature temperature complexion of his body As for example the affection of ioy is hote and moist therefore they that are hot and moist as children yong men sound and healthy folkes and idle persons are more easily inclined to that affection Contrariwise sorrow is a colde and drie affection and therefore they that are colde and drie are most giuen to that affection and such are olde folkes and they that are of a melancholy humour which is earthy cold and drie For the like reason they that haue a soft and tender heart receiue more easily the impression of ioy and griefe as wax taketh the print of a seale and they that haue a haâ—d and hote heart quickly receiue ioy keep it a long time And on the other side they that haue hard and cold hearts receiue sorrowe and grieâ—e very soone and retaine it long as appeareth in melancholy and melancholike persons And as the affections followe the temperature and complexion of the body so they for their parts haue great vertue and power ouer the body Therefore we see that ioy is as it were a medicine to the body and foode to the naturall heate and moisture in which two qualities life chiefely consisteth as we haue already heard For it greatly preserueth and increaseth them forasmuch as it strengtheneth the animall and naturall vertues stirreth vp the spirites helpeth digestion and generally profiteth the habite and disposition of the whole body For the heart thereby sendeth with the blood much naturall heate and more spirites vnto all parts of the body By meanes whereof the members are watred and moistned by the humiditie contained in the fountaine of blood whereupon it followeth that all the partes increase in bignesse and waxe fatte For this cause Physicions alwayes exhort sicke persons to be as merry as they may and to auoide sorrowe and sadnesse which being colde and drie is contrary to life and so consumeth men For it drieth vp the whole body because the heart thereby is closed vp and restrained so that no great quantitie of spirites can bee made there and those fewe that are there can not easily bee distributed and dispersed with the blood throughout the members Whereupon the vitall vertue and her companions being weakened the liuely colour of the face waxeth wanne and pale and in a manner vanisheth cleane away and so consequently the whole bodie becommeth leane and consumeth as if it tooke no nourishment yea death oftentimes followeth thereupon This agreement therefore which is as we see betweene the temperature and complexion of the body the affections of the soule ought to teach vs to be very temperate in our eating and drinking and in all other things belonging to our life For as wee arre either temperate or intemperate so will the qualities be whereof our bodies are
and to diminish and as it were to retire backe and to restrayne it selfe And as for the vertue of engendering it differeth from both the other first in that it is not giuen so generally to all liuing creatures as they are and then in that it beginneth not so soone For it commeth then when the liuing creature through nourishment and growth hath attayned to those vertues that are necessary for generation Besides it hath this common with the vertue of augmentation that it hath certaine limites and bounds vnto which after it is once come it weakeneth and in the ende decayeth vtterly Wherein it differeth from the nourishing vertue Nowe the vertue of growing greater hath as many other particular vertues vnder it for the execution of it owne office as the vertue of nourishing hath according as was touched before Whereby wee learne that bodies growe not greater neither augment by the heaping vp of much matter outwardely applied as when a house is set vp wee see timber ioyned to timber and stone to stone in the building of it but this is done by the same hidden and secrete arte and cunning in nature whereby wee are nourished For in this poynt there is no difference betweene the vertue of nourishing and that of augmenting but onelie heerein that in nourishment the meate is turned into the substance of the bodie and in augmenting the foode beeing thus turned doeth from within stretch foorth the quantitie of the bodie outwardly And so this vertue of augmenting dependeth of the nourishing vertue For meate nourisheth as it is a substance with qualities meete for nourishment and augmenteth by reason of the quantitie it hath For this cause hath God created the bodies of liuing creatures with such a substance that as they haue sundrie passages and holes in them like to sponges to the ende to purge by them so he would that the substance they receiue by their foode might passe by the same holes that they might augment and grow greater So that all of them haue their pores and litle holes albeit they appeare not to the eye whereby nourishment entreth and extendeth it selfe in greatnesse length and thicknesse The consideration hereof hath caused some skilfull men to place mettals and stones in the ranke of liuing creatures because they growe in the earth as the bodies of plants and liuing creatures doe Neither is their opinion without some shewe of reason For wee knowe that they grow and increase and that inwardly which seemeth not to bee done without drawing vnto themselues some inward nourishment as liuing creatures vse to doe Besides they haue also their pores and passages to stretch foorâ—h and augment themselues by Notwithstanding all this there is greater reason to place them in the ranke of those natures and creatures which augment and grow greater by adding and ioyning of matter vnto them as wee see fountaines and riuers to increase and so likewise fire Which albeit it seemeth to be nourished and augmented with that matter which is put vnto it yet is it not nourished as liuing creatures are by meanes of that foode which they receiue For they haue their boundes of growing set them which they cannot passe as wee see the like also in plantes but fire hath no limites as that which alwayes increaseth as long as it findeth any matter to burne Whereby we may conclude that naturall heate in man or in other liuing creatures is not the cause of their nourishing and growth but onely the instrument and that the true cause in regarde of second causes is in the soule next after God who is the first cause of all things yea the cause of causes Therefore it is hee that hath alotted out to euerie man the terme first of his life and growth and then of his declining and death so that according as hee will eyther prolong or shorten our life and cause vs to encrease or diminish so hee disposeth the seconde causes and those meanes whereby hee will bring it to passe Nowe wee must consider what instrumentes the soule vseth to execute in the bodie of man her naturall woorkes of nourishing and augmenting it of which wee haue nowe spoken and after what manner shee vseth them First then wee will looke into the ventricle and stomacke and see what figure what Orifices and filaments it hath This matter then ASER belongeth to thee to intreate of What instrumentes the Soule vseth in the bodie about the naturall woorke of nourishing and augmenting of the Ventricle or stomacke and of the figure Orifices and Filaments it hath of the coates of the stomacke and of what substance and nature it is of the causes of hunger and of appetite of the inferiour Orifice Chap. 61. ASER. Wee shoulde bee very happie if wee knewe howe to followe that order in all our doings which God hath set downe in all his woorkes and whereof he giueth nature vnto vs for a Mistresse But if the simplicitie of our vnderstanding bee not able to attaine to so high wisedome at the least we may knowe howe farre short euery one of vs commeth of our duetie and from whence proceedeth all the confusion that is in the life of man and all those miseries which wee commonly beholde On the other side nothing coulde hinder vs were it not a voluntarie and malicious ignorance in that wee consider not what a marueilous and excellent Woorkemaster God the Creator sheweth himselfe to bee in this part of the soule whereof our present discourses are and in that order which hee hath set therein and in those vertues which hee hath bestowed vpon it For his woorke is so excellent and woorthie of so great admiration that no wisedome or power whatsoeuer is able so much as to imitate it Wherefore wee are to account it a very great and noble blessing to haue onely some knowledge of it and to bee able to comprehende some thing thereof by our vnderstanding For there will be alwayes enough whereat to marueile greatly and namely in the consideration of those instruments which the soule vseth in the nourishment and growth of bodies as we shall know in the sequele of our discourses Therefore as heeretofore wee haue handled and spoken of the diuers powers of the soule and of those instruments it hath in regarde of the Animal and Vital partes as of the braine heart head and other externall members of the bodie so nowe wee are to consider of the internall instruments which serue the naturall powers of the soule And first it hath the liquors and humours of the bodie tempered together by a certaine Lawe and reason of the Creator that created them Secondly the other instruments of the soule are those members both externall and internall which are framed and haue their seuerall proportion euery one as neede requireth for the office assigned vnto them by God their Creator For before the soule bee clothed with the bodie these instrumentes are fashioned and made fitte for it by nature
holes vnable to hold in and keepe anie secret matter they are fierce in assailing but inconstant in sustaining the assault in some sort resembling the nature of dogges which barke and bite if they can and afterward flie away And if there bee excesse of the melancholike humour the natures of such are sadde still hard to please suspicious conceited obstinate some more and some lesse And if the cholericke and melancholike humours be corrupt and mingled together their natures become monstrous prowd full of enuy fraud subtilties venemous and poisonfull hatefull and diabolicall And when the malignant spirits know mens natures thus disposed no doubt but they take occasion thereby to intermingle themselues if God permit them and purpose to vse them for the punishing of men I say they will ioyne themselues vnto them and make them their instruments as God on the other side vseth those natures that are most moderate and best tempered making them instruments of his glorie Now we may call to mind what we learned before almost to the same ende touching the meanes whereby euill spirites might trouble the imagination fantasie and mindes of men We may say as much of the humours of the body whose motions and nature they knowe very well Whereby they can so much the more easily abuse them in their damnable worke and will as wee may iudge by the example of him that was possessed and lunatike of whom the Euangelists make mention and whome they call by those two names And by that which they wrote of him it seemeth that he was subiect to the falling sickenesse that returneth oftentimes according to the course of the moone which naturally hath great affinitie with the humors and great power ouer them And therefore it is very likely that the euill spirit which tormented this poore lunatike watched the occasions of his disease to afflict him the more and to cause him to fall either in the fire or in the water as he did indeede thereby to worke his death if he had could Which example sheweth vnto vs what is the malice of the deuil what pleasure hee taketh in hurting of men what meanes and what occasions he seeketh for and maketh choice of and what accesse vnto vs we may offer him through our corrupt nature through our vices and sinnes and through our inclinations and manners that are naturally euill and peruerse if God letteth him loose the bridle by his iust iudgement seeing he spareth not the little children as it appeareth in that which is written of him of whom we spake euen now For this cause we ought to take good heede that we giue not our common enemie those occasions that he seeketh to haue from vs to the ende that hee abuse vs not nor any thing that is ours and which God hath bestowed vpon vs. This is the reason why the consideration of our temperature complexion and naturall inclination is very necessary for vs because the knowledge hereof affoordeth vnto vs many good instructions that may stand vs in great steade throughout our whole life as well for the preseruation of the health of our bodies as for the rule and gouernement of our affections and manners as also in regarde of the familiaritie and acquaintance which wee haue one with an other For through the contemplation hereof wee may knowe not onely the causes of health and sickenesse of the life and death of the body but also of that of the soule For as the good humours corrupt in our bodies according as wee haue heard and breede in them sundry diseases which finally leade them vnto death euen so by means of sinne all those good and naturall affections which ought to bee the seedes of vertues in vs are corrupted and turne into vices that are the diseases of the soule and bring vnto it the second and eternall death as contrariwise vertues are the health and life thereof But as GOD hath prouided corporall medicines for the bodie so hee hath prepared spirituall Physicke for the soule against all the diseases thereof Therefore when wee consider with our selues vnto what vices wee are inclined by nature wee must labour to correct and bridle them and to quench such inclinations as much as wee can through sobrietie vigilancie and continuall practise to the contrary least wee nourish and encrease them when as wee ought to diminish and wholy to abolish them For the common prouerbe is not without reason that Education passeth Nature or that it is another nature Wee see by experience what Education and Instruction are able to doe both to goodnesse and vice according as they are either good or euill For as there is no nature so good which can not bee corrupted and peruerted through euill education and teaching so there is none so vicious and euill which can not at the least in some measure through the helpe and grace of GOD bee corrected and amended by good education instruction and discipline And because conuersation and familiaritie are of great efficacie in this point wee are diligently to consider with what persons and natures wee acquaint our selues and bee carefull to eschew such natures as are vicious prowd fierce enuious hatefull malicious suspicious disloyall and traiterous as well in regarde of the corruption of manners wherewith wee may bee infected by them as also in respect of other harmes that may befall vs by reason they are vnsociable natures or at the least very difficult to conuerse withall being indeede such as towardes whome no man can beare any true loue or firme friendship But when wee haue vsed all the diligence wee can possible about these things the chiefest point wherein the whole consisteth is this that wee haue recourse to Iesus Christ the eternall sonne of GOD to the end that by his holy Spirit hee woulde correct represse and quench in vs all the vicious affections and disordered motions that wee haue contrary to his holy will according to that promise which is made vnto vs wherein it is saide that if fathers knowe howe to giue good gifts to their children and such things as are necessarie for them much more will our heauenly Father giue his holie Spirite to them that aske it of him And this is the true meanes wee ought to keepe for the correcting of these vices and defectes that are in our naturall inclinations Now wee haue spoken sufficiently of those things which concerne the naturall powers of the soule in respect of the nourishment and growth of the body and of those instruments which it hath in the same for the performaunce of her actions It remaineth nowe that wee consider what effectes it hath in Generation First then ASER thou shalt handle the restauration and reparation of all natures by that vertue and power of Generation that is in them and namely in man to the end wee may after proceede with those other points that concerne this matter Of the restauration and reparation of all
woman is of short continuance and full of trouble He shooteth forth as a flowre and is cut downe he vanisheth also as a shadow and continueth not Nowe it is certaine that if we looke to the causes of the life death of men layd downe by vs we shal thinke that all this is done naturally that there is a certaine order of nature vnto which we must all be subiect and a naturall necessitie which none can eschew But wee see that Moses mounteth aloft and searcheth higher for the cause for hee seekth it in God and in his determination yea in his wrath conceiued against our sinnes Therefore the children and seruants of God that haue bene instructed in his worde doe not onely consider of that in death which prophane men beholde there but they mount vp euen to this highest cause and behold there the wrath of God against sinne against all mankinde for the same So that wee may knowe by that whith hath bene sayd what difference there is betweene humane and naturall Philosophie and that which is diuine and supernaturall and wherein they deceiue themselues that stay altogether in naturall Philosphie And hereby also wee may learne the cause why so many become Atheists and Epicures thereby whereas it should serue them in place of steps and degrees to cause them to ascend vp to that Philosophie that is supernaturall and heauenly For their noses are altogether poring in this base kitchin of which we haue intreated in our former discourses as though God had not created men for another life and end then hee hath done beasts Whereupon we may imagine what true ioye and consolation they can haue I say not only in death but also throughout their whole life seeing their life wil they nill they must passe through so many dangers and miseries For whether they will or no they must be subiect to this sentence passed from God against all mankinde in the person of our first parents when hee sayd to Adam Cursed is the earth for thy sake in sorow shalt thou eate of it all the daies of thy life Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee and thou shalt eate the herbe of the fielde In the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate bread till thou returne to the earth for out of it wast thou taken because thou art dust to dust shalt thou returne Therefore Eliphaz sayth in the booke of Iob that miserie proceedeth not out of the dust that affliction buddeth not out of the earth Which is asmuch to say as that the cause of barrennes of ground proceedeth not from the earth but from the sinne of man Wherefore men cannot lay the blame vpon any other beside themselues as being the cause of all the euils which they suffer because they beare the matter of them in themselues Now if any thinke that this sentence pronounced by God against all mankinde is not so much executed vpon the wicked that are without God as vpon others because wee see commonly that they are richest liue in greatest ease in pleasures in delightes we must know that they are not therefore exempted from those miseries whereunto the life of man is subiect and which are all comprehended vnder this sweate of the face mentioned in the holy Scriptures For there is not one of them to be found that can so saue himselfe but that he hath alwayes his part portion in these things And if we could consider wel the whole course of their life who seeme to be the happiest amongst them and had the patience to waite vntill the end of their race we should still finde by experience the trueth of that we speake of But let vs goe on with our speeches touching the causes of the length and shortnes of this bodily life and of naturall death as also of that which is violent whereof wee haue not yet spoken Also let vs consider of the things that are chiefly required for the vpholding of this bodily life and without which it could not consist This then shall be the matter subiect of which thou ARAM shalt take vpon thee to discourse Of the causes generally of the length and shortnes of bodily life of naturall and of violent death in what manner the life of man consisteth in his breath of the principall things required to life and without which it cannot be of the difference betwixt the life of men the life of beasts of the image of the spirituall death in the corporall of the true comfort which we ought to haue therein Chap. 75. ARAM. This lawe was layde vpon nature by GOD the Creator thereof that the things which it should bring forth in this inferiour world should haue small beginnings at the first and after growe by litle and litle when they were come to their full greatnes should stand a while at a stay and then fall by litle and litle and returne to their originall and first beginning as we see a patterne hereof and an example twise a day in the Ocean sea For after it is mounted vp to the highest and hath spread it selfe in length and breadth as much as it may it returneth againe vnto the fountaine and wombe from whence it came and there closeth vp it selfe For God hath compassed it with certaine bounds beyond which it cannot passe So likewise euery thing hath his course and set time of continuance neither doe we see any thing vnder the Moone either of the workes of God or of the inuentions of men which keepeth not this course And so is it with the body which being created by litle and litle decayeth after the same maner as it were by the same degrees by which it mounted vpward And that which we see in euery particular body the same we perceiue to be in the whole frame and course of the world in all the estates thereof For the world hath had his infancie next his youth then his mans estate and now he is in his olde-age For we see howe all things decline dayly and continually waxe worse and worse as it were approching to their end In like maner if we would consider the course and estate of all Common-wealths Principalities Kingdomes and Empires and of all the greatest and chiefest Monarchies that euer were from the creation of the world we should finde that all of them were very small and weake in their beginnings and that afterwards they increased and mounted vp vntill they came to their highest degrees and after they had attained thither they descended fell by litle and litle continually vntill in the ende they were wholy ruinated Nowe the first causes of all these things proceeding from God and from his eternall counsell we know that the second causes are in the nature of euery thing that hath beginning and must end and chiefly in the nature of mens bodies By our formmer speech wee haue learned already howe
this corporall life consisteth in the preseruation of those instruments which the soule vseth in the body and that the chiefest of them is heate the second moysture agreeable to the heate which must needes haue something to feede it and keepe it in a moderate stay Lastly wee learned that the nourishing and cherishing of the heate is the preseruation of the moysture and therefore those liuing creatures that are best able to mainteine and keepe these two qualities within themselues are of longest continuance in life So that the chiefe naturall cause of the long continuance of life consisteth in euery mans composition namely if it be hot and moyst by due proportion both in the sinewes and in the marrow in the liquors and humors and in the spirits The second cause consisteth in the long continuance of this temperature which being interrupted and marred by diseases the instruments of life are thereby also spoyled so they failing life it selfe must needes cease Whereupon death ensueth euen as when the instruments and tooles of some handicraftes man are worne and faile him it cannot be but that his arte and occupation should also be at an ende So that death is a defect of those instruments of the soule whereby life is prolonged For the soule leaueth the body by reason of the defect of instruments and not for any disagreement that is betweene the body and it as may appeare by this that it was not any proportion or agreement that ioyned the soule and the body together For albeit a workeman vseth his instruments yet there is no proportion and agreement betweene him and them in regard of the matter and forme of him and of his tooles vnlesse peraduenture this proportion may be imagined 〈◊〉 be betweene the arte of the workeman as he is a workeman and betweene the aptnesse of the toole he vseth whereby it is made fit for the doing of that which the workeman hath in hand Seeing then all life consisteth both in heate as we haue already sayd and also in moysture requisite for the heate wee call that naturall death when heate faileth by reason that the moysture is dryed vp through the heate that drinketh it vp which heate also in the end vanisheth away euen as a lampe doeth when the oyle of it is consumed But that is called a violent death when through some accident either the moysture is drawne out of the body or the heate is put out and extinguished either by some inward or els some outward oppression and violence Internall violence is either by poyson or by gluttony and drunkennes or by such excesse as a when a lampe goeth out because there is too much oyle powred into it And if this oppression be done outwardly it is called externall as when the ayre and breath that refresheth the heart is shut vp and reteined either in the sharpe artery or in the mouth For it is as if a fire were suddenly couered and choked by some great heape of stones or of earth or of ashes layde vpon it We heard before that if the Lungs had no respiration by the mouth nostrils no man could breath but he should be choked by and by as we see it by experience in them that are strangled The reason hereof is because the pipe that reacheth from the Lungs to the throat is so closed vp that it is altogether stopr or at least so narrow and strait that there is not space enough for the ayre and breath to passe in and out by We see also dayly how this windpipe is troubled if whiles wee eate or drinke there fall into it a litle crumb of bread or meate or els a drop of water or of wine or of any other drinke yea although it were but a little drop of our owne spettle For the breath that ascendeth vp from the lungs by this pipe will not suffer any other thing to enter in thereat except it be as subtill and thinne as the ayre is but it driueth it vpward insomuch as when that happeneth to any man hee is in great paine and as it were stifeled for the time We see the like also in the cough For from whence proceedeth it but onely of those distillations that descend from the braine vnto the lungs by this pipe And truely the consideration of all this ought to be vnto vs in place of an other speciall testimony of the infirmitie of our nature that wee may alwayes learne the better by this to humble our selues For what an excellent gift is this life which God hath giuen to man and yet a matter of nothing will depriue him of it For let his breath onely bee taken away which is but a little winde and beholde hee is stifled and dead by and by And for the taking away of his breath and so of his life withall there needeth nothing else but the stopping of his mouth and nosethrilles or of his windepipe onely which is soone done and hee is dispatched presently without all help and remedy by man Therefore Esay hath a good speach depart saieth he from the man whose breath is in his nosethrilles for wherein is hee to be esteemed In a worde his meaning is that man is but as it were a little winde and blast as if hee had his life in his nosethrilles and as if it were as easie a matter to take away his life as his breath Moreouer the mixture and temperature of all the elementary qualities and of all the humours is so necessary for life as wee haue already heard that if anie one be wanting our life can not continue But the chiefest and most necessary of all are heate and moisture placed in the blood which is so necessary for the maintenance of life that after it is out of the body death followeth presently Concerning the members of the body it hath beene tolde vs already that there are som of thē without which the body can not keep life nor bee kept therein amongest which the heart is the chiefest of all for the reasons which wee haue already heard Nowe these things standing thus wee must consider what difference there is betweene the death of bruite beastes and that of man namely this that the soule of beastes perisheth vtterly in their death as doeth the vigour of mens senses in the death of man But the soule of man suruiueth after the death of his body and continueth alwayes in beeing and in life For considering that beastes doe in this life all that can bee done by them according to those giftes which they haue receiued of nature therefore they liue and die heere altogether hauing nothing bestowed vpon them for an other better life But forasmuch as GOD hath giuen vnto man a diuine and immortall spirite which hath heere great impediments and can not well exercise all his offices it is requisite that it shoulde haue an other life wherein it may display all the vertues it hath and
that ye henceforth walke not as other Gentiles walke in vanitie of their minde hauing their cogitation darkened and beeing strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the hardnes of their heart We see here that in the first place he putteth the mind by which he meaneth vnderstanding and reason which is the principal faculty and power of the soule that which is so much magnified by the Philosophers that it is called of thē the Queene Damé Mistres Neuertheles S. Paul testifieth clearely that all of it is vanity without Christ so that a man may well iudge what wee are to esteeme of the rest that is in man Therefore also wee see howe from the minde hee commeth to the thought whereby hee comprehendeth both imagination and memory and all the faculties and powers of the internall senses which he testifieth to be shadowed with darkenesse so that there is no heauenly light at all therein without Iesus Christ who is the light of the world For which cause also he affirmeth that they are estranged from the life of God that is to say from that life by which he liueth in his and which he commaundeth and approoueth Afterward hee referreth the cause thereof to their ignorance which he ioyneth with darknesse and with the thought obscured thereby Finally hee commeth to the will and affections which he comprehendeth vnder the name of heart to whose hardnesse hee referreth their ignorance as to the fountaine thereof For by reason that through their malice and contumacie they reiect the light of God that is offered to their hearts and mindes they blinde themselues by the iust iudgement of God by which also they are made blinde as they iustly deserue seeing they loue darkenesse more then light and lying more then the trueth Now when al these faculties of the soule are reformed with the body according as we haue already declared then is man come to that entire sanctification of which Saint Paul speaketh in the place before alleadged which is requisite for the true children and seruantes of God But it seemeth that in all these diuisions and distinctions of the faculties and powers of the soule rehersed out of the Scriptures there is not one of them wherein any mention is made of the naturall powers by which the soule giueth life and nourishment to the body notwithstanding that this office also is assigned vnto it as well as the rest Heereof three reasons may be rendered The first is that the word of GOD maketh expresse mention of the chiefe faculties and powers which most properly belong to the nature of the soule and are giuen vnto it more specially to knowe and honour God by and which appertaine not onely to this life but also to the other The second is because these naturall powers may bee comprehended vnder the vitall and vnder the seate of the affections by reason of that communication which they haue both with the spirites and with the humours vsed by the soule in the body not onely to nourish it and preserue life in it but also to serue for all other things spoken of before The third reason is that forasmuch as these naturall powers are more terrestriall then celestiall and more corporall then spirituall and the vse and profite of them endeth with this humane life we may comprehend them vnder the name of body as things more neerely ioyned to it for the vse of this life and of which it shall haue no neede after this life when it shall bee made incorruptible and immortall And because this power of the soule appeareth more in this life then any of the rest therefore it is better knowen For this cause the name of soule is oftentimes taken not onely for this naturall power which wee call Vegetatiue and Nutritiue but also for the life it selfe and for all the commodities and desires thereof yea for the whole estate of life We may call to minde what wee heard before of the soule which is in the blood And when Reuben sayde to his brethren that woulde haue slaine Ioseph Let vs not strike his soule it is as much as if hee had saide Let vs not kill the soule Nowe it is certaine that the soule can neither bee slaine nor striken therefore by the soule hee meaneth the life And so his speech was all one as if hee had sayde Let vs not take his life from him as himselfe declareth it by and by after in the verse following where hee sayeth Shead not blood Also when Moses speaketh of the Lawe that requireth punishment like to the euill committed as hee sayeth Eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand and foote for foote so hee sayeth Soule for soule that is life for life And to seeke the soule of one in many places of Scripture signifieth to lye in waite for the life and to pursue it vnto death as it is written of the enemies of Ieremy and of Herod against Christ Iesus There are infinit such like places both in the olde and newe Testament in which the soule is taken for this corporall and naturall life Nowe because the soule giueth life by meanes of the stomach belly and other members and instruments of nourishment of which wee haue spoken before therefore it is often taken for them also as when Esay sayeth Therefore Hell that is to say the graue hath enlarged his soule and hath opened his mouth without measure and their glorie and their multitude and their pompe and hee that reioyceth among them shall descend into it The Prophet propoundeth heere the graue as a great and horrible monster that hath a throate with a stomach and belly as it were a deepe gulfe and bottomlesse pit to swallowe vp and to consume all And therefore as hee sayeth that hee hath opened his throate or mouth so hee sayeth that hee hath enlarged his soule that is to say his stomach and belly that it may bee more capable to receiue greater store of meate The same Prophet in an other place meaning to set downe the vaine hope that shall deceiue them that band themselues and enterprise any thing against the people of GOD and that looke for aide and deliueraunce from any other besides him sayeth that They are like to an hungry man who dreameth that hee eateth but when hee awaketh his soule is emptie or to a thirstie man who dreameth that hee is drinking but when hee awaketh beholde hee is faint and his soule longeth Which is as much as if hee had sayde that such a one supposing hee hath well eaten and well drunke findeth his stomach and his belly emptie and is still as hungrie and thirstie as hee was before Also when Ieremy saieth I haue satiate the weary soule and haue replenished euery languishing soule it is certaine that by the soule he meaneth the members and instruments of nourishment with the bodie that receiueth it and the life
the graue hee sheweth after very euidently what he vnderstandeth by his soule when he saieth Thou hast reuiued me from them that goe downe into the pit Hee taketh this worde Soule in the same sense when he saieth that God deliuered his soule from death and from the midst of lions and when he prayeth him to deliuer his soule from the sword his desolate soule from the power of the dogge For it is easie to iudge by these wordes that he taketh not the soule in these places for the essence of the soule and proper substance thereof because the soule can not be smitten with the sword nor deuoured of lions nor carried away by dogges Therefore seeing the soule is so often put in the Scripture for corporall life which endeth with the body and which the soule giueth vnto it by meanes of those instruments which it hath in the body the name of Spirite is many times vsed therein to signifie more specially this essence and spirituall substance which wee call the soule and which may be separated both from the body and blood as that which liueth after the death of the body Therefore Dauid did so vse the word Spirite when he recommended his soule to God by the same wordes which Iesus Christ vsed vpon the crosse Afterward Saint Steuen tooke it in the same sense when he saide Lorde Iesus receiue my spirite For this is that spirite of which Salomon saieth that it returneth to God that gaue it after that the body is returned to the earth and to dust of which it consisteth And yet this difference is not alwayes obserued in the Scriptures For as wee haue already heard both the heart and soule and spirite are oftentimes generally and indifferently put for all the partes and powers of the soule and not onely for those of men but also of beastes as when the Wise man attributeth spirit vnto them hauing regard to this corporall life For when Salomon speaketh so it is in consideration of this life that consisteth in breath which is also called Spirit in the holy Scriptures which vse one the same word to signifie both wind and breathing and whatsoeuer we call spirit taking it both for the soule of man for the Angelicall natures and for the Diuine nature Therefore Iob speaking of this present life sayth So long as my breath is in me and the spirit of God in my nosethrilles my lippes surely shall speake no wickednesse and my tongue shall vtter no deceit But when Saint Paul saieth The same spirite beareth witnesse with our spirite that wee are the children of God hee taketh the worde Spirite in an other sence then Iob did in the place nowe alleadged For in the first place hee taketh the name of Spirite for the Spirite of GOD and in the second place for the Spirite of man which signifieth the humane soule It is true that in this place hee taketh it for the soule and for the spirit such as it is in regenerate men but when hee saieth elsewhere that the spirite of man knoweth the things of man hee taketh the spirite simply for a humane Spirite and for the vnderstanding part thereof Likewise the name of soule is put not onely for this naturall life and for the will and affections but also for the selfe same thing that is comprehended by this worde Spirite when one woulde signifie thereby the greatest excellencie of the soule As when Dauid sayeth Our soule waiteth for the Lord for hee is our helpe and our shield Surely our heart shall reioyce in him because wee trusted in his holie name And againe My soule reioyceth in the Lorde and is glad in his saluation And when Saint Peter sayeth Abstaine from fleshly lustes which fight against the soule and haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles hee taketh the name of Soule for the spirituall man who hath his minde and all his affections well ruled according to the will of GOD. As then wee haue heard in what sort the soule may die in regarde of this corporall life according to the phrase of the Scriptures and of the Hebrewes so by this which Saint Peter saieth that fleshly lustes fight against the soule wee may learne after what manner the soule may be said to die and to be slaine For nothing can bring death vnto it but sinne Wherefore it is not said without good reason in the Booke of Wisedome that the mouth that telleth lies slayeth the soule Albeit then the soule is immortall in that it can neuer be without life no more then the Angelles who are spirites like to it neuerthelesse it is after a sort mortall so farre forth as being farre off separated from God through sinne it liueth no more that blessed life wherewith it shoulde liue if it were vnited and ioyned vnto him by true faith and sincere obedience For it shoulde enioy the selfe same life which the heauenly Angelles with the soules and spirites of the blessed doe enioy As contrariwise the soules of the wicked liue with the same life that the Diuelles doe which is called dead because it is a more accursed life then death it selfe and therefore called the second and eternall death Nowe wee may thinke our selues sufficiently taught touching the diuerse significations in which the name of Soule is taken It seemeth to mee that wee haue spoken enough of the Anatomy of the bodie and soule of which the most of our discourses hitherto were made which may suffice for the contentation of euery one that will keepe himselfe within the bounds and limits set downe vnto vs by the wisedome of GOD in his word But to finish this whole matter concerning the soule which we haue chiefly considered in her parts powers and effects we are further yet to be instructed in the creation generation nature and immortalitie thereof And because they are marueilous difficult matters and such as are not without great contrarieties of opinions euen amongest the learned I am of opinion that these things are to be discoursed of according to that manner of teaching of the ancient Academickes which wee followed in our first meeting namely vpon the theame propounded vnto vs to ballance the arguments on the one part with the reasons of the other side that so we may diligently search out the trueth Notwithstanding it shal be lawfull for vs to deliuer our opinion so long as wee ground it vpon the infallible testimonie of the worde of God leauing to euery one his libertie to iudge which is best and to embrace and follow the same For our entrance therefore into so goodly a matter thou shalt beginne ASER to morrowe to declare vnto vs what thou shalt thinke good concerning this proposition namely whether the soule is begotten with the body and of the seede thereof or whether it be created apart and of another substance and what is requisit for vs to know therein The end of the
recouery neither was any knowen that hath returned from the graue For we were borne at all aduenture and wee shall be heereafter as though wee had neuer beene for the breath is a smoke in the nosethrilles and the woordes as a sparke raised out of our hearts Which being extinguished the body is turned into ashes and the spirite vanisheth as the soft ayre Our life shall passe away as the trace of a cloude and come to naught as the mist that is driuen away with the beames of the Sunne and cast downe with the heate thereof Our name also shall be forgotten in time and no man shall haue our woorkes in remembrance For our time is as a shadowe that passeth away and after our ende there is no returning for it is fast sealed so that no man commeth againe Come therefore let vs enioy the pleasures that are present and let vs cheerfully vse the creatures as in youth Let vs fill our selues with costly wine ointments and let not the floure of life passe by vs. I omit other speeches of a voluptuous wicked vniust life which they purpose to lead exercising al iniustice violence cruelty without al regard had to any right or iustice either to poore or rich yong or old but chiefly against the seruants of God who approue not their kind of life but reproue condemne it Therefore it is said after al the discourse that they imagined such things and went astray For their owne wickednes blinded them They do not vnderstand the mysteries of God neither hope for the reward of righteousnes nor can discerne the honor of the soules that are faultlesse For God created man without corruption and made him after the image of his owne likenesse Neuerthelesse through enuy of the deuill came death into the world and they that hold of his side proue it But the soules of the righteous are in the hands of God and no torment shall touch them In the sight of the vnwise they appeared to die and their end was thought grieuous and their departing from vs destruction but they are in peace Wee see then that these men go no farther then they can see with their bodily senses and because they see that man liueth by breathing and cannot liue without and that hee dyeth when his breath faileth they thinke that the soule of man is but a litle winde and breath and so is scattered and vanisheth away as it were winde and breath or as a cloude in the ayre The same iudgement they are of in regard of the blood because life leaueth the body with the blood as if it had no other soule but the blood or breath And forasmuch as the eye discerneth no difference betweene men and beasts in death they iudge also that there is no difference betweene their soules But if they be resolued to giue credit to nothing but to their corporall senses and in death consider only what difference there is betweene men and beasts they wil not beleeue that either beasts or men haue any soule at all that giueth them life because they see nothing but the body onely And then by the like reason we must conclude that not onely the whole man is no other thing but this body which we see but also that there is nothing in all the world but that which may bee seene by the eyes and perceiued by the other senses and so all that which we haue not seene and knowen by them shal be nothing Which being so men shal differ nothing from beasts as indeed we can say no better of these men For beastes thinke of nothing but that which they beholde and perceiue by their senses and goe no further which is so farre from all science and discipline and from all iudgement of man as nothing can be more Therefore they that beleeue nothing but their corporall senses deserue to be compared not onely to little children or to fooles who when they see pictures or their face in a glasse suppose they are liuing men because they goe no farther then they see but euen to the brute beastes who haue lesse sense and vnderstanding then children It is woonderfull to consider howe men take such great pleasure paines to become brutish For if they doe but see a smoke come out of a place they will iudge that there is some fire within although they behold it not and if they smell any ill sauour their nose will tell them that there is some place infected or some carion lying not farre off albeit they see it not What is the cause then that when by their senses they perceiue somewhat more in men then in beastes they are not induced thereby to thinke that of necessitie there must be some what within them which causeth them to differ much from beasts Which is not by reason of the bodie but of the soule that is not seene but onely by her actions workes and effects Whereupon it followeth that if their actions differ from the actions of that soule whereby beastes liue the cause also from which they proceed must needes differ and so consequently that there is great difference betwixt the soule of men and the soule of beastes For let them consider onely the diuersitie of artes which man exerciseth with his hands and the varietie of so many wittie and woonderfull workes as are wrought by him which cannot proceede but from a great spirite and from a passing excellent nature the like whereof is not to bee seene in beastes or in anie thing they can doe Besides doe they not see how the spirite of man discourseth throughout all nature what reason is in him and howe his speech followeth reason which are such things as haue a certaine vertue and the image of a diuine spirite shining in them Wherefore albeeit wee shoulde make man wholly like to a beast by reason of his bodie both in regarde of his birth and death yet wee must needes confesse that hee is of a farre more excellent nature in respect of that great and manifest difference which wee see is in his soule If then the soule of man bee mortall as well as that of beastes to what purpose serue those graces which it hath aboue the other and from what fountaine shall wee say they flowe in it and to what ende were they giuen vnto it But for this time I will leaue these Atheists hoping that to morowe wee will not leaue any one naturall reason able to vrge them in their demnable opinion which shal not bee laide out at large And I demaund of them that haue anie taste of the holy Scriptures and yet seeme to doubt of the immortalitie of the soule or at leastwise are not fully resolued therein howe man is said to be created after the image of God if he shall be altogether dissolued and brought to nothing and where shall we then seeke for this image in him It is certaine that this is not in
of all Atheists and Epicures who haue receiued their name of him For hee appointed therein that the day of his natiuitie shoulde be yeerely celebrated and that at certaine times assigned by him a banket should bee made for those of his sect in remembrance of his name Whereby wee see that this dogge himselfe who made no difference betweene the death of men and of beastes and who denied vtterly the immortalitie of the soule of man coulde not for all that plucke out of his owne soule the desire of immortalitie but doeth what lay in him to make himselfe immortall after his death by the perpetuitie of his name and memorie We may take the like argument from that which men vsually appoynt at their death touching their funerals sepulchres and tombes For why is it that they will haue sumptuous funeralles and stately and magnificent tombes Why haue manie caused Churches and chappels to bee erected themselues to bee engrauen and their escutchions to be hung vp where they haue laide themselues It is certaine that if they desired not to make their name as immortall as they coulde and their memorie eternall among men their death would not bee so ambitious neither would they leaue behinde them such markes of their ambition and of their desire of immortalitie And as great men affoorde this testimonie of their desire so the common people are not without some one or other for their part For a poore Artificer as a Tayler or Shoemaker or some such like if hee bee able hee will appoynt to haue a stone layde vpon his graue in which his name shall bee ingrauen and his marke or some such like thing to this ende that the Suruiuors and they that come after him should knowe that hee once liued and was in the worlde and that hee woulde still liue at leastwise in name and memorie And this is further confirmed by them who albeeit they cannot continue their name and memorie by any good deedes and valiant actes yet they striue to make themselues immortall by wicked and execrable dooings As among others wee haue the example of Herostratus who set on fire the Temple of that great Diana of Ephesus for no other cause but onelie that hee might bee spoken of and that the memorie of him might remaine and continue for euer amongest men as in deede it hath done notwithstanding the contrarie endeuour of the Ephesians who by a publicke Edict ordayned that his name shoulde neuer be written in any place But it may bee obiected vnto mee that this argument deriued from the desire of men to continue their name to proue the immortalitie of soules thereby is not very fit nor of great force because this desire is rather found in men that are most foolish vaine carnal and wicked then in the wiser sort of men and such as are more graue spirituall and vertuous For who couet more this immortalitie of name and memorie then they that are most vainglorious and ambitious vnto whose ambition death it selfe can bring no end but it reuiueth and liueth still therein We see also that they who least of all beleeue the immortalitie of soules and scoffe most at it are greatliest affected with this ambition and labor most to become immortall after that maner because they expect no other immortalitie All this I confesse is true yet mine argument continueth still firme For first we haue alwayes this testimonie from them that they know and acknowledge a certaine immortalitie and perpetuitie and desire to enioy the same as much as they may thinking to continue the same euen after their death which knowledge and desire is not to be found in brute beasts And whereas the vainest and worst men are more moued with this foolish desire then the wisest most vertuous men are the reason thereof is good and euident For the wisest men and such as are endewed with most vertue make least accompt of this temporary and fading immortalitie which is but as it were a winde that goeth from mouth to mouth or is but in paper parchment wood stone brasse or in some such corruptible matter because they expect a better perpetuitie that is more certaine more glorious and of longer continuance of which they are certainely perswaded Which perswasion can not be vaine in them seeing it is grounded vpon the testimony of Gods Spirit which saith that the iust shal be had in euerlasting remembrāce not onely before men but also before God and Angelles But the other sort of men busie themselues about an immortalitie which deserueth not to be accompted so much as a shadowe and image of true immortalitie because the desire thereof is infected and corrupted with that darkenesse of errour and of ignorance which sinne hath brought vpon the minde of man with those peruerse affections that proceede from the same and with their euil educcation and instruction who are not taught in the word of God By means whereof this natural desire of true immortalitie degenerateth into a foolish desire greedy of fame name amōg men euen as whē good seed falleth into bad groūd but stil it proceeds from a good beginning fountaine if it were not corrupted As we see also that it falleth out with the greater part of men in that natural desire they haue of skil knowledge which albeit it be in them by nature yet they turne it into a vaine and foolish curiositie that endeuoureth to knowe that which is not onely not profitable but very hurtfull and dangerous for them in stead of seeking to know that which is more profitable and necessary But besides that which wee haue already spoken our affections also tell vs plainely what the nature is as well of our spirite as of our senses both internall and externall and what difference there is betweene them For if the Spirite entreth into a cogitation of it owne death the internall senses with fancie and imagination are not greatly moued or troubled therewith but passe it ouer well enough as if they had no feeling thereof supposing that this corporall life will last a long time but the spirit is so confounded and troubled that it feareth and flieth nothing more then it And surely I doubt not but that they who being pressed and oppressed with great euilles desire death through a blind fury of their mind and wish to be wholly extinguished woulde change their purpose and abhorre that kinde of death and thinke it to be a greater mischiefe then all those which they suffer if they might haue leasure and means for some small time to come out of their dispaire and to returne to their right minde that so they might haue some rest from the troubles of their spirite and thinke seriously vpon the death thereof And as all the senses are presently troubled and as it were carried out of themselues through the cogitation of corporall death so the spirite contrariwise if it be found quiet and well setled abideth
oftentimes cruell death What comfort can such a bodie haue if hee thinke that there is no other rewarde after this life nor anie better estate for him then for the most wicked and abhominable person in the worlde And although none of all this shoulde euer happen to good men yet what contentation coulde they finde in all the rewardes which they shoulde receiue in this worlde for recompence of their vertue It is an easie matter to iudge by this that the memorie of the name and prayse of well-doing doeth not alwayes take effect neither is it alwayes due to them that haue it but oftentimes verie vniustly giuen But from thee ARAM wee shall receiue more full instruction touching this matter Of that praise and reward which wisedome and vertue may receiue of men in this world how miserable it is if there be no better prepared for them els-where how death would be more grieuous and lamentable to the best learned and wisest men then to the ignorant and foolish if the soule were mortall how the best and most certaine iudgement of men is for the immortalitie of the soule of them who not beleeuing the same say that it is good for men to be in such an errour Chap. 95. ARAM. If the Philosophers might draw many arguments of great waight from the natural desires of men to proue the immortality of soules this which we haue now to propound of the purpose reward which euery one naturally desireth is of great consideration touching this matter For it is very certain that the best most iust among mē albeit they could auoide all hurt from wicked men wherewith commonly they are rewarded from procuring their good yet they should not enioy any true and sound contentation in any of these rewardes which they might haue in this world as a recompence of their vertue But rather whilest they were expecting and hoping for them they should be euer in doubt and feare of missing them by reason of the inconstancie of men and of the vncertaintie of all humane things So that nature might well seeme to haue giuen vnto them this desire of praise and of reward if they should neuer enioy their desire els-where but in this present life Whereof wee may easily iudge by the reasons that are to be set downe For the first the memory of a mans name and the praise for wel doing doth not alwaies come to passe neither doth it fal out aright in regard of all but is for the most part very vniust For how often is glorie and honour attributed to vices yea to very execrable crimes and to the wicked whereas it ought to be giuen to vertue and to good men And if these haue sometime any commendation yet it is very sparing But it falleth out much woorse when vertue receiueth blame in stead of praise And when something is giuen to them vnto whom it appertaineth it cannot be stretched out farre by reason of the diuersity and contrarietie of natures of minds and of opinions of the manners of men and of people and nations For howe often commeth it to passe that some condemne and blame that which others approoue and prayse Yea manie times one and the same man will contradict himselfe through the inconstancie of his iudgement nowe dispraysing that which before hee had praysed and contrariwise On the other side albeit fame and commendation should be neuer so great yet it could not bee of any long continuance considering that time consumeth and bringeth an ende to all that is vnder the heauens Moreouer we see what great alterations are daily wrought by time and although praise were perpetuall among the liuing yet what could it profite the dead or what feeling can they haue of that more then of blame and infamie For the praise which good kings and Princes haue purchased by their vertues and the memorie they haue left behinde them among men can profit them no more in regard of the world then the memorie of that infamie and dispraise which tyrants haue left behind them can doe them any hurt For how wel or ill soeuer men speake and thinke one of another the dead haue no sense at all thereof Yea it is likely that they care not greatly for it and that they rest neuer the lesse at their ease for all that Therefore wee may well conclude that notwithstanding all the praise and reward which wisedome and vertue can receiue from men in this world yet they are still very miserable if there be no better prouided for them else where And if wise and vertuous men hope for another rewarde they must needes beleeue a second life in which they shall bee recompensed for their good and iust works But further when a learned and wise man hath by his spirite discoursed and gone through the heauens the planets and starres beasts men and through all nature yea hath reached to the Angels and euen to God himselfe the Creator and king of the whole worlde and hath passed through all histories both new old and hath gotten the knowledge of all things contained in them that haue come to passe in the world I pray you let vs consider what hee can be tolde of that wil be more grieuous more bitter and feareful vnto him then of death and what consolation can he receiue when hee shall vnderstand that his soule which hath seene and beheld so great riches so many goodly and excellent things and which hath beene as it were the storehouse and treasurie of them shall be wholly extinguished in the middest of such a goodly pleasaunt and wonderfull scaffold and theatre that is so excellently adorned with all kinde of beautie so that it shall neuer be againe at any time or in any place nor shal haue any more sense and feeling then the soule of a beast hath What is he who after such a consideration of death should not haue great cause to feare it in so great misery as may befall him in this life Doe we thinke that these men among the Heathen who haue heeretofore slain themselues to eschew the hands of their enemies and that shame and infamie which they feared to receiue among men and who haue accounted it an acte of great vertue and constancie to kill themselues in that maner for the auoyding of shame would haue done that which they did if they had not thought that there had beene another life besides this At leastwise Cato Vticensis for his part part testifieth this vnto vs who the same night in which hee had purposed to kill himselfe which he did because he would not fal into the hands and subiection of Iulius Caesar against whom he had taken Armes in that ciuil warre caused those Dialogues of Plato to bee read vnto him in which hee mainteineth and confirmeth the immortalitie of the soule according to the doctrine of his master Socrates We may then iudge by the contrarie what consolation it is to a
is the Original of all mouing he must of necessitie bee firme and stable because otherwise he could not giue motion to others as we haue dayly experience hereof in our selues For if we would moue one of our feete the other must abide steddie and firme and both the one and the other must alwayes haue some stay whereby to take their motion Nowe because God cannot haue stay from any other hee hath it in himselfe in that manner which hath beene declared alreadie For as hee is alwayes one so all things are present to him yea hee is euery where by reason that hee is eternall and infinite without beginning and without ende Iudge of all and is iudged of none gouernour of all and gouerned by none Secondly we haue those spirituall natures and creatures which are a great Good but not the greatest and chiefest Good which cannot be found but in the Creator This second Good hath qualities because all things in it are not substantial It hath also motion but receiueth the same from the first Good of which it dependeth and then it giueth the same to others This motion is in time but without place and this Good both iudgeth and is iudged gouerneth and is gouerned The Angels and humane soules are this great Good and these spiritual natures which are spirites hauing all these things But there is betweene them that difference before spoken off namely that Angels are spirits which were created to liue an immortal life and not to bee ioyned vnto any earthly bodies and that the spirite of men are created to dwell in bodies and to giue them life Therefore I let passe Angels for this time and purpose to speake onely of the spirite of man which is not immutable as God is but may receiue change of qualities as wee see in that it beeing created good became bad and of euill may also become good by the grace of God But no such thing can befall God For hee cannot but bee good in the highest degree and the soueraigne good of euery creature because goodnes is not accidental to him as it is to a creature but substantial and essential And as God is the soueraigne mouer who giueth motion to all creatures in this great world so the soule and spirite of man giueth mouing to the whole body of man who is the little world and to all the members thereof neither hath it this motion from any other creature beside it selfe as the body receiueth the same from it but onely of the Creator Nowe although this motion bee made in time yet it is not made by any change of place For what motion soeuer there is in the spirite yet it abideth alwaies in his place so long as it dwelleth in the body which it gouerneth vnder God the great gouernour by whome also it is iudged as it selfe iudgeth the body and all that is vnder the same Lastly followeth the body which is another Good but not so great as the spirit This hath not only quality but quantitie also whereas the spirite hath onely qualitie without quantitie For to speak properly no nature hath quantitie except it be corporal Therfore the soule of a great man is not greater then the soule of a little man in regard of corpulency because it hath none as the body hath So that when we say that a man is of a great spirite we meane it not in regard of bodily quantitie as when we speake of a great body but wee consider in him the experience of giftes agreeable to his nature wherewith he is endued aboue others And in taking it so it will often come to passe that the least bodies shall haue the greatest spirites and the greatest bodies the least spirites And by the same reason we consider in a little infant euen as soone as he hath receiued mouing in his mothers bellie the selfe-same soule that is in all the ages that followe his infancie vntill his olde-age and in death it selfe But according as those instruments whereby it worketh during life are fitte for their offices and as afterwarde when they waxe olde they faile of their naturall force and vertue so the soule sheweth her powers and wonderful effects in them and by them continuing still one and the same in substance and nature as these things haue beene at large declared vnto vs. And as for the motion of the body it is made both in time and in place and is gouerned and iudged but it selfe neither gouerneth nor iudgeth Thus wee may see howe these two good things the spirite and the bodie of which the one is greater then the other are vnited and ioyned together in man as if he caried heauen and earth linked together Wee may learne also howe in this coniunction the spirite occupieth the middle betwixt God and the bodie and agreeth with them both Wee see also the admirable workes of the soule during this coniunction all which are so many testimonies of the wonderfull workes of God and of his prouidence ouer all nature Moreouer we behold a very goodly disposition and excellent order in all the powers and faculties both of soule and body Let vs then make our profit of all these things and of these instructions and lessons which God giueth vs in them to leade vs to the principall end for which man was created namely to know and to honour his Creator Wherefore we ought chiefly to consider that seeing God in the wonderful compositiō of our nature hath placed the heart between the head and the belly and the vital vertue of the soule betweene the animal and the nutritiue vertue and the will betweene the vnderstanding and the most sensual part that is in vs therefore the heart and will must alwayes looke vpward and not downeward to the end that they may ioyne themselues to the noblest and most diuine part and not to the basest most sensuall and earthly part For they are in mans body as if they were placed betweene heauen and earth so that as man holdeth the middle place between Angels and other liuing creatures by reason of that communication of nature which he hath with them both so fareth it with the heart and the will betweene the head and the belly and betweene reason with that part which is capable thereof and the sensuall part which is without reason Wherefore if the will of man be ioyned with reason which is celestial and diuine and followeth the same it will become like vnto it and shal be able easily to gouerne the sensual part vnderneath it to be mistresse ouer it and to compel it to obey But if the Will despise reason and the counsaile thereof and if instead of mounting vpward towardes the noblest part it desecendeth to the sensual part and ioyneth it selfe thereunto then shall the Will be made like to that and shal serue it in place of commanding it And by this meanes the Will shall become altogether brutish wheras contrariwise
our birth What similitude there is betweene our spirituall and our natural birth Why we abhorre natural death The first point to be considered touching mans nakednes Gen. 3. 19. The second point Man by nature hath least defence for himselfe A commendation of the hand of man The third point A double vse to be made of our wants Wherin men excell all other liuing creatures The fourth point What we ought to learne by the proportion of our bodies What man is The excellent frame of mans body Who they be that know not themselues Ioh. 15. 1 2 3 4 The soule proceedeth not of the matter Nor of the qualities Nor of the harmonie Nor of the composition of the body The nature of a Hog And of an Elephant The soule of a beast differeth from the substance and nature of his body The facultie of sense commeth not from the body The cause of the life of the body The degrees of mans age Iob 14. 5. The cause of the length and shortnes of life What naturall death is Psal 90. 10. Psal 7. 8 9. Iob 14. 1 2. Of the true difference betweene naturall and diuine Philosophie The cause of so many Atheists Gen. 3. 17 18. Iob 5. 6. The cause of barrennes Nothing abideth still in the same state The cause of the length of life What death is Naturall death Violent death Of the windpipe From whence the cough commeth Esay 2. 22. The blood necessary for life The difference betweene the death of beasts and of man An image of our spirituall death in the bodily Only sinne hurteth the soule What it is to be well A comfort against death Rom. 8. 22. Naturall philosophie affoordeth no found comfort against afflictions or death A profitable contemplation in nature The miserable estate of Atheists that haue no hope of another life Philosophicall reasons against the feare of death Sinne the cause of death Atheists more miserable then beasts The common sayings of Atheists Naturall reason not sufficient to stay the conscience Two sorts of Atheists Why there must needes be a second life What Nature is Nature is a creature The error of Galen such like Atheists nowe adayes What we are to iudge of Nature 1. Thes 5. 23. Dan. 9. 24. Man diuided into three parts One soule in one bodie The soule like to a man that hath many offices Of the seate of the soule in the body The soule compared to an Husbandman The chiefe instruments of the soule Two kinds of vniting things together Of the vnion betweene the soule and the body How the soule is ioyned to the bodie Diuers degrees of nature in the soule Beasts haue some kinde of knowledge The originall of the powers of the Soule An admirable worke of God Why God hath ioyned the body to the soule The naturall knowledge of mans body very profitable Why the soule worketh with sundry instruments Of the Vital and Animal spirites and of their operations The effects of the Vital and Animal spirits in man The Vital Animal spirits are not the soule A wonderfull worke of God 1. Sam. 18. 10. 31. 4. 2. Sam. 17 23. Matth. 27. 5. 1. Thess 5. 23. A comparison of the soule and a workeman A similitude Against the transmigration of soules The aptest instrument for the soule The necessary vse of the humours The humors are in continuall motion What partes of the body come nerest to the soule 1. Cor. 6. 19. Of the entire sanctification of mans bodie The body liueth not to eate but eateth to liue 1. Thes 5. 23. The name of Soule taken diuersly Math. 10. 28. Gen. 6. 17. esai 40. 6. luc 3. 6. leuit 4. 2. ezech 18. 4. rom 13. 1. Gen. 14. 21. 46. 27. When a man is perfectly sanctified Esay 26. 8 9. Luk. 1. 46 47. The soule deuided into three partes Ephe 4. 17 18. Iohn 1. 9. and 8. 12. and 9. 5. and 12. 46. Why the naturall powers are not mentioned in these diuisions Genes 37. 21. Deut. 19. 21. Ierem. 11. 21. Matth. 2. 20. Esay 5. 14. Esay 29. 8. Ierem. 31. 25. Ezech. 7. 19. Deut. 24. 15. leuit 19. 13. Deute 24. 6. Matth. 16. 17. Iohn 1. 12 13. 1. Cor. 2. 11 12 What is meant by liuing soule Genes 1. 1. Cor. 15. 44. What is meant by a naturall and by a spirituall man Genes 2. 7. What is meant by an animal or naturall man The soule put so the affections Gen. 34. 3. Gen. 44. 30. 1. Sam. 18. 1. Deut. 6. 5. matth 10. 39. mar 8. 35. luke 9. 24. iohn 12. 25. How we are to vnderstand that the soule dieth Num. 23. 10. Gen. 22. 16. Ierem. 51. 14. Amos 6. 8. Leuit. 21. 1. The name of soule put for the dead body Iob 33. 18 22. Psalme 30. 3. Psalm 56. 13. and 22. 20. What is meant by Spirite in the Scriptures Psalme 31. 5. luke 23. 46. Actes 7. 59. Eccles. 12. 7. Iob 27. 3 4. Rom. 8. 16. 1. Cor. 2. 11. Psal 33. 20 21. 1. Pet. 2. 11 12. Wisd 1. How the soule is after a sort mortall The ancient Academicall kinde of teaching Pâ—atâ—n Phad The word of God the true glasse for the minde Who know the soule best The soule is not bred of corporall seede Genes 1. Modestie requisite in searching the trueth How we become guiltie of original sinne What originall sinne is How wee must learne to know the soule When wee shall know our sâ—lues perfectly What the soule is Varietie of opinions touching the essence of the soule Iohn 3. 6. Why one soule is called vegetatiue another sensitiue the third reasonable Iohn 3. 12. Of the distinction of the soule from the powers there of The soule of the beast is of a corporal substance Gen. 9. 4. Leui. 17. 14. The Vitall spirite compared to the flame of a lampe It is engendred of the blood in the heart God the author of nature Sundry opinion of the reasonable soule The soule proceedeth not froÌ„ the elements Rom. 11. 33. Galens opinion of the soule Gal. dâ— plâ—s Hip. Platoes opinion touching the soule Aristotles opinion of the soule Occams opinion of the soule Of the creation of soules according to the Platonists Lib 11. chap. 23. of the citie of God Origens opinion of soules The Platonists opinion of the soule confuted God is not the soule of the world Act. 17. 28. Arat. Phae. How men are the linage of God Platoes opinion of Daemones or celestial spirits Plato dwelt with the Egyptians Lactautius lib. 2. cap. 13. Ecclus. 24. 5. The Soule created of nothing Of the transmigration of soules The regeneration of the Pythagoreans A fond opinion of certaine Heretikes Against the transmigration of soules Why Plato inuented the transmigration of soules Mans nature compared to a Monster How meÌ„ become like to beasts The ignorant wrest the sence of good writers Math. 14. 2. marke 6. 14. Luke 9. 7 8. Mat. 16. 13 14. luke 9. 19. Of the Iewes opinion of the transmigration
of soules Mark 6. 3. matt 13 55 56 iohn 6. 42. Mala. 4. 5. Iohn 1. 21. Matth. 11. 14. and 17. 12 13 Luke 1. 15 16 17. Numb 11. 25. 1. Cor. 12. 11. The fountaine of Gods graces diminisheth not 2. King 2. 9. Esay 29. 14. 2. tim 3. 2 3. 2. thes 2. 10 11. The Pythagoreans of our time Of the true transmigration of soules Of the creation and generation of soules How God rested the seuenth day Actes 17. 28. Another opinion of the creation of the soule Gen. 2. 7. The nature of the soule is not curiously to be searched after How the soule is stained with sinne Rom. 5. 12 15. Verse 19. Humane philosophie is blinde The causes of errours Three faculties vnder the vegetatiue vertue Two parts of the sensitiue vertue How the Astronomers referre the powers of the soule to the starres Powers proper to the â—easonable soule Of speech Of speech Of the speculatiue and actiue vertue Of the politike vertue The kindes of it Of the heroicall vertue Against the astronomicall influence of vertues Philosophers esteeme too highly of mans nature What iustice God approoueth Foure contemplatiue vertues according to the Platonists Howe those agree in some sort to foure christian vertues Why men encline to lies rather then to the trueth The diuelish infection of Atheisme Reasons to proue the immortalitie of the soule Why men beleeue not the immortalitie of the soule Wisd 2. 1 2 c. The sayings of Epicures Verse 21 c. Wisd 3. 1. The corrupt opinion of Atheists and Epicures Atheists may wel be compared to beasts Reasons to shew the soule of men to differ from that of beasts The image of God is to bee sought in the soule An answere to an obiection A reason of Atheists confuted by a similitude Luke 16. 26. marke 16. 14. Math. 28. 9. luke 24. 36. iohn 20. 19 20 act 1. 2 3 10. 1. Cor. 15 6. Exod. 3. 6. mat 22. 32 33. mar 12. 26. luk 20. 37 38. The resurrection of the dead proued 2. Thess 1. 6 7. How we know the hidden things in nature An argument taken from the knowledge of the soule to proue it immortall Eternitie considered diuerâ—ly A speciall difference betweene the soule of man and 〈◊〉 beasts A firme proofe of the soules immortalitie A fitte comparison Gen. 1. 26. Why man was saide to be a liuing soule How God dayly createth soules What a miracle is Buggery violateth the law of nature God is the onely father of our spirite Three things vnseperable The desire of perpetuitie an argument of the soules immortalitie Another desire which is to continue our memory for euer Another desire of perpetuitie appearing in funerals An obiection The answere to it Of the true immortalitie An argument taken from the apprehension of death to prooue the immortalitie of soules Of the ende of good and euill men The right Armes of Machâ—auâ—llian Nobilitie An argument of the pleasures of the soule to shew the immortalitie thereof Some more like to beasts then men How we must iudge of the nature of the soule Of the true pleasures of the soule An argument from insatiable pleasures for the immortalitie of the soule A corrupt spirite taketh the shadow of things for the things themselues An argument taken from vices for the immortalitie of the soule How God punisheth vicious deâ—ires Esay 38. 12. 2. Pet. 1. 13 14. 2. Cor. 5. 1 2. Hebr. 13. 14. An argument taken from the frame of mans body to prooue the immortalitie of his soule Another argument taken from the motion and rest of the soule Of a fish called Vranoscopos Except the soule be immortal man is created in vaine The immortalitie of the soule is linked to the religion prouidence of God An argument taken from the consent of all people Other reasons to the same end Actes 3. 21. What the endâ— of a thing is Of the multitude and qualitie of witnesses to prooue the immortalitie of the soule What kinde of Philosophers Atheists and Epicures were An argument taken from the desire of wisedometo prooue the immortalitie of the soule 1. Cor. 13. 12. An obiection made by some Philosophers The answere Aristoteles opinion touching the immortalitie of the soule How the vnderstanding commeth to the knowledge of outward things by the senses Howe the outward senses looke vpon things How the internal senses receiue the same things How the Spirite receiueth them from the internall senses Other reasons for the immortalitie of the soule The soule can not be diuided Other reasons for the immortality of the soule Prou. 10. 24. Euery one naturally desireth life Reasons taken from reward and praise to proue the immortality of the soule The dead haue no feeling of praise Death most lamentable to the best men if the soule were not immortal Cato beleeued the immortality of the soule What comfort it is to beleeue a place of rest after this life What store of testimonies stand for the immortality of the soule Of such as say it is good to keepe men in this opinion of the immortalitie of the soule and yet themselues beleeue it not How wee must iudge of a wise man Ioh. 12. 31. 2. cor 4. 4. Ephe. 6. 12. The inconueniences which follow the former opinion of perswading men to goodnesse by false meanes That which corrupteth the spirit is contrary to the nature of it The difference betwixt conuincing and conâ—ounding a man Internal testimonies of the immortality of the soule The cause of true ioy in the spirite Where God is said to be especially The true cause of grief torment How men cary about them the matter of two fires Deut. 4. 24. heb 12. 29. Esay 66. 24. matth 22. 13. 25. 30. A sure argument in the wicked of their future torment in another life Naturall reasons to proue the immortalitie of mens soules The naturall knowledge of good and euill an argument of our immortality The nature of loue and hatred The necessitie of another life after this Gen. 4. 6 7. A similitude Sorow euer followeth sinne What conscience is Why it is called Synteresis Of the Philosophers Anticipations Ephes 4. 19. Atheists compared to drunkards and madde folks A sit similitude The wicked alwaies condemne themselues Foure offices of the conscience The more wicked a maÌ„ is the greater is his feare The Deitie prooued by that feare which is naturally in men The greatest persons liue in most feare The Atheists prouerbe that feare made gods turned against themselues The difference betwixt the feare in men and in beasts Strong reasons against Atheists Feare is a natural testimonie of a diuine essence What this worde Animal signifieth Atheists are reasonable beasts Atheists sitly resembled to Spiders Plinies brutish opinion touching the immortality of the soule Plato his opinion of the creation of soules Plinies reasons against the immortalitie of the soule Plin. lib. 7. ca. 55. Pliny blasphemed God vnder the name of Nature Democritus beleeued the resurrection of bodies What Philosophers went into Egypt to learne wisedome The conclusion of Plinie touching this matter The iudgement of God in Plinies death Plin. Nep epist ad Oâ—â— Taâ— The absurd consequents of Plinies opinion Mat. 28. 12 13. Against them who say that the soule can not be knowen to bee immortall according to nature Of them that alleadge Salomon against the immortalitie of the soule Eccles. 3. 18 19 20 21. Eccles 12. 7. Chap. 12. 1. The iudgement of God vpon Lucian and Luâ—retius two Arch-Atheists Euseb Hier. Crin de Pâ—â—at The doctrine of Epicurus commended by Lâ—cretius Epicures thinke themselues kings and gods The blasphemie of Atheists The absurdities that follow the opinion of the Atheists Of the force of arguments alleaged before for the immortalitie of the soule The summe of this whole book The world compared to mans body and God to his soule Against such as say that God is the soule of the world The image of God in mans soule Iohn 3. 12. Of that coniunction which is betweene God and his creatures Of God the first greatest Good Mal. 3. 6. Of spirituall natures which are the second Good The spirit of a man moueth not in place Of the body which is the 〈◊〉 Good The right end of our creation Mans will must looke vp to the head not downe to the bellie Man is a middle creature between Angels beasts A spirite is not shut vp in a place It is inuisible The coniunction of our soule and body is a wonderful work of God
and of the waters and cloudes contayned therein and in what perils men are 〈◊〉 why the soule and blood are put one for another of the temperature of the humors necessarie for the health and life of the body of the causes of health and of diseases and of life and death Chap. 65. 368 Of the vses and commodities of the humors ioyned with the blood and what vessels are assigned vnto them in the body and of their nature and offices and first of the cholericke humor and of the spleene then of the flegmaticke humor and of the kidneys and other vessels which it hath to purge by Chap. 66. 373 Of the names whereby the humors of the body are commonly called with the causes wherefore of the comparison betweene the corruption and temperature of the humors of the body and betweene the manners and the affections of the soule of the meanes whereby the humors corrupt and of the feauers and diseases engendred thereby of the sundry naturall temperatures in euery one Chap. 67. 379 Of the diuers temperatures and complexions of men according to the nature of humors that beare most sway in them of the disposition whereunto they are naturally mooued by them eyther to vertues or vices of the means to correct the vices and defects that may be in our naturall inclinations Chap. 68. 383 Of the restauration and reparation of all natures created by the generatiue power and vertue that is in them and namely in man what generation is and what the generatiue power of the soule is what the seede is and how generation proceedeth of strength and of infirmity Chap. 69. 388 Of the powers of the generatiue vertue and of their offices of the principall cause why God gaue to man the power of generation in what sence the reines are taken for the seate of generation how we ought rightly to consider of the generation of man Chap. 70. 393 Of the fashion of a childe in the wombe and how the members are framed one after another in the mothers belly of the time and daies within which a child is perfectly fashioned Chap. 71. 398 Of childbirth and the natural causes thereof of the great prouidence of God appearing therein of the image of our eternall natiuitic represented vnto vs in our mortall birth Chap. 72. The tenth dayes worke 404 WHy God created man naked and with lesse natural defence then he did all other liuing creatures how many wayes he recompenceth this nakednesse of the generall beauty of the whole body of man ioyned with profite and commodity Chap. 73. 409 Whether the life of the body can proceede eyter of the matter or of the composition forme and figure or of the qualities thereof or else of the harmony coniunction and agreement of all these whether any of these or al of them together can be the soule of the length and shortnes of the diuers degrees and ages and of the ende of mans life of death and of the causes both of life and death of the difference that is betweene naturall and supernaturall Philosophy in the consideration of things Chap. 74. 414 Of the causes generally of the length and shortnesse of bodily life of naturall and of violent death in what maner the life of man consisteth in his breath of the principall things required to life and without which it cannot be of the difference betwixt the life of men and the life of beastes of the image of the spirituall death in the corporall of the true comfort which wee ought to haue therein Chap. 75. 420 Of the chiefe consolations which the wisest among the Pagans and Infidels could draw from their humane reason and naturall Philosophy against death of the blaspemies vsed by Atheists and Epicures against God and nature what nature is and who they be that attribute vnto it that which they ought to attribute to God Chap. 76. 426 That there is but one soule in euery seuerall body that one and the some soule hath in it all those vertues and powers whose effects are dayly seene of the seate of the soule in the body and of the principall instrument thereof of the vnion of the body and soule of the diuers degrees of nature and of the excellency that is in it of the fountaines and bounds of all the powers and vertues of the soule Chap. 77. 432 Of the nature and varietie of the animal spirits how they are only instruments of the soule and not the soule it selfe of the nature of those bodies wherin the soule may dwell and worke of the difference that is not onely betweene the soule and the instrumente by which it worketh but also betweene the instruments themselues and their natures and offices and which of them are nearest or farthest off of the degrees that are in the vnion and coniunction of the soule with the body Chap. 78. 438 Of the diuisions of man made in the holy scriptures aswell in respect of the soule as of the body in what significations the names of soule spirit and heart are vsed therein and the causes why of the intier sanctification of man how the soule is taken for the life and for the members and instrumentes of nourishment and for nourishment it selfe Chap. 79. 444 What is meant by a liuing soule what by a sensuall and naturall body and what by a spirituall body how the name of soule is taken for all the desires of the flesh and for all things belonging to this life and not onely for the whole person aliue but also for the person being dead and for a dead 〈…〉 for the spirite sepâ—rate from the body Chap. 80. The Eleuenth dayes worke 490 WHether the soule of man is engendred with the body and of the same substance that the body is of or whether it be created by it selfe and of another substance whether it be needefull for vs to knowe what the soule is and what is the eâ—â—ence thereof or onely to knowe of what qualitie it is with the workes and effects thereof Chap. 81. 495 Whether there be any thing mortall in the soule of man of the distinction betweene the soule and the powers of it of the opinion of Philosophers and what agreement is betweene them touching the soule of brute beasts and the nature and substance of it of their opinion that deriue the soule of man and the soule of beasts from one souâ—taine of them that ascend higher and of their reasoâ—â— Chap. 82. 499 Of the opinion of Galen of Plato and of Aristotle touching the substance and nature of mans soule of the opinion of Occâ—m touching the vegetatiue and sensitue power thereof and of the distinction of soules he maketh in man of the sentence of the Platonists and of Origen touching the creation birth and nature of the soule of the coniunction of the soule with the body and the estate thereof in the same Chap. 83. 503 Of the opinion of the Platonists and some others touching the substance of mens
soules in what sence not only the Poets and heathen Philosophers but also Saint Paul haue sayd that men were the generation and linage of God of their error that say that soules are of the very substance of God of the transmigration of soules according to the opinion of the same Philosophers Chap. 84. 509 The chiefe causes as learned men thinke 〈…〉 Pythagoras and 〈…〉 transmigration of soules and transformation of bodies the ancient opinion of the Iewes touching the same thing Chap. 85. 515 Of the Pythagoreans of these dayes amongst the Christians and of their foolish opinions of the opinions of many Doctors and and Diuines touching the creation and ordinary generation of mens soules of the moderation that ought to be kept in that matter of the cause of the filthinesse and corruption of mans soule Chap. 86. 5â—â— Of those powers and properties which the soule of man hath common with the soule of beastâ—â— of those powers and vertues which are proper and peculiar to it selfe according to the Philosophers of the difference and agreement that is betweene humane philosophie and christian doctrine touching thâ—se things Chap. 87. 5â—6 How men can haue no certaine resolution of the immortality of the soule but by the word of God of the peruersnesse of Epicures and Atheistes in this 〈◊〉 of the chiefe causes that hinder 〈◊〉 from beleeuing the immortality of the soule and of their blockishnesse and euill iudgement therein how wee must seeke for the image of God after which man was created in his soule Chap. 88. The twelfth dayes worke 5â—â— OF those who desire the returne of soules departed to testifie their immortality what witnes hath binne sent vs of God out of another world to resolue vs therin Chap. 89. 53â— Of naturall reasons whereby the immortality of soules may be prooued against Epicures and Atheists and first of the argument taken from the faculty of knowledge which the soule hath and from that knowledge of eternity which 〈…〉 howe it appeareth that it is not begotten of this corruptible nature because it ascendeth vp vnto God and how by a speciall benefite of God it is dayly created and not by the vertue of nature Chap. 90. 541 Of the argument for the immortality of the soule that may bee taken from that natural desire therof of perpetuitie which is in it of another argument to the same purpose of the desire which men haue to continue their name and memory for euer an argument to the same end taken from the apprehension and terrour which men may haue both of the death of the body and also of the soule and spirite Chap. 91. 546 Of the agreement that may be taken from the delights and pleasures of the soule to prooue the immortality therof an argument to the same ende taken from the insatiable desires pleasures of men euen from such as are most carnall of the testimony which they may find euen in their vices to prooue the immortality of their soule Chap. 92. 551 Of the testimony that men haue of the immortall nature of the soule in their very body by the composition and frame thereof of that which is in the motion and rest of their soule how the creation of the whole world shoulde be vaine and how there should be no prouidence of God no religion no diuine iustice if the soule were mortall of the multitude and qualities of the witnesses that stand for the immortality thereof Chap. 93. 556 Of another argument for the immortality of the soule taken from that naturall desire which men haue of knowlege of Aristotles opinion touching the nature and immortality of the soule of other reasons of Philosophers to proue that the spirite cannot be a corruptible and mortall nature and how iust men should be more miserable and shoulde haue more occasion to feare and to eschew death then the vniust and wicked if the soule were mortall Chap. 94. 563 Of that prayse and reward which wisdome and vertue may receiue of man in this worlde how miserable it is â—f there bee no better prepared for them elsewhere how death would bee more grieuous and lamentable to the best learned and wisest men then to the ignorant and foolish if the soule were mortall how the best most certaine iudgement of men is for the immortality of the soule of them who not beleeuing the same say that it is good for men to bee in such an error Chap. 95. 569 Of those internall testimonies which all men cary within themselues to conuince them that doubt of the immortality of the soule and of the iudgement to come which shall be in eternall happinesse for the good and perpetuall torment for the euill howe the very heathen acknowledged asmuch by reasons taken from the testimonies of nature Chap. 96. The thirteenth dayes worke 575 OF the testimonies which euery one may take from his conscience of that feare vnto which all men are naturally subiect to prooue the immortality of the soule a iudgement of God vpon the iust and vniust how that which the Atheistes say that feare causeth gods amongest men serueth to ouerthrow their damnable opinion Chap. 97. 581 Whether Epicures and Atheists bee reasonable beasts yea or no and what reasons they bring to ouerthrow the immortality of the soule of the false opinion of Pliny touching the same and of his friuolous and brutish reasons to this purpose of the brutish conclusion vnbeseeming the whole race of mankind which hee maketh of this matter and of the iudgement of God vpon him Chap. 98. 588 Of them who say that wee cannot know by the light of nature but that the soule is mortall of them that alledge a place of Salomon against the immortality of the soule howe wee ought to consider of the iudgementes of God vpon Epicures and Atheistes how the absurdities which follow their doctrine declare plainly the grossenesse of it of the force of those argumentes that were produced before for the immortality of the soule Chap. 99. 594 Of the image of God in the soule of man and of the image of the worlde in mans body of the coniunction that is betweene God the Angels and men of the sundry degrees of Good that are therein of those lessons and instructions which wee ought to receiue from the wonderfull composition aud coniunction of the soule and body Chap. 100. FINIS THE FORESPEACH OF THE INTERSPEAKERS IN this Academy wherein is handled the cause of their future discourses touching the naturall historie of Man The names of the discoursers ASER which signifieth Felicitie AMANA Trueth ARAM Excellency ACHITOB Brother of goodnesse ASER My companions I greatly bewayle the misery of our age wherein so many Epicures and Atheists liue as are dayly discouered amongst vs in all estates and callings True it is that the disagreement in matters of religion amongst them that beare the name of Christians is very great and causeth much trouble in the Church neuerthelesse I doubt not but that
from bruzing and wasting There is also in many places a certaine humour which serueth to annoint the ioynts and their ligaments and the small endes of the gristles For moisture helpeth motion very much and preserueth those partes that are mooued as wee see by experience in chariot wheeles For when the axeltrees are greazed about which they mooue they doe not onely turne about more easily but also last and continue longer whereas although they were all of yron yet they woulde weare away and be set on fire of themselues if they were not annointed and moistned with some humour Nowe let vs come to consider of the couering of mans body As therefore a man vseth not one onely garment but diuers so is it with the body For first hee is clothed with three skinnes that are great long and large with which hee is couered cleane ouer from the sole of the foote to the toppe of the head The first is a little skinne very thinne which of it selfe hath no feeling being made of the second skinne which it couereth and this second skinne is made of sinewes flesh and litle veines and in some places of little arteries being as it were of a middle nature betweene the sinewes and the flesh Therefore this skinne hath feeling throughout and is not without blood as the first is There is also a third skinne vnder the second which is more fleshy and therefore it is thicker and more strong vnto which the muscles cleaue and through which very thinne arteries and productions of sinewes passe which tie it with the other skinne The fatte of the body is betweene these two skinnes which serue the whole body not onely for a couering but also for an ornament especially those that are most without which in mens bodies stand in steade of that skinne wherewith the bodies of beasts are couered Besides these three skinnes that couer all the body there are within many other particular skins of diuers sortes to couer the members that are there which the Physicions call Membranes and Tunicles with such other names agreeable to their Arte to distinguish them one from an other according to each of their offices For there are many in the head to couer folde vp and to containe the inward partes thereof and of the braine as also in the breast and consequently in other partes and members within Among the rest some are like to nettes and coiffes others resemble littlâ— sackes or bandes according as those members are which they are to couer seruing also for defence vnto them and to distinguish and separate the partes one from an other Wee will leaue to the Physicion to number and to distinguish them and to name euery one by their proper name and nowe come to consider the last couering which is vpon the body in certaine places especially vpon the head and that is the haire which principally aboundeth in the head both in men and women because it proceedeth out of a moyst and soft place And to the ende it might take the better roote there the skinne that is vnderneath it is very thicke and fleshy The profite of the haire is great and serueth for many thinges First it is the ornament and beauty of the head For as the face woulde bee euill fauoured and vnsightly if it were hairy so contrariwise the head woulde bee very deformed if it were skinnelesse where it is couered with haire as we may iudge by them that haue balde heades Therefore because it is the toppe of the building of mans body God woulde haue it adorned with such a couering which also standeth him in some steade to defend his braine and to consume the grossest and most fumy excrements of which the haires of the head are ingendred so that they are a kinde of purgation for it Besides it serueth for a couering to the head which it may vse at pleasure as neede requireth against both heate and colde For it doeth not alwayes neede to bee alike couered at one time and in one age as at an other Therefore a man may let them growe or cut them or shaue them cleane off as is most commodious for euery one And when they waxe gray and white through age they put men in minde of two things First that they drawe towards the graue and death to the ende they might in good time frame themselues thitherward and if they haue gone astray in youth and forgotten God that then at length they should bethinke themselues and consider that they are no more yong and that they must shortly die for although it be late yet better late then neuer But it is best to follow Salomons counsell who admonisheth yong men to remember God before the Almond tree flourish comparing an olde man that is gray and white with age to a blossomed tree by reason of the whitenes of the floures For when a man flourisheth in this sort his floures put him in minde that the tree of his body drieth vp and that it looseth his naturall strength whereas the floures of trees are testimonies of the vigor that is yet in them to beare fruit Therfore we are very miserable if we do not glorify God in our youth neither thinke vpon any other life then this For we come farre short of the life of trees and are not of so long continuance neither are wee yeerely renued as they are which seeming to be dead in winter florish and wax greene in spring time as if they became yong againe Which thing we are not to looke for in this worlde wherein we flourish contrary to trees namely in winter which is our olde age Secondly gray and white haires warneth men to haue such manners as becommeth that age and colour that they may make olde-age reuerent according to that saying of the wise man The glory of the aged is the gray head For such are those ancient men whome God in his Law commaundeth to be honoured when hee saieth Thou shalt rise vp before the horehead and honour the person of the olde man and dread thy God I am the Lorde The same consideration also ought to be in the beard which is a great ornament to the face and serueth to distinguish the sexes and likewise the ages of men vnto whome they bring authoritie and maiestie For this cause the auncients did shaue or powle their beardes and haire in the time of mourning and affliction so that when the Prophets denounced some great aduersitie and desolation they foretolde that euery head should he â—ald and cut and shauen and the beards in like manner as it appeareth in the Prophecie of Esay against Moab and such like Wee 〈◊〉 also that Hanun king of the Ammonites shaued off the halfe of the beards of Dauids messengers to bring them in derision whereupon they would not shewe themselues openly to the people vntil their beards were growen Concerning womens haire Saint Paul testifieth expresly that God
so neuer become vngratefull towards him And truely wee ought to be very carefull to keepe our selues from pride and vaine boasting of the senses of our mind and spirite which God hath giuen vs howe ingenious excellent and diuine soeuer they be yea rather humbling our selues before his Maiestie wee are to yeelde him continuall thankes and pray that it would please him to keepe them alwayes sound and safe and to augment his gifts and graces in our minds For he sheweth vs by experience euery day that hee can trouble our mindes with a small matter yea the mindes of those that are most witty prudent wise and skilfull and the most diuine spirites that can be found amongst men Howe many doe wee see daily yea many times of those that are admired of all for their singular wit great prudence knowledge wisedome vertue credite and authoritie that loose the vse of their senses and vnderstanding insomuch that they doe not onely growe foolish as if they were become litle children againe but also haue lesse direction gouernement in them then the poore beasts haue And how many doe we see that become frensie mad behauing themselues as it were brute and sauage beastes and continue in that estate vnto the death The consideration of these things will cause vs to vnderstand better that which wee haue heard of the distinction disposition order and seates of the internall senses of the soule and of their vesselles and instruments Wee haue then daily great testimonies and very euident signes heere of in frantike and bedleme persons in such as are oppressed with melancholy in furious folkes and in all those that are beside themselues For there are sundry sortes of them some being troubled but in one part of the minde onely hauing the other partes sound some more troubled then the former and othersome that haue nothing sound and vntouched Heereof it is that wee see some whose imagination and fantasie onely are out of frame insomuch that they iudge a thing to bee that which it is not Therefore they conceiue strange opinions which they imprint so deepe in their braine that they are not easily rooted out againe Some imagine and beleeue that they haue hornes others that they haue a serpent or some other beast in their bodies others that they are become water pottes or glasses and thereupon are afraide lest some body should iustle against them and breake them in peeces There haue beene some that were so verily perswaded in their fancie that they were dead that they coulde neuer after be brought to eate or drinke anie thing but dyed in that opinion And yet all these did vnderstand very well and conceiue what was saide vnto them and remembred it as well afterward Whereby it appeareth that they haue reason and memorie more sound then imagination and fancie as Galen and other Physicions mention many examples of such and our selues do often see some like to those of whome I speake nowe There are others also that haue their imagination fancie yea and their memorie also sound but their reason is so troubled that they can not vnderstand nor conceiue that which is tolde them nor make any discourse themselues neither examine or conclude anie thing by reason Galen alleadgeth an example of one who after hee had cast downe out of a windowe certaine glasses and violles with other vesselles of brittle matter threwe downe a little childe which was slaine This man knew well enough that hee helde in his hand glasses and other vesselles of such matter and that the childe hee threwe downe was a childe and he remembred well what hee had seene heard and done but hee had not his wittes so aduised nor his reason so stayed as to discourse consider and iudge thus with himselfe that bee coulde not cast those vesselles downe but hee must breake them considering the matter whereof they were made nor the childe but hee must kill it I omit many other examples I coulde alleadge to this purpose which many skilfull Physicions speake of in their bookes because I meane not to touch this matter but as it were by the way Concerning them that loose their memory and yet keepe the other partes sound wee haue many examples of them For there haue beene plagues sometimes whereby many haue lost their memories in such sort that they cleane forgat whatsoeuer they knewe before yea their owne names their parents and their friends And the disease called the Lethargie bringeth with it forgetfulnesse and want of memorie as the name it selfe giueth vs to vnderstand in the Greeke tongue from whence it is taken Therefore wee see howe the internall senses of the soule may be perished seuerally one without an other whereupon we may well conclude that as they may bee all sound together so they may all bee perished at one and the same time Example heereof is daily seene in many that are frensie and madde hauing all their senses troubled which sometimes they had sound and perfect Yea there are some that behaue themselues like dogges and wolues as Physicions report because they thinke they are transformed into those kinde of beasts by reason of the violence of Melancholy and of that malady which is thereupon named by the Graecians Cynanthropie and Lycanthropie It pleased God to punish Nebuchadnezzar with this kinde of chastisement to beate downe his glorie and pride when his wittes were taken from him in so much that hee did not thinke himselfe to be a man any more but a beast and so indeede liued in the fieldes like a wilde beast Nowe therefore wee may knowe by the sequele of our speach and by the examples which wee haue alleadged howe the internall senses are distinguished one from an other in such sorte that euery one hath his office apart as the members that are in a mans body And if any desire to knowe more particularly in what parte and place of the braine euery particular sense hath his lodging and seate for to exercise his office in wee may iudge heereof somewhat by experience which teacheth vs that they who haue receiued some blowe or are vexed by sickenesse about the former ventricles of the braine haue then common sense their imagination and fantasie perished when the instruments about those partes eyther suffer or haue suffred violence If the same happen to the middle ventricle the like is seene in the defect of reason if to the hindermost ventricle the memorie faileth as it hath befallen many vpon the receit of a blowe in that place yea which is more then that experience doeth not onelie shewe this when blowes and diseases light vpon the head and braine but it appeareth also in the composition and making of all that part of the body For according as the head shall be either well or ill framed and proportioned either before in the middest or in the hinder part thereof or in all three together so shall a man finde greater excellencie
compounded and so consequently according to the temperancie or intemperancie that is in vs the affections of the soule also will be more moderate or immoderate and the perturbations which they shall bring with them will be greater or lesse and more easie or vneasie to be prouoked or appeased Whereby wee might knowe what great agreement God hath made betweene the body and the soule For not withstanding their natures differ much one from an other yet seein they must be linked together it is necessary they shoulde haue some agreement betweene them to the end they may be conioyned and vnited in one It is true that by the reasons of humane Philosophie we know well howe the coniunction of corporall things and of their qualities what contrarietie soeuer it is betweene them may be effected and wrought But as wee cannot see or knowe our soule or any spirituall nature as wee knowe our bodies and bodily natures so can wee not iudg so easily of the meanes whereby the body agreeth with the soule and corporall natures with spirituall but onely as experience and the effectes giue vs some sight thereof For wee see by experience from whence the good or ill disposition of the body and health and sickenesse proceede namely from the good or ill temperature of the qualities thereof Wee see also that according to the nourishment which the body taketh that sobrietie or gluttoniâ— it vseth in eating and drinking and according to the abstinence or the effectes it bringeth foorth in all things it is either better or worse affected and disposed We see likewise the changes and alterations that befall it according to the ages and exercises it hath Wherefore although we had nothing else to looke vnto but to maintaine and preserue our health yet ought we to desire to be sober moderate and very temperate in all things seeing moderation beareth so great sway in all the partes of mans life But it ought to be more pretious in our eies when wee see that the temperance or intemperance that may be in our bodies extendeth it selfe vnto the estate of our soule and that it can do much eyther in the helping and maintaining or in the hurting and troubling thereof For wee knowe already by experience that which is of a cholericke nature is more subiect to those diseases that are bredde of a cholericke humour then a flegmatike person that is of a contrary temperature and that a flegmatike bodie is most subiect to diseases proceeding of flegme The like may bee saide of all the other qualities and complexions If then euery one encline more to such diseases as may proceede from those naturall qualities which abound most in his body it is an easie matter to iudge what is like to fall vpon him if they exceede whereby they are encreased much more And if that humour which naturally exceedeth most in a man and of which his temperature and complexion hath his name cause him to incline most to those diseases that may be bred thereof a man may iudge into what disposition of body he may fall through excesse of other qualities which are more repugnant to his nature and complexion if there be no such counterpoize and equalitie that one contrary may serue as a remedy against another But hauing considered of these things we must goe forward and prosecute our speech of the affections of the soule which are as it were health and sicknes therein according as they shal be eyther well or ill moderated and see what conueniencie there is betweene corporall and spirituall phisicke Finish therefore this dayes woorke ACHITOB with some discourse vpon this poynt which may serue to instruct vs in the matter of the affections of the soule of which to morowe we are to intreate particularly and in order Of the Health and diseases of the soule of the agreement betweene corporall and spirituall Phisicke how necessary the knowledge of the nature of the body and of the soule is for eueryone Chap 40. ACHITOB. It is alwayes in his power who hath giuen vs beeing namely God the spring and fountaine of all essences to preserue and keepe vs therein and to take it also from vs when it pleaseth him But forasmuch as he delighteth not in destroying the woorkes which himselfe hath wrought hee hath giuen vnto his creatures certaine meanes to preserue themselues in that nature wherin he created them And that they might haue those meanes neere at hand he hath placed them euen in their owne nature For they haue by nature an inclination that moueth and vrgeth them to keepe and defend themselues asmuch as they can possible from euery thing that may corrupt their nature that is contrary vnto it or that wil bring to an end that beeing which they haue receiued of God But that which herein is most to be lamented in man is his ouer great care and curiositie in searching out remedies meete for the maintenance and preseruation of his bodie the least griefe and ill disposition whereof seemeth vnto him to be very burthensome but as for thinking eyther vpon those means wherby God hath appoynted him to attaine to an eternall and blessed life or vpon the diseases of the soule which in steed of life will bring death vnto it and are farre more dangerous stubberne and vneasie to be cured then those of the body he dreameth litle thereof his care is very small he esteemes them not great and therefore is very slouthfull in seeking remedie for them We are to know then that the affections of the soule are as it were health and sicknesse therein according as they are either temperate or intemperate For as there is no euill disposition or sicknesse in the bodie but contrariwise good health if there bee not some excesse in the qualities of which it is compounded which may destroy that equalitie that is requisite for the keeping of it sounde so is it with the faculties powers qualities and affections of the soule which according to her nature hath her health and her diseases Wherefore when the harmonie conueniencie and temperature of her powers and affections is such as her nature requireth then is shee well disposed and in health as contrariwise thee is ill affected and diseased when in place of temperance and mediocritie there is intemperance and excesse Nowe according to that which wee hearde in the former speech of the conueniencie betweene the temperature and complexion of the bodie and the affections of the soule wee see that a man of a cholericke nature is a great deale more easily stirred vp to anger then an other that is of a flegmatike or melancholy nature For seeing the cholericke humour is by nature hote and burning like to fire that man in whome this humour raigneth is sooner inflamed with anger and wrath then an other that is of a contrary nature For fire will more speedily kindle in a matter that commeth neerer to it owne nature and of which it
may more easily take holde then in another that is more contrarie to it It is otherwise with flegmatike or melancholike men according as the humours which rule in them dispose and incline them more to be caried with one affection rather then with another Therefore wee see that they which are of a cholericke complexion as they are of a more hote and dry nature so their affections are more sodain burning and violent like to fire Flegmatike and melancholy persons as they are colder so they are not so easily mooued but are more slowe and heauy and haue also other inclinations and other affections And as they that are cōmonly said to be sanguine are of the best temperature so their affections are for the most part more cheerful more temperate And as there are diuers mixtions of bodily qualities so there are sundry sorts of temperatures and complexions of the body and consequently of soules in regard of their saculties and affections Therfore also there is great agreement betweene corporall and spirituall Physicke For this cause the Physicions both of the bodies and soules of men are to follow almost one the same methode and obserue a like order in their arte practise euery one according to the subiects propounded vnto them insomuch that looke what the one doeth vnto the body the other is to deale so with the soule such things being applied as best agree with their seuerall natures Wherein they may further eche others worke greatly obseruing that ende at which both of them aime which to the one is the health of the body and to the other the cure of the soule considering that the one may helpe the other as hath bin already touched For if the body be not temperant hardly wil the soule be if the soule be intemperate the body desireth not to be temperant Therefore also we see that not only Physicions for the body appoint men diets both for the preseruation of their bodily health and also for the recouery restoring thereof again but also spiritual Physicions doe the like in regard of the soules health so farre foorth as bodily sobriety wil serue greatly to that purpose For this cause not only ordinary sobriety moderation which ought to be kept throughout the whole life of man is so greatly recommended vnto vs in the holy scriptures but fasts also which being more strict abstinēces are very profitable yea necessary oftentimes according to times places and persons For they serue to tame and humble the flesh that it may be the better kept in lesse hinder the spirit which thereby is the better inabled to attend to euery good worke to the contemplation of diuine celestial things Therfore the people of God holy men fasted oftē wherof wee haue many testimonies in the scriptures And as it is necessary that bodily Physicions should know wel the tēperatures complexions of mens bodies and their natures their health and diseases also with their conuenient and apt remedies so is it needfull that spirituall Physicions shoulde knowe the nature of soules of their faculties powers affections the natures of vertues which are their health and of vices which are their diseases together with those medicines remedies that are necessarie for the preseruation increase of vertues and for the diminution abolishing of vices For without this knowledge neither of them can be good Physicions but it may bee feared least they make the diseases worse or in steed of curing the sick persons kill them outright But we must yet draw more instruction out of this matter here offered vnto vs. For whatsoeuer hath beene hitherto spoken concerning the agreement between the temperature of the body and the affections of the soule or concerning the health diseases of them both or the knowledge that is requisit in Physicions to follow a good method in their art practise for the healing of their patiēts I say the vnderstāding of al these things is not only necessary for the Physiciōs both of soules bodies but euen for euery one of vs particularly For if we were all skilfull in the art of corporall Phisicke I meane not such skil as is needful for them that make publike profession thereof to all but onely so much as is necessary for the preseruation of our owne health I doubt not but we might easily auoyde many infirmities and diseases whereinto we fall daily for want of good diet good gouernment and the vse of those meanes which might either retaine vs in health or restore it quickly vnto vs when it is somewhat altered or impeached Moreouer we should haue this aduantage besides if we fell into any disease that we should know the better howe to keepe and gouerne our selues more moderately and wisely and obey the Physicions counsell the better because we should haue greater knowledge of that which we ought to doe of the danger whereinto we might fall or which we might easily auoyde Wee may say as much of the soules phisicke the knowledge whereof is a great deale more necessary for vs not onely because the soule is more noble and precious then the body but also because it is a harder matter to knowe the nature and diseases of the soule then of the bodie And if wee prooue so happie as to be able to comprehend any thing wee shall know daily better and better what things are in vs of God and what is his order as also what there is of Satans and what is that disorder and confusion which by meanes of sinne he hath brought into all things For as sinne is cause of that excesse which is in the qualities of which our bodies are made and consequently of the diseases that proceed from thence which afterward bring death to the bodie so is it in respect of the soule and of the excesse that is in the affections thereof and in all the other partes of it contrary to that nature in which God created the same And as sinne is the cause of the disorder and confusion that is in both of them so it is the cause that one helpeth to spoile another whereas there should be a pleasant harmonie and concord not onely of the bodily qualities among themselues and so likewise of the qualities of the soule among themselues but also of the qualities both of soule and bodie one with another For God hath put nor onely into our soules but into our bodies also the seedes of all the vertues and the pricks and meanes to incite and to leade vs vnto them in such manner and forme as shal be declared hereafter Although wee may learne somewhat by that which we haue heard alreadie of the conueniencie that is betweene the body and the soule betweene the temperature of the one and the affections of the other For if the one bee answerable and correspondent to the other no doubt but God so disposeth of
the temperatures and complexions of the bodie as he hath disposed of the nature of the affections in the soule seeing the one is to serue the other through that mutuall agreement which they ought to haue one with another Nowe to morrow wee will prosecute our speech begunne concerning the affections of the soule to the end we may fully vnderstand this goodly and large matter which may procure to the soule and body both life and death And first mee thinkes wee are to enter into the consideration of foure things which are in the will and in the power to desire that is in the soule namely natural inclinations actions habites and affections This shal be then ASER the subiect of thy discourse The end of the fift dayes worke THE SIXT DAYES Worke. Of foure things to be considered in the Will and in the power of desiring in the soule and first of the naturall inclinations of selfe-loue and the vnrulinesse thereof Chap. 41. ASER All the actions of the soule are bredde of the powers and faculties thereof and therefore by the benefite of nature which is the gift of God she hath receiued powers for all thinges which she ought to doe Now concerning the facultie of knowing in the soule and in the vnderstanding part thereof of which we haue intreated heeretofore we finde three thinges worthie of diligent consideration namely naturall principles actions and habites gotten by long custome Wee may remember those sundry degrees which we said were in the knowledge of the minde and how by this facultie it doeth not only know simple and particular things as beasts doe but also compoundeth and ioyneth them together how it compareth one with another separateth them and discourseth vpon them finally howe it iudgeth and eyther approueth or refuseth them All which things are actions of the minde proceeding from those notices and naturall principles of knowledge that are therein Nowe if these actions be sodaine and passe lightly so that the minde doeth not stay in them nor acquaint it selfe with them the bare and simple name of action belongeth to them But if the minde doeth one and the same thing often museth much vpon it calleth it often to memorie and accustometh it selfe thereunto so that it is in a manner imprinted in it and thereby the minde becommeth prompt and ready in regarde of thelong continuance therein then doe these actions take the name of habite which is bredde by the often repeating and reiterating of the same things Whereby the minde is made more skilful and ready and the spirites more fitte and apt to performe those exercises vnto which they haue addicted themselues and wherein they haue continued So that such a habite is as it were a light in the spirite and in the soule whereby the actions there of are gouerned In like manner wee finde in the Will and in that power o desiring which is in the soule foure things to be considered namely naturall inclinations actions habites and affections which intermingle themselues in euery one of the other All these thinges are good of their owne nature euen as nature it selfe being considered as God hath created her But as nature was corrupted through sinne so is it with these things by reason of that disorder which the nature of sinne hath brought vnto them But let vs first speake of naturall inclinations and then we will prosecute the rest As therefore the minde hath his naturall principles of knowledge so the will hath her naturall inclinations and affections which of their owne nature are good as they are taken from that first nature created of God neither woulde they at any time bee wicked if there were no excesse in them proceeding from nature corrupted which afterwarde breedeth in vs such inclinations and affections as are altogether euill and damnable We loue our selues naturally our wiues our children our kinsfolkes and our friendes yea we are by nature so enclined to this loue that if it were not in vs we shoulde not onely not bee men but not deserue so much as to bee accounted and taken for beastes no not for the wildest most sauage and venemous beastes that can be For we see by experience what great inclination affection there is in euery one of them towardes their litle ones Therefore when S. Paul maketh a beaderoll of the vices and sinnes of such men as are most vicious and execrable and as it were monsters of nature he saith expresly that they are without naturall affection which indeede cannot be cleane rooted out of any nature liuing vnlesse it be altogether monstrous and vnnaturall For it is an affection which is as it were a beame of the loue that God beareth cowards all his creatures and which he causeth to shine in them so that it is not possible that they which are capable of any affection of loue should not loue their owne blood and their like especially men Wherefore if this loue and this affection were well ruled and ordered it is so farre from being vicious that contrariwise the spirite of God condemneth as Monsters those men that want it And therefore God doth not forbid and condemne this loue and affection in his law so farre forth as it is ruled thereby but he approueth it appointeth it to be the rule of our loue towards our neighbour when he saith Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe But when this loue affection is disordered in vs it is not only vicious but also as it were the originall and fountaine of all other vices and sinnes whereas if it were well ordered ruled according to the will law of God it would be as it were the fountaine and welspring of all vertues For wee should not loue our selues but in God and through him nor consequently our wiues nor our children nor our friends nor any other creature whatsoeur wheras cleane contrariwise wee set God aside and seeke nothing but our selues and the things of the world Therefore this loue and affection being nowe so vnruly through sinne is so violent in vs that it withdraweth vs from the loue of God and of his creatures to loue the deuil and his wicked workes because it seemeth to vs that he is a greater friend vnto vs then God For whereas the holy spirite doeth resist and set himselfe against our euil affections and wil haue vs to bridle them Satan on the contrary part letteth them loose not onely giueth vs ouer to follow our peruerse and vitious affections with full sway and libertie but also prouoketh and thrusteth vs forward with great vehemencie Whereby we may iudge what loue and affection a man may cary towardes creatures in those things wherein they may be contrary vnto him and with what fury and rage he may be ledde against them that resist his disordered affections seeing he carieth such an affection towardes God his Creator Therefore Saint Paul speaking of wicked men that should be
so some of them are brideled and restrained by others For the first enuy hatâ—ed and anger spring of loue For they are motions of the heart that loueth against him that hateth or hurteth her who is deâ—re or beloued And desire riseth of reuenge and the ioy that commeth thereby proceede from anger and malice If a man loue any thing he wisheth it would come and hopeth also that he shall enioy it and contrariwise hee feareth that it will not come to passe If it come to passe hee reioyceth If it come not to passe when hee thinketh it will or when hee expecteth it he is grieued In like manner great ioy is lessened through greefe and enuy through mercy or through feare And one greefe altereth another when it is greater and feare maketh griefe to be forgotten and causeth the lame to runne To be short these sundry motions of affections are like to stormy waues and billowes which being driuen one of another doe either augment or diminish or wholy oppresse one another Wherefore the like happeneth in the motion of our affections that commeth to passe in a sedition and ciuill dissention in which no man considereth who is the worthier person to obey and folow him but who is the stronger and most mighty So in the fight of the affections there is no respect had to that which is most iust but only to that which is strongest and most violent and which hath gotten such power ouer the soule that it hath wholly subdued her to it selfe which thing wee ought to stand in great feare of But whatsoeuer affections are in vs there is alwayes some griefe or some ioy ioyned with them Therefore following our matter it shal be good for vs to consider particularly of the nature of these two contrary motions of which ioy serueth greatly for the preseruation of life but griefe drieth vp and consumeth the heart euen vnto the death of it as wee shall now learne of ACHITOB. That Ioy or Griefe are alwayes ioyned to the affections and what Ioy and Griefe are properly Chap. 44. ACHITOB. The knowledge of the Affections of the heart and soule is very necessary for euery one because they are very euill and dangerous diseases in the soule but yet being knowen they may be cured more easily This cause hath mooued vs after wee haue spoken of the heart and of the naturall motion thereof and of the vse it hath in this life of the body to enter into the consideration of a second motion it hath which serueth not onely for this corporall life but also for that spirituall life in regard of which it was chiefely giuen and of which we saide that there was as it were an image and representation thereof in the first motion Now we shall better vnderstand this by the subiect of this discourse propounded vnto vs being handled particularly as wee intend to doe For as by the first naturall motion of the heart it receiueth such refreshing as is necessary for the sending of life vnto the whole body and for the maintenance and preseruation of the same as also for the expelling and driuing out of all such things as might hurt and stifle it euen so is it in this second motion as farre as wee can conceiue of the nature of it For seeing God hath appointed ioy as a meanes to preserue life hee hath likewise put this affection in the heart whereby it is as it were enlarged to receiue within it selfe and to embrace all Good that is offered vnto it as also it restraineth and shutteth it selfe vp through griefe which is contrary thereunto Moreouer wee shall finde that there is no affection in vs which is not intermingled with some griefe or else with some ioy For seeing the heart is the proper seate and instrument of all the affections when it is as it were stricken and beaten with some vnpleasant thing that is offered vnto it then doeth it retire close vp it selfe and feele griefe as if it had receiued a wound then doeth it flie from the thing it liketh not Yea the heart doeth alwayes either enlarge or shut vp it selfe according to those affections that are within it the causes of which are in it owne nature God hauing so disposed and willed the same for the reasons which we haue already touched For if the heart be ioyfull the ioy that it hath doeth bring so great pleasure vnto it that thereby it is opened and enlarged as if it would receiue imbrace and lay holde vpon that thing which reioyceth it and bringeth vnto it that pleasure which it hath in this ioy Nowe because there is ioy in loue and hope the blood and spirites are gently and mildely dispersed by their moouings by reason of the reioycing at the Good that is present or that is expected as if it were already present And forasmuch as such motions are made by the enlarging of the heart whereby we embrace the thing offered vnto vs the face also appeareth smiling cheerefull and ruddy For a man may easily iudge that the obiect presented to the heart mooueth that power whereby it is stirred vp because that before the heart doth mooue it selfe it must know the thing that offereth occasion vnto it to be moued either with ioy or griefe or some such like affection For as wee haue learned already the outward senses do first perceiue the things that are offered vnto them and then they present them vnto the common sense which presently by a singular prouidence of God sendeth them to al the other senses and to al those powers that are in the sundry parts of the soule and body This done if there be matter of ioy the heart being striken with that which is acceptable vnto it enlargeth it selfe and being thus gently enlarged as it were to embrace the same it disperseth much naturall heate with the blood besides great quantitie of spirites of which it sendeth a good portion to the face if the ioy be so great that it mooueth a man to hearty laughter For the face it selfe is in some sort blowen vp and enlarged the forehead is made cleere and smoothe the eyes glister and shine the cheekes become ruddy and the lippes gather in themselues In a worde the heart doeth so enlarge it selfe that it is represented in the face as it were in a glasse or in an image framed to expresse the ioy and gladnes which it hath Moreouer experience teacheth vs sufficiently what difference there is between a cheerfull and a sad countenance Therfore when we loue one wee embrace him as if wee woulde ioyne him to our selues and put him into our bosome and heart as some deere and very pretious thing Which wee see chiefly in mothers when they holde their little infants betweene their armes and embrace them with great affection of heart For this cause Saint Paul being desirous to let the Corinthians vnderstand what good will hee bare them howe louing ready and
him not onely manie diseases but oftentimes death it selfe Therefore although wee knewe not what hurt this affection doeth to the soule yet the euill which it bringeth to the bodie ought to bee of sufficient force to turne vs from it For it is a vice that hath woonderfull effectes in the bodie and such as are verie vnbeseeming a man For first of all when the heart is offended the blood boyleth round about it and the heart is swollen and puffed vp whereupon followeth a continuall panting and trembling of the heart and breast And when these burning flames and kindled spirites are ascended vp from the heart vnto the braine then is anger come to his perfection From hence commeth change of countenance shaking of the lippes and of the whole visage stopping of speech and such other terrible lookes to beholde more meete for a beast then for a man For this cause the Philosopher that counselled an angry man to beholde his face in a glasse had reason so to doe For hee that beholdeth his owne face and countenance when he is in choler shoulde finde matter enough to be appeased Now because anger is a griefe proceeding of the contempt of those good thinges that are in a man who thinketh that it ought not to be so therefore hee desireth to shew that they are not lightly to be esteemed of which he supposeth may be done this way by making his power knowne especially in hurting Whereupon this appetite of reuenge is engendered which is common to anger with offence hatred and enuie so that anger is alwayes mingled with sorow and with desire of reuenge And indeede reuenge is a motion of the heart whereby it doeth not onely turne aside and withdrawe it selfe from that which offendeth but laboureth withall eyther to repell it or to ouercome and vanquish it and to punish him that is the cause of it Wherefore we may note herein two motions as there are two respectes namely the one to eschew the euill that offendeth and the other to pursue with great violence him that is the authour thereof Hereof it is that some when they are angry become pale because the blood retireth vnto the heart and these are most couragious and most dangerous Others waxe redde because the blood ascendeth vp to the head therefore these are not so full of stomacke nor so much to be feared in respect of those causes which were shewed before when we spake of Feare But howsoeuer the difference is yet in anger the blood doeth not wholly goe backe vnto the heart as it doeth in feare and sorow but disperseth it selfe outwardly For the heart is as if he stroue to goe out of his hoste or campe not vnlike to a Prince or Captaine that is desirous to marche forwarde in battell aray whereupon hee sendeth foorth the blood and the spirites as his men of warre to repell the enemie which is not done without great mouing and tumult and much stirring in the heart which setteth it on fire and inflameth the blood and spirites Whereupon it followeth that by reason of this motion of the blood and of the confusion of the spirites which ensue thereof the actions and motions of all the members of the bodie are troubled But the braine is chiefly offended because that also is heated by the inflamed blood and by those burning spirites which mount vp thither by whose motion it is stirred vp and disturbed as also by the sinewes which come euen to the heart For howe hote soeuer the heart and breast are or may bee yet man abideth alwayes still and quiet if the heate pearce not vp to the braine For it falleth out herein as it doeth with a drunken bodie who is not saide to bee drunke because hee hath taken in store of wine except it ascende vp into his head and trouble his braine and senses Heereof it is that vehement anger is often accompanied with frensinesse and with the falling sickenesse And because the heart beeing inflamed the blood and spirites also are set on fire they cause the whole bodie to tremble yea the very bones themselues For the blood that boyleth in the breast puffeth vp and thrusteth forwarde the Midriffe whereupon it followeth that the motions of angrie men are verie troublesome like vnto those of drunkardes Nowe because there are many meanes to stirre men vp to anger and wrath and seeing it is so dangerous a passion it is very needefull for vs to haue manie good remedies against it as indeede there are many to be found Although wee shoulde not stande in neede of so manie if wee woulde onelie consider who wee are and compare our selues with God and marke narowly howe many wayes wee offende him daily what causes wee giue him to bee bitterly incited and kindeled with wrath against vs and howe hee beareth with vs turning his anger into pitie and compassion towardes vs. For if wee enter into this consideration first we shall be greatly ashamed that we are angrie secondly our anger will bee easily appeased For who can despise vs as wee deserue and moue vs to anger seeing wee despise God vnto whome wee owe all honour and reuerence and whome wee ought to set at so high a price aboue all other things that we shoulde esteeme all the worlde as nothing in respect of his value And yet wee shewe plainely howe farre we are off from this seeing we stande in so little awe to offende him yea are more afraide to displease men then him Beside wee commit no offence against him in which there is not great contempt of his maiestie euen hie treason against his diuine maiestie Whereas if wee feared loued and honoured him as wee ought to doe we shoulde rather feare to offende him then to die But there is nothing which wee care for lesse Wherefore questionlesse before him who is a terrible auenger of his contempt wee are all lost if hee shoulde pursue vs in his anger as wee deserue and as wee pursue others and not change his anger into mercie If wee consider well of these things we shall knowe what occasion we haue to swell with pride like toads and to thinke so well of our selues as we doe or to be so soone kindled with choler against them that haue offended vs wee shall know what excellencie and dignitie can be in vs that are but dust and filth whereby we should be so soone prouoked when we see our selues despised and wronged of others Moreouer when we know that we are vtterly vndone except GOD extende his grace and mercie towardes vs shall wee not in steade of anger and reuenge bee ashamed to craue pardon of him if wee continue still to bee angrie and vse no pitie and fauour towardes them that haue offended vs as we desire that God should shew fauour vnto vs And indeede what cause haue we to hope for it vpon any other condition For it is written that the Lorde will take vengeance of him
in the floure and some after they are come to the fashion of fruit And of these latter sort some fade away sooner some later according to their sundry accidents For some are eaten by wormes other by noisome flies and some through diuers kinds of creeping things which bred in the fruite it selfe Againe some are shaken downe violently either through great mighty showres huge stormes blustering windes or els by haile and tempest beeing plucked forcibly from the trees before they can come to any ripenesse By all which things God propoundeth vnto vs a goodly picture and representation of the whole course of mans life yea of all estates and conditions of men in the worlde both generally and particularly For although in our former speech wee hearde what order nature vsually followeth in naturall thinges and namely in that which respecteth the estate of Empires and Monarchies yet if wee looke well into it wee shall there finde also this very difference which we haue obserued to bee betwixt naturall death and that which wee call violent death For as amongest men all come not to the vttermost of olde age but manie are stayed by the way so is it with estates Wee see some men ascende vp through all degrees euen vntill they attaine to the highest and then by the same degrees descend againe vntil they come to the ende and period of all But we see others that are staied in ascending or if they come to the highest degree are sodainely throwne downe Moreouer among those fruites which attaine to maturitie and ripenes all haue not one and the selfe same time of rypening but euery one hath his proper season and those that are most forward and soonest rype are of shortest continuance and quickly gone This selfe same thing also we see to be obserued in the life of men and in the course of this world Wherefore if we had no hope of another life besides this our estate would be more miserable not onely then the estate of beastes but also then that of trees For as trees decay yeerely in regard of their flowers fruites and leaues so they are yeerely renewed whereas many men perish after that manner that being once dead they shall neuer be raised vp and renewed againe to glory For although they haue some opinion of another life yet if by the certaintie of faith they doe not apprehende the fruition of eternall happinesse which is prepared for the blessed through the grace of Christ Iesus they can neither liue nor die without some doubt of that which they desire most to be perswaded of When the greatest and most skilfull Philosophers the wisest and most vertuous personages that haue byn amongst the Heathen went about to comfort either themselues or their friends in their great afflictions and chiefly in death this was thought to be one of their strongest reasons that the lawes of nature are vnauoydable and that it must be so For they had no hope of the resurrection of their bodies as indeed it is a doctrine that humane Philosophy doth not vnderstand And as for the immortalitie of the soule albeit the best Philosophers and most learned men amongst them were of that opinion which also was for the most part generally receiued of the people yet they were neuer so assured thereof but that still there remained some doubt in them because they had no certaine knowledge of it but onely so much as they could get by their naturall light and humane Philosophie Therefore when such as excelled others amongst them laboured to comfort and strengthen men against the feare of death and would perswade them that there was no euill in it they vsed for their principal reason this disiunctiue speech saying Either man is wholly extinguished by death or els some part of him remaineth afterwards If he perish altogether so that nothing of him continueth still then he feeleth no ill and so death hurteth him not but deliuereth him from all those euils whereunto he is necessarily subiect in this life But if some part of him abideth still so that he die not altogether then is death no death vnto him or at leastwise it is not euill vnto him seeing his principall part which is his soule and in regard of which he is man liueth and abideth whole and sound Nowe these are very leane and slender consolations For seeing GOD hath created man of that nature that hee is compounded of body and soule no doubt but his true and perfect estate consisteth heerein that these two natures be vnited and lincked together as in deede they shoulde haue done had it not bene for the sinne of our first parents who thereby brought vpon man both bodily and spirituall death And it is against reason to thinke that a separation of these two natures so well knit together coulde bee made and that one of them shoulde corrupt and perish and all this without griefe Nowe if they perish both together the euill that followeth thereupon is the greater For nothing can bee imagined to bee more goodly and excellent then to haue a beeing Nowe can any body call that thing excellent which ceaseth to bee or which hauing a beeing fadeth incontinently But what a horrour is it to a man onely to thinke of death And howe much more will his horrour bee encreased when he shall thinke that hee must so vanish away by death that no part of him afterward shall haue any more beeing then if hee had neuer beene at all And what profite ariseth to him that was neuer borne more then to the brute beast But yet the estate of this man is more miserable For to what ende shoulde the reasonable soule serue which God hath giuen him as also the vnderstanding reason and all the other vertues wherewith God hath endued it aboue the soule of beastes but to make him more miserable and wretched then if hee had beene created a beast For seeing beastes haue no minde vnderstanding or reason to conceiue and knowe what a benefite and gift of GOD it is to haue a beeing and to liue they haue no such vehement apprehension either of death as men haue or of the losse of any good thing which they are in danger to loose And by this reason it followeth that the more blockish and brutish men are the lesse miserable they shoulde bee as contrariwise the greater spirites they haue and the more they acknowledge the excellencie of mans nature and those gifts wherewith God hath endued it so much the more miserable and wretched shoulde they be instead of receiuing greater ioy and consolation Whereupon it commeth to passe that they are more ready to despite and blaspheme God then to praise and glorifie him for those graces and benefits wherewith hee hath adourned mankinde We see howe Epicures and Atheists and all they that consider in man this present life onely and goe no further drawe neere to this point of which wee speake Therefore some
of them say that it were best for a man not to bee borne at all or else to die so soone as hee is borne Others set themselues against nature and speake euill of her saying that shee is rather a badde stepmother then a good mother to mankinde And because they knowe not what GOD is they set vpon Nature through whose sides they wound him speaking euill of him and blaspheming him vnder this name of Nature Thus you see what comfort and consolation they finde who looke for no other life after this And as for those other that haue but some bare motion and slender opinion of the immortalitie of soules what greater ioy or contentation can they haue Nay there are three things that doe greatly diminish their comfort The first is their doubting wherewith they are continually possessed which hindereth them from hauing any assurance of the same The second is the seperation of the soule from the body whereby they conceiue and imagine that the bodie doeth so turne into corruption as that it wholly perisheth without anie hope of the resurrection thereof or of conioyning it againe with the soule from which it was disioyned The third is the ignorance of the estate of soules after this life For albeit they were verie certainely perswaded that our soules are immortall yet they haue no assuraunce of their estate neither knowe they whether they liue in ioy and rest or in paine and torment but onely by opinion as they esteeme by euery ones merites which they measure according to that knowledge they haue and that iudgement which they are able to affoorde of their vertues and vices Therefore whatsoeuer they thinke or hope seeing they are not very sure and certaine neither indeede can bee if they haue no better assuraunce then by their naturall light and reason they must needes bee subiect continually to sorrowe and griefe which way soeuer they turne themselues For if they are of opinion that there are punishments for such as haue ledde an euill life in this worlde who can assure them that they shall bee exempted and freed thereof For howsoeuer they labour to enforce as it were their conscience and striue neuer so much to rocke it on sleepe and flatter themselues in their sinnes yet can it not affoorde them anie such peace and quietnesse as will altogether satisfie and content them And as for perswading themselues that there is no punishement for the wicked they are neuer able to doe it For the same naturall light and reason whereby they iudge soules to bee immortall doth likewise constraine them to acknowledge that there is a God a iust Iudge who suffereth not euill vnpunished as also he will not passe by that which is good without accepting of it as it is So that seeing they cannot assuredly know that God will approue and receiue their workes as good or refuse them as euill they must of necessitie bee alwayes in feare whatsoeuer they beleeue Therefore as the one sort endeuour with all their power to bee perswaded of this that mens soules are mortal as well as their bodies and that after death there remaineth no more of the one then of the other thereby to deliuer thēselues of this feare and of the torment that accompanieth feare so the other sort that haue a better opinion of the immortalitie of soules labour to perswade themselues that there is no Hell nor punishment for soules after this life but that they are onely poeticall fictions and fables But although Poets vsed fictions in that which they wrote of Hell and of those infernall furies and torments yet they deriued the grounde and foundation of them from that testimonie which God hath planted in the nature of vs all So that none ought to flatter and seduce themselues by meanes of such opinions as ouerturne all nature for that were to take away all difference betweene good and euill vertue and vice things honest and dishonest For if there bee no reward either for the one or the other or if it be all one it followeth either that there is no difference betwixt all these things or that there is no iustice in God But both these are impossible whereupon it must needes be concluded that not onely there is another life after this but also that in the second life there is ioy rest and felicity for the one and greefe paine and dolour for the other Wherfore we must not thinke that because the Kitchin and Nurserie of this mortall bodie is by the appointment and prouidence of God ioined with the soule that is immortall and diuine therefore there is no other life for man besides this bodily life or that the soule which giueth life and mainteineth it in the body is no more immortall then the body that receiueth the same from it and that the body in like maner ought not to expect another life after this But I hope that these things shall hereafter bee better declared vnto vs in those discourses which wee are especially to make touching the immortalitie of the soule Now to end this speech forasmuch as in this and in our former discourses we haue oftentimes made mention of Nature which for the most part men ioyne as companion with God when they speake of the counsels of his prouidence ouer all things created according to that common prouerbe that God and Nature haue made nothing in vaine I say in this respect it shall be good for vs to know what Nature is to speake properly and into what detestable errour they fall who attribute that to it which appertaineth to God alone And first they that vse this prouerbe might speake more directly and Christianly if they attributed the whole to God only not ioyning vnto him nature for a companion as though he had neede of her helpe and coulde not well finish all his woorkes alone and as though hee had not beene able to haue done all that hee hath done without her It may bee they will say that they doe giue this honour vnto God and that they speake not of Nature as Galen and many other Heathen Physicions and Philosophers or rather Epicures and Atheists doe who place Nature in God his stead but that they speake of her as of a means created of God by which he performeth all these things But there is no such necessitie to ioyne Nature with God as his fellow worker For when hee created the first man what Nature had he with him that did helpe him to make this worke Besides the verie name of Nature doeth it not declare that it is a thing borne created and so consequently hath her creation and birth from God as all other creatures haue For if we take Nature for that diuine vertue and power which appeareth in the workes of the creation in their preseruation and order we must of necessitie take it not for a thing that is borne and bred of others but that giueth birth and beeing
vnto others And if we take it so then God and Nature shal be taken to be all one Wherefore in this respect it were better to let the name of Nature alone and to speake of God onely to whom Nature is but a seruant and seeing that by him it was created and that all things were made before Nature had her being Otherwise we are like to fall into that errour of Galen and others his like in these dayes who albeit they be conuicted and rauished with admiration through the contemplation of those wonderfull workes which they beholde in all the partes and powers of mans body are notwithstanding so vngratefull that insteade of yeelding vnto God that honour that belongeth vnto him it seemeth they woulde despite him to his face and seeke all possible meanes to put out their owne eyes and wholly to blinde their vnderstandings to the end they might not be constrained to acknowledge that there is a God the Creator maker of this so excellent a piece of worke and so to glorifie him as becommeth them Nowe rather then they would giue him this honour they will make an idole of Nature thereby to cast a vaile before mens eyes that they should not see and acknowledge God in his workes They will rather put out their owne eyes then follow this Nature which they forge vnto themselues as a soueraigne Mistresse whereas she is but the meanes to leade them to God her and their Creator of whom shee is but a seruant and a verie small image Thus much I thought meete to bee knowen concerning Nature that wee might learne to speake better and more reuerently both of God and of his woorkes and that we might know that Nature is nothing els but the order and continuance of the woorkes of God Now that wee are instructed in the causes of life and death and what true comfort and consolation we may haue against the horrour therof and so haue finished our discourses concerning the frame of the body and of the powers and faculties of the soule therein we must enter into a particular contemplation of the nature of the soule and learne what is the creation and immortalitie thereof so farre foorth as the minde of man is able to comprehend and as the worde of trueth shall affoord vs sure and certaine doctrine thereof First then it is necessary and very profitable for vs to consider that there is but one soule in one bodie which hath all those powers and vertues of which the effects are daily seene also what place the soule hath in the bodie and what vnion there is betweene them Nowe ASER this shall bee that matter Subiect which thou shalt haue to continue our speech withall That there is but one Soule in euerie seuerall bodie that one and the same soule hath in it all those vertues and powers whose effectes are dayly seene of the seate of the Soule in the bodie and of the principall instrument thereof of the vnion of the bodie and Soule of the diuers degrees of nature and of the excellencie that is in it of the fountaines and bounds of all the powers and vertues of the Soule Chap. 77. A SER. Saint Paul maketh a prayer in the end of his first Epistle to the Thessalonians which agreeth very well both to that matter whereof wee haue alreadie intreated touching the nature as well of the soule as of the body and to that also which wee haue yet to handle concerning the nature creation and immortalitie of the soule Now the very God of peace saith he sanctifie you throughout and I pray God that your whole spirite and soule and bodie may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ Where first he sheweth vs that none but God who onely is holy sanctifieth vs through Iesus Christ his sonne the most Holy and that by the vertue of his holy spirite Moreouer hee teacheth vs that as we are to acknowledge all sanctification alreadie begunne in vs to proceede from God alone so wee must expect from him the accomplishment of that woorke which he hath begunne in vs. For as hee is the beginning so from him must proceede the perfection which comprehendeth all the partes of man Therefore the Apostle heere maketh a diuision of three members placing the spirite first in the second place the soule and in the third the bodie Then he teacheth vs that the entire and absolute sanctification of all these partes of man shall be in the comming of Iesus Christ in which it shall obtaine the last perfection Nowe we vnderstand already sufficiently by our former discourses that man is compounded of two diuers natures namely of a body and of a soule and yet heere wee see that Saint Paul setteth downe three partes and ioyneth the spirite vnto the soule as if they were two diuers and different thinges as well as the soule and the bodie are Therefore wee must searche out the cause of this diuision of man after this manner But before wee enter into this matter it shal be very profitable for vs to refresh our memorie with those things wee haue alreadie intreated of so farre forth as they may serue for the vnderstanding of this and that according to the matter subiect propounded to discourse vpon Wee hearde before howe the bodie is the lodging and instrument of the soule and howe the soule serueth it selfe with all the members thereof and setteth them on worke And as for the Soule albeit there be but one in each seuerall body neuerthelesse that one soule hath diuers faculties powers and vertues which wee also call partes and offices thereof Wherefore as wee saye not that there are so many bodies in one bodie of a man as there is diuersitie of partes members and offices therein but account them all ioyntly together as one and the same bodie euen so wee meane not that there are so manie soules as there are powers and offices in the Soule or according to that varietie of effectes that appeareth in euerie part and member thereof albeeit wee knowe verie well that they are distinguished one from another both in time and place For we perceiue by the effectes thereof that the sight is in the eyes hearing in the eares vnderstanding and cogitation in the braine and the like is to bee sayde of all the other partes and members of the bodie according to the nature and office of euerie one and according to the offices of the Soule in them as wee haue alreadie shewed when wee handeled all the powers thereof particularly Moreouer wee see howe the childe so long as it is in the Mothers wombe differeth almost nothing at all from plantes and after it is borne howe it differeth but a little from brute beastes as else-where it hath beene alreadie declared vnto vs. Neuerthelesse as in euerie bodie there is but one and the same kinde fashion and essentiall forme of nature whereby it commeth to bee that which
and immortall qualities And so doeth the Apostle expound it saying in the same place The bodie is sowen in corruption and riseth in incorruption it is sowen in dishonour it riseth in glorie it is sowen in weakenesse and is raised in power It is sowen a naturall bodie and is raised a spirituall bodie there is a naturall bodie and there is a spirituall bodie As it is also written The first man Adam was made a liuing soule and the last Adam was made a quickening spirite Whereupon wee haue to note that Saint Paul speaketh still of the selfe same bodie which remaineth alwayes one in substance But forasmuch as it altereth in qualities and kinde of life therefore as hee calleth it spirituall in regarde of the Spirite of Christ and of his spirituall and heauenly vertues by which hee changeth the first qualities of it as the Apostle teacheth vs by such as are opposed against them so it is also called an animall or naturall body of the soule which giueth vnto it onely that naturall life that it hath in this worlde and not that spirituall and immortall life which it shall haue after this For the soule which nowe can giue none but this mortall life by reason of sinne shall then haue another vertue when sinne shall bee wholly abolished to giue vnto the body an immortall and blessed life by meanes of that spirituall and diuine vertue of Iesus Christ whereby it shall bee quickened that it may quicken the body with the same life But because this worde Animal deriued from Anima that signifieth the soule is not very common in our English tongue wee finde in the vsuall translation of these places of Saint Paul alleadged by vs these wordes naturall and sensuall insteade of animal which the Greeke worde properly signifieth Therefore in expounding the sence of these kindes of speech vsed by the Apostle wee must vnderstand that hee doeth not call animal or sensuall and naturall the body of man onely or man by reason of his body onely but the whole man compounded of body and soule For hee is altogether animal that is naturall and sensuall both in body and soule without Christ Iesus but being in him so long as hee liueth in this worlde hee is both animal that is to say naturall and sensuall and also spirituall First hee is animal both because hee is not yet perfectly regenerated as also because hee is not yet immortall and glorified as hee shall bee after his resurrection On the other side hee beginneth euen nowe to bee spirituall because hee hath a beginning of regeneration wrought in him which being once made perfect hee shall bee regenerated much more absolutely and made wholly conformable to Iesus Christ both for immortallitie and eternall happinesse For then hee shall be no more animal naturall sensuall and spirituall altogether but onely spirituall according as I haue already declared Wherefore let vs knowe that euery one shall retaine still the selfe same body and soule which hee hath in this life but by reason of that change of euill qualities which being in both shall bee made in the other life Saint Paul calleth it spirituall and not for any conuersion that shall bee of the bodie into the spirite For as a man is called animal in regarde of the soule that is giuen him because the soule is the chiefest thing in him so hee is called spirituall in respect of the other life and of the excellencie that shall be added to the soule and by the soule to the body through the heauenly and spirituall vertue and power of Iesus Christ Nowe then seeing the soule is taken in the holie Scriptures for the naturall life which is not without affections wee may see it sometimes also put for them Therefore when the worde of God woulde expresse a great affection of loue it sayeth of the sonne of Sichem that his soule claue vnto Dinah and after it is added that hee loued her and spake to the heart of the maide that is to say kindely and as her heart coulde wish In like manner it is written of Iacob that his soule was bound to the soule of Beniamin his sonne to signifie that hee loued him tenderly as his owne soule and life And of Ionathan it is saide that his soule was knit with the soule of Dauid which phrase is afterward expounded by the Scripture where it is saide that Ionathan loued Dauid as his owne soule Wee are also commaunded to loue GOD with all our soule as also with all our heart and minde Therefore Iesus Christ sayeth that whosoeuer seeketh and saueth his soule shall lose it but hee that hateth and loseth it for his sake shall finde it and saue it vnto eternall life In which wordes the soule is not onely taken for the life but also for all the commodities thereof and for the desires of the flesh such as are glorie honours riches pleasures delights ease and all kinde of prosperitie for the obtaining of which things many turne aside from the way of saluation and take the path that leadeth to destruction Also we reade many places in the Scriptures in which the soule is taken not only for the whole person liuing but also for the person dead yea for the dead body and sometimes for the spirite separated from the body But wee must well consider in what sence there is mention made of the death of the soule Balaam wisheth that his soule might die the death of the iust but hee speaketh after the manner of the Hebrews who vse many times to say My soule and thy soule for my selfe and thy selfe or for my person and thy person according to that before mentioned that the name of soule and of flesh are often taken for the whole man and for that which wee call Person For this cause whereas Moses sayde that GOD sware by himselfe Ieremie and Amos say that hee sware by his soule in the same sence and signification Likewise the name of Soule is not onely taken for a liuing person but also for him that is dead as when it is written in the Law Let none of you be defiled by the dead among his people it is in the Hebrew ouer the soule of his people that is ouer the dead body of any of the people by touching it after it is dead And when Iob saieth that the soule of a man draweth to the graue and his life to the buryers and that God deliuereth his soule from going into the pit he taketh not the name of soule for that spirituall essence that giueth life vnto man but for the life it selfe or for the man and body it selfe which is laide in the graue after death So that his meaning is no other then to say that God deliuereth man from death whereby otherwise he should be brought into the pit And when Dauid saith Lord thou hast brought vp my soule out of
and motion that are therein are inflamed by this vital spirite and not by any other means whatsoeuer whether it be the blood or the flesh And yet this spirite is as well of a corporall and bodily matter as all the rest of which the body is compounded so that it hath his originall of the selfe-same elements from whence that matter is deriued out of which it springeth But of such inquisitours I woulde likewise demaund from whence the heauens the Sunne and Moone with the other planets and starres haue their motion their light and properties It is very certaine they can yeeld mee no other true cause but that God hath created them of that nature that hee hath so framed them and that hee alwayes preserueth them such by the diuine vertue and power of his prouidence So I say to them that wee ought not to searche for any other cause or reason of that we mentioned before or goe any further or mount higher in the inquisition thereof But forasmuch as that which wee haue nowe deliuered of the nature and matter of the Soule is proper to that Sensitiue and Sensuall soule which wee attribute to beastes we must come more particularly to that that is proper to men which wee call the reasonable soule This is that matter and poynt about which the greatest and most ingenious wittes haue most laboured and disputed from time to time For they that affirmed the soule of man to bee no other thing then the Vitall and Animall spirites by means of which the body receiueth life or the temperature and temperament of the humours and matter of which the bodie is compounded these men put no difference betweene the soule of beastes and the soule of men And as for them that take it to bee the breath or a fire of which the naturall heate proceedeth they iumpe in opinion with the former who place it in the Vitall spirites And they that say it is in the harmonie of the whole bodie are of the same minde with them that place it in the temperament So that according to the opinion of all these the soule of man is nothing els but naturall heate or els the Vitall spirite that is in the blood as the Physicions commonly take it whose consideration reacheth not farther then to that they can comprehend by their naturall reason following therein Hippocrates who agreeable to this opinion saieth that the soule is daily engendered after that manner which wee haue alreadie declared But they that more diligently looke into the properties and excellent giftes wherewith the reasonable soule is endued know assuredly by their naturall reason that these opinions are very vnworthy the noble excellencie thereof and that they are of no force in regarde thereof For they iudge very well that the vnderstanding and reason with the discourses thereof that the iudgement and such memory as it hath that the discerning of good and euill of thinges honest and dishonest of vertues and vices with the knowledge of humane and diuine thinges whereof it is partaker are woorkes and actions which cannot proceede from such matter as the elements are as we haue touched else-where Whereupon it followeth that it is some other thing then the Vitall spirite or the temperament of the bodie and that it is of a farre differing nature from that of beasts which consisteth in these thinges And by the same reason also they conclude that if the soule of man were of any such matter as to be the Vitall spirite or the temperament of the bodie it would follow that it were mortall like to the bodie and that nothing shoulde remaine of it after the death thereof Which thing they finde to be too much contrarie vnto that which a man may iudge of the nature and substance of the soule by those effectes of it that were euen nowe mentioned which effectes are such as cannot agree to a corruptible and mortall nature nor to any other then to a celestiall and immortall nature like to that of the Angels aud blessed spirits which are endued with such vertues But I desire to heare thee ARAM vpon the things now spoken of that thou maiest goe on with the matter of our discourses Of the opinion of Galen of Platâ— and of Aristotle touching the substance and nature of mans soule of the opinion of Occam touching the Vegetatine and Sensitiue power thereof and of the distinction of soules he maketh in man of the sentence of the Platonists and of Origen touching the creation birth and nature of the soule of the coniunction of the Soule with the bodie and the estate thereof in the same Chap. 83. ARAM. The Ancients speaking of man often call him a great miracle and indeede the more wee bend our mindes to consider of it the more marueilous weshal find it to be Insomuch as in the particular contemplation of the soule which is truely man I woulde gladly aske whether it were better either to discourse Philosophically of this matter hauing store of argument or by way of admiration to crie out with S. Paul O the deepenes of the riches both of the wisedom and knowledge of God! Neuerthelesse being drawen on with the same desire that hath hitherto pricked vs forward to search out and to be instructed in the trueth according to my knowledge I will goe forward ARAM with thy speech For the causes then alleged by thee out of them that consider more diligently the properties excellent gifts of the soule although Galen who otherwise was a prophane man in respect of the knowledge of God and an idolatrous worshipper of nature durst not boldly determine what the reasonable soule was yet as for that which is commonly called the vegetatiue or nourishing and the sensitiue or sensuall soule he feareth not boldly to affirme that it is no other thing then either the naturall and vitall spirits or the temperament But as for the reasonable soule he leaueth it in doubt whether it be of a bodilie nature or of some other that is not corporall and which subsisteth by it selfe being seperated from the bodie Neither doth he conclude any other thing but that it is either a shining substance and an ethereall body that is to say of a more pure and celestiall nature then any of the elements or els that it is of a nature that is not corporall but yet hath this body by which he meaneth the animal spirit to be as a chariot to carie it Plato before him sayd that soules were litle portions taken from the substance of the celestiall fires and hee maketh three parts of a mans soule diuiding them according to the principall parts of the body and those instruments which they haue in the same Which diuision is vnderstood of some as if he made so many sorts of soules as we haue shewed that there are principall powers and offices which haue their seuerall seats and places assigned vnto them in the body Therefore Galen
enter into the combat with vs. It belongeth therfore to thee ACHITOB to beginne the skirmish How men can haue no certaine resolution of th'immortalitie of the soule but by the Word of God of the peruersenesse of Epicures and Atheists in this matter Of the chiefe causes that hinder men from beleeuing the immortalitie of the soule and of their blockishnes and euill iudgement therein How wee must seeke for the Image of God after which man was created in his soule Chap. 88. ACHITOB. We are now fallen into a time which discouereth vnto vs not onely false religions but euen an Atheisme that is farre worse For they that are altogether without Religion are farther distâ—â—t from true pietie then they that follow a false religion and yet at this day there are as many or moe that declare themselues to be Atheists and Epicures as there bee of such as are taken for good Christians And if in outward shew they pretend some exercise of Religion it is but to couer themselues with the vaile thereof to the ende they might not bee esteemed and accompted for such as they are in trueth But in their heart and with their companions they doe but make a mocke of the holy Scriptures and of al those testimonies that we haue in them of another life besides this of Heauen of hell of the blessed immortalitie and eternall death of the soule Now it is an easie matter to conuince such felowes of error and lies But this is a thing worthy to be bewayled in all the affaires opinions and counsailes of men that when any question ariseth of the trueth and of that which is Good no proofes or testimonies how rich or of howe great authoritie soeuer they bee seeme sufficient to vs and worthy to bee beleeued And yet if the question be of any euil falsehood and lyes no testimony how slender and bad soeuer it be but satisfieth vs very well For by reason that we are euil and ignorant ful of blindnesse and darkenesse by nature we are alwayes the readier to follow that which is like our selues namely wickednes and falsehood lies and error as we see it by experience in Atheists and Epicures and in all infidels and scorners of God and of his Word For there are many skilfull in Artes and humane learning and in naturall Philosophie who reprehend and condemne Epicurus Lucretius Pliny and other such like Philosophers Epicures and Atheists in that which they haue taught and written of naturall things belonging to this life and call them ignorant men and voyd of experience But in that which they haue spoken against the prouidence of God the immortalitie of soules and all Religion abolishing them wholie by their false doctrines and by Philosophie they imbrace and praise them for the skilfullest and most excellent Philosophers that euer were as hauing deliuered men from the greatest torments that could seaze vpon them and brought vnto them the greatest good that could befall them by taking from them all feare of God of hell and of all punishment after this life and all opinion and hope of Paradice and of a better life after this In a worde they extoll them as if they onely had found the beane in the cake as wee vse to say and as if they onely deserued to be the Kings of beanes among their fellowes Forasmuch then as we are entred into this matter of the immortalitie of the soule and seeing at this day so many Atheists herein followe the opinions of these Epicurian Philosophers before named I say not onely more then they doe all the best Philosophers but also then the authoritie of the holy Scriptures and the testimonie of God in them we cannot gather too many arguments whereby at leastwise to cause them to ponder the matter more diligently if they will not be confounded wholy by naturall reasons seeing they make so small reckoning of that celestial and heauenly doctrine It is true that it will bee a very hard and difficult matter to perswade such in this point as giue no more credite to this testimonie of the word of God then they doe to all humaine and naturall reasons that can bee alleadged vnto them For although the arguments of those Philosophers that maintaine the immortalitie of the soule are strong and waightie yet they can neuer wholy and fully assure men of their immortalitie except this testimonie of God take all doubting from them But that argument of all others is most forcible which hee hath giuen vnto vs in the resurrection of Iesus Christ whereby his soule was vnited againe vnto his body and so wrought those heauenly workes which followed his resurrection and ascention into heauen and namely by the gift of the holy Ghost which hee sent vnto his Apostles and by the effects thereof which according to the promise of Iesus Christ appeared so great and manifest throughout the whole world and that in so short a time that no prudence wisdome skill eloquence authoritie power or force of man was able to hinder that vertue or the course of the Gospel But because Epicures and Atheists accompt these things for fables and are of so peruerse and monstrous a nature that they had rather sight against nature it selfe and cleane to the worst opinions most vnworthy the nature of man then to follow the reasons of the best Philosophers grounded vpon a more sure foundation let vs at leastwise put them to some further trouble by vrging them to be fully resolued in that opinion which is contrary to the immortality of the soule For certainly I doubt not but they wil be alwaies without resolution And in deed froÌ„ wheÌ„ce should they fetch this resolution of theirs seeing they haue no certaine ground of their false opinion and seeing there are so many and so forcible reasons to the contrary But wee must note that the principall cause that keepeth men from beleeuing the immortalitie of the soule is partly their ignorance partly their malice and peruersenesse For some there are so blockish that they measure all things according to the knowledge and reach of their bodilie senses so that they set downe with themselues to beleeue nothing but that which they are able to knowe and perceiue by them Others there are who besides this are so wicked and peruerse that they would not onely haue their soules not to bee immortall but wish also that there were no God to the ende they might haue no Iudge For by reason they are so wholly addicted to the worlde and to their carnall pleasures they would haue no other God or other life after this but wish that all life might end with their delights and the soule with the body that so they might haue no accompt to make to any Iudge Therefore they are of that number whereof mention is made in the Booke of Wisedome who make these discourses saying Our life is short and tedious and in the death of a man there is no
any right and interest therein to any other besides him onely who is soueraigne almightie and the onely father of spirites For if the question be of the body and of all the senses thereof many may claime an interest therein vnder God namely Fathers mothers the children themselues nature the kinred the countrey friends kings Princes Lords But the soule belongeth to none but to God alone which he willeth commandeth should be reserued to him only for our happines because he only is the author and creator thereof If it be so then that our soule is not begotten or produced by this nature which is the handmaide of God and worker vnder him but by God alone it followeth very well that nothing in nature can extinguish it but God onely who is able to do it if he please Now it is not likely or credible that God would make a thing by it selfe and that after a different manner from other things which should haue nothing besides the creation of it then within a while after would destroy it For if it were otherwise why woulde hee obserue another meane in the creation of man then in that of beasts Why would he not rather haue bestowed vpon nature the power of the generation and corruption of mans soule as he hath done that of other liuing creatures Wherefore woulde hee seeme to reserue that thing as proper to himselfe which hee woulde make subiect to the law and common condition of other things Thus much then for those arguments which we may take from the knowledge that God hath giuen to mans soule from his constant worke in the creation of it to proue the nature and immortalitie therof Now we are to consider what arguments we haue to the same purpose in that vertue of desire which is giuen vnto it These things then we may learne of thee Aram. Of the argument for the immortalitie of the soule that may be taken from that naturall desire thereof and of perpetuitie which is in it of another argument to the same purpose of the desire which men haue to continue their name and memory for euer an argument to the same ende taken from the apprehension and terror which men may haue both of the death of the body and also of the soule and spirit Chap. 91. ARAM. These three things are so linked and knit together namely Gods religion his diuine prouidence and the immortalitie of the soule that they neither may nor ought to bee seperated in any wise For if our soules were not immortall no rewarde or punishment for good or bad doings were to be looked for and then God should not seeme to haue any care ouer vs which if he haue not why should wee worship him Our hope should be in vaine and religion vnprofitable But if without the grace and goodnes of God we cannot liue and if he wil be sought vnto of vs by prayer then religion is very necessary and the immortalitie of the soule certaine And euen as a man cannot renounce those excellent giftes which naturally are planted in his spirit and minde and in that reason which God hath bestowed vpon him but hee must renounce himselfe and become like to the bruite beast so fareth it also with him when he renounceth his immortalitie But seeing we are now in handling the powers of the soule to shewe that it dieth not and seeing wee haue spoken of knowledge wee will consider what arguments to the same ende may bee taken from the vertue of desiring that is naturally in it Heretofore we learned that all knowledge both in man and beast is giuen to this ende that they should desire whatsoeuer they know to be good and eschue that which they know to be euil Concerning the knowledge of our sences they conceiue well ynough what it is to be present and so do the sences of beastes of which and of our whole nature we may iudge both by our external and internal sences that are common to vs with them so we may discerne of all such like things But the appetite or desire of beasts goeth no further then the time present For that naturall desire of their owne preseruation which is in them proceedeth not frō any knowledge which they haue of things but from the workemanship of nature and from that naturall inclination which they haue thereunto without any motion of reason or vnderstanding Whereupon it followeth that their desire to preserue themselues and their power of procreation proceedeth not from their knowing vertue that is the chiefest in them but from the vegetatiue vertue which is the basest most abiect But man goeth a great deale further For man hath knowledge of perpetuitie and of eternitie as we heard in the former speach and because he knoweth that eternitie is a good and profitable thing for him he doth also desire the same This desire then is naturall and if naturall it followeth also that it is a very meete and conuenient thing for vs and so consequently that it is not giuen to man without cause and to no purpose Wee must then conclude hereupon that it may be accomplished and that of necessitie it must be sometime or other For if it were otherwise to what purpose should this knowledge serue which man hath of so great a benefite and which also mooueth him to desire the same if he could neuer attaine to the fruition thereof And why should God teach the same to men if he would not make them partakers of it Were it not rather to debase then to aduaunce them aboue beastes whereas hee hath created them Lordes and as it were his last and principall peece of worke in his worke of creation Should it not seeme to be not onely a vaine thing but also if I might so speake as though God delighted to torment men to cause them to desire that thing of which they should neuer haue any participation Were it not better for them at leastwise as good that in this respect hee should haue created them like to bruite beastes For so they should liue a great deale more quiet and not torment themselues as they doe after a thing which is altogether vnpossible for them to attaine vnto Nowe wee haue a very euident signe and testimony in vs of the continuall being of this desire of enternitie in that longing which men haue to make their name eternall as much as may be and that their memory might remaine in all ages that shall follow long time after them And which is more this affection is so naturall and imprinted so deepe into mens hearts that euen they who deny the immortality of soules and who thinke that euery man doeth wholy vanish away by corporall death doe couet notwithstanding the immortality of their name and to haue a good report amongest men still after their death Heereof wee haue very good proofe in the last will and Testament of Epicurus himselfe the Captaine and standard-bearer
iustice that men vse against malefactors be grounded Shall there be more iustice in men who are altogether iniustice themselues then in God who is the fountaine of all iustice yea iustice it selfe All this must be so or else we must confesse that all these things testifie vnto vs that God hath care ouer vs and that there is an other place and time of rewarding euery man according to his workes then in this worlde and heere in this life For this cause Saint Peter calleth the day of the last iudgement in which all shall appeare before God the time of the restauration of all things foretolde of God by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the worlde beganne For considering that al things are so confused and troubled in the worlde that it seemeth there is no difference betwixt the blessings and curses of God pronounced in his lawe and that all things are turned topsie turuy by the malice of men the Lord hath ordained a place and time in which hee will put an end to this disorder and wil restore al things to their right estate and good order Now if the Lord hath appointed that euery one shal be rewarded at that time and place it followeth that then and there also wee must search for the end for which man was created and that his soule shall liue there And if the soule then liueth and in that place it followeth well also that there is the end of it For we take the ende for that which is the last and most perfect in euery thing So that if the question be of the authoritie of men and multitude of witnesses for the confirmation of that which hath beene hitherto saide of the immortalitie of the soules of men wee shall haue for this purpose all those who from the beginning of the worlde amongest all people and nations haue beleeued and thought that there is a God that there is a Diuine nature and prouidence and consequently any religion yea euen those barbarous and sauage nations which were found out of late dayes in those new Ilands commonly called the new found world And if the qualitie of the witnesses is to be considered we shall still haue almost all on our side For if wee looke vnto the most barbarous and strangest nations that are the testimonie of nature which all of them carry in their hearts compelleth them to range themselues on this side And if we come to others that haue bin more ciuil better instructed we shall haue a greater aduantage Or if the question be of the greatest and of such as by the consent and testimonie of all were accompted and were indeede best learned and most vertuous we shal not only finde them to haue beene on our side but also that they haue condemned as ignorant men and vnworthy to liue them that haue beene of a contrary opinion betwixt which men and the other there is great difference For those among the Philosophers that denied the immortalitie of the soule were such as did abolish also all diuine nature and prouidence and all religion and such as placed the soueraigne good of men in pleasure which kinde of men were alwayes woorthily taken to be the vilest and most abiect and as it were the skumme and dregges of the professours of Philosophie For to the ende wee may the better vnderstand this by mine aduise we will consider of the best arguments that are alleadged by Philosophers to prooue the immortalitie of soules that they who will not credite the testimony of the holy Scriptures may feele themselues vrged in their conscience with the sayings of Ethnickes and heathen men who shall rise vp in iudgement against them to aggrauate their condemnation Now it belongeth to thee AMANA to followe this matter Of an other argument for the immortalitie of the soule taken from that naturall desire which men haue of knowledge of Aristoteles opinion touching the nature and immortalitie of the soule of other reasons of Philosophers to prooue that the spirite can not be of a corruptible and mortall nature and how iust men should be more miserable and should haue more occasion to feare and to eschew death then the vniust and wicked if the soule were mortall Chap. 94. AMANA There is in all men a naturall desire of knowledge and wisedome yea a man may perceiue that most barbarous men desire naturally to knowe vnto what Art soeuer they apply their spirite iudging the same to be commendable honest as contrariwise they accompt it vnbeseeming a man and dishonest to be ignorant to erre and to be deceiued From this desire the wisest and most famous among the Philosophers tooke a very good argument to prooue the immortalitie of the soule For seeing this desire is naturall and that in this worlde all the knowledge and wisedome that men can haue is very small and as it were nothing in respect of that which they want they conclude necessarily that there must needes be some other place and time then in this life wherein that which is heere begunne but slenderly is to be accomplished and made perfect The reason from whence they deriue their argument is that common saying that God and Nature the minister of God doe nothing without cause Wherefore seeing this desire of knowledge and wisedome is naturall in man it can not be in vaine neither is it giuen vnto him but that it should attaine to some end and perfection For to what purpose serued the corporal eies of liuing creatures and for what cause should they be giuen them if they could neuer see or were to liue alwaies in darknes So likewise why should the eies of the soule mind be giuen to men thereby to behold celestiall and diuine things which cannot be seene with bodily eies if they could neuer view them but in such darknes as they do heere behold them To what end also should man be naturally pricked forward with a desire to know the truth and to haue skill if he could neuer soundly enioy his desire but should remaine always in ignorance for the greatest part of those things which he desireth to know which are of so great waight that whatsoeuer he is able to vnderstand and know in this world is nothing or very little in regarde of that which yet remaineth behinde for him to knowe For not to speake of those things in which all humane philosophie must acknowledge her ignorance let vs come to that vnderstanding which wee may haue by the holie Scriptures reuealed vnto vs of God For although the knowledge wee haue by them surpasseth without al comparison all humane philosophie and science yet Saint Paul compareth it to a knowledge that is very obscure to a light that is seene through thicke and darke cloudes and to an image represented vnto vs in a glasse in comparison of that most high and perfect knowledge and vnderstanding which is reserued for vs in another life and whereof
who euer returned from thence to assure vs of that which euery one may haue experience of in his death and whether they perceiued themselues to bee altogether like to beastes after the same For they can haue no more certaine testimonie of this by their senses then they haue of the other point Also I woulde gladly aske of him howe hee founde himselfe when hee was choked neere to the mountaine Vesuuius with smoake and with the smell of brimstone issuing out of the same and what consolation he found in death which hee sayeth is the greatest good of Nature Whereby hee shewed howe smally hee had profited in the knowledge of God the Creatour of Nature by the contemplation of his workes therein No maruaile then if knowing him no better hee called her step-mother and cruell mother seeing that according to his Philosophie the greatest good which shee bringeth to men is death and seeing shee neuer doeth them a better turne then when he bringeth them backe againe to that estate in which they were before they were conceiued or borne into the world According to which conclusion a man may wel approue of that desperate sentence of theirs who affirmed resolutely that it were good for men either neuer to be borne or to die presently after their birth So that the first and cheefest benefite of nature shoulde be neuer to bee borne and the second to be borne before the time or to be as soone dead as borne Moreouer it should follow by Plinies Philosophie that nature had made men with such a condition that they can not but be miserable if they liue after this life and if death doe not wholy destroy them and if they be not resolutely perswaded of this to haue no hope at all of another life For that which he sayeth importeth as much Is not this then a goodly resolution and conclusion of so great a searcher of nature whereof he hath written the historie With what eies did hee looke vpon all that which hee might haue scene Howe much differed they from the eyes of beastes and what profite reaped hee by that knowledge which hee had more then they In trueth wee haue in this man a wonderfull example of Gods iudgement vpon the learned and wise men of the worlde who so vilely abuse that reason knowledge and vnderstanding which GOD hath giuen them And forasmuch as this dogge was permitted to vomite out such horrible blasphemies both against God and against Nature and yet receiued no punishment for the same from man therefore GOD himselfe tooke vengeance of him by smoke whereby hee was choaked to death For seeing he esteemed the soule to be no better then a little winde or breath he deserued well to loose the same in the middest of smoake and brimstone But we haue spoken enough of him Nowe you may ARAM tell vs some more lies rather then reasons wherewith Atheists fortifie themselues against the trueth of this matter we haue in hand and howe wee ought to consider of the iudgements of God vpon them Of them who say that we can not knowe by the light of nature but that the soule is mortall of them that alleadge a place of Salomon against the immortalitie of the soule how we ought to consider of the iudgements of God vpon Epicures and Atheists howe the absurdities which followe their doctrine declare plainely the grosenesse of it of the force of those arguments that were produced before for the immortalitie of the soule Chap. 99. ARAM. It is a great matter when men iudge of things not according to reason but according to their affections because then their eares are closed vp against all reasons as wee haue the example of the Iewes who were the enemies of Iesus Christ For after they had once resolued not to acknowledge him neither to receiue him for the true Annointed of the Lorde but to reiect and condemne him with all his doctrine and workes no reason was euer sufficient to remoue them from this their purpose But to confirme them in their obstinacie there needed no great arguments no not in shew as it appeareth in that difficultie of theirs to beleeue his resurrection For neither all these witnesses of which they had so great a number nor all their doctrine nor all their holinesse nor all their signes and miracles were of any force with them in regarde of that testimonie which the theeuish and murdering souldiers corrupted with money gaue them to the contrary and that by a lowd lie which ouerthrew it selfe Therefore we may easily iudge what the minde of man is when it is corrupted and peruerted and when men suffer themselues to be carried away with their euill and froward affections so that God doeth euen blindfold and forsake them We see many such examples in this matter which we now hādle touching the immortalitie of the soule For on the contrary side what are the strongest reasons which these doggish Epicures Atheists enemies to God to mankind and to all nature against whom we now dispute can alleadge for themselues What would they do if they had as much against vs as we haue against them How would they lift vp themselues against those that maintaine the contrary and tread them vnder their feete We heard in the former speech the strongest arguments vpon which their error leaneth wherby we may know what a badde foundation it hath Others there are who say that in the light of faith the soule is immortall but in the light of nature it is mortal so that whilest they would seeme Philosophers they shew themselues to be ignorant and grosse beasts For there is but one only truth both of nature and of faith trueth neuer being double but alwayes one Therefore if the soule be immortall in the light of faith it can not be mortall in the light of nature but onely in the darkenesse thereof For wee see howe this small remnant of naturall light that yet remaineth in the corrupt nature of men sendeth them with one common and publike consent to this trueth of the immortalitie of mens soules so that none besides those in whome it is as it were vtterly put out and whome God hath by his iudgement wholly reiected and cast into a reprobate sense but acknowledge the same Howe then would this light of nature shewe it selfe if it had still continued in integritie Therefore I demaund of these men what it is which they call naturall light and whether it be not the reason of man and if it be that reason whereby men differ from beastes I aske againe of them whether any thing that may be knowen by arguments and reasons although they were all gathered together and examined narrowly hath greater and more euident light of reason then this hath Neuerthelesse I agree with them heerein that the light of faith maketh vs a great deale more certaine of all this matter then any reason that can be alleadged because that is the light
22. Of the ioy of the godly Luâ—e 6. 21. matth 5. 4. Esay 61. 3. Ioh. 16. 20 21. Philip. 44. Eccles. 7. 4 6. Prou. 6. 25. How worldlings deceiue themselues What hope is Difference betweene ioy and hope Of the true and certaine hope The profite and necessitie of hope Ephes 4. 4. Rom. 5. 3 4 5. Psal 25. 3. Rom. 5. 2. Rom. 12. 12. 15. 13. Hebr. 6. 19. Ier. 17. 7 13 17. psal 65. 5. and 91. 2 9. psal 31 1. and 71. Psal 118. 8 9. Prou. 10. 28. Iob 8. 13 14 15 The wickâ—d can not abide to speake or heare of God What feare is How palenesse colde and shaking are bâ—ed in the body How death commeth through feare Esay 13. 7 8. A place of Esay expounded The cause of cowardlines and the signe of courage Iob 41. 16. Effects of Feare in the soule Iosua 7. 5. Psal 22. 14. Ierem. 4. 9. The definitions of assurance and boldnesse Iosua 2. 9. Psal 53. 5. Psal 112. 1 7 8 Psal 56. 3 11. and 118. 6. prou 14. 26. Iohn 14. 1. Lâ—uit 26. 36. Deu. 28. 65 66 67. God is the authour of courage Why God hath giuen men affections The diuers effects of feare in the godly and in the wicked A fantasticall Good Who are to bee accounted wise men Eccles. 2. 1. Of delight and pleasure what it is and how it is receiued How God communicateth himselfe vnto men Of the diuers degrees of pleasures according to euery mans nature The delights of the bodily senses The delights of the internall senses CoÌ„templation is the greatest delight of the soule Of the abuse of pleasures Against the immoderate vse of pleasures The cause why a little griefe is stronger in vs theÌ„ a great pleasure Of the pleasures of fantasie The pleasures of reason and of the minde How we descend from true pleasures to false delights Of pleasures which men seeke crosse-wayes Of the vse of the delights of the spirite How the spirit is hindred in his actions How the spirite must bee occupied How corporall and spirituall pleasures chase each other Natural pleasures are more purethen artificiall Degrees to ascend vpto sound and perfect delight The knowledge of the affections very requisite What loue is How loue is engendred Of the kindes of desire Of the loue of men towards God The loue of parents towardes thir children The loue of God towards men The originall of friendship In what sort by loue we ascend vp to God and descend againt Of the vnion that is in loue Similitude is a cause of loue Beautie draweth loue Gen. 1. Beautie a flower of goodnes A caueat for faire women The force of Beautie The causes of the abuse in beautie Beautie maketh vice more vgly A good vse of Looking-glasses Three kindes of Loue. God created the world by Loue. Diuers kindes of beauty and loue Loue tendeth to vnitie Iohn 17. 21. Iohn 11. 52. 1. Iohn 3. 8. Sinne the cause of our seperation from God A double ground of loue Loue is free Iob 1. 9. Two sortes of hired loue Actes 20. 35. Loue descendeth but doth not ascend 1. Iohn 4. 8. Loue breedeth Loue. The heart of a louer compared to a looking glasse Loue ought to shew it selfe by workes Euils must be resisted in the beginning What Desire is Diuersitie of Goods Goodâ— belonging to this life Goods of fanciâ— and in opinion onely The effects of ambition and couetousnesse Of the false opinion of want The right vse of coueting The diuerse kinds of Desires Two sorts of Loue. The last ende of Loue. Acts 4. 32. Communitie among friends Loue bringeth equalitie Loue must first beginne at God Three meanes of knowledge The benefites that come of true loue whose scope is God The first benefite of true loue Diuers estimations of Loue. The cause of mens errour from the true Good The second benefite that is in true Loue. The third benefit Galat. 2. 20. The highest degree of Loue. Knowledge requisit in Loue. Two sortes of knowledge in Loue. The difference betweene Loue and Desire Rom. 8. 22. 1. Cor. 13. 12. Of friendship betweene wicked men What foundation the friendship of good men hath 1. Corint 13. 8 A similitude shewing the vanity of the loue of worldly delights What sauour is Why God fauoureth vs. Of reuerence The caause of humilitie A good lesson for princes Reuerence requisite in true friendship Of honour and of maiestie Rom. 12. 16. Of the signes of honour and of reuerence Of Mercie and Compassion Rom. 12. 8 9 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 12. Heb. 13. 3. Math. 5. 7. Luke 6. 36. Prou. 21. 21. Iam. 2. 13. Foure causes of all the troubles of the soule The nature of corporall goods How the passions may be good Of offence What euill may offend vs. Why men are so easily offended What offences are most grieuous Of the nature of mankind how hardly it is pleased Of the degrees of offence How offence may be welâ— vsed The remedy to cure offences What contempt is Of mockery Esay 53. 7. Diuers opinions of the Philosophers touching the affections What anger is How it differeth from offence Of rancour The violence of anger Prou. 27. 4. Ecclus. 8. The fruites of anger What effect it hath in the body The fountaine of the appetite of reuenge The causes of looking pale and red How anger troubleth the braine The best remedy against anger Ecclus. 28. Another remedy against anger Why the affection of anger is naturall what good commeth by it What Hatred is The causes of it Why it is an easier matter to hate then to loue 1. Ioh. 3. 10 12. The fruits of Hatred Of a good kinde of hatred Rom. â—2 9. Amos 5. 15. How loue is turned into hatred Remedies against the euill kinde of hatred Description of Enuy. Diuers sorts of Enuy. Enuy is neuer without griefe Against what good things Enuy is most bent How an enuious body is tormented The countenance of an enuious man Prouer. 14. 30. Ecclus. 30. 17 24. Of a good kinde of enuy 1. Cor. 12. 31. 2. Cor. 9. 2. Roman 13. galat. 5. 21. Esay 3. 16. and 48. 4. Ezech. 3. 8 9. Psal 34. 15. 1. Pet. 3. 22. Esay 29. 23. Exod 13. 14. Iob 40. 4. Exod. 15. 7 8. Iob 9. 17. What Iealousie is Iames 4. 1 2. A good kinde of iealousie What mutuall loue ought to be betweene man and wife Why Iealousie is attributed to God What Indignation is From whence Zeale proceedeth Ioel 2. 18. Isaiah 9. 7. What Zeale is 2. Cor. 11. 2. A good lesson for Princes and Pastors The abuse of Indignation and of Zeale Rom. 10. 2. 1. Timot. 1. 13. Act. 26. 10 11. Hebr. 10. 30. Matth. 10. 28. Luke 21. 19. prouer 20. 22. What reuenge is What Rage is Of Crueltie Three sortes of Crueltie How magistrates ought to punish With what affection God punisheth offendors What Shame is Blushing commendable in some persons A second kind of