that which he thinketh and conceiueth in mind and haue as we vse to say but a bad vtterance Which thing also may happen to good wits either for want of exercise and vse or through some defect that may be in the body or in the instruments of the voice or because the matter whereof they speake may be profound obscure and difficult so that a man cannot easily find words fitly to expresse the nature of it as the woorthinesse thereof requireth Which reason oft entimes maketh wise and skilfull men slowe to speake because they know what a hard matter it is to vtter in good sort that which is to be spoken in so much that they had rather keepe silence then speake ill or vnproperly But a light-head and a cocke-braine that is void of this consideration wil thinke hee hath a more ready wit For he wil speake before he ponder or discourse in his minde So that whosoeuer hath not a ripe and stayed reason nor temperate and setled senses hee can not haue his wordes set in good order nor his speaches well knit and agreeing one with another as we haue example heereof in children and fooles And if a man haue reason and iudgement ready at hand but not stayed and pithy hee may well prooue some great babbling pleader but not eloquent For hee onely is to bee accompted eloquent who can conceiue well in his spirite and minde that which he ought to speake and then is able to expresse it well both by apt wordes and by sentences that are well tied and knit together We see then how the voyce and speach of man lay open his whole heart minde and spirite But the voyces of beasts haue no significations but onely affections I meane such as are in men and which the Grammarians call Interiections because they are not framed into speach nor well distinguished as others are Nowe if wee vnderstand all these things well they may help very much to instruct and confirme vs in the doctrine of the Trinitie of persons of the Vnitie of the Godhead and of the eternall generation of the Sonne of God who is his diuine and euerlasting word Likewise they will cause vs to conceiue more easily how this heauenly and eternall word namely Iesus Christ is the Image and Character of God the expresse and ingraued forme of his person as it is in the Epistle to the Hebrews and not in shadow or painting For the glorie maiestie and vertue of the Father is alwaies hid from vs but only so farre foorth as it sheweth it selfe ingraued in his sonne and in his word as the image of the minde appeareth imprinted and ingrauen in the speach that is vttered And as the internall word bred in the minde departeth not from it neither is seperated and yet it imprinteth an image thereof in the mindes of the hearers to whom it is declared so the diuine and eternall worde begotten of the Father is alwayeâ— resident in God and yet imprinteth his image in the heartes and mindes of men to whome it is manifested by those meanes which hee hath appointed for that purpose Thus you see a gappe laide open into these high and great secrets of God which wee ought to marke well following such phrases of speach as are taken from humane things and vsed by the spirit of God in the holy scriptures to the end wee might more easily vnderstand them Wherefore if there were no other reason this were sufficient to induce vs to consider more diligently the excellent worke and great prouidence of God which appeareth in the framing of the voyce and speach of man and in the nature and vse thereof and in those members and instrumentes of the bodie which serue to that purpose Therefore AMANA let this matter be the subiect of thy discourse Of the agreement which the instruments of the voyce and speach haue with a paire of Organes what thinges are to bee considered in the placing of the lungs next the heart of the pipes and instruments of the voyce Chap. 14. AMANA When we consider diligently all the instruments created by God in the body as well for the ministery of the voyce as of speach we shall finde amongst them all thinges requisite in the best and most perfect instrument of musicke that can bee to make a good harmony and we shall know that no Organs are so wel made or disposed in such good order for the compassing of their sound and melody as the instruments of the voyce and speach of man are And by the consideration of this concordance wee are admonished alwayes to haue the same thing in the mouth which wee haue in the thought to the end that from such an agreement as it were in euerie part of an Organ and of an instrument of musicke there should proceede a good harmony and pleasant melody For if there shoulde be discord betweene the heart the tongue and the speach the harmony could not be good especially before God the Iudge of most secret thoughts no more then the harmony of a musicall instrument quite out of tune would be pleasant in the eares of men namely of good Musicions who can iudge best of concords and discords First then wee must note that the breast necke and head are as it were the instrument and the body of the Organs within which they are put and inclosed and by which they are sustained next that the lungs are as it were their bellows to blow them Therefore it is made of two pieces ioyned together like to a paire of bellowes to drawe in and to thrust forth the aire and to helpe eche other in respiration and breathing Wherein we must call to minde howe needeful it was that the backebone and breast and the building of the ribbes shoulde bee framed in that sort that we heard before that they might serue to this vse make roome for these bellows to inlarge themselues and to do their duetie Wee see also what their nature is what motion they haue and from whence they receiue it For God hath created them of that nature that they moue and remoue of themselues by the vertue of the soule and life in the body without which they woulde bee voyde of motion and coulde not do their office as we see in dead bodies And because the lungs are the bellowes that blowe winde into the instruments of the voyce without which it coulde not bee made therefore they are lodged next to the heart so that they couer it to this end that men should be admonished that their voyce and their speach is the messenger of their heart and that for this cause the heart and the mouth and the voice and speach which proceede from them alwayes ought to consent and agree together For it would be great dissolutenesse if the heart which ought to be the originall and fountaine of the speach should thinke one thing and the speach which is the messenger of the
expulsiue vertue to bee cast out and the rest which is pure to the vertue of distributing after which the vertue of incorporating executeth his office and duetie Thus you see howe all these particular vertues seruing to the generall vertue of nourishing doe their dueties one after another according to that order which nature hath assigned them For except this agreement and order were kept there woulde bee great confusion and the bodie coulde not receiue his due nourishment Therefore doeth one of them attende vpon and helpe another yea all of them tende to one and the same ende by diuers meanes For after the meate is receiued attracted and retained it must bee digested before it bee separated so that the expulsiue vertue is to attende vpon this separation and distinction Neither can the attractiue or drawing vertue doe his office well vnlesse the bodie bee first emptie neither the vertue of concocting or preparing if the bodie bee not purged of the meate receiued before And if any of these vertues doeth not his duetie the residue are made more dull slowe and languishing For there is such agreement betwixt them and they are by such equal proportion tempered throughout the whole bodie that nothing can befall any one of them but the residue will feele it Neither can that which is wanting in one bee supplied by an other For GOD hauing assigned to euerie one his proper office they deale not one in anothers affaires but euery one abideth in his owne office and goeth not beyonde his appoynted boundes and limites as the like is to bee seene in the printing house and amongest them that stampe money For if the Compositor faile in the 〈◊〉 of his letters the Printer that putteth ynke vpon the fourmes doeth not correct the faultes of the Compositor And if the Printer doeth not distribute his ynke well hee that draweth the sheetes from the presse correcteth not his fault For euery one hath his office apart with which onely hee medleth So likewise in Coyne if hee that cutteth prepareth and fineth the mettall faile in his duetie hee that cutteth it in pieces will correct nothing but diuideth it as it is deliuered to him Then hee that maketh it flatte that it may bee fitte for him that stampeth it doeth nothing but that which is committed to his charge and if hee that stampeth it findeth it not so flat or so round as it ought to be yet doeth hee nothing but marke it and so leaueth it as he found it Moreouer wee are to note well howe God giueth vs euen in our nature a goodlie instruction concerning that order and concord that ought to bee amongest vs all by doing euery one his duetie and helping eche other so farre as wee may For wee may learne three principall poyntes in that order which God hath set betweene the vertues of the Vegetatiue soule for the nourishing of the bodie which serue greatly for the preseruation of humane societie First howe euerie one ought to behaue himselfe in his office and not leaue others to performe that woorke which is enioyned him Secondly howe euerie one of vs ought to keepe his ranke and order not making ouer much haste nor beeing too slacke and without anie confusion of offices or vsurping any thing of that which belongeth to others Thirdly the consideration of those inconueniences which may befall euery common-wealth and societie of men if this order bee not well kept and obserued For the like will happen vnto it that doeth to a bodie which is not nourished as it ought to bee and in which the naturall vertues doe not their duetie as I haue declared For from thence proceedeth all the confusion that is in the life of man and all those miseries which wee dayly see therein Concerning the seates of these vertues of the nourishing soule mentioned by vs wee are to knowe that although they bee greater and more apparant in some partes then in others yet they are spredde throughout the whole bodie but after a diuerse manner For in perfect liuing creatures the concoction of the meate is first made in the stomacke that so it may bee prepared for the liuer the seconde is made in the liuer that it may bee turned into blood the thirde is in all the members that it may bee changed into their substance So that there is no ende or stay in the bodie of concocting and consequently of purging the meate and of casting out that which is superfluous For the heate doeth continually warme and as it were seethe the moisture neither is there any meate so pure which hath not alwayes some excrements and superfluities that are to be seperate and eiected Heereof it is that the whole body of liuing creatures is as it were bored through and hath diuers pipes to the ende there might be more open passages for the auoyding of these excrements according to that purging which is done day and night by the partes appointed therevnto as wee haue alreadie touched it speaking of those members whereby such purging is performed after a diuers manner especially when wee spake of the braine Nowe besides that purging which is vnder the armepittes and in the groyne we see howe the thinnest excrements voyde at euery part of the bodie as wee may iudge by that filth which daily is seene in the head handes feete and in all the rest of the body For wee cannot busie our selues so much in washing and cleansing all the partes and members of the bodie but still wee may finde somewhat to wash and to make cleane Therefore wee stande in neede of daily nourishment that whatsoeuer diminisheth continually from vs may from time to time bee restored and made good againe But this vertue of nourishing is the first and simplest of all the naturall vertues of the Vegetatiue soule For there are two others necessary for the life and preseruation of liuing creatures of which we haue already spoken namely the power of augmenting and that other of engendring So that liuing creatures are not onely nourished by that foode which they receiue but they growe bigger and begette their like For there is no liuing creature that hath a bodie but it groweth vp vntill it come to a certaine greatnesse and measure For this cause the vertue of augmenting and growing was added to the nourishing vertue and the vertue of engendering to them both but so as they differ in manie poyntes For first although the vertues of nourishing and of augmenting agree in this that they are both giuen to euerie liuing creature yet they differ heerein that the vertue of nourishing continueth alwayes so long as the creature liueth euen from the beginning of it vnto the end But the vertue of growing greater although it beginne with the other yet hath it a set time limited wherein it staieth and as before the creature waxed bigger and increased in greatnesse and vigour so after it commeth to the appoynted time it beginneth to fall
of soule spirite and heart are taken with the causes wherefore Of the diuisions of man made in the holy Scriptures as well in respect of the soule as of the bodie in what significations the names of soule spirit and heart are vsed therein and the causes why of the intire sanctification of man howe the soule is taken for the life and for the members and instruments of nourishment and for nourishment it selfe Chap. 79. ARAM. Forasmuch as God so honoureth our bodies as to call them Temples of his holie spirite I thinke they cannot bee such in deede except they bee wholly dedicated and consecrated vnto him so that wee separate them from all filthinesse and pollution by giuing our selues to all kinde of sanctimonie and honestie of life For then is the body wholly sanctified when all the senses and members applie themselues onely to good and holy woorkes commaunded by God and when they abstaine from the contrarie Whereupon it commeth to passe that the eyes turne aside from beholding all vaine things and take pleasure onely in seeing that which may rauish man with admiration at the excellencie of the woorkes of God and induce him to well-doing The like may bee sayde of soundes of voyces of wordes in regarde of the eares And as for the tongue it is not polluted with vile speeches with lying slandering and blasphemie but prayseth God and rehearseth his works and woonders speaking alwayes with a grace to the edifying of all In like manner the mouth serueth man for the selfe-same vse as the stomacke also and the bellie with all the rest of the members that serue for the nourishing of the bodie are not defiled through gluttonie and drunkennesse So that the bodie liueth not to eate but eateth to liue and to make supplie to those necessities vnto which GOD hath made it subiect Therefore it obserueth sobrietie and is contented to minister to the naturall affections that God may bee serued in this life Neither doeth it abuse the members of generation to whoredome and villanie but conteineth them within their office and lawfull vse And as for the feete and hands with all the rest of the externall members it keepeth them also within the compasse of their duety But seeing the whole body all the members therof take from the soule all their actions and vses they cannot bee sanctified for the seruice of God and of holy things vnlesse the soule be first sanctified which giueth vnto them life motion and sense For this cause Saint Paul speaking of the sanctification which he wisheth to the Thessalonians before hee maketh any mention of that of the bodie hee beginneth with the Spirite and Soule as wee haue alreadie heard Now because the soule hath diuers powers he vseth two wordes the better to note them out especially the chiefest of them For as it hath beene alreadie declared vnto vs albeit the soule hath manie powers and offices in the bodie of man yet there are not so manie soules in the bodie as there are faculties and effectes thereof but one onely soule which doeth all that For this cause the name of soule is diuersly taken in the holy scriptures Sometime it is taken for that spirituall substaunce that is ioyned with the bodie to giue life vnto it and for all the powers thereof and sometime againe for one part of those faculties and powers The like may be sayd of the name of spirite and of heart and that for the same reason Thus doeth the Scripture sometimes diuide the whole man into two partes onelie namelie into bodie and soule as when Iesus Christ sayeth Feare yee not them which kill the bodie but are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him which is able to destroy both soule and bodie in Hell And often also the same holie worde taketh the one of these two partes for the whole euen in that signification wherein wee take the name Person in our tongue For this cause wee reade so often in the worde All flesh and euerie soule for euery person Also Giue mee the Soules for giue mee the persons And all the Soules of the house for all the persons thereof Nowe because the vnderstanding and the will are the principall faculties and powers of the soule when the Scripture meaneth to set them downe distinctly and to expresse them together with the nature and vertue of the soule it taketh the spirite for the one and the soule for the other namely the spirite for the reason and vnderstanding the soule for the wil affections For otherwise how should euery man be entire souÌ„d vnles his thoughts were pure holy all his affections rightly ruled finally his whole bodie made obedient and seruiceable to euerie good woorke For wee haue hearde alreadie what Lordship is attributed to the reason and to the vnderstanding then howe the will and affections are in the middest to commaund and lastly the bodie to serue and obey So that a man is then altogether pure and sounde when he thinketh nothing in his minde desireth nothing in his heart neither executeth any thing with his members but that which pleaseth God Wee haue a place in Esay which teacheth vs verie clearely that the spirite and soule are so taken and distinguished as wee say The desire of our soule saith he is to thy name and to the remembraunce of thee With my soule haue I desired thee in the night and with my spirite within me will I seeke thee in the morning We see how first he attributeth desire to the soule thereby to declare the affection of the people towardes the Lorde Then hee maketh mention of the remembrance and memorie that hee hath of God which is in the minde So that it seemeth hee comprehendeth the vnderstanding and will in the first verse vnder the name of Soule Afteward in the verse following he distinguisheth them more specialy attributing desire to the soule then watchfulnesse and diligent inquisition to the spirit which is not without thinking and discoursing that appertayne to the minde Wherefore the Prophet minding to signifie how he was wholly addicted to the Lordè with all his senses and vnderstanding and with all his heart and will and that all his affection was towardes him hee vseth this distinction betweene the soule and the spirite Likewise wee finde these two names Soule and Spirite ioyned together in this signification in the Psalmes and I am perswaded that for the same reason the blessed Virgine ioyned them together in her song when she sayd My soule magnifieth the Lord and my spirit reioyâ—eth in God my Sauiour Nowe as the Scripture vseth this distinction the better to expresse the faculties and powers of the soule so Saint Paul sometimes distinguisheth them into three that they may the better bee knowen as when hee writeth to the Ephesians in these woordes This I say therefore and testifie in the Lorde
of the affections it is necessary they shoulde agree together For as reason guideth before the affections will followe after Therefore wee may alwayes iudge of reason by the affections which it ought to gouerne as of the gouernement of a good Prince by the estate of his subiects of a good father of a family by those of his houshold Moreouer seeing the affections proceede from the heart there is the seate of that loue which wee ought to beare as well towardes God as towardes men which comprehendeth the whole lawe of God and all iustice For he that loueth God is not onely afraide to offend and displease him but desireth also to serue please him and he that loueth his neighbour doeth not onely abstaine from procuring him any dishonour or losse but laboureth also to aduance his honour and profit Therefore if the minde be lightened and inflamed with diuine light and the reason also that ruleth therein then the heart will waxe hote and burne with the loue of God and of his neighbour Which if it fall out so the heart will not be slacke in shewing foorth those heauenly motions that are within it in giuing matter to the soule to glorifie God and to the tongue and mouth which will speake out of the abundance thereof Likewise there will be an accord and consent betweene it and the voyce and tongue which then will vtter nothing but the trueth And this is the cause of that which wee were taught before namely that God by his prouidence and wise counsaile hath ioyned neere vnto the heart the chiefe instrument of the voyce which is the lungs as the other instruments that are higher are lodged neere to the braine and cheefely the tongue as the Oratours and Embassadours of Kings are placed next vnto them Wherefore if mans nature had not beene corrupted through sinne but had continued perfect and sound there woulde alwayes haue beene a goodly concord and consent betweene the heart and the braine the voice and the tongue the reason and the affections Next wee must note that seeing the heart is the first member of the whole body that receiueth life and thē giueth the same to others as also the last that leaueth life and seeing it is the shop of all the vitall spirits without which neither the braine nor the rest of the members can haue life or perforume their dueties it is not without cause that this member is taken to be as it were the seate not onely of the affections but also of reason Therefore it is taken in the Scripture one while for the minde as when Moses saieth to the people of Israel Yet the Lord hath not giuen you a heart to know and another while it is taken for the affections as when our Sauiour Christ saieth Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy minde For wee see heere howe he putteth a difference betweene the heart and the minde Sometime they are put indifferently one for another or one for both especially the heart as when the Lorde saide to Salomon Beholde I haue giuen thee a wise and an vnderstanding heart the heart is taken for the senses and minde as it appeareth very euidently For the same cause Saint Paul continuing his speach of Gods punishment aboue mentioned against the vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse of men hee addeth to that before recited this saying Wherefore also God gaue them vp to their hearts lustes vnto vncleannesse to defile their owne bodies betweene themselues which turned the trueth of God vnto a lie In which place wee see howe the Apostle maketh the heart to be the seate of the appetites and of the affections and howe hee calleth the vnruly and disordered affections of the heart by the name of lustes for so hee expoundeth himselfe by and by after calling them Vile Affections vnto which God gaue them vp Whereupon wee will note this that the naturall affections of the heart which pricke it forward to the desire of pleasure and which minister pleasure vnto it shoulde be no sinne at all vnto men but a benefite giuen them of God in the perfection of their nature were it not that by reason of the corruption which hath raken holde of it such desires and affections cannot containe themselues within the limites of their sound nature but there is alwayes some excesse euen in the perfectest and that being sinne is properly called euill concupiscence because it continually prouoketh vs to euill and causeth vs to goe beyond the bounds which God had set to our affections Whereof it is come to passe that that which should be a benefite vnto men in their naturall pleasures is become hurtfull vnto them Nowe forasmuch as the order of our discourses hath brought vs to the tractate of affections which haue their seate in the heart before wee goe any further we must say somewhat of the nature of this part of the body as we haue done of the braine to the ende we may the better know the seate and instruments of the vital power and vertue of the soule and of the will and affections as those which belong to the animal power and vertue haue bene declared vnto vs. Let vs then heare ASER handle this matter Of the nature and composition of the heart and of the midriffe of the tunicles or skinny couerings of the breast and of the Pericardion or cawle about the heart of the motion office and vse of the lungs of the heart and of the arteries Chap. 37. ASER. It is not without good and iust cause that God hath ordained that reason should lodge in the highest part of the frame of man and that the will and affections should lodge lower namely in the heart For by this order hee would admonish and tell vs what part and power of the soule ought to beare greatest sway therein and that vnderstanding and wisdome which teach vs the true rules according to which wee must square our whole life ought to raigne and haue the first place seeing the principall cause wherefore God hath created vs is to knowe him to the end that knowing him we should loue and honour him as wee ought and as for the affections they are to be 〈◊〉 and gouerned by wisedome and vnderstanding Wherfore if this order appointed by God be confounded and turned topsie turuy in vs hee causeth vs to feele and knowe it well enough For although sinne be the cause yet the impression of that diuine image which God hath set in the nature of man cannot be so wholy defaced in vs but there will alwayes remaine very euident and wonderfull testimonies thereof And therefore presently after we haue ouerthrowne this order and that the will lifteth her selfe vp against reason euen then doth reason condemne that fault of hers and compelleth the heart to take vengeance thereof and to punish in it her selfe disobedience and rebellion
retaineth a longer time that liquor and foode that it receiueth For this cause it is of a greater length and hath more foldings and turnings to the ende it may the better concoct the liquor and bee tempering with the foode the longer time whereby it shall not neede to bee filled and stuffed presently with other meates And heerein wee haue to note the good forecast of nature For if wee were presently to returne againe to the Table after we had taken our meate wee shoulde doe nothing all our life time but eate and drinke Therefore some of the ancient Philosophers haue in this respect acknowledged the prouidence of GOD saying that these foldings plites and windings were made to this ende that men might not liue ignorantly as beastes that are destitute of all knowledge which would follow vndoubtedly if they were of necessitie to attend alwayes vpon the belly Nowe let vs speake of the other three great Guts which followe the small ones These then are lower more fleshie and thicke because their chiefe office is to receiue the excrements of the aboue named Guts and to retaine the same vntill the iust time come to send them foorth euen as it is the office of the three former to distribute the liquor and foode by the Meseraicall veines The first of these great ones is called the Blinde Gut because that being large and great it hath but one way both to receiue in and to let out the matter receiued whereupon it is commonly called by some the Sacke or Budget Gut His office is to receiue the excrementes from the last lesser Gut and hauing drawne out some nourishment from them to cast foorth the rest to the other Gut called Colon. For this cause the doores and holes of these three last Guts concurre well together in a hollowe place Nowe because this blinde Gut is wide and round and hath many foldings among other things it standeth in steade of an other stomach to keepe and to preserue meate in it against some want and necessitie to come and to distribute it to the neighbour-members after a long hunger Whereunto the Gut called Colon doeth also helpe both by reason of the capacitie of it as for the oblique situation thereof as also because it keepeth within it foode and nourishment Concerning the name of it the Greeke worde from whence it is taken signifieth Gaine because it is greater and more capable then any of the rest or else it may signifie as a man woulde say Cut because it is as it weree cut into sundry holes and hath diuers turnings For it receiueth the excrementes and to the ende they shoulde not passe away by and by it sendeth them by little and little through straight passages The chollericke humour descendeth out of the hungrie Gut into this whereby the dirt is both coloured and driuen foorth Of this Gut called Colon the Colike passion taketh the name as the Ileaca passion doeth of the Gut Ileon Nowe because this Gut is puffed vp more then any of the rest and is very painefull to them that haue it stopped it hath certaine straight threedes wouen amongest the ouerthwart Fibres which strengthen the coates and skinnes thereof to the ende they shoulde not breake or cracke when they are blowen vp and strained Whereby wee see againe howe the counsaile of Gods prouidence hath notably prouided for all things whose excellent maiestie hath not despised these most base earthly and brute parts Nowe it remaineth that wee shoulde consider of the third Gut called the Straight Gut For although it proceede from the Gut Colon yet it differeth from it both in place and figure and is called the Straight Gut because of the straightnesse of it Some call it the Fatte Gut because it is passing fatte in beastes It reacheth vnto the very fundament at the ende whereof is placed a muscle being fashioned rounde like to a Ring to keepe in and to retaine ventositie and excrementes vntill Nature please to this ende that expulsion of them might not bee made vpon euery occasion and in euery place indifferently against our wils and contrary to naturall and ciuill honestie For the vse of the straight Gut is to carrie and throwe foorth cleane out of the bodie the filth dregs and grossest excrements thereof being such as are altogether vnprofitable and hurtfull to the body Nowe forasmuch as it is the lowest gut and most burthened by reason that it must holde all the grosse excrements of whatsoeuer entreth into the body by the mouth and is oftentimes very much blowen and stretched vp therefore the diuine prouidence hath giuen vnto it more threedes and fibres of all sortes then to any of the rest and hath made it strong and able to beare the charge So likewise his heauenly counsaile hath prouided that amongst all the members of the body those should be strongest that haue the greatest burthen and stresse to beare And for this cause also this straight gutte hath this muscle which the Physicions call Sphincter being taken from a Greeke worde that signifieth to restraine and close vp because it is an instrument of voluntarie motion that openeth and shutteth as wee will when neede requireth Nowe for the ende of this speech if wee consider well of those partes whereof wee haue spoken wee shall finde that wee carrie about with vs sundrie sortes of sinkes which are oftentimes ilfauouredly looked vnto And this ought to put vs in minde of our infirmities and of those goodly shoppes wee haue in our bodies full of stinking drugges which ought to take from vs all matter of pride Moreouer wee may learne here that which was spoken of in the beginning of this discourse namely the vse of these members and the necessitie of the basest and lesse comely partes Therefore if there were no other respect to be had but this of necessitie wee ought to be so farre from despising them especially the workemaster that hath made and disposed them as that wee ought rather thereby to acknowledge his great prouidence and the care hee hath had of vs seeing it hath pleased him euen from the high degree of his maiestie to prouide for the least and last necessities and infirmities of our bodies So likewise by admiring his so great bounty and goodnesse towardes vs wee haue good occasion by his example to doe the like one towardes an other in the performance of all dueties appertaining to a holy and true friendship Nowe that wee may prosecute our matter subiect let vs looke into the other naturall powers of the soule First let vs consider of the Mesentery of the Meseraicall veines of the sweete bread of the liuer and of their natures and offices The handling of these things belong to thee ARAM. Of the Mesentery and Mesareon of the Meseraicall veines of the Pancreas or sweet bread and of their nature and office of the liuer and of his nature and office of the rootes bodies and
first creatures which he created of nothing in the beginning For he created vs all in Adam and Eue and shut vs vp as it were in a store-house or in a spring or fountaine or as in one stocke of mankinde out of which hee produceth men continually Wherefore wee ought diligently to consider of this woorke of GOD and of this vertue which hee hath giuen to Nature by his worde and blessing to ingender like and to encrease the whole race and kinde thereof For this cause as it is the office of Nature in the beginning to nourish bodies and then to cause them to encrease and augment so in the ende it is her duetie to preserue the seuerall kindes of things as long as shee may by Generation of the like Whereby it appeareth that Generation is a worke of liuing creatures after they are come to their growth and vigour as wee see the like also in plants themselues For in the beginning of the Spring al their vertue is in the root from thence it commeth after into the boughes leaues next into the floure fruit and lastly into the seed which being sowen another plant is brought forth like vnto the first Wherfore wee may say that the Generatiue vertue is a power in liuing creatures that engendreth his like being ordained for the preseruatiō of the same kind So that wee must diligently meditate and often set before our eyes this goodly order of nature according whereunto the nourishing facultie is first giuen to the soule for the preseruation of euery particular Next the power to cause it to grow and to augment to a iust sufficient greatnesse and lastly the generatiue vertue whereby the kind is preserued For albeit the order that is throughout the whole course of nature bee an euident testimony that neither the worlde nor any thing therein standeth vpon chance or fortune yet among others this is most singular and excellent in that the same kinds of al things abide continually that euerie one begetteth multiplieth his like without any maner of confusion amongst them which could not be eschewed if so be that creatures were bredde and borne at aduenture without the counsel and prouidence of their Creator of him that wrought such a worke Nowe wee are to vnderstand that the seede is a body that hath in it selfe a vegetatiue soule which body in Generation is turned into an other like to that from which it is taken and because nourishing growing and engendering are the effectes of foode and sustenance they are contained vnder the name of a vegetatiue soule which is a facultie and power that not onely conuerteth foode into the substaunce of the liuing bodie for the good thereof and by that conuersion augmenteth that it may attaine to a conuenient bignesse but also engendereth an other body of the same forme and kinde And therefore after that this vegetatiue power hath doone that duetie which it ought to perfourme about the growth of the liuing body then hath it time and meanes enough to gather together into a small roome many of those qualities that keepe the soule in the administration of the bodie out of which it can soone drawe and engender a like kinde so farre foorth as the qualities of the matter will be able to beare For when they are repugnant to the qualities meete for that kinde whatsoeuer commeth thereof degenerateth as we see it in the earth when in steade of wheate whereof it receiued the seede it bringeth foorth darnell or some other hearbs of an other nature and as wee see it also in monsters that are borne both of women and of other liuing creatures For there are in many countries namely in Sicilia and in the kingdome of Naples and in Flaunders as many Authours worthy of credite haue testified women in whom haue beene bredde oftentimes sundry kindes of beastes in steade of children and sometimes together with the childe either liuing or dead Which thing commeth to passe in such women as abound with euill humours that are putrified and corrupted either by reason of the ayre or of badde meate or of excesse in eating as in such bodies wherein wormes and such other filthinesse breedeth The Astrologians referre this vnto constellations as they doe all other things I leaue the secret iudgements and punishments of GOD whereby such things may come to passe neuerthelesse these things ought to admonish women to pray vnto God to recommend themselues to him and to be sober The moone calfes in the womb which fall out often proceed also of the like causes In like maner it falleth out oftentimes that the kinde degenerateth through corruption of the seede But to go on forward with our matter of the Generation of liuing creatures and namely of man wee must knowe that forasmuch as the male hath naturally more heate in him then the female hee is also by nature the chiefest in Generation For this cause when the holie Scriptures speake of mankinde it is ordinarilie comprehended vnder the name of man And when mention is made of his generation they speake as though all proceeded onely from man as when Malachie speaking of his creation sayeth Did not hee make one and wherefore one because hee sought a godly seede And Saint Paul He hath made saith hee of one blood all mankind Neuerthelesse GOD hath put in nature such a temperature betweene the male and the female that if both their natures were altogether alike there could be no Generation For it consisteth in force and in infirmity But the wisdome of God hath so wel prouided as that it knoweth how to draw strength out of weaknes so that the one can do nothing without the other in generation because he hath so willed and ordained it Nowe I leaue to thee AMANA to discourse vnto vs more particularly of such things as are most worthy to be noted in this maruailous worke of God and of the principall cause why he hath giuen to man the Generatiue power Of the powers of the Generatiue vertue and of their offices of the principall cause why God gaue to man the power of Generation in what sense the reines are taken for the seate of Generation how we ought rightly to consider of the generation of man Chap. 70. AMANA As noueltie causeth a man through the errour of iudgement to thinke that rare things are greater and more woorthie of admiration so most men imagine those matters to bee small and not worthy to be wondered at which fall out daily before their eyes But ignorance is the cause of both these effectes For as a man admireth that which hee neuer knewe coulde be perfourmed so hee maketh no reckoning of that thing which he vsually beholdeth because hee hath alwayes beene ignorant of the secrets of nature or rather of his Author and Creator who appeareth woonderfull in the least of his woorkes euen in the very Ant or Pismire This selfe same ignorance is
good and wise man against all the miseries that can befall him in this world if he knoweth and is assuredly perswaded that there is a resting place prepared for him not therein to be depriued of all sense of good and euill as they imagine who seeke for rest in death without all hope of another life but a place of happines for them that with a good heart and Will haue giuen themselues to vertue and holinesse which is appointed by God who is aliust almightie and algood For what rest can that thing find which is not at all So that if man bee no more after the death of the bodie then death cannot bring him any rest at all And therefore wee may say of this rest that as God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing according to the testimonie of Iesus Christ so rest is not for them that are not but for them that are For rest presupposeth a beeing because the thing it selfe must needes be as well as the rest that belongeth to it otherwise neither of them both should haue any being Thus then we may iudge after so many reasons taken from nature and hauing had so many testimonies as haue hitherto beene alleged from the authoritie and sayings of men on which side the truth is most certaine whether with them who haue all good and wise men on their side or with the other who haue none but foolish and wicked men Wee haue then in this matter which now wee follow the iudgement authoritie and sentence of all the greatest and most excellent men in the world with the greatest and chiefest part of all mankinde Vnto whose testimony we may further adde religion iustice holines and all vertues which are so grounded and laide vpon the immortalitie of mans soule that if this foundation bee taken from them they are altogether ouerthrowen For albeit they haue their chiefest foundation in God neuerthelesse he hath so ordained and ordered them that they cannot take place if there be no immortalitie of soules and that for the reasons alreadie declared It followeth then well that trueth is on their side For trueth will rather stande for them then for vices villanies and notorious wickednesse vnto which the mortality of the soule is more agreeable then the immortalitie And if all the Philosophers were not able to attaine to the knowledge of the soules nature nor define the immortalitie thereof wee ought not to bee greatly abashed if such as were most ignorant vile and abiect of them as they are called by some of the best of the Ancients abused themselues so grossely and spake so vnreuerently seeing many of the greater sort and of good account fell so shamefully and shewed themselues to be woorser then beastes in some things whereof a man may iudge by the outwarde senses For haue there not some beene founde who albeeit they sawe the snowe white yet they durst maintaine that it was blacke and that pepper was white and although they felt the fire hote and burning yet affirmed that it was colde But for this time let vs leaue the opinions of Philosophers and speake somewhat of them who although they doe not beleeue the immortalitie of soules nor yet all that is spoken of GOD or of religion say notwithstanding that it is good for the life of man that men shoulde bee of that opinion without which humane societie could not be kept inuiolable neither would men do any thing as they ought if they were not as it were with a bridle kept backe by this feare that there is another life after this and that there are gods to take vengeance of such as haue done euill And therefore they say that feare ws the first that made gods Heereof they conclude that religion is nothing but onely in opinion yea that it is nothing else but superstition which proceedeth from this foolish opinion But seeing this errour serueth for the benefit of mans life it is good say they to vpholde it and to confirme men therein And they that vse this speech are none of them that are taken to bee fooles and ignoraunt persons but of the greater and skilfuller sort of people yea of the wisest men of the worlde according to the iudgement of men For when wee speake of good men and such as are wise wee must iudge of them according to the matter which wee handle and according to the iudgement of God in his worde Therefore if according to this reason wee iudge of these men of whome wee nowe speake they shall be found to be the grosest and most blockish beasts that the earth beareth For all science wisedome and greatnes separated from vertue are not the things themselues indeed but brutishnesse rather and vile basenesse And if we iudge otherwise what is all the knowledge wisedome greatnesse that is in all men in respect of that which is in one Deuil onely For what want the deuils from being Angels like to those blessed Angels that continue still in their obedience vnto God If there be any question made for greatnesse of spirite they are all spirite If for such wisedome and knowledge as the cunning and wise men of this worlde haue of whome haue worldly wise men learned their skill but of them in comparison of whom they are but young schollers If the question bee for greatnesse what King or Prince in the worlde is so great as they For who is called the prince of this worlde by Iesus Christ the God of this worlde by Saint Paul principalities powers worldly gouernours and the princes of the darknesse of this worlde Are not the deuils so called who rule and gouerne the great ones of the whole worlde that are great indeede according to men but not according God What then doe they want of beeing celestiall Angels but vertue and goodnesse But because these men of whome wee speake nowe beleeue not that there are Angels or diuels wee will beate them with other arguments For of these men also there bee some that say wee must hue as the most doe but followe the opinion of the fewest Nowe then when they woulde haue men to bee perswaded to vertue and to doe their duetie by lying and errour namely by intertayning in them an opinion of religion and of a second life although there bee no such thing is not this a very proper meanes to call all trueth into question and to trample all vertue vnder foote For if any propounde the immortalitie of soules vnto men not as if it were a true matter but as a fayned and false thing which yet they would haue them beleeue as true to the ende that through the feare of Gods iudgement they might bee kept backe from euill and lead vnto goodnesse euerie one may guesse easily howe men will dispence with themselues when they once knowe that whatsoeuer is spoken and propounded vnto them is but as a scarre-crowe to make them afraide as wee vse to
there related that not long after he made man after his owne image and committed vnto him the soueraigntie ouer the earth and ouer all liuing and moouing creatures vnder the cope of heauen Neither can it bee truely said that howsoeuer the Lord himselfe formed the first man and breathed in his face the breath of life yet since that first creation hee hath not intermedled at all with the continual propagation of mankinde but hath surrendered all his working power into the handes of nature by whose powerfull operation the matter of mens bodies is brought to this glorious perfection which we see it hath when it first appeareth in the worlde For this is to speake after the manner of meere naturall men that haue not as yet learned the language of Canaan as is plaine if wee call to minde what the kingly Prophet saieth vnto the Lorde that it was hee that possessed his reines and that couered him in his mothers wombe Which also is more manifestly taught by that holy man Iob who confidently affirmeth that it was the Lorde who had powred him out as milke and turned him to cruddes like cheese that he had clothed him with skinne and flesh and ioyned him together with bones and sinewes Wherefore as it was the eternall God who first turned the body of the heauens into that roundnes gathered the light into the bodies of the celestiall lamps fixed the starres in the firmament endued ech planet with his seuerall motion and clothed the inferior world with this glorious circumference so the same God at the first planted Adam as the roote of mankind and euer since hath caused his whole race euery seuerall person as so many branches to issue and grow out of his loynes He turned the eies into that roundnesse hee planted the eares as watch-towers in the vpper part of the head he placed the tongue fastned the teeth stretched out the sinewes hee watred the veines with blood gaue maessines to the bones and clothed the flesh with a fine skin as with a garment he seuered the fingers and toes caused the feete to walke and the hands to gripe Hee and none but he giueth sight to the eies hearing to the eares taste to the tongue smelling to the nostrilles and feeling to the fingers Who but hee hath endued the lungs with breathing the heart with the spirits of life the stomacke with concoction the liuer with the making of blood and womens breastes with the making of milke Who hath fashioned the instruments of hearing in the head like to a hammer and an anuile the heart in the body like a pyramide and made the spleene in substance like a spunge Who hath couered the head with haire for comelines and boared the skin through with infinit pores for euacuation In a word who hath giuen beauty to the whole body and to each member his seueral operation What father what mother what workman hath wrought these things but the onely wise and immortall God But to proceede as the sunne moone and celestial starres and planets haue a double motion the one common with the whole body of the heauens the other proper and peculiar according to the nature of euery seuerall starre so haue the partes of mans body two motions whereof the one dependeth of the motion of the whole body and is therefore vniuersall and the other is particular according to the inset nature and disposition of each seuerall member And to descend to a more speciall comparison of one particular thing with an other how doth the diuerse operations of the animal spirite whose seate is in the braine concurre with the different workings of the sunne in the firmament vpon the infâ—riour bodies here below vpon the face of the earth We see that through the selfe-same reflexion of the sun-beames the clay is hardned and the wax made soft that the light of the sun is comfortable to some eies whereas other become worse through the brightnes of the same that it worketh otherwise vpon a thicke body then vpon a thin vpon a hard then vpon a soft vpon a plant then vpon a stone vpon the earth then vpon the water So the Animal spirit being distributed into sundry partr and members of the body worketh diuersly in each of them according to the diuerse nature composition and temperament of euery one For being imparted to the eyes by the opticke sinewes it giueth sight to the eares by certaine passages it woorketh hearing to the tongue by small Nerues it breedeth tasting in a worde being dispersed into the muscles and skinne by meanes of certaine sinowie threedes concurring in manner of a net it infuseth feeling throughout the whole body And as it often falleth out that wee are depriued of the heate and light of the sunne when either some thicke cloude or the bodie of the Moone or some such thing is interposed and put betweene vs and the same so wee quickely see and feele the want of the Animall spirite when any thicke clammie humour or winde or melancholicke fumes or any such impediment stoppe the passages and hinder the woorking thereof as is to be seene in them that are taken with the palsie apoplexie madnesse numnesse and such like It is no lesse delectable then straunge to consider in howe many thinges the Sunne as it were the heart of the heauens agreeth with the heart of man which may not vnfittely bee called the sunne of the body For as the Sunne being the chiefest of the Planets occupieth the middle place among those wandering starres hauing the rest as his guarde both aboue and beneath him to employ as neede requireth both for their owne safetie and the good of the inferiour worlde so the heart being the chiefest member of the body is seated in the middle storie of the same hauing the other partes both aboue and beneath it and on euery side employing them according to their seuerall offices for the vpholding and preseruation of the whole frame And as the Sunne is the storehouse of that celestiall heate which together with a diuine and quickening spirite working in the bowelles of the earth maketh it a fruitfull Mother and tender Nurse for the bringing foorth and preseruation of all thinges so the heart is the harth from whence proceedeth all that inset and natiue heate which being conueyed with the vitall spirite into euery member of the bodie maketh them liuely and powerfull to perfourme those dueties that are enioyned them Concerning the motion of the heart as it agreeth with the Sunne in this that they both haue a double motion so in that the heaâ— being the first that receiueth life and motion is the Originall of all motion in the body it resembleth the whole heauens of which dependeth all naturall motions of inferiour bodies whatsoeuer Againe the two eies in the head represent the two chiefe lights in the firmament And as there are both simple stars in the heauens namely the Sunne Moone Saturne Iupitâ—r Mercurie with the
all natures contayned therein if it shall please God to giue vs grace as he hath giuen vs wils to performe it True it is that we haue now taken in hand a very long piece of worke and not greatly necessary in respect of the principall cause of our meeting together if we meant here to make an entire and perfect Anatomy of mans body This duetie belongeth to Physicions which we will not take vpon vs but it shall suffice vs to open a gappe to the consideration first of the matter whereof the body is made and of the diuersitie thereof then of the fourme which God hath giuen vnto it and lastly of the profit and vse of them both For through a litle vnderstanding and knowledge which wee may haue of these things if we consider them as we ought we shal haue great occasion to maruayle at the worke of God in the frame of the body yea wee shall see therein store of testimonies of his almighty power knowledge wisdome goodnesse and prouidence But as for the soule we will labour to make her to behold herselfe in the glasse of her wonderfull actions so farre forth as she is able to contemplate herselfe and to measure her greatnesse by her owne compasse Wherefore we will here make as it were an Anatomy of the soule and of all her partes powers vertues and faculties instructing our selues at large in the consideration of her nature creation and immortalitie and eschewing in all our discourses as much as we may obscure words and phrases subtill curious and vnprofitable disputations which the ancient Philosophers haue vsed in the searching out of such matters we wil apply our selues to the greatest number of such as haue not haunted the schooles of philosophy that we may profit many and instruct our selues in the truth by familiar speaches so farre forth as our weake iudgement is able to comprehend being directed by the gift and grace of God and made coÌ„formable to his word which is the true touchstone whereby all doctrine is to be examined Moreouer we wil obserue in our discourses the same order which we kept in our Academical treatises but only that I thinke it meetest for our present purpose that euery one of vs after he hath discoursed of some point should offer matter subiect to his companion to prosecute and speake of as if he gaue him instructions concerning that thing which he propoundeth vnto him And thus we will deale all foure of vs euery one in his course making one discourse round in the morning and another the afternoone continuing vntill we haue finished as it were a naturall history of man and of his parts the body and soule First therefore thou shalt instruct vs ASER in the creation of first man and in the matter whereof mans body is made Par la prieres Dieu m'ayde ¶ THE FIRST DAYES worke of the second part of the French Acadamy Of the creation of the first man and of the matter whereof the body of manis made Chap. 1. ASER God only hath his being of himselfe therefore he is eternal without beginning without end But because hee would not be alone he created the creatures and by their creation gaue being to that which was nothing before Therefore all natures tooke their beeing and essence and do hold it of that first euerlasting essence Thus also he answered to Moses who asked of him what his name was I will be that I will be or I am that I am Moreouer he said Thus shalt thou say to the children of Israel I am hath sent me vnto you We see heere what name hee giueth himselfe whereby hee sheweth that he onely is and hath an immutable essence and existence which onely to speake properly a man may call a Being Wherefore seeing God is the first essence and that onely that hath being of it selfe and from which all others proceede as riuers from their spring and fountaine we shall easily come vnto the Eternitie of God if we know how to ascend thither by the degrees of the essences of all those creatures which descended from his eternall and vnchangeable essence by reason whereof he is called Iehouah by the Hebrews If then we consider our selues euery one of vs shal know that he had a beginning that he made not himselfe neither came into the worlde but by the help of another This consideration wil leade euery one to his father and mother that begat him being come so far he wil passe on and ascend step by step to his ancestors making the like iudgement of al his predecessors as of himselfe For he wil by and by think that they came into the world after the same maner that he did and not otherwise and that they were not the first men Thus if a man ascend vp stil from father to father he must needes in the ende come to some one father that was the first father of all of whome all others tooke their beginning as hee that was the stocke of all mankinde This first father must either haue his being of one or be eternall or come of some eternall matter like to God or bee God himselfe Which because heâ— coulde not be â—hee must needes haue some beginning and bee borne after another fashion then they were that descended of him Now what 〈◊〉 can we say he had but the Creator of the whole world Being come to his first beginning wee can mount no higher but must stay there and conclude that this first builder of nature was without beginning that he is infinite and eternall otherwise we shall neuer find place to stay at Thus we see how the creature leadeth vs from essence to essence proceeding from one to another vntill it come to the first essence which is infinite and eternall the spring and fountaine of all others which we call God But let vs speake of this creation of the first man After the almighty power of 〈◊〉 Eternal had within nothing and of nothing made the onely matter of the world had seucred out of this Chaos the ayre the fire the earth and the water inriched the whole with celestiall lights herbes plants earthy ayery and watry liuing creatures Let vs sayd he make man in our owne image according to our likenesse and let them rule ouer the 〈◊〉 of the sea and oâ—er the foule of the heauen and ouer the beasts and ouer all the earth and ouer euery thing that creepeth and moouethon the earth Nowe we will note here in the first place three things well worthy of consideration First that God did not barely command that man should be made and created as he commanded for the other creatures but he speaketh as though some great king or prince should ideliberate with his Councill about the making of some great worke declaring afterward himselfe why he tooke this way in the cruation of man onely and not in the creation of the other creatures like wise
a lampe to moysten the meate to the end that this fire should not consume it so quickly And because it must alwayes be kept burning otherwise the light thereof which is the life will die together with it it must haue new matter continually ministred vnto it as it were to a fire that cannot alwayes continue kindled in the chimney and not goe out if it be not preserued by wood or coale or in a candle or lampe if it haue not alwayes cotton or weeke and oyle or some other tallowy and moyst matter Therefore wee see that when either of them beginneth to fayle another is put in to supplie the place of it And thus as fire and the light thereof are mainteined in a lampe or candle by meanes of that nourishment they haue both in the weeke and in the tallow thereof so life and that naturall fire which giueth life to the bodie are mainteyned by that food which they receiue ordinarily in eating and drinking The meate then in mans bodie is to nourish and preserue the naturall heate thereof as the weeke is in a candle or lampe and the moysture which it receiueth by drinke is vnto it as the â—oyle and tallowe For this cause if heate bee stronger in a man he shall feele thirst which is an appetite and desire of that which is moyst and colde that is of such qualities as are contrary to the fire which is hote and dry For the moysture must be confirmed strengthened to moderate the burning heate as it is when oyle is powred into a lampe And if both heate and moysture consuming eche other beginne to waxe faint and to fayle they must both bee holpen that they may gather more strength as when we put not onely oyle but weeke also into a lampe And this is the cause of hunger which is a desire of that which is hote and moyst But there is difference betweene the humiditie required in hunger and that which is required in thirst because the moysture desired in thirst is more thinne and lesse earthie then that which is required in hunger And if the moisture be increased ouer much so that the heate decreaseth and languisheth and consequently the appetite to meate and drinke and to receiue nourishment decayeth it must be restored againe by physicke For although all nourishment be as it were physick to the body neuerthelesse there is this difference in that foode repaireth the whole person and all the body whereas physicke repaireth onely the instruments of the body which are to serue for nourishment For this cause food is alwayes necessary for all at all times and in all places but besides that all stande not in neede of physicke they that want it vse it but at certaine times as necessitie requireth For if those members that serue to nourish the body be well disposed and discharge their office so well that all the partes of the bodie receiue due nourishment and the whole body bee healthie and sound there needeth nothing but ordinary foode to preserue the body and to keepe it in good health But if any member be weakened and doeth not his duetie well especially any of those that ought to serue to nourish the whole bodie it must be restored again to strength by the meanes of physicke Now albeit the sense of taste whereof we haue presently discoursed be not so apt to teach especially the knowledge of spirituall and diuine things as the senses of sceing and hearing of which we haue spoken heretofore yet we may receiue much good doctrine thereby For as the body cannot liue except it haue such corporall foode as agreeth to the nature thereof so the soule cannot liue if it haue not that knowledge which God hath appointed for it And as life is kept in the body by heate which is the chiefe instrument thereof to the life of our soules consisteth and is preserued and increased by heate namely by the loue charity of God without which it cannot liue that life that is agreeable to it owne nature For the soule that is separated from the loue of God is dead in respect of the true and blessed life seeing God liueth not in it nor it in God For this cause this loue must be alwayes nourished and mainteyned therein by the celestiall and diuine moysture agreeable to the nature thereof Wherefore as it is of a heauenly and celestiall nature so the foode thereof must be answerable thereunto This foode therfore cannot be had but of God who is the life of the soule as the soule is the life of the body and the meanes which he hath appointed to minister this food vnto it is his heauenly eternall word and those spirituall graces which he communicateth vnto vs thereby But let vs follow our matter subiect of corporall senses And seeing we haue intreated of the meanes wherby the body is nourished we ought to consider more particularly of those things that are meet and conuenient to mainteine and preserue the body of man and see how God prepareth them to this end in which thou shalt instruct vs AMANA Of helpes and creatures meete for the preseruation and nourishment of the bodie how God prepareth them to serue for that purpose of their vse Chap. 18. AMANA God being carefull ouer the welfare of his creatures that haue life hath put in them a desire to preserue themselues to the ende they shoulde followe after such things as are profitable for their health and shunne that which is hurtfull and contrarie vnto it Nowe this preseruation consisteth eyther in the equalitie of heate and moisture nourishers of life or els in an inequalitie that may easily be reduced and brought to an equalitie by that which we eate and drinke For if there bee so great excesse of heate or moysture that the one consumeth the other death followeth necessarily if there be no excesse of either but a good equalitie the body is very well affected But it is very hard to finde a bodie so tempered And although such a one might be found yet it could not long continue in that estate but that it would quickly change as we may iudge by that which we haue learned in the former discourse But when this change doeth not bring with it so great excesse and inequalitie but that it may be kept vpright by nourishment the body is neuerthelesse well disposed vntiil such time as the excesse is greater then can bee repaired by foode For then if foode will not serue the turne wee must haue recourse to physicke and if the inequalitie be so great that by the helpe of physicke no remedie can be found there is no other naturall ayde to be had Nowe this inequalitie that approcheth so neere to equalitie is very pleasaunt as that which is the pricke and procurer of naturall pleasures necessarie for the life of man to incite him to desire them and as it were the sawse to make them toothsome For if
excellent and wonderfull then is the simple apprehending of them This facultie and power is giuen for the knowledge of things and that to the instruments in the brayne as it appeareth by experience in this that according as the braine and the partes thereof are well or ill affected it is perceiued in the internall senses of which they are the instruments as wee will expresse more plainely in the sequele of our speech But concerning this present matter in hand we are to note that there are three kindes of knowledge The first knoweth those bodies onely that are present before it the second knoweth those also that are absent and the third those things that haue no bodies Wee see by experience that although plants haue a certaine agreement with other liuing creatures namely in this that they inioy the same life with them which we called before the Vegetatiue or Nourishing life neuerthelesse other liuing creatures haue this more then they that they know see heare taste smell and touch which things are without them whereas the whole life of plants hath nothing but that which is within them hauing no sense or knowledge outwardly Concerning that knowledge which taketh notice onely of corporall things that are present before it it is the same that belongeth properly to the external senses of which we spake before and which are giuen by God to liuing creatures for their preseruation For seeing they are bodily natures and must liue amongst bodies hee hath endued them with a certaine knowledge of those bodies to the end they may desire and follow after such things as are agreeable to their nature and eschewe that which is hurtfull Now that which is hidden within anything is knowen by some outward means And therfore the bodily senses were giuē vnto thē to the end that by them they might know whatsoeuer is external being annexed to the things that are perceiued And although God hath not giuen to all liuing creatures outwarde senses alike yet they that are perfect haue all those fiue senses spoken of in our former discourses by which they are able to perceiue and knowe all outward things so that nothing can bee found which is not comprehended vnder the knowledge of these senses Wherin God hath so prouided that according to mans iudgement we see that all perfect liuing creatures ought to haue iust so many not one more or lesse For if they had lesse they should not be so perfect as they are and if they had moe they woulde be superfluous and for no vse at leastwise so farre forth as our smal capacitie could conceiue leauing in the meane while to the incomprehensible wisedome and infinite power of God that which we are not able to comprehend For we owe him this reuerence seeing he alone knoweth all things that are necessary and expedient for all creatures Now besides this outward knowledge of things present we see plainly that there is another knowledge within of things that are absent For our owne experience teacheth vs that euen then when our externall senses are retired and withdrawen from doing their dueties the imagination thought consideration and remembrance of those things we haue seene heard tasted smelt touched and perceiued with corporal senses remaine still in vs both waking and sleeping as it appeareth by our dreames in which the images and resemblance of those things which the bodily senses perceiued waking are represented to our internall senses when we are asleepe We see testimonies of some part of this knowledge euen in brute beastes which causeth them to haue respect to such things as they neede but yet they haue it not as men haue who haue farre greater knowledge moe internal senses then beasts as being partakers of reason and vnderstanding The third kinde of knowledge which is of things that are not bodily is the principal effect of the vnderstanding which lifteth vp all the senses of mā to the cotemplation of the diuinitie of the spiritual and supernatural things which kind of knowledge is proper to man and to no other liuing creature Of this knowledge we will intreat more at large hereafter when we shal speake of those principall and most noble senses of the soule namely vnderstanding and reason In the meane time that we may the better know the facultie vertue and office of euery one of those internal senses of which we will intreate we are to vnderstand that the soule worketh by them in their places almost after the same manner it doeth in the diuers kindes of her naturall faculties and vertues according to the nature of euery one of them For this power and vertue which we call naturall and which before we saide was the third facultie that continually worketh in man and neuer ceaseth is diuided into three sortes The first is the vertue of nourishing the second of augmenting the third of ingendring and these haue sixe other vertues and faculties common to them altogether The first draweth vnto it the second holdeth fast the third digesteth the fourth distributeth the fift assimilateth and incorporateth that is conuerteth into it owne substance that which is dispensed vnto it and so turneth it into the substance of the bodie that receiueth it the sixt driueth forth whatsoeuer is superfluous For the nourishment which the bodie receiueth would doe it no good vnlesse it had some vertue in it to drawe the same vnto it selfe as also members and instruments meete for this woorke as we will declare more at large by the helpe of God when we shal speake more particularly of this matter Besides it is not enough for the bodie to drawe foode to it selfe but it must also retaine the same And because the thinges that are taken cannot nourish the bodie except they bee turned into the nature thereof therefore they must first bee digested and prepared by this meanes as wee vse to prepare such meates as haue neede of dressing before wee eate them But because they are not sufficiently prepared by this first dressing they must bee once againe dressed by the naturall heate that is in the bodie without which neyther the heate of the materiall fire nor the heate of the sunne will serue the turne vnlesse this naturall heare also doe his duetie Nowe after the meate is thus digested and prepared it must bee distributed and parted to all the members that euery one may take such nourishment as is meete for it And because the matter is diuers in the whole composition of the bodie as namely bones gristles ligaments sinewes arteries veynes fleshe and other kindes of matter whereof wee haue spoken heeretofore therefore must the food also be so conuerted in euery member as that it is to bee altered into a substance altogether like to euery seuerall part it hath to nourish Nowe forasmuch as all that the bodie taketh in for nourishment is not fitte for that purpose after that nature hath taken that which may doe her good shee
and how others comprehend them all in one But be it that we ioyne or separate them let vs nowe consider of the nature and places of each of them The Common sense is so called because it is the first of all the internall fenses of which we are to speake as also the Prince Lord of all the externall sense who are his messengers and seruants to minister and make relation vnto him of things in common For it receiueth all the images and shapes that are offered and brought vnto it by them yea all the kindes and resemblances of materiall things which they haue receiued only from without as a glasse doth and al this for no other cause but that they should discerne and seuer euery thing according to it owne nature propertie and afterward communicate them to the internall senses For although all the knowledge that is in the minde of man proceedeth not from the outward senses as we shewed in the beginning of our speach neuertheles they are created of God to the end they should send to the vnderstanding the similitudes of things without and be the messengers of the minde and witnesses of experience and also to the ende they should awaken and stirre vp the mind to behold and marke the things that are without it that by considering of them it may iudge of and correct the faultes Wee must then obserue that the externall senses haue no iudgement of that which they outwardly receiue but by meanes of the common sense vnto which they make relation and then that iudgeth so that they ende where that beginneth In this manner therefore as the Common sense of all the internall senses is next vnto the external so is it the meanes whereby they communicate one with an other For afterward it caryeth to the other internall senses whatsoeuer hath beene communicated vnto it by the externall Now after this sense hath done his duety Imagination and Fantasie execute their offices both which are taken by many for one and the same facultie and vertue of the soule but yet distinguished from the Common sense others ioyne them both with the Common sense because these three senses whether they be distinguished or taken all for one haue their seates vessels and instruments in the former part of the braine Therefore there will be no danger if we vse these two names Fantasie and Imagination indifferently For Fantasie is deriued from a Greeke worde that signifieth as much as Imagination and it is translated by Cicero into a Latin word which is as much as Vision This faculty therfore and vertue of the soule is called Fantasie because the visions kindes and images of such things as it receiueth are diuersly framed therein according to the formes and shapes that are brought to the Common sense Therefore Daniel called the dreame of Nebuchadnezzar the visions of his head which hee had vpon his bed according to the thoughts whereupon he mused and fell on sleepe For although this was a heauenly dreame yet God vsed therein the internall senses which hee had giuen to Nebuchadnezzar vnto which hee represented the image of those things hee woulde haue him to vnderstand and knowe as afterward they were expounded vnto him by Daniel Moreouer this facultie of the fantasie is sudden so farre from stayednes that euen in the time of sleep it hardly taketh any rest but is alwaies occupied in dreaming doting yea euen about those things which neuer haue bin shal be or can be For it staieth not in that which is shewed vnto it by the senses that serue it but taketh what pleaseth it and addeth thereunto or diminisheth changeth and rechangeth mingleth and vnmingleth so that it cutteth asunder and seweth vp againe as it listeth So that there is nothing but the fantasie will imagine and counterfaite if it haue any matter and foundation to worke vpon without which it can build nothing as wee may iudge by that which hath bene already shewed namely that man can neither think imagine or doe any thing else of which hee hath not some beginning and ground in nature and in the woorkes of God from which after hee hath his inuentions But although fantasie can doe nothing without this gappe and entrance yet it is a wonder to see the inuentions it hath after some occasion is giuen it and what newe and monstrous things it forgeth and coyneth by sundry imaginations arising of those images and similitudes from whence it hath the first paterne So that in trueth fantasie is a very dangerous thing For if it bee not guided and brideled by reason it troubleth and mooueth all the sense and vnderstanding as a tempest doeth the sea For it is easily stirred vp not onely by the externall senses but also by the complexion and disposition of the body Heereof it proceedeth that euen the spirites both good and bad haue great accesse vnto it to stirre it either to good or euill and that by meanes vnknowen to vs. For as wee haue many meanes to prouoke one anothers imagination and fantasie which are not in beastes neither can be comprehended by them so these spiritual natures by reason of the agreement of their nature haue one towardes an other which wee neyther knowe nor can comprehend whereby they haue accesse to mooue our fantasie diuers wayes Wherefore as the Angelles haue meanes to represent to our mindes the images of good heauenly and diuine things both waking and sleeping so can euill spirites greatly trouble them by diuers illusions the proofe whereof wee haue in many whome badde spirites find apt and disposed thereunto and namely in sorcerers whose minde they trouble in such sort by sundry strange illusions that they verily thinke they haue seene heard spoken and done that which the deuill representeth to their fantasie yea such things as neither men nor deuilles themselues can possibly perfourme and yet all that while they stirre not out of their bedde or out of some one place But the diuell hauing once power ouer them doeth in such sort print in their fantasie the images of those things hee representeth vnto them and which he woulde haue them beleeue to be true that they can not thinke otherwise but that it is so that they haue done such things and that they were awake when indeed they slept For as God appeareth to his seruants by heauenly visions both when they sleep when they wake and printeth in their mindes the images of those things which it pleaseth him to reueale vnto them so the diuell who endeuoureth to counterfait all the woorkes of God to deceiue men hath his deuilish illusions for his visions whereby he mooueth and troubleth the fantasie and mindes of those ouer whome hee raigneth through their infidelity and wickednesse Therefore it is very needefull that men should recommend themselues to God to the ende these euil spirites may haue no such power ouer them and that their iudgements may be
of the aire and that for two notable causes For first seeing the lungs haue not their motion of themselues neither are fastned to the body to receiue motion from it it was needefull to haue them of such matter that they might bee easily mooued and followe the motion of the breast Next they will receiue the aire more easily without any violence if at any time it enter in vehemently and in great quantitie To conclude this point they are so seated in regarde of the heart that they wrappe it and clothe it both on the right side and on the left and serue to defend it against all the neighbour-bones neere about it But heere wee are to note the agreement and mutuall relation which the heart hath with the heauens in that as the first motion of the whole worlde beginneth by the heauens of which all the other motions that are in nature doe depend so the heart is that member in mans body which first receiueth life and motion and which is the wel-spring and fountaine thereof whereupon also it is the first that liueth and the last that dieth And because God hath created it to put into it the vital facultie and vertue from whence the life of liuing creatures proceedeth hee hath also appointed the arteries who receiuing their originall from the heart are afterward distributed and spread throughout all the members of the body as the sinewes and veines are to giue vnto the aire and vitall spirites necessary for life euen as the blood is likewise distributed by meanes of the veines that come from the liuer to nourish them withall and as sense and motion are carried by the sinewes that are deriued from the braine and marrowe of the backe bone as wee haue already shewed Therefore as the aire hath his motion and the windes their course euen such as GOD hath appointed them in the whole body of this great worlde so wee see that the ayre and vitall spirites are in mans body which is the little worlde as windes that haue their course and passages therein to bee carried vnto all the members and to be distributed and communicated vnto them by meanes of the arteries Hereof it is that they heaue and beate in those places where arteries are appointed to be so that by their peace and quietnesse Physitions iudge of the vertue and strength of the heart and consequently of the whole body of health and sickenesse of life and death and of the whole position thereof Therefore the heart hath a double motion to serue for this vse which I speake because it hath yet a third motion and that of another nature of which wee will speake hereafter But as for this first double motion which is heere mentioned it is so called because the one is made when the heart giueth out and the other when it shrinketh in For when it extendeth it selfe foorth then is it refreshed and cooled thereby and when it gathereth inward and restraineth it selfe then doeth it expell and driue out those fuliginous and smokie excrements which otherwise woulde stifle it This two-fold motion is naturall proceeding from the proper nature of the heart and not voluntarie as that of the muscles is which is gouerned by the motion of the braine and sinewes that come from it For the heart hath his filaments or small threedes apt and conuenient for that purpose Nowe this motion serueth not onely for the vses already spoken of but also for the nourishing of the vitall spirite I meane to drawe the blood wherewith it is nourished and also to prepare foode for the lungs thereby to returne such mutuall helpe vnto them as it receiueth from them For as the lungs serue to send breath vnto it thereby to coole it and to further it in the execution of that office which it hath so the heart serueth to nourish and feede the lungs Whereby wee haue a goodly aduerticement concerning that mutuall agreement that ought to be in vs and of that reciprocall helpe which wee owe one to an other and howe wee ought to acknowledge the good turnes that are done vnto vs and doe the like againe to them according to that abilitie which euery one shall haue so to doe For if wee deale not in that sorte it will be all one with vs in humane societie as if one should separate in our body the heart from the lungs that the one might not doe his duetie towardes the other which questionlesse woulde cause the death and ouerthrowe of the whole body Moreouer wee must note that betweene these two motions of the heart nowe spoken of there is some small space in which there is a little rest and then doeth the heart restraine it selfe and drawe from all sides rounde about the aire which is drawne in by the lungs which it enioyeth and hath vse of And for this cause the heart whose flesh is hard and can hardly suffer hath three kindes of filaments called Fibres which serue for all these motions Thus you see the heart that is lorde of mans life howe hee hangeth as it were in his coffer and withdraweth himselfe into his chamber or closet being in a manner separated from the rest of the body to which he giueth life but onely that hee is ioyned thereunto by veines arteries and sinews which hee vseth as pipes some to receiue the benefites that come vnto him from others some to distribute his good things by Wherein we haue a faire resemblance of that mutuall communicating which ought to be among men For although the heart be as the fountaine of life which it imparteth to all the rest of the members and partes of the body yet can it not liue alone without those necessary helpes of the other members vnto which it is seruiceable Nowe we are to consider the substance situation and countepoize thereof with the nature and vse of the vitall spirite which shall be the matter subiect of thy discourse AMANA Of the substance situation and counterpoize of the heart of the nature and vse of the vital Spirite and of the forge vesselles and instruments thereof of the sundry doores and pipes of the heart and of their vses Chap. 38. AMANA All men howe ignorant and brutish soeuer they be cary about with them in their hearts a great testimony that they haue both a God and a Iudge who approoueth that which is good and punisheth the euill For although they neuer heard one worde of his worde yet they cannot be ignorant of this which they sensibly feele and knowe by experience in themselues that nothing but euill can befall them for euill howsoeuer it be long a comming and that they cannot feele the euill which their sinne hath brought vpon them but they will repent them for committing it and wish it had neuer bin done This is naturall Diuinitie which no body can be ignorant of Whereunto Saint Iohn leading vs saith very wel If our heart condemne vs
God is greater then our heart and knoweth all things And we see that repentance ordinarily followeth sinne and that a sinner can not but feele some heauinesse and griefe Yea nature it selfe teacheth vs when wee are displeased for some thing whereof we repent vs to strike our breast because the heart is within it as also to hang downe our eyes for shame But the vexation sadnesse and sorrowe which after the fault committed a man is striken with because of the hurt that taketh holde of him and the punishment he expecteth or endureth already serueth not but for a continuall torment vnto him as if hee were in a hell except he change his mind amend his fault and returne to God againe and so betake himselfe againe to that place and order of his which God had assigned him Beholde what good instructions we haue in our selues which ought to pricke vs forward to goodnesse and drawe vs backe from wickednesse especially our heart beareth vs certaine testimony of that which is acceptable in the sight of God Now as we haue heard that the forme thereof is aptest for the motion it hath so the substance matter whereof it is made is a kinde of flesh that hath none like it in all the other partes of the body For it is needful it should be so thicke and fast that it may the better discharge that office and duety that is laide vpon the heart On the other side it is so seated in the breast that the foundation and foote thereof is directly in the middest of it but the narrow end of it bendeth somewhat towards the left-side Which is done in regarde of two great commodities wherof the one is that it should not rush against the bones of the breast the other that it should heate the left side the more seeing the right side is holpen by the heat of the liuer which is on that side And although the left part of the heart be very bigge and hard and consequently more heauy then the right which is more subtile thinne and soft and therefore lighter neuerthelesse God hath giuen it such a counterpoize that both sides are of equall waight so that although there be no ligameÌ„t or band to tie it vnto the other parts that are neere about it yet without inclining or bending any one way more then other it hangeth in the middest of the vessell and skinne that compasseth it round about For the left part which of it owne nature is heauiest containeth in it a lighter matter namely the vitall spirite and the right side that is not so heauy hath in it a more heauy matter which is the blood Whereby wee see howe the prouidence of God hath so well framed the counterpoize that both partes are equall like to an euen and iust paire of ballance From whence also we may take a good lesson concerning the vprightnesse that ought to be in our heart and wil and in al our affections with what heart we ought to folow the ordinaÌ„ces of God that way which he showeth vs in his word how we should continue and abide stedfast therein and turne neither to the right hand nor the left as wee are often commanded in the holie Scriptures Moreouer forasmuch as the skin that coÌ„passeth the heart hath the bones of the breast on the one side the lungs on the other it was requisit that it should be of a matter so wel teÌ„pered that it might receiue no harme by the hardnes of the bones on the other side shuld not be so hard as to be able to hurt the lungs which are of as soft teÌ„der a flesh as any is in al the body Which teacheth vs sufficiently that the prouidence of God hath forgotten nothing in any respect But we must further know that there are two capacities or holow places in the heart distinguished one from another by a partition the one being on the right side the other on the left That place on the right side serueth to receiue the blood that commeth from the liuer to the heart by veines both for the nourishing of it selfe and of the lungs and for the generation of the vitall spirites whose forge and shoppe is in the other void place on the left side where the hart doth exercise his chiefe office which is to ingâ—nder the vitall spirites of the finest and thinnest blood which resolueth it selfe there as if it came of the sweate that proceedeth out of the right capacitie Now the vital spirit is as it were a most bright and liuely flame like to the celestiall nature which carrieth heat life to the whole body and is the instrument of the chief actions works therof In this left hollow place there is a great artery which is as it were the stocke of al the arteries in the body which a litle from the heart diuideth itselfe into two branches whereof the one ascendeth vpward to carry the vitall spirite into the vpper partes of the body the other which is some what bigger descendeth downeward By meanes of these arteries which are as it were the pipes of the heart the greatest benefite of all is communicated to all partes of the body Now because the arteries and veines haue neede one of an others help they meet one another are so linked and ioyned together that the arteries are seldome alone without the veines For the arteries being ioyned vnto the veines doe giue them aire and spirite which through the vitall heate stirreth the blood and helpeth to bring it to perfection and to preserue it In like manner the arteries sucke some small quantitie of blood out of the veines whereby the vitall spirite is carried sprinckled and increased Wherein wee haue againe a notable example and goodly paterne of that mutuall communicating that ought to be among men without which neither nature nor humane societie can be preserued the like also heereof wee see betweene the heart and the lungs in which there are pipes that passe from the one to the other for their mutuall helping and succouring one of an other For the Arteriall veine that proceedeth out of the right side of the hearâ— carrieth the blood to the lungs to nourish it and the veiny artery which commeth out of the left side of the heart carrieth ayre vnto it from the lungs to refresh it For after it is brought to the lungs by the artery or wind-pipe the lungs communicate the same vnto the heart Likewise by that same veiny artey the ouer-heated ayre and fumes are carried from the heart and serueth besides to carry the spirite and the arteriall blood vnto the lungs to heate them Therefore this artery is not altogether so thicke as the rest are nor so thinne as the veines to the ende it may easily enlarge or straiten it selfe or giue and receiue the ayre and that through hardnesse it hinder not the motion of the lungs as also
assigned the spleene for a seate to this blacke humour which beeing placed on the left side conteineth this humour in it hauing proper pipes and passages both to drawe from the liuer this dregges of the blood and also to communicate the same vnto the stomacke thereby to prouoke appetite as likewise to purge it selfe by diuers meanes The chiefe vse of it is to receaue the grosse and muddie blood and to that ende there is a great veine which beeing the pipe of this blood goeth from the Port-veine to the spleene which is nourished with the best of it and concocteth the aboundance of this humour Therefore God hath created it with such a flesh as is meete and apt for that office and further hath holpen it with certaine arteries whereby it is heated and made warme And when it hath taken so much of this grosse blood to nourish it selfe withall as is requisite the rest is partly reteyned still and partly thrust out and sent to the bottome of the stomacke by a veyne seruing for the same purpose to the ende that from thence this humour may bee voyded out of the bodie Now when these veines are stopt daungerous diseases follow thereupon chiefely when this happeneth to the first veine whereof I spake euen nowe For when the liuer is not purged his whole office is hindered and it selfe decayeth by little and little by retayning still the excrementes thereof from whence the vapours ascending vp to the brayne trouble it very much and cause it to fall into very strange and foolish conceiptes And when the body is burdened with this humour it causeth that man to bee very melancholicke and sadde and many times bringeth that yrkesomnesse vpon him that he desireth nothing but death It was very requisite therefore that God shoulde giue both a vessell and passages to this humour which is not without his great commodities if it bee tempered and distributed as it ought to bee For it serueth to stay and to retaine the floting spirites which arise out of the blood least if they shoulde bee made more pure and subtill then is expedient for the bodie they vanish and passe away altogether It is profitable also to thicken the blood and to helpe to restraine and keepe it from running ouer hastily besides it nourisheth therewithall the melancholicke members which holde most of the nature of that humour as namely the bones and the spleene Likewise the drinesse both of this and of the cholericke humour standeth the blood in some steade and the coldnesse thereof serueth to coole and moderate the heate of the blood and of the cholericke humour As for the flegmaticke humour which is also called Pituita it is not without his commodities For first it is the matter whereof the blood is made when it is by little and little concocted better it mitigateth the heate of the blood and is vnto it in place of nourishment and in steade of a bridle to restraine the burning and deuouring heate thereof from present consuming of all Besides it keepeth the blood from beeing too thicke and drie and beeing caried with the blood it nourisheth the flegmatike and colde members such as the braine is And as the other humours ioyned with the blood haue their superfluities and vessels to keepe them in and to purge them so is it with this For this humour is not onely caried with the blood to keepe it from ouermuch thicknesse that it may the better passe through the veynes but there proceedeth also from the whole masse of blood an excrement like to very thinne water which by reason of the thinnesse of it can no way bee profitable to the bodie For it is a water that differeth as much from blood and from the flegmatike humour ioyned with it as whay doeth from milke when the butter and cheese with all the substaunce that can bee had from it is drawen out of it For it is like to sweate with which it hath some resemblaunce Therefore it hath his proper place assigned vnto it in the kidneyes which drawe to themselues the watrish matter from the blood thereby purging it from water that woulde corrupt it and fill the veynes in steade of good blood as wee see it in the dropsie which bloweth vp the bodie that is stuffed with water in steade of good nourishment which by the veynes it shoulde drawe from the blood if the liuer were well affected and if all the other partes that ought to helpe it did well performe their dueties And to the ende that the kidneys may the better do their dutie God hath not only created two but hath so placed them by his prouidence that the right kidney is higher then the left so that they doe their dueties one after another For if they wrought both together if they were both in one place if both drewe vnto themselues with equall force in steede of mutuall helpe they woulde greatly hinder eche other which inconuenience the prouidence of God doeth very well meete with And as all the inwarde partes of which wee haue hitherto spoken haue their pipes both to drawe from the liuer that humour that is meete for them and to sende it where neede requireth and also for to purge themselues euen so the kidneyes haue their passages apt and meete for the performance of all these things For first they haue Emulgent veines so called because they drawe this waterish superfluitie as a child sucketh milke out of the breast and hauing receiued this water separated from the blood they sende it vnto the kidneyes It is true that a little blood passeth together with it to nourish the kidneyes withall with which there is some yellowe choller mingled that serueth afterwarde to helpe expulsion and the water beeing coloured therewith is made yellowe and brackish and then it is rightly called Vrine Nowe after the kidneyes haue drawen from the liuer this water whereby the blood is purged and themselues also in part nourished with some little of the blood and that by meanes of the veines and passages giuen vnto them for that purpose they haue two other passages called Vreteres or Vrine pipes whereby they purge and discharge themselues of that water that is called Vrine after the blood is wholly separated from it This done these pipes sende the water vnto the bladder which is a vessell meete for the receipt thereof and which doeth as it were distill the same by litle and litle through these pipes that enter into the bladder both on the right side and on the left Moreouer the bladder hath a necke and passage neere to the two vrine pipes whereby it dischargeth it selfe of this humour after it hath kept the same awhile voyding it forth of the body as a superfluous excrement For if this were not so after the body were full of this water ouerflowing in it not onely many partes and members woulde bee broken but men also shoulde bee stifled by reason of