haue giuen to any other besides himselfe and indeede all the creatures ioyned together are not able to diminish or to adde any thing thereunto whatsoeuer they doe but also because hee loueth vs hee is iealous of our saluation and desireth to reserue vs wholly to himselfe and to make vs partakers of his immortall blessednesse Therefore hee will not haue vs spoyle him of his glorie and forsake his seruice in regarde of that hurt and dammage which shoulde befall vs thereby For hee beareth that affection towardes vs which a good Father doeth towardes his children who loueth them not for any profite comming to him thereby but only for their owne good and because hee both will and ought to loue them This loue then which God beareth vnto vs causeth him to be iealous ouer vs when through impietie and wickednesse of life wee leaue him and ioyne our selues vnto his aduersary the deuill Whereupon hee doeth not onely become angry but is full of indignation also both against him and vs. For indignation is a griefe wrought in vs when wee see some good thing befall to an vnworthy person and him that is worthy depriued thereof This affection therefore proceedeth from the same roote from whence compassion springeth namely from the iudgement of that which is good and from the loue thereof But the diuersitie of both their obiects causeth them in some sort to be contrary affections forasmuch as indignation is bred in regarde of some good that hapneth to one that is vnworthy of it and compassion or pity ariseth of some euill that befalleth or is procured to him that hath not deserued it And of these two contrary affections mingled together a third affection is bred which in holy Scripture is called Zeale and Iealousie being taken in the good part Hereof it is that the loue and compassion which God hath of his children when he seeth them go about to bereaue themselues of that good which he wisheth them and the indignation that hee hath in regarde of the good which hapneth to the wicked in the accomplishment of their euill desires for to them euill is in steade of good causeth him to be mooued with iealousie and to bee auenged thereof For this cause the Prophet Ioel saieth Then will the Lorde be iealous ouer his land and spare his people And the Prophet Esay hauing declared to Ezechias the deliuerance of Ierusalem and the succour which GOD would send him against Senacherib saith That the zeale of the Lorde of Hostes will perfourme this In like manner when the true children and seruants of God beholde a confusion in steade of that order which the Lorde woulde haue obserued and which hee hath prescribed vnto his creatures they are greatly mooued in regarde of that zeale which they beare as well towardes GOD as towardes their neighbours For Zeale is nothing else but an indignation conceiued in respect of those things that are vnwoorthily done against him that is deare vnto vs and whome wee loue Therefore if wee loue GOD and his Statutes if wee loue the Common-wealth our Princes our Parents and all others whome wee ought to loue wee will bee iealous for them and can not beholde without indignation aniething done against them that ought not to bee This Indignation and Iealousie will induce vs to set our selues earnestly against all iniustice and to ouerthrowe it with all our might With this Iealousie Saint Paul was affected towardes the Corinthians when hee wrote thus vnto them I am iealous ouer you with godly iealousie for I haue prepared you for one husband to present you as a pure virgine vnto Christ. This kind of Zeale is very requisite in all the true seruants of God but chiefely in them that haue any publike charge whether it be in the Church or in the Common-wealth For except they bee endued with great Zeale towardes the glory of the Maiestie of GOD towardes iustice and all vertues they will neuer haue that care which they ought eyther of the honour and seruice of GOD or of publike benefite or to reprooue correct and punish vices or lastly to maintaine good Discipline vpright iustice and good conuersation in such sorte as becommeth them For this cause hath GOD giuen to the nature of man this affection of Zeale and Indignation for the communion that ought to bee in the societie of men to the ende there shoulde bee a right and indifferent distribution of all good things so that none of them shoulde light vpon the vnwoorthy that vse them ill but to such as deserue them and knowe howe to vse them aright Nowe when these affections are thus ruled they are very good and profitable but commonly they are abused vnto vice For Indignation is quickely bredde of Enuy which being vniust is also of a corrupt and badde iudgement so that an enuious bodie thinketh that whatsoeuer good thing an other hath befallen vnto him hee is vnwoorthy of it And so in like manner the Zeale that is without true knowledge bringeth foorth most pernicious effectes For it proceedeth from a loue which iudgeth not aright of the thing that mooueth it but esteemeth it to bee euill and woorthy of hatred whereas it is good and woorthy of loue Of this Zeale Saint Paul speaketh when hee sayeth of the Iewes I beare them recorde that they haue the zeale of God but not according to knowledge For being deceiued in their iudgement and calling themselues defenders and louers of the lawe of GOD they persecuted the Gospel which was the accomplishment of the Lawe and also them that beleeued in Iesus Christ insomuch that their very Zeale was through their ignoraunce turned into Crueltie and Tyranny which is a very dangerous zeale and ought most carefully to bee shunned of vs as that whereinto the best minded men of all doe commonly fall when they are blinded with ignoraunce as the Apostle Saint Paul propoundeth himselfe in this case for an example before hee was conuerted For hee freely confesseth that hee was a blasphemour a persecutour and an oppressour but hee did it ignorantly and through vnbeleefe There haue beene many such not onely amongest the Iewes but euen among the Heathen For albeit their Religion was altogether superstitious and idolatrous yet they alwayes maintained and defended it with very great zeale persecuting such as professed Christianitie among them and condemning them as the vilest and most detestable men vpon the earth But if the Lord be greatly offended when as wee beare hatred and enuy against any body wee cannot doubt but that this doeth likewise displease him when we commit these things being blinded with ignoraunce and that hee is carried with greater indignation against vs when wee maliciously cloake these vices with a false title of zeale of religion and of his glory thereby to reuenge our selues and to exercise our cruelties much more easily But let vs nowe proceede to consider of other affections of the
and to despite him when they feele themselues pressed and vrged by his word and by his iudgements Now then God hauing created Angels and men that they shoulde know him and follow his will gaue them a nature endued with vnderstanding and hath set within them rules of iudgement and of certaine knowledge which are vnto them as lawes in nature and hath also placed in them the will with the affections as ministers and practisers of those rules and lawes This selfe-fame diuine prouidence hath appointed also that the affection of ioy should be naturally in men which commeth vnto them by reason of some good which they receiue or looke for when they obey his lawes that commaundeth them to doe iust things as contrariwise he hath put in them the affection of sorow and heauinesse to take vengeance of their rebellion against his lawes and of the transgression of them For as God hath decreed that the nature of man should leade a ioyfull life and should by this meanes of ioy be preserued in the knowledge of God his creator and in his obedience and so rest in him so also he hath appointed flames of wrath and griefe to destroy this nature when it doeth not conforme it selfe vnto the rule of his heauenly wisedome and will Therefore wee may well say that we cary about with vs as it were our paradise and our Hell and haue alreadie in this worlde true beginnings of them both For so long as we conforme our selues to God and follow his wisedome and will so that we submit our will to his and desire not to bee wise but in him and by him nor iudge any thing good or euil but according to his iudgement neither will any thing but that which hee willeth and take no pleasure but in obeying and pleasing him wee cannot bee thus affected towards him but we shall receiue an vnspeakeable ioy by that mutuall participation of loue which is betweene him and vs and by that taste which wee receiue thereby of his goodnesse bountie grace and fauour towardes vs which is the toppe of all happinesse For as the nature of men was created of God to the ende it might be conformable vnto him so also it was ordained by him that it shoulde liue not to be extinguished and vndone through griefe which is an euill that corrupteth and consumeth as well as diseases Therefore if it were conformable to God so that mens hearts agreed vnto reason and right iudgement they shoulde alwayes reioyce in well doing both before and after the 〈…〉 and so wee 〈…〉 as it were in Paradise And although God be euery where in regard of his nature and diuine essence which is infinite neuerthelesse wee meane according to the stile of the holy scriptures that hee is properly and specially there where hee sheweth himselfe good gracious and fauourable For this is more proper to his nature in regard of vs and that which maketh him more louing and amiable to vs and which is most necessarie for vs and in regard whereof he calleth himselfe properly our God and our father But as he kindleth the sparkles of loue in their hearts that are vpright and sincere that loue honour him which worketh in them so great ioy and consolation that all other ioy and pleasure are nothing vnto them in respect of that so contrariwise if wee turne aside and separate our selues from him opposing our selues against his wisedome and will as rebellious subiects to their Prince violating all his lawes and statutes he kindleth in vs fire-brands of his wrath and furie which woorke in vs extreame griefes so that wee cannot beare them but are consumed by them For in this corruption and peruersenesse of nature our heart burneth with the flames of this infernall fire with which it is kindeled and which striue against reason and right iudgement euen before it hath committed the fault neither doeth it feare afterwards to commit the same howe great and enormious soeuer it bee But forasmuch as it belongeth to the iustice of God to destroy that nature which is disobediēt vnto him he hath established this order namely that sorow griefe as it were the hangman should punish and destroy them that are guiltie as criminall persons are punished by the appoyntment of iustice Wherefore although wicked men are oftentimes blockish and lulled asleepe and as it were voyde of all sense and feeling so that they feele not this griefe to the quicke neuertheles in the ende it is throughly felt of them so that it vtterly destroyeth them For it is like to a fire which hauing beene couered or smoothered afterwardes kindeleth againe and gathereth strength when it is vncouered and receiueth aire if it haue matter whereupon it may woorke For besides that naturall griefe which hath this office God addeth thereunto horrible feare and terrour whereby hee ouerwhelmeth the wicked as if hee thundered vpon them so that euen heere they feele their Hell and the fire of Gods wrath taking holde of them yea they carie about them their infern all furies which are vnto them insteede of Hangmen Thus wee may learne howe wee carie about with vs the matter of two fires the one celestiall and diuine the other infernall and diuelish Wherefore let vs consider well with our selues which of them we had rather haue kindeled in vs and which we ought to desire most eyther that which giueth vs both light and heate and preserueth vs in the hope of true life or else that which burneth and consumeth vs and doth wholly depriue vs of that life Now surely they are very wretched who desire not that which is most agreeable to their own nature vtterly detest and abhorre the other For as we delight in the fire because it giueth vs light and warmeth vs so we feare greatly to be burned and consumed by it Now both these sorts of fire we finde in God For he is a fire to giue light and warmth to them that approch draw neere vnto him and desire to walk in his light but contrariwise he is a consuming fire ioyned with smoke and obscurity to them who by rebellion disobediēce rush against him For this cause the fire of hell of Gods wrath which is prepared for the deuill and for all the reprobate is called eternal fire in the holy scriptures that is neuer put out the pains and torments of the damned are likewise called darknes without where shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth And to the end we might know the nature of this fire the better God hath put sparkles thereof within vs. Wherefore we are only to consider what matter we bring to kindle and encrease either the one or the other either for the preseruation of our nature and life appointed vnto vs by God or els for the ouerthrow and destruction thereof And by the sense and feeling which wee may haue here of that ioy gladnes and contentation which the
cheerefull his affection was towards them what ioy he receiued thereby as himselfe speaking plainly doth with his mouth giue full testimony of his heart writeth thus vnto them O Corinthians our mouth is open vnto you our heart is made large you are not kept straite in vs. And then complaining of them that their heart was not so bent towardes him he saieth But ye are kept straite in your owne bowels And heere we may note that by this worde Bowels is meant generally all the internall members and parts of man especially the heart and those that are next vnto it Now because the heart is the seate of the affections and the other members neere vnto it serue for his vse therefore the bowels are taken in the holy Scriptures for all the motions of the heart and for all the affections of men that proceed from it but chiefly for loue also for ioy pitie and compassion which haue their beginning from loue whose nature is to open the heart which in steade of opening shutteth vp it selfe against those that are not loued or that a man hateth Therefore as loue or hatred is great or small hote or cold so doth the heart open or close it selfe Hereof it is saide in the historie of the two women that stoode before Salomons iudgement seat about their two children whereof the one was dead and the other aliue that the bowels of the true mother were mooued towardes her childe And Saint Paul exhorting the Colossians to charitie and compassion saieth Now therefore as the elect of God holy and beloued put on the bowels of mercy that is to say of tender affection kindnesse humblenesse of minde meekenesse long suffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarrell to another euen as Christ forgaue you so doe ye And aboue all these things put on loue which is the bond of perfectnesse and let the peace of God namely that which God hath established among his rule in your hearts to the which ye are called in one body and be gracious or amiable We see here what vertues accompany these bowels of mercy of which hee spake in the beginning as in deed al thâ—se vertues and heauenly gifts are so knit together that they cannot be separated one from an other And Saint Iohn speaking of that liberalitie and loue which ought to be among Christians saieth Whosoeuer hath this worldes good and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his bowels from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him Then he addeth Let vs not loue in worde neither in tongue onely but in worke and in trueth And to this purpose Esaias saith If thou powre out thy soule to the hungry and refresh the troubled soule then shall thy light spring out in the darkenesse and thy darkenesse shal be as the noone-day All which places agree very well to that which wee haue touched concerning the motion of the heart whereby it is either opened or closed vp as the affections are disposed that mooue it But let vs consider more narrowly the nature of these affections of ioy and sorrowe and what difference is betweene them seeing we haue taken them for the ground of our speach For the first let vs know that ioy is properly a motion or an affection of the heart whereby it taketh pleasure and stayeth it selfe in that Good which is offered vnto it or if wee had rather thus it is a motion of the soule proceeding from the iudgement of some Good which is already present or certainely neere at hand And therefore when the heart is enlarged therewith not onely laughter is bred but all the body also leapeth when the ioy is so great that the breast cannot containe nor keepe in the heart But when the ioy is moderate it purgeth the blood by heate it confirmeth health and bringeth with it a liuely and vigorous heate which is very wholsome and acceptable to the heart True it is that the heart and will often deceiue themselues in the choice and election of that which is Good whether it be that following reason and iudgement corrupted which should shew what is Good they embrace their errour or whether it be that Will being corrupted of it selfe through sinne letteth loose the bridle against the iudgement of reason and so suffereth her selfe to be carried headlong by her euill affections in following some false shewe of good Whereupon it commonly commeth to passe that in steade of ioy which the heart should receiue of Good vnto which the will tendeth naturally it receiueth great sorrow and griefe after knowledge taken of the fault This is the cause why we are so often admonished by the spirite of God to renounce our owne sense reason prudence and wisedome and to submit our selues wholly to the counsaile and wisedome of God and to iudge of good and of euill of the true and false Goods according to his iudgement and not according to our owne as also to renounce our owne desires to followe his will As for griefe or sorrow wee may iudge of this affection by the contrary which is ioy namely that it is a motion and an affection of the heart whereby it is restrained and pressed either with some present euill or with some that is in a manner present which displeaseth the heart as if it had receiued some grieuous wound Therefore it trembleth and languisheth as a sicke body who drying vp with griefe by little and little in the end dicth except hee haue some remedy against his sickenesse For the like happeneth to the heart of man through griefe as long as it is within it insomuch that it neuer forsaketh it vntil it hath quite dried vp and consumed the same And therefore as there is pleasure and rest in ioy so in sorrow there is dolour and torment For it ingendreth melancholy and melancholy ingendreth it and increaseth it more so that wee often see melancholy men very sadde although no harme hath befallen them neither can they giue any reason of their heauines Moreouer this blacke melancholy humor is of this nature that it will make the spirit and mind darkish whereby it groweth to be blockish the heart looseth all his cheerefulnes And because the braine is cooled thereby it waxeth very heauy drowsie Now when griefe is in great measure it bringeth withal a kind of loathing tediousnes which causeth a man to hate to be weary of all things euen of the light and of a mans selfe so that he shal take pleasure in nothing but in his melancholy in feeding himselfe therewithall in plunging himselfe deeper into it and in refusing of all ioy and consolation To conclude some growe so farre as to hate themselues and so fall to dispaire yea many kill and destroy themselues And as the heart by enlarging it selfe with ioy appeareth in the countenance so doeth it also in sorrow and griefe For as
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
that his 〈◊〉 â—â—â—cheth ouer all that the soule of man is immortall and that after this lâ—se there is a place of happinesse for the good and of torments for the wicked is as I may terme it a supernaturall error or rather cleunâ— againsst 〈◊〉 religion nature and all The trueth whereof appeareth both by the common consent of all nations who haue generally approoâ—ed those points as inuiolable principles and maximes in nature and also by the iudgement of the sounder sort of Phylosophers and Lawmakers amongst the Heathâ—â— who knowing that all mens consciences did naturally acknowledge not onely a being of a diuine power but a subiection also thereunto pretâ—nded that their lawes and superstitions came from some one or other of their supposed gods goddesses as Minos King of the Cretensians made the people beleeue that he had receyued his lawes of Iupiter Lycurgus the Dâ—â—â—demonian lawmaker of Apollos oracle Numa Pompilius a Romanâ— king of Aegeria the Nimph and so the rest of others And in truâ—th they that deny the diuine essence what do they but deny themselues and the being of all things in the world besides For as Aratus the heathen Poet 〈…〉 is also confirmed vnto vs by the Apostle Paul In God we liue 〈…〉 haue our being so that without him it is impossible wee should haue any being one moment of an houre And it is strange to consider 〈◊〉 these reaonable beastes for men I dare not call them standing so 〈◊〉 vpon reason and sense as they would seeme to do cannot in reason 〈◊〉 that this great variety exquisite order which they behold and see in nature natural things must of necessity haue some superiour cause from which they receiued both their first beeing and their contiâ—â—al 〈◊〉 in the same When they looke vpon any excellent picture they presently iudge as the truth is that it was wrought by some cunning painter and euery 〈◊〉 building leadeth all men to the consideration of some exquisite master builder that framed it And shall not the view of the worlde and the knowledge of so many admirable things therein as are subiect to all our senses constraâ—â—â—â—s to acknowledge a superiour cause and creator of them all Doeth any shippe sayle his right course without a Pilot or is there any Citie well gouerned without a Magistrate And shall any surmize that the celestiall lights could obserue their right motions without the direction of him that made them or that the terrestriall globe of the earth coulde 〈◊〉 so well ordered by the course of nature were it not that all things are 〈◊〉 by him that 〈◊〉 them all But such is the blockishnesse of these 〈…〉 that they will beleeue nothing but that which they may see with their eyes and 〈◊〉 knowledge of by the light of their bodies As though if their eyes were plucked out of their heads there could be no sunne in the 〈…〉 nor light in the worlde because themselues were in darkenesse and coulde see nothing How many things are there in nature which 〈…〉 and yet no man maketh any question of their being no not they 〈◊〉 who notwithstanding deny that there is any diuine nature any 〈◊〉 soule Angell or spirite because they are not visible and subâ—ect to â—ight Can any of them see the winde looke vpon the voice of a man beholde the sweete harmony of musicke Nay can they take a viewe of the heartes in their bodies or of the braines in their heades Are they therefore without heart and brainelesse Surely it seemeth they are cleane voyde of brayne â—it and common sense that nayle all their beliefe so fast to the sight of their bâ—dily eyes And yet were it so that they would not most wilfully 〈…〉 the euidence of their owne hearts they should there behold with the eyes of their mind as it were in a christall glasse that which may bee knowen of God Nay the holy Ghost proceedeth further and telleth vs that euen our bodily eyes may and doe after a sort looke vpon the eternall poweâ— and Godhead which are seene by the creation of the worlde being viewed in the workes thereof And because it may so fall out by the 〈◊〉 iudgement of God that these beetle-eyed Atheists may aswell be depriued of their bodily eyes as they want the sight of their mindes the creator and Lorde of the whole worlde hath set such markes of his diety in his workes that such as haue onely the direction of nature may euen with their eyes closed vp touch and handle him if they will but grope after him in whom we all liue mooue and haue our being What should I presse them with the certayne testimony of their owne hearts and consciences which will they will they drawe them to a fearefull acknowledgement of the mighty power of God whensoeuer eyther by his terrible voyce of thunder he shaketh their heartes or by some irrecouerable disease as a messenger of death hee 〈◊〉 them to appeare before his tribunall seate and throne of iustiâ— But there needeth no other proofe to coâ—â—nce them then the wordes of their owne mouthes For doe not their horrible oathes whereby they blasphâ—â— the Maiesty of God and asmuch as lyeth in them teare him in pieces â—e aâ—e â—â—â—nesse against themselues that the Lorde whom they despite in that 〈…〉 hath a being howsoeuer otherwise they deny the same And if no reason will sinke into their braines yet mee thinks the waight of Gods iudgement which haue from time to time seased extraordinarily vpon these Atheists that haue sprung vp in the world should cause them more seriously to consider of their miserable estate It is reported of Protagoras who was one of the first of that stamp that being banished from Athens and his Books publikely burnt he was drowned in the sea as he sailed into Sicilia Diagoras was violently slaine by certain men whom the Athenians had hired with mony for that purpose Epicurus also who placed his felicitie in corporall pleasures died miserably in a vessell of hot water after that he hadbin foureteene daies together extremely tormented with the stone in the bladder Lucianus surnamed by his owne countrimen the Blasphemer as he behaued himselfe most currishly in barking both against the gods of the Heathen and against Christ Iesus the Sauiour of the worlde so his ende was thereafter by being torne in peeces and deuoured of dogges Plinie the elder denying the immortalitie of the soule of man and placing Nature a creature in the steade of God the Creatour whilest he was ouer-curious in searching out the cause of the burning of Aetna was choaked with the smoke that issued from it A iust punishment for him to ende his life by smoke who esteemed his soule to be no better then a little vapour Cassius being a professed Scholler of Epicurus Brutus most brutishly railing vpon the prouidence of God because his enterprises against Caesar succeeded not to his
nature and composition of the heart and of the midriffe of the tunicles or skinnie couerings of the breast and of the Pericardion or Cawle about the heart of the motion office and vse of the lungs of the heart and of the arteryes Chap. 37. 224 Of the substance situation and counterpoize of the heart of the nature and vse of the vitall spirite and of the forge vessels and instruments thereof of the sundry doores and pipes of the heart and of their vses Chap. 38. 229 Of the second motion of the heart which belongeth to the affections of the soule and of those that goe before or follow after iudgement of the agreement that is betweene the temperature of the body and the affections of the soule Chap. 39. 233 Of the health and diseases of the soule of the agreement betweene corporall and spiritual physicke how necessarie the knowledge of the nature of the body and of the soule is for euery one Chap. 40. The sixt dayes worke 237 OF foure things to bee considered in the will and in the power of desiring in the soule and first of natural inclinations of selfe loue and the vnrulinesse thereof Chap. 41. 241 Of the habite of the soule in the matter of the affections and of what force it is of the causes why the affections are giuen to the soule with the vse of them of the fountaine of vertues and vices Chap. 42 246 That according to the disposition of the iudgement the affections are more or lesse moderate or immoderate of the cause of all the motions of the soule and heart of the variety of affections of the generation nature and kindes of them Chap. 43. 250 That ioy or griefe are alwayes ioyned to the affections and what ioy and griefe are properly Chap. 44. 255 Of the causes why God hath placed these affections of ioy and sorrow in the heart of true and false ioy and of good and bad hope Chap. 45. 260 Of feare and of the nature and effects thereof toward the body the mind and the soule and how it troubleth them of the true harnesse and armour against feare Chap. 46. 265 Of the delight and pleasure that followeth euery ioy and of the moderation that is required therein of diuers degrees of pleasures and how men abuse them especially those pleasures which are receiued by the corporal senses Chap. 47. 270 Of the comparison of pleasures receiued by the internall senses and how men descend by degrees from the best to the basest pleasures of the difference betweene the vse of spirituall delights and corporall and how the one chase the other Chap. 48. The seuenth dayes worke 276 OF the affections of loue of the nature kinds and obiect of it of the beginning of friendship of the vertue and force of alluring that is in likenesse and in beauty of the agreement that is betweene beauty and goodnesse Chap. 49. 281 Of other causes why beauty procureth loue and of diuers degrees and kinds of beauty how it is the nature of loue alwayes to vnite an what other effects it hath how loue descendeth and ascendeth not what power it hath to allure and breed loue Chap. 50. 286 Of desire and coueting and of the kinds of it of the infinitenesse of mens desires and what Good is able to satisfie and content it of the difference betweene desire and loue and of the vtmost limit and end of loue Chap. 51. 291 Of the good things that are in true loue of the diuers valuations of loue and of the benefits which it procureth what knowledge is requisite to allure loue and how one loue groweth by another of the friendshippe that may bee both betweene the good and the badde Chap. 52. 297 Of fauour reuerence and of honour of their nature and effects of those outward signes whereby they shewe themselues of pity and compassion and howe agreeable it is to the nature of man Chap. 53. 302 Of offence in the heart and soule of the degrees of offence and of the good and euill that may be in this affection of contempt that is bredde of it and of mockery which followeth contempt Chap. 54. 307 Of anger and of the vehemency and violency thereof of the difference that is betweene anger and rancor of the affection of reuenge that accompanieth them of the motions of the heart in anger with the effectes thereof wherefore this affection is giuen to man and to what vse it may serue him Chap. 55. 313 Of hatred and of the nature and effects thereof of a good kind of hatred and of the remedy to cure the euill hatred of enuie and of the kindes and effects thereof of the difference betweene good and euill enuy Chap. 56. The eight dayes worke 319 OF iealousie and of the kindes thereof how it may bee eyther a vice or a vertue howe true zeale true iealousie and indignation proceede of loue of their natures and why these affections are giuen to man Chap. 57. 324 Of reuenge cruelty and rage and what agreement there is among them what shame and blushing is and why God hath placed these affections in man and of the good and euill that is in them Chap. 58. 330 Of pride with the consideration thereof aswell in nature intire as corrupted of the orginall thereof and of such as are most inclined thereunto what vices accompany it how great a poison it is and what remedy there is for it Chap. 59. 335 Of the naturall powers of the soule and what sundry vertues they haue in the nourishment of the body of their order and offices of their agreement and necessary vse where the vegetatiue soule is placed in the body and what vertue it hath to augment the same Chap. 60. 341 What instruments the soule vseth in the body about the naturall works of nourishing and augmenting of the ventricle of stomacke and of the figure orifices and filamentes it hath of the stomacke and of what substance and nature it is of the causes of hunger and of appetite of the inferior orifice Chap. 61. 347 Of the intalles and bowels and of their names and offices of the nature of the three smaller guttes and of the other three that are greater of the instructions which wee may learne by these things Chap. 62. 353 Of the Mesentery and Mesareon of the Meseraicall veines of the Pancreas or sweete bread and of their nature and office of the liuer and of his nature and office of the rootes bodies branches of the veines of their names and vses and of the similitude betweene them and the arteries Chap. 63. 358 Of the blood and of other humours in the body of their diuersity and nature and of the agreement they haue with the elementes of the similitude that is betwixt the great garden of this great worlde and that of the little worlde touching the nourishment of things contayned and preserued in them Chap. 64. The ninth dayes worke 363 OF the vapours that ascend vp to the braine
societie by that coniunction which is the bonde and foundation of all the rest and as it were the spring-head and fountayne of all mankinde Therefore it is written that GOD minding to create woman and to giue her to man for an helper caused an heauie sleepe to fall vpon Adam which name is as much to saye as Of earth and when hee slept hee tooke one of his ribbes and closed vp the flesh in steade thereof And the Lorde God made a woman of the ribbe which he had taken from man then the man said This nowe is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh she shall be called Mannes or Mannish because she was taken out of man First we see in this history that God woulde not that the male and female should haue two beginnings but onely one and that they should be as it were one stocke of mankinde to the end that the coniunction therof should be more straight firme and inuiolable For if it had beene otherwise the diuersitie of beginnings might haue giuen occasion either of conteâ—ning one another or of enuie dissention and brawlings Therefore God created in the person of Adam the fountaine of mankinde and after framed Euah which is as much to say as aliue or liuing to the ende wee might knowe that the woman was not created as a new creature of an other race or kinde but was onely a portion and part of the nature of man By this meanes Adam had in the woman as it were a glasse to beholde and contemplate himselfe as Euah also had the like in him and as yet to this day euery husband hath the like in his wife and euery wife in her husband For the woman was flesh of the flesh of man bloud of his bloud and bone of his bones euen as it were his owne body and a second-selfe Howe then can the husband despise and hate his wife and not hate himselfe For as Saint Paul witnesseth No man euer yet hated his owne flesh And what cause hath a woman to bee loath to bee obedient to her husband if shee consider that shee is taken out of him and that in setting her selfe against him shee striueth aginst her selfe and doeth her selfe great wrong and iniurie Therefore as the Lord hath declared what place hee woulde haue the husband and wife to keepe euery one in their degree by that order which hee hath obserued in creating the man first and then the woman so he hath done the like in that hee created the woman neyther of the mans head nor of his feete but of his ribbe Whereby as on the one side hee admonisheth the wife not to lift vp her selfe aboue her husband by taking authoritie ouer him and so making her selfe his head so on the other side hee admonisheth the husbande not to abuse his authoritie by putting his wife vnder his feete as if shee were a slaue but to account of her as of his sister and â—ompanion Wee are therefore to consider the great wisedome and prouidence of God in this creation of the woman But Atheists and other contemners of the worde of God besides that goodly ground and foundation of their impietiâ—â— whereof wee heard before take farther occasion to deride this historie of the creation of woman because it is sayde that shee was builded of a ribbe which God tooke from Adam Truely the woorkes of God in the creation of things are not vsuall because they are the first but they which will not beleeue them may as well giue no credit neither to the myracles that haue beene in times past nor to those that are daily seene For they were not to be called by this name of miracles if they were wrought by an ordinarie course of nature They conclude then out of Moses speach either that Adam had then one rib more then he should haue had or else that he had one lesse then he should after the womans creation so that what side soeuer you take they will find a great absurdity They that seeke for occasions in this sort to scofte at the workes of God that study and take delight to cauill at them will alwayes finde absurdities enough in them according to their corrupt will and iudgement For they will daily coine as many as they list to hinder themselues from the knowledge of God and of his workes least they should be constrained by them to glorifie him But indeede what can they doe else but barke against God and his prouidence and laugh at al that is taught vs by the holy spirite concerning the creation of all thinges contained in the world seeing they are not capable of the knowledge and vnderstanding of heauenly mysteries But I demand of them what strange matter they finde in this if it were so that Adam was created with one rib more then men commonly haue which God prepared in his creation for the womans creations or otherwise if hee had one lesse after her creation which is more likely For it is saide expresly that God filled vp with flesh that place out of which hee tooke the ribbe whereof he framed Euah So that Adam lost nothing neither was he lesse perfect in respect of that For God did very well recompence it two wayes First bicause that which he put in steade thereof did serue Adams turne as well as if his rib had remained still Secondly it turned to his great good in that he had a whole woman for one of his ribbes yea such an helpe was giuen vnto him that shee was as it were another halfe of his body to make him a perfect man Besides al this we haue further to note the significations of those things which God meant to represent vnto vs and to teach vs by that manner of proceeding which hee obserued increating the woman of which I haue already spoken But we haue also to marke herein a notable prophecy of Iesus Christ and of his Church and a liuely image of her vnion coniunction and communication with him being her husband For as the rib was taken from the mans side whilest he was asleepe that the woman might bee made so in the death of Iesus Christ signified by this sleepe and whilest he hung vpon the crosse his side was pierced out of which issued blood and water which resemble the Sacraments that tend to the edification of the Church And as Euah was taken from Adam according to the flesh who was the first stocke of mankinde and then ioyned vnto him in marriage that of twaine they might be one in one flesh so the Church was taken from Iesus Christ according to the spirite who is the true stocke of mankind regenerated and reformed after the image of God that she might be one mystical body with Iesus Christ who was giuen vnto her by God for her husband and head For this cause we may say the same things of him and of his Church which we spake before of the authoritie and soueraignty
hath not giuen it to any of them but to him only by that he hath put a difference betweene him the beasts as also by reason and vnderstanding whereof he hath made him partaker in respect wherof he hath giuen him speech which is as naturall vnto him as reason which is the spring head thereof and from whence it proceedeth as a riuerfrom his fountaine For how could men make known their counsailes thoughts without speech And what good should they receiue by that sense vnderstanding which God hath giuen them more theÌ„ to beasts if they had no more speech then they haue wherby to make it known And to what purpose would speech serue them if they knew not what to say And what should they haue to speake if they had no more vnderstaÌ„ding reason then other liuing creatures haue Were it not sufficient then to haue a coÌ„fused voice only as they haue Therfore also we see how God hath ioined these twothings together graunting speech vnto man because hee hath created him paâ—taker of reason and vnderstanding And hauing depriued beasts of the one hee hath also depriued them of the other so that they are partakers neither of reason nor speech For this cause Ecclesiasticus hath ioyned these things together saying That God hath giuen to men counsell and tongue and eyes eares and an heart to vnderstand and sixtly he gaue them a spirite and seuenthly he gaue them speech to declare his woorkes Hee filled them with knowledge of vnderstanding and shewed them good and euill Whereby he teacheth vs plainly what is the right true vse of speech to what end it is giuen to man and from whence it springeth For he placeth counsell in the first place and next the tongue Againe after the heart and spirite he placeth speech that we might know who is their messenger Whereupon we may conclude that the one is giuen for the other and both to glorifie God by shewing foorth his works and marueilous actes To which effect Basil the great saith very well that God hath created vs and graunted vs the vse of speech to the end we might haue the ability and meanes to lay open one to another the counsels and thoughtes of our heartes and to distribute amongst vs that which is in euery one by reason of that communicable nature in which we are created For the heart ought to bee in man as a secrete treasurie or as a larder or pantry in a house out of which all things necessary for the vse thereof and for the maintenaunce of the whole familie are dayly taken The heart also is like to a seller or garner wherein counsels and thoughts are locked and closed vp and the tongue is like to the steward who draweth out and dispenseth whatsoeuer is to bee distributed For as wee saide in the beginning of our speech our soule vseth thoughts and discourses which cannot bee declared so long as it is inclosed in this tabernacle of flesh without speech wordes and names by meanes of which she bringeth foorth and publisheth that which was inclosed and hidden in the secrete closet of her vnderstanding And so wee say that there are two kindes of speech in man one internall and of the minde the other externall which is pronounced and is the messenger of the internall that speaketh in the heart Therefore that which is framed in voyce pronounced in speech and brought into vse is as a riuer sent from the thought with the voyce as from his fountaine For before the thought can vtter any outward speech by meanes of the voyce first the minde must receiue the images of things presented vnto it by the corporall senses And then hauing receiued them by the imaginatiue vertue that is in it reason must discourse to knowe and to consider of them well and to separate or ioyne things according to that agreement or difference that concorde or discord which they may haue amongst them Next it is necessary that iudgement should follow this discourse to make choise of and to followe that which it shall iudge to be meete and conuenient and to reiect and shunne the contrary Lastly all must be vttered by significations apt and conuenient for euery thing so that when the minde hath giuen ouer to the office of the vocall instruments that which it hath comprised and resolued vpon in manner aforesaid the same is manifestly declared outwardly by the aire framed into voyce I meane by the moouing of the articulate and distinct voice whereas before it was hid and couered Now when this voice and speach is pronounced with the mouth as it is inuisible to the eyes so it hath no body whereby the hands may take hold of it but is insensible to all the senses except the hearing which neuerthelesse cannot lay hold of it or keepe it fast as it were with griping hands but entring in of it selfe it is so long detained there whilest the sound reboundeth in the eares and then vanisheth away suddenly But albeit the sound and the voyce passeth so sodainely as if presently it flew away hauing respect to the outward speech neuerthelesse the internall speach remaineth not onely in the spirite heart and thought that ingendred it not being in any sort diuided cut off or seperated but also it filleth all the hearers by reason of the agreement that is betweene the spirites and mindes of men and the speach that is bred there and because it differeth not much from the minde and from the thought where it first beganne and was bred And thus the thoughtes and counsailes of the minde and spirite are discouered and manifested by speach So that al voice is not speach For the name of voyce generally taken comprehendeth all sounds and things which bring any noise to the eares Neuerthelesse it is more properly and specially attributed to those sounds which all sortes of liuing creatures are able to make with their throat to signifie any thing therby But man onely hath articulate and well distinguished soundes vnto which birdes of all other beastes approch neerest so that euen many of them are taught in some sort to frame mans voyce but it is without vnderstanding And because that instruments of musicke do after a sort imitate the distinct voyce of men wee attribute voyce to them although the sounds which they make be more without iudgement and vnderstanding then that of beasts But in men voyces framed into wordes are signes and significations of the whole soule and minde both generally and specially namely of the fantasie and imagination of reason and iudgement of vnderstanding and memory of will and affections Wherefore it is an easie matter to iudge by his speach howe all these partes are affected namely whether they bee sound or haue any defect in them For if a man be dull witted or haue his fantasie and imagination troubled and his memory slowe and heauy he shall haue much adoe to speake
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
let vs not mocke or despise them but rather haue pitie and compassion ouer them pray to God in their behalfe and succour them asmuch as wee can acknowledging the grace of God towards vs in keeping vs from such inconueniences and beseeching him to preserue and keepe vs continually For whatsoeuer befalleth others shoulde as it were hang before our eyes as often as it pleaseth him to beate them with such scourges which we our selues haue no lesse deserued then they that are beaten yea oftentimes a great deale more The Lord striketh whome it pleaseth him that by them others might take instruction Therefore if we cannot profite by such teaching nor learne at other mens cost to feare and honour him to call vpon him and to giue him thankes it is to bee feared that he will send vs asmuch that so we may learne at our owne charges Yea and then also he is very gratious vnto vs if he suffer vs to haue our vnderstandings to knowe how to profite by his roddes and chastisements and giue vs not wholly ouer into the handes of Satan our Aduersarie But enough of this matter And nowe that wee haue seene the nature and office of the internall senses of the soule with their seates and instruments the sequele of our speech requireth as I thinke that we should intreate of vnderstanding and will which are two faculties and vertues in the highest and most principall part and power of the soule of man and in regard of which it is properly called by the name of a reasonable soule and life as wee shall presently learne of ACHITOB. Of the reasonable soule and life and of vertue of the vnderstanding and will that are in the soule and of their dignitie and excellencie Chap. 28. ACHITOB. Although beastes without any iudgement and reason follow after that which they conceaue to be agreeable to their nature and eschew the contrary according as their natural inclination driueth thē thereunto yet they passe not those bounds of nature which God hath set them nor violate the lawes thereof Wherby we see that through a secret sense of nature they draw alwayes towards God their Creator in that their nature bendeth still towardes that which God hath appoynted to bee the chiefe Good vnto which they can attaine And no doubt but God hath giuen them such inclinations to bee as it were rules to direct them to that which is their proper and naturall Good which consisteth onely in corporall thinges belonging to their bodies Nowe if hee bee thus carefull for beastes we may not thinke that hee hath depriued Man of such a benefite but that hee hath also giuen him his inclination to leade him to his proper Good and to the trueth which in respect thereof is necessarie for him For what likelihoode is there that such a woorkeman as God is woulde create Man the most excellent creature vnder heauen in worse estate not onely then beastes but also then all other bodily creatures which are nothing in comparison of the excellencie which is in him who notwithstanding following their naturall disposition Prayse GOD and fulfill his worde as the Psalmist saith As therefore God hath ordayned and prepared a farre greater Good formen then for beastes and hath layde vp the same in his soule and spirite so hath he giuen them the meanes to enquire and finde it out But the difficultie that is in finding it out proceedeth through their owne fault For the darknes of ignorance and error which sinne hath brought into their minds is that which hindereth them which had not taken holde of them if mankind had continued in the perfection of his first nature Neuertheles what defect soeuer there be yet we see that in the minde of man there shineth alwaies this naturall light that is giuen vnto him aboue that which beasts haue I mean Reason which serueth to guide the soule and spirite amidst the darknesse of errour and ignorance to the ende they may be able to discerne trueth from falsehood and the true Good from the false as we see the light serueth the eyes to keepe vs and to cause vs to see in darkenesse Therefore we sayde before that there was a double discourse of reason in man whereof the one is Theoricall and Speculatiue which hath Trueth for his ende and hauing found it goeth no farther The other is Practical hauing Good for his end which being found it stayeth not there but passeth forward to the Will which God hath ioyned vnto it to the end it should loue desire and follow after the Good and contrariwise hate eschew and turne away from euill Therefore when the question ariseth of contemplation reason hath Trueth for her vtmost bounds and when she is to come into action she draweth towardes Good and hauing conferred together that which is true and good she pronounceth iudgement So that reason considereth of thinges with great deliberation and beeing sometimes in doubt which way to take shee stayeth and returneth as it were to her selfe and maketh many discourses before shee iudge and conclude But sinne hath so troubled our spirite that these naturall rules which shoulde euermore cause vs to encline to that which is right and good are greatly depraued and corrupted Neuerthelesse there remayneth in vs a small remnant of that great Good which testifieth sufficiently vnto vs what losse and damage wee receiued by our fall Therefore both the internall and externall senses serue vs not onely for the good of the bodie and for this life as they do to beasts but also for the good of the soule and helpe vs to lift vp the minde higher to seeke for a better life and for a greater Good then can be found among all the creatures and in which alone the minde findeth true felicitie agreeable to such a nature as it selfe is Heereof it commeth that it cannot content it selfe with that wherwith beasts are contented nor stay there where they stay For after the spirite is somewhat setled vpon that knowledge which it hath by his imagination and fantasie he lifteth vp himselfe higher by the meanes of reason namely to the vnderstanding of spirituall and diuine things For hee knoweth well that because he is as it were shut vp in an obscure prison and compassed about with darknesse he is hindered from attaining to the vnderstanding and knowledge of many things whereof he is ignorant and can neither see nor know that which he would so neerely cleerely and perfectly as if hee were at greater libertie nor vse that naturall vigour that he hath being in this prison of the bodie In this sort doeth man consider of himself and of his nature and from that knowledge which he hath of the highest and most excellent things in nature there springeth in him a loue towardes them insomuch that the spirit ascendeth vp and attaineth vnto God who is the authour and Creator of all For this cause there ariseth contention betwixt reason and fantasie For
the perfectest of them For they haue some kinde of discourse in that they can passe from one thing to another But all their iudgements are but of particular things neyther doe they ascend higher In like maner they know not things absent nor passe from thē to others whether it be from things absent to them that are present or from present things to those that are absent For they take or leaue incontinently those present and particular things which they know and make a stop there without any further discourse So that this intellectuall and reasonable power is proper to man onely and is the highest and most soueraigne vertue of the soule of man And although the internall senses are seruiceable vnto it as they are serued of the externall senses neuerthelesse it hath proper actions vertues and motions which it can and doeth exercise without the helpe of bodily instruments when it is separated from the bodie And euen while it is in the bodie it is sometime rauished as if it were altogether out of it as it hath often fallen out to holy men who haue beene rauished in spirite in the contemplation of celestiall and diuine things and that by the reuelation of the spirite of God insomuch that Saint Paul testifieth of himselfe that Hee was taken vp into the thirde heauen and into Paradise not knowing whether hee were in the bodie or out of the bodie but GOD hee knewe Wee will consider therefore in this chiefe and most soueraigne part of the soule two faculties and vertues namely the Vnderstanding and the Will For it beeing so that man is created to attayne to that soueraigne and eternall Good which God hath propounded vnto him therefore hath GOD giuen him the power and vertue to wishe for that Good to the ende hee might desire to applie and ioyne himselfe vnto it This power and vertue is called Will. But the soule cannot haue this appetite and desire if first it vnderstand or know not that Good which it ought to desire and followe after For this cause hath God giuen vnto it another power and vertue which wee call Vnderstanding And forasmuch as our spirite stayeth not alwayes in one thought but discourseth and goeth from one matter to another it had neede of a receptacle and storehouse wherein it may lay vp the first thoughtes when others come as if it placed them in a treasurie that they shoulde not bee lost but might bee founde out and called foorth when neede shoulde require But wee learned by our former speech that this office apperteyneth to memorie which is as it were the Rolles of a Chauncerie court in which the seales of images framed by the thought are imprinted and vpon which the vnderstanding doeth looke as often as it pleaseth And euen as it serueth to the other internall senses vnto which it succeedeth in order so also it serueth the Vnderstanding and Will Concerning the Vnderstanding if we consider it generally it comprehendeth the whole minde but beeing taken more specially we meane a certaine particular office thereof For it vnderstandeth the the thinges that come from without as we conceiue them then it laieth vp that which it hath vnderstoode in some little cofer by it selfe for a time out of which it may take them againe when neede requireth This repetition and taking againe which is as it were an inquiry and searching out is called Consideration from thence it commeth to recordation and remembraunce and so conferreth together the thinges it hath vnderstood and compareth them one with another which being done a discourse thereof is had with others after which discourse it determineth and iudgeth what is true and what false what good and what euill Then doeth the Will choose that which is good and refuseth the euill And as we come from the vnderstanding to the will by these degrees so we must ascend vp by the same steppes euen from the last to the first namely from Will to Vnderstanding For Will doeth not follow after or refuse any thing which the iudgement hath not first determined to be good or euill and the iudgement decreeth nothing before it hath taken aduise of reason and reason aduiseth not before she haue conferred the things one with another and throughly examined them Neither can this conferring bee without consideration nor consideration without requiring that of Memorie which was committed vnto it to keepe and the memorie will keepe nothing safe but that which it hath first knowne and vnderstood So that the reasonable soule hath all these things namely Vnderstanding Will and Memorie And vnder this facultie of vnderstanding there is simple and particuler intelligence after which Consideration followeth next Recordation then Conferring and discoursing after that next Iudgement and last of all Contemplation which is as it were the rest of the soule and spirite Nowe these things being so excellent and wonderfull and somewhat obscure withall deserue to bee discoursed of more at large and to be vttered more clearely And therefore before wee goe to any other matter wee shall doe well to consider of the diuersity that is found in the operations and discourses of the Vnderstanding according to that gift of light which is in it and what is the end of all discourses Prepare therefore thy selfe ASER to intreate of this matter Of the varietie and contrarietie that is founde in the opinions deliberations counsailes discourses and iudgements of men with the cause thereof and of the good order and end of all discourses Chap. 29. ASER. All things whatsoeuer can be rehearsed are either of this mutable and temporary nature or of the other which is immutable perpetuall and aboue that nature If the question be of the first either the varietie and change is such that no certaine rule or determination can be giuen or els there is a perpetuall tenour and constancie in them according to their inbred inclination through a stedfast and continuall order of nature which is alike in all according to their natures and kinds If the variety and change be very vncertaine there can no certain science and knowledge be had of them nor any determination set down so general but that there wil be alwaies some exception For touching the first sort we can haue no sure knowledge of things that are infinite and that haue infinite alterations And because particularities and particular things are infinite in regarde of our capacity there can no entire and certaine knowledge be had of them all in speciall As for generals howbeit they also are variable yet some rules may well bee giuen of them of which the arte followeth afterward and yet no such certaine rules but often it falleth out otherwise as we may see in many artes and in sundry experiences For although it bee ordinarie for women to loue their children yet there are some that murder them cruelly So that howsoeuer it bee very common to loue them yet it falleth not out so
they call it the foundation of iustice Therefore faithfull signifieth as much as true constant and firme in that which a man hath spoken and promised namely when one hath kept his faith Heereof it is also that God is so often in the holy Scriptures called Faithfull in respect of vs because hee neuer falfifieth his faith but is alwayes firme and constant in al his words and workes But when the Scripture speaketh of Faith in regarde of men towardes God it doth not onely comprehend a beleefe whereby wee beleeue that to bee true which wee heare and which is spoken vnto vs as when one telleth vs some historie but it is also a trust which assureth vs that God will performe that vnto vs which he hath promised vs. Therefore true faith includeth in it a certaine and vndoubted confidence of heauenly things and an assured perswasion of the accomplishment of Gods promises towards vs. Now to prosecute our purpose seeing we haue learned that the knowledge of the truth which is the principall obiect of reason and vnderstanding is verie hard for men to attaine vnto let vs consider of the meanes whereby wee may bee certaine and sure of those things which we are to beleeue This discourse ARAM. belongeth vnto thee Of the meanes whereby a man may haue certaine knowledge of those thinges which he ought to beleeue and take for true of the naturall and supernaturall light that is in man and how they beare witnesse of the image of God in him Chap. 31. ARAM For a man to knowe himselfe to be ignorant is a goodlie science and so necessary for men that without it they cannot be truely skilfull For the ignorant person that knoweth not himselfe to be such a one but supposeth hee knoweth that which hee doeth not in deede is as vnteachable a beast as can be because hee will neuer seeke for a master to be instructed by but if any offer themselues hee will reiect them and rather himselfe take vpon him to teach them Therefore Socrates was greatly commended by the ancients because he saide that hee knewe but one onely thing namely that he was ignorant and knewe nothing True it is that if wee speake of things which may be knowen by the corporall and spirituall senses of men euen as nature hath giuen them vnto vs and of things belonging to naturall and morall Philosophie there are many men to bee founde whose knowledge therein is so great that other men in respect of them may seeme to bee but poore beasts But when we must ascend vp to the knowledge of things reuealed vnto vs in Iesus Christ and in the Gospell no sense or vnderstanding of man is able to comprehend any thing therein if the spirite of God doe not teach him and dwell in him to seale and to confirme in his soule the doctrine of those heauenly mysteries wherein the skilfullest men are no better taught of themselues then those that are most ignorant For that abideth alwayes true which Saint Paul wrote to the Corinthians that the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirite of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can hee knowe them because they are spiritually discerned Nowe I finde foure meanes whereby men may be made certaine of those things vnto which they ought to giue credite whereof three of them are naturall and according to naturall Philosophie the fourth goeth further and is proper to diuinitie The first is generall experience the second the knowledge of principles the third naturall iudgement of these three wee will first speake and then come to the fourth Generall experience is that iudgement which al men of sound mindes doe giue all after one sort of those things whereof they haue certaine experience by their corporall senses as is to be seene in naturall things For who knoweth not that the fire is hote And who woulde not take him for a senselesse man that should affirme the contrary Yea who coulde affirme it being conuinced of the trueth thereof by his owne senses Likewise who seeth not the difference that is betweene death and life and what are the effectes both of the one and the other For euery one knoweth these thinges by a generall experience common to all Wherefore this knowledge is certaine and where it is so there needeth no other proofe or demonstration fetched farther then from such experience For God hath so created the nature of things that men must needes confesse it to be so as generall experience doth declare it to be And he that will not beleeue it let him take triall thereof himselfe and he shall know whether it be so or no. So that whosoeuer would stand against this common and generall experience he should make open warre against God and nature in denying all order which he hath set downe therein Concerning the knowledge of principles wee must first knowe that there is vnderstoode by principles that naturall knowledge that is borne with vs which is the seede of all Artes and a beame of the light of God in vs to the ende that by this meanes all Artes necessary for life should be inuented and put in vse As for example euery one knoweth naturally that the whole of any thing is more then the halfe or then a part of it onely and that three are moe then two To be briefe the knowledge of numbers of measures and of other such like things is naturall vnto vs and is not found in the nature of beastes and therefore they haue neither the inuention nor vse of any Arte as wee haue already heard But let vs proceede farther and consider whether there be no natural knowledge in men whereby they vnderstand that there is a diuine nature wise iust true good that loueth goodnesse and hateth and punisheth euil with which nature the soule of man hath some agreement and is as it were an image thereof for which cause he ought to be made conformable to God by folowing after wisedome trueth iustice goodnesse and all vertue and by shunning the contrary vices In this respect he that followeth this rule obeyeth God doing that which is pleasant and right in his eies and he that leaueth this rule disobeyeth and displeaseth him committing wicked and dishonest things whereby hee becommeth woorthy of punishment In a worde wee may referre to these naturall principles whatsoeuer God hath imprinted in mens hearts and mindes of the law of nature which serueth all men for naturall diuinitie the Bookes of which they carry printed in their soules And yet out of all question this diuinitie will scarce serue vs but to condemnation if we go no farther because the booke thereof is so blotted in vs that there is not so much as one small peece or leafe thereof whole sound which is not very much blurred torne Neuertheles that which remaineth is a sufficient processe against vs before God and able to conuince and condemne vs at
the body which in the infancie of man hinder it from doing that which it doeth by them in other ages Besides wee may truely say that God hath created it of that nature that as hee hath ioyned it vnto the body which hath his degrees of growth so the soule hath some agreement therewith in this respect touching the manifestation of her naturall powers and vertues Neither is it any strange thing if God deale so with it in this matter In the meane time wee see that although the soule of man seemeth in nothing or very little to differ from that of plants as long as it is in the mothers womb nor from the soule of beasts during the time of his infancie neuerthelesse afterward it sheweth very well wherein it differeth from them and that it hath certaine vertues which are not in any other soule For if this were not so both in respect of the age and growth of the body as also in regarde of that property which is in the nature thereof it woulde be alwayes like to that which it is in the beginning as wee see it is with plantes and beastes in whose soule wee can perceiue no more change in the ende and when they growe vp then in their beginning and first birth According then to that I haue now saide we see by experience that in the gifts and graces wherewith GOD daily adorneth and enricheth his children he doeth not communicate all at once vnto them but by little and little and by degrees as hee iudgeth it expedient and as they are capable of reason and vnderstanding Therefore it is written of Iohn Baptist that the childe grewe and waxed strong in spirite which is as much to say as that according as hee grewe in age God increased the graces of his holie spirite vpon him wherewith hee had indued him euen from his mothers wombe And when wee haue profited well in his schoole so that wee are assured of and instructed in those things which wee ought to followe according to the worde of GOD wee easily attaine to that Good which is the ende of all inquirie of the trueth namely to contemplation which followeth iudgement as iudgement followeth reason and the discourse thereof For reason discoursing is as it were the inquisition of the trueth that is sought for and iudgement is as the election that maketh choice of the trueth and of that which it taketh to be most certaine and Contemplation is as it were a quiet and setled beholding of all those things which were gathered together by reason and receiued with approbation by iudgement For there is no more place for disputation seeing all things are certaine and cleere Nowe all pleasure and delight proceedeth from the conuenience and agreement that is betwixt the thing that pleaseth and him whome it doeth please And because there is nothing more agreeable to the nature of the spirite and minde of man then trueth hereof it commeth that notwithstanding al corruption that is in him there is no man but naturally desireth knowledge and skill accounting science to bee excellent and woorthie of great praise and ignorance to bee full of shame yea hee iudgeth it a verie ill thing to bee deceiued Wherefore wee may not doubt but that as knowledge is more true and certaine so doeth the spirite receiue greater pleasure and when it hath found the trueth it delighteth greatly therein And if for the causes before touched by vs it can not find the trueth so certainely as it desireth yet it taketh singular pleasure in approching so neere vnto it as it can For this cause the more certaine the trueth is which it knoweth it is the more agreeable and pleasant vnto it especially when it knoweth the true spring and first causes thereof Therefore as the mindes of men delight more in those things that resemble them most of so much the more noble and excellent nature they are yea more heauenly and diuine and so will take pleasure in such things as are most excellent and celestiall Contrariwise the more earthly vile and abiect they shall be the more will they delight in mortall base and contemptible things and despise such as are of greatest value For this cause many Philosophers haue esteemed more of the studie of Philosophie and the knowledge thereof then of kingdomes and great riches being prouoked and pricked thereunto by an vnspeakeable pleasure which their spirite tooke in the knowledge of those things that were reueled vnto them therein On the other side wee see that ambitious men delight more in honours and worldely greatnesse then they woulde doe at leastwise in their owne opinion in all the skill of the Philosophers A couerous man pleaseth himselfe a great deale more in telling and beholding his crownes then in any other thing whatsoeuer It is no maruell therefore if ambitious couetous and voluptuous men and such like doe commonly deride those that take delight in learning and chiefly in the doctrine and contemplation of those celestiall and eternall things which they set before their eyes or if they preferre greatly their owne estate and condition before others that take pleasure in such things For they are pearles cast before swine which are not valued as they are woorth but onely of such as knowe them and their value Nowe if heathen Philosophers haue oftentimes willingly abandoned all their goodes that they might wholly addict themselues to the study of their humane Philosophie to the contemplation of such things as they could know thereby notwithstanding that it was alwayes accompanied with some doubting and that they could neuer attaine to a certaine knowledge either of the beginning or ende of things what ought Christians to do when the question is of Diuine Philosophie and Wisedome the treasures of which are opened and offered vnto them in the word of God For it is without all comparision farre more certayne then any science and containeth in it other trueths and matters that are great deale more profound excellent and more worthy of contemplation And they to whome God hath beene so gratious as to giue some taste and experience of these things are able to iudge well of them yea farre better then any others For it is certaine that euen for a little true knowledge of God and of the trueth of those things which hee hath reuealed vnto vs in his doctrine wee receiue singular delight with great ioy and sweete consolation So that euery man may perceiue howe much greater the pleasure will bee when the knowledge shall be greater If then this small taste which wee may haue in this worlde of these delicacies and spirituall delights bringeth vnto vs such singular ioy we may easily iudge howe great it will be in that most happy contemplation which wee shall haue in heauen with God when wee shall beholde him face to face and knowe him as wee are knowen whereas heere wee see him but as it were in a glasse and
Therefore he hath giuen them a nature that is partaker of Vnderstanding and prescribed vnto them rules of iudgement and of certain knowledge which are vnto them as it were lawes ordained by a soueraigne Prince for the ruling of his subiectes And to the end that these lawes should not be in vaine he hath placed in man a Will to execute them and an affection of ioy that is brought to him by meanes of the good which he receiueth or expecteth when he obeyeth these lawes that command nothing but iust things So that hee would haue the nature of man to leade a ioyfull life and by this meanes be preserued that he might solace himselfe in the knowledge of God his Creator and in obeying him settle and rest himself in him As contrariwise it pleased him to place there an affection of sadnesse to take vengeance of rebellion against his lawes and of the transgression of them to the end there might be a flame of anger and griefe to destroy that nature when it doeth not conforme it selfe to the rule of his diuine wisedome and will Hereby we know by experience what difference there is betweene a ioyfull life and that which is sad full of griefe and how ioy preserueth and maintaineth the one and sorow consumeth and extinguisheth the other But to the end we may fully vnderstand these thinges and bee able to iudge aright of the diuers powers vertues and offices of the soule wee must diligently consider that as GOD hath distinguished the Vnderstanding from the Will and affections and the Animall vertue and life from the Vitall so also hee hath giuen them diuers seates and instrumentes in the bodie There is likewise great difference betwixt Vnderstanding and Knowledge and the Will and Affections as we see it by experience in common life For it falleth out often that after we know a man we either loue him or hate him And if at the first we loued him wel yet after hee is knowen vnto vs we may fall to hate him or if wee first hated him afterward vpon better knowledge we may receiue him into our loue Nowe although these affections of loue and of hatred bee thus mutable in vs yet the selfe same knowledge remayneth alwayes with vs. For if wee did not still knowe him wee coulde neyther loue nor hate him because as a man cannot loue without knowing the thing loued so hee cannot hate that which is vnknowen Therefore it is no difficult matter to iudge that the Vnderstanding differeth from the Will and affections and that they are distinct offices and seuerall properties and vertues of the soule which haue also their diuers seates and instrumentes For the internall senses are ioyned with that power which the Soule hath to knowe and the heart with the power of the Will and Affections Heereof it is that wee see manie endued with great knowledge of honest and vertuous thinges but they haue no good affection to followe after them and to put them in practise so that their heart agreeth not with their braine nor their will and affections with their vnderstanding reason Contrariwise there are others that haue not so great knowledge of goodnes and of their duetie and yet they haue a good affection and Will to do wel but for want of vnderstanding what is right and iust they obserue and keepe it not according to that measure of desire which is in them Where wee see againe how and in what sort there is no good agreement betweene the brayne and the heart and betweene those powers and vertues of the soule which wee haue alreadie named So that wee may compare the former sort of men to one that hath eyes to guide him but no legges or feete to goe vpon or if hee haue any yet hee will not set them on woorke As for the other sort they are like to blinde men that long to goe and to walke and haue legges to carrie them but they cannot goe whither they woulde because they haue neyther eyes nor sight to direct them nor guides to leade them Nowe by the consideration of these two sortes of men wee may well conclude and iudge with ourselues what they are that want all these thinges mentioned by vs because they haue neyther sounde knowledge of the trueth and of that which is good nor Will and desire to haue any nor any affection to followe that which is good whome I woulde compare to them that are blind and withal haue both hand and feete lame at one time But this matter may yet bee vnderstoode better if wee make this our speeche to agree with that which Saint Paul wryteth to the Romanes where hee sayeth That the wrath of God is reuealed from heauen against all vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse of men which withholde the trueth in vnrighteousnesse For wee may vnderstande by trueth those true and naturall impressions of the knowledge of GOD and of his lawe and of good and honest thinges which are in men as beames of the diuine wisedome shining in that part of the soule whereby hee knoweth But because the Will and the affections of the heart agree not with this knowledge and there are no diuine motions nor celestiall flames to stirre vp and to kindle the heart with the loue of God and to procure it to followe after that knowledge therefore men are detayned in vnrighteousnesse and yeelde not vnto God that honour and obedience that they owe vnto him Wherein they shew themselues vnthankefull and vnrighteous And therefore the Apostle expounding himselfe saieth by and by after That when they knewe God they glorified him not as God neither were thankefull but became vaine in their imagination and their heart voyde of vnderstanding was full of darknesse Whereby hee declareth that their ingratitude and naughty heart was the cause why they abused that vnderstanding and knowledge which they had receiued of God and afterward also he depriued them of these excellent gifts of his grace which he attributeth to the heart for certaine reasons which wee are to note For wee may see in many places of the Scripture and in their writings and exhortations that folowe the doctrine and stile thereof that the heart is often taken for the seate of the minde of the vnderstanding and of reason as well as for the affections of the soule Neuerthelesse the Philosophers and they that followe them in such discourses attribute these soueraigne powers of the soule onely to the braine which they make the seate of them as wee haue sufficiently shewed heeretofore and as for the affections of the soule they assigne the seate of them to the heart Now one body hath not two but one soule Therefore although it haue many faculties powers vertues and offices yet they are all comprehended vnder those two and depend of them euen as in one body there are many members appointed to diuers operations Nowe because reason ought to be the Gouernesse and Mistresse
euil must of necessitie be fled from And of this naturall inclination to good proceede all those affections of the soule that draw it hither and thither to seeke for it but because of her badde iudgement proceeding of the darkenesse of ignorance which is in the minde she chooseth oftentimes the cleane contrary to that which she desireth as we haue already touched We call then properly by the name of affections the motions and acts of that naturall power of the soule which consisteth in following after good eschewing of euil For receiuing of God in our first creation to be to be wel we haue still some naturall seedes of the perfection of these two great gifts which teach vs naturally that it is a good thing for one to preserue himselfe and his beeing as also to be wel and happy in his beeing but this is only generally For wheÌ„ we are to come from these generalities vnto particulars there are wonderful errors and disorders throughout the whole course of mans life Now among the motions of the soule some go before iudgement others follow after although oftentimes they are so sodaine headstrong withall that it appeareth plainly they haue shaken off the bridle neuer expected staied for any iudgemeÌ„t Notwithstanding it is true that the hart is not moued before there hath bin some iudgement to determine whether that which is then offred vnto it be good or euil But bicause the motions of our spirit mind are very light sodain and need not so long time as otherwise is requisit for vs if wee will take good heede to our matters hereof it is that they seem to vs many times to preuent goe before iudgement giuen when indeed they follow it And as for those naturall motions which in truth go before it they are such as are bred borne of the disposition of the body as the desire to eate in hunger and to drinke in thirst sorrow in time of sickenes or the motion of a melancholike humor or ioy proceeding from good and pure blood in the heart But the other motions follow the aduice of iudgement as that is mooued and changed diuersly by such meanes as haue alreadie bin declared so the affections alter and increase or decrease or otherwise vanish cleane away and come to nothing Whereof it followeth that they are appeased by the same meanes by which they are moued according as they are applied vnto them But although it behooueth that the affections should be pricked forward by iudgement yet it followeth not thereupon that they can not be stirred vp except this mature ripe iudgement be alwaies there which ordaineth things to be done after the discourse of reason For it is enough for them if they haue another iudgement that obserueth not such an exact diligent examination but onely that which fantasie offereth without any other discoursing And this iudgement thus moued by fancie is most vsual ordinary and that which most guideth ruleth the affections of men Therfore it is a sodain tumultuous iudgement of which a man may truly say a short sentence of a sottish iudge Thus fancie being very turbulent skittish drawing to it selfe confusedly some shew and apparance of opinion iudgement whereby it deemeth that which is offred vnto it to be either good or bad is the cause that wee liue in the middest of marueilous troubles in respect of our affections of feare of desire of sorrow of ioy and that one while we weep and sodainly we laugh againe And because it hath great power ouer the body as wee haue already declared these perturbations doe manifestly incline that way We see also by experience that there is great agreement betweene the qualities and temperature of the body and the affections of the soule insomuch that as the bodies of men are compounded of the qualities of heate colde moisture and drienesse so among the affections some are hote others colde some moist others drie some mingled of these diuers qualities So that euery one is most subiect to those affections that come neerest to the nature temperature complexion of his body As for example the affection of ioy is hote and moist therefore they that are hot and moist as children yong men sound and healthy folkes and idle persons are more easily inclined to that affection Contrariwise sorrow is a colde and drie affection and therefore they that are colde and drie are most giuen to that affection and such are olde folkes and they that are of a melancholy humour which is earthy cold and drie For the like reason they that haue a soft and tender heart receiue more easily the impression of ioy and griefe as wax taketh the print of a seale and they that haue a haâ—d and hote heart quickly receiue ioy keep it a long time And on the other side they that haue hard and cold hearts receiue sorrowe and grieâ—e very soone and retaine it long as appeareth in melancholy and melancholike persons And as the affections followe the temperature and complexion of the body so they for their parts haue great vertue and power ouer the body Therefore we see that ioy is as it were a medicine to the body and foode to the naturall heate and moisture in which two qualities life chiefely consisteth as we haue already heard For it greatly preserueth and increaseth them forasmuch as it strengtheneth the animall and naturall vertues stirreth vp the spirites helpeth digestion and generally profiteth the habite and disposition of the whole body For the heart thereby sendeth with the blood much naturall heate and more spirites vnto all parts of the body By meanes whereof the members are watred and moistned by the humiditie contained in the fountaine of blood whereupon it followeth that all the partes increase in bignesse and waxe fatte For this cause Physicions alwayes exhort sicke persons to be as merry as they may and to auoide sorrowe and sadnesse which being colde and drie is contrary to life and so consumeth men For it drieth vp the whole body because the heart thereby is closed vp and restrained so that no great quantitie of spirites can bee made there and those fewe that are there can not easily bee distributed and dispersed with the blood throughout the members Whereupon the vitall vertue and her companions being weakened the liuely colour of the face waxeth wanne and pale and in a manner vanisheth cleane away and so consequently the whole bodie becommeth leane and consumeth as if it tooke no nourishment yea death oftentimes followeth thereupon This agreement therefore which is as we see betweene the temperature and complexion of the body the affections of the soule ought to teach vs to be very temperate in our eating and drinking and in all other things belonging to our life For as wee arre either temperate or intemperate so will the qualities be whereof our bodies are
and euill to the ende that all the actions therof might agree with these rules which are the beames of heauenly wisedome in our selues For it is an order which God hath so ordained established And forasmuch as the soule was to dwell in the body God gaue vnto it this naturall power of the affections that it might bee wakened and stirred vp by them as it were with prickes thereby to be kept from idlenesse and from being lulled asleepe and oppressed with the heauines of the body and so neglect all care of good things of that which is very expedient profitable for it self For this cause the soule hath her affections of which some serue for spurres to pricke her hither thither as oftē as need requireth others serue for a bridle to keep her back to stay her from rushing vnto euill from following those things that are hurtful for her And indeede we stand in need of such spurtes and bridles but herein we erre greatly in that we knowe not howe to keepe a moderation betweene these twaine For because wee make these spurres too sharpe and pricke the horse too much which we haue to guide the bridle on the other side is two grieuous vnto him so that he lifteth vp and girdeth forward ouer furiously And this commeth to passe because wee doe not content our selues with that which is requisite for the succouring of our naturall necessities but we adde there vnto infinite superfluities For vpon some light necessitie that might soone be dispatched we torment our selues a great deale more then neede is because wee perswade our selues that our necessities are greater then they bee and so seeke after moe remedies and helpes then is requisite Of this wee haue daily experience in that care which wee take for thinges necessarie for this life which is the cause that wee burne continually with insatiable couetousnesse which is such a marueilous spurre vnto vs that wee take very little rest for it For if wee woulde bee contented with enough it woulde not put vs to that torment which wee dayly suffer But nothing sufficeth vs and therefore the affections are in our soule as the windes vpon the sea For some windes are very small and mooue the water but a little others are more vehement and rayse vp certaine waues and some againe are so tempestuous and make such horrible stormes and gustes whereby the Sea is so mooued that sea and sande and fishe and all seeme to bee turned topsie toruie The like may bee sayde of the motions of the soule For some are so light that they seeme to bee nothing els but small beginnings of moouing There are others stronger which moue it somewhat more And some also are so violent that they altogether trouble the soule euen in such a vehement manner that they driue her from her seate of iudgement Therefore these two first kindes of motions are properly called affections and the other that are so violent are termed Commotions and Perturbations For they bring a kinde of blindnesse with them which is the cause that iudgement and reason see neuer a whit Whereupon it followeth seeing neither Reason nor Iudgement beare any more rule that the soule is as if shee had no more power ouer her selfe but were subiect to the iurisdiction of some other The Grecians terme such affections with a worde that signifieth as much as if wee shoulde say passions And in deede wee commonly say that a man is passionate when hee is tormented by such violent affections For as the whole bodie suffereth when it is mooued or thrust too and fro and stricken on euerie side so is it with the soule beeng violently mooued euerie way And as the moouing is more or lesse moderate so shee suffereth more or lesse and if the motion bee verie violent confusion followeth thereupon Nowe for the sequele of this speech let vs consider how the affections are more or lesse moderate according to the disposition of the iudgement and what is the spring and originall of so many sundry affections as we see in men It belongeth then to thee ARAM to handle this matter That according to the dispposition of the iudgement the affections are more or lesse moderate or immoderate of the cause of all the motions of the soule and heart of the varietie of affections of the generation nature and kindes of them Chap. 43. ARAM. Whatsoeuer we doe or wish for wee doe or desire it for some Good whether that which we iudge to bee good bee so in trueth or in opinion onely And therein wee resemble God our Creator who is not only good but also goodnes it selfe euen the perfection of all Good Wherefore if we desire to know what is the true Good we must vnderstand that there is but one onely true Good euen the same by participation of which we are first made good and then of good most happie For we cannot be happy and blessed which is the end we all looke for but we must first become good For as there is no true felicitie and blessednes but in Good being th source and fountaine yea the perfection of all happines and contentation so also there is no felicitie nor blesse dues but in goodnes which is as proper to God as his very diuinitie because that as he cannot be God except he be good so he cannot be good with that goodnesse that is in him but he must bee God And as he is the essence of all essences so he is the essential Good and the essential Goodnes of al Goods and of al Goodnesses But although our nature doeth of it selfe alwayes tend to that which is Good as wee haue shewed in the handling of the chiefe powers of the soule Vnderstanding and Will neuertheles we differ much nay we are cleane contrary to God when wee come to the election of Good because of the bad iudgement we haue by reason of the darknes of ignoraunce wherewith our mindes are blinded Hereof it commeth that the more the iudgement is corrupted infected and deeper plunged in the flesh the more euill and carnal are the affections the moe in number and the more violent yea such as doe not onely trouble and peruert the internal senses of the soule but the external senses also of the body This we may obserue in them that are caried away with loue who thinke oftentimes and are verily perswaded that they see and heare those thinges which indeede are nothing so Contrariwise the purer the iudgement is and the higher it is lifted vp from the fleshe and from the earth the fewe◠and lighter are the affections which trouble and molest it For then it taketh greater heed and marketh what trueth or what falsehood what good or what euill there is in all thinges Whereupon it commeth to passe that the iudgement is not so often nor so easily mooued And when it is mooued it is not so violent nor headie but more mature
and moderate For all great violent and turbulent motions proceede of ignoraunce and inconsideratenesse or through a false perswasion which maketh vs to thinke that the Good or Euill is greater then indeede it is And this commeth for want of experience which beeing as it were a darke cloude and mist before the eyes of our minde doe greatly trouble it insomuch that we ayme not at that certaine Good after which wee ought to seeke but contrariwise we propounde to our selues many sortes of Goods with many and sundry endes and meanes to attaine vnto them which we change and rechange from houre to houre very inconstantly according to places times and occasions whereby it is euident that there is no stayednesse in vs. Besides all this there is another great mischiefe namely that wee haue not that prudence which beastes haue by naturall instinct onely without reason or iudgement whereby to knowe how wee may keepe our selues from those tempests which our affections may moue in vs. For when beastes perceiue any tempest comming they sodainly withdraw themselues and seeke for meanes to auoyde it And they that sayle on the Sea foreseeing the tempestuous stormes which threaten them prouide thereafter in good time leaft they shoulde bee caried away therewith For otherwise they bring themselues within the compasse of this danger that afterward they cannot bee Masters of their shippe neither arriue at their desired hauen but rather hazarde the breaking of their shippe against some rocke or of sticking fast in some sande or of beeing swallowed vp and ouerwhelmed with some whitlewindes and tempests The like may bee sayde of the motions of the soule made by affections For there are not so manie sortes of windes whirlewindes or tempestes in the Sea as there is varietie of motions that come from the affections in our heartes Therefore wee ought to bee verie carefull that when wee see and perceiue any beginnings in our soules wee straightwayes giue not our selues ouer into the power and swinge of our affections But wee are so farre from looking to this that we throwe our selues into the middest of the tempest that it may carrie vs not whether wee woulde but whether that will For seeyng wee enterprise our affayres not by the appoyntment and decree of an vpright iudgement directed by reason but at the iudgement and lust of our corrupt and crooked nature wee are so much mooued as our nature hath power For naturall actions are not bounded by our will but eâ—tende themselues as farâ—e as the power and vertue thereof is able to permitte But it is cleane contrarie with a prudent and wise man For hee is not deceiued in the election and choyse of that which is good because hee chooseth with good iudgement and propoundeth not to himselfe many vncertaine Goodes but one onely which is the true and certaine Good Like wise hee chooseth not many wayes and meanes to come vnto it but a few that are well sifted out and infallible besides hee is not gouerned by his affaires and affections but gouerneth them neyther giueth himselfe ouer into their power but abideth alwayes in his owne insomuch that if any affection beginneth to mooue by vertue of his naturall inclination hee presently stayeth it compelling it to giue place and to obey right iudgement Thus much generally of the nature of affections nowe it remayneth that wee shoulde say something of the number and varietie of them Surely it is very difficult yea impossible to set downe a certaine number of an infinite thing although indeede the number of the affections is not infinite by nature but onely in regarde of vs that cannot comprehend them all But wee will reckon vp the chiefest of them which are the fountaine of the rest Heere then we haue first to note that all motions of the soule are in regarde eyther of some good which they seeke or of some euill which they woulde auoyde because it is contrary to that good Therefore euerie motion of it selfe tendeth alwayes to that which is good or withdraweth it selfe from euill or els seâ—teth it selfe against it as wee haue alreadie hearde in the handling of Will Nowe euery good and euery euill is eyther present or to come or past eyther possible or impossible And as wee take the absence of euill for a good so wee iudge the absence of good to bee an euill For this cause the Diuines make two kindes of â—ayne or punishment whereof the first is the payne of losse and damage and the other is the paine of sense and feeling By the first they vnderstande that paine which a man hath because hee wanteth some good that hee should and woulde haue For men account it damage to loose that profite which they ought to haue By the seconde they vnderstande a payne which is felt not onely when some good is wanting which a man shoulde or woulde haue but when some euill is present that is contrary to this good which men feâ—le by effect Therefore they say that the payne of the losse and damage is the priuation of the ioyes of Paradise For although there were no torments of â—ell for the wicked but onely a priuation of that eternall life and happinesse for the which man was created of GOD yet were this no small punishment to bee depriued thereof But there is a great deale more when the wicked are not onely depriued of a blessed life but besides that are detained in perpetuall torments as a malefactor that doeth not onely want all good company but is withall kept in perpetual prison and torture But let vs proceede with our matter When any good is propounded so soone as euer the soule and minde knoweth it it is well liked of And this liking or delight is as it were a little pleasant winde of motion in the heart which beginneth to arise and to followe after this good Nowe when this pleasure and liking is confirmed and waxeth strong it is turned into loue And the motion of that present Good which wee haue already gotten is called ioy and the motion of some Good to come is called Desire which is inclosed within the bounds of loue If the matter be of some euill it is called offence because the soule is offended thereby and therfore she is displeased therewith and dislâ—keth it whereas shee is well pleased with Good If this displeasure or dislike be confirmed it is turned into hatred And as griefe is for some present euill so is feare of some euil â—o come The motion against a present euill is anger enuy indignation and against an euill to come is confidence and boldnesse Now all these affections haue others vnder them For fauour reuerence and mercy are comprised vnder loue delight vnder ioy hope vnder desire and desire vnder griefe As for pride it is a monster compounded of diuers affections as of ioy of desire and of boldenesse And as the affections are quickely bredde one of an other
punishment and that findeth not a Iudge euen in him that committed it to take vengeance thereof by meanes of the affections which God hath placed in man to that ende Among which Shame occupieth a place which we ought well to consider of Concerning this affection there are some that are ashamed in regarde of some feare of dishonour of which there followeth no dammage or in respect of some griefe or perturbation of the soule arising of some thinges that seeme to bring some dishonour with them Forasmuch therefore as Shame is a feare of dishonour it is of great force in them that loue honour For the more they loue it the more doe they feare dishonour which is the contrary thereof as a very great euill And for this cause there is in Shame not onely a feare of villanie but indignation also after the committing of some fault For hee that is faulty chafeth and is angry with himselfe because of the dishonour hee receiueth through his offence And this kind of Shame is the simplest and lightest and may be called Blushing being very common especially in children and virgins Now for asmuch as herein the spirits withdraw themselues vnto the hart as vnto a center and presently as it were in the same instant returne backe againe the face is painted with a vermillion colour which is very pleasant and comely namely in that age and in those persons Therefore is this colour rightly called the colour of vertue For God hath placed this affection of shame in the nature of men to the end it should be vnto them as a bridle to stay them from committing vile things and as a Iudge and Reuenger to punish them after they haue done such things Therfore also there is yet another kind of shame more vehemēt which approcheth neare vnto the affection of anger and is mingled with wrath and feare For it is a motion of the heart in which he that feeleth himselfe guiltie of any dishonest crime or act is angry with himselfe for the same and punisheth and reuengeth himselfe vpon himselfe and withall feareth the iudgements of others and the rebuke and dishonour that may come vnto him for it For as we haue heard already God hath placed in the nature of man sundry affections of which some are sweete and pleasant to the end they should be vnto vs as it were spurres vnto vertue others are bitter and vnpleasaunt that they might bee vnto vs in steade of punishmentes and that the greefe which they bring might teach vs to knowe more cleerely what diuersitie there is betweene vertue and vice and what difference wee ought to put betweene good and euill deedes Therefore there is not a woorse thing in man nor any disease more dangerous to the soule then impudencie which is wholly contrarie to Shame and Blushing For whosoeuer is once past all Shame hee hath no care at all of his honour much lesse of the honour of GOD. Heereof it is that the holie Ghost by the Prophetes doeth greatly accuse the impudencie of the wicked saying vnto them by way of reproch that they had whoores foreheads and woulde not bee ashamed that they were impudent children and stiffe hearted and that they did glorie in their wickednesse after they had done euill in steade of being ashamed and amending their faults Nowe whereas wee sayde that Shame painteth the face with a vermilian colour wee are to knowe that the passions and affections of the soule breede great change in our bodies as they that mooue the spirits and the naturall heat by opening and shutting vp of the heart whereby the spirits are eyther inlarged or restrained Thus it commeth to passe that the colour of the face is changed it being a propertie of the heart to set in it certaine markes and signes of the affections that are in it as wee haue already heard Therefore doeth Shame paint the cheekes with rednesse because the danger that springeth of feare is of that nature that the heart standeth in neede of helpe to repell and driue it away namely of that heate that retireth backe vnto it Nowe forasmuch as there is perturbation in Shame by reason of the opinion and feare of dishonour and blame heate is drawen vp to the head and so from thence it is dispersed ouer the face And although Shame doeth not trouble the heart and minde so much as feare doeth yet doeth it confound the head and causeth it oftentimes to forget what it thought and was purposed to haue done As wee see it sometimes in very wise and skilfull men when they are to speake or to doe something before personages or companies whome they reuerence And this is incident for the most part to such as are most modest and to them that presume least of themselues who indeede can not heare their owne praises without shame and blushing such is their nature and modestie or else it is because their hearts are very litle which maketh them also fearefull Nowe although too much shamefastnesse when it is causelesse is woorthy of blame because it often keepeth them that are ouertaken therwith from doing many good things from imploying the giftes which they haue receiued of God as it becommeth them yet is it more praise-woorthy then impudency which as it maketh men altogether shameles brasenfaced so it vsually accompanieth proud arrogant persons For it is cleane contrary to modesty Seeing therfore we learn that shame is a feare of dishonour and blame and of doing that that might procure it we must take good heed that we iudge aright of that which is to bee accounted vile and dishonest and of that which may bring vnto vs honour or dishonour praise or dispraise For our nature being ful of darknes through sinne that raigneth in it our natural iudgment is not so intire and vpright as it ought to be to iudge well either of that which is truely honest and which bringeth with it honour and commendation or otherwise of the contrary vnto it Whereupon it commeth to passe that we oftentimes take one for another so light vpon that which we least sought for or desired Therfore let vs know and learne this that there is nothing honest but vertue nor any thing dishonest but vice and that as nothing is more beautifull and of greater renowme then vertue so nothing is more ilfauoured dishonourable and infamous then vice But forasmuch as there is great diuersitie of opinions what is to be accounted honest and dishonest what vertue what vice what praise what dispraise let vs learne to frame our iudgement out of the law and word of God which is the rule of all iustice and trueth Otherwise it will come to passe that we shal be oftener ashamed of well doing then of euill doing and of vertue then of vice which were a vile shame and such a one as that we ought to be greatly ashamed thereof For in well doing we must neuer
them that are taken to bee the vilest and basest persons are a great deale more profitable and necessary and so likewise their callings and offices then many others that are in greater reputation and more honourable according to mans iudgement who notwithstanding might more easily be spared then those of whom there is lesse accompt and reckoning made The like may be said of the vse of the members of our bodies and of the necessitie and need which we haue of them that are accompted most vile and abiect which albeit they be lesse honourable then the rest yet are they more necessary for this life of ours then many others that are a great deale more noble and more excellent For wee may liue without eies without eares without handes without feete and without many other goodly members but not without the intralles and bowelles which are but the sinkes and wide-draughts of our bodies although there be but one of them onely wanting For there is not one of them but it is profitable yea necessary for vs insomuch that no other can doe that office which lieth vpon it the Lord hauing so disposed it that euery one of them must discharge his owne office by himselfe Of these intralles and guttes there are sixe in number neere vnto the stomacke namely three small and three great ones being all of a round and hollowe figure according to the greatnesse and thickenesse of euery one of them They are called the instruments of distribution and purgation because they distribute the foode and send foorth the superfluities and excrements Nowe to conteine all these in their place they are couered and wrapped about together with the other entralles of the naturall partes with two coats or couerings namely with that which is called the Kell whereof mention was made in the former discourse and which couereth the bowells stretching it selfe euen to the priuie partes so that it executeth the same office vnto them that it doeth vnto the stomacke as wee were giuen to vnderstand Besides there is an other coate or skinne called Peritone because it is spread round about the lower belly and enuironeth the stomach the bowelles the kall the liuer the splene and the kidneys in a worde it couereth all the members from the midriffe downe to the sharebone The vse of this is great For first it serueth for a couering to couer all the members then it serueth also for the muscles that are laide vpon them Moreouer it causeth the superfluities of drie meates to descend more speedily Fourthly it keepeth the stomacke and bowels that they swell not easily and fiftly it knitteth together and conioyneth all the members within it as we haue seene howe the other partes of the body are separated and clothed with skinnes and membranes For this cause it is framed and fashioned like to an egge and hath his beginning from the ligaments which binde together the turning ioynts of the reines and is knit vnto them So that the vse of it is to tie and knit vnto the backe the members of the inferiour belly Nowe concerning the intralles and bowels although they â—e vnited to the stomacke and so ioyntly followe each other yet they â—iffer in figure in situation and in offices True it is that their substance differeth little from that of the stomach For they are of a certaine whitish flesh hauing no blood in any of them neither is there any other difference but onely in this that the bigger guts are more full and fatte and the smaller are otherwise Againe they haue all this in common together that they are made of two coates which God hath giuen them for the greater preseruation of them and of the life of liuing creatures For oftentimes vlcers and sores breede chiefely when some great inflammation hath gone before so that they putrifie and fret and one of the coats be spoiled Neuerthelesse a man may liue by the other that continueth sound and dischargeth well enough all his dueties Nowe forasmuch as they are instruments appointed for the purging of the body the fibres or little strings both of the inner and vtter coats are all in a manner crosse-wise except some fewe intermingled long-wise to the ende that the purging might be moderated in such sort as that it neither be too much nor too little The three smaller are placed vppermost which because they were made that the meate being turned into liquor might be conueyed through them therefore it was requisite they shoulde be so slender and that chiefely for two causes The first to the ende the passage might bee more easie the other because that in the very passage some concoction is made of the liquor and foode so that they are the sooner warmed by reason of their slender and thinne making Nowe concerning the name and peculiar office of euery one the first is called Duodene because of the length of it which is without any folding or turning It is as it were a part of the stomach hanging downe or as a changing of the stomach into a gut being twelue fingers long whereupon it was so called by the ancient Physicions although nowe there is none found of that length It beginneth at the porter of the stomach and is so seated beside the liuer that looke where that leaueth and the other following called the hungry gut beginneth there is a passage from the bladder of gall to bring the yellow humour thither called choller to the end it might help forward the meate and make cleane the gut The second called the hungry gut is so termed because it holdeth but a litle foode in regard of the other following so that it may be said after a sort to fast whereof there are three causes The first is the great number of Meseraicall veines and arteries which are in greater number about that gut then about the rest Whereupon they sucke out more speedily the liquor and foode which passeth through that then if they were fewer in number The second cause is because the liuer which is neerest to that gut doeth likewise drawe nourishment from it which is sooner done then from the rest that are farther off The third is the falling downe of the chollericke humour into it which intermedleth not it selfe with the liquor and foode but glideth downe by the side of this gut vnto that which is called Colon to the ende it may thrust forward the excrements and purge the humours which it perfourmeth because it is sharpe and biting Now by reason it continually prouoketh this gut to expulsion it falleth out to be more empty then the residue Then followeth the third small intralle called Ileos by the Graecians both because it hath many fouldings as also for the manifolde knitting of it to the Mesenterium from whence sundrie veines come into this The hungry gut and this haue both one office onely heerein they differ that the hungry Gut is sooner sucked then this which
of them say that it were best for a man not to bee borne at all or else to die so soone as hee is borne Others set themselues against nature and speake euill of her saying that shee is rather a badde stepmother then a good mother to mankinde And because they knowe not what GOD is they set vpon Nature through whose sides they wound him speaking euill of him and blaspheming him vnder this name of Nature Thus you see what comfort and consolation they finde who looke for no other life after this And as for those other that haue but some bare motion and slender opinion of the immortalitie of soules what greater ioy or contentation can they haue Nay there are three things that doe greatly diminish their comfort The first is their doubting wherewith they are continually possessed which hindereth them from hauing any assurance of the same The second is the seperation of the soule from the body whereby they conceiue and imagine that the bodie doeth so turne into corruption as that it wholly perisheth without anie hope of the resurrection thereof or of conioyning it againe with the soule from which it was disioyned The third is the ignorance of the estate of soules after this life For albeit they were verie certainely perswaded that our soules are immortall yet they haue no assuraunce of their estate neither knowe they whether they liue in ioy and rest or in paine and torment but onely by opinion as they esteeme by euery ones merites which they measure according to that knowledge they haue and that iudgement which they are able to affoorde of their vertues and vices Therefore whatsoeuer they thinke or hope seeing they are not very sure and certaine neither indeede can bee if they haue no better assuraunce then by their naturall light and reason they must needes bee subiect continually to sorrowe and griefe which way soeuer they turne themselues For if they are of opinion that there are punishments for such as haue ledde an euill life in this worlde who can assure them that they shall bee exempted and freed thereof For howsoeuer they labour to enforce as it were their conscience and striue neuer so much to rocke it on sleepe and flatter themselues in their sinnes yet can it not affoorde them anie such peace and quietnesse as will altogether satisfie and content them And as for perswading themselues that there is no punishement for the wicked they are neuer able to doe it For the same naturall light and reason whereby they iudge soules to bee immortall doth likewise constraine them to acknowledge that there is a God a iust Iudge who suffereth not euill vnpunished as also he will not passe by that which is good without accepting of it as it is So that seeing they cannot assuredly know that God will approue and receiue their workes as good or refuse them as euill they must of necessitie bee alwayes in feare whatsoeuer they beleeue Therefore as the one sort endeuour with all their power to bee perswaded of this that mens soules are mortal as well as their bodies and that after death there remaineth no more of the one then of the other thereby to deliuer thēselues of this feare and of the torment that accompanieth feare so the other sort that haue a better opinion of the immortalitie of soules labour to perswade themselues that there is no Hell nor punishment for soules after this life but that they are onely poeticall fictions and fables But although Poets vsed fictions in that which they wrote of Hell and of those infernall furies and torments yet they deriued the grounde and foundation of them from that testimonie which God hath planted in the nature of vs all So that none ought to flatter and seduce themselues by meanes of such opinions as ouerturne all nature for that were to take away all difference betweene good and euill vertue and vice things honest and dishonest For if there bee no reward either for the one or the other or if it be all one it followeth either that there is no difference betwixt all these things or that there is no iustice in God But both these are impossible whereupon it must needes be concluded that not onely there is another life after this but also that in the second life there is ioy rest and felicity for the one and greefe paine and dolour for the other Wherfore we must not thinke that because the Kitchin and Nurserie of this mortall bodie is by the appointment and prouidence of God ioined with the soule that is immortall and diuine therefore there is no other life for man besides this bodily life or that the soule which giueth life and mainteineth it in the body is no more immortall then the body that receiueth the same from it and that the body in like maner ought not to expect another life after this But I hope that these things shall hereafter bee better declared vnto vs in those discourses which wee are especially to make touching the immortalitie of the soule Now to end this speech forasmuch as in this and in our former discourses we haue oftentimes made mention of Nature which for the most part men ioyne as companion with God when they speake of the counsels of his prouidence ouer all things created according to that common prouerbe that God and Nature haue made nothing in vaine I say in this respect it shall be good for vs to know what Nature is to speake properly and into what detestable errour they fall who attribute that to it which appertaineth to God alone And first they that vse this prouerbe might speake more directly and Christianly if they attributed the whole to God only not ioyning vnto him nature for a companion as though he had neede of her helpe and coulde not well finish all his woorkes alone and as though hee had not beene able to haue done all that hee hath done without her It may bee they will say that they doe giue this honour vnto God and that they speake not of Nature as Galen and many other Heathen Physicions and Philosophers or rather Epicures and Atheists doe who place Nature in God his stead but that they speake of her as of a means created of God by which he performeth all these things But there is no such necessitie to ioyne Nature with God as his fellow worker For when hee created the first man what Nature had he with him that did helpe him to make this worke Besides the verie name of Nature doeth it not declare that it is a thing borne created and so consequently hath her creation and birth from God as all other creatures haue For if we take Nature for that diuine vertue and power which appeareth in the workes of the creation in their preseruation and order we must of necessitie take it not for a thing that is borne and bred of others but that giueth birth and beeing
iustice that men vse against malefactors be grounded Shall there be more iustice in men who are altogether iniustice themselues then in God who is the fountaine of all iustice yea iustice it selfe All this must be so or else we must confesse that all these things testifie vnto vs that God hath care ouer vs and that there is an other place and time of rewarding euery man according to his workes then in this worlde and heere in this life For this cause Saint Peter calleth the day of the last iudgement in which all shall appeare before God the time of the restauration of all things foretolde of God by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the worlde beganne For considering that al things are so confused and troubled in the worlde that it seemeth there is no difference betwixt the blessings and curses of God pronounced in his lawe and that all things are turned topsie turuy by the malice of men the Lord hath ordained a place and time in which hee will put an end to this disorder and wil restore al things to their right estate and good order Now if the Lord hath appointed that euery one shal be rewarded at that time and place it followeth that then and there also wee must search for the end for which man was created and that his soule shall liue there And if the soule then liueth and in that place it followeth well also that there is the end of it For we take the ende for that which is the last and most perfect in euery thing So that if the question be of the authoritie of men and multitude of witnesses for the confirmation of that which hath beene hitherto saide of the immortalitie of the soules of men wee shall haue for this purpose all those who from the beginning of the worlde amongest all people and nations haue beleeued and thought that there is a God that there is a Diuine nature and prouidence and consequently any religion yea euen those barbarous and sauage nations which were found out of late dayes in those new Ilands commonly called the new found world And if the qualitie of the witnesses is to be considered we shall still haue almost all on our side For if wee looke vnto the most barbarous and strangest nations that are the testimonie of nature which all of them carry in their hearts compelleth them to range themselues on this side And if we come to others that haue bin more ciuil better instructed we shall haue a greater aduantage Or if the question be of the greatest and of such as by the consent and testimonie of all were accompted and were indeede best learned and most vertuous we shal not only finde them to haue beene on our side but also that they haue condemned as ignorant men and vnworthy to liue them that haue beene of a contrary opinion betwixt which men and the other there is great difference For those among the Philosophers that denied the immortalitie of the soule were such as did abolish also all diuine nature and prouidence and all religion and such as placed the soueraigne good of men in pleasure which kinde of men were alwayes woorthily taken to be the vilest and most abiect and as it were the skumme and dregges of the professours of Philosophie For to the ende wee may the better vnderstand this by mine aduise we will consider of the best arguments that are alleadged by Philosophers to prooue the immortalitie of soules that they who will not credite the testimony of the holy Scriptures may feele themselues vrged in their conscience with the sayings of Ethnickes and heathen men who shall rise vp in iudgement against them to aggrauate their condemnation Now it belongeth to thee AMANA to followe this matter Of an other argument for the immortalitie of the soule taken from that naturall desire which men haue of knowledge of Aristoteles opinion touching the nature and immortalitie of the soule of other reasons of Philosophers to prooue that the spirite can not be of a corruptible and mortall nature and how iust men should be more miserable and should haue more occasion to feare and to eschew death then the vniust and wicked if the soule were mortall Chap. 94. AMANA There is in all men a naturall desire of knowledge and wisedome yea a man may perceiue that most barbarous men desire naturally to knowe vnto what Art soeuer they apply their spirite iudging the same to be commendable honest as contrariwise they accompt it vnbeseeming a man and dishonest to be ignorant to erre and to be deceiued From this desire the wisest and most famous among the Philosophers tooke a very good argument to prooue the immortalitie of the soule For seeing this desire is naturall and that in this worlde all the knowledge and wisedome that men can haue is very small and as it were nothing in respect of that which they want they conclude necessarily that there must needes be some other place and time then in this life wherein that which is heere begunne but slenderly is to be accomplished and made perfect The reason from whence they deriue their argument is that common saying that God and Nature the minister of God doe nothing without cause Wherefore seeing this desire of knowledge and wisedome is naturall in man it can not be in vaine neither is it giuen vnto him but that it should attaine to some end and perfection For to what purpose serued the corporal eies of liuing creatures and for what cause should they be giuen them if they could neuer see or were to liue alwaies in darknes So likewise why should the eies of the soule mind be giuen to men thereby to behold celestiall and diuine things which cannot be seene with bodily eies if they could neuer view them but in such darknes as they do heere behold them To what end also should man be naturally pricked forward with a desire to know the truth and to haue skill if he could neuer soundly enioy his desire but should remaine always in ignorance for the greatest part of those things which he desireth to know which are of so great waight that whatsoeuer he is able to vnderstand and know in this world is nothing or very little in regarde of that which yet remaineth behinde for him to knowe For not to speake of those things in which all humane philosophie must acknowledge her ignorance let vs come to that vnderstanding which wee may haue by the holie Scriptures reuealed vnto vs of God For although the knowledge wee haue by them surpasseth without al comparison all humane philosophie and science yet Saint Paul compareth it to a knowledge that is very obscure to a light that is seene through thicke and darke cloudes and to an image represented vnto vs in a glasse in comparison of that most high and perfect knowledge and vnderstanding which is reserued for vs in another life and whereof
deale with little children and with birdes by puppets and strawe-men and such like things And who will first perceiue and finde out these subtilties such as are most ignoraunt and foolish or the other that are more skilfull and wise It is easie to iudge that they who haue best wittes and are best learned will sooner perceiue the same then the other Now what wil follow hereupon but that they being freed from the feare which held them in before shall by the same means be let loofe and sundred from the bond of all religion and vertue as if it were clean broken as it hath daily doth happen to them that mainteine this opinion and to those also that haue beene taught and instructed in their schoole And consequently this also will follow that the quicker and sharper wit a man hath and the greater knowledge vnderstanding is in him the more wicked and badde man hee will proue For if hee vnderstand that religion is but religion in name and indeed is nothing but foolish superstition and if hee iudge as much of the immortalitie of the soule hauing thus shaken off all religion he will cast away all feare of God and not suffer himselfe to be brideled in any sort either by any terrour of the iudgement to come or reuerence of the deitie but onely by the feare of mens lawes And if this take place in men we may wel thinke what licence they will take to themselues to commit the greatest sinnes and abominations in the worlde especially if they be in darknes and thinke that no man seeth them and that there is no other iudge that perceiueth them to whome they must one day giue an account And if they be so great that by their power they may violate all lawes both diuine and humane as tyrants commonly vse to doe who shall stay them from liuing like sauage beastes among men So that as euery one by dexteritie of spirite by doctrine and instruction shall approch neerer to that perfection for which man was created of God the more enclined readie and armed he will bee to commit all kinde of malice and wickednesse For how can hee doe otherwise when that secret of the schoole shall be disclosed vnto him and when he shall learne that whatsoeuer is here taught concerning religion vertue and honestie amongst men is but fained and inuented for the nonce to keepe men in feare Surely this will cause him to let loose the raines to all licenciousnesse Nowe what corruption of the spirite and mind of man is there comparable to this or what will sooner turne it aside from that perfection in which the soueraigne chief good of it consisteth Therefore seeing the case standeth thus this opinion of theirs cannot be true but ouerthroweth it selfe For whatsoeuer corrupteth the spirite and turneth it from his perfection is contrarie to the nature thereof Wherefore wee must conclude that it is farre otherwise and that this saying of theirs is as true as if one should say that the perfecter a man is the more he is vnperfect the better he is the worse he is and the more truly he is man the further off he is from the nature of a man and more like to the nature of sauage beasts Who then can doubt of the truth of the soules immortalitie after so great a multitude of arguments and of so strong and so mightie witnesses who fight in battel aray as it were a strong armie against them that vpholde the contrarie But we haue other no lesse worthie to bee considered of which we beare within our selues and which are so common to all that there is no man whatsoeuer but hee feeleth and perceiueth them whether he will or no. Therefore it shall bee good for vs to speake somewhat thereof also to the ende that the matter we haue nowe in hande may be the better and more perfectly vnderstood to the confusion of Epicures and Atheists and that we may still acknowledge more and more the testimonies of the image of God in vs and who we bee and what good or euill things are prepared for vs in the immortalitie of the second life according as we shal be conformed reformed to the will of God or els as we shal be remoued from that image giue credit to impietie and lies Now it belongeth to thee ACHITOB to discourse of this matter Of those internall testimonies which all men cary within themselues to conuince them that doubt of the immortality of the soule of the iudgement to come which shal be in eternall happines for the good and perpetuall torment for the euill how the very Heathen acknowledged as much by reasons taken from the testimonies of nature Chap. 96. ACHIT The manifold miseries scourges of Gods wrath wherwith men are daily oppressed should minister vnto thē iust occasion to think how odious their sinnes and wickednes are to God that he will not leaue them vnpunished neither in this life nor in the life to come For as he giueth to his children of his goodnes and of those good things which he hath prepared for them in another life by the benefits which he communicateth vnto them in this so he setteth before our eies testimonies of his wrath and of his iudgement and of those euils torments which he hath prepared for the wicked in another life by them wherewith he vseth to correct and punish them here in this world But besides this euery one hath within himself testimonies either of eternal blessings or curses to come which may easily conuince them that will not receiue the authority of the scriptures nor any natural reason to proue the immortality of the soule For they beare about them all their witnesses their owne condemnation and therefore it wil be an easy matter to conuince them although not to cōfound them I say to conuince thē because a man is then conuinced whē he is compelled to acknowledge in his conscience that he hath no reason whereby he is able to gainsay withstād the truth declared vnto him which cōdemneth him But yet if he be obstinat headstrong malicious and peruerse he neuer ceaseth for all that to kick against the prick to perseuere in his obstinacy peeuish malice For when reason faileth him he armeth himself with impudēcy like to a bolde murderer and to a shamelesse strumpet that cannot be made ashamed But howsoeuer wicked men labour to blind their mind and to harden their heart against the iudgement of God yet the same is neuer declared vnto them but they feele themselues pricked priessed therewith will they nill they not that it fareth with them as it doeth with Gods children who are touched therewith vnto repentance but as Saint Paul speaking of the wicked and obstinate saith that God hath giuen them a pricking spirite because they haue a bitter heart which stirreth them vp to whet themselues as it were more and more against God
flaming euen after such a maner that it amaseth them as if it thundred down vpon thē Therfore it fareth with thē as it doth with drunkards frantik persons who know not whether they haue any soule or sense any mind or conscience so long as they are drunke out of their wits vntil such time as they haue slept their ful are restored againe to their right wits So that howsoeuer this word Conscience is vsed it is properly a iudgement that is in our mind whereby we approoue that which is wel done reprooue the contrary According then as our iudgement is vpright and sound or weake corrupted good or euill so also haue we our conscience either more right or more crooked But as it cannot otherwise be but that they who haue eies see the light although they will not see it or say they doe not see it so it cannot be but that the eies of the mind beholdeth the natural light that is in it and those things that are discouered vnto it thereby seeing it proceedeth from God who is the fountaine of al light and who will neuer suffer it to be so cleane extinguished in man but that still there remaineth sufficient to condemne him withall Therefore the very Heathen coulde say that a wicked person could neuer be absolued by himself nor yet escape and flee from his own iudgement and condemnation he being iudge of himselfe So that although the wicked and vniust oftentimes escape the iudgement of men yet they can neuer saue themselues from their own iudgement which their conscience alwaies executeth after the perfection of their processe For it exerciseth foure offices against them The first is the office of an Accuser the second of a witnes so it is as good as a thousand as we vse to speake the third of a Iudge the fourth of an executioner and hangman For seeing the iudgement of the conscience is ordained and established by God from heauen in that which is well done there alwayes followeth to it tranquilitie rest and ioy of heart and in that which is wickedly done dolor and torment which punisheth the offence taketh vengeance of him that hath committed it Heereof it is that none liue in greater feare then the greatest contemners of God that are most giuen ouer to all kindes of vice and wickednes and who declare most euidently by their works that no feare of God or of his iudgements holdeth them in For they liue as if they carried death alwayes in their bosome howe good a face soeuer they set vpon the matter outwardly And because they cast all feare of God farre from them he vouchsafeth them not the honour to giue them a heart to feare him as they ought but hee beateth downe their pride in such sort that he causeth them to stand in feare not only of men of tempests of thunders and of lightnings but hee terrifieth them also by dreames and maketh them to tremble at their owne fancies yea they quake oftentimes at flies and mice and such contemptible things but yet so as this feare commeth from a higher cause For it is sent of God who thus derideth his aduersaries making himselfe terrible in his creatures to them that know him not neither feare him as their Creatour and the Creator of those his creatures I say then that although we had no other testimonie in vs of any God or of any diuinitie and diuine nature and so consequently of his iudgement in a second life yet this ought to suffice vs that commeth from feare which is a naturall perturbation in man as we haue heard For whosoeuer feareth declareth plainly thereby that there must of necessitie be some power aboue him that is able to hurt him For he that is assuredly perswaded that nothing can hurt him is voide of feare Nowe there is no humane power or creature whatsoeuer it be that is able to deliuer men from all feare no not the greatest Emperours Kings and Princes themselues who are most feared and redoubted and who cause all men to tremble vnder them being as it were terrestriall gods amongst other men Nay these men themselues are so farre from being deliuered from all feare and terrour that very seldome any liue in greater feare then they doe as they declare plainely in that they must alwayes haue a great garde of men about them and yet can not euer auoyde those daungers which they feare For it often commeth to passe that they are slaine eyther by poison or sworde or by some other kinde of violent death and that by such as should haue kept them or whome they trusted most as is to be seene by dayly experience But albeit there were no other feare then the feare of death which is commonly greatest in the wicked and which they can not finally auoyde yet they can not but liue alwayes in feare And liuing so they must acknowledge will they nill they that there is some other power greater then their owne which causeth them to feare and before which they must one day appeare For if it were otherwise why shoulde they feare Nowe whilest wee seeke for this power wee must of necessitie come to one soueraigne power vnder which all other principalities are raunged and which hath no other aboue it selfe And being come thereunto wee must withall conclude that this power can not be humane but must needes bee diuine and so consequently eternall and infinite or at leastwise they must confesse that they cannot comprehend this power This being so I thinke wee may fight against the Atheists with the same reason whereby they woulde perswade themselues that there is neither God nor Diuinitie but onely in the opinion and fantasie of men and that their feare vnto which they are alwayes subiect hath put this opinion of God into their heades Therefore they alleadge that which a Heathen Poet sayde agreeable to this opinion of the Epicures namely that feare was the first that made Gods in the worlde For men being possessed therewith and not finding such helpe amongest all the creatures as can deliuer them from all those dangers which they feare they must seeke for an other without the creatures which can not but bee a diuine power if there be any at all as in trueth there is Whereunto if Epicures and Atheists will giue no credite I would fain know of them what is the cause of this terrour and feare which is of such vertue and power in the hearts of all that no creature whatsoeuer being partaker of reason and vnderstanding can goe beyond it or is able to plucke it wholly out of his heart and vtterly to extinguish it as euery one feeleth by experience in himselfe and as these men of whome wee speake confesse by their owne sayings Therefore I can hope for no better from them in defence of their impietie but that they should stirre maliciously against the testimonies of their owne
of soules Mark 6. 3. matt 13 55 56 iohn 6. 42. Mala. 4. 5. Iohn 1. 21. Matth. 11. 14. and 17. 12 13 Luke 1. 15 16 17. Numb 11. 25. 1. Cor. 12. 11. The fountaine of Gods graces diminisheth not 2. King 2. 9. Esay 29. 14. 2. tim 3. 2 3. 2. thes 2. 10 11. The Pythagoreans of our time Of the true transmigration of soules Of the creation and generation of soules How God rested the seuenth day Actes 17. 28. Another opinion of the creation of the soule Gen. 2. 7. The nature of the soule is not curiously to be searched after How the soule is stained with sinne Rom. 5. 12 15. Verse 19. Humane philosophie is blinde The causes of errours Three faculties vnder the vegetatiue vertue Two parts of the sensitiue vertue How the Astronomers referre the powers of the soule to the starres Powers proper to the â—easonable soule Of speech Of speech Of the speculatiue and actiue vertue Of the politike vertue The kindes of it Of the heroicall vertue Against the astronomicall influence of vertues Philosophers esteeme too highly of mans nature What iustice God approoueth Foure contemplatiue vertues according to the Platonists Howe those agree in some sort to foure christian vertues Why men encline to lies rather then to the trueth The diuelish infection of Atheisme Reasons to proue the immortalitie of the soule Why men beleeue not the immortalitie of the soule Wisd 2. 1 2 c. The sayings of Epicures Verse 21 c. Wisd 3. 1. The corrupt opinion of Atheists and Epicures Atheists may wel be compared to beasts Reasons to shew the soule of men to differ from that of beasts The image of God is to bee sought in the soule An answere to an obiection A reason of Atheists confuted by a similitude Luke 16. 26. marke 16. 14. Math. 28. 9. luke 24. 36. iohn 20. 19 20 act 1. 2 3 10. 1. Cor. 15 6. Exod. 3. 6. mat 22. 32 33. mar 12. 26. luk 20. 37 38. The resurrection of the dead proued 2. Thess 1. 6 7. How we know the hidden things in nature An argument taken from the knowledge of the soule to proue it immortall Eternitie considered diuerâ—ly A speciall difference betweene the soule of man and 〈◊〉 beasts A firme proofe of the soules immortalitie A fitte comparison Gen. 1. 26. Why man was saide to be a liuing soule How God dayly createth soules What a miracle is Buggery violateth the law of nature God is the onely father of our spirite Three things vnseperable The desire of perpetuitie an argument of the soules immortalitie Another desire which is to continue our memory for euer Another desire of perpetuitie appearing in funerals An obiection The answere to it Of the true immortalitie An argument taken from the apprehension of death to prooue the immortalitie of soules Of the ende of good and euill men The right Armes of Machâ—auâ—llian Nobilitie An argument of the pleasures of the soule to shew the immortalitie thereof Some more like to beasts then men How we must iudge of the nature of the soule Of the true pleasures of the soule An argument from insatiable pleasures for the immortalitie of the soule A corrupt spirite taketh the shadow of things for the things themselues An argument taken from vices for the immortalitie of the soule How God punisheth vicious deâ—ires Esay 38. 12. 2. Pet. 1. 13 14. 2. Cor. 5. 1 2. Hebr. 13. 14. An argument taken from the frame of mans body to prooue the immortalitie of his soule Another argument taken from the motion and rest of the soule Of a fish called Vranoscopos Except the soule be immortal man is created in vaine The immortalitie of the soule is linked to the religion prouidence of God An argument taken from the consent of all people Other reasons to the same end Actes 3. 21. What the endâ— of a thing is Of the multitude and qualitie of witnesses to prooue the immortalitie of the soule What kinde of Philosophers Atheists and Epicures were An argument taken from the desire of wisedometo prooue the immortalitie of the soule 1. Cor. 13. 12. An obiection made by some Philosophers The answere Aristoteles opinion touching the immortalitie of the soule How the vnderstanding commeth to the knowledge of outward things by the senses Howe the outward senses looke vpon things How the internal senses receiue the same things How the Spirite receiueth them from the internall senses Other reasons for the immortalitie of the soule The soule can not be diuided Other reasons for the immortality of the soule Prou. 10. 24. Euery one naturally desireth life Reasons taken from reward and praise to proue the immortality of the soule The dead haue no feeling of praise Death most lamentable to the best men if the soule were not immortal Cato beleeued the immortality of the soule What comfort it is to beleeue a place of rest after this life What store of testimonies stand for the immortality of the soule Of such as say it is good to keepe men in this opinion of the immortalitie of the soule and yet themselues beleeue it not How wee must iudge of a wise man Ioh. 12. 31. 2. cor 4. 4. Ephe. 6. 12. The inconueniences which follow the former opinion of perswading men to goodnesse by false meanes That which corrupteth the spirit is contrary to the nature of it The difference betwixt conuincing and conâ—ounding a man Internal testimonies of the immortality of the soule The cause of true ioy in the spirite Where God is said to be especially The true cause of grief torment How men cary about them the matter of two fires Deut. 4. 24. heb 12. 29. Esay 66. 24. matth 22. 13. 25. 30. A sure argument in the wicked of their future torment in another life Naturall reasons to proue the immortalitie of mens soules The naturall knowledge of good and euill an argument of our immortality The nature of loue and hatred The necessitie of another life after this Gen. 4. 6 7. A similitude Sorow euer followeth sinne What conscience is Why it is called Synteresis Of the Philosophers Anticipations Ephes 4. 19. Atheists compared to drunkards and madde folks A sit similitude The wicked alwaies condemne themselues Foure offices of the conscience The more wicked a maÌ„ is the greater is his feare The Deitie prooued by that feare which is naturally in men The greatest persons liue in most feare The Atheists prouerbe that feare made gods turned against themselues The difference betwixt the feare in men and in beasts Strong reasons against Atheists Feare is a natural testimonie of a diuine essence What this worde Animal signifieth Atheists are reasonable beasts Atheists sitly resembled to Spiders Plinies brutish opinion touching the immortality of the soule Plato his opinion of the creation of soules Plinies reasons against the immortalitie of the soule Plin. lib. 7. ca. 55. Pliny blasphemed God vnder the name of Nature Democritus beleeued the resurrection of bodies What Philosophers went into Egypt to learne wisedome The conclusion of Plinie touching this matter The iudgement of God in Plinies death Plin. Nep epist ad Oâ—â— Taâ— The absurd consequents of Plinies opinion Mat. 28. 12 13. Against them who say that the soule can not be knowen to bee immortall according to nature Of them that alleadge Salomon against the immortalitie of the soule Eccles. 3. 18 19 20 21. Eccles 12. 7. Chap. 12. 1. The iudgement of God vpon Lucian and Luâ—retius two Arch-Atheists Euseb Hier. Crin de Pâ—â—at The doctrine of Epicurus commended by Lâ—cretius Epicures thinke themselues kings and gods The blasphemie of Atheists The absurdities that follow the opinion of the Atheists Of the force of arguments alleaged before for the immortalitie of the soule The summe of this whole book The world compared to mans body and God to his soule Against such as say that God is the soule of the world The image of God in mans soule Iohn 3. 12. Of that coniunction which is betweene God and his creatures Of God the first greatest Good Mal. 3. 6. Of spirituall natures which are the second Good The spirit of a man moueth not in place Of the body which is the 〈◊〉 Good The right end of our creation Mans will must looke vp to the head not downe to the bellie Man is a middle creature between Angels beasts A spirite is not shut vp in a place It is inuisible The coniunction of our soule and body is a wonderful work of God
alwayes Therefore wee may well say of a woman if shee bee a Mother it is very like that she loueth her childe because it is naturall But wee cannot conclude certainely that it is alwayes so seeing wee often see the contrarie There are also oftentimes many signes which haue such apparant significations that they seeme to signifie things vnto vs certainely enough wherein neuerthelesse we are deceiued as it falleth out often in our suspicions opinions which are not grounded vpon certaine and firme arguments and most euident reasons Wherefore the knowledge that wee may haue of such thinges cannot properly be called science but onely coniecture opinion probabilitie or likelihood because there is great shew of trueth but yet not very certaine Nowe albeeit the nature of thinges bee mutable yet if they alwayes keepe one and the same tenour and constancie which continueth alike alwayes to it selfe a man may haue a certayne knowledge of them and that is called science example whereof wee haue in celestiall bodies and in naturall thinges which alwayes keepe one and the selfe same order and nature both in the elements and in liuing creatures in plantes also and such like things For as for the heauens although they bee mutable creatures yet they haue alwayes certayne courses and motions which followe their accustomed order without ceassing In like manner we see that all these thinges mentioned euen nowe are distinguished in their kindes and haue their naturall meanes whereby they are mainteyned and preserued For it is naturall in man to beget man and by this meanes mankinde is preserued The same may be saide of other liuing creatures of plantes also and of such other things which neuer faile in keeping their order We haue this light in vs by nature Wherfore when I see a childe or a man I may alwayes say certainly that no painter hath painted and fashioned him in that sort and that it is none of his worke but that he was begotten and bred of a man and a woman that were his parents For God doeth not nowe create men and women as he created Adam and Eue in the beginning and as wee shewed in our first discourse but by the common order which he established at that time and in regard of which he instituted the holy estate of Mariage as we will intreate hereafter But if the question be concerning immutable perpetuall and supernaturall things we haue neede of another light that is greater and more agreeable to their nature which is giuen to men by diuine inspiration This light or knowledge is called Sapience or Wisedome For this cause Saint Paul writing to the Ephesians saith I cease not to giue thankes for you making mention of you in my prayers that the God of our Lorde Iesus Christ the father of glory might giue vnto you the spirite of wisedome and reuelation through the knowledge of him that the eyes of your vnderstanding may bee lightened that yee may know what the hope is of his calling and what the riches of his glorious inheritance is in the Saintes Wee see here how the Apostle ioyneth together wisedome reuelation and illumination of the vnderstanding the authour of which hee maketh the spirite of God by whose reuelation and lightning we obtain true wisdome of which the wisedome of the world is not capable And therefore afterward he calleth this wisedome the knowledge that passeth all knowledge For although by our naturall light wee haue some obscure knowledge of God as we haue already touched it yet it cannot so farre lighten vs nor cause vs to ascend so high except God giue vs this also of which I spake euen now Therefore howe great soeuer the naturall light be which we haue yet if we follow it any thing farre we are presently cōpassed with darknes which proceedeth not of the things we are to know but from our owne mindes which being pressed with the heauy burden of our body are hindred and made more slowe or els it is because our minds are troubled as if some cloud troubled the sight of our eyes So that the more light is in our mind the greater knowledge we haue there and the lesse doubting If there be no light at all or so litle that it be no better then none at al then ignorance spreadeth it selfe as it were darknes in an obscure and troubled night insomuch that there is neyther science nor opinion nor likelihood nor doubting Heere of it is that we commonly say ignorant persons cast no perils Thus then as euery one hath more light in the minde hee beholdeth obscure things more clearely because his vnderstanding is better eyther by the benefite of nature or by study and exercise or by a speciall gift of God Others see nothing at all or very litle no not into those thinges that are very cleare manifest so that they are like to men compassed couered with darknes at Midday This befalleth thē either through the ignorance that is in their vnderstanding or by reason of their blockish slouthfulnes that neglecteth exercise or by the iust iudgement of God who because of their sinnes hath blinded their minds giuing thē ouer to Satan to blind them who vseth to shut vp the eyes of worldly carnal and vnfaithful men whom he hath in his power So that if there be any errour in the mindes of men if they approoue and follow after lying in stead of trueth and euill in place of goodnesse this commeth not from the naturall or supernaturall light that God hath giuen them nor of the knowledge they haue thereby how great or small soeuer it be but of the darknesse that is mingled amiddest this light which sinne hath made more dark and wholly ouerwhelmed and the Deuill dayly increaseth to the vttermost of his power because hee woulde gladly haue all light in vs as well naturall as supernaturall cleane extinguished and put out For as brightnesse breedeth not clouds and obscurity so science and knowledge doeth not bring forth ignoraunce and errour For contraries are not made one of another Wherefore that commeth to passe in the lightning of our vnderstandings which wee see to happen in the change of light in regarde of our eyes For according to that which is put betwixt so doeth the qualitie and vertue of the light chaunge in respect of our sight If it be a verie thicke bodie which the light cannot pearce through then is it wholly taken from vs and as it is more or lesse thicke or thinne and transparent so doe our eyes receiue more or lesse light In like manner the lightening of our vnderstanding is wonderfull variable because of the great diuersitie of thinges that are set before it in this life to hinder it sundrie wayes in some more in some lesse according to those obiectes that are offered to euerie one or as men procure to themselues From hence it is that there are so many diuers opinions
sentences iudgements amongst men in all deliberations and in al matters especially when the controuersy of discerning truth from falshood good from bad what is to be followed what to be fledde Now concerning those things which chiefly cause this great diuersity we haue first to consider of the composition complexion and disposition of mans body whether it bee sound or whether it be sick Also the Age strength or weakenesse the perfection or imperfection thereof common custome the present disposition of vading qualities engendred by nourishment time and place with those actions and things that may outwardly happen to the bodie For wee see by experience that the vnderstanding and spirite with all the partes and offices of the soule receiue great helpe or hinderance according as the bodie and all the members thereof are well or ill disposed and that the manners follow the complexion and disposition of the body For God hath so tempered the nature thereof with that of the soule to make them agree well together that the one taketh much of the other eyther to good or bad purpose according as they are either well or ill affected Concerning the soule we haue to consider therein all the affections besides the nature of the vnderstanding whether it be slow and heauie or quicke and light and of a ready conceipt and discourse and whether it be sharpe or dull Againe consideration must be had of the teaching and instruction which it hath had what opinions are already rooted in it what perswasions haue forestalled it as also how farre the behauiour custome and authority of others can preuaile with it For al these things greatly trouble the minds of men and procure not onely diuersitie but also contrariety of opinions sentences and willes of men which causeth them to change and rechange so often insomuch that they doe not only differ and are contrary one to another but euery one also to himselfe For wee haue dayly tryall in our selues that wee-change our opinions from houre to houre and minute to minute insomuch that whatsoeuer wee haue nowe approoued determined and set downe for a certayne decree wee condemne and reiect it by and by after and vtterly ouerthrowe it and contrariwise wee approoue and ratifie that which we had a litle before condemned and refused Wherevpon we haue to note according to that wee hearde before of the discourse of reason which is the proper effect of the vnderstanding that there are two kinds of it For there are discourses wherein reason goeth on by degrees in continuall order one discourse alwayes following another by considering and examining whatsoeuer appertaineth to the matter in hand that so a certayne and sounde iudgement there of may bee rendred afterwarde Againe there is another kinde of discoursing wherin reason doeth not only run amaine but withall skippeth hither thither as though it tooke here a litle and there a litle tasting onely of things very slightly by the way as Bees that flie from one floure to another leaue others betwene vntouched Which course whilest reason taketh it omitteth some step or other which it ought to trace and that eyther through ignoraunce of the right path it ought to follow or because it thinketh it needlesse to stay about that which it passeth by or because it delighteth not or is not disposed so to doe Moreouer wee must know that there is great diuersitie of discourses according to the varietie of mens vnderstandings For sharpe wittes sounde to the bottome that matter which is propounded vnto them wise and subtill heades euen by small coniectures farre fetched conceiue that which they seeke after and attaine thervnto There are some also of such great spirites that conceiue many things at once and as it were in the twickling of an eye and at one looke beholde all that is pertinent to the matter Whereby it appeareth that they haue a readie imagination and fantasie their memorie like to an open treasurie a quicke consideration and a perfect and sounde remembraunce For if the imagination and fantasie bee slowe or the memorie shut vp or if consideration cease or recordation be weake the discourse will be backewarde and fall out but badly as it is with children and those that are very aged with sicke folkes and those that haue their mindes troubled Nowe the ende of all discoursing in the minde tendeth eyther to the inuention or conclusion of the thing that a man seeketh for And if hee attaine not to his ende it is eyther because hee taketh not the way which hee ought to take as they that know not what way to followe which commeth to passe by diuers meanes or because his vnderstanding is not good but full of darkenesse or through some perturbation that troubleth it for a time as when the affections are much moued or by reason of the varietie of cogitations which trouble and hinder one another There are some also which goe on without any regarde had to that thing they seeke after as it falleth out with them that are too much mooued and that haue a verie hastie imagination and fantasie For these men goe beyonde the place where they might finde the thing which they seeke for and so leauing the chiefe matter behinde they fall into vnnecessary and bye matters into foolish trifling and strange thinges without all compasse of reason and such as belong nothing to the purpose Wherefore so soone as the discourse is begunne fantasie is presently to bee bridled and kept in and the inquisition also of memory to the end the vnderstanding may commodiously take holde of that which it is to followe and that no such hastie and light commotion cary it away and so cause it to loose all Wherein we may say that it falleth out with the vnderstanding as it doeth with a hounde that is in chase For if hee cannot by sent finde out the game he seeketh or if after he hath found it is in chase he fall to hunt riot or if he giue in either for want of courage or because hee is spent or because the course is too long hee shall neuer take the pray for which he was brought to fielde but lose it without recouerie So in these discourses of the minde whereof we speake there are others also beside them that are alreadie mentioned who because they are of a slowe spirite and the matters they search for are farre off and hard to find haue not vigour nor force sufficient to attain vnto them The selfe same thing also happeneth to some not so much for want of strength and quicknesse of spirit as because they are commonly idle and slouthfull as it is with them that will not be attentiue and cannot away to occupie their minds when they should take some paines to learne There are many of these who beyng more carefull for their bodies then for their soules and that they may more freely attend to the bodie and the desires thereof
So that the whole consultation lieth in the liberty and choyce of Will For men are not drawne by an immutable violence of nature as beasts are but reason enquireth what way is to be taken or left and wayeth and examineth what good or euill is in euery thing Therefore Will may goe about againe with that which was once deliberated of to the end the first conclusion be not approued staied in but that greater inquiry may be made to finde out if it may bee some better or more profitable thing And thus when many thinges are shewed set before her she may choose what pleaseth her although it be not that which was best approued by iudgement and which reason vpon very euident arguments counselled her to follow For if there be another side that hath some shew of good albeit neuer so small she turneth to that if she please so that vpon one onely coniecture or opinion of good she will lay holde vpon that and reiect the other side in which peraduenture the ture good is to bee founde The chiefe cause whereof is in the corruption of our nature and in those impediments of good discoursing and of vpright iudging whereof wee haue alreadie hearde and which hinder reason and iudgement diuers and sundrie wayes And this also taketh place in respect of Will which likewise hath great occasions offered to beguile and deceiue it selfe because all the affaires of men are intermingled with good and euill thinges Therefore it is very hard to be able to discerne and separate them well one from another For men being compounded of diuers natures namely of a body and of a soule they propound also diuersity of good euil things vnto themselues because they know corporall and terrestriall things better then spirituall and eternall things therefore they preferre them oftentimes before the other Which is the cause why there are so many that loue this life a great deale better and those outward good things belonging therevnto then they doe eternall life and those goods which are able to leade men thither and giue them full fruition therof when they come thither Therefore in so great diuersity of good and euill things it is no marueile if there came nothing into deliberation wherein reason findeth not some good or euill which in the end it counsaileth vs to follow or to auoyde according to the circumstances of times places persons qualities and other such like things It commeth to passe also oftentimes that Will refuseth all counsaile and exhortation to doe that onely which she pleaseth thereby to shew that shee is Lady and Mistresse and subiect to none And beeing mounted vp to that pride shee accounteth this Lordshippe which shee taketh to her selfe to bee a great good and so maketh knowne her power and magnificence as it were a tyrannicall prince making choyce in the meane time of a false kinde of good which is no way good but a very great euil And thus much concerning the libertie of the Will in her internall actions which freedome also appeareth plainly enough in the outwarde actions For after she hath liked of a thing she may put it in execution or stay execution yea after she hath begunne she may giue it cleane ouer or doe not so much or so speedily as shee might And although it falleth out oftentimes that men are hindered from executing their Will yea are forced and compelled to doe the cleane contrary yet their Will if we consider the matter well is neither hindred forced or constrained For that keepeth it not from willing still that which it pleaseth but the violence offered outwardly stayeth the effectes and execution thereof Hereof it is that wee commonly say that a mans Will is taken for his deede although it bee not put in execution Nowe to conclude our speech wee knowe that the Will hath hinderances to let her from choosing those good things which shee ought to followe and refusing those euils shee ought to eschewe and auoyde For Reason beeing appoynted as Mistresse to guide and direct Will by her iudgement the selfesame thinges that mooue Reason and Iudgement doe mooue Will also as if the one touched the other or as if there were a certayne knitting and ioyning of them together not vnlike to the linkes of a chayne of which if yee mooue or touch one the like is done to the others that are neere vnto it by reason of the coniunction they haue one with another Wee ought also to knowe that although the Will often choose euill in stead of good yet it ceasseth not therefore euer to desire good naturally which is most fitte and agreeable to the nature therof but it is deceaued in that it hath no skill to discerne between true and false goodes and to distinguish the greater from the lesse And as wee haue hearde that euill spirites may trouble and mooue the fantasie and minde so no doubt they can doe the like towardes the heart and Will to induce them to euill and to driue them to doe greater thinges then weake nature woulde doe of it selfe if it were not holpen by them euen to cause them to committe such crimes as nature abhorreth Therefore wee must without ceassing watch and pray that wee enter not into temptation and if wee bee tempted that wee fayle not neither bee ouercome And this wee may assuredly beleeue wee shall obtayne if through regeneration by the spirite of GOD our minde bee taught and our Will guyded by his light Nowe then hauing spoken enough of Vnderstanding and of Will which are the principall powers of the soule let vs come to the affections thereof and first it shall bee good for vs to consider of the distinction that ought to bee made betwixt all these faculties of the soule and betweene their seates and instruments which they haue in the bodie But wee shall learne these thinges of thee ACHITOB Of the distinction that ought to be betweene the Vnderstanding and knowledge and the Will and affections in the soule and betweene the seates and instruments which they haue in the body of the agreement that is betweene the heart and the braine Chap. 36. ACHITOB. The heauens the earth and all the elementes the stones plants beasts al the other creatures that want reason vnderstanding obey God in their kind but yet they know him not the obedience which they yeld vnto him proceedeth not of any knowledge they haue of his will or of iudgement in them to discerne good from euill but only so farre forth as they are drawne by their natural inclination in those things that concerne their nature But Angels and Men in whome God woulde haue his image to shine in euery part of them and after all sorts were created by him of that nature that hee would be knowne of them and that they should follow his Will not without Vnderstanding and iudgement thereof nor without agreement of their willes with his