giftes and graces shine For power breedeth reuerence and goodnesse loue Wherfore if we iudge that power and greatnes are ioyned with goodnes and tempered therewithall we shal not onely be moued to reuerence but this reuerence also will engender loue as it is in the hearts of the faithful towards God because that as they consider him almighty and the greatest of all so they behold him most wise and most good But as I haue already touched if we thinke that this greatnesse or power either is or wil be hurtful vnto vs there is another kind of reuerence which only hath feare that breedeth hatred as it is in them that consider the power of God only the rigour of his iudgement not meditating of his clemencie and benignitie Therefore as the great excellency which in all things appeareth in God especially in power wisdome and goodnes induceth vs to reuerence him aright so if we would haue men to honour reuerence vs there must bee excellent vertues in vs in which men may see the image of God to shine that so he may be honoured reuerenced in vs we in him For therein consisteth that true honour that true reuerence which we ought to seek for to desire And although reuerence hath respect principally to the diuine maiestie at the name of which euery knee ought to bow and to those superiorities which are images thereof vnto which they that are of lesse degree estate and condition ought to giue honor seruice neuertheles mutual reuerence is necessary in al true friendship aswel in respect of the party beloued as of him that loueth And indeed we see howe that true friendes reuerence and honour one another and all because of that good opinion which they haue conceiued eche of others desert Concerning this word Honour it is properly a token whereby we testifie that we iudge him to bee endued with vertue whome we honour Wherefore as the consideration of vertue breedeth honour so honour breedeth reuerence and then honour and reuerence breede maiestie which is the highest degree of honour and encreaseth continually according as those vertues and good things excell which induce vs to honour them For if the vertues be meane wee honour them with a more simple honour if greater we adde thereunto reuerence and then maiestie is that honour which can be giuen to the greatest of all And as this affection of honour is in our heart wee shew it foorth by diuers outwarde signes whereby we signifie and testifie that we acknowledge their greatnes and excellencie whom wee honour and that we submit our selues thereunto Therefore the more humble and modest a man is the readier he will be to yeelde reuerence and honour to them vnto whom it is due Contrariwise the more drunken a man is with the loue of himselfe the more he will presume of himselfe and the greater this presumption is in him the lesse wil he desire that another should be more excellent then himselfe and wil be the hardlier perswaded to beleeue it is so Therefore he will hardly yeelde to giue him honour and reuerence But Saint Paul admonisheth the children of God to goe before one another in giuing honour and to be of like affection one towardes another not being high minded neither wise in themselues that is to say arrogant and selfe-weening presuming very much of themselues So that as pride or humilitie aboundeth in vs God our superiours and friendes shal be more or lesse honoured by vs. As for those signes whereby we testifie this honour and reuerence we are to note that they are many according to the diuersities of nations and countries and of their maners Most commonly we vse to bend the knee in testimonie that we abase and submit our selues to those vnto whom we doe this honour Likewise we vncouer the head which is a token of seruitude according to the custome of the Grecians and of the Romanes There are many other such like signes as to rise vp to giue place to accompanie to salute and infinite others which would be too long to rehearse and without profite all which we call bearing of honour and reuerence or yeelding of reuerence Wherefore although God looketh chiefly to that which is within and not to that which is without yet will he haue vs by externall signes to declare that honour which we owe and beare vnto him and by them to yeeld him homage Thus he requireth that we should testifie our faith and our loue towards him by confession of mouth and by all good workes that there may be alwayes an agreement betweene the body and the soule betweene the heart mouth and hands and betweene the workmaster that worketh and his instruments and woorkes to the ende that the one may bee knowen by the other For if the outwarde signes agree not with the heart we make them false witnesses as the tongue is when it lieth For they beare witnesse to that which is not which is right hypocrisie displeasing God and men Therefore we must beware of this vice and take heed that we make no other outward shew then will stande with the affection of the heart Now hauing spoken of honour reuerence and maiestie by reason of that coniunction which they haue with loue as also of fauour and grace it remaineth now that we should speake somewhat of Mercie and compassion seeing that also hath great agreement with loue Mercie then is a griefe conceiued in our heart in respect of some euil which as we thinke is befallen one that hath not deserued it and this we call also pitie and compassion Now because this affection moueth vs to aide succour and to doe good to them that are afflicted as also to pardon such as haue offended vs therefore Mercie is often taken in the holy scriptures for ayde succour fauour grace beneficence good will benefiting friendship benignitie as also for the affection and inclination of the heart to doe good and to succour all them that haue neede of helpe and this proceedeth of charitie Therfore Saint Paul saith He that sheweth mercie let him doe it with cheerefulnesse Let loue be without dissimulation Abhorre that which is euill and cleaue to that which is good Be affectioned to loue one another with brotherly loue not slouthfull to doe seruice feruent in spirite seruing the Lorde distributing to the necessities of the Saintes giuing your selues to hospitalitie Whereby he admonisheth vs that all the succours which we giue to others ought to proceede from a sincere and cheerefull affection of the heart which should prouoke vs to perfourme the same and this cannot be in vs without the affection of pitie of mercie and of compassion In regard whereof the name of almes is taken from a worde which in Greeke signifieth Mercy and therefore also almes signifieth asmuch as mercie or that succour that is done of mercy and compassion wherewith we are affected in respect of
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
he knoweth not But before we enter into a deeper and more particular consideration of the affections of the soule and of the heart wee must note this that all knowledge is giuen of God to this end to desire that Good which it knoweth and in desiring to followe the same vntill it hath ioyned and knit it vnto it selfe as neere as is possible For in this manner Good will be good vnto it and not otherwise To this ende sensuall knowledge is giuen for sensuall goods and spirituall knowledge for those goods that are spirituall And as the knowledge both of the one and the other is giuen to desire it so also is it giuen that it might turne aside and flee from euill which is contrarie to good to the ende that the Will might not ioyne it selfe thereunto by which meanes euill woulde indeede become euill vnto it and coulde not otherwise bee auoyded For as good coulde not bee good vnto vs but onely so farre foorth as wee did apply it and ioyne our selues therevnto so fareth it also with euill And because GOD hath not created beastes to enioy any other good then corporall goods and such as belong to their brutish life which goeth not beyonde this temporall life therefore he hath not giuen them the knowledge or appetite of any other good So that as they haue no other knowledge but that which is sensuall so they haue no other appetite but sensuall which is guyded onely by naturall inclination wherein they haue nature onely for their Mistresse which pricketh forwarde both their outwarde and inwarde senses without any direction at all of Vnderstanding and of Reason Therefore this sensuall appetite common to all liuing creatures cannot properly bee called Will. For as wee cannot call by the name of Vnderstanding and Reason that naturall inclination which is giuen to beastes for their direction seeing men onely are endued with Vnderstanding and Reason so is it with Will the name whereof agreeth not to that sensuall appetite except wee woulde call it sensuall Will in respect of the resemblance of Will which it hath wherein it differeth much from the Will in man as the sequele of our speech requireth that wee shoulde now learne to the ende wee may knowe the thirde kinde of appetite which wee set downe in the beginning of this discourse namely the voluntarie appetite which is proper and peculiar to man and the subiect of his Will Thou shalt tell vs therefore AMANA what Will is properly what her actions are what libertie and freedome she hath and what power Reason may haue ouer her Of Will and of the diuers significations and vses of these wordes Reason and Will of the actions freedome and nature thereof of the power which Reason may haue ouer her Chap. 34. AMANA The loue of GOD towardes men hath alwayes beene and is such that albeeit hee hath iust occasion to hate vs as sinners yet that hindereth him not from louing vs alwayes as men For hee considereth man otherwise in the nature and substance with which hee created him and as hee is his woorke then in that disorder and confusion which after entered vpon his nature by the woorke of Satan in him For this cause wee see that hee causeth his sunne to shine aswell vpon the euill as vpon the good sendeth raine to the one as well as to the other and powreth many benefites vpon all in generall But besides this loue whereof euery one receiueth fruite there is another more speciall towardes his elect whom hee loueth not onely as he loued vs all in Adam the stocke of mankinde and as his creatures created after his image but loueth them also as regenerated and newe creatures in Iesus Christ his Sonne the latter and iust Adam GOD and man and the stocke of spirituall men framed againe by him to the image and similitude of God Therefore we must vnnderstand that God hath and doeth loue men in regarde of the good hee hath put into them which is wrought chiefly through the benefite of spirituall regeneration the remnant of which Good he still loueth And in louing that he loueth himselfe because he is the soueraigne and onely good which is worthy to be loued in respect of it selfe Whereby we may see what is the true fountaine of all loue and of all the desires appetites and willes of all creatures For they must all bee drawen out of one and the same spring and fountaine namely the loue and will of God and that good which he loueth and willeth And the greater the Good is the more it ought to bee loued so that euery Will should desire to ioyne it selfe therevnto to follow after it and to haue the fruition thereof And because there can be no Good greater then God therefore no other can be loued but that So that whilest he loueth himselfe he loueth all the good that may bee because there is none but in him and from him Therefore this followeth necessarily that as all good things proceede from him so they must bee all referred to him and returne thither as to the Wel-head euen as all waters returne into the Sea from whence they came first of al. Hauing then learned of our former discourse that God hath giuen to man vnderstanding to know good and will to desire and follow it it is his duetie alwayes to referre all the good things he hath vnto him that is soueraigne and eternall Good and to account nothing good as in trueth it cannot be but him that ought to bee so accounted and to looke at him as the last and most blessed end We vnderstand then properly by Will that facultie and vertue of the soule whereby we desire that which is good and eschew euill by the direction and guyding of reason Therefore there are two actions of Will wherof the first is that inclination to good by which it imbraceth the same and the second is the turning aside from euill And when it is idle and inclineth to neither side it is depriued of both these actions Nowe although we saide before that reason helde the soueraignty amongst the powers vertues and offices of the soule yet wee must know that reason raigneth not ouer Will as Lady and Princesse but onely as Mistresse to teach and shew it what it ought to followe and what to flie from For the will hath no light of it selfe but is lightned by the minde that is to say by reason and iudgement which are ioyned with it not to gouerne and turne it from one side to another by commandement and authoritie either by force or violence as a Prince or Magistrate but as a counsailer or directer to admonish and to conduct it And so the will desireth or refuseth nothing which reason hath not first shewed that it is to be desired or disdayned Therefore the act of Will proceedeth indeede from Will but it is iudged of and counselled by reason so that a man may say that
receiue and to embrace it Wherupon ariseth a desire of coniunction to knit the same thing to it selfe and this loue is called Cupiditie Lusting or Coueting But because this affection is so out of square in this our corrupt nature these names are commonly taken more in the euill then in the good part Nowe this affection of desire or coueting hath respect either to that good which we enioy alreadie or which we haue yet in hope onely and in expectation If it be already present this cupiditie breedeth a desire to retaine and keepe it still if it be yet in expectation it bringeth forth a desire and longing to enioy it And in this sort we loue all those things which we esteeme and take to bee profitable for vs either for the soule or for the body or for the external goods For this cause many loue God because they know that it is he who giueth good things vnto men But this is not that true loue wherwith we must loue him For although they are very wicked and too vnthankfull which loue him not at leastwise with such a loue and for that cause yet if we goe no further we loue our selues more then wee doe him in this kind of loue seeing the chiefe cause for which we loue him is not in respect of himselfe but of vs. For we loue him by reason of that good which we receiue from him But true loue is that which causeth vs to loue a thing because it is good in it selfe and not in respect of any profite that may come vnto vs thereby With this loue we ought to loue God and our neighbours and friendes and of this loue wee haue a very cleare and manifest image in the loue of Fathers and mothers towards their children For they loue them not because they haue respect to some good which they may receiue of them but because they are their children For although they receiue nothing but trouble by them from the time of their childehood and expences rather then profit yet that letteth them not from louing them tenderly and with great affection Nowe if by this loue grounded vpon such a cause we iudge the like of the loue of God towards vs seeing it is hee that hath imprinted the same in the heartes of parents towards their children as an image of his loue towards vs we conclude well For seeing he is the fountaine of all true and perfect loue all other loues are but as it were little riuers which flowe from this liuely spring But there is none so expresse an image thereof in all the creatures as in the loue of fathers and mothers towards their children For doeth God loue vs in respect of any profite which hee looketh for at our hands Hereof it is that he setteth forth himselfe vnto vs as a Father to the end we may the better know that he loueth vs with a right fatherly loue Therefore also hee will haue vs to call him Father and so to accoūnt of him yea hee will not haue vs to take any other for our Father of whome to depende wholly but him alone And no doubt but we shoulde receiue wonderfull ioy and consolation if we coulde as well feele within vs that loue which this good Father beareth vs as we feele the loue which we beare towardes our children Now when loue is reciprocall and mutuall so that he which is loued doeth also loue for his part the partie that loueth him then is friendship bred of loue wherein there is mutuall beneuolence and goodwil Wherefore as God loueth vs so muust we for our partes loue him seeing this is the chiefe cause why he hath created man according to his image and similitude and hath giuen him a soule that is immortall and endued with vnderstanding and reason to knowe him first and then to loue him Therefore if wee consider by what steppes wee ascend vp to God we shall finde that as by the loue which he first bare vs we descended from the highest to the lowest so likewise we mount vp againe from the lowest vnto the highest by that loue which wee beare him For our soule descendeth from the highest which is God vnto the lowest which is the bodie by the loue of the Creator towards her who by meanes of this descending and coniunction communicateth his blessednesse both with the soule and with the bodie And as she came downe from him so through the knowledge which she hath of God and loue which she beareth him she ascendeth vp again returneth to her first birth Cōcerning those degrees by which we come thither we begin first at materiall and corporal things as the beginning of mans generation and birth teacheth vs then we come to the senses of the bodie by that vse which we haue of them Afterwarde we vse imagination and fantasie and from that we come to reason and iudgement next to contemplation and last of all to loue Heereby we may learne also to know the steppes of descending seeing they are the same but begunne at the contrarie ende Wherefore if iudgement bee gouerned and ouercome by the affections and reason by fantasie the estate of the soule is wholly ouerturned and peruerted as if the bodie beeing minded to walke shoulde set the head vpon the ground and lift the heeles vpwarde So likewise is it if in steede o mounting vp to God by loue we descend in such sort to the creatures that we ascend vp no more to him that wee may bee one with him For loue maketh all things one Therefore if we be vnited with God there must needes be perfect friendshippe betweene him and vs. For as he loueth vs so we loue him and then our selues for loue of him And from the loue of our selues springeth our loue towards our wiues and children as though they were a part of vs as also towardes our like and towards our woorkes For similitude and likenesse is a great cause of loue seeing that when one resembleth vs it is as if wee our selues were another because similitude maketh many things to be as one and the same thing Wherefore seeing God hath created vs to his image and likenesse it cannot bee but that he loueth his image and similitude in vs and vs also in respect of that as if it were himselfe For this cause the more this image is reformed and renewed in vs the more no doubt hee loueth vs and the like also may be said of our loue towards him In like manner beautie hath great vertue to procure loue and that for many causes For first the beautie which appeareth without in any body is as it were a witnesse and testimonie of the beautie in the soule according to that which we haue already spoken of the agreement of the powers affections thereof with the temperature of the bodie For God hath created all things in such manner that he hath commonly ioyned beautie and goodnes together
then at the good things themselues in regarde of which men are honoured and esteemed For the enuious man careth not for the vertues that bring renowne and glory but onely for the honour and glory which follow them as the shadow doeth the body Forasmuch then as a prowde man desireth still to be preferred before all therefore hee is more greedy of these goods of honour and glory then of true goods of which the other are but shadowes Hereof it is that a prowde man is naturally enuious because enuy springeth from such a desire of preferrement yea it is commonly bredde of pride Yea the farther a man is off from that which hee woulde be thought to be and the lesse endued with those good things for which he woulde be honoured the more enuious he is But amongst al the good things against which enuy striueth most and for which it is most stirred vp those of the soule are the chiefest because they are more excellent then those of the body and such as neuer haue end Therefore also the reputation and honor which men obtaine by their meanes abide with them continually But the contrary falleth out in corporall and externall goods as they that haue more narrowe bounds Wherefore as they cannot growe to that greatnes vnto which the other doe so their vse also is nothing so great and consequently the price and reputation that proceedeth from them is not so great Therefore if the question be of honour and glory no man of any good iudgement but will more willingly giue ouer that which may be gotten by corporall and outward things then that which foloweth knowledge wisedome vertue and the other goods of the soule So that enuy may stand vs in steade of a witnesse to testifie and shewe vnto vs which are the greatest goods of all seeing it is alwayes busied about the highest noblest and most excellent Good Now as there is no wicked affection which carrieth not about it owne torment to take vengeance thereof by the iust iudgement of God so this of enuy passeth all the rest in this respect Therefore it was well saide of them that taught that enuy is most iust because of selfe it is the same punishment to the enuious man which it deserueth For first it is vile and seruile because an enuious man knoweth this in himselfe that he iudgeth the good things in an other to be greater and more excellent then his owne or at leastwise hee feareth least it shoulde so come to passe Therefore there is no affection in a man which he dare lesse disclose then this of enuy so that hee receiueth lesse comfort in this then in any other For by opening our heart to an other wee receiue solace and comfort whereas the enuious person iudgeth his affection of enuy to be so vile that hee dare not discouer it but hideth and concealeth it as much as hee can If hee be angry or hate any one he will declare it a great deale sooner And albeit feare be thought to be dishonourable yet will a man rather disclose this affection then he will enuy The like may be saide of sorrow and of loue But the enuious body is constrained to bite on his bridle to chew and to deuoure his enuy within himselfe and to locke vp his owne miserie in the bottome of his heart to the ende it breake not foorth and shew it selfe whereby the body receiueth great detriment For it becommeth pale wanne swart and leane the eyes sinke into the head the lookes are askew and the whole countenance is disfigured And within the heart the furies are enclosed which giue him so small rest that greater torment can not be imagined Therefore Salomon saieth very well That a sound heart is the life of the body but enuy is the rotting of the bones And Ecclesiasticus saieth That death is better then a bitter life that enuy and wrath shorten the life and that carefulnesse bringeth age before the time To conclude although al the euil affections trouble and corrupt the minde very much yet none of them offendeth it so much as enuy doth Which commeth not to passe so much because it selfe iudgeth or esteemeth good to be euill as because it desireth that others should so esteeme thereof But howsoeuer this vice be very vile and infamous and hurtful both to the body and soule yet in this affection of enuy we must put a difference betweene that part of it which proceedeth from sound nature as it was first giuen of God to man and that which is in it through the corruption of nature For there is a kind of enuy which serueth vs in steade of spurres to pricke vs forward and to worke in vs a wil and desire both to obtaine and to keepe great good things And this enuy is very good when wee apply our selues to the true Goods and are not grieued at the prosperitie and vertues which wee see in others but are mooued by their example to desire and to seeke after the selfe same Goods yea greater if the meanes be offered prouided that all be referred to the glory of God to our owne saluation and to the profite of our neighbours Vnto this kinde of Enuy Saint Paul exhorteth vs when he writeth to the Corinthians speaking of the diuersity of gifts wrought by the spirite of God in his Church Be enuious of the best gifts albeit in our vsuall translation it be Desire yet the Greeke worde signifieth to enuy but the sense is in a manner all one And the same Apostle speaking of the reliefe collection made for the poore saieth Achaia was prepared a yeere agoe and your zeale hath prouoked many that is to say the emulation and enuy which they haue conceiued by your example and this was a good holy and christian enuy But if we seeke our owne glory and in that respect are grieued that others excell vs in vertues and in the gifts and graces of GOD onely because we would haue that honour which they haue and be equall with them or aboue them this is a peruerse and Satanicall affection declaring euidently that we seeke our selues and our owne glory more then the glory of God For if we had respect to that which wee ought it woulde be all one to vs who were the instruments either our selues or others so that God were glorified and that were well done which ought to be done As for the euill sorts of enuy of which wee haue spoken they are placed by Saint Paul amongst the woorkes of darknesse and of the flesh where he saieth that They which are defiled with them shal not inherit the kingdome of God But forasmuch as in this discourse we placed Iealousie amongst the kindes of Enuy and yet it is often taken in the good part proceeding as it were of true loue as Zeale also is bredde thereof it shall be good for thee ASER to begin the dayes worke to morrow with a
treatise of these two affections The end of the seuenth dayes worke THE EIGHT dayes worke Of Iealousie and of the kindes thereof howe it may be either 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. ASER The holy Scripture applying it selfe to the capacitie of mans vnderstanding describeth mens affections oftentimes by those testimonies which their outward members affoorde conuincing them of vices rooted in their heart by the carriage of their eies of their eie-liddes of their forehead and of their whole countenance Which is to this ende chiefly that when they know that men may reade one in anothers face as it were in a Booke that which is couered and hidden in the heart they shoulde perswade themselues that God soundeth and seeth more easily the most secret thoughts of their heartes and that they can hide nothing from him Likewise the holy spirite to condescend to our rudenesse and to teach vs to knowe God by our selues not onely by our soule which we see not but also by our body which wee see speaketh often of his high infinite and incomprehensible maiestie as it were of a man attributing vnto him eies eares a nose a mouth armes legges feete hands a heart and bowelles Moreouer albeit this pure simple and eternal essence be in no wise passionated with affections yet the same heauenly word doth not only attribute vnto him wrath reuenge anger iealousie and other affections but doth oftentimes propound him vnto vs as an yrefull man hauing the face behauiour and whole countenance of one greatly stirred vp to wrath reuenge yea euen to great fury Which is done to this end both that by the knowledge which we may haue of the nature of these affections whereunto wee are enclined and of the effectes which they bring foorth and causes from whence they proceede wee shoulde meditate the same things to bee in God when wee offend him and knowe what rewarde wee are to looke for and also to teach vs that right rule of all our affections which wee haue in his diuine goodnesse Nowe if wee remember what hath beene declared vnto vs of the nature of Loue wee heard that true and pure loue was without iealousie and that this affection sprang of the loue of concupiscence and yet it was tolde vs yesterday that Iealousie was placed amongst the kindes of enuy Let vs then see what this affection is properly and whether all iealousie be vicious I vnderstand by Iealousie a feare which a man hath lest an other whome hee woulde not should enioy something This commeth to passe two wayes namely either because wee our selues woulde enioy it alone or else because we would haue some other to whom we wish the same thing to enioy it alone the reason heereof is because we iudge it hurtfull either to our selues or to those whome wee loue if others should enioy it As if the question were of some honour or of some other good which we would haue to our selues alone or for some one whome wee loue and should be greeued that an other enioyeth it and thereupon enuy him either because wee are afraide hee shall enioy it or because hee enioyeth it already heerein appeareth enuy and euill iealousie which bringeth with it great mischiefes For as Saint Iames saieth From whence are warres and contentions among you are they not hence euen of your lustes that fight in your members yee lust and haue not ye enuy and are iealous or haue indignation and can not obtaine ye fight and warre and gâ—t nothing Wherefore to auoide this enuy and euill iealousie wee must consider of what nature that Good is which stirreth vs vp to this affection For according to the nature thereof our iealousie may be either a vice or a vertue For if the question be of some Good thing which belongeth in such sort to mee alone or to any other whome I loue that none may enioy it except it be vniustly and to the dishonour of God it is no euill iealousie if I feare lest any shoulde abuse it or bee grieued when it falleth out so If it concerneth some body whome I lâ—â—ue who is abused by another to the displeasure of God and to the dishonour and hurt of the party beloued I haue yet greater occasion to feare to bee greeued and euen to bee iealous both ouer my owne Good and ouer the good of the partie beloued And as I haue iust cause of Iealousie in this case in that thing which properly belongeth vnto mee so also I haue like occasion when an other vniustly enioyeth that Good which belongeth to him whome I loue and of whome I ought to bee carefull and be greeued when any reproch or wrong is offered vnto him As for example seeing the husband hath such an interest in his wife and the wife in her husband as no other eyther may or ought to haue the like both of them haue iust cause to beware that no other haue the fruition heereof but themselues to take the matter heauily if it fall out otherwise and to bee very much offended and full of indignation against him that shoulde attempt any such thing For that can not be done as not without the great dishonour and dammage of the parties so knit together so also not without the great dishonour of GOD whose lawe and couenant is thereby violated On the other side that mutuall loue which ought to be betwixt the husband and the wife doth binde them to desire and to procure the honour and profite eache of other and to keepe backe all dishonour and hurt that may befall them Wherefore both of them haue iust cause to bee offended with those that seeke to procure any blemish in this respect The like may bee saide of fathers mothers and children and of all that haue anie charge ouer others or that are linked together by friendship But on the other side a man must beware that he be not too suspicious and that hee carry not within himselfe matter of Iealousie and so torment himselfe and others without cause as likewise hee must bee very carefull that hee giue no occasion of Iealousie to any other And thus you see howe there may be a good iealousie notwithstanding that in this case it be mingled with loue and anger For Iealousie causeth the party that loueth to be angry with him by whome that thing which hee doeth loue receiueth any dishonour or detriment Therefore this anger commeth of loue which inciteth him to set himselfe against him that offendeth the thing beloued So that these affections are alwayes commendable arising of this cause and being ruled according to that Zeale and Iealousie which the holy Scripture attributeth vnto GOD in regarde of vs. For hee is called a iealous GOD not onely in regard of his honour and glory which hee will not
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
stay or resting place vntill they be come to those places which God hath appoynted for them Plants cast their rootes downeward and their branches vpward euery one following therein his nature For a plant being to receiue his nourishment from the earth by meanes of his rootes which are vnto it in stead of mouthes and veines to sucke and draw necessary sustenance for the preseruation of it selfe sendeth them alwayes into the ground and disperseth them all about according as they can find nourishment but the stalke stocke branches and boughs which are to be nourished in the ayre alwayes disperse themselues draw and ascend vpward Beasts hauing sense doe much more shewe that liking which they haue to follow their natural inclination For we see that by their proper apprehension and appetite they are driuen hither and thither to seeke and follow after that which they desire and loue being agreeable to their nature and to flie from that which they hate as being contrary thereunto Likewise men who only of all other mortall creatures were by creation made partakers of reason haue their proper motion conuenient to their nature For being created to attaine to that soueraigne and eternall Good which is set before them in the diuine essence they haue receiued from that infinite goodnes power and vertue to wish for that Good with a desire to apply and ioyne themselues thereunto Wherefore all men are naturally pricked and driuen forward with a loue and desire tending to that Good aswell because of that naturall agreement which they haue with the same Idea of Good which is God their soules being of a celestial and immortall essence as also because this Good is of that nature that it ought to be loued of euery nature yea so much the more loued as there is greater measure of reason in the creature to know it But this desire naturally ingrafted in euery mans heart which prouoketh and keepeth men in a loue and liking of euery thing which they thinke meete to content and satisfie them and which they seeke after in diuers things as their affections lead them differeth much from that desire which by heauenly grace is planted a new in those whom God according to his good pleasure and alwaies iust wil hath chosen and elected to euerlasting happinesse and pricked forward guideth and leadeth them to that principall end for which they were created For although the other sort of men being heires of that corruption that hath ouerspread the whole nature of man by the meanes of the sinne of the first father of all be driuen forward in soule and spirit yea many times not thinking thereof to their naturall desire of obtayning that Good yet they seeke it as blind men that goe by groping but cannot find it because the darkenes of error ignorance wherewith their vnderstanding is ouerwhelmed hindreth them from looking directly towards that Good and causeth them to wander out of that only way that could lead them vnto it So that in stead of looking vnto God and to celestiall and heauenly things they stay themselues about earthly corruptible things vnto which the neerer they labor to approch the farther off they are from the end of their wishes desires For this cause the blessed Apostle saith that the natural man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neyther can he know them because they are spiritually discerned But they that are illuminated and guided by heauenly and supernaturall light and whose vnderstanding is framed by the spirit of God to receiue It know then how they are carried by their proper motion to the contemplation of the true Good in the enioying whereof they shall once for euer be made partakers of a felicitie which eye neuer saw nor eare heard neither came into mans heart I meane when by dissoluing the mortall tabernacle of this body they shall be clothed with glorious immortalitie and shall see him face to face who is all in all in whome they shall be satisfied according to the doctrine of the Prophet In thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for euermore This is that my companions which ought to whet vs on to direct our sight streight to that place whereat wee ought to leuell namely to heauen and not looke to any other thing then to God who is the scope which we desire and shal one day attaine vnto Nowe if wee can not see this white so farre off and much lesse come vnto it without direction GOD is come neare vnto vs in the person of his Sonne Iesus Christ who being the brightnesse of his glory hath left vs his word for a sure guide besides so many testimonies of his prouidence and goodnesse ouer all creatures that wee daily beholde him as it were visible in them For the ruled motions of the heauens the wonderfull workemanship of so many starry tents the connexion agreement force vertue and beauty of the Elements the situation firmnesse spreading of the earth amidst the waters and so many sundry natures and creatures in this whole frame of the worlde al these things I say are so many interpreters to teach vs that God is the efficient cause of them and that he is manifested in them and by them as their final cause But the glasse wherein we may yet better beholde him is man in whome shineth and is imprinted an image of the diuine essence which is not found againe in any visible creature that is reason and vnderstanding wherof by creation he was made partaker aswel as the Angels This is the chiefe and principall work of the creation whereby God meant to giue such a being to his creatures spiritual natures to the end he might communicate his wisdom goodnes with them thereby lead them to eternal felicitie Wherefore if it be good for men to consider the works of God in his creatures and in their nature created by him and that for the reasons and ends declared by vs it is better and more necessary that they should do the same thing in their owne person nature wherein there are almost as many maruailous works of the almighty power of God as ther are in the whole frame besids and in all other creatures Therefore that sentence which saith Knowe thy selfe was not without good reason so much praised and renowmed amongst al the ancient Greeke and Latin Philosophers as that which is worthy to be taken for a heauenly oracle a sentence pronounced by the mouth of God For whosoeuer shall know himselfe well cannot faile to know God his creator and to honour him as he ought if he follow the chiefe end for which man was created as wel as the residue of the creatures Plato in his Phaedrus and in the tenth booke of Lawes searching and inquiring by the meanes of motion what was the substance nature and immortalitie of
rehearse manie moe vses if we woulde speake more particularly of this matter whereof wee meane to speake but generally as also of all the rest that concerne the anatomie of the bodie according to that ende which wee propounded to our selues in the entrie of our speeches namely to open a gappe onely to the consideration first of the matter whereof mans bodie is compounded and of the diuersitie thereof then of that forme which God hath giuen vnto it and lastly of the profit and vse of both to the ende wee might dayly learne the better to knowe the great power skill wisedome goodnesse and prouidence of him that hath created and disposed all things in so good order But as touching that which we spake of the pappes and of their substance wee haue yet to consider of two poynts well worthie the noting concerning the place where God hath seated them First they are there placed where they serue to shroude and to defend the noblest and most necessarie partes for life that are in the breast namely the heart and the lungs For they are set before them to countergard and keepe them both from ouer great heate and from excessiue colde and from many other inconueniences And as they serue for the heate of the heart so their owne heate is increased by reason they are so neere the heart whereby the milke that is ingendred in them is the better baked So that wee see that although GOD hath not giuen men pappes for the generation of milke and nourishing of children as women haue neuerthelesse they are not without profite and vse in them as wee haue hearde Whereunto also wee may adde the beautifying of that part of the bodie where they are placed especially in women Againe could they possibly be set in any place that were more fit and more easie both for Mothers and Nurses and for the children to whome they giue sucke and nourishment For if the mother bee disposed to giue her childe sucke shee hath this commoditie to sitte downe if she will to holde it in her bosome and vpon her knees and likewise to imbrace it in her armes whether she sit lye downe or stande also shee may carie it vp and downe whither shee please euen whilest shee giueth it sucke and feedeth it This commoditie is not graunted to the females of beastes when they giue sucke and nourish their little ones with their teates Wherein wee haue to marke one notable difference which GOD hath put betweene men and beastes For beastes haue no other care of their yong ones but onely to nourish their bodies with foode vntill they bee able to feede and gouerne themselues afterward both syre and damme and little ones forget one another taking no more knowledge eche of other nor louing one another more then other beastes of their kinde But amongst men both the father and the mother are caried with an affection towardes their little children which is the cause why they forget them not as beastes doe And as they loue their children so are they loued of them insomuch that there is a mutuall loue proceeding from that naturall affection which they beare one towardes another On the other side this loue causeth parents to let their children haue instruction that they may bee wise and vertuous And therefore it is not without good cause that womens pappes are placed in the breast namely to the ende they shoulde bee vnto them as signes and testimonies of the affection of the heart and of that loue which they ought to beare towardes their children whereof they ought to make them partakers aswell as of the milke of their breastes and as if they gaue vnto them their heart as they giue them their blood turned into milke Likewise children are by the selfe-same meanes to bee admonished of that mutuall affection and loue which they ought to carie towards their mothers as if they had sucked it out of their breasts and from their heart together with their milke that they may returne the like vnto them againe Wherefore mothers and children haue a wise mistres in nature and in the prouidence of God that appeareth therein if they knew how to followe it well Againe for this cause mothers ought to take greater delight in nourishing their owne children then in committing them to the handes of strangers and hyred Nurses For out of doubt the mutuall affection and loue of eche to other woulde greatly increase thereby Nowe hauing spoken of the place which God hath assigned to the pappes let vs consider his prouidence in their forme which is such that fayrer and more fitte for that office of theirs coulde not bee deuised For wee see howe they hang there in the breast of the mother and Nurse as it were two bottles hauing nipples and holes made fit for the infants mouth that hee might take holde of them and drawe and sucke the milke that is within the dugges which are filled presently after the child is borne so that hee is no sooner come into the worlde but hee hath such foode and nourishment readie drest as is meete for him For albeit the infant bringeth his teeth with him from his mothers wombe yet because they are hidde within the gummes and are not yet come foorth hee must haue such meate as needeth no chewing but may bee sucked which GOD hath prouided for him Wherein wee haue a woonderfull testimonie of the care hee hath ouer vs and what kinde of Father and cherisher hee is For this cause Dauid had good reason to say Out of the mouth of babes and suckelings hast thou ordeyned strength because of thine enemies For if one consider the prouidence of God which dayly sheweth it selfe ouer children onely there is no Atheist Epicure or other enemie of God so great which shall not bee confounded conuinced and constrayned will hee nill hee to giue glorie to GOD. For before children can speake euen from their mothers breastes they shewe foorth and preache the prouidence of God in prouiding milke for them But wee shall finde it a matter of greater admiration if wee consider not onely in what manner they are nourished presently after their birth but also howe they are nourished in their mothers wombe For there they are not sustayned by the mouth nor with milke as they are after their byrth but with their mothers owne blood receiued by the Nauill which is in the middest of the bodie But God hath made such an agreement betweene the wombe in which the little childe is nourished in his mothers belly and betwixt her breasts that that blood wherewith the Infant was feede before it was borne presently after the birth ascendeth into her pappes in which by reason of the aboade it maketh there it becommeth white and is so well heated and prepared that it hath as conuenient and pleasant a taste as can be put into the infants mouth And as for the substance of the milke there cannot be any
through a cloude For that is the contemplation of all contemplations seeing it is the beholding of God with whome nothing may bee compared Then there shall be no cloude of ignorance when wee shall haue not a likely or probable but a most certaine and true knowledge For the trueth shall bee shewed vnto vs most certaine in GOD who is the Authour and Father thereof in whome wee shall throughly and perfectly see and knowe the causes of all things For our spirites shall be helde no longer in such an obscure and darke prison as heere they are constrained to suffer in our mortall bodies Therefore there shall bee no more diuersities disagreements or contrarieties of opinions and iudgements that some shoulde condemne that which others approoue but all shall be of the same iudgement But seeing we are fallen into the matter of contemplation it shall not be vnprofitable if vpon occasion of that diuision which is commonly made of the actiue and contemplatiue life wee note that although the spirite desireth aboue all things the pleasure that is in contemplation as the proper foode and delight thereof yet wee must alwayes consider that wee are not only borne for ourselues but also for others and to this ende that wee shoulde all in common serue one an other both generally and specially For God doeth not onely commaund the performance of that seruice which hee requireth of vs towardes his owne person according to that which is contained in the first Table of the Lawe but he commaundeth vs also in the second Table to doe that which hee requireth of vs towardes other men Therefore hee will not haue vs dwell alwayes in contemplation but wee must put to our hand and discharge vs of our dutie towards euery one according as he teacheth vs by his word Wee are then to learne that so long as wee liue in this world we must not separate the actiue life from the cōtemplatiue but alwayes ioyne them both together vntil we come to that blessed life which shal be altogither contemplatiue when we shal be deliuered frō al the miseries and necessities and from al the troubles lets in which wee are wrapped and detained in this mortall life God graunt vs his grace to vse all our senses so well both externall and internall and all the powers faculties and vertues of our soule and spirite of which wee haue hitherto spoken that wee may cause them all to serue to his glory and that wee may attaine to that blessed contemplation which is prepared for all his elect in his celestiall pallace and that to this ende hee woulde dispose in vs our will and all the affections of our soule of the nature of which we will beginne to morrowe to discourse And first ASER I thinke thou art to intreate of those appetites that are naturally in man seeing Desire is the proper subiect of the Will as thou shalt instruct vs more at large The end of the fourth dayes worke THE FIFT DAYES worke Of the Appetites that are in al liuing creatures and namely in man and of their kindes and particularly of the Naturall and Sensitiue Appetite Chap. 33. ASER. As God and all that is in the worlde is propounded to the minde of man that hee might knowe him so farre foorth as is needefull for him so is hee also propounded to the will that hee might will desire and folowe him as farre as his nature is capable thereof Wherefore if man had not sinned but had continued in his first estate wherein God created him this great and eternall Goodnes had shed in our soules that diuine worde together with his holy spirite which worde being the eternall sonne of God woulde haue alwayes taught and shewed vs the Father of whome bee was begotten before all time and woulde haue lightened our mindes with the light of all wisedome that we might haue beheld and seene him and the holy spirite would haue ioyned our hearts and willes vnto the Father and to the Sonne through a mutuall loue replenished with all ioy and gladnesse and through certaine motions agreeable with the diuine nature By which meanes there should haue bin in our hearts a great fire of loue towardes God and next to him wee should haue loued all other good things according to that order which is shewed vnto vs in his heauenly wisedome and doctrine and should haue desired them for the loue of him But nowe in the estate of naturall corruption in which wee are all this goodly agreement harmony and concord which ought to be betweene God and man is wholly peruerted and ouerthrowen For in place of the true knowledge of God there is nothing but ignorance and doubting in our mindes and as for the will it searcheth after and desireth other things whereunto it applieth it selfe and seeketh not after God Neither doeth it keepe any order in those things which it hath for obiects and which it setteth downe in steade of the things commanded in his word So that while it thinketh to attaine to that good whereunto naturally it aspireth it obtaineth nothing to it selfe but a very great euill Nowe when wee spake before of the braine and of the internall senses of the soule and of the principall part and vertue thereof we made some mention of the wil which ought to be directed and ledde by vnderstanding and reason It remaineth nowe that we looke more narrowly into the nature thereof and of the affections of the soule of the vitall vertue of the heart and of other members which are the seates and instruments thereof euen as when wee intreated of the animall vertues of the soule wee considered of their seates and instruments First then we must marke what hath beene hitherto spoken namely that God hath giuen to all his creatures a naturall inclination that leadeth euery one of them to that which is naturall and agreeable to itselfe Beasts haue an appetite to follow that good that is fitte for them and therefore also hath God giuen them the knowledge of that good and senses meete for that purpose to the end they might shewe vnto them what is good for their preseruation to followe it and to shunne the contrary Wee haue learned also howe God hath giuen both the one and the other to man and vnto what degree concerning both of them hee hath lifted him vp aboue all liuing creatures For as hee hath created him to enioy a farre greater and more excellent Good then hee hath beastes and hath giuen vnto him a will to wish and desire it so hee hath endued him with a deeper knowledge whereby to knowe that Good because hee coulde not wish for it and desire it except hee did knowe it and he could not knowe it if he had not a minde capable thereof and endewed with greater knowledge then that is which hee hath giuen to beasts For this cause as they haue a kind of knowledge agreeable to their nature and to the
qualitie of that Good which being fitte for them is the greatest they can attaine vnto so also hath man a knowledge according to his nature and to the ende for the which hee was created So that the knowledge that God hath giuen him serueth to stirre vp his appetite and desire of that Good which hee knoweth and this appetite also serueth his knowledge so farre foorth as man being mooued and pricked forward to loue God reioyceth and reposeth himselfe in him huing knowen him to bee his soueraigne Good But to the end wee may the better vnderstand this whole matter we must note that there are three kinds of appetites among the creatures which are commonly called the one naturall the other sensitiue and the third voluntary As for the naturall wee may diuide it into two sortes For there is one generall to all creatures whether liuing or without life which is nothing else but a naturall inclination without any action proceeding from any soule or life as when wee say that heauy things desire to go downeward and light things vpward as wee see it in the nature of the Elements which are without soule and life But beside this naturall appetite common to all creatures there is an other that hath action ioyned with the inclination which neuerthelesse proceedeth not of any sense This appetite is proper to the vegetatiue and nourishing soule and life whereof plants are partakers For wee see by experience that they haue a naturall appetite to drawe vnto them and to retaine that which is meete for their nature and foode and to expell the contrary For if a plant waxe drie it desireth to be watered and draweth and keepeth humour and moisture necessary for it selfe Wee see the like in mens bodies For when the members want nourishment they sucke the veynes and the veines drawe vnto them blood And as the members desire their foode so they desire to bee vnburthened when they haue too much The appetite which we call hunger thirst may be referred to this kind of naturall appetite if this be excepted that we can not say it is without sense and feeling For beside the desire of eating and drinking there is withall a sense of this attraction whereby the members sucke the veines and the veines the blood and this sense is not without greefe and displeasure So that euery liuing creature is stirred vp to seeke for his foode and to take his refection Wherevpon wee may diuide this naturall appetite also into two kindes whereof the one shal be proper to plants that haue no sense and the other belong to liuing creatures that haue this feeling of which I made mention euen now and which differeth from that sense that is proper to the outward senses already spoken of The reason whereof is because it is properly such a kind of feeling as those creatures haue which keepe a meane betweene plants and liuing creatures beeing partakers of both their natures and yet are neither simply plants nor perfect liuing creatures as it hath beene already shewed As therefore we heard in our former discourse speaking of the growing vp of mans body and of the manifestation by little and little of the powers of the soule namely that as long as the child is in his mothers wombe he is like to plants so also hee hath then great agreement with these middle sorts of creatures in regard of this kinde of appetite and of the manner of nourishing whereby it is fedde For the seede whereof hee is begotten and conceiued is nourished and groweth vp as plants do vntill such time as the Infant that is fashioned haue sense and feeling much like to that sense of the aforesaide creatures which are partakers of the nature both of plants and of liuing creatures For as yet he hath no vse of his externall senses vntill such time as hee be borne Nowe the seate of this kinde of naturall appetite is chiefly in the liuer and in the stomacke and generally in all the members that serue for nourishment For these members haue that appetite that is ioyned with this kinde of sense of which I spake euen nowe And as for the appetite of the other members which serue not for the nourishing of the whole body but onely for themselues it is more like to that appetite that is in plantes For they feele neither hunger nor thirst as other members doe And thus much for the natural appetite and the kinds thereof Concerning the sensitiue appetite it is that which accompanieth the sense and belongeth onely to liuing creatures There are two sorts of this For either it is made with touching or without touching Pleasure and griefe belong properly to the first kinde and the instruments and seats thereof are in the sinewes or els in that small sinewy skinne which giueth the sense For those things delight the sinewes which agree with their nature and looke what is contrary vnto them the same affecteth them with griefe which tendeth to their destruction as delight procureth their preseruation So that heate colde drynesse and moysture reioyce helpe and comfort the sinewes or els grieue hurt indamage them according as they are eyther wel or ill applied vnto them Therfore the sinewes were created to the end they might be instruments of sense and motion and that they shoulde receiue pleasure and paine Now all these sorts of appetites are not in the will and power of man neither proceed they from his imagination For whether he will or no he shall be subiect to hunger and thirst and shall in the same manner feele and perceiue thinges as they are applied vnto him if he be so disposed in body as he ought to be True it is he may wel abstaine from eating drinking from touching whatsoeuer he pleaseth but this abstinence in the meane time wil not take from him that appetite which hee hath but will increase it the more For it cannot hinder but that all the members will still desire their nourishment and the body will alwayes haue this sense and feeling And as for the sense of touching it will alwayes feele that which it toucheth and euen such as it is when it shal be touched But there are appetites of an other kinde which are bredde without any touch at all and follow the thought and imagination of a man These are properly called affections and haue their seate in the heart Therefore they must bee distinguished from others that hauing sence of delectation and of griefe are placed in the stomacke or in the sinewes or in the rest of the body Now by the affections we meane properly those motions of the heart which follow knowledge and either seeke after or reiect that which is offered vnto them so that according to the order of nature knowledge goeth before these motions Hereof it is that we commonly say that a man must know before he loue and that no man desireth that which
it is as it were begotten by reason and brought forth by Will But that wee deceiue not our selues in these names of reason and of Will we are to knowe that both of them are taken diuersly as the names of Minde and Vnderstanding are For sometime they are taken for that vertue of vnderstanding which is in the soule and sometime for the action thereof and the thing which it doeth vnderstand as when we say that wee haue the vnderstanding of something So reason is sometime taken for the minde that giueth direction and counsaile and for the will which obeyeth it and restraineth the affections and in this sence it comprehendeth both the Vnderstanding and the Will But sometime it is taken onely for that part which vnderstandeth and hath knowledge to conduct and guide as nowe we must so take it in making it the Mistresse and counsailour of the Will Besides reason is also taken oftentimes for the arguments and discourses of reason as when we say of a man He hath good reason in that or els He hath proued his saying by good and pregnant reasons that is to say by good arguments And if we take reason so it signifieth not only that power and vertue of discoursing which is in the soule and in the minde but also the act and effect therof The like may be said of this word Will. For it is commonly taken not so much for that power and vertue which the soule hath to Will as for the Will it selfe which is the action and effect thereof as when one speaking of tyrants saith that their Will is all their reason For then we meane that they take nor Reason for their counsailer neither follow the aduice thereof but onely their Will and that which pleaseth them So then wee vse this worde Will for that which proceedeth from it and so likewise it is often taken in the holy Scriptures when they speake of the Will of God whereby we doe not vnderstand that power of Will that is in him but that which hee willeth and commandeth vs. And therefore we craue that his Will may be done and not that which we will But speaking now of the Will of man we take it not in this sence but we vse it for the power and vertue of Willing that is in the soule which power is aboue the sensitiue appetite whereof we haue already spoken For we see by experience that there are certaine degrees of appetites and that the appetite of the senses is subiect to the Will as I hope we shall intreate more at large in the sequele of our speech Wherefore the Will is the highest and most soueraigne vertue of desiring farre aboue all other appetites and that which woorketh with libertie after the minde hath shewed vnto it what it ought to follow and what to eschew what to make choyse of and what to refuse The actions thereof are to Will and not to Will and the meane or middle thing which shee hath betweene them twayne is to suspend her action vntill shee decline eyther on the one side or the other And as concerning the naturall disposition of the Will it is to will that good which is truely good or that which seemeth to bee so and to shunne euill eyther that which is euill in deede or that which it thinketh to bee so Nowe if shee choose and followe euill for good it followeth not therefore but that shee woulde alwayes followe the good as that which properly appertayneth vnto her and reiect euill as her enemie But the reason why shee maketh choyce of euill for good is because shee is deceiued taking one for another which commeth to passe through the ignoraunce and corruption that is in the nature of man For albeeit shee can will and not will that thing which is propounded vnto her yet shee cannot simply will and not will one and the same thing all at one time nor yet make choyse of cleane contraries For shee can desire nothing but onely vnder some shewe of good nor refuse any thing but vnder some shewe of euill Wherefore it may well bee that it will not desire that which shall bee shewed vnder some appearaunce of good but it cannot hate or reiect it Likewise it may peraduenture abstayne from reiecting or flying from that which shall bee presented before it with shewe of euill and not of good but it cannot desire loue and pursue the same Wherevpon it followeth that our Will is at libertie and free and cannot bee constrayned yea God the Creatour and Lorde thereof woulde haue it so otherwise it shoulde not bee a Will It is verie true that it followeth reason alwayes because the Will hath no light of it selfe but onely so farre foorth as it receiueth the same from reason which guideth and directeth it And therefore it neuer applieth it selfe to any thing whatsoeuer but hath reason alwayes for a guide whome it followeth Neuerthelesse it is not so subiect therevnto as that it may compell it to followe all the reasons that are propounded vnto it by reason or tye it to any of them but that alwayes shee hath her libertie to make choyse of which reason shee please out of all those that are set before her And so it is alwayes a Will although it change sometime beeing perswaded by reasons to will when it was vnwilling or disswaded from Will to bee vnwilling But in the meane time shee willeth whatsoeuer shee will and that as long as it pleaseth her to remayne in one opinion For not onely no creature whatsoeuer is able to take from her that which GOD her Creator hath giuen her but shee cannot depriue her selfe thereof no more then she may not be that which shee is For as God will haue his image shine in the minde of man by vnderstanding and wisedome of which hee hath made it partaker so hee will haue his image also to shine in the Will by that freedome and libertie which hee hath giuen vnto it As therefore hee cannot bee constrained but woorketh and doeth what pleaseth him with all libertie as beeyng a Soueraigne that hath no superiour so hee hath appoynted that the Will which hee hath giuen to men and Angels shoulde bee alwayes franke and free and not bee subiect to violence or constraint to the ende hee might haue them children not slaues because hee requireth of them a voluntarie obedience and such a seruice as is not forced or constrayned but agreeable to his owne nature For as hee doeth nothing himselfe by constraint so hee will not constrayne those by whome hee will bee obeyed neither delighteth hee in any seruice that is not voluntary and proceeding from a good heart and from a sincere and pure affection towardes him Therefore seeing God hath so loued vs and done vs so great honour as to create vs after his owne image and likenesse wee are vile and ingratefull wretches if wee doe not acknowledge the same and cause
our Will to be seruiceable to him that hath bestowed it freely vpon vs as wee ought also to perfourme the like seruice vnto him with our minde and reason wherewith he hath endued vs for the ruling and direction of the Will But when our Will taketh any other obiect beside obedience to God it proceedeth from the same cause that blindeth our minde and reason namely sinne which reigneth in vs through the corruption of our nature as wee haue already touched it Neuertheles that which I haue said is alwaies true that the wil hath Good in such sort for her obiect that she cannot truly without dissembling Will that which is euil if it hath no shew or reason of some good But notwithstanding she hath free libertie yet is shee so ordeyned of God that shee cannot will that which is euill but onely that which is good whether it bee good in trueth or in opinion onely For if shee were not created and ordayned of GOD to desire and followe after good there woulde bee no cause why she shoulde loue or desire vertue more then vice or loue God rather then hate him But wee must consider diuers degrees in the actions of Will and in the freedome theereof For some there are whose heart and Will agree so together that there is no dissimulation neither any commaundement of the Will eyther towardes it selfe or towardes any other but it heartily desireth or refuseth that which it seeketh after or escheweth As we may say of an ambitious man that hee doeth truely and with all his heart desire honour and glorie as also a couetous man doeth riches But there are other actions of the Will wherein she commaundeth her selfe or els the inferiour powers that are subiect vnto her as wee see in a man infected with the dropsie who beeing verie drye and thirstie desireth greatly to drinke But this appetite that commeth from the senses of the bodie is restrayned by the Will that hath power ouer it which knowing what hurt would issue thereof to the sicke partie commandeth this appetite and appoynteth that hee shall not drinke The reason why she will haue it so is to the ende that the patient might auoyde greater euill then that which hee endureth knowing well that to drinke woulde hurt him more then helpe him because the thirstinesse woulde not bee taken from him but encreased Wherefore although the sensuall appetite putteth the patient in minde to desire drinke yet Will following the iudgement of Reason opposeth it selfe against this appetite and commaundeth it selfe to abstain also the outward members as namely the mouth not to drink and the handes not to giue it any drinke Now if it so fall out that the Will giue place to the appetite it is alwayes with her consent and that because shee agreeth rather vnto the sensuall appetite then vnto Reason Which agreement proceedeth of her impatiencie and incontinencie because she hath not patience to stay for the better but rusheth vpon that pleasure which at that present seemeth best vnto her and neerest at hand Therfore it is alwayes requisite that the grace of God should gouerne our minde and will to perswade them euermore to counsaile and to imbrace the best otherwise wee shall make choyce of the worst and of euill rather then of good Which we shall easily vnderstand if we consider what good things the wisest and most vertuous men guided only by the light of nature are able to propound to themselues and to follow and what difference in that poynt there is betwixt them and those whome God doeth guide and gouerne by his spirite The discourse then of this matter belongeth to thee ARAM. Of those good things which both men guided onely by the light of nature are able to propound to themselues and to follow and they also that are guided by the spirite of God of the power and libertie of the Will in her actions both externall and internall Chap. 35. ARAM. Among the heathen Philosophers there haue alwayes beene some great personages endued with excellent doctrine who seemed to haue bene led with a burning affection towards good and vertuous things this no man can deny But if we compare them that haue had none but naturall light with them who beleeuing the worde of life haue receiued that light which the spirite of GOD hath kindeled in their heartes and mindes wee shall finde very great difference betwixt them For they that followe the light of nature take not an infinite spirituall and eternall good which is God for the obiect of that good which they desire but a finite carnall and temporarie good and that also no farther then their reason and sense iudge it good for mankinde or for the societie of men or for themselues and those whome they loue The like respect they haue in eschewing euill which they iudge contrary to such a good And yet there are very fewe that goe so farre who giue not themselues to vertue rather for their owne profite or glorie then for the loue they beare to vertue or to the benefite of the common societie of men And surely I thinke that if glorie had not more mooued so many excellent men as haue beene heeretofore among the Grecians Latines and other heathen people and nations then their loue to vertue and to thinges profitable for the common wealth they woulde not willingly haue incurred so great dangers to effect so many valiant deedes as Histories specifie of them neyther woulde they haue set vertue at so high a price if no glorie or profite shoulde haue redounded to them in following her or at leastwise in seeming to seeke after her If any haue beene founde to haue done otherwise as wee reade of some it is to bee attributed to a speciall grace that God hath bestowed vpon them in their ignorance more then to others But yet all this would bee nothing or very litle seeing the good which the Will propoundeth to it selfe and pursueth in this sort is not the true and soueraigne good which of it selfe is able to make men blessed Wee are then to knowe that the wisest and most vertuous men guided onely by the light of naturall reason doe not propounde to themselues nor seeke after any other good then that which consisteth in ciuill honestie in worldly honour and glorie in this bodily life and in the commodities thereof and in those delightes and pleasures which their humane sense and reason desire according as some delight eyther in the knowledge of thinges or in ciuill and morall vertues or in honours or in riches and in such like thinges Yea the best that euer were among the Heathen and the wisest of this worlde that are like vnto them neuer went farther neyther in deede coulde For seeing they knowe not GOD truely they can neither loue him nor seeke after him either because they are not throughly perswaded that there is a God or if they bee sure of that yet
they stand doubtfull what he is whether he haue care of men or no and whether he heare and helpe them when they call vpon him And if they be in aduersity then they loue him much lesse For if they thinke that their miseries come from their owne nature or at all aduenture they suppose they are not bounde vnto him neither ought to loue him seeing hee hath prouided no better for their affayres And if they thinke that himselfe doeth sende them because of their sinnes they are so farre from louing him that contrariwise they hate him and storme against him as it is most manifest by infinite blasphemies contayned in the bookes of Heathen Poets Historiographers and Philosophers aswell against God as against his prouidence iudgements and all his woorkes when they fell not out to their lyking Nowe if their Vnderstanding was so blinded in the Knowledge of God their Will was much turned out of the way For it is alwayes like to a shippe carried hither and thither by diuers tempests which seeketh still some hauen to arriue at but can finde none So the Will seeking after the good which it desireth runneth and skippeth from one to another without order and can finde no rest except that heauenly light shine into the minde which may teach it the true good and frame it to the seeking and imbracing thereof Therefore when this light is in the spirite of man it first presenteth to the Will that infinite good namely God in whom alone shee may satisfie her selfe and then all other good thinges that depende of that all which shee desireth euery one in his order Thus shall God haue the first place and the next his creatures all which wee ought to loue so farre foorth as hee hath created them and so consequently are good And if wee place God in the highest degree of loue as the soueraigne good with whose loue we ought to be as it were wholly swallowed vp wee will loue nothing but in him and by him and for his sake and consequently we will desire nothing but according to his Will because wee can Will or desire nothing but that which wee shall loue and wee shall loue nothing but that which wee ought to loue neither with any other affection nor to any other ende Which is the proper effect of the spirite of God in them that are regenerated and guided by him And thus when the darkenesse of our minde is driuen out by light from heauen which is brought vnto it by Iesus Christ and the Will inflamed by the holy Ghost then doe our heartes reioyce in the goodnesse of God and our conscience resteth therein then doe we loue him and beginne to obey him not desiring any other thing Therefore we beseech him to guide gouern vs to reforme vs daily more more after his own image and similitude to the end we may be made conformable to him both in mind will become true temples for him to dwel in And whatsoeuer he sendeth vs whether it be prosperity or aduersity we take and receiue al as from his hād giuing him thanks in prosperity not abusing or extolling our selues against him and calling vpon him in aduersity without murmuring or despiting his maiesty which we adore alwaies whether we vnderstand comprehend his iudgements or no. Likewise we are led by him to loue all good things according to that order which is shewed vnto vs by his heauenly wisdome namely other men made after the image of God as we are those vertues life things that are agreeable vnto him desiring thē for the loue of God knowing that we serue him in the lawful vse of all these things yeelding praises and thanks vnto him as to the author creator of them Neuertheles it cōmeth to passe that we see oftentimes a very great confusion in the maners works euen of the holiest best men that may be but that is whē God withdraweth from them his spirite grace although it be neuer so litle a while or when he doth not manifest shew forth his vertue power in thē For without God we can doe nothing through him nothing is impossible vnto vs. It is very certain that there remaineth alwaies natural infirmity corruption in man and that the mind reason memory may be troubled by the affections of the heart which resēbleth a fiery surnce is like to a thick smoke ascending out of a great fire which would dim the eies make them as it were blind And whē the light of the mind is thus darkned reason cānot discourse so wel nor iudgement iudge so vprightly nor memory retaine so firmly or bring forth so readily that which it hath kept as if none of them were thus hindred with darknesse which compasseth about the light that ought to guide thē Now if there be such a let impedimēt in regard of the mind the Wil is much more troubled by this fire of affections that heateth kindleth it whereby it is made a great deale more vntoward to follow the counsel aduise of reason then reason is wel affected to admonish and counsel it in that which is to be followed or to be fled And when these two principal parts powers of the soule are thus troubled and moued it is no maruel if man forget God himself if with al his soule body he turn aside from that which he ought to follow after As cōtrariwise there is no doubt but that as long as the celestial eternal father disperseth his diuine light into our minds by his sonne who is his eternal word and wisedome preparing them by his holy spirit to receaue the same and by this meanes also kindeleth the heart and Will with the heate thereof disposing and framing them to follow this light no doubt I say but there will ensue a good agreement and great conformitie of the minde and heart of the Reason and Will and of all the affections yea of all the senses and members of man But let vs return to the sequele of our speech which hath an especiall respect vnto the Will we haue then to consider more narrowly of the power and freedome of the Will both in her internall and externall actions For the first if the question bee of deliberating about any thing it is in the choyce of the Will to propound the same to the minde to aduise and consult thereupon or otherwise not to propounde the same vnto it After whilest the matter is in deliberation she may command eyther to prosecute the same or to deferre it to some other time or to giue it ouer quite and to turne the minde to some other thing as it were a Prince among his councell And if the consultation bee finished and sentence giuen by iudgement yet may the will stay it selfe from desiring and following after that which is counselled and iudged to bee good by reason
of the affections it is necessary they shoulde agree together For as reason guideth before the affections will followe after Therefore wee may alwayes iudge of reason by the affections which it ought to gouerne as of the gouernement of a good Prince by the estate of his subiects of a good father of a family by those of his houshold Moreouer seeing the affections proceede from the heart there is the seate of that loue which wee ought to beare as well towardes God as towardes men which comprehendeth the whole lawe of God and all iustice For he that loueth God is not onely afraide to offend and displease him but desireth also to serue please him and he that loueth his neighbour doeth not onely abstaine from procuring him any dishonour or losse but laboureth also to aduance his honour and profit Therefore if the minde be lightened and inflamed with diuine light and the reason also that ruleth therein then the heart will waxe hote and burne with the loue of God and of his neighbour Which if it fall out so the heart will not be slacke in shewing foorth those heauenly motions that are within it in giuing matter to the soule to glorifie God and to the tongue and mouth which will speake out of the abundance thereof Likewise there will be an accord and consent betweene it and the voyce and tongue which then will vtter nothing but the trueth And this is the cause of that which wee were taught before namely that God by his prouidence and wise counsaile hath ioyned neere vnto the heart the chiefe instrument of the voyce which is the lungs as the other instruments that are higher are lodged neere to the braine and cheefely the tongue as the Oratours and Embassadours of Kings are placed next vnto them Wherefore if mans nature had not beene corrupted through sinne but had continued perfect and sound there woulde alwayes haue beene a goodly concord and consent betweene the heart and the braine the voice and the tongue the reason and the affections Next wee must note that seeing the heart is the first member of the whole body that receiueth life and thē giueth the same to others as also the last that leaueth life and seeing it is the shop of all the vitall spirits without which neither the braine nor the rest of the members can haue life or perforume their dueties it is not without cause that this member is taken to be as it were the seate not onely of the affections but also of reason Therefore it is taken in the Scripture one while for the minde as when Moses saieth to the people of Israel Yet the Lord hath not giuen you a heart to know and another while it is taken for the affections as when our Sauiour Christ saieth Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy minde For wee see heere howe he putteth a difference betweene the heart and the minde Sometime they are put indifferently one for another or one for both especially the heart as when the Lorde saide to Salomon Beholde I haue giuen thee a wise and an vnderstanding heart the heart is taken for the senses and minde as it appeareth very euidently For the same cause Saint Paul continuing his speach of Gods punishment aboue mentioned against the vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse of men hee addeth to that before recited this saying Wherefore also God gaue them vp to their hearts lustes vnto vncleannesse to defile their owne bodies betweene themselues which turned the trueth of God vnto a lie In which place wee see howe the Apostle maketh the heart to be the seate of the appetites and of the affections and howe hee calleth the vnruly and disordered affections of the heart by the name of lustes for so hee expoundeth himselfe by and by after calling them Vile Affections vnto which God gaue them vp Whereupon wee will note this that the naturall affections of the heart which pricke it forward to the desire of pleasure and which minister pleasure vnto it shoulde be no sinne at all vnto men but a benefite giuen them of God in the perfection of their nature were it not that by reason of the corruption which hath raken holde of it such desires and affections cannot containe themselues within the limites of their sound nature but there is alwayes some excesse euen in the perfectest and that being sinne is properly called euill concupiscence because it continually prouoketh vs to euill and causeth vs to goe beyond the bounds which God had set to our affections Whereof it is come to passe that that which should be a benefite vnto men in their naturall pleasures is become hurtfull vnto them Nowe forasmuch as the order of our discourses hath brought vs to the tractate of affections which haue their seate in the heart before wee goe any further we must say somewhat of the nature of this part of the body as we haue done of the braine to the ende we may the better know the seate and instruments of the vital power and vertue of the soule and of the will and affections as those which belong to the animal power and vertue haue bene declared vnto vs. Let vs then heare ASER handle this matter Of the nature and composition of the heart and of the midriffe of the tunicles or skinny couerings of the breast and of the Pericardion or cawle about the heart of the motion office and vse of the lungs of the heart and of the arteries Chap. 37. ASER. It is not without good and iust cause that God hath ordained that reason should lodge in the highest part of the frame of man and that the will and affections should lodge lower namely in the heart For by this order hee would admonish and tell vs what part and power of the soule ought to beare greatest sway therein and that vnderstanding and wisdome which teach vs the true rules according to which wee must square our whole life ought to raigne and haue the first place seeing the principall cause wherefore God hath created vs is to knowe him to the end that knowing him we should loue and honour him as wee ought and as for the affections they are to be 〈◊〉 and gouerned by wisedome and vnderstanding Wherfore if this order appointed by God be confounded and turned topsie turuy in vs hee causeth vs to feele and knowe it well enough For although sinne be the cause yet the impression of that diuine image which God hath set in the nature of man cannot be so wholy defaced in vs but there will alwayes remaine very euident and wonderfull testimonies thereof And therefore presently after we haue ouerthrowne this order and that the will lifteth her selfe vp against reason euen then doth reason condemne that fault of hers and compelleth the heart to take vengeance thereof and to punish in it her selfe disobedience and rebellion
in the latter times saieth first That they shoulde bee selfe-louers and hauing set downe this disordered loue as the roote after he commeth to the branches fruits of such a tree saying That they shall bee couetous boasters proude cursed speakers disobedient to parents vnthankfull vnholy without naturall affection truce-breakers false accusers intemperate fierce despisers of them that are good traitors heady bie minded louers of pleasures more theÌ„ louers of God hauing a shew of godlinesse but denying the power therof And in the Epistle to the Romanes he expresly mentioneth haiers of God Thus we see what the loue of meÌ„ is towards theÌ„selues being left in the corruptioÌ„ of their nature in respect of that which ought to be if it were not vnruly disordred For man should loue himselfâ— as the gift of God as also his life being which God hath giuen him that blessed estate for the enioying of which hee hath his being and that Good wherein it consisteth and whereby he may atâ—aine vnto it and shoulde loue no other thing nor otherwise But the great excesse that is in the loue of our selues causeth it to bee cleane contrary both to that loue which ought naturally to be in vs and also to our loue towardâ— God so that it ouerthroweth and confoundeth all heauenly order and the whole course of mans life Neuertheles when it so falleth out that this loue and affection is moderate in vs although in deede it be neuer so as it ought to be according to the rule of Gods will yet are they acceptable in his sight as our other naturall affections and friendships are which we beare towardes them that belong to vs prouided alwayes that they bee ruled and guided by faith and true loue and kinded with the flames of the holy Ghost as they were in Zacharie and Elizabeth towards their sonne Iohn and in so many other holy men as haue loued both themselues and theirs according to God wherof we haue a notable example in Abraham For out of all question if euer father loued his children hee loued his sonne Isaac But he shewed euidently by the effect that he did not onely loue him with the loue of flesh and blood as commonly we loue our children but he loued him also in God towards whome yet his loue was farre greater seeing he was very ready to offer him vp in sacrifice vnto him whe â—he so commanded it But although this naturall loue and affection bee not so pure in vs as in these holy men but that still there is mingled with it some thing of our owne because of sinne which wee hane by inheritance yet is it alwaies acceptable to God so that hee be first and chiefly loued For through his mercie he beareth with our infirmitie which euermore accompanieth our desires and willes As for those that are guided onely by the light of nature and are not regenerated by the spirit of God albeit these naturall affections are too vncleane in them yet they doe not so much displease him as inhumanitie and crueltie doe that are cleane contrary to the other which doe vtterly dispossesse men of loue and charitie We may consider the same things in all the other naturall inclinations For wee see that some are by nature inclined to ciuill iustice some to liberalitie and others to such like vertues Now if these inclinations be well guided they are goodly seedes of vertues but if they bee not well ordered and ruled they corrupt degenerate yeâ— they turne into the vices that are contrary to those vertues For iustice which is neuer without moderation may be turned into ouer great rigour or into crueltie as wee see it in many who being naturally inclined to seueritie which many times is very necessarie iniustice become so rigorous and extreme that their seue ritie which ought to be a vertue is turned into crueltie The like may be â—aid of other inclinations and affections Now that which befalleth these inclinations is procured also vnto them by the humors and qualities of the bodie which haue acertaine agreement with the affections For a sanguine man in whose nature blood beareth greatest sway amongst the other humours and qualities will naturally be more enclined to loue to ioy to liberalitie and to such other affections as are most agreeable to his nature But if this complexion bee not moderated and well guided it will easily passe measure in euerie affection so that it will fall into foolish and vnlawfull loues into excessiue and vnmeasurable ioyes and into prodigalitie in steede of following liberalitie The same may bee saide of all the other temperatures and complexions for their part in that they may bee seedes and prouocatioÌ„s either to vertues or to vices according to that correspondencie which is betweene the bodie and the soule and the temperature of the one with the affections of the other Therefore we may wel conclude that as diseases ingender in the body of the humours that are in it according to their change mingling and corruption so it falleth out in the nature of the soule and in the affections thereof For as good naturall humors become euil by corruption that seazeth vpon them and turne that health which before they affoorded into diseases so the inclinations and naturall affections of our soule which of their owne nature are good and the seedes of vertues are turned into vices and into their seedes through that corruption which sinne bringeth vnto them Behold then what we haue to consider of those natural inclinations that are in the Will in the desiring power of the soule of the actions thereof namely to wil and not to will to suspend and stay her action and to commaunde ouer the power of the appetites of all which wee haue largely intreated in our discourse of the Will Wherefore we will come to the habites of which thou shalt now discourse AMANA 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. AMANA If a man will learne any occupation hee proues not a woorkeman the first day but learneth by little and little and beginneth to labour therein afterward by long continuance and custome he groweth more ready in his arte and practiseth it with greater facilitie and ease A painter waxeth expert in his science by often painting and his hand wherewith he laboureth by long continuance becommeth more steady more ready and able so that he can handle his pensill with greater ease and is farre more expert therein then hee was in the beginning Wee may note the like in the soule and in the chiefe powers and actions thereof For there are some of them which incontinently folow the nature of the faculties of the soule when they haue their iust times and are come as a man
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
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
man shewe vs the goodliest woorkes that can bee either of golde or of filuer or pictures or garments or houses as curiously wrought as can bee deuised eyther for beautie or cost yet when wee haue seene them foure or fiue times wee beginne to bee full of it and take not so great pleasure therein as wee did But who is euer wearie of beholding I will not say the heauens the sunne the moone and the starres but the earth the sea riuers mountaines valleyes gardens trees herbes and flowres The cause heereof is the agreement of nature For wee being naturall naturall things are more agreeable vnto vs then artificiall And because wee were created and made not by the hande of a Paynter and mortall man but by the hande of the liuing God who paynteth liuing images and pictures therefore wee take greater delight in his handie woorkes then in the woorkes of any other howe excellent a woorkeman soeuer hee bee And indeede they are are of farre greater perfection then those that are made by the arte of man Therefore Arte laboreth alwayes to follow nature and to expresse her workes as neere as it can insomuch that they are accounted the best woorkemen and men delight most in their doings that come neerest vnto nature Howe much more then ought wee to like the woorkes of nature and consequently God himselfe who is the Author and Creator of nature and of all her woorkes For the least woorke of his in nature is more excellent in his kinde then the perfectest woorke that humane arte is able to shewe Nowe if wee come from his naturall woorkes to those that are supernaturall and aboue the reach of nature wee shall finde in them a great deale more matter of all kinde of delight For if wee coulde consider aright of these thinges we woulde ascende vp from artificiall thinges and from that delight which they affoorde vs euen vnto naturall thinges and from these vnto the Author and Creator of them and of all nature and there wee woulde seeke for our true delight and pleasure Herein nature her selfe is our good Mistresse as shee that leadeth vs thereunto as it were by the hande But our inconsideratenesse our blockishnesse and ingratitude is the cause why wee cannot learne this lesson of her and why wee haue not the maruellous and excellent workes of GOD and nature in such due admiration as wee ought to haue Whereupon it commeth to passe also that wee take not so great delight and pleasure in them and that custome which ought to increase this delight in vs is a meane rather to diminish the same And by this meanes also wee are kept from that admiration which wee ought to haue of God the Woorkemaster of them and of that delight and pleasure which wee shoulde finde in him if we mounted vp so high and sought him there But because wee are alwayes musing about vile and abiect thinges wee haue no leasure to consider of and to contemplate higher and more woonderfull thinges Nowe to ende this dayes speech seeing wee are taught that God hath giuen vs the affections of ioy and of sorowe to induce and mooue vs to seeke him to the ende that by eschewing the euill that is contrary vnto vs we might attaine to that soueraigne Good which he hath prepared for vs and to that true delight pleasure and blisse which wee may finde in him let vs knowe that we haue good occasion to pray vnto him incessantly that he woulde vouchsafe so to lighten our senses and minde and to rule all our affections and willes in such sort that we may at the length attaine thereunto For then we shall not onely be deliuered from all sorowe and griefe but haue the full fruition of perfect ioy and perpetuall delight And to the ende that we may goe forwarde to morowe with our matter of the affections of the heart and soule thou shalt intreate ASER of the affections of loue which follow those of which we haue alreadie spoken The ende of the sixt dayes worke THE SEVENTH dayes worke Of the affections of loue of the nature kindes and obiect of it of the beginning of friendshippe of the vertue and force of alluring that is in likenesse and in beautie of the agreement that is betweene beautie and goodnesse Chap. 49. ASER If wee know not throughly the affections of our soule which by reason of the corruption of our nature are so many diseases in vs wee shall neuer know our selues well nor the image of God which is imprinted in our soule nor the affectiō of his goodnes towards vs. Likewise wee can neuer learne what pure and sound parts of the nature of the affections remain yet in man what is added thereunto by reason of sinne that is in vs neither yet what vertue vice are except we truly know the nature of the affections Moreouer without this knowledge we can neuer make choice of good from euil or of truth from lying For being as we must needes be during this life subiect vnto and tossed on euery side with an infinite number of strange passions if they be vnknowen vnto vs we cannot discerne amongst a multitude of contrary opinions which of them is soundest euery one of thē pretending some shew of good of truth Therefore as we saw yesterday the affections of ioy and of sorow of hope and of feare and of delight and pleasure which folow ioy wherby we may conceiue the contrary vnto it namely griefe and torment which follow sorow so this day we are to proceede in learning what other affections there are of the heart and soule I wil begin then with the affection of loue which is a motion wherby the heart lusteth after that which is good indeed or which seemeth vnto it to be so desiring to draw the good to it selfe to the ende it may enioy the same This affection commeth neere to the nature of hope but it is a great deale more hote Therefore after the heart is once moued it presently draweth vnto it that thing which is offered for good labouring as it were to haue the fruition of some great Good But let vs consider howe this affection is bredde in the heart After that Iudgement hath iudged a thing to bee good so soone as the same thing is presented to the Will it doth by and by moue allure and draw the same vnto it selfe by a certaine naturall agreement euen as the like is betweene the minde and the trueth and betweene the eye and beautie This motion of the heart and will hath euen then ioyned with it a certaine kinde of reioycing as testifying thereby that the thing pleaseth it and is very good and agreeable vnto it Now when this reioycing is confirmed it is called loue which is an inclination or a proceeding of the will towards that which is Good For it fareth with the Will as if it went before to meete with the good that is comming to
And as it is written in Genesis That he created nothing but that which was verie good so there was nothing made but it was very beautifull in his kinde Therefore as there is agreement between the body the soule so bodily beautie is as it were an image of the beautie of the soule and promiseth after a sort some good thing of the inwarde beautie For internall perfection breedeth the external Whereupon the internal is called goodnes and the external beauty which is as it were a floure of goodnes that is the seed It is true that this which we say doeth not alwayes fall out so but that oftentimes a man may see the cleane contrary whereupon wee haue this common prouerbe Proper fellowes at the gallowes and faire women in the stewes For ordinarily the goodliest mē such as are best furnished with the gifts of nature in the disposition of their body are most wicked and vicious more beautiful women are strumpets then foule womē at leastwise they are in greatest danger and haue much more a doe to keepe their chastitie For there is alwaies great strife betweene chastitie and beautie which is so much the more increased as beautie is the greater because it is so violent that oftentimes many desire willingly to die for the beautie of others and some are so tossed and tormented that they become senselesse and out of their wits being ouertaken with looking vpon a beautifull face which hath such prickes that they pearce euen to the liueliest part of their heart and soule Wherevpon it commeth to passe that poore silly louers are so tormented and ful of passions that they stand altogether amazed and are like to them that are rosted by a soft fire yea their soule is so subiected to their concupiscence and desire that she must obey them as if shee were some poore chambermaide and drudge Whereby wee may know what good there is in such beautie and what good commeth with it also what coniunction agreement it may haue with goodnesse and whether a man may not truely say according to our common prouerbe That beauty without goodnes is worth nothing But we are to consider what is the cause hereof For we speake not of that which is now done but of that which should be done if the nature of man had continued sound and of that which yet would most commonly bee put in vre were it not that euill education besides that naturall corruption which is already in euery one did infect euen that little good of naturall inclination which remaineth in man But howsouer it be bodily beautie doeth alwaies promise more good of the soule then deformitie doeth If it fall out otherwise it is because God will shew that all good things come from his onely grace and not from nature and therefore he doeth not alwayes followe one course and one selfesame order without any change Besides he commonly recompenceth in one thing that which is wanting in another so that he supplieth that in the spirite which is wanting in the body or in the body which is wanting in the spirite On the other side because many abuse that beautie of the body which God hath bestowed vpon them as they do all other his giftes hee letteth them fall oftentimes into great vices whereby they shew the deformitie of their soule which bringeth also their bodily beautie into great obloquie and shame For as beautie causeth vertue to appeare more faire when it is ioyned therewith so contrariwise it maketh vice more vgly and loathsome to looke vpon Therefore Socrates had reason to say that it was good for euery one to beholde himselfe in a glasse that they which sawe themselues faire shoulde bee the more afraide to blotte their beautie with vices and that they which were foule shoulde labour to beautifie themselues with vertues Nowe seeing we are entered into the causes why beautie draweth loue following this matter we woulde knowe of thee AMANA what other thinges are to bee considered heerein with the sundrie degrees and kindes of beautie and what is the proper effect of loue Of other causes why Beauty procureth Loue and of diuers degrees and kindes of Beauty howe it is the nature of Loue alwayes to vnite and what other effectes it hath howe Loue descendeth and ascendeth not what power it hath to allure and breed Loue. Chap. 50. AMANA Many amongst the Philosophers haue made three kindes of good or of good things namely that which is pleasant profitable and honest Hereupon forasmuch as Loue is a desire of good or goodly things or at leastwise of things so accompted they haue also made three kinds or fortes of Loue of which the first is towards delightful and pleasant things and such are those things which tickle and delight our senses being properly called the goodes of the body The second kinde of Loue is towardes profitable things as honours riches greatnesse and such other like things called externall goodes or the goodes of fortune The third kinde is towardes honest things as wisedome prudence and other vertues which are the goods of the soule As for the two first kindes of Loue wee may well place them amongst the perturbations of the soule because so many euill affections spring from them that al confusion proceedeth from them yea euery mans life is thereby made miserable But to loue and desire good and honest things is that which truely maketh a man famous For this loue maketh the chiefe part of his soule excellent euen that part whereby he is man and which is farthest remooued from bodily matter and from obscuritie and neerest to diuine brightnesse I meane the spirit and vnderstanding which of all the other partes and powers of man onely is voide of the blot of mortalitie The consideration of the diuers degrees and sundry sortes of beautie doth prepare the way whereby we may come to this laudable and honest loue For by them wee may ascend vp from the lowest to the highest and turne our corporall and earthly loues into spirituall and heauenly They that are most ignorant know that Loue is a desire of beauty and that Beauty draweth Loue. Yea some of the learned Heathens haue taught that it was Loue which mooued God not onely to create the world but also to create it beautifull and of so goodly a forme in euery part of it And the name whereby it is called yeeldeth testimony of the beauty of it For worlde signifieth as much as a goodly and well decked ornament Therefore seeing God hath created and framed it by loue no doubt but loue is dispersed and shedde throughout the whole world and is continually drawen and procured by beauty to the ende it might bee conformable and like to the fountaine from whence it came On the other side all beautie is as it were a beame of that infinite and diuine beautie that is in God and therefore as the diuine forme draweth
vnto it true and perfect loues so the image and similitude thereof draweth the images of loues And that loue whereby almightie God was mooued to create all things proceeded from his owne goodnesse Nowe forasmuch as beautie is a beame of that goodnes which is shed ouer all as the sunne spreadeth his light by his beames the goodlier any thing is so much the more amiable louely it is For the mother of Loue is goodnesse and the mother also of Beautie is goodnesse so that both of them are bredde and borne as it were of one mother And according to the diuersity of natures created by God so are there diuers kindes of beautie which are all as it were beames flames and lights of that heauenly and infinite beautie which is fountaine of al the rest The first chiefest and most excellent kinde of all is that beame of heauenly beauty whereby the spirit and minde is adorned and polished with vnderstanding and contemplation The secondis in that illumination whereby the soule receiueth knowledge Therefore the vnderstanding mounteth vp to those two first degrees of Loue which is drawen by such beauties and from thence proceedeth the loue of spirituall things The third kind which is as it were an other beame of diuine beauty appeareth in the effectes of lower degrees which are in that fruitfulnesse which God hath giuen vnto the creatures putting into them seedes to preserue and to encrease their kindes The last and lowest yea the most troublesome and earthly kinde is in corporall matters which are purtraited and painted with great varietie of formes and shapes And as the vnderstanding ascendeth vp to the two first degrees of which I haue already spoken so the imagination stayeth it selfe in the two last and from thence proceedeth the loue of the body and of bodily things and the affection to beget of that goodly thing thereby to drawe out a forme like to that beautie towardes the which a man is affectionated Nowe when wee shall consider aright of all these degrees and beames of beauty it is certaine that wee wil striue to ascend vp from the lowest to the highest whereas commonly wee descend from the highest to the lowest feeding our spirites with corporall and terrestriall loues which differ from their nature in steade of spirituall and celestiall loues which is their proper foode But we must note further that the greatest last and chiefest force of loue is of many and diuers things to make one and the same Therefore he that loueth our friend or doth him any good seemeth to do that to vs which is done to him and we esteeme of it as if we receiued it our selues For it is the nature of loue which way souer it turne alwayes to ioyne and knit vnto it selfe as on the contrary side hatred is of this nature that it will euermore disioyne and separate For this cause Iesus Christ prayed so earnestly for his vnto his Father to the ende saieth he that they all may be one as thou O Father arte in mee and I in thee euen that they may be also one in vs. And Saint Iohn saieth likewise of him that hee shoulde gather together in one the children of God which were scattered For seeing hee came to destroy the workes of the deuill as he saieth elswhere and seeing it is the nature of this enemy of mankind to scatter to disioyne and separat by reason of the enuy hatred which he beareth to God men it must needs be that Iesus Christ should gather together that which the deuil hath scattered and vnite in one that which he hath separated to the end that as man was one with God before he was seueuered by sinne through the enuy and malice of Satan so hee might returne into vnity and vnion with his Creator by the abolishing of sinne which is the cause of the seperation and by the likenesse of vertue with God through the meanes of Iesus Christ Therefore so great goodnes beneficence of God toward vs ought to enflame our loue towards him and moreouer to encrease the same when wee daily feele new benefits powred vpon vs which proceed come from his burning loue and charitie wherewith he loueth vs although he receiue no benefite thereby For we are to vnderstand that although he which hath receiued a benefit from another ought to carry greater loue towards him then hee that bestowed the benefite is bounde towardes the other to whome hee hath done a good turne yet the contrary oftentimes falleth out The cause whereof is because his loue that bestoweth a good turne proceedâ—th from his owne bountie and goodnesse whereas the loue of him that receiueth a benefite commeth of necessitie So that the one hath a great deale better foundation then the other For that loue which proceedeth of necessitie respecteth our selues because wee loue for the good which wee haue receiued and not in regarde of the person from whome the good commeth And this loue proceedeth from the loue wee beare to our selues so that it ought rather to be called Loue of concupiscence then true Loue. For as wee loue the person that doth vs good because of the good which wee receiue so we loue him and wish his good not so much for it selfe as for ourselues and for that profite which wee hope will come to vs thereby But after wee haue begunne with this kinde of Loue it serueth vs oftentimes as a steppe for to passe by afterwardes vnto true and perfect loue For acquainting our selues to loue them that doe vs good wee learne afterward to loue them not onely for loue of that good which they doe vnto vs but also because of themselues insomuch that we will not cease to loue them although it fall out so that they can doe vs no more good yea although they stand in neede of the like good at our hands againe Now when wee are come to this degree our loue is a great deale more pure yea then is it true loue which nowe loueth not the person beloued onely for loue of it selfe but for loue of him euen with the like loue wherewith it hath beene and yet is loued of him And as he that loueth is voide of true Loue if he loue onely in respect of the good hee receiueth so hee that doeth good loueth not with true loue if hee do it to receiue some profite thereby and with hope of recompence and not meerely for his loue to whome hee doth it For such a man respecteth himselfe more then him whom he pretendeth to loue Such is the loue of hypocrites towards God Therefore they honour and serue him as hirelings doe so long as hee vseth them wel and they see rewarde as Satan accused and slaundered Iob before God as though hee serued him for no other cause but for the benefites which hee receiued of his goodnesse Whereupon it pleased God to take trial of that loue which his seruant
bare vnto him to confound the slaunderer and to propound to euery one in the person of his seruant Iob an example and patterne of true feare of true loue of true faith and of true patience We see then that there are two sorts of hired loue because it may be such not onely in respect of him that receiueth a benefit but of him also that bestoweth it when hee doeth it for the causes aforesaide But he that doth good onely of charitie and loue hath no such scope but looketh only to the good which he delighteth to communicate to others in respect of that goodnes which is in himselfe Therefore he hath a more sure and excellent beginning of his loue namely his owne goodnes and will then he hath that receiueth the good whose loue beginneth at neede and want That Loue also which is grounded vpon goodnesse goeth on more easily and with greater courage from good to better then that which commeth from necessitie proceedeth to good For he that doth good imparteth the same frankely of his owne good will because hee will do so and therefore it redoundeth to his great honour But hee that receiueth a good turne taketh it because hee hath neede of it and therefore hee must acknowledge himselfe bound to his Benefactour For this cause he is somewhat ashamed of his neede and want For as Saint Paul witnesseth according to the saying of Iesus Christ It is a blessed thing to giue rather then to receiue Therefore that may well bee said in this respect which is commonly spoken namely that although Loue be of the nature of fire which alwayes mounteth vpward yet doeth it descend but neuer ascend For Fathers and Mothers alwayes loue their children yea their childrens children better then their children loue them The like may be saide of others that are in the place of parents And by a greater reason this may be spoken of the loue of God our Father towardes vs as also of the loue of Christ Iesus For he did not onely loue vs before we loued him yea euen then when we were yet his enemies but nowe also wee come farre short of louiâ—â— him as hee loueth vs. Therefore hee is called by Saint Iohn not onely louing and charitable but euen Loue it selfe For as he is the Creator of all things so he loueth perfecteth and preseueth them all and turneth them vnto himselfe But among all other things which drawe Loue nothing is of greater force then Loue it selfe For as one fire draweth another so is it with loue for one draweth and engendreth another Therefore if wee would be loued wee our selues must loue But when the contrary falleth out nameely that we are hated of them towards whome wee are well affected it is because hee that is loued doeth not knowe nor feele the loue that is borne him For likenesse hath such force and vertue in loue that it is as it were the mother therof For seeing euery one by nature loueth himselfe greatly and similitude is as it were the same in many it causeth him that resembleth vs to be as it were our selues whereupon it followeth that the same likenesse which causeth vs to loue an other induceth him also to loue vs. And againe loue causeth him that doth loue to engraue imprint in his heart that face and image which he loueth so that the heart of him that loueth is made like to a looking glasse in which the image of the party beloued shineth and is represented Therefore when hee that is loued and beholdeth and acknowledgeth himself in him that loueth him he is mooued and whetted on to loue him againe as one within whome he knoweth himselfe to be as it were Inhabitant yea as a second selfe Moreouer he that loueth doth as it were depriue himselfe of himselfe and giue himselfe to him whome hee loueth Therefore he that is beloued accompteth him deere and is as carefull of him as of a thing of his owne So that if wee loue God we shall be in his heart as if our image were engrauen there and his image also shall bee in ours yea hee will be carefull of vs as of his owne children as wee likewise wil be very careful of his honor and glory And the more we know his loue towards vs the liker we shal be vnto him and shall loue him the more as he in like maner wil loue vs the more Nowe because men can neither see nor know one anothers heart and wil to iudge of their loue we must declare the same by outward workes For none but God knoweth the hearts and willes of men Neuerthelesse he wil haue vs to manifest by workes our loue towardes him and our neighbours as hee hath shewed vs his loue by giuing himselfe with all his benefites vnto vs. Therefore wee must yeelde testimony of our loue by obeying his worde and keeping his holy commaundements the fulfilling of which consisteth in true and perfect charitie But forasmuch as the loue of men is so disordered nowadayes wee are to take 〈◊〉 heede and to looke diligently that wee deceiue not our selues by louing that which wee ought not to loue esteeming that to bee a good thing which is wicked and well done that which is ill done to the ende that our loue be not inordinate and bestowed vpon false and euil things and so prooue a vicious desire rather then true loue Therefore it shall be good if following our matter we consider what this affection of cupiditie or desire is properly and what are the kinds of it and how wee may separate it from Loue. Let vs then hear ken to ARAM discoursing of this matter Of Desire and Coueting and of the kindes 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 ende of Loue. Chap. 51. ARAM. As at the entry of a forrest some one path may seeme to be broade and beaten enough yet afterward when a trauailer is well entred into it he beginneth to loose it by little and little and being amazed the farther hee walketh on the more he wandreth out of his way euen so when as sensualitie inuiteth vs to the fruition of some obiect we thinke it an easie matter to attaine thereunto and hope to get some great good thereby but the further wee enter into and follow that path which our concupiscence doth shew vnto vs the worse we find the way to be and can see nothing before vs but a large field full of thornes and thistles which notwithstanding seeme for a time vnto sore eies to be faire floures of very goodly fruit But the tasting of them alwayes bringeth with it a long and late repentance in the ende Nowe as the body of the sunne when he first riseth may be easily looked vpon but after being mounted vp certain degrees in the Zodiake dazeleth the eies of them
taste doth breede an other desire to continue therein and to preserue those meanes whereby they may alwayes enioy such pleasure Whereby wee may iudge howe the desire and coueting that is in man wandereth and goeth astray when as notwithstanding it is giuen him of God to the end he might wish for that which hee iudgeth to bee good for him and that hee might followe after it and hauing obtained the same might holde and keepe it fast Now Forasmuch as God is the true stedfast and firme good of man hee doeth naturally wish and desire him and because this good is infinite it falleth out thereupon that the largenesse length and depth of our coueting is infinite and can be filled with no other thing but with God Wherefore when it is come thither there it stayeth and resteth it selfe But whilest it wandreth hither and thither there wil be no end but one desire begetteth another insomuch that there are infinite kindes of them which take their particular names of those things which they couet For the vnmesurable coueting of honours is called ambition of golde and siluer couetousnesse of meates and drinkes gluttony and drunkennesse the vnlawfull and immoderate desire of coniunction betweene man and woman is called Whoredome which also hath diuers kindes vnder it according to the degrees of their filthinesse and enormities in whome it aboundeth The vertues opposite and contrary to these vicious desires are iustice liberalitie continencie chastitie and temperance of which vertues and vices and of others proceeding of them we haue discoursed at large in our fist morall institution Therefore to conclude that which hath beene hitherto spoken of Loue and of Desire I thinke wee ought to make two sortes of Loue the one in vertue the other in vice For that Loue proceeding of Desire and Coueting such as we see commonly in men is false and fained And because it counterfaiteth often the actions of true loue therefore wee ought to be very wary that it beguile vs not and that wee take not the one for the other Concerning the first wee must remember that all loue is begotten of Good that it bendeth and draweth towardes Good as wee haue already learned Now Good is of that nature that it breedeth in vs a desire to bee ioyned vnto it in regarde of that agreement which it hath with vs of which agreement and coniunction commeth delight and then blessednesse and felicitie So that the vtmost bounds and limites of Loue is to be knit together in vnitie as much as may be And the straighter and closer the bond of loue is tied and conioyned in one and the same essence so much the more truely and perfectly is loue come vnto his ende and consisteth in the perfection of his nature Therefore the desire of coniunction which is in Loue is giuen to man to the ende hee shoulde wish and couet to be vnited with God his true Good that being made as it were a little God like vnto him hee might be partaker of his eternall blessednesse This is the true firme and fruitfull coniunction of loue and the great and excellent reward thereof For all the rest are nothing in comparison of this but onely vaine and fruitlesse Nowe the Loue of the body desireth the coniunction of the body and the loue of soules desireth to be ioyned with soules that there may be as it were one soule in many bodies And this coniunction is the greatest truest and of longest continuance which causeth but one heart and one will among friends as if they were one onely body and one onely soule and as if hee that loueth were the same party that is beloued Therefore it is written of the first Christians that were in the Church of Ierusalem that the multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and one soule neither any of them saide that any thing of that which he possessed was his owne but they had al things common Neither is it saide without reason in common Prouerb that all things are common among friendes which is the cause that a friend calleth and accompteth as his owne whatsoeuer belongeth to his friend whether it be in prosperitie or in aduersitie Therefore also it is commonly said that a stedfast friend is tried in doubtfull matters Wherevpon it commeth to passe in true loue that friends lift vp into great dignitie are more carefull of those whome they loue how base soeuer they be and of their affaires then of themselues and of their particular estate Moreouer we are to knowe that as it is the nature of Loue to ioyne together so doeth it also bring equalitie with it so farre foorth as the nature of those things that are conioyned will beare insomuch that the highest stoope downe to the lowest to lift them vp vnto themselues they that are equall associate themselues together Therefore as we haue often saide that the fountaine and patterne of all true loue is in God so in this point it doth chiefly shew it selfe vnto vs. For hee abaseth himselfe to our smallnesse as though he would reach vs his hand from heauen to drawe and lift vs vp vnto himselfe by the meane of Iesus Christ vnto whome and by whome wee are truely vnited with him But heere wee are to knowe that the desire lust or coueting which is bredde of Loue groweth to bee vicious through the corruption of our nature which otherwise being directed by good meanes and by reason according to the will of God and ayming at the right Good which is God woulde cause vs to loue God first for his owne sake and then his creatures in him and for the loue of him Neither shoulde wee euer couet worldly goods with an vnbrideled desire but woulde rather accompt all mortall things vnworthy to bee cared for by our immortall soules Whereunto wee shall be the rather perswaded if following that which wee haue begunne to speake of true and false loue and of the difference betweene them wee consider what good things are to be found in the one aboue the other what sundry rewards men propound vnto themselues in loue what knowledge is required therein and howe the one is encreased by the other This then shall be thy matter subiect ACHITOB which thou shalt take to make an end of our discoursing of the nature of Loue. Of the good things that are in true Loue of the diuerse valuations of Loue and of the benefits which it procureth what knowledge is requisite to allure Loue and howe one Loue groweth by another of the friendship that may be both betweene the good and the bad Chap. 52. ACHITOB. Good is loued so much as it is knowen and as wee are able to vnderstand what it is For things are first knowen to the end they may be loued Now there are three meanes of knowledge in our soule namely by sense by reason and by the mind From the sense springeth appetite which is common
to vs with beasts from reason groweth election which is proper to man and from the minde and spirite in which the image of the diuine essence is engrauen proceedeth the will As then sense knoweth none but sensible and corporall things so the appetite desireth only the same things and as the mind of it owne nature enclineth to the contemplation of spirituall and intelligible things so the will feedeth and contenteth it selfe onely with eternall and heauenly goods Now Man that is to say the soule by nature reasonable being placed as it were in the middest of these two extreames and sustaining wonderfull assaults and combates through the impression of these two contraries taketh part one while with the desires of this side an other while of that according as hee inclineth by his election either to this part or to that by stooping downe to the sense or by lifting vp himselfe to the minde But because of the darkenesse of errour which shadoweth his reason it is very necessary that the spirite of God worke mightily therein to this ende that by the power and vertue thereof the naturall affection of earthly things which offer violence to all the powers of the soule might be transported and lift vp to the desire of celestiall and eternall things Truely forsomuch as Good is the obiect of Loue good reason it is that wee should lift it vpward and separate it from the earth as much as we may For as so many rash affections which are the spring of all vices haue their beginning from earthly loue socōtrariwise celestiall and heauenly loue adorneth the soule with two excellent ornaments namely wisedome and vertue the ground of all true Beauty in which all good all contentation and felicitie consisteth And this loue which hath God for his ende and scope hath three great benefites among many others which are not to bee found in any other loue especially in that of concupiscence For first there is no good so excellent in the enioying of earthly things but it is mingled with some thing that may displease vs or some way harme vs. Whereupon taking it to be a lesse benefite and not altogether so good for vs wee are of this iudgement that it is the lesse to bee wished for of vs. But there is no such thing in God Therefore if the soule of man did beholde him by contemplation not such a one as hee is for that is impossible but as shee might contemplate him notwithstanding she is enclosed in this body shee woulde bee rauished in her loue with greater vehemencie then shee is stirred vp to embrace that which of all mortall and transitorie things shee iudgeth best and most certaine For she should know that God is a Good wherein there is nothing mingled that may breed yrkesomnesse or be hurtful but is altogether profitable and full of pleasure Although it can not be gainsaide but that the contrary seemeth to come to passe oftentimes when we see that they which loue God as they ought which by means of this loue are driuen forward induced to procure his honor and glory with all their might are commonly most visited with griefes losses and sorrowes Whereof it commeth to passe that many are alienated from this loue because they greatly dislike that troublesome estate But we must know that this humane and friuolous consideration proceedeth only of this that the price of loue is diuersly valued For there is one kinde of loue that is perpetuall and firme and another which is temporary according as the present motion of the heart pricketh one forward to followe any thing because at that instant it seemeth vnto him to be good or in regard of the profit which he seeth therein or of the appearance of good which he imagineth is in it As for example we know well that health is a greater good then is the swallowing downe of dainty morselles the pleasure whereof passeth away very quickely And yet it commeth often to passe that our appetite stirreth vs forward with such vehemencie that meere lickerishnes causeth vs to eate such meats as we know are contrary to our health The reason hereof is because we compare not the good that is in taste and in dainty fare which sodainely passeth away with that which is in health which is of a longer continuance or else because wee thinke there will not come so great hurt thereof as there may come or else we hope easily to remedy the same And thus is it with them that consider not what great good there is in God but forget him or els suppose that they cāeasily recouer that which they shal lose by folowing after a terrestriall and transitorie Good which causeth them to turne aside from God For if they thought well vpon it and knewe what losse they receiued they would neuer suffer themselues to be gouerned by their appetites and worldly desires But the bare imagination and consideration of honors and of earthly goods doth so dazell the eyes of their mind that they can not knowe the greatnesse and excellencie of celestiall goods which they forsake for those other Whereas contrariwise if they were not altogether blinde they should perceiue that this light affliction of good men which passeth away in a moment bringeth foorth in them an eternall waight of most excellent glory and maketh them partakers of God who is the perpetuall stedfast reward of their true and holy loue Now touching the second benefit which being in his loue is not to be foūd in the loue of creaturs we are to know that this latter is alwayes in feare and care for that thing which it loueth lest some euill should befall it So that notwithstanding any securitie that may be had yet there is alwayes some vexation in al loue towards men and towards mortall things But in that loue which is towardes God there is nothing but delight without care griefe or disquietnesse For we are very certaine that all things are most safe there full of ioy and lasting happinesse And for the third wee see that in the loue of concupiscence there is commonly enuy and euill iealousie which is one kind of it because many couet that which one alone would wholy possesse But it is cleane contrary in the true loue of the soule wherein is vprightnes and fellowship For he that loueth vertue and a vertuous man is so farre from being iealous that he would not onely haue many companions but wisheth that all the men in the worlde were like affected with him The same may be said of him that loueth God For he would haue al men his companions in that amitie iudgeth al those to be miserable wretched which are estranged from it As for that friend who would alone loue his friend hee loueth not perfectly but rather loueth some thing in him that is profitable to himselfe as namely to enioy alone whatsoeuer good he iudgeth to be in his friend
which is the nature of the loue of concupiscēce that looketh inwardly to it self But true friendship looketh outwardly vpon him whom it loueth insomuch that he which loueth doth die by litle and litle in himselfe but that which he loueth liueth in him Wherfore S. Paul not only knowing the nature of true loue but also hauing felt by experience the vehemencie therof saith I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in me For he that truly loueth careth no more for himselfe but for that thing which he loueth This degree of loue may be rightly called Rauishing in which the louer is so rapt out of himselfe that he sorgetteth himselfe altogether being wholly in him whom he loueth and he whom he loueth being in him But as we said in the beginding of our speach Good is loued so far forth as it is knowen as we can vnderstand what it is therfore it is necessary that the knowlege of it should be so great that it be sufficiēt to draw loue which encreaseth by thinking often of that thing which is beloued For thereby it is planted rooted more deeply in the heart Wherefore there is nothing more contrary to loue then forgetfulnes the mother of ingratitude especially in our loue towards God For the more we thinke of him the more do we call to minde his goodnes towards vs whereupon also our loue doeth encrease is inslamed in vs towards him And the greater and more burning our loue is the nearer are we vnited linked vnto him Therfore we may well conclude that we loue God according to that measure of knowledge which we haue of him and of his benefits and according as we consider and remember them and if we want these things we loue him not as we ought Now whē we are ioyned vnto the thing that is deare vnto vs according to the end of loue we know it a great deale better because we behold it neerer and then are we said to enioy it Hereupon we may note two kinds of knowledge in loue the one first the other last By the first we beleeue that thing to be good which we do know by the last we haue experience of it which is of great force in al loue because the fruit thereof is the fruition of the thing beloued This enioying is the action of delight and of pleasure which is not onely of the will but also of the vnderstanding as it is in GOD. And if wee take it so Loue shall be as the meane betweene the first knowledge which is onely begunne and the last which is full and perfect which consisteth in the vnion of him that loueth with him that is beloued and wherein the desire that is in loue and which afflicteth and tormenteth the party louing is alwayes abolished not the loue it selfe but being vnited the greater number and the more excellent it findeth the goods in regarde of those which the first knowledge affoorded the more is it encreased and inflamed Heereof it is that we put a difference betweene Loue and the Desire that is in loue because when wee loue a thing wee desire therewithall the fruition and possession thereof And if there be delaie made so that wee cannot enioy the thing so soone as wee woulde this delay tormenteth vs by reason of the desire which presseth and pricketh vs forward to get the possession of it But this torment commeth not of Loue then which there is nothing more sweete and pleasant but of that desire which endeth in the vnion and fruition of the thing beloued In the meane time as long as this desire lasteth the loue from whence it proceedeth causeth the torment to be abated yea it is not without some pleasure especially when there is some hope that at length it may bee obtained and brought about And the more confident this hope is the greater solace yea the greater delight and pleasure it bringeth withall For as loue hath great delight in vnion and fruition so is it not small in hope because it propoundeth vnto vs the enioying of the thing as being present euen as if our imagination had already led vs vnto it Therefore forasmuch as the hope of Gods children is certaine they are nowe beeing in this worlde as it were blessed in heauen although the desire which they haue of greater goodes hoped for yet and to be enioyed in that full vnion and coniunction which they shal haue with God in the life euerlasting causeth them to groane and to sigh continually with all the creatures waiting for their full and perfect deliuerance from all corruption and from this miserable life So that wee can not doubt but that our loue towardes GOD will bee farre greater and much more vehement when as wee shall haue this full fruition of God our soueraigne Good and when wee shall bee perfectly vnited vnto him by true Loue not seeing him obscurely in a glasse onely or knowing him in part as we do nowe but beholding him face to face and knowing him as we haue bin knowen of him For the knowledge which we haue nowe of him is yet but begunne in respect of that which we shall haue fully and wholly in that glorious and immortall life And then also wee shall be wholly swallowed vp with his loue By the same reason we may wel beleeue that the loue and charitie which the godly beare one towardes another in this mortall life and pilgrimage shall be a great deale more enflamed in the other life then euer it was in the holiest and most perfect that euer was amongst them in this world For the better men friends are the more stedfast and firme is their friendship which among good men is alwayes of long continuance but contrariwise with the wicked And to speake properly there is no friendship betwixt them but onely some familiaritie and fellowship or to speake better a conspiracie against right and common peace Howsoeuer it be whether familiaritie or fellowship it is very short and weake because it hath no good foundation Wherefore they can not long continue vnited and knit together We haue daily testimony heereof in worldly and carnall men who hauing made for a time profession of very great friendship vpon a Yea or a Nay assault one another euen vnto death But wee are not greatly to maruaile at it For seeing their amitie and vnion is ill grounded as it cannot be of long continuance so they can receiue no great ioy or delight But it is contrary in the friendship of good men as that which hath a farre better foundation namely God and his word Wherefore if the better men that friendes be the greater their friendship is and more firme euen in this world no doubt but it will be greater more burning and constant in that blessed and eternall life which wee expect where we shal be much better men and more perfect then wee are heere better linked one with an
other as also we shall be altogither a great deale more conioyned with and in God For this cause Saint Paul had good reason to say that Loue doeth neuer fallaway though prophecyings be abolished or tongues cease or knowledge vanish away Wherefore in this respect hee concludeth that loue is the greatest of these three Faith Hope and Loue. But wee haue spoken enough of the nature of Loue for the subiect of our discourse of the naturall historie of man Nowe I thinke it will not bee vnprofitable if wee say somewhat of other affections that are neere neighbours vnto Loue and ioyned with it as of fauour reuerence honour and pitie which haue such good or ill qualities in man as the nature of that loue hath which bringeth them foorth as ASER will giue vs to vnderstand Of fauour reuerence and of honour of their nature and effectes of those outward signes whereby they shew themselues of pitie and compassion and how agreeable it is to the nature of man Chap. 53. ASER. I cannot marueile enough at the drowsines of many great spirits who are so delighted with the vaine dreames of their own fancies that they employ all the giftes and graces of their minde to lift vp euen vnto the heauens the pleasures that are receiued in the loue of humane and mortall things especially in the fruites of concupiscence and yet the least of them cannot be gotten without a thousand troublesome discommodities besides that they leaue alwayes in man an insatiable desire of them I would aske of them gladly when the most voluptuous man of them all hath not euen in the middest of his pleasures sighed and bene subiect to passions desiring some other thing besides or when there was euer founde betweene twaine that loued ech other corruptly that conformitie of wils that communication of thoughts those continual agreements that concord of life which is necessary in all true loue especially seeing it is a hard matter yea impossible to see a wicked man that is not daily at variance with himselfe insomuch that if he could leaue himselfe as two men forsake eche other there are many who vpon euery occasion woulde leaue themselues to take another body or another soule And as when one being very desirous to eate and thereupon falling asleepe dreameth that he is feeding and yet is not satisfied because it is not a dreame of meate that will content the sense and appetite which seeketh to bee appeased but substantiall meate it selfe euen so it falleth out when men dreaming in spirite which is as pernicious a thing as the sleepe of death giue themselues by a certaine natural inclination which they haue to the loue of Good to seeke for the beautie contentation delight thereof vpon earth when they are not to be found in the whole worlde As for their shadowes which in some sort appeare in corporall and earthly things and in those delights which proceede of them they doe not feede their mindes with sound and good thinges but rather abuse and deceiue them Therefore we ought to take great heed that wee set not our heart and affection rather vpon those miserable corruptible and deceiueable pleasures wherein worldlings and carnal men doe glory then vpon that great and infinite brightnesse of which the sunne is but a very small beame and vpon those singular blessed and heauenly trueths which the worde of life doeth teach vs and which are the onely true and solide meates that can content and satisfie our spirits eternally It is certaine that nature mooueth vs to set our affection chiefly vpon some one thing rather then vpon another forasmuch as loue is a gift bestowed by the Creatour vpon all natures at the time of their birth Nowe vnto Loue many other affections are ioyned among which Fauour commonly hath the first place This affection is a kinde of good will and liking which springeth from a iudgement conceiued of some Good so that wee may call it a loue begunne For in this iudgement of Good wee esteeme well of him towardes whome our fauour is extended and iudge him woorthie of some good thing and by this meanes wee beginne to loue him Wherefore although fauour may bee without true loue yet loue cannot bee without fauour Notwithstanding when wee fauour one before wee loue him euen then wee enter into the way that leadeth to loue him And for the least shadowe of loue in our heart towardes another wee fauour him as wee see it in those that are linked vnto vs by some degree eyther of consanguinitie or of affinitie or by meanes of some acquaintance and knowledge Now forasmuch as GOD loueth vs he beareth vs fauour also although not in the regarde or for the iudgement of any good which hee seeth in vs or in our corrupted nature but because of the loue hee beareth vs in Iesus Christ his welbeloued in whome by his grace hee hath made vs acceptable to himselfe Therefore this fauour bringeth with it the perfection of all Good vnto vs. For what can hee want that is fauoured of God who can doe all things This fauour which God beareth vnto vs is called grace and blessing in the holy Scriptures which comprehendeth all those benefites which wee receiue of his goodnesse For they proceede all of this fauour and this fauour of the loue hee beareth vs in Iesus Christ Reuerence also commonly accompanieth loue whereby we vnderstand an affection proceeding from the iudgement of some great good that hurteth vs not For if wee thought it woulde hurt vs there woulde bee feare ioyned with hatred and not true reuerence For although there is euermore in all reuerence some feare mingled with shamefastnesse neuerthelesse this feare bringeth no hatred with it This reuerence is bredde in vs by comparing the greatnesse of another with our smalnesse as if wee admired those excellent thinges that are in him For as the heart doeth enlarge it selfe through the consideration and opinion it hath of it owne greatnesse so doeth it restraine and close vp it selfe vpon the reputation and conceipt of another mans greatnesse so it bee good or at leastwise without hurt Therefore if wee compare our greatnesse with some other mans that is farre greater we know our owne smalnesse thereby Whereupon it commeth to passe that we doe not onely esteeme woorse but euen dislike and contemne our selues by which meanes wee become more humble whereas before wee were puffed vp with pride through the opinion of our greatnesse of which wee haue experience as often as wee compare our selues with GOD and lift vp our spirite euen to the consideration of his diuine maiestie comparing that with our basenesse For then beeing rauished with admiration of his highnesse and infinite greatnesse wee honour and reuerence him by reason of his power vnto which wee ioyne also his wisedome and goodnesse And according to that reuerence wee beare towardes him wee reuerence those also in whome wee see the same
the miserie of our like Whereupon it followeth that as euery one is of a more tender heart so he is more mercifull as contrariwise hardnesse of heart extinguisheth mercie and compassion As for this word Compassion it signifieth asmuch as alike compassion that is a like sense and feeling of euil and of griefe as if we our selues suffered that which we see others endure by reason of that coniunction which we ought to haue one with another as members of one and the same body among which there is such agreement that if one suffer all feele it and so all are carefull for it Therefore it is written in the Epistle to the Hebrewes that brotherly loue continueth Bee not saith he forgetfull to lodge strangers Remember them that are in bondes as though ye were bound with them and them that are in affliction as if ye were also afflicted in the bodie Wherefore we may well conclude that this affection of mercie is very necessary for men yea as sweet as milde and as profitable an affection as any can be amongst them which they haue receiued of God for their mutual succour and consolation in the midst of so many miseries as commonly happen in the life of man And this hee commaundeth vs expresly in infinite places of his woorde that the image of his vnspeakeable mercy might shine in vs by our mercy towards others Hitherto we haue spoken of man as of man and of those affections that are most humane in him now others remaine which often make him more brutish then any sauage beast that is For seeing they come of the opinion of euill they prouoke and stirre him vp greatly making him marueilous wilde and vntamed To the end therefore that we may enter into the discourse of this matter we will first see what Offending and Offence is in the heart and soule consider what degrees it hath and what good or euill may be in this affection This we shall learne of thee AMANA Of offence in the heart and soule of the degrees of offence of the good and euil that may be in this affection of contempt that is bred of it and of mockery which followeth contempt Chap. 54. AMANA The Philosophers haue set downe foure causes of al the troubles of the soule from whence all the residue proceed into which they returne and haue their end namely immoderate desire vnbrideled ioy vnmeasurable griefe and extreame feare These as they say proceede through imprudence or ignorance of the minde and pusillanimitie of heart from the opinion of good or euill things present or to come which we imagine to be in the things of this worlde being vnperfect and of small continuance Now forasmuch as these foure causes are the springs of all vices and sinnes into which men plunge themselues in this life they are called perturbations of the soule which if they be not mastred by reason doe so carie the soule hither and thither that in the ende they constraine the reasonable power thereof to giue ouer all authoritie and libertie and to obey the lustes of the sensuall and vnreasonable Will Nowe desire and ioy they commonly accompanie the perishing goodes of the bodie For they are of that nature that they inflame the soule with an insatiable lust inso much that the obtaining of one thing is the beginning of a new and vehement desire of hauing another And the enioying of them besotteth the spirite with a sugred poison of fained delight and pleasure vnder the yoke of which it easily suffreth it selfe to be ouercome to be bound and to be gouerned As for griefe feare although they also be not farre remooued from such false and vading goods of the body yet for the most part they respect those aduersities and miseries which in our opinion wee iudge to be in the want and priuation of those goods For they fill the soule with trouble and disquietnesse as she that thinketh her estate to be most miserable if she obtaine not the ende of her carnall and inordinate affections So that if the body endure neuer so little shee casteth foorth strange cries and complaintes And although the bodie suffer nothing at all yet is shee alwayes in extreme feare least some euill shoulde befall it But these very passions may bee diuided into good and badde For honest desire modestioy and moderate griefe and feare are naturally in vs for the preseruation of our being Yea all these affections are endued with the qualities of commendable vertues if they respect the soueraigne Good of man as we may learne by our former speeches touching this matter which were chiefly of good affections and of such as are most natural in man Therefore following our matter subiect we must from hencefoorth consider of a great number of other affections of the heart which for the most part make men more beastlike then the very beasts themselues that are voyde of all vnderstanding and reason yea then the wildest beastes that are All which affections take their beginning from the opinion of euill as these that are good proceed from the opinion of Good For the feare of euil doth wonderfully prouoke a man when he is touched therwith he waxeth very sauage and wilde Now the first sting and byting of euill is offence by reason that the heart is offended euen as when one rusheth against a thing hurteth himself Therfore by offence we vnderstand properly a certaine griefe of the soule of the heart which commeth through some touch of euill that agreeth not to our nature This first sence of griefe is like to the first pricking of ones bodie and is contrarie to the first pleasure which we receiue of some Good that is offered vnto vs and is agreeable to our nature So that as this pleasure when it is confirmed is turned into loue so out of this first feeling of griefe which I call offence the other affections that are ioyned with griefe doe budde foorth afterwarde namely anger hatred enuie indignation reuenge crueltie and such like The euill that may offend vs is whatsoeuer we iudge to be contrary to vs and to our nature as well in regard of the body as of the soule For as the bodie is offended by those euils which trouble the harmonie and temperature thereof and which bring griefe and hurt vnto it so is it with the soule and with all the powers senses and affections thereof For she may be offended in her imagination and fantasie in her reason in her will and in her affections Nowe because euery one followeth his affections or his natural inclination and not the right rule and iudgement of reason it is an easie matter to offend and displease many and that in many things but not so easie to please them For there is but one onely reason or at leastwise it hath no great diuersitie in it But the naturall dispositions of men are infinite and wonderful
that reuengeth himselfe and will obserue his offences narrowely Forgiue thy neighbour his misdeede and when thou prayest thy sinnes shall bee forgiuen thee Shall man keepe anger against man and will hee aske remission at the Lordes handes Hee will take no pitie vpon his like and shall he demaund pardon for his sinnes Seeing hee that is but flesh keepeth his anger and yet sueth vnto God for pardon who will blot out his iniquities But this ought not to be forgottten of vs to cause vs to abstaine from all anger towards them that by offring vs iniury prouoke vs thereunto namely that we acknowledge thē to be the scourges of God to chastice our faultes which are worthy of greater punishment Thus let vs alwayes looke to the first cause of our affliction and to God who visiteth vs iustly whatsoeuer the meanes are which hee vseth and not to second causes and to the next meanes to the ende that we doe not as dogges doe which runne after the stone throwne against them that by byting it they may be reuenged of it not looking vnto him that threwe it For if we consider that the blowe giuen vnto vs commeth from God we will let the stone goe and not followe after it with anger and reuenge but turne vnto God who threwe it not to stirre vp our selues to despite him or to bee auenged of him but to craue for pardon and grace at his handes And this is the right way which wee are to take for the quenching of our choler that so wee may bridle our anger and keepe our selues quiet Nowe for the ende of this matter it remayneth that wee shoulde knowe whether this affection bee altogether vicious and wholly proceeding from our corrupt nature or whether it haue within it any seede of vertue as well as the rest It is certaine that it is giuen of GOD to man to stirre him vp to the desire of excellent things to the ende that when hee seeth himselfe despised and reiected for base actions and abiect things and is grieued for the same hee shoulde endeuour to leaue and forsake them and to addict himselfe to better and more noble things which can not bee contemned nor hee despised in regarde of them And this kinde of anger is verie good For beeing angrie in this sort our anger is turned vpon our selues onely to blame and reprehende our selues for our slouth and loosenesse and for our other vices and imperfections and by this meanes our anger should not bee sinne but being acceptable vnto God it woulde be vnto vs a Schoolemaster and as a spurre to sollicite and perswade vs vnto vertue and to such things as beseeme vs and that estate whereunto we are called If then wee would be angrie according to the will of God let vs first be angrie against our selues for our faultes and imperfections and when wee haue iust occasion to whet our selues against others let our anger bee turned against their vices not against their persons And such an anger will shewe zeale for the honour of God and the saluation of our neighbours Nowe the sequele of our speech requireth that wee shoulde speake of hatred and of enuie which for the most part followe offence and anger Let vs then heare ACHITOB discourse of these affections Of Hatred and of the nature and effects thereof of a good kinde of Hatred and of the remedy to cure the euill Hatred of Enuy and of the kindes and effects thereof of the difference betweene good and euill Enuy. Chap. 56. ACHITOB. Forasmuch as nature wisedome and goodnes teach that men ought to be knit together by loue as wee haue seene heretofore and that we are by the selfe same nature framed and fashioned thereunto as wee may learne by that which we haue heard of the forme and disposition of the heart wee must needes confesse that the spirite of man can bring foorth nothing more vnworthy it selfe then to suffer it selfe to be ouercome of Hatred and Enuy which are so contrary to loue that they comprehend vnder them all generall iniustice and wickednesse of men For from these wilde plants nothing can proceede by reason of the corruption of mans nature but effects that draw vs cleane contrary from wishing well to our neighbour So that if we plucke out of our heart the cause of this naturall obligation concerning the succour we owe one to another namely Loue what can be either found or placed there but hardnesse inhumanitie crueltie and all kinde of barbarousnesse which are to bee accompted and taken for monsters in mans nature For howe strange and monstrous a thing were it to vnclothe a mans heart of Loue and to put vpon it hatred enuy extreame backebiting bitternesse and crueltie which proceede all from one fountaine Neuerthelesse we see that men are enclined rather to Hatred then to Loue but let vs search out the cause thereof There are many that take Hatred to be an inueterate anger because it is a habite of anger wherby the heart escheweth something as euil and desireth to repell and driue it away Wherefore this affection is directly contrary to loue so likewise is anger For it is an offence rooted in the hart which causeth it to wish greatly his hurt by whom it taketh it selfe to be offended Nowe because contempt doeth often accompany hatred and enuy is neuer without it besides that it breedeth strife contentions manslaughters and murthers therefore in the holy Scriptures hatred is often taken for all these things As for the vehement causes of hatred they are in euery one according as a man esteemeth of the things he hateth Therefore prowd and enuious persons are alwaies very much enclined to hatred Some men also are of such a hatefull nature that they scarce wish wel to any body and surely these are very deuillish natures Some likewise are giuen thereunto of custome which they haue gotten by reioicing at other mens harms But the cause why it is easier for vs to hate then to loue and why Hatred taketh deeper roote in our heart then loue is because hatred findeth a better soile there and a more apt foundation to bee laide vpon then loue doth and that chiefly for two reasons The first is the corruption of mans nature which being left vnto it selfe fauoureth more of the nature of Satan who is hatefull a lyar and enuious from the beginning then of the nature of God who is loue trueth and charitie Therefore Saint Iohn saith that Cain hated his brother and slewe him because he was of the deuill and Abel was of God This hatred will be alwayes in those that haue one and the same Father that Cain had against all good men and children of God The second is because the infirmitie of our nature will not permit vs to enioy any good things in this worlde that are pure and of long continuance and therefore they suffer vs to haue but a little sense and taste of them But
it is cleane contrary in regarde of euilles For they quickely finde whereupon to stay and to plant themselues within vs and to spreade their rootes so deepe and broade that they cannot easily be plucked vp Whereupon they are felt a great deale more and continue longer in our heart and memory Not without cause then doe men say that the pleasures seruices and good things done vnto vs are madeof feathers and therefore they are easily carried away by reason of their lightnesse but offences euilles and displeasures are made of lead and therefore they abide in the bottome of the heart by reason of their waight And forasmuch as loue proceedeth of that which is good and hatred of euill whether it bee euill in trueth or in opinion onely as euill is commonly greater and of longer continuance then Good for the causes spoken of so is it with Loue and Hatred and with their rootes and long abode Now of Hatred commeth backebiting and euill speaking which being kindled bringeth foorth bitternesse and crueltie and as loue whetteth a man on to doe well so contrariwise Hatred turneth men aside from well doing and prouoketh them to hurt For this cause it soweth the seedes of enmitie and laboureth craftily to cause the party hated to fall into danger For it desireth to hurt him and to bring euill vpon him either by it selfe or by an other secretely or openly In a worde seeing it is wholly contrary to Loue wee may without any long discourse knowe the nature thereof by that which hath beene spoken of the nature of Loue taking it cleane contrary thereunto But let vs see whether the affection of hatred bee altogether together euill of it selfe or whether a man may reape any profite thereby We may say of this as we did of anger and of other affections already spoken of For it is giuen to man to cause him to withdrawe himselfe from all euill that may hurt him to flee from it and to repell it as being contrary vnto him Therefore Saint Paul sayeth Hate that which is euill and cleaue to that which is good For true and perfect hatred shoulde hate nothing but that which is euill indeede as true loue shoulde loue that onely which is good indeede But contrariwise wee commonly hate the Good and good men and loue the Euill and the workers thereof Besides wee are faulty in this that in steade of hating mens vices wee hate their persons Wherefore it is needefull that in this matter of Hatred wee shoulde put that in practice which wee haue already saide of Anger namely that wee shoulde aboue all things hate our owne vices and that euill which is in vs and in ours But wee that practise the cleane contrary change Loue into Hatred and Hatred into Loue. For when wee supporte and beare with our owne vices or with the vices of our friendes and kinsemen which are not to be suffered or borne withall it seemeth that this toleration proceedeth from the loue wee beare either to our selues or to others but it is farre otherwise For if wee loued our selues well and our neighbours as our selues wee woulde bee carefull to remooue all hurtefull things farre from our soules and to furnish them with that which is conuenient and wholsome for them and so likewise for our friendes whereas wee procure vnto them that which turneth to their dishonour hurt and ouerthrowe by nourishing them in their vices through our dissembling and bearing with them And thus much for that profite which wee may receiue by this affection of hatred being well guided according vnto the will of GOD and to a sound and reasonable nature Nowe against the passion of euill Hatred amongest a great number of remedies which may very well bee applied thereunto we haue two principall ones that are very good and profitable The first remedie is the example of the loue of GOD and of Iesus Christ towardes vs of which wee haue spoken already with those holie Preceptes which doe commaunde Loue and forbidde Hatred The second remedie is the contempt of all earthly things and the regarde that is to be had vnto the things that are Celestiall and Eternall For if wee shall set light by all mortall and corruptible things and lift vp our heartes to higher thinges wee shall verie easilie breake off all hatred and enmitie neither wil we take any thing greatly to heart but when we see God offended Now as concerning Enuy that alwayes accompanieth hatred it is an affection quite contrary to mercy which is a sorrowe conceiued by reason of the miseries of an other whereas Enuy is a griefe arising of other mens felicitie Therefore it doth naturally reioyce at another mans harme and is grieued at his good so that according to the varietie of good things that may befall other men so there are diuers kinds of Enuy. For first some are enuious when other mens profite is so great that it hindreth theirs There is also a kinde of enuy at the wellfare of another which albeit it neither hurt nor hinder vs yet wee are grieued because the like is not befallen to vs or not rather to vs or not aswell to vs as to another to whome it is happened And this is a spice of couetousnesse There is yet a third kinde of Enuy which maketh vs vnwilling that others shoulde obtaine that good which wee haue or which wee desire or haue wished for but coulde not get it And when the question is of those good things which it seemeth we shuld enioy but doe not or which we thinke belong to vs but are bestowed vpon others then is our enuy greater and may also be called iealousie Moreouer there is a fourth kinde that is worst of all to which the name of Enuy agreeth more properly as being often bredde of the former kindes when a man giueth them the bridle and suffereth them to raigne too much ouer him This enuy is a griefe conceiued at anothers good without any regard of it owne profite but onely because it iudgeth it selfe hurt when others receiue good or do good And this is the very enuy of the Deuil and of his children which is an affection that is mingled of hatred and of ioy For it hateth vertue and reioyceth at vice and at the prosperitie of the wicked Contrariwise it is grieued at the felicitie of good men and glad of their miseries But what kinde soeuer of enuy is in a man there is in him griefe and as it were a biting that gnaweth him by reason that the heart in this affection shrinketh in as it were and closeth vp it selfe at the good and benefit of another So that sorrowe is alwayes ioyned therewith The goods against which enuy rusheth most are such as are in greatest reputation amongst men as honour and glory insomuch that it is more moued at the good renowme honour and praise giuen to men in respect of the good things that are in them
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
heart and first of Reuenge Crueltie and Rage And because Reuenge is appointed to punish offences and euery vice findeth a Iudge within it selfe wee will speake also of the affection of Shame which commonly followeth euery vile acte It belongeth therefore to thee AMANA to intreate of this matter Of Reuenge Crueltie 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. AMANA If euery one might be a Iudge in his owne cause and execute his own decrees the malice of men doth declare sufficiently that there would be no iustice obserued in the world but robbery publikely put in practice insomuch as the strongest would alwayes carry away the spoile For that blind loue which euery one beareth towards himselfe causeth vs that we cannot see clearly either into our owne or or into other mens affaires so that wee are alwayes more ready to doe wrong to others then to depart from anie thing of our owne Euen so if wee might be suffered to reuenge those iniuries which oftentimes without cause wee suppose wee haue receiued it is certaine wee woulde obserue neither measure nor meane but suffering our selues to be guided by the passion of anger and wrath wee would fall into more then brutish crueltie and rage For as God hath reserued vengeance to himselfe and promised to recompense it so no man carrieth that minde to doe it iustly that is in him neither indeede can any because it is the spirite of a man that offereth iniury to an other whereas the body is but the instrument of the minde and as it were a sworde vnto it which the spirite manageth and causeth to cutte Whereupon it followeth that the party offended can not reuenge himselfe of his chiefest and greatest enemy For God onely is able to take vengeance of the soule and to throwe it together with the body into hell fire Moreouer when wee thinke to hurt the body of our enemy which is but the executioner of the euill disposition of his Spirite wee hurt our owne soule making it guiltie of the iudgement of God who forbiddeth vs all reuenge and commaundeth vs to possesse our soules in patience and neuer to requite euill for euill but to waite the Lordes leasure being assuredly perswaded that he will saue and deliuer vs. Nowe looke what the affection receiueth and embraceth the same doeth it desire to returne and send backe againe where it did receiue it whether it be good or euill Therefore as a good affection both wisheth and doeth well to him of whome it receiueth good will and beneficence so a naughty affection desireth to returne euill receiued vnto him of whome it hath receiued it For this cause when the heart is wounded with griefe by any one it desireth to returne the like to him that hath hurt it and to rebite him of whome it is bitten This affection is a desire of reuenge which being put in execution is reuenge accomplished namely when wee cause him that hath offended vs to suffer that punishment which in our iudgement he hath deserued This punishment is to damnifie him eyther in soule or in body or in his goodes yea sometimes by all the meanes that may bee And when power to reuenge is wanting there are some that fall into outrageous speeches into horrible and execrable cursings crying out for vengeance eyther at GODS hand or of some other that can perfourme it Euery offence therefore that ingendereth hatred anger enuy or indignation bringeth with it a desire of reuenge which is to render euill for euil and to requite griefe receiued with the like againe And when the offence is growen to that passe that nothing can asswage the extremitie thereof nor stay it from breaking foorth into reuenge and hurting by all the meanes that may bee then is this Reuenge turned into Rage For a man in such a case is not much vnlike to a madde dogge For because Reuenge can not take that effect which it woulde haue it vexeth and closeth vp as it were the hart bringing great griefe great torment to the whole body so that a man so affected is as if his heart body were ready to burst asunder Nowe when the heart is hardened with Reuenge it is turned into Crueltie which is a priuation of pitie and compassion For when Offence and Anger are set on fire they exclude all good thoughtes out of the minde and perswade to all kinde of Crueltie of which there are three degrees For there are some that procure it who neuerthelesse woulde not execute it themselues There are others that execute it Besides there is a third kinde of Crueltie when wee faile in perfourming our duetie towardes them that are in necessitie whome wee both ought and might helpe and succour whether this come of euill will or through negligence For thereby wee shewe that wee are without pitie and compassion Heereof followeth inhumanitie which is as if wee shoulde lay aside all humane affection and bee transfourmed into brute beasts Therefore wee may well conclude that all priuate Reuenge proceeding of enuy or of hatred or of anger is vicious and forbidden by God who commaundeth vs to render good for euill and not euill for euill For hee hath ordained the meanes whereby hee will haue vengeance execucuted among men Therefore hee hath appointed Magistrates to execute it according to his Lawe and following his ordinaunce not with any euill affection but with iust indignation proceeding from loue and from true zeale of iustice For to punish the wicked is a very acceptable sacrifice so that there be no intermingling of our own passions withall and that wee exercise not our enuies rancours and reuenges vnder the name and title of Iustice and of the glorie of God For if wee doe so wee cease to exercise the punishments and corrections of the Lorde and put our owne in practice Wee must therefore followe his example For hee suffereth not euill to goe vnpunished if men auoide not punishment by his grace and mercie and by those meanes which he hath appointed for the obtaining thereof Therefore it is often saide of the wicked in the Scripture that GOD will returne into their bosome the euill which they haue done and his children and seruantes desire him also to perfourme the same But when hee doeth it hee is not mooued with any euill affection but onely with the loue hee beareth to iustice and vertue and to his children and with pity and compassion towardes them in regarde of the iniuries done vnto them And as himselfe commeth in iudgement to take vengeance so hee woulde haue them that supplie his place among men vnto whome hee hath committed the sworde for the defence of the good and punishment of euill doers to followe his example But whether they doe so or no there is no sinne that can auoide
knowledge of God and obedience to his will bringeth to our heart wee may also iudge whether there be a paradise and another life and other ioy besides this which we receiue by corporall pleasures as beasts doe For this ioy that commeth to vs from such pleasures is common to vs with them vsually it endeth in sorowe and sadnesse But they haue no other that commeth vnto their soule of which they may haue any appehension as we haue And by the same consideration we may also in some sort iudge of that happines in which we shall be in the other life when this ioy shal be perfect in vs wherof we haue here but a very smal taste in respect of that we shal haue when we shal be fully reformed according to Gods image so that both our vnderstanding reason wil shal be made cōformable vnto him because we shal be wholy swallowed vp in his loue Contrariwise if here we feele a Hel which we cary about vs and which greatly tormenteth vs after we haue offended the maiesty of God especially when we haue cōmitted some horrible crimes this also is another argument whereby we may iudge whether there be not a Hel and vengeance from God to be executed vpon his enemies in another life For that sorow which our crimes committed doe breede in our hearts is within vs as a brand of this fire of Gods wrath which is daily kindled in vs more more Wherfore if there be in vs already such a vehemēt heat thereof when as yet the Lord doeth kindle but a litle the fire-brands of his wrath in our heartes how great shal it then be when all his wrath shal be set on fire Certainly they are very dull that doe not well consider and vnderstand it Now we haue heard heretofore how the heathen Philosophers concluded the immortalitie of mans soule by the nature thereof affirming that it is not created or compounded of corruptible matter but is of a celestiall and diuine nature by reason of that knowledge which it hath not onely of particular and corporal things as the soule of beastes hath but also of vniuersall and spirituall things and namely of God of numbers of order of the difference betweene vertue and vice and betweene honest and dishonest things For the knowledge of al these things is so naturall to mens soules that they are within them albeit they haue not receiued thē from without eyther by doctrine or instruction Whereby a man may easily iudge yea it followeth necessarily that they are created of a more excellent nature then is that of the elements of a nature that is incorruptible and perpetuall Wherefore it is verie euident that this knowledge thus naturall to mens soules is a certaine testimonie that they are not borne at all aduenture but are created by great arte and by a woonderfull prouidence of that diuine and eternall nature by which they haue their beeing namely God their Creatour for which cause also the knowledge of him shineth in vs. So also we may well iudge that God hath not in vaine placed in our nature the knowledge of the difference that is betweene vertue and vice betweene things honest and dishonest and that griefe which is to take vengeance in vs of those vices and crimes of which wee feele our selues guiltie And therefore the Heathen themselues concluded that there was not onelie a diuine iustice and nature which discerned good men from euill but also that there was another life after this in which this iudgement should bee made For they considered what great torments the wicked feele in their heartes and conscience after they haue committed horrible crimes and that there is none so audacious and obdurate not the greatest mocker and contemner of God and of his iudgments that can be who can always exempt himselfe from this dolour and paine notwithstanding hee labour with all his might to the contrarie For there is alwayes a certaine secrete vertue of Gods iustice which goeth beyonde them all and euermore punisheth the wicked Nowe it is certaine that these things come not thus to passe at all aduenture In like manner it is not possible that this knowledge which men haue to discerne vertues from vices shoulde bee a casuall thing and come thus to passe at aduenture without the certaine prouidence of God For if it were so that there were no punishment appoynted for vices and no more benefite or ioye prepared of God for the good then for the euill it should follow that all this knowledge shoulde bee giuen to man in vaine For it should doe him no more good then if hee were without it as brute beasts are Moreouer seeing all the wicked are not punished in this life it followeth necessarily that there is another life wherein they shal be punished and in which also God wil acknowledge the iust and cause them to enioy that good which he hath prepared for them For God cannot bee God but he must bee all-good aliust and almightie If hee be good hee cannot hate the good or them that doe it but loue them so as that hee cannot doe otherwise For howe shoulde hee not loue his like And as he cannot hate goodnesse or good men so hee cannot loue euill nor the wicked that follow after it but hateth them necessarily as contrarie to his nature Nowe Loue is of that nature that it cannot but desire and procure the good and honour of him whome it loueth as contrariwise hatred cannot but desire and procure the hurt and dishonour of him whome it hateth It followeth then necessarily that God beeing good and iust loueth good and iust men desiring and procuring their honour and their good and contrariwise that he hateth vniust and wicked men desiring and procuring their confusion and ruine And if hee haue this desire and this will no doubt but hee can easily and doeth also execute the same seeing hee is all-iust and almightie Truely this conclusion cannot seeme to bee ill grounded and those Heathen Philosophers who thereupon haue concluded the immortalitie of soules and the iudgement of God in another life had good reason so to doe For it is taken not only from the nature of man and from that image of God after which he was created but also from the very nature of God So that whosoeuer gainesayeth the same hath no more reason then if he saide that there is no God and that God is not God and that man is not man and that he differed in nothing from a beast neither God from the deuill And so not onely all nature shoulde bee ouer-throwen but God also the author and Creator thereof For we see almost vsually that the wickedst men haue the greatest honors in this world and liue most at their ease as we haue alreadie shewed If then there be a God and any prouidence and iustice in him now who can so much as thinke there is none but hee may also perswade
22. Of the ioy of the godly Luâ—e 6. 21. matth 5. 4. Esay 61. 3. Ioh. 16. 20 21. Philip. 44. Eccles. 7. 4 6. Prou. 6. 25. How worldlings deceiue themselues What hope is Difference betweene ioy and hope Of the true and certaine hope The profite and necessitie of hope Ephes 4. 4. Rom. 5. 3 4 5. Psal 25. 3. Rom. 5. 2. Rom. 12. 12. 15. 13. Hebr. 6. 19. Ier. 17. 7 13 17. psal 65. 5. and 91. 2 9. psal 31 1. and 71. Psal 118. 8 9. Prou. 10. 28. Iob 8. 13 14 15 The wickâ—d can not abide to speake or heare of God What feare is How palenesse colde and shaking are bâ—ed in the body How death commeth through feare Esay 13. 7 8. A place of Esay expounded The cause of cowardlines and the signe of courage Iob 41. 16. Effects of Feare in the soule Iosua 7. 5. Psal 22. 14. Ierem. 4. 9. The definitions of assurance and boldnesse Iosua 2. 9. Psal 53. 5. Psal 112. 1 7 8 Psal 56. 3 11. and 118. 6. prou 14. 26. Iohn 14. 1. Lâ—uit 26. 36. Deu. 28. 65 66 67. God is the authour of courage Why God hath giuen men affections The diuers effects of feare in the godly and in the wicked A fantasticall Good Who are to bee accounted wise men Eccles. 2. 1. Of delight and pleasure what it is and how it is receiued How God communicateth himselfe vnto men Of the diuers degrees of pleasures according to euery mans nature The delights of the bodily senses The delights of the internall senses CoÌ„templation is the greatest delight of the soule Of the abuse of pleasures Against the immoderate vse of pleasures The cause why a little griefe is stronger in vs theÌ„ a great pleasure Of the pleasures of fantasie The pleasures of reason and of the minde How we descend from true pleasures to false delights Of pleasures which men seeke crosse-wayes Of the vse of the delights of the spirite How the spirit is hindred in his actions How the spirite must bee occupied How corporall and spirituall pleasures chase each other Natural pleasures are more purethen artificiall Degrees to ascend vpto sound and perfect delight The knowledge of the affections very requisite What loue is How loue is engendred Of the kindes of desire Of the loue of men towards God The loue of parents towardes thir children The loue of God towards men The originall of friendship In what sort by loue we ascend vp to God and descend againt Of the vnion that is in loue Similitude is a cause of loue Beautie draweth loue Gen. 1. Beautie a flower of goodnes A caueat for faire women The force of Beautie The causes of the abuse in beautie Beautie maketh vice more vgly A good vse of Looking-glasses Three kindes of Loue. God created the world by Loue. Diuers kindes of beauty and loue Loue tendeth to vnitie Iohn 17. 21. Iohn 11. 52. 1. Iohn 3. 8. Sinne the cause of our seperation from God A double ground of loue Loue is free Iob 1. 9. Two sortes of hired loue Actes 20. 35. Loue descendeth but doth not ascend 1. Iohn 4. 8. Loue breedeth Loue. The heart of a louer compared to a looking glasse Loue ought to shew it selfe by workes Euils must be resisted in the beginning What Desire is Diuersitie of Goods Goodâ— belonging to this life Goods of fanciâ— and in opinion onely The effects of ambition and couetousnesse Of the false opinion of want The right vse of coueting The diuerse kinds of Desires Two sorts of Loue. The last ende of Loue. Acts 4. 32. Communitie among friends Loue bringeth equalitie Loue must first beginne at God Three meanes of knowledge The benefites that come of true loue whose scope is God The first benefite of true loue Diuers estimations of Loue. The cause of mens errour from the true Good The second benefite that is in true Loue. The third benefit Galat. 2. 20. The highest degree of Loue. Knowledge requisit in Loue. Two sortes of knowledge in Loue. The difference betweene Loue and Desire Rom. 8. 22. 1. Cor. 13. 12. Of friendship betweene wicked men What foundation the friendship of good men hath 1. Corint 13. 8 A similitude shewing the vanity of the loue of worldly delights What sauour is Why God fauoureth vs. Of reuerence The caause of humilitie A good lesson for princes Reuerence requisite in true friendship Of honour and of maiestie Rom. 12. 16. Of the signes of honour and of reuerence Of Mercie and Compassion Rom. 12. 8 9 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Cor. 12. Heb. 13. 3. Math. 5. 7. Luke 6. 36. Prou. 21. 21. Iam. 2. 13. Foure causes of all the troubles of the soule The nature of corporall goods How the passions may be good Of offence What euill may offend vs. Why men are so easily offended What offences are most grieuous Of the nature of mankind how hardly it is pleased Of the degrees of offence How offence may be welâ— vsed The remedy to cure offences What contempt is Of mockery Esay 53. 7. Diuers opinions of the Philosophers touching the affections What anger is How it differeth from offence Of rancour The violence of anger Prou. 27. 4. Ecclus. 8. The fruites of anger What effect it hath in the body The fountaine of the appetite of reuenge The causes of looking pale and red How anger troubleth the braine The best remedy against anger Ecclus. 28. Another remedy against anger Why the affection of anger is naturall what good commeth by it What Hatred is The causes of it Why it is an easier matter to hate then to loue 1. Ioh. 3. 10 12. The fruits of Hatred Of a good kinde of hatred Rom. â—2 9. Amos 5. 15. How loue is turned into hatred Remedies against the euill kinde of hatred Description of Enuy. Diuers sorts of Enuy. Enuy is neuer without griefe Against what good things Enuy is most bent How an enuious body is tormented The countenance of an enuious man Prouer. 14. 30. Ecclus. 30. 17 24. Of a good kinde of enuy 1. Cor. 12. 31. 2. Cor. 9. 2. Roman 13. galat. 5. 21. Esay 3. 16. and 48. 4. Ezech. 3. 8 9. Psal 34. 15. 1. Pet. 3. 22. Esay 29. 23. Exod 13. 14. Iob 40. 4. Exod. 15. 7 8. Iob 9. 17. What Iealousie is Iames 4. 1 2. A good kinde of iealousie What mutuall loue ought to be betweene man and wife Why Iealousie is attributed to God What Indignation is From whence Zeale proceedeth Ioel 2. 18. Isaiah 9. 7. What Zeale is 2. Cor. 11. 2. A good lesson for Princes and Pastors The abuse of Indignation and of Zeale Rom. 10. 2. 1. Timot. 1. 13. Act. 26. 10 11. Hebr. 10. 30. Matth. 10. 28. Luke 21. 19. prouer 20. 22. What reuenge is What Rage is Of Crueltie Three sortes of Crueltie How magistrates ought to punish With what affection God punisheth offendors What Shame is Blushing commendable in some persons A second kind of
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