ordinances As in the lawe of the Leprousie where it is sayd If the whitenesse hauâ—… ouer spread the flâ—…sh the Patient may passe abroad for clean But if there be any whole flâ—…sh remayning he is to be shut vp for vncleane One of them noteth a principle of nature that putrefaction is more contagious before maturitie than after And another noteth a position of morall Philosophie that men abandoned to vice doe not so much corrupt manners as those that are halfe good and halfe euill so in this and verie many other places in that lawe there is to bee found besides the Theologicall sence much aspersion of Philosophie So likewise in that excellent Booke of Iob if it be reâ—…olued with diligence it will be found pregnant and swelling with naturall Philosophie as for example Cosmographie and the roundnesse of the world Qui extendit aquilonem super vacuum appendit terram super nihilum wherein the pensilenesse of the earth the pole of the North and the finitenesse or conuexitie of Heauen are manifestly touched So againe matter of Astronomie Spiritus eius ornauit coelos obstetricante manu eius eductus est coluber tortuosus And in another place Nunquid coniungere valebis micantes stellds pleyadas aut gyrum arcturi poteris dissipare where the fixing of the starres euer standing at equall distance is with great elegancie noted And in another place Qui faâ—…arcturum â—…ona hyadas interiora austri where againe hee takes knowledge of the depression of the Southerne pole calling it the secrets of the South because the southerne starres were in that climate vnseene Matter of generation Annon si ut lac mulsisti me sicut caseum coagulasti me c. Matter of Mynerals Habet argentum venarum suarum principia aurolocus est in quo conâ—…latur ferrâ—…m de tâ—…rra tollitur lapis solutus calore in 〈◊〉 vertiâ—…r and so forwards in that Chapter So likewise in the person of Salomon the King wee see the guist or endowment of wisedome and learning both in Salomons petition and in Gods assent thereunto preferred before all other terrene and temporall selicitie By vertue of which grant or donatiue of God Salomon became inabled not onely to write those excellent Parables or Aphorismes concerning diuine and morall Philosophie but also to compile a naturall Historie of all verdor from the Cedar vpon the Mountaine to the mosse vppon the wall which is but a rudiment betweene putrefaction and an hearbe and also of all things that breath or moone Nay the same Salomon the King although he excelled in the glorie of treasure and magnificent buildings of shipping and Nauigation of seruice and attendance of same and renowne and the like yet hee maketh no claime to any of those glories but onely to the glorie of Inquisition of truth for so he sayth expressely The glorie of God is to conceale a thing But the glorie of the King is to find it out as if according to the innocent play of Children the diuine Maiestie tooke delight to hide his workes to the end to haue them sound out and as if Kinges could not obtaine a greater honour than to bee Gods play-fellowes in that game considering the great commaundement of wits and meanes whereby nothing needeth to be hidden from them Neither did the dispensation of God varie in the times after our Sauiour came into the world for our Sauiour himselfe did first shew his power to subdue ignorance by his conference with the Priests and Doctors of the lawe before he shewed his power to subdue nature by his miracles And the comming of the holy spirite was chiefely figured and expressed in the similitude and guist of tongues which are but Vehicula scientiae So in the election of those Instruments which it pleased God to vse for the plantation of the faith notwithstanding that at the first hedid employ persons altogether vnlearned otherwise than by inspiration more euidently to declare his immediate working and to abbase all humane wisedome or knowledge yet neuerthelesse that Counsell of his was no sooner perfourmed but in the next vicissitude and succession he did send his diuine truth into the world wayted on with other Learnings as with Seruants or Handmaides For so we see Saint Paule who was only learned amongst the Apostles had his penne most vsed in the scriptures of the new Testament So againe we finde that many of the ancient Bishops and Father of the Church were excellently redde studied in all the learning of the Heathen insomuch that the Edict of the Emperour Iulianus whereby it was interdicted vnto Christians to bee admitted into Schooles Lectures or exercises of learning was esteemed and accounted a more pernitious engine and machination against the Christian faith than were all the sanguinarie prosecutions of his Predecessors Neither could the emulation and Iealousie of Gregorie the first of that name Bishop of Rome euer obtaine the opinion of pietie or deuotion but contrarywise receiued the censure of humour malignitie and pusillanimitie euen amongst holy men in that he designed to obliterate and extinguish the memorie of Heathen antiquitie and Authors But contrarewise it was the Christian Church which amidst the inundations of the Scythians on the one side from the Northwest and the Saracens from the East did preserue in the sacred lappe and bosome thereof the pretious Reliques euen of Heathen Learning which otherwise had beene extinguished as if no such thing had euer beene And wee see before our eyes that in the age of our selues and our Fathers when it pleased God to call the Church of Rome to account for their degenerate manners and ceremonies and sundrie doctrines obnoxious and framed to vphold the same abuses At one and the same time it was ordayned by the diuine prouidence that there should attend withall a renouation and new spring of all other knowledges And on the other side we see the Iesuites who partly in themselues and partly by the emulation and prouocation of their example haue much quickned and strengthned the state of Learning we see Isay what notable seruice and reparation they haue done to the Romane Sea Wherefore to conclude this part let it bee obserued that there be two principall duties and seruices besides ornament illustration which Philosophie and humane learning doe perfourme to faith and Religion The one because they are an effectuall inducement to the exaltation of the glory of God For as the Psalmes and other Scriptures doe often inuite vs to consider and magnifie the great and wonderfull workes of God so if we should rest onely in the contemplation of the exterior of them as they first offer themselues to our sences we should do a like iniurie vnto the Maiestie of God as if wee should iudge or construe of the store of some excellent Ieweller by that onely which is set out toward the streete in his shoppe The other because they minister a singuler helpe and preseruatiue against
Traians vertue and gouernement was admired renowned surely no testimonie of graue and faithfull History doth more liuely set forth than that legend tale of Gregorius Magnus Bishop of Rome who was noted for the extream enuy he bare towards all Heathen excellencie and yet he is reported out of the loue and estimation of Traians morall vertues to haue made vnto God passionate and feruent prayers for the deliuerie of his soule out of Hell and to haue obtained it with a Caueat that he should make no more such petitions In this Princes time also the persecutions against the Christians receiued intermission vpon the certificate of Plin us secundus a man of excellent learning and by Traian aduanced Adrion his successor was the most curious man that liued and the most vniuersal enquirer insomuch as it was noted for an errour in his mind that he desired to comprehend all thinges and not to reserue himselfe for the worthyest thinges falling into the like humour that was long before noted in Phillip and Macedon who when hee would needs ouer-rule and put downe an excellent Musitian in an argument touching Musique was well answered by him againe God forbid Sir saith hee that your for tune should be so bad as to know these things better than I It pleased God likewise to vse the curiositie of this Emperour as an inducement to the peace of his Church in those dayes for hauing Christ in veneration not as a God or Sauiour but as a wonder or noueltie and hauing his picture in his Gallerie matched with Apollon◅us with whom in his vaine imagination he thought he had some conformitie yet it serued the turne to allay the bitter hatred of those times against the Christian name so as the Church had peace during his time and for his gouernement ciuile although he did not attaine to that of Traians in glorie of Armes or perfection of Iustice yet in deseruing of the weale of the Subiect he did exceede him For Traianc erected many famous monuments and buildings insomuch as Constantine the Great in emulation was woont to call him Parietaria Wall flower because his name was vppon so many walles but his buildings and workes were more of glorie and tryumph than vse and necessitie But Adrian spent his whole Raigne which was peaceable in a perambulation or Suruey of the Romane Empire giuing order and making assignation where he went for reedifying of Cities Townes and Forts decayed and for cutting of Riuers and streames and for making Bridges and passages and for pollicing of Cities and Commonalties with new ordinances and constitutions and graunting new Franchises and incorporations so that his whole time was a very restauration of all the lapses and decayes of former times Antonius Pius who succeeded him was a Prince excellently learned and had rhe Patient and subtile witte of a Schoole man insomuch as in common speech which leaues no vertue vntaxed hee was called Cymini Sector a caruer or a diuider of Comine seede which is one of the least seedes such a patience hee had and setled spirite to enter into the least and most exact differences of causes a fruit no doubt of the exceeding tranquillitie and serenitie of his minde which being no wayes charged or incombred either with feares remorses or scruples but hauing been noted for a man of the purest goodnesse without all fiction or affectation that hath raigned or liued made his minde contitinually present and entier he likewise approached a degree neerer vnto Christianitie and became as Agrippa sayd vnto S. Paule Halfe a Christian holding their Religion and Law in good opinion and not only ceasing persecution but giuing way to the aduancement of Christians There succeeded him the first Diui fratres the two adoptiue brethren Lucius Commodus Verus Sonne to Elius Verus who delighted much in the softer kind of learning and was wont to call the Poet Martiall his Virgill and Marcus Aurelius Antoninus whereof the later who obscured his colleague and suruiued him long was named the Philosopher who as he excelled all the rest in learning so he excelled them likewise in perfection of all royall vertues insomuch as Iulianus the Emperor in his booke intituled Caesares being as a Pasquill or Satyre to deride all his Predecessors fayned that they were all inuited to a banquet of the Gods and Sylenus the Iester sate at the neather end of the table and bestowed a scoffe on euerie one as they came in but when Marcus Philosophus came in Sylenus was grauelled and out of countenance not knowing where to carpe at him saue at the last he gaue a glaunce at his patience towards his wife And the vertue of this Prince continued with that of his Predecessor made the name of Antoninus so sacred in the world that though it were extreamely dishonoured in Commodus Carocolla and Haeliogabalus who all bare the name yet when Alexander Seuerus refused the name because he was a stranger to the familie the Senate with one acclamation sayd Quomodo Augustus sic Antoninus In such renowne and veneration was the name of these two Princes in those dayes that they would haue had it as a perpetuall addition in all the Emperours stile In this Emperours time also the Church for the most part was in peace so as in this sequence of sixe Princes we doe see the blessed effects of Learning in soueraigntie painted forth in the greatest Table of world But for a Tablet or picture of smaller volume not presuming to speake of your Maiestie that liueth in my iudgement the most excellent is that of Queene Elizabeth your immediate Predecessor in this part of Brittaine a Prince that if Plutarch were now aliue to write lynes by parallells would trouble him I thinke to find for her a parallell amongst women This Ladie was endued with learning in her sexe singuler and grace euen amongst masculine Princes whether we speake of Learning of Language or of science moderne or ancient Diuinitie or Humanitie And vnto the verie last yeare of her life she accustomed to appoint set houres for reading scarcely any young Student in an Vniuersitie more dayly or more duly As for the gouernement I assure my selfe I shall not exceed if I doe affirme that this part of the Iland neuer had 45. yeres of better times and yet not through the calmnesse of the season but through the wisedom of her regimēt For if there be considered of the one side the truth of Religion established the constant peace and securitie the good administration of Iustice the temperate vse of the prerogatiue not slackened nor much strayned the flourishing state of Learning sortable to so excellent a Patronesse the conuenient estate of wealth and meanes both of Crowne and subiect the habite of obedience and the moderation of discontents and there be considered on the other side the differences of Religion the troubles of Neighbour Countreys the ambition of Spaine and opposition of Rome and then that shee was solitary and of
and euill Thus because the light of Nature is vsed in two seuerall senses The one ◅at which springeth from Reason Sense Induction Argument according to the lawes of heauen and earth The other that which is imprinted vpon the spirit of Man by an inward Instinct according to the lawe of conscience which is a sparkle of the puritie of his first Estate In which later sense onely he is participant of some light and discerning touching the perfection of the Morall lawe but how sufficient to check the vice but not to informe the dutie So then the doctrine of Religion as well M◅all as Misticall is not to be attained but by inspiration and reuelation from God The vse notwithstanding of Reason in spirituall things and the latitude thereof is very great and generall for it is not for nothing that the Apostle calleth Religion our reasonable seruice of God insomuch as the verie Ceremonies and Figures of the oulde Lawe were full of reason and signification much more then the ceremonies of Idolatrie and Magicke that are full of Non-significants and Surde Characters But most specially the Christian faith as in all things so in this deserueth to be highly magnified houlding and preseruing the golden Mediocritie in this point betweene the law of the Heathen and the law of Mahumet which haue embraced the two extreames For the Religion of the Heathen had no constant beleefe or confession but left all to the libertie of argument and the Religion of Mahumet on the otherside interdicteth argument altogether the one hauing the verie face of Errour and the other of Imposture whereas the Faith doth both admit and reiect Disputation with difference The vse of Humane Reason in Religion is of two sorts The former in the conception and apprehension of the Mysteries of GOD to vs reuealed The other in the inferring and deriuing of doctrine and direction thervpon The former extendeth to the mysteries themselues but how by way of Illustration and not by way of argument The later consisteth indeed of Probation and Argument In the former wee see God vouch safeth to descend to our capacitie in the expressing of his misteries in sort as may bee sensible vnto vs and doth grifte his Reuelations holie doctrine vpon the Notions of our reason and applyeth his Inspiratiōs to open our vnderstāding as the forme of the key to the ward of the locke for the later there is allowed vs an vse of Reason and argument secondarie and respectiue although not originall and absolute For after the Articles and principles of Religion are placed and exempted from examination of reason It is then permitted vnto vs to make deriuations and inferences from and according to the Analogie of them for our better direction In Nature this holdeth not for both the principles are examinable by Induction though not by a Medium or Sillogisme and besides those principles or first positions haue noe discordance with that reason which draweth downe and diduceth the inferiour positions But yet it holdeth not in Religion alone but in many knowledges both of greater and smaller Nature namely wherin there are not onely Posita but Placita for in such there can be noe vse of absolute reason we see it familiarly in Games of wit as Chesse or the like The Draughts and first lawes of the Game are positiue but how meerely ad placitum and not examinable by reason But then how to direct our play thereupon with best aduantage to winne the game is artificiall and rationall So in Humane lawes there be many groundes and Maximes which are Placita Iuris Positiue vpon authoritie and not vpon reason and therefore not to be disputed But what is most iust not absolutely but relatiuely and according to those Maximes that affordeth along field of disputation Such therfore is that secōdarie reason which hath place in diuinitie which is grounded vpon the Placets of God Here therefore I note this deficience that there hath not bin to my vnderstanding sufficiently enquired handled The true limits and vse of reason in spirituall things as a kinde of diuine Dialectique which for that it is not done it seemethto me a thing vsuall by pretext of true conceiuing that which is reuealed to search and mine into that which is not reuealed and by pretext of enucleating inferences and contradictories to examine that which is positiue The one sort falling into the Error of Nicodemus demanding to haue things made more sensible then it pleaseth God to reueale them Quomodo possit homo nasci cum sit senex The other sort into the Error of the Disciples which were scandalized at a shew of contradiction Quid est hoc quod dicit nobis modicum non videbitis me iterum modicum videbitis me c. Vpon this I haue insisted the more in regard of the great and blessed vse thereof for this point well laboured and defined of would in my iudgement be an Opiate to staie and bridle not onely the vanitie of curious speculatiōs wherewith the schooles labour but the furie of cōtrouersies wherewith the church laboureth For it cannot but open mens eyes to see that many controuersies doe meerely pertaine to that which is either not reuealed or positiue and that many others doe growe vpon weake and obscure Inferences or deriuations which latter sort of men would reviue the blessed stile of that great Doctor of the Gentiles would bee carryed thus Ego non Dominus and againe Secundum consilium meum in Opinions and counsells and not in positions and oppositions But Men are nowe ouer readie to vsurpe the stile Non Ego sed Dominus and not so only but to binde it with the thunder and denunciation of Curses and Anathemaes to the terror of those which haue not sufficiently learned out of Salomon that The causelesse Curse shall not come Diuinitie hath two principall parts The matter informed or reuealed and the nature of the Information or Reuelation and with the later wee will beginne because it hath most coherence with that which wee haue now last handled The nature of the information consisteth of three braunches The limites of the information the sufficiencie of the information and the acquiring or obtaining the information Vnto the limits of the information belong these considerations howe farre forth particular persons continue to bee inspired how farre forth the Church is inspired and howe farre forth reason may be vsed the last point wherof I haue noted as deficient Vnto the sufficiency of the information belong two considerations what points of Religion are foundamentall what perfectiue beeing matter of founder building and perfection vpon one and the same foundation and againe how the gradations of light according to the dispensation of times are materiall to the sufficiencie of beleefe Here againe I may rather giue it in aduise then note it as deficient that the points foundamentall and the points of further perfection onely ought to bee with piety and
of spirite but no soundnesse of matter or goodnesse of qualitie This kinde of degenerate learning did chiefely raigne amongst the Schoole-men who hauing sharpe and stronge wits and aboundance of leasure and smal varietie of reading but their wits being shut vp in the Cels of a few Authors chiefely Aristotle their Dictator as their persons were shut vp in the Cells of Monasteries and Colledges and knowing little Historie either of Nature or time did out of no great quantitie of matter and infinite agitation of wit spin out vnto vs those laboriouswebbes of Learning which are extant iâ—… their Bookes For the wit and minde of man if it worke vpon matter which is the conteÌ„plation of the creatures of God worketh according to the stuffe and is limited thereby but if it worke vpon it selfe as the Spider worketh his webbe then it is endlesse 〈◊〉 and brings forth indeed Copwebs of learning admirable for the finesse of thread and worke but of no substance or profite This same vnprofitable subtilitie or curiositie is of two sorts either in the subiect it selfe that they handle when it is a fruitlesse speculation or controuersie whereof there are no small number both in Diuinity Philosophie or in the maner or method of handling of a knowledge which amongst them was this vpon euerie particular position or assertion to frame obiections and to those obiectious solutions which solutions were for the most part not confutations but distinctions whereas indeed the strength of all Sciences is as the strength of the old mans faggot in the bond For the harmonie of a science supporting each part the other is and ought to be the true and briefe confutation and suppression of all the smaller sort of obiections but on the other side if you take out euerie Axiome as the stickes of the faggot one by one you may quarrell with them and bend them and breake them at your pleasure so that as was sayd of Seneca Verborum minutijs rerum frangit pondera So a man may truely say of the Schoole men Quaestionum minutijs Scienâ—…arum frangunt sodilitatem For were it not better for a man in a faire roome to set vp one great light or braunching candlesticke of lights than to goe about with a small watch candle into euerie corner and such is their methode that rests not so much vppon euidence of truth prooued by arguments authorities similitudes examples as vpon particular confutations and solutions of euerie scruple cauillation obiection breeding for the most part one questioÌ„ as fast as it solueth another eueÌ„ as in the former resemblance when you carry the light into one corner you darken the rest so that the Fable and fiction of Scylla seemeth to be a liuely Image of this kinde of Philosophie or knowledge which was transformed into a comely Virgine for the vpper parts but then Candida succinctam latranâ—…ibus inguina monstris So the Generalities of the Schoolemen are for a while good and proportionable but then when you descend into their distinctions and decisions in stead of a fruitfull wombe for the vse and benefite of mans life they end in monstrous altercations and barking questions So as it is not possible but this qualitie of knowledge must fall vnder popular contempt the people being apt to contemne truth vpoÌ„ occasion of Controuersies altercations and to thinke they are all out of their way which neuer meete and when they see such digladiation about subtilties and matter of no vse nor moment they easily fall vpon that iudgement of Dionysius of Siracusa Verba ista sunt senum ctiosorum Notwithstanding certaine it is that if those Schoole men to their great thirst of truth and vnwearied trauaile of wit had ioyned varietie and vniuersalitie of reading and contemplation they had prooued excellent Lights to the great aduancement of all learning and knowledge but as they are they are great vndertakers indeed and fierce with darke keeping But as in the inquirie of the diuine truth their pride enclined to leaue the Oracle of Gods word and to vanish in the mixture of their owne inuentions so in the inquisition of Nature they euer left the Oracle of Gods works and adored the deceiuing and deformed Images which the vnequall mirrour of their owne minds or a few receiued Authors or principles did represent vnto them And thus much for the second disease of learning For the third vice or disease of Learning which concerneth deceit or vntruth it is of all the rest the fowlest as that which doth destroy the essentiall fourme of knowledge which is nothing but a representation of truth for the truth of being and the truth of knowing are one differing no more than the direct beame and the beame reflected This vice therefore brauncheth it selfe into two sorts delight in deceiuing and aptnesse to be deceiued imposture and Credulitie which although they appeare to be of a diuers nature the one seeming to proceede of cunning and the other of simplicitie yet certainely they doe for the most part concurre for as the verse noteth Percontatorem fugito nam Garrulus idem est An inquisitiâ—…e man is a pratler so vpon the like reason a credulous man is a deceiuer as we see it in same that hee that will easily beleeue rumors will as easily augment rumors and adde somewhat to them of his owne which Tacitus wisely noteth when he sayth Fingunt simul creduntque so great an affinitie hath fiction and beleefe This facilitie of credite and accepting or admitting thinges weakely authorized or warranted is of two kindes according to the subiect For it is either a beleefe of Historie as the Lawyers speake matter of fact or else of matter of art and opinion As to the former wee see the experience and inconuenience of this errour in ecclesiasticall Historie which hath too easily receiued and registred reports and narrations of Miracles wrought by Martyrs Hermits or Monkes of the desert and other holymen and there Reliques Shrines Chappels and Images which though they had a passage for time by the ignorance of the people the superstitious simplicitie of some and the politique tolleration of others holding them but as diuine poesies yet after a periode of time when the mist began to cleare vp they grew to be esteemed but as old wiues fables impostures of the Cleargie illusions of spirits and badges of Antichrist to the great scandall and detriment of Religion So in naturall Historie wee see there hath not beene that choise and iudgement vsed as ought to haue beene as may appeare in the writings of Plinius Cardanus Albertus and diuers of the Arabians being fraught with much fabulous matter a great part not onely vntryed but notoriously vntrue to the great derogation of the credite of naturall Philosophie with the graue and sober kinde of wits wherein the wisedome and integritie of Aristotle is worthy to be obserued that hauing made so diligent and exquisite a Historie of liuing creatures hath mingled it sparingly
because reason cannot bee so sensible nor examples so fit But there remaineth yet another vse of POESY PARABOLICAL opposite to that which we last mentioned for that tendeth to demonstrate and illustrate that which is taught or deliuered and this other to retire and obscure it That is when the Secrets and Misteries of Religion Pollicy or Philosophy are inuolued in Fables or Parables Of this in diuine Poesie wee see the vse is authorised In Heathen Poesie wee see the exposition of Fables doth fall out sometimes with great felicitie as in the Fable that the Gyants beeing ouerthrowne in their warre against the Gods the Earth their mother in reuenge thereof brought forth Fame Illam terra Parens ira irritata Deorū Progenuit Extremam vt perhibent Coeo Enceladoque Sororem expounded that when Princes Monarchies haue suppressed actuall and open Rebels then the malignitic of people which is the mother of Rebellion doth bring forth Libels slanders and taxatiōs of the states which is of the same kind with Rebellion but more Feminine So in the Fable that the rest of the Gods hauing conspired to binde Iupiter Pallas called Briareus with his hundreth hands to his aide expounded that Monarchies neede not feare any courbing of their absolutenesse by Mightie Subiects as long as by wisedome they keepe the hearts of the people who will be sure to come in on their side So in the fable that Achilles was brought vp vnder Chyron the Centaure who was part a man part a beast expounded Ingenuously but corruptly by Machiauell that it belongeth to the education and discipline of Princes to knowe as well how to play the part of the Lyon in violence and the Foxe in guile as of the man in vertue and Iustice. Neuerthelesse in many the like incounters I doe rather think that the fable was first and the exposition deuised then that the Morall was first thereupon the fable framed For I finde it was an auncient vanitie in Chrisippus that troubled himselfe with great contention to fasten the assertions of the Stoicks vpon fictions of the ancient Poets But yet that all the Fables and fictions of the Poets were but pleasure and not figure I interpose no opinion Surely of those Poets which are now extant euen Homer himselfe notwithstanding he was made a kinde of Scripture by the later Schooles of the Grecians yet I should without any difficultie pronounce that his Fables had no such inwardnesse in his owne meaning But what they might haue vpon a more originall tradition is not easie to affirme for he was not the inuentor of many of them In this third part of Learning which is Poesie I can report no deficience For being as a plant that commeth of the lust of the earth without a formall seede it hath sprung vp and spread abroad more then any other kinde But to ascribe vnto it that which is due for the expressing of affections passions corruptions and customes we are beholding to Poets more thē to the Philosophers workes and for wit and eloquence not much lesse then to Orators harangues But it is not good to stay too long in the Theater let vs now passe on to the iudicial Place or Pallace of the Mind which we are to approach and view with more reuerence and attention The knowledge of Man is as the waters some descending from aboue and some springing from beneath the one informed by the light of Nature the other inspired by diuine reuelation The light of Nature consisteth in the Notions of the minde and the Reports of the Sences for as for knowledge which Man receiueth by teaching it is Cumulatiue and not Originall as in a water that besides his own spring-heade is fedde with other Springs and Streames So then according to these two differing Illuminations or Originals Knowledge is first of al deuided into DIVINITIE and PHILOSOPHIE In PHILOSOPHY the contemplations of Man doe either penetrate vnto God or are circumferred to Nature or are reflected or reuerted vpon himselfe Out of which seuerall inquiries there doe arise three knowledges DIVINE PHILOSOPHY NATVRAL PHILOSOPHY and HVMANE PHILOSOPHY or HVMANITIE For all things are marked and stamped with this triple Character of the power of God the difference of Nature and the vse of Man But because the distributions and partitions of knowledge are not like seuerall lines that meete in one Angle and so touch but in a point but are like branches of a tree that meete in a stēme which hath a dimension and quantitie of entyrenes and continuance before it come to discontinue break it self into Armes and boughes therfore it is good before wee enter into the former distribution to erect constitute one vniuersal Science by the name of PHILOSOPHIA PRIMA PRIMITIVE or SVMMARIEPHILOSOPHIE as the Maine and common way before we come where the waies part and deuide themselues which Sciēce whether I should report as deficient or noe I stand doubtfull For I finde a certaine Rapsodie of Naturall Theologie and of diuers parts of Logicke And of that part of Naturall Philosophie which concerneth the Principles and of that other part of Naturall Philosophy which concerneth the Soule or Spirit all these strangely commixed and confused but being examined it seemeth to mee rather a depredation of other Sciences aduanced and exalted vnto some height of tearmes then any thing solide or substantiue of it selfe Neuerthelesse I cannot bee ignorant of the distinction which is currant that the same things are handled but in seuerall respects as for example that Logicke considereth of many things as they are in Notion this Philosophy as they are in Nature the one in Apparance the other in Existence But I finde this difference better made then pursued For if they had considered Quantitie Similitude Diuersitie and the rest of those Externe Characters of things as Philosophers and in Nature their inquiries must of force haue beene of a farre other kinde then they are For doth anie of them in handeling Quantitie speake of the force of vnion how and how farre it multiplieth vertue Doth any giue the reason why some things in Nature are so common and in so great Masse and others so rare and in so small quantitie Doth anie in handling Similitude and Diuersitie assigne the cause why Iron should not mooue to Iron which is more like but mooue to the Loadestone which is lesse like why in all Diuersities of things there should bee certaine Participles in Nature which are almost ambiguous to which kinde they should bee referred But there is a meere and deepe silence touching the Nature and operation of those Common adiuncts of things as in Nature and onely a resuming and repeating of the force and vse of them in speeche or argument Therefore because in a Wryting of this Nature I auoyde all subtilitie my meaning touching this Originall or vniuersall Philosophie is thus in a plaine and grosse description by Negatiue That it bee a Receptacle for all such