Book I,

Diogenes bis opinion of a pale young, man.
Trov. 14. Lovers are pale
In prolog.de virtu. Cbrifli.
The body is the fouls tnflm- meat.
The body is dri¬ ven by the foul to u£U
Gal. S’*
.
A Simile from « revive horft.
iyladu ti.
A Simile from a loaded Por¬ ter*
face, faith Tally, filthy eyes, fometimes quick, fometimes flow gate, did clearly bewray his wicked heart : he had an impure mind, hatefull to God and Man, that could be quieted with no¬ thing, his confcience did fo wound him with fear and reftlef- nefle.There is never fo fmall a fault of the Mind, but will appear l'omewhat in the outward lineaments of the body. For hatred, an- ger,fear,forrow,love,envy,treafon,a defire to rob and ft cal, will pre- fently be feen in the face. Diogenes feeing a pale wan-faced young Man, faid he was either in love, or was malicious : For envious perfons are vexed with the good fuccefle of other men, wax lean, and their marrow and bones corrupt within them. When he faw another that was pale with love, faid. He was dead in his own body, and living in anothers . All which confirm, that vices go and come from one part to another, and that one partakes of the others hurt, and that they mutually fuffer one the others ill.
But Cyprian excufeth the body, and will have no fault laid upon that. For he faith, All vices in Man grow up in the Soul , for that onely lives, feels, and moves. But the Soul fas he maintains) fo ufeth the .body, as the Smith ufeth a Hammer or an Anvil , wherein it forgeth all the Idols of obfeenenefe and filtbinejje , and makes all Images of ill defires. For ( faith he ) the flejh diStates no fins , nor invents any mif chiefs, nor doth it frame thoughts , ordtfpofe of what mu ft be done > but the body is the Souks fbop , and what the Soul afjefis, it performs by the body . But where it is laid, that the flejh contends againft the fpi- rit, and the fpirit againft the flejh , he thinks it fpoken figura¬ tively; becaufe all that contention is of the Mind againft it fell, driving with its own will. For the Mind, being drunk with the venom of its own defire, applyes the body in a&ing fuch contumelies, and fo they joyntly fink down into deadly plcafures, and fall afleep in them. Yet, though Cyprian fpeak very wittily, herein I think it fitter to believe St. Paul , who faith that the weight of the body prefleth down the foul, and hinders the good endeavours of it : For the fpirit doth luft againft the flejh, and the flejh against the fpirit •, they are his own words; and thefe two are enemies, fo that a man cannot do what he would . For the earth¬ ly manfion is a burden to the foul, and flops the mind from doing what it intends. And as a reftive horfe will not endure his rider, and labours to throw him off ; fo the body ftrives againft the mind that fpurs the body on to noble a&ions, and hinders it, and by an imbred wickednefle this (lave is alwaies difobedient to its ruler, and will not be drawn on by it. Which Chrift inculcates to the Apoftles when they Were drowfy, faying. The fpirit is ready, but the flejh is weak. For the flefh is deaf when the fpirit dire&s it, and admonifheth it, and is unwilling to hearken to it. As a man go¬ ing a journey, goes on merrily to the place he intends, but if he be overloaded, he goes on more heavily, and againft his will, is longer on his way, before he can come to his journeys end ; fo the foul opprefled with the burden of the body, goes on very heavily, and with great difficulty attains the end it aims at, ^Wherefore
- - - - - — " let
39
Chap. i o. 7 he Soul is fulje'ci to Pafjions, &c,
. ' ' p ~ . i . - * ' - m • - - --x - L -
let no man think that the body is wholly idle, but that tr.e natu¬ ral powers and faculties of the body > and the humours in it, either hurt or help the a&ionsof the foul * and that they y id d mutual aid unto the other. For in vain and uadelefvedly ihuilJ the body partake of eternal pain or joy with the body, if it were not in many things a companion and helper with it. Let the body be the vcf- fel and houfeof the foul, let it be the receptacle, fhop, organ, or place for it to refide in, yet it contracts dome fmack from it, as a simile from good Wine from a iufty Cask. But if all chat belongs to Man, ls
and all his functions mull be attributed to the foul, it is nectfCiry that ubefubjc&topafTions, and chat the body fhould not be bla- rbe soul fabj eel med at all, or but very little. Augujline drives by fuch Argu- t0Mfi°ns. mentsto prove that the foul is not tree from paflions : Whatfoe- ver is affebted with grief, fear, forrow, indignation, defirc of re¬ venge is pafTible ; the foul when it cannot have what it defires, is grieved, &c. Therefore the foul is fubjebt to paiTions.
Hefeemstome to argue very wittily. For if the foul bound to the body were free of all grief or palTions, it could feel no pain or torments in hell. But that is not fo, as che Hillory ofthe rich glut- ton in the Gofpel confirms, who when he was in torments, defired to have his burning tongue cooled with a drop of water, to cafe his torments; Which is fpokeii figuratively and parabolically, thatnomanmay think chat incorporeal fuoftances have ufe of corporeal organs* For the Scripture applies it felf to nians ca- G . ^ . parity, with proper words fetched from che likenefle of things $criptur*a£ that are, and to declares Gdds love to thole that are good, and his figurative. revenge againft the wicked. By the like figure, in fpeech, the afAbeTtl^ Bible lets forth gods anger, zeal, forrow, repentance, the face, eyes, god. countenance, hands j arms of God, for the wcakneffe of mans mind could not any other vvaics apprehend the mighty force and power of God,unleffe they were delivered to us in fuch a common expref- fion. Since therefore it isclearfrom Scripture, that the fouls of men, freed from their bodies, and ordained for torments, are tor¬ mented, how can it be that being m the bodies, and hindfed by their union with them, they fhould not fuffer alfo £ For I am per- fwaded that fouls, as coming from heaven cannot be annihilated or feel corruption ; but that they are cruelly tormented, and feel the pricks and wounds of a biting conference : which Chrift fhevv- ethas Bfaias did, their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched. Ch.
For as rottennefle and worms corrupt the hardefl wood, and as M*rk?- fire confumes all it meets with, fo the pricks of a giiilty mind fotteTmofc wound the foul, and internal furies burn and torment it. When the mind burns with covetoufneffe, is kindled with revenge, is in¬ flamed with anger, confumes with envy, burns in love, is contra¬ cted with grief, I think there is no man but is ready to do or fuf- backings of the ferany thing,thant©luffer fuch rackings in his very foul, and to be fogrievoufly tormented at the very heart. The Tortures of l0a£° * the foul are far more intolerable then the pains of the body.
Which by a figure of Interrogation, that he might ftrike deeper into the mind, Perfiw thus fet fotth. fDid
\ *
4°
The Soul is Subjett to-Paffions , &c. Book I#
Did ere the Bull of BraJJ efo fiercely roar ,
Or the Sword hanging down, tormented more The heart of Damocles ?
The foul doth many things without the body.
when the foul
ttobody.bel* ^ou^ls kenc on contemplation of things, when it . remembreth things paft, and meditates of things to come, and joyns things prefect with them, when it difeourfeth and fearcheth out hidden things, when it is ravifhed, and carried aloft, as Paul was, is made icor.u. partaker of hidden myfteries, it ufeth its imbred force, received from God, and needs no bodily help, unlefie it would ad fome- thing thereby. For then the body alhfts the foul as a fure undivi¬ ded partner, and collegue, and by the help thereof the foul doth. Imind-mllcT ^cr a she body. a C any bufinelTe, it falls out that the body for want of the fouls help,
faints, and dies. Which wc may obferve in them that over ftu^ dy thcmfel ves at unfeafonable times, & are too much given to their books, their body walls by degrees, and their vital torccs decay. Whofoever therefore thinks that the mind is moved with no paf- lions, but that the mind and foul are entire, and is onely affeded by reafon of the objed, and the organ, do not feem to me to fpeak chrifls fear what agrees vvith the truth. For what is the meaning of that Ago- ' ^Man hC ^ a ny and perplexity our Saviour endured when he conceived in his mind the horridnefleof the punifhmcnt he fhould undergo, and the great ingratitude and forget fulnefle of Man for his rich bounty: by his humane frailty, a while before his death he brake forth Math. is. into this fpccchyCMySoulisforrowful'jtnto death, andhe prays againft it unto his Father. And though the Souldiers infolence did not as yet lay hold of him, or infult over him j yet his whole mind and
thoughts
Wherefore the foul is afflided an other way, by feeling and touching,than the body is wheh it is tormented by whipping and fcourging, whilft it is wounded, or racked, or burnt. Fortheratio- nal foul being a fpirit incorporeal, hath inward tortures, griefs, fears, jealoufies, envies, hatred, indignation, and rackings of con- fcience. Which affedions,are more properly perturbations, if they flay longer in the mind, and cannot be difeufled by reafon, nor by divine help, they not onely afflid the mind moft cruelly, but the bodyalfo. Wherefore they are both fubjed to one the others laws, and bound mutually together. Yet the foul hath this pre¬ rogative, for her honour and dignity, that fhc doth many things of her felf, but the body can do nothing without herdiredion.
Wherefore the foul doth two waies perfed her faculties jfome of them by organs, fome without them, and with no help of the body. So,what adions are done by reafon and understanding, and judgment of the mind are the offices of the foul alone; But manual adions cannot be done without the Miniftry of the body. For a man conceives in his mind the arts of Architedure, plai- lf ring, painting, and other arts ufcfull for man, but he works them with his hands, and ufeth other organs of the bodv. But when the
C hap. 1 2 . The S oul is f uhjeB to Pa Js ions , &c.
41
•r?
V V.'-A
thoughts were bent upon the danger that was at hand, and he was ftricken with fo much terrour and iiorrour, that hefweat drops ot chnftfciffa’m blood, that ran down his whole body in abundance, fo that the bit- J* Sml anA terneffe of the pain was communicated to both parts, and from h • his Soul parted upon his body. Andlecnoman think that in this great aftonifhmcnt and fufferings, his vital and vegitable foul en¬ dured tortures, and his natural fpirits onely fuffered, but the beft pare of man was in conflict, and upon the foul lay the whole force of themifehief. Yet the foul grew mindful of her firft original, and recolle&s her fell, and being fupported by heavenly ayd, the without fear manlully went through all the dangers by divine aifi- ftance that relieved her.
Withthefe paflions aifo was the Mind of the blerted Virgin Mary torment- many wayes troubled. For her fpirit and foul was fometimes lull mth &aef> of joy, then full of forrow ; that, when the Angel Drought the Meflageof her conception and wonderfull child-bearing, when the Shepherds came to fee what was done, and the wifemen ado¬ red j but, this, was foretold by Simeon , and fhe found it to be true when her Sonne was crucified.
I could reckon up a large Catalogue of thofe that being. in great calamities were forely wounded in their fouls. The multi¬ tude of Prophets will ferve for examples, as Helutf, Helizeus, D>i- The prophets vid, Hieremias, ejtfofes, Efaias, Jonas, Zach arias, and befides lome e*P*fe/t9e*z thoufandsof Martyrs, that indefatigable maintainer of our Faith, (imus’ St.'PauL who all ferved God, the rewarder of their pains, faith¬ fully, wno befides the fufferings of their bodies, and their Ioffes and ftraights they fuftain’d, had their Souls gall’d with moil bit¬ ter pangs, YVhofoever fhall confider with himfelf what griefs feifed upon their fouls, what tortures of mind they endured, what trembling: when as they were driven out of their Coun- , treys, wanting the comfort of theirfriends and kindred, expofed tb fcornsjWhippings, reproaches, afflided, prefled down, trod un¬ der feet, proferibed, and they were forced to parte thorow de¬ farts where no men could follow them, to cfcape the fury of their Enemies, and to fave their lives. But if the Soul chat dilhnguifh- TbeSouithoueh eth men from hearts, be free from all paflions, and can neither joy incorporeal « f nor grieve, what is the meaning of thefe forrowiull fp^eches, tvhy wuh ^ art thou troubled ’, O my Soul , and why art thou dif quieted within me l my Soul fainted within me, my Mind refufed comfort. Again, when he is tefrefhed, and finds Gods favour. Enter my Soul into thy reft, for the Lord hath done good unto thee ; Pratfe the Lord, O my foul , and all that is within me , pratfe his holy Name. cMy foul longed after thee, thy right- hand hath fuftained me. Infinite more E xamples might be alledg- ,
td, whereby I think the natural faculties ot the Soul onely are not to beunderftood, and the powers that fhall quickly dye, but the reafonable Soul, which partakes of a Divine Nature, from which all a&ionsof the body proceed, andallche functions are perfeded. In this part God hath fee Synterefis , that is, the love c ^
and knowledge of keeping and performing the Eaw of Nature^ fi, iSt yflter"
I and
/
42
Book j4
The Souls of Mon are not equal in all thing s ,
and the difference of venues and vices : which force as Paul faith, effects this in the minds of thofe that are grangers from God, that by the light of Nature they embrace venue, and abhor vice. For jnfliuft of Ha- that part of the Soul wherein the Image of Godlhincs forth, and tm' the integrity of Nature appears, detefts and condemns what is
ill done, and drives to keep her felf clear from wickcdncfTe. Though this force of Nature be fomewhat vveakned, that what the Mind conceives, the Will refufeth readily and faithfully to nbat Confcl. perform. Akin to this is Confcience, which accufeth and con- ^ demneth within the mind of Man that is pricked by God ; and by terrourupon the remembrance of pad fins, a man falls to deteft his former life, and purpofing to amend, repents of what he hath done. So, revenging. Confcience admomfheth ama ’, feiting his fins long pad before his eyes; whence we may cafiiy prove, that the Soul lsexpofed to paffions, and is difquieted by them. For (he pi rteives fweet and bitter, die is enlarged and rtjoyceth in pro- l’ptrity, and is grieved with adverficy. And not onely Men, but Angels have their affections, after a fort ; for they are forrowfull for Man’s miferies and punifhmcnts when they forfake good Bfo 33- wayes ; but they rejoyce when wicked men repent. On the ton- bmfiUtoim, trai7’ the wicked Angels are offended with men, and fcandalize them, and follow them with mortal hatred ; and if Paflions fall upon Angelical fpirits, how fhould Man be free from them ?
CHAP. XIII.
That the Souls of c Mon are not equal in all things, nor of the fame condition and dignity , but one is better than another .
•> .• .Vi ? 1 Ii'f* • i i • £ 1
Hough I mentioned fome things a little before that concern X this Argument, and thac may c-dablifh this Paradox, yet I believe it will be worth my Labour, if I enlarge this in a particu¬ lar treaty. Many are of that opinion, that the Souls of Men are Souls tnCC ^ame wort^ an
the Soul of a wife man and good ; and of a fool, or wicked man; and that thdorgans of the body onely hinder the a&ions, and the faculties of the Scul are ill performed by reafon thereof. But I, out of no defire of contention or contraction, am perfwaded that it is otherwife. For though 1 know that the mind grojwcs 1 dull by a (harp difeafe , or by a blow on the head , by fome fall or bruife, and that a man may fo forget all things; yet it foil owes not, thatall Souls are equal), and that all men had Souls alike to judge or reafon with. For every mans Soul, be it never fo well adorned, and the like pains be taken to make it skil- full in Arts and Sciences, cannot attain to the fame Excellency, nor is alike capable of the fame Learning and Knowledge, that an¬ other mans Soul is. For fome arc not at all difpofed to learn Arts, and it is againft nature to bend their minds that way. For a&
Torches
43
.Chap, i 3. That the Souls of men are not equal in all things.
Torches and Lights, fome thine more than others do, and give more light : and as 1'ome burning matters, burn fiercer than others do; fo the Souls of men are of a different light, and the minds of men are far diftant in gifts one from the other. And as Angels differ in order, dignity, office, Miniftry, one from the other,1" as Seraphims, Cherubins, Thrones, Powers, Vertues, Archangels, and the whole Hierarchy of Angels demonftrate 5 fo I fee that there may be a difference fet between mens Souls : They all agree in this, that they dwell in a mortal body, that hath the fhape of a man, though fomc look more like favage beafts, and are next unto them : That all men are given to procreation; that the fame Lawes of Nature fhould govern them all 5 That the fame, force of reafon urgeth them ; That the effence of their Soul, and form of their fubftance is created by God; That they are all immortali, and all endowed with one fpirit. But becaufe the force of the Divine Nature doth notfo ftrongly fhewit felfinall, nor are all equally capable of his gift, and fomemake themfelves unworthy of fo great a Benefit, it comes topafle, that the Souls produce their a&ions by another force and effect ; nor are they in their pre¬ sent condition, Bate, dignity, and order, equal 5 nor ihall they be equal in glory in the next life. For fo the Prophet Daniel clears this point, Chap. 12. M many as fleep in the duff fhall awake, fome to life eternal , fome to difgraceand punijhment and condemnation. And they that are learned fhall (bine as the Firmament , and they that have taught many righteoufnejf, fhall jhine as Stars for ever and ever . I find St. Paul obferved the fame difference between incorporeal fubftances, taking a fiitiilitude from the Stars. For as one Star is brighter than another, and their bodies are very divers, fo great is the difference in the fouls of men, and in the refurre&ion one Soul fhall be far more glorious than another. But God (as Gre¬ gory Ny/en teftifies) hath appointed, according to the feveral fpe- cics of Animals, that their Souls fhould be different one from ano¬ ther, and for every body he hath affigned a convenient foul. So to Bruit beafts God hath not given a rcafonable underftanding, but natural induftry, whereby they fhun all fnares and dangers. Wherefore every kind of Animals is moved by the fame Inclina¬ tion. For every Hare is fearful, every dog fmells well, and will hunt after wild Beafts, aft Foxes are crafty, all Wolves cruel and greedy of their prey. Every Ape will imitate mens manners. But this is not fo in Man ; For there arc infinite reafons and wayes of .mens Actions ; nor are all men enclined to one operation* or to one thing, as Bruits are that are ruled by nature onely, and their a&ions tend all one way. But the a6t of reafon which belongs oncly to man, is diverfe in divers men ; and as the condition of their foul is different, fo are their actions. Hence arife fo many fundry opinions in men. As therefore, St, Paul faith,, Themanife- fiation of the Spirit if given to every one to profit wit hall ; and men have feveral offices appointed to them, which God driftributes to every one as hepleafes, dividing to every man his Spirit as he
t 2 will.
A Simile from Itehtei Tor¬ ches.
Angels are of different excel - Unties,
Di/parity
Souls.
} 1 . .
de AnmeU
Bruits are go¬ verned by Na¬ ture, not by Reafon .
t •
1 Cor, it;
Ephef. 4*
44
The Mind is a white paper .
x rim. 2- A Simile from Urge Heitfeii .
Ut no man ac cufe God.
Luif. :,f«
what is meant by the diflribu ting of the founds andut lent s.
Mat tb. *7.
2 Tim. t.
A Simile f rom fire under afhes.
•f
Ln\e i ?,
That the Souls of Men are not equal l in all things , Book I.
will- to every man hath his own proper toul made by the fame Godl buuiotof the fame dignity, not endowed with the fame undemanding of things, yetioas it is capable both of vice and vertue, and by its imbred force it may embrace the beft things, and avoid what is evill, though (he can do all but weakly where fhe wants Divine affiftance : wherefore methinks that comparifon of Ariftotle is not abfurd, who makes the mind of Man like a dean table, whereon are no pidures drawn, but yetis fit to receive any whatfoever, be they Monfters of Vices, or Images of Vertue. To this belongs that com parifon of St. Taul, As in great Houfes there are vcflels, not ondy of gold and filver, but of wood and earth, whereof fome are for honourable, others for inferiour ufes 3 So God hath Cent many differences of bodies and fouls of men up¬ on this Stage of the world, and hath provided them with diveifity of perfons and ornaments, yet not without hope of attaining a more excellent gift. For care and endeavours are taken from no man, whereby tney may contend after that which is beft, and attain felicity 3 but God helps thofe that drive, and drives them ' on when they faint in their induftry. So he that is wicked by his own wickednefle, may purge himfelf, and become a veflei of ho¬ nour fit for the Mafters ufe. For the great and good God hath affixed to every one a particular habit of body,and a foul agree- ing°to his Nature, which yet are fubjed to be altered many ways. For fometiraes a man falls off, and degenerates from his Integrity and excellency 3 whether you confider his Soul or his body 3 and forgetting his originally he wallowes in the mud of vices. But fometimes being fecretly prompted by God, he breaks out from the fins he was entangled with, and endeavours to do that which is good and honeft in the fight of God and Men. We may fee ex* am pies hereof in Saul and the prodigal Child. Every man there¬ fore hath his own mind, and his own foul, but by Gods donation they have feveral gifts and endowments, and the Divine Spirit doth not equally fill every mind. All receive of his plentiful foun¬ tain, but fome more, fome lefle 3 as we may underftand by the diftributing ol the Talents^ which may fharpen and help our weak Induftry in the way to Heaven, and fet us forward, and command us to increafe and augment the gifts of God. For one had 5 . Tal¬ lents, another but two, and a third but one Talent given him, every one according as was fit for him, by God who thought it beft fo to do, and would in his due time call every man to give an ac¬ count of the profit he had gain’d thereby. So Paul warns Timothf and every one by him, that they take care of their charge, that they jlir up the gift ofGodthat is within them , as fire under afhes ready to go out, that they fhake off fluggiftmefie, and endeavour to per¬ form what is committed to them. For God requires of every man to better what he hath beftowed upon them, that he reftore him his talent with increafe. And becaufe he will not have us idle, nor faint in our Labour, but to watch alwayes, and indefati- gably to employ our lelvcsto advantage, Occupy (faith he) till /
come 3
come ; Which when Paul an inftrument of Election did diligent¬ ly ceach unro others, he ftudied by all means to do that, fo that he was more zealous in his Embafiage than the reft of the Apo- ftles, and more induftrious in doing his office. As therefore in Jewels, Animals, Plants, Stars, there is a difference, one flower is fweeter then another, one Jewel fparkleth mote then another j fo it is in the Souls o£ men, which being enriched with pecu¬ liar forces and faculties, perform different e'ffedts and opera¬ tions. For as the Apdftle St. Paul faith, every feed hath its im- bred force, and there ij> one fleflh of beads, another of Men, and there is one glory of celeftial bodies, and another glory of earthly bodies ^ one glory of the Sun, and another of the Moon, and ano¬ ther of the Stars 5 fo one mans body is of better and more gene¬ rous temper than another is $ Alfo one foul both in this life, and in the Rcfurrcdtion, as the lot and deferts of it are, (which every one muft alcribe to God , and have no opinion or confidence in thcmfelves ) is more worthy and more glorious than ano¬ ther.
There is a great difproportion between the fouls of good and wicked men both in this world and in the world to come, and their condition is much different ; for the wicked fhall not ftand amongft the juft, but fhall be fcattered as chaff and duft before the wind. Wherefore St. Paul from the nature of things, fets many things before our eyes, by looking into which thefecrets of God are made man ifeft to us. So in the bufinefie of Chrift he makes his comparifon with the fweetand fragrant fmels of natural things: for as the fmell and fragrancyof plants is known by the ef¬ fects, and they either refrefhor offend the heart ; fo that loul that fends forth a fweet odour, or {linking fmell, either pleafeth or dilpleafeth Chrift.
All Souls are fprilefully and from Heaven come .
But as one fire is hotter then another, and burns hotter as the na¬ ture of the fuel is, for in Oile, Pitch , Brimftone , Bitumen, Naphtha (which men call oyl of Peter) it burns more vehement¬ ly. So the Soul for the faculty and force of it, and for the powers it hath received, works upon the body, and is either more active or remiffe in performing its adtions 5 yet fo that the temper and mixture of the body, its conftitution and organs are fubfervient to the Soul. The fame reafon ferves in evil Angels, whereof one doth man more hurt then another doth. So in the Gofpcl, Beel¬ zebub is cal*d the Prince of the Divels, one that is powerfull to do mifehief. So the Gofpell diftinguifheth the evill angels by their defirc of doing mifehief, and their malignity. For that Divel that had but fmall force to torment the mind of man, gets to him- felf feven others that were worfe, and they joyn together and poffefte the man, fo that there is no hopes left of a better life, or of repentance. And if we may compare corporeal with incor¬ poreal things : as lead, Tin, Copper, Silver, Gold, Brafle, andall mettals have their Excrements, and will ruft and Canker 5 and
Evangelical
Merchandi¬
sing.
A Simile from the nature of thing's .
A Simile from the Stars arn i Seed.
1 Cor. ij,
Vfalm 1;
A Simile from fweet fmels ,
2 cor,
fiLneid. 6.
A Similitude from burning, tkinrs%
Difference of ill [pints. ; Math. 1 1 s
A Simile frofti Mettalst
)
4 6
That the Souls of men are not equal in all things. Book I.
as undid fields grow over with bufhes and brambles^ and cockle Tsimilefrom and unlucky darnel grow up in them, fo the fubftance of the Soul untiiN fields, contraas many vices, and being adorned fhe fhines with venues, but negleaed is obfeured with the rubbifh of vice. Yet there is Let all men no caufe why any roan lBould fpeak or murmuragainft his maker,
fubmu toGod. as t^ac idle companion that hid his Talent in the ground, fince the Rm'z‘ virtue of our Saviour extends to all men, and God hath fet marks of his divinity in every man, fo that the Law of God is written in the heart of the Gentiles alfo that know not God, and by that law they arc brought to the knowledg of him, and their conscience teftifies, and realon teacheththem what to follow, and what to {hun, and what great difference there is, between what is honeft. Natures taw is and what is difhoneft. Let therefore every man be careful! to live imprinted in all fo3that this gift may not feem ill beftowed upon him, and not to men. murmur againft God, by whofe will all things are governed, that
his Soul is not fo good as another mans; but let him adorn that a simile from ilc anc\ t[[\ jt as he WQUld a barren field, and foil it with g/Sf hearing the word of God, that will prepare it; Let him not be wanting to his Weak endeavours, and his will that is ready. And exbhotctea^°Jt there is nothing better for the Soul than to meditate continually on * Gods word. For this heals our fores, drives out our vices, com¬ forts our hearts, enlightens our dark minds. There is no reme¬ dy more effectual, nor more fudden to cure our fick fouls ; there is n 6 wound fo venemous,and deadly, that the Scriptures cannot
cure.
KoratJ.l.Epifi.
Y be profit of Gods word.
i Tilth 3*
« ■ f-
*Art thoutormented with a greedy mind l Words for to heal this fore thou It easily find* j)ofi thou love praifes , and to he commended l By reading Books this fault may he mended .
Broward, fond , angry ^ Drunkard , flothfulU If they take heed he cured all this way,
Philofophy can do all thefe things, but not that Philofophy Horace dreamt of, but heavenly Philofophy, which reftores na¬ ture that is disjoynted and out of fraitie to her former integrity* which ftirs up in us confidence towards God, and reconciles God and Man, which procures quietneffe and conftancy in our minds, and there is nothing more to be defired in the troublefome Ocean of this life. To which that of Paul may be applyed, than whom there was no man better skil’d in this School. Every Scripture is in - fpired hy Cod , and is profitable for learning, reproof correction, Infiituti- on, that will make a man perfect , that the man of God may he comp l eat and fitted for all works of piety.
\ . - - •»
CHAP.
Chap.i4«
47
CHAP. XIV.
W ( ■' } X. y |
Of the immortality of the Sou /, and certainty of the %efurrcBion ; Alfa how that may he done ; Lafiiy how much our minds are rayfed toward God from fo great a benefit, and what great confidence we may have when we die that we fhall be fayed.
• i.
'V V
Mi
THcre is nothing that can bring more profit, to a Man in mifc- frt>atikeme&:
ry, and fubjcct to many difeales in this mortal life, or give
him more comfort againft the fear of death, than to contemplate of do,
the felicity of a better life, and to be certainly perfwaded we fhall
enjoy it. Which confifts in the immortality of the Soul, and re- in what corf fa
furre&ion of the body, which is the fure ground and foundation
of all our faith ; for all our labours and endeavours are in vain,
and all the courfe of our life. Religion, Devotion, is idle and nexc
to deceit, ifvvefhould wantfo great a blcffing as this, and lofe
the hopes of a better life. Some ftupid people wonder at this, who The conditio*
think that men and beafts have but one breath, and that the Soul 0fM*nisdi.
dieth with the body, and when man is dead, all is ended. But ZnmZ 1/
thefe men are blind in the very works of nature, arid know not fafls*
Gods power by the things he hath created, hence it is that their
minds cannot conceive how the Soul can be eternal, and never die,
and that the body fhall rife again, and be reftored to its integrity :
But God that would have man immortal, created him after ins Genef‘u
own Image 5 And if man be made after Gods Image and like- Man is Gods
nefle, hemuft needs be of the fame nature with his Maker, and lmaie'
participate of eternity. Other creatures have not obtained fo great
an honour from God : and no prints ©f the divine nature appear rea/on,
in them, they have no Mind, Reafon, Memory, Underftanding,
Judgment, Arts, Sciences, or cunning in the knowledg of things,
which God hath beftowed on Man abundantly. Wherefore it is
a wicked thing, to fay,that is mortal and perifhing,that came forth
of Gods fubftance, and which the Divine mind breathed into Man.
As therefore God is eternal, and free from decay, fo the foul of
Man, as partaking ofthe divine effence, is eternal and free from Mam foul par*
& takes of the di -
all corruption. vh'Lm,.
But fince God created all things for mans fake, God created onely Man for himfelf, and like unto him, and therefore God lo¬ ved man wonderfully from the beginning of the world, and de¬ lighted to hold familiarity, and to keep company with man; fo that for man’s fake he was pleafed to be united to the humane na¬ ture, and the immortal God was infeparably joyrvd to mortall Godiswender - Man ; and thereby the Divine Nature is fall with the humane Na- (£ltyhdel,gbte* ture, and the humane Nature with the Divine. The truth ofww Man' this is confirmed unto us by Chrift who is themfdome of the Fa- Ft over. 3. «, ther, who procured this blefling for us : I was with God in the begin- Qodslovtio- ing before any thing was made , I was with him from eternity ; when he ward Man, ' made the Heavens / was there , when he compajfed in the depths by a Law
1 was
48 The Immortality of the Soul, Book I.
I was prefect, when hefaflnedthe Heavens above, and the earth beneath^ I was wdh him ordering all things , and was continually delighting be¬ fore him, recreating m) felf in the earthy and my delight was with the fons of men. Which Love and good will of God towards Man, as Sc. Paul calls it, hath effected fo much, that all things are com¬ municated unto us by Chrift ^ that our condition is like to his,and we are co-heirs with him : whence it is that what is ex prefled in Chrift, {hall be exprefled in Man. He is eternal, and fubfifts eternally, and man by him obtains the fame. He firft rofe and conquer’d death, he being the Author, Prince and firft fruit's of fo great a Triumph ; by the vertue of him all the reft arc to be rai¬ led. Wherefore let no man be fo unjuft to him felf, or fo ungrate¬ ful to the giver of fo great a gift, that he fhould envy or caft off Let m mn de- from himlelf the honour of this Name. For who is foftupid ny immortality that he would not defire to keep himfelf from deftru&ion, and de- 0f the soul. firetp }jve alvvayes rather than to deep eternally, and without hopes of ever coming forth, to lye hid in eternal death ? I know fome think this perfwaflon of the immortality of the Soul to be a very plaufibledo&rine, but they wholly deny that the body {hall v \ , ever be raifed again, or have any part in this happinefle. But
sZmlml thefe wtndo not exaftly feck into the Nature of Man, and the hty, hut few reafon of the making of the World $ nor do they look upon him feftm 1 w^0Jist^e Author of this gift unto Man, and by whofe vertue he hath obtain’d the benefits of life. For fince Soul and Body joyn’d 7 . together make a man, it inuft needs be, that the whole Man, that .. v is, the Soul fhould have immortality, and the Body fhould rife again to participate of the fame felicity. For the reafon of fra¬ ming Man will never fnffer, thatonc parr {hall enjoy the end it is defign’d for, without the other, cr that half a man, or one part fhould be immortal, and blcficd ; wherefore it is neceflary, and the reafon that man was made confirms it, that the body fhould rife again at length, and fhould be united again to the Soul to r . . partake in the fame condition with it. For when God went about
mntoftbcRe - 10 rfia^:c Man 5 Let w make (faith h t)Man after our own Image . In fmestm. which words he did not mention one part oncly, but the whole Man, Soul and Body ; for both the fe joyn’d together make a man : for when thefe are divided a man dyes, and is call’d a man no longer. Wherefore Reafon evinceth, that both parts fhall have the fame end, either bkllednefle if they live well, or mifery if ill. 1
Nor were it reafonable, that the body fhould fail of this hope
da-Jeffonhe ^aPP^nt^c5 l]iat partakes in the miferies of this life. For SouU 1 fometimes for Ccnfcicnce fake the body is fccurg’d and tortur’d, is griev’d, and hazards its life, fo that thofe faculties of the Soul that are common to man with beads as the vegetative and ftnfi- tive parts are beaten, and rent. For in opinions, fayings, perfwa- fions, and Judgments, fometimes the body yields to the Soul, to its great disadvantage, and is in all things a companion and mini- fleruntoit; wherefore the body muft fuffer wrong if it fhould 7 . " .not
1 Tim. U
Heb. 3.
Chap. 14.
and certainty of the Refcterettion.
4?
not bear a (hare in the lame reward. The body is the Sox Is or¬ gan, whereby (lie performs her functions and operations : but the Soulufeth the animate and fenficive body, otherwiic than a •Smith or Carpenter ufeth a Saw or a Hammer, or an Ax; for all the parts are moft fitly diftinguifhed for their Offices, and may be applyed to many duties. The fame difference may be made be¬ tween the Soul and the Body, as there is between the Sun and Moon. For though the Moon borrow light from the Sun, yet die doth not wholly want force of her own, for die hath her proper mo¬ tion, and runs her own circuit : but fhe borrows light from the Sun as a Looking-glafle, and as Caldrons and Bafons polidied fhineby cheoppoiite light, but fhe gives no light unleffe die be enlightned by the Sun, yet (he is not idle, for die holds on her PiOncchly courfe, andgoeth her circuit without the Suns help. So the foul affords forces to the body, yet the body is not without im- bred faculties of its own* and natural powers, the qualities of the four humours, whence it becomes capable of all tun&ions, and fit to perform all a&ions. And as the Sun it eclipfed and hidden by the interpofition of the Moon, fo the Moon is eclipfed by in- terpofition of the Earth. The Sun when he is in the fame degree of the Ecliptick, the Moon when fhe is in the oppofite degree. So the Soul and Body have their failings and Eclipfes 5 and one part oft-times either profits or hurts the other. Since therefore there is fo great union and faithfull fociety between thefe two, and fo long as they keep fentinel in this life, they mutually aflift one the other, it is fit that the body fhould rife again to partake of the fame glory, and be admitted into the fame liberty. If any man like ThomM and Nicodemus are fo dull, they cannot underftand how this (hall come to pafle, let him not deny Gods power, or diftruft him, but let him raife his heart and eyes unto him who is the Maker of all things, and in the works of Creation he fhall find enough to let him underftand that God wants no power, not onely toreftore Man again, but to do whatfoever he hath determined. Let us behold the Heavens adorned with Stars, and the Earth that is under it, out of which there fpring fo many beautifull and plea- fant flowers* fo many healthful plants for Food and Phyfick, fq various kinds of fifh in the Sea, fo many kinds of Birds in the Ayr, fo many Cartel for meac, or to till the grounds, and Man the Lord of all thefe. All which were at firft made by Gods Word, of nothing, there being no former matter to make them of, yet they continue faft, having their viciflitudes, rifings , progrefle and in- creafe. Since therefore God the Greacour is fo omnipotent in power, who can fay he wants power to reftore the dead, who made all things of nothing? And if the Creatour made mans body of nothing without any labour : how much moreeafic is it for him to raife the dead to life again ; not of nothing, but from the fame matter, turn’d to aihes, or refolved into the Ayr,and fcat- tered with the winds. But as an Artificer when a veflel is broken orfpoyl’d, makes it up again by cafting it of the fame mectal,
K and
How the Eod ) is the Souls In- [h umeut.
A fit compzri- fon from the Sun and Moon.
A Simile from polifbed
Eclipfes of Sun and Moon com¬ pared to Soul and Body.
Confent of Soul and Body.
Nature proves a R.ejum8m.
TheMajeflj And GreatneJJe of the Creator. -
A Simile from Founders of Mettals.
5°
The Immortality of the Soul ,