Book I.

25 idii Gods chief worlt- manfhip.
i -i
Maas mind is the image 6f God.
P/i/. 8.
\
Ma.a is Rule'/ of the world.
The corn- line ffe of Mads body
God, nor referred to any natural being. Wherefore Man muft ftrive to come as near to his Maker as he can, and to make himfclf like unto him. For finceGod hath expofed all other living Crea¬ tures to feed and eat downward ; he hath made Man onely with his Countenance upwards from the ground to behold the Heavens, the houfe of his habitation, both with his Mind and Eye 5 whereof we fhall treat more at large in the following Chapter.
CHAP. II.
> _
UWan’s worth and Excellency 2
WHen as our moft great and good God is to be highly admi¬ red in the things created that arc obvious unto us in every place, and are beheld both with our minds and eyes, yet chiefly his Wifdome appears in Man. For nothing in the world though it be comely and excellently made, can be compared with the Ex¬ cellency of Man 5 fo that from Man God would have the valuation of his own Excellence to be made, and that mortals fhould thus have a chara&er of his Divinity : That is, he would have us all brought to know and adore him the great Work-mafter, by the contemplation of Mens own Minds, and knowledge of themlelves. For nothing more clearly reprefents God than the mind of Man. Whereby man was made like unto Gods Image andfimilitude. For Man is the moft exprefle reprefentation of God : wherefore by reafon of his outwardand inward beauty, and vaife Endowments, he well deferved to be called,A little World ; becaufc that God the moft bountiful Father, and Maker of all things, did abundantly pour forth into Man all their venues 5 for, for his fake all things were brought to light, and all things obey his ufc, and are fet forth for that end. The Kingly Pfalmift confefteth the fame, and, utter¬ ing arguments of a grateful mind, Thou haft made him f faith he) hut little lower than the- Angels , and as it were a God thou haft clothed him with glory and honour , and haft fet him over the works of thy hands . He obtained this prerogative even from the beginning of the world, fo that all things when they flourifb, and are in being, do dutifully obey and ferve mans ufe. So Cjenefis the firft, God confirmed the Principality and chief Government of all the reft unto Man : Be fruitfull,?and increafe, fill the earth and fubdueit, and rule over all , Fifhes in the waters. Birds in the Ayr, and all bcafts that move upon the face of the Earth. But of that divine mind in man,wfiere- by he comes next unto God, and of the internal gifts of his Mind, Reafon, and Underftanding, whereby he excells Bcafts, other Wri¬ ters have fpoken at large, and becaufe it belongs not to this place, I fhall leave off tofpeakmore of it.
But I will mention a few things concerning his body, and what areof kin tothar, and depend of it. For the excellent and beau* • tifull form thereof is very fit and agreeable to the manners of hi"
mind.
Chap. 2.
CM ar's Worth and Excellency.
7
mind. The fafhion of his body is tall, and lifted up cowards Hea¬ ven, his countenance is high, and looks upward, the fymmetry of all the parts, and of the whole, or the exa& proportion of it, is much fpread abroad by Heathens, and fuch as arc tar from our Re¬ ligion. So that I cannot but wonder at the negligence of our Men, who either feek nothing at all, or elfe they do coldly and carelelly feek into themfelvcs and the works of Nature; wtiercas David a David the Magnificent King, contemplating more clofely and carefully the a*r nature of man, began to be elevated, and to burn with the Love mure. and admiration of fo great a Work-maftcn For thus he writes his praifes, with fuch and fuch like Teftimonials : I will praife thee? O PlaI- ito Lord , because I am wonderfully made , thy works are wonderfully my foul fearcheth and knoweth it right well ; thou knewejt all my bones when I was fajbioned in the ferret place, and when I was wonderfully formed in my pavj'd>s CMothers womb. Thy eyes beheld me being yet unmade , and in thy bock £xcbma- were all my members written , which day by day were fafhioned. Thy know- fj?* UP°*. ledge is wonder full unto me, whereby I was made, I cannot under ft and it.
Tor when (faith he) I throughly fearch out myfelf, and when / diligently C°L confider the ftrufiure of my body, the excellency of my Soul, and the force of my Mind, and l cannot by Reafon and Judgment attain thereunto, I both adore thy Majefy, and embrace thy bounty.
Now let us a little fet that moft comely form afide, and the other parts of the Body vifible, and we will confider of the feituationof the internal Bowels, the powers of the natural faculties, the nerves arifing originally from the brain, the arterial pipes from the heart, and the propagation of the veins from the Liver , alfo the faculties and powers of the Soul, whereby (he doth produce and perfed her functions.
To thefc may be added that etherial fpirit, that is the feat or na- ^ turallheat, and the vehiculum thereof, which is divided intoj.di- nts in, vifions, and is diftinguiihed by fo many places ; as the animal to M the Brain, the vital to the Heart, and the natural to the Liver • This, being that it nourifheth and quickens the body by its naturall heat and moy (lure, that are both inftead of fuel, and affords forces to per¬ form Action, therefore thefe three parts are carefully to be refrefhed whatthing* and reftored with fleep, wine, nourifhments, exercife. Yet thefe mud be ufed moderately ; for if they be immoderate or unfeafonable, " they may put a man from his right Mind, and bring him to many ill difea fes and affedts.
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Mans Mind is full of fiery vigour, and JEnead. ;
His firjl beginning was not from the Land,
But Heavenly ; yet , if his body be
Faulty , and earthly grojse, dead limbs, not free
From fad difeafes, fears and pains and grief,
Dijtempers and great cares do rule in chief .
Then is this fiery fpirit flout within The dark prtfon of $ body— —
i , > . • * ■ ' f . *
'/ Wherein
8
It is mofl natural to procreate one like himfelf Book i .
ne Tyran - Wherein the Poet comprehends the four Paffions of the mind
ZffiinT which riflBS from Intemperance, do trouble the mind of man, and make it by many waycs wonderfully unquiet. Laftly, let us direft our eyes to thofe things that give the fpecies to all thefe ; that is, let us examine the workmanfhip of forming and figuring the Child, which is fuch a one, and fo great, that every one, though he be Gran¬ ger in Phyficalbufincfle, is bound to ftretch his wits loundlyto un- Tbe con - derftand it. For it concerns every man to know and fearch out fentf °f thefe things, becaufe a man is converfantin himfelf, and may reft Zy. ^ in the contemplation of himfelf. For fince a man confiftsof Soul and Body, and the body is the Inftrument c?f the foul whereby fhe doth her a&ions, who ought not to have care, and to obferve both thefe parts? who would not with that both might be preferved the beft he could? fince one cannot fubfift without the other, and perform its office and functions without offence.
- -# | V i •' t . ' | j • • % f *' J . V *
Horn. y,t for both do ask each others help xve fee ,
Vo ei. And by this means mofl friendly they agree*
The body for a time is tranfirory and mortal ; but fince it is the veffel and receptacle of the Soul, and ufeth its Miniftery, God hath alfo defign’d that for eternity 5 and by the myftery of the refurredti- onitfhall be made partaker of the fame gift, that is, of immorta¬ lity, as it is the will of God.
CHAP. III.
, It U mofl natural to procreate one like himfelf \ and men ought to ufe it reverently as a divine gift, and Ordinance of God.
• • i ’ ' t. •: ' , 1 T r ' ' ■ n * rj i * if '
WHen God had made the Heavens and this fublunary world, and framed them with fo admirable wifdom and skill, that there was nothing wanting for necefiary ufes, commodity and plea- fure : it feemed good to him to make One that might have the ufe of them, and that might delight in thefe things and enjoy them; Wherefore when all the ornaments of nature were compleat and perfected, he brought man into the world, as into his own poffcffion, Humane anc* c^at mi§ht not Ieac* a difconfolate life,- he gave a woman for Weds Or- an helper and companion, and he put into them both force to love, diaaruG, ancl a greedy defire of procreating their like, having prepared for that purpofe a fwelling humour and fpirit, and organical parts : and that the one fhould nor be afraid or decline the fociety of the other : he added allurements and a defire of mutual Embracing, that when they did ufe procreation, they fhould be fweetly affect¬ ed, and pacified wonderfull wayes. For unlefle this were natural tc all kind of Creatures, that they fhould care for pofierity, and propagate their like 5 mankind would quickly be loft, nor could the affairs of mortails long endure.
-■'-V • uii
It is most Natural to procreate me like hrmf elf.
9
All men on earth , and Beafls and Birds above7
Georg. 3.
And Fithes of the Sea are mad with love, what will a young man do whom Cupid burns?
He fwims it’h dark and temp ejtow night ,
Ore the rough boyltng Seas3 and nere returns. '
Though Parents cry7 and billow would one fright.
Since this Paflion is fo forcible and fo unruly that it can hardly Diver* befubdued(andbutafew can bridle their paflions) God granted yel*Jy[ unto man the ufe of the matrimonial bed, that he might be bounded thereby, and not defile themfelves with wandring iuft, who want7 wkwfm the gift of Continency, wherefore fo foon as copulation is done,and God aP- • the Woman happens to prove with child, greac is natures cunning Manage. infoftering, coagulating, and framing the feed of both fexes, that at the fet time, when nine moncths are run over, Man that Ruler, and Ornament of the whole world may come forth, Job ex prefled cjja^ 10a tiiis doubtful hope and firft beginning of Nature, now going about to form a man, by a moft appoflte flmilitudc. Haft thou not poured me forth as Mdk3 and Crudled me as f'heefe ? Thou half compaflcd me about with skin and fiefh, thou haft made me with bones and if news, and my life is from thee, and thy force hath- upheld my breath? Like to this is that faying of the wife Hebrew, who de- wifd.7. feribes the beginnings of his birth thus. Iamalfo a mortal man like to other men3 the off-ipringof the firft man on earth, and I was made fiefh in my mothers womb, that came from coagulated blood in ten Moneciis, from the feed of man, and the pleaiure that comes with what are fleep. And when I was born, I drew in the common Ayre, and M«ns be¬ fell upon the earth which is of like nature, and the firft vo cc- 1 uerc- &l'mn&Sm red was crying as all others do. By which we underhand that in all other things, as alfo in propagation of Children, that all things An thi;igs Riuft be done according to Natures order moderately : As by the mflbe opinion of Hippocrates and Galen3 let motion or exercife precede donemo~ meat, after meat ufe venery, after f^enw fleep, which being d6nc, the natural faculties do their parts in forming the child, and the wearinefle that came by venery is abated by flnep, which alfo helps conco&ion, for fleep is a great help to facilitate t oncodhon. But as for that concerns the principles of Generation ; there is a great cjueftion controverted whether a woman afford feed to the generati¬ on of the child ? or whether manly force make any thing to the ft- mil itude of the form or difference of the fex ? 1 fhall firft handle that concerning the form, and fimilicude of i/ , and afterwards of the femak feed, and what help it affords for procreation of fine child.'
And I fhall do this the more accurately, bdeaufe there are fome Bawds in our Countrey that would perfwade women that Motmrs afford very little to the generation of the child, butonely are at the Womn ^ trouble to carry it,and muft endure the tedious time of nine Moneths, much in . as if the womb were hired by men, as Merchants fhips are to be Pyocf . fraited by them 5 and to difeharge their burden. By this ptrfwafi- din. “J
E
on,
io ' Of the like fie Jfe of Parents and Children $ Book I,
Math.19. Force of Nature fecnby Animals,
An exhor¬ tation to humanity f rom the love of dumb hearts.
on, women grow luke-warm, andlofe all humane affe&ions toward tneir children, and Love,that was wont to bealmoft peculiar to this fcx,is quite banifhed. But 1 think that iucb deferved to be held in¬ famous, and are not fit ior honeft womens company. And would wc punifhthem, it fhould be done openly with all fcorn and con¬ tempt. For thefe are the caufe that lome are io cruel and barbarous to their children, as to caft them forth and forfake them. Thefe are more cruel and favage than Tigers, Lions, Bears, Panthers, and other bruit beads, who beftow much labour to feed and bring up their young ones : which c ur Saviour fhewed by a Hen, a domeftick bird; for all creatures will fight for their young ones, and will ven¬ ter their lives boldly for them. 1 faw in thefe fpring Moneths a Flock of 300. {beep, which followed their bleating young ones that were carried away in a Ship from Land, and were pulled from their Dams Udders. Their Dams were not frighted with the Seas vio¬ lence, but with incredible defire followed, till the Sea flowing up drownd them all. By this example 1 would have wicked unnatural Parents take heed and be admonifhed, who love their children very little, or but from the lrps outward, when as poor dumb creatures ordained for the {laughter, fhew fuch great love toward their young.
CHAP. IV.
Of the Ifkenejfeof Parents and Children ; whence it is that outward accidents are communicated to the Children and the Mo¬ thers Imagination is the caufe of the production of wany Forms :
T T is a conftant opinion amongft Phyfitians, and confirmed by ma- of the seed JLnyreafons, that if the Woman afford moft feed, the child will harca - be like the Mother ; but if the man afford moft, thenitwill be like
" ^Father; but if they both afford alike for quantity and force, then will the child be like to them both ; or one part will refemble the Father, another part the Mother. Laftlyif it fall on the right fide of the Womb, and proceed from the right Tefticlc, by reafon of heat it will be a Manchild, but if it proceed from the left, and incline to the left fide by reafon of cold and moifture, it will be a Girle.
Librode LaCtantiw faith, that fometime when the mans feed falls on the opificc, left fide of the womb,a male child is begotten : But becaufe the con- Laftantius ception is pcrfe&cd in that part of the womb that is ordain’d for hJftben(e a procreation of females, there will be fomething in it that is but
neffeoftfo half man, and will be fairer, and whiter or fmoother and lefte feed. hairy than is convenient for a man to be, or the voice will be fmall, and fharp, or the chin will be bare and bald, and the courage will ™benml ^e^e* Again, ^ C^e ^eec* ca& *nro VVOmb,it
virago ? may be a girle may be begotten ; but becaufe fhe is conceived in
* ' ~ ~ . he
Chap. 4. whence outward accidents are communicated to the Children . 1 1
the place ordained tor the male., fhe will be more viragmous chan ordinary women, as having ftrong limbs, very tall, a fwatc counre- wh(ltW0. nance, a hairy chin, a ruder face, a flrong voyce, and a bold and manfcmoQ. man-like courage : whence ic falls our, that luch women will caff m$ensus' off the yoke, and rule over men, and will rake fo much power to thcmfelves in governing, that men dare not (peak or ftir for them.
Though thefe things and many more might bealledgcd for the fi- militudeof the form, which are very probable, and for the mofl part they fo fall out *, yet the principal caufe of this effed feems to me to confifl in the tacite Imagination of the woman. For if fhe conceive in her mind, or do by chance fallen her eyes upon any objed, and imprint that in her Mind , the child commonly doth reprefent that in the outward parts. So whileft the Man and Wo- The "wo ¬ man Embrace, if the woman think of the mans countenance, and look upon him, or thinks of any one elfe, that likencffe will the child reprefent. For fuch is the power of Imagination, that when doth. the woman doth intentively behold any thing, file will produce fomething like that Arc beiield, fo it falls out, that children have the forms of divers things upon them, as Warts, Spots, Moles,
Dafhes, which cannot cafily, be wiped off, or taken away. So fome of our women feeing a Hare, bring forth a child with a Hare- Hare-fy; lip ; fo fome children arc born with flat Nofes, wry mouths, great bubber lips, and ill fhaped of all the body, becaufe the woman when flic conceived the child, and in the time fhe was big of it, had her eyes and mind bulled upon fome monfkous creature. Men ufe Art cm to effed the like by art in other creatures, letting before them when cha>l&* the they are to conceive the colours of divers things.
Jacob ufed that ftratagem, who was afterwards called Ifrael , lay- Animals. ing rods he had pilled off the rinds from, before them every where, Gen ^ and fo he made the greateft part of the flock fpotted and party- coloured. So we make painted birds, dogs and horfes dapled, and with divers fpots. Which Artifice of Nature, and all the reafons and caufes of fimilflude, Pliny exadly comprehended almoft in thefe werds. Similitude in the mind is a diligent thinking of a tning, Lm 7. c.n. wherein many accidents have great force; as fight, hearing, me- Pijny mory, forms taken up at the very infiant of conception, and a fud- °phlcm™ufe den thought rifing of any thing is luppofed to give the form and of fimin - fimilitude; hence fome are like their Grandfathers, others like tude% their Fathers, or fome other kindred. Hence there arc more diffe¬ rences in Man than in other Creatures, becaufe the quicknclfe of his thought, and nimbleneffe of his mind, and variety of his wit, im* print divers marks, becaufe other creatures, have their minds fixed almoft and unmoved, and all of the lame kind are alike. Hence it is, that a woman may caufe her Child to have a ftrange form, and nothing like to the father. So a woman that had layn with another befides her husband, fearing led her husband fhould come in the mean time, after 9. monechs fhe brought forth a Child not like the party that Ihc lay with, but like her husband that was abfent. There
E 2 • : , is
12
Of the likeneffe of Parents and Children .