CHAP. I.
The seasonable usefulnesse of the present Discourse, or the Motives that put the Authour upon these indeavours of demonstrating that there is a God.

THe grand truth which wee are now to bee im­ployed about, is the proving that there is a God; And I made choice of this subject as very season­able for the times wee are in, and are coming on, wherein Divine Providence granting a more large release from Superstition, and permitting a freer perusall of matters of Religion, then in former Ages, the Temp [...]er would take advantage where hee may, to carry men captive out of one darke prison into another, out of Superstition into Atheisme it self. Which is a thing feasible enough for him to bring about in such men as have adhered to Religion in a meere externall way, either for fashion sake, or in a blind obe­dience to the Authority of a Church. For when this exter­nall frame of godlinesse shall breake about their eares, they being really at the bottome devoyd of the true feare and love of God, and destitute of a more free and unprejudic'd use of their facultyes, by reason of the sinfullnesse and corru­ption of their natures; it will bee an easy thing to allure them to an assent to that, which seemes so much for their present Interest; and so being imboldned by the tot­tering and falling of what they took for Religion before, they will gladly in their conceipt cast down also the very Ob­ject of that Religious Worship after it, and conclude that [Page 2] there is as well no God as no Religion; That is, they have a mind there should be none, that they may be free from all wringings of conscience, trouble of correcting their lives, and feare of being accountable before that great Tribu­nall.

Wherefore for the reclayming of these if it were possi­ble, at least for the succouring and extricating of those in whom a greater measure of the love of God doth dwell, (who may probably by some darkening cloud of Melan­choly or some more then ordinary importunity of the Tempter be dissettled and intangled in their thoughts con­cerning this weighty matter) I held it sit to bestow mine indeavours upon this so usefull and seasonable an Enter­prise, a [...] to demonstrate that there is a God.

CHAP. II.
What is meant by demonstrating there is a God, and that the mind of man, unlesse he do violence to his facul [...]ies, will fully [...]ssent or dissent from that which notwithstanding may have a bare possibility of being otherwise.

BUt when I speak of demonstrating there is a God, I would not be suspected of so much vanity and o­stentation as to be thought I mean to bring no Arguments, but such as are so convictive, that a mans understanding shall be forced to confesse that is is impossible to be other­wise then I have concluded. For for mine own part I am pro [...]e to believe, that there is nothing at all to be so demon­strated. For it is possible that Mathematicall evidence it self, may be but a constant undiscoverable delusion, which our nature is necessarily and perpetually obnoxious unto, and that either fatally or fortuitously there has been in the world time out of mind such a Being as we call Man, whose essential property it is to be then most of all mistaken, when he conceives a thing most evidently true. And why [Page 3] may not this be as well as any thing else, if you will have all things fatall or casuall without a God? For there can be no cu [...]be to this wild conceipt, but by the supposing that we our selves exist from some higher Principle that is absolutely good and wise, which is all one as to acknow­ledge that there is a God.

Wherefore when I say that I will demonstrate that there is a God, [...] do not promi [...]e that I will alwayes produce such arguments, that the Reader shall acknowledge so strong as he shall be forced to confesse that it is utterly unpossible that it should be otherwise. But they shall be such as shall deserve full assent and win full assent from any unprejudic'd mind.

For I conceive that we may give full assent to that which notwithstanding may possibly be otherwise: which I shall illustrate by severall examples. Suppose two men got to the top of mount Athos, and there viewing a stone in the form of an Altar with ashes on it, and the footsteps of men on those ashes, or some words if you will, as Optimo Ma­ximo, or, [...] or the like, written or scralled out upon the Ashes; and one of them should cry out, Assuredly here have been some men here that have done this: But the other more nice then wise should reply, Nay it may possibly by otherwise. For this stone may have naturally grown into this very shape, and the seeming ashes may be no ashes, that is no remainders of any fewell burnt there, but some unexplicable and imperceptible Motions of the Aire, or other particles of this fluid Matter that is active every where, have wrought some parts of the Matter into the form and nature of ashes, and have fridg'd and plaid about so, that they have also figured those intelligible Cha­racters in the same. But would not any body deem it a piece of weaknesse no lesse then dotage for the other man one whit to recede from his former apprehension, but as fully as ever to agree with what he pronounced first, not­withstanding [Page 4] this bare possibility of being otherwise?

So of Anchors that have been digged up, either in plaine fields or mountainous places, as also the Roman Vrnes with ashes and inscriptions, as Severianus, Ful: Li­nus and the like, or Roman Coynes, with the effigies and names of the Caesars on them; or that which is more ordinary, the Sculls of men in every Church-yard, with the right figure, and all those necessary perforations for the passing of the vessells, besides those conspicuous hol­lowes for the Eyes and rowes of teeth, the Os Styloeides, Ethoeides, and what not? if a man will say of them, that the Motion of the particles of the Matter, or some hidden Spermatick power has gendred these both Anchors, Vrnes, Coynes, and Sculls in the ground, hee doth but pronounce that which humane reason must admitt as possible: Nor can any man ever so demonstrate that those Coynes, Anchors, and Vrnes, were once the Artifice of men, or that this or that Scull was once a part of a living man, that hee shall force an acknowledgment that it is impossible that it should be other­wise. But yet I doe not think that any man, without doing manifest violence to his facultyes, can at all suspend his as­sent, but freely and fully agree that this or that Scull was once part of a living man, and that these Anchors, Vrnes and Coynes, were certainly once made by humane artifice, notwithstanding the possibility of being otherwise.

And what I have said of Assent is also true in Dissent. For the mind of man not craz'd nor prejudic'd will fully and unreconcileably disagree, by it's own natural fagacity, where notwithstanding the thing that it doth thus resolvedly and undoubtingly reject, no wit of man can prove impossible to bee true. As if wee should make such a fiction as this, that Archimedes with the same individuall body that hee had when the Souldiers slew him, is now safely intent upon his Geometricall figures under ground, at the Center of the Earth, farre from the noise and din of this world that might [Page 5] disturb his Meditations, or distract him in his curious deli­neations he makes with his rod upon the dust; which no man living can prove impossible: Yet if any man does not as unreconcileably dissent from such a fable as this, as from any falshood imagineable, assuredly that man is next doore to madness or dotage, or does enormous violence to the free use of his Facultyes.

Wherefore it is manifest that there may bee a very firme and unwavering assent or dissent, when as yet the thing wee thus assent to may be possibly otherwise; or that which wee thus dissent [...]rom, cannot bee proved impossible to be true.

Which point I have thus long and thus variously sported my self in, for making the better impression upon my Rea­der, it being of no small use and consequence, as well for the advertising of him, that the Arguments which I shall produce, though I doe not bestowe that ostentative term of Demonstration upon them, yet they may bee as effectuall for winning a firme and unshaken assent, as if they were in the strictest Notion such; as also to reminde him that if they bee so strong and so pa [...]ly fitted and suteable with the facultyes of mans mind, that hee has nothing to reply, but only that for all this, it may possibly bee otherwise, that hee should give a free and full assent to the Conclusion. And if hee do not, that hee is to suspect himself rather of some distemper, prejudice, or weaknesse, then the Arguments of want of strength. But if the Atheist shall contrariwise per­vert my candour and fair dealing, and phan [...]y that he has got some advantage from my free confession, that the argu­ments that I shall use are not so convictive, but that they leave a possibility of the thing being otherwise, let him but compute his supposed gains by adding the limitation of this possibility (viz. that it is no more possible, then that the clearest Mathematicall evidence may be false (which is im­possible if our facultyes be true) or in the second place, then [Page 6] that the Roman Vrnes and Coins above mentioned may prove to be the works of Nature, not the Artifice of man, which our facultyes admit to be so little probable, that it is impossible for them not fully to assent to the contrary) and when he has cast up his account, it will be evident that it can be nothing but his grosse ignorance in this kind of Arithme­tick that shall embolden him to write himself down gainer and not me.

CHAP. III.
An attempt towards the finding out the true Notion or Defi­nition of God, and a cleare Conviction that there is an in­delible Idea of a Being absolutely perfect in the mind of Man.

ANd now having premised thus much, I shall come on nearer to my present designe. In prosecution whereof it will bee requisite for mee, first to define what God is, before I proceed to demonstration that he is. For it is obvious for Mans reason to find arguments for the im­p [...]ssibility, possibility, probability, or necessity of the Exi­stence of a thing, from the explication of the Essence thereof.

And now I am come hither, I demand of any Atheist that denies there is a God, or of any that doubts whether there be one or no, what Idea or Notion they frame of that they deny or doubt of. If they will prove nice & squeamish, and professe they can frame no notion of any such thing, I would gladly aske them, why they will then deny or doubt of they know not what. For it is necessary that he that would rationally doubt or deny a thing, should have some settled Notion of the thing hee doubts of or denies. But if they pro­fesse that this is the very ground of their denying or doubt­ing whether there be a God, because they can frame no No­tion of him, I shall forthwith take away that Allegation by [Page 7] offering them such a Notion as is as proper to God as any Notion is proper to any thing else in the world.

I define God therefore thus, An Essence or Being fully and absolutely perfect. I say fully and absolutely perfect, in counterdistinction to such perfection as is not full and ab­solute, but the perfection of this or that Species or Kind of finite Beings, suppose of a Lyon, Horse or Tree. But to be fully and absolutely perfect is to bee at least as perfect as the apprehension of a Man can conceive, without a Contradi­ction. But what is inconceivable or contradictious is no­thing at all to us, for wee are not now to wagg one Atome beyond our facultyes. But what I have propounded is so farre from being beyond our facultyes, that I dare appeale to any Atheist that hath yet any command of Sense and Reason left in him, if it bee not very easie and intelligible at the first sight, and that if there bee a God, he is to be dee­med of us, such as this Idea or Notion sets forth.

But if hee will sullingly deny that this is the proper No­tion of God, let him enjoy his own humour; this yet re­mains undenyable that there is in Man, an Idea of a Being absolutely and fully perfect, which wee frame out by attri­buting all conceivable perfection to it whatsoever, that im­plyes no Contradiction. And this Notion is Naturall and Essentiall to the Soul of Man, and can not bee wash'd out, nor conveigh'd away by any force or trick of wit what [...]oever, so long as the Mind of man is not craz'd, but hath the ordi­nary use of her own facultyes.

Nor will that prove any thing to the purpose, when as it shall be alledg'd that this Notion is not so connaturall and Essentiall to the Soul, because she framed it from some oc­casions from without. For all those undenyable conclusions in Geometry which might be help'd and occasion'd from some thing without, are so Naturall notwithstanding and Essentiall to the Soul, that you may as soon un-soul the Soul, as divide her from perpetuall assent to those Mathe­maticall [Page 8] truths, supposing no distemper nor violence offered to her Facultyes. As for example, shee cannot but acknow­ledge in her self the Several distinct Ideas of the five Regular Bodies, as also, that it is impossible that there should bee any more then five. And this Idea of a Being absolutely perfect is as distinct and indelible an Idea in the Soul, as the Idea of the five Regular Bodyes, or any other Idea whatsoever.

It remaines therefore undenyable, that there is an insepa­rable Idea of a Being absolutely perfect ever residing, though not alwayes acting, in the Soul of Man.

CHAP. IV.
What Notions are more particularly comprised in the Idea of a Being absolutely perfect. That the difficulty of fra­ming the conception of a thing ought to bee no argument against the existence thereof: the nature of corporeall Matter being so perplex'd and intricate, which yet all men acknowledge to exist. That the Idea of a Spirit is as easy a Notion as of any other substance what ever. What powers and propertyes are containd in the Notion of a Spirit. That Eternity and Infinity, if God were not, would bee cast upon something else; so that Atheisme cannot free the mind from such Intricacyes. Goodnesse, Knowledge and Power, Notions of highest perfection, and therefore necessarily included in the Idea of a Being abso­lutely perfect.

BUt now to lay out more particularly the perfections comprehended in this Notion of a Being absolutely and fully perfect, I think I may securely nominate these; Self-subsistency, Immateriality, Infinity as well of Duration as Essence, Immensity of Goodnesse, Omnisciency, Omnipoten­cy, and Necessity of Existence. Let this therefore bee the description of a being absolutely perfect, that it is a Spirit, Eternall, Infinite in Essence and Goodnesse, Omniscient, [Page 9] Omnipotent, and of it self necessarily existent. All which Attributes being Attributes of the highest perfection, that falls under the apprehension of man, and having no discoverable imperfection interwoven with them, must of necessity be attributed to that which we conceive absolutely and fully perfect. And if any one will say that this is but to dresse up a Notion out of my own fancy, which I would afterwards ssily insinuate to be the Notion of a God; I answer, that no man can discourse and reason of any thing without recourse to settled notions decyphered in his own mind. And that such an exception as this implies the most contradictious ab­surdities imaginable, to wit, as if a man should reason from something that never entred into his mind, or that is utterly out of the ken of his own facultyes. But such groundlesse allegations as these discover nothing but an unwillingnesse to find themselves able to entertain any conception of God, and a heavy propension to sink down into an utter oblivion of him, and to become as stupid and senselesse in divine things as the very beasts.

But others it may be will not look on this Notion as con­temptible for the easie composure thereof out of familiar con­ceptions which the mind of man ordinarily figures it self into, but reject it rather for some unintelligible hard termes in it, such as Spirit, Eternall, and Infinite, for they do professe they can frame no Notion of Spirit, and that anything should be Eternal or Infinite, they do not know how to set their mind in a posture to apprehend, and therefore some would have no such thing as a Spirit in the world.

But if the difficulty of framing a conception of a thing must take away the existence of the thing it self, there will be no such thing as a Body left in the world, and then will all be Spirit or nothing. For who can frame so safe a notion of a Body, as to free himself from the intanglements▪ that the extension thereof will bring along with it. For this extended matter consists of either indivisible points, or of particles [Page 10] divisible in infinitum. Take which of these two you will, and you can find no third) you will be wound into the most no­torious absurdityes that may be. For if you say it consists of points, from this position I can necessarily demonstrate, that every Speare or Spire-Steeple or what long body you will is as thick as it is long; that the tallest Cedar is not so high as the lowest Mushrome; and that the Moon and the Earth are so neere one another, that the thicknesse of your hand will not go betwixt; that Rounds and Squares are all one figure; that Even and Odde Numbers are Equall one with another; and that the clearest Day is as dark as the blackest Night. And if you make choice of the other Member of the disjunction, your fancy will bee little better at ease. For nothing can be divisible into parts it has not: therefore if a body be divisible into infinite parts, it has infinite extended parts: and if it has an infinite number of extended parts, it cannot be but a hard mystery to the Imagination of Man, that infinite extended parts should not amount to one whole infinite extension. And thus a grain of Mu­stard-seed would be as well infinitely extended, as the whole Matter of the Universe; and a thousandth part of that grain as well as the grain it self. Which things are more unconceivable then any thing in the Notion of a Spirit. Therefore we are not scornfully and contemptuous­ly to reject any Notion, for seeming at first to be clouded and obscur'd with some difficulties and intricacies of con­ception; sith that, of whose being we seem most assured, is the most intangled and perplex'd in the conceiving, of any thing that can be propounded to the apprehension of a Man. But here you will reply that our senses are struck by so manifest impressions from the Matter, that though the nature of it bee difficult to conceive, yet the Existence is palpable to us, by what it acts upon us. Why, then all that I desire is this, that when you shall be reminded of some actions and operations that arrive to the notice of [Page 11] your sense or understanding, which unlesse we do violence to our faculties we can never attribute to Matter or Body, that then you would not be so nice and averse from the ad­mitting of such a substance as is called a Spirit, though you fancy some difficulty in the conceiving thereof.

But for mine own part I think the nature of a Spirit is as conceivable, and easy to be defin'd as the nature of anything else. For as for the very Essence or bare Sub­stance of any thing whatsoever, hee is a very Novice in speculation that does not acknowledge that utterly un­knowable. But for the Essentiall and Inseparable pro­perties, they are as intelligible and explicable in a Spirit as in any other subject whatever. As for example, I con­ceive the intire Idea of a Spirit in generall, or at least of all finite created and subordinate Spirits▪ to consist of these severall powers or properties, viz. Self-penetration. Self-Motion, Self-contraction and Dilatation, and Indivisibi­lity; and these are those that I reckon more absolute; I will adde also what has relation to another, and that is the power of Penetrating, Moving and Altering the Matter. These properties and powers put together make up the Notion and Idea of a Spirit, whereby it is plainly distingui­shed from a Body, whose parts cannot penetrate one ano­ther, is not Self-moveable, nor can contract nor dilate it self, is divisible and separable one part from another; But the parts of a Spirit can be no more separated, though they be dilated, then you can cut off the Rayes of the Sunne by a paire of Scissors made of pellucide Crystall. And this will serve for the settling of the Notion of a Spirit; the proofe of it's Existence belongs not unto this place. And out of this description it is plain that a Spirit is a notion of more perfection then a Body, and therefore the more fit to be an Attribute of what is absolutely perfect, then a Body is.

But now for the other two hard terms of Eternall and Infinite, if any one would excuse himself from asse [...]g to [Page 12] the Notion of a God, by reason of the Incomprehensiblenesse of those attributes, let him consider, that he shall whether he will or no be forced to acknowledge something Eternal, either God or the World, and the Intricacy is alike in either. And though he would shuffle off the trouble of apprehen­ding an Infinite De [...]ty, yet he will never extricate himself out of the intanglements of an Infinite Space; which Notion will stick as closely to his Soul, as her power of Ima­gination.

Now that Goodnesse, Knowledge and Power, which are the three following Attributes, are Attributes of perfection, if a man consult his own Facultyes, it will be undoubtedly concluded, and I know nothing else he can consult with. At least this will be returned as infallibly true, that a Being ab­solutely perfect has these, or what supereminently containes these. And that Knowledge or something like it is in God, is manifest, because without animadversion in some sense or other, it is impossible to be Happy. But that a Being should bee absolutely perfect, & yet not happy, is as impossible. But Knowledge without Goodnesse is but dry Subtilty, or mis­chievous Craft; and Goodnesse with Knowledge devoyd of Power is but lame and ineffectuall: Wherefore what ever is absolutely perfect, is Infinitely both Good, Wise and Powerfull.

And lastly it is more perfection that all this be Stable, Immutable and Necessary, then Contingent or but Possible. Therefore the Idea of a Being absolutely perfect represents to our minds, that that of which it is the Idea is necessarily to ex­ist. And that which of its own nature doth necessarily exist, must never fail to be. And whether the Atheist will call this absolute perfect Being, God or not, it is all one; I list not to contend about words. But I think any man else at the first sight will say that wee have found out the true Idea of God.

CHAP. V.
That the soul of man is not Abrasa Tabula, and in what sense shee might be said ever to have had the actuall knowledge of eternal truths in her.

ANd now wee have found out this Idea of a Being ab­solutely perfect, that the use which wee shall hereafter make of it, may take the better effect, it will not be amisse by way of further preparation, briefly to touch upon that no­table point in Philosophy, whether the Soul of man be Abra­sa Tabula, a Table book in which nothing is writ; or whether shee have some innate Notions and Ideas in her self. For so it is that shee having taken first occasion of thinking from ex­ternall objects, it hath so imposed upon some mens judge­ments, that they have conceited that the Soul has no Know­ledge nor Notion, but what is in a Passive way impressed, or delineated upon her from the objects of Sense; They not wa­rily enough distinguishing betwixt extrinsecall occasions and the adaequate or principal causes of things. But the mind of man more free and better excercised in the close observations of its own operations and nature, cannot but discover, that there is an active and actuall Knowledge in a man, of which these outward objects are rather the reminders then the first begetters or implanters. And when I say actuall Know­ledge, I doe not mean that there is a certaine number of Ideas flaring and shining to the Animadversive faculty like so many Torches or Starres in the Firmament to our outward sight▪ or that there are any figures that take their di­stinct places, & are legibly writ there like the Red letters or Astronomical Characters in an Almanack; but I understand thereby an active sagacity in the Soul, or quick recollection as it were, whereby some small businesse being hinted unto her, she runs out presently into a more clear and larger con­ception. And I cannot better describe her condition then thus; [Page 14] Suppose a skilful Musician fallen asleep in the field upon the grasse, during which time he shall not so much as dream any thing concerning his musical faculty, so that in one sense there is no actuall skill or Notion nor representation of any thing musicall in him, but his friend sitting by him that cannot sing at all himself, jogs him and awakes him, and desires him to sing this or the other song, telling him two or three words of the beginning of the long, he presently takes it out of his mouth, and sings the whole song upon so slight and slender intimation: So the Mind of man being jogg'd and awa­kened by the impulses of outward objects is stirred up into a more full and cleare conception of what was but imper­fectly hinted to her from externall occasions; and this fa­culty I venture to call actuall Knowledge in such a sense as the sleeping Musicians skill might be called actuall skill when he thought nothing of it.

CHAP. 6.
That the Soul of Man has of her self actuall Knowledge in her, made good by sundry Instances and Argu­ments.

ANd that this is the condition of the Soul is discovera­ble by sundry observations. As for example, Exhi­bite to the Soul through the outward senses the figure of a Circle, she acknowledgeth presently this to be one kind of figure, and can adde forthwith that if it be perfect, all the lines from some one point of it drawn to the Perimeter, must be exactly Equal. In like manner shew her a Triangle, she will straightway pronounce that if that be the right figure it makes toward, the Angles must be closed in indi­visible points. But this accuracy either in the Circle or the Triangle cannot be set out in any materiall subject, there­fore it remains that she hath a more full & exquisite know­ledge of things in her self, then the Matter can lay open be­fore [Page 15] her, Let us cast in a third Instance, let some body now demonstrate this Triangle described in the Matter to have it's three Angles equall to two right ones: Why yes saith the Soul this is true, and not only in this particular Triangle but in all plain Triangles that can possibly be describ'd in the Matter. And thus you see the Soul sings out the whole song upon the first hint, as knowing it very well before.

Besides this, there are a multitude of Relative Notions or Ideas in the Mind of Man, as well Mathematicall as Logicall, which if we prove cannot be the impresses of any materiall object from without, it will necessarily fol­low, that they are from the Soul her self within, and are the naturall furniture of humane understanding. Such as are [...]hese, Cause, Effect, Whole and Part, Like and Vnlike, and the rest. So Equality and Inequality, [...] and [...] Proportion & Analogy▪ Symmetry and Asymmetry, and such like: All which Relative Ideas I shall easily prove to be no materiall impresses from without upon the Soul, but her own active conception proceeding from her self whilst shee takes notice of externall Objects. For that these Ideas can make no Impresses upon the outward senses is plain from hence; because they are no sensible nor Physicall affe­ctions of the Matter. And how can that, that is no Phy­sicall affection of the Matter affect our corporeall Organs of Sense? But now that these Relative Ideas, whether Logical or Mathematicall be no Physicall, affections of the Matter is manifest from these two arguments. First they may be produced when there has been no Physicall Mo­tion nor alteration in the Subject to which they belong, nay indeed when there hath been nothing at all done to the Subject to which they doe accrue. As for example, sup­pose one side of a Room whitened the other not touch'd or medled with, this other has thus become unlike, and hath the Notion of Dissimile necessarily belonging to it, al­though there has nothing at all been done thereunto. So [Page 16] suppose two Pounds of Lead, which therefore are two Equal Pieces of that Metall; cut away half from one of them, the other Pound, nothing at all being done unto it, has lost it's Notion of Equall, and hath acquired a new one of Double unto the other. Nor is it to any purpose to answere, that though there was nothing done to this Pound of Lead, yet there was to the other; For that does not at all enervate the Reason, but shewes that the Notion of Sub [...]double which accrued to that Lead which had half cut away, is but our Mode of conceiving, as well as the other, and not any Physicall affection that strikes the cor­poreall Organs of the Body, as Hot and Cold, Hard and Soft, White and Black, and the like do. Wherefore the Ideas of Equall and Vnequall, Double and Sub-double, Like and Vnlike, with the rest, are no externall Impresses upon the Senses, but the Souls own active manner of con­ceiving those things which are discovered by the outward Senses.

The second argument is, that one and the same part of the Matter is capable at one and the same time, wholly and entirely of two contrary Ideas of this kind. As for Ex­ample, any piece of Matter that is a Middle proportionall betwixt two other pieces, is Double, suppose, and Sub-dou­ble, or Tripple and Sub-tripple, at once. Which is a mani­fest signe that these Ideas are no affections of the Matter, and therefore do not affect our senses, else they would affect the senses of Beasts, and they might also grow good Geo­metricians and Arithmeticians. And they not affecting our senses, it is plain that wee have some Ideas that we are not beholding to our senses for, but are the meer exertions of the Mind occasionally awakened, by the Appulses of the out­ward objects; Which the out-ward Senses doe no more teach us, then he that awakened the Musician to sing taught him his skill.

And now in the third and last place it is manifest, besides [Page 17] these single Ideas I have proved to be in the mind, that there are also severall complex Notions in the same, such as are these; The whole is bigger then the part: If you take Equall from Equall, the Remainders are Equall: Every number is either Even or Odde; which are true to the soul at the very first proposal; as any one that is in his wits does plainly perceive.

CHAP. VII.
The mind of man being not unfurnish'd of Innate Truth, that wee are with confidence to attend to her naturall and un­prejudic'd Dictates and Suggestions. That some Notions and Truths are at least naturally & unavoydably assented unto by the soul, whether shee have of her self Actuall Knowledge in her or not. And that the definition of a Being absolutely perfect is such. And that this absolu­tely perfect Being is God, the Creatour and Contriver of all things.

ANd now we see so evidently the Soul is not unfurnished for the dictating of Truth unto us, I demand of any man, why under a pretence that shee having nothing of her own but may be moulded into an assent to any thing, or that shee does arbitrariously and fortuirously compose the severall Impresses shee receives from without, hee will be still so squeamish or timorous, as to be affraid to close with his own facultyes, and receive the Naturall Emanati­ons of his owne mind, as faithfull Guides.

But if this seem, though it be not, too subtile which I con­tend for, viz; That the Soul hath actuall knowledge in her self, in that sense which I have explained, yet surely this at least will be confess'd to be true, that the nature of the Soul is such, that shee will certainly and fully assent to some con­clusions, how ever shee came to the knowledge of them, unlesse shee doe manifest violence to her own Faculties. Which truths must therefore be concluded not fortuitous or arbitrarious▪ but Natural so the Soul: such as I have already [Page 18] named, as that every Finite number is either even or odde. If you adde equal to equal, the wholes are equal; and such as are not so simple as these, but yet stick as close to the Soul once apprehended, as that The three angles in a Triangle are equal to two right ones: That there are just five regu­lar Bodies neither more nor lesse, and the like, which we will pronounce necessarily true according to the light of Nature.

Wherefore now to reassume what we have for a while laid aside, the Idea of a Being absolutely perfect above pro­posed, it being in such sort let forth that a man cannot rid his minde of it, but he must needs acknowledge it to be in­deed the Idea of such a Being; it will follow that it is no ar­bitrarious nor fortuitous conceipt, but necessary and therefore natural to the Soul at least if no [...] ever actually there.

Wherefore it is manifest, that we consulting with our own natural light concerning the Notion of a Being absolutely perfect, that this Oracle tells us, that it is A spiritual Sub­stance, Eternal, Infinite in Essence and Goodness, Omnipo­tent, Omniscient, and of it self necessarily existent.

For this answer is such, that if we understand the sense thereo [...], we cannot tell how to deny it, and therefore it is true according to the light of Nature. But it is manifest that that which is Self-subsistent, infinitely Good, Omniscient and Omnipotent, is the Root and Original of all things. For Omnipotency signifies a Power that can effect any thing that implies no contradiction to be effected; and Creation implyes no contradiction: Therefore this perfect Being can create all things. But if it found the Matter or other Substances ex­isting aforehand of themselves, this Omnipotency and Power of Creation will be in vain, which the free and unprejudic'd Faculties of the Minde of man do not admit of. Therefore the natural notion of a Being absolutely perfect, implies that the same Being is Lord and Maker of all things. And ac­cording to Natural light that which is thus, is to be adored and worshipped of all that has the knowledge of it, with all [Page 19] humility and thankfullnesse; and what is this but to be acknowledged to be God?

Wherefore I conceive I have sufficiently demonstrated, that the Notion or Idea of God is as Naturall, Necessary and Essentiall to the Soul of Man, as any other Notion or Idea whatsoever, & is no more arbitrarious or fictitious then the Notion of a Cube or Terraedrum, or any other of the Regular Bodyes in Geometry: Which are not devised at our own pleasure (for such figments and Chimaras are infi­nite,) but for these it is demonstrable that there can be no more then five of them. Which shews that their Notion is ne­cessary, not an arbit [...]arious compilement of what we please.

And thus having fully made good the Notion of God, What he is, I proceed now to the next point, which is to prove, that Hee is.

CHAP. VIII.
The first Argument for the Existence of God taken from the Idea of God as it is representative of his Nature and Perfection: From whence also it is undeniably demon­strated that there can be no more Gods then One.

ANd now verily casting my eyes upon the true Idea of God which we have found out I seem to my self to have struck further into this businesse then I was aware of. For if this Idea or Notion of God be true, as I have undeny­ably proved, it is also undeniably true that he doth exist; For this Idea of God being no a [...]bitrarious Figment taken up at pleasure, but the necessary and naturall Emanation of the mind of Man, if it signifies to us that the Notion and Nature of God implyes in it necessary Existence as we have shown it does, unlesse we will wink against our own naturall light, wee are without any further Scruple to acknowledge that God does exist. Nor is it sufficient grounds to diffide to the strength of this Argument, because our fancy can [Page 20] shuffle in this Abater, viz. That indeed this Idea of God, supposing God did exist, shews us that his Existence is ne­cessary, but it does not shew us that he doth necessarily ex­ist. For he that answers thus, does not observe out of what prejudice he is inabled to make this Answer, which is this: He being accustomed to fancy the Nature or Notion of every thing else without Existence, and so ever easily sepa­rating Essence and Existence in them, here unawares hee takes the same liberty, and divides Existence from that Es­sence to which Existence it self is essentiall. And that's the witty fallacy his unwarinesse has intangled him in.

Again when as we contend that the true Idea of God re­presents him as a Being necessarily Existent, and therefore that he does exist; and you to avoid the edge of the Argu­ment reply, If he did at all exist; by this answer you involve your self in a manifest contradiction. For first you say with us, that the nature of God is such, that in its very Notion it implyes its Necessary Existence, and then again you unsay it by intimating that notwithstanding this true Idea and Notion▪ God may not exist, and so acknowledge that what is absolutely necessary according to the free Emanation of our Facultyes, yet may be otherwise: Which is a palpable Contradiction as much as respects us and our Facultyes, and we have nothing more inward and immediate then these to steer our selves by.

And to make this yet plainer at least if not stronger when wee say that the Existence of God is Necessary, wee are to take notice that Necessity is a Logicall Terme, and signifies so firme a Connexion betwixt the Subject and Praedicate (as they call them) that it is impossible that they should bee dissevered, or should not hold together, and therefore if they bee affirm'd one of the other, that they make Axioma Ne­cessarium, an Axiome that is necessary, or eternally true. Wherefore there being a Necessary Connexion betwixt God and Existence; this Axiome, God does Exist, is an [Page 21] Axiome Necessarily and Eternally true. Which we shall yet more clearly understand, if we compare Necessity and Contingency together; For as Contingency signifies not onely the Manner of Existence in that which is contingent accor­ding to its Idea, but does intimate also a Possibility of Actual Existence, (so to make up the true and easy Analogy) Ne­cessity does not only signify the Manner of Existence in that which is Necessary, but also that it does actually Exist, and could never possibly do otherwise. For [...] and [...] Necessity of Being and Impossibility of Not-being, are all one with Aristotle, & the rest of the Logicians. But the Atheist and the Enthusiast, are usually such profess'd Enemyes against Logick; the one meerly out of Dotage upon outward grosse sense, the other in a dear re­gard to his stiffe and untamed fancy, that shop of Mysteryes and fine things.

Thirdly, wee may further add, that whereas wee must needs attribute to the Idea of God either Contingency, Im­possibility, or Necessity of Actuall Existence, (some one of these belonging to every Idea imaginable) and that Contin­gency is incompetible to an Idea of a B [...]ing absolutely perfect, much more Impossibility, the Idea of God being compiled of no Notions but such as are possible according to the light of Nature, to which wee now appeal: It remains therefore that Necessity of Actuall Existence bee unavoidably cast upon the Idea of God, and that therefore God does actu­ally Exist.

But fourthly and lastly, if this seem more subtile, though it bee no lesse true for it, I shall now propound that which is so palpable, that it is impossible for any one that has the use of his wits for to deny it. I say therefore, that either God or this corporeall and sensible world must of it self ne­cessarily exist. Or thus, Either God or Matter or both doe of themselves necessarily exist. If both, wee have what we would drive at, the existency of God.

[Page 22] But yet to acknowledge the necessary existence of the Matter of it self, is not so congruous and suteable to the light of Nature. For if any thing can exist independently of God, all things may; so that not onely the Omnipotency of God might be in vain, but beside there would be a letting in from hence of all confusion and disorder imaginable; Nay of some grand Devill of equall Power and of as large Command as God himself: Or if you will of six thousand Millions of such monstrous Gigantick Spirits, fraught with various and mischievous Passions, as well as armed with immense power, who in anger or humour appearing in huge shapes▪ might take the Planets up in their prodigious Clutches, and pelt one another with them as boyes are wont to do with snowbals; And that this has not yet happened will bee resolved onely into this, that the humour has not yet taken them. But the frame of Nature and the generation of things would be still lyable to this ruine and disorder. So dangerous a thing it is to slight the naturall dependen­cyes and correspondencyes of our innate Ideas and concepti­ons.

Nor is there any Refuge in such a Reply as this, that the full and perfect Infinitude of the power of God, is able easi­ly to overmaster these six thousand Millions of Monsters, and to stay their hands. For I say that six or fewer, may equallize the infinite power of God. For if any thing may be self-essentiated besides God, why may not a Spirit of just six times lesse power then God exist of it self? and then six such wil equallize him, a seventh will overpower him. But such a rabble of self-essentiated and divided Deities, does not only hazzard the pulling the world in pieces, but plainly takes away the Existence of the true God. For if there be any power or perfection whatsoever, which has its original from any other then God, it manifestly demonstrates that God is not God, that is, is not a Being absolutely and fully perfect, because we see some power in the world that is not [Page 23] his, that is, that is not from him. But what is fully and wholly from him, is very truly and properly his, as the thought of my minde is rather my mindes, then my thoughts.

And this is the only way that I know to demonstrate that it is impossible that there should be any more then one true God in the world; For if we did admit another beside him, this other must be also self-originated; and so neither of them would be God. For the Idea of God swallows up into it self all power and perfection conceivable, and there­fore necessarily implies that whatever hath any Being, de­rives it from him.

But if you say the Matter does only exist and not God, then this Matter does necessarily exist of it self, and so we give that Attribute unto the Matter which our Natural Light taught us to be contain'd in the Essentiall conception of no other thing besides God. Wherefore to deny that of God, which is so necessarily comprehended in the true Idea of him, and to acknowledge it in that in whose Idea it is not at all contain'd (for necessary Existence is not contain'd in the Idea of any thing but of a Being absolutely perfect) is to pronounce contrary to our Natural light, and to do ma­nifest violence to our Faculties.

Nor can this be excused by saying that the Corporeall Matter is palpable and sensible unto us, but God is not, and therefore we pronounce confidently that it is, though God be not, and also that it is necessary of it self, sith that which is without the help of another must necessarily bee and eter­nally.

For I demand of you then sith you professe your selves to believe nothing but sense, how could sense ever help you to that truth you acknowledged last, viz That that which exists without the help of another, is necessary and eternall? For Necessity and Eternity are no sensible Qualities, and therefore are not the objects of any sense; And I have [Page 24] ready very plentifully proved, that there is other knowledge and perception in the Soul besides that of Sense. Wherefore it is very unreasonable, when as we have other faculties of knowledge besides the senses, that we should consult with the senses alone about matters of knowledge, and exclude those facultyes that penetrate beyond Sense. A thing that the profess'd Atheists themselves will not doe when they are in the humour of Philosophising, for their principle of Ato [...]es is a businesse that does not fall under Sense, as Lu­cretius at large confesses.

But now seeing it is so manifest that the Soul of man has other cognoscitive faculties besides that of Sense (which I have clearly above demonstrated) it is as incongruous to de­ny there is a God, because God is not an object fitted to the Senses, as it were to deny there is Matter or a Body, because that Body or Matter, in the imaginative Notion thereof, lies so unevenly and troublesomly in our fancy and reason.

In the contemplation whereof our understanding discover­eth such contradictious incoherencies, that were it not that the notion is sustain'd by the confident dictates of Sense, Reason appealing to those more crasse Representations of Fansy, would by her shrewd Dilemma's be able to argue it quite out of the world. But our Reason being well aware that cor­poreal matter is the proper object of the sensitive faculty, she gives full belief to the information of Sense in her own sphear, slighting the puzzling objections of perplexed Fancy, and freely admits the existence of Matter, notwithstanding the in­tanglements of Imagination, as she does also the existence of God, from the contemplation of his Idea in our soul, notwith­standing the silence of the senses therein. For indeed it were an unexcusable piece of folly and madnesse in a man, when as he has cognoscitive faculties reaching to the knowledge of God, and has a certain and unalterable Idea of God in his soule, which he can by no device wipe out, as well as he has the knowledge of Sense that reaches to the discovery of the [Page 25] Matter; to give necessary Self-existence to the Matter, no Faculty at all informing him so; and to take necessary Ex­istence from God, though the natural notion of God in the Soul informe him to the contrary; and only upon this pre­tence, because God does not immediately fall under the Knowledge of the Senses; Thus partially siding with one kind of Faculty only of the Soul, and proscribing all the rest. Which is as humoursomely and foolishly done, as if a Man should make a faction amongst the Senses them­selves, and resolve to believe nothing to be but what he could see with his Eyes, and so confidently pronounce that there is no such thing as the Element of Aire nor Winds nor Musick nor Thunder. And the reason forsooth must be because he can see none of these things with his Eyes, and that's the sole sense that he intends to believe.

CHAP. IX.
The second Argument from the Idea of God as it is Subje­cted in our Souls, and is the fittest Naturall meanes imaginable to bring us to the knowledge of our Maker. That bare possibility ought to have no power upon the mind, to either hasten or hinder it's assent in any thing. We being delt with in all points as if there were a God, that naturally wee are to conclude there is one.

ANd hitherto I have argued from the naturall Notion or Idea of God as it respects that of which it is the Idea or Notion. I shall now try what advantage may be made of it, from the respect it bears unto our Souls, the Subject thereof, wherein, it does reside.

I demand therefore who put this Indelible Character of God upon our Souls? why and to what purpose is it there? Nor do not think to shuffle me off by saying, We must take things as we find them, and not inquire of the finall [Page 26] Cause of any thing; for things are necessarily as they are of themselves, whose guidance and contrivance is from no principle of Wisdome or Counsell, but every substance is now and ever was of what nature and capacity it is found; having it's Originall from none other then it self; and all those changes and varieties we see in the World, are but the result of an Eternall Scuffle of coordinate Causes, bearing up as well as they can, to continue themselves in the pre­sent state they ever are, and acting and being acted upon by others, these varieties of things appeare in the world, but every particular Substance with the Essential Properties thereof is self-originated, and independent of any other.

For to this I answere, that the very best that can be made of all this is but thus much; that it is meerly and barely pos­sible▪ nay if we consult our own faculties, and the Idea of God, utterly impossible: but admit it possible; this bare possibility is so laxe, so weak, and so undeterminate a con­sideration, that it ought to have no power to move the mind this way or that way that has any tolerable use of her own Reason, more then the faint breathings of the loose Aire have to shake a Mountaine of brasse. For if bare possibility may at all intangle our assent or dissent in things, we cannot fully mis-believe the absurdest Fable in Aesop or Ovid, or the most ridiculous figments that can be imagin'd; As suppose that Eares of Corn in the field heare the whistling of the wind and chirping of the Birds; that the stones in the street are grinded with pain when the Carts go over them: that the Heliotrope eyes the Sun and really sees him as well as turns round about with him: that the Pulp of the Wall-nut, as bearing the signature of the brain, is indued with Imagination and Reason. I say no man can fully mis-believe any of these fooleries, if bare possibility may have the least power of turning the Scales this way or that way. For none of these nor a thou­sand more such like as these imply a perfect and palpable [Page 27] Contradiction, and therefore will put in for their right of being deemed possible. But we are not to attend to what is simply possible, but to what our naturall faculties do direct and determine us to. As for Example, Suppose the Question were, whether the Stones in the Street have sense or no, we are not to leave the point as indifferent, or that may be held either way, because it is possible and im­plyes no palpable Contradiction, that they may have sense and that a painfull sense too. But we are to consult with our naturall faculties, and see whither they propend: and they do plainly determinate the Controversy by telling us, that what has sense and is capable of pain, ought to have also progressive Motion, to bee able to avoyd what is hurtfull and painfull, and we see it is so in all Beings that have any considerable share of Sense. And Aristotle who was no doater on a Deity, yet frequently does assume this principle [...], That Nature does nothing in vain. Which is either an acknowledgment of a God, or an appeale to our own Rationall Faculties. And I am indifferent which, for I have what I would out of either, for if we appeale to the naturall suggestions of our own fa­culties, they will assuredly tell us there is a God.

I therefore again demand and I desire to be answered without prejudice, or any restraint laid upon our naturall faculties, to what purpose is this indelible Image or Idea of God in us, if there be no such thing as God existent in the world? or who seal'd so deep an Impression of that Cha­racter upon our Minds?

If we were travailing in a desolate wildernesse, where we could discover neither Man nor house, and should meet with Herds of Cattell or Flocks of Sheep upon whose bo­dies there were branded certain Markes or Letters, we should without any hesitancy conclude that these have all been under the hand of some man or other that has set his name upon them. And verily when we see writ in our [Page 28] Souls in such legible Characters the Name or rather the Nature and Idea of God, why should we be so slow and backward from making the like reasonable inference? As­suredly he whose Character is signed upon our Souls, has been here, and has thus marked us that we and all may know to whom we belong. That it is he that has made us, and not we our selves; that we are his people and the sheep of his Pasture. And it is evidently plain from the Idea of God, which includes omnipotency in it, that we can be made from none other then he; as I have before demon­strated. And therefore there was no better way then by sealing us with this Image to make us acknowledge our selves to be his, and to do that worship and adoration to him that is due to our mighty Maker and Creatour, that is to our God.

Wherefore things complying thus naturally, and ea­sily together, according to the free Suggestions of our naturall Faculties, it is as perverse and forced a buisi­nesse to suspend assent, as to doubt whether those Romane Vrnes and Coynes I spoke of digg'd out of the Earth be the works of Nature or the Artifice of Men.

But if wee cannot yet for all this give free assent to this Position▪ that God does Exist, Let us at least have the Patience a while to suppose it. I demand therefore sup­posing God did Exist, what can the Mind of Man ima­gine that this God should do better or more effectuall for the making himself known to such a Creature as Man, indued with such and such faculties, then we find really already done? For God being a Spirit and Infinite, can­not ever make himself known Necessarily, and Adaequa­ [...]ely by any appearance to our outward Senses. For if he should manifest himself in any outward figures or shapes, portending either love or wrath, terrour or protection, our faculties could not assure us that this were God, but some particular Genius good or bad: and besides such da­zeling [Page 29] and affrightfull externall forces are neither becoming the divine Nature, nor suteable with the Condition of the Soul of Man, whose better faculties and more free God meddles with, does not force nor amaze us by a more course and oppressing power upon our weake and brutish senses. What remaines therefore but that he should mani­fest himself to our Inward Man? And what way imagin­able is more fit then the indelible Impression of the Idea of himself, which is (not divine life and sense▪ for that's an higher prise laid up for them that can win it, but) a na­turall representation of the God-head and a Notion of his Essence, whereby the Soul of Man could no otherwise con­ceive of him, then an Eternall Spirit, Infinite in goodnesse, Omnipotent, Omniscient and Necessarily of himself Exi­stent. But this, as I have fully proved, we find de facto done in us, wherefore we being every way dealt with as if there were a God Existing, and no faculty discovering any thing to the contrary, what should hinder us from the concluding that he does really Exist?

CHAP▪ X.
Naturall Conscience, and Religious Veneration, argu­ments of the Existence of God.

HItherto we have argued for the Existency of the God-head from the naturall Idea of God, insepa­rably and immutably risiding in the Soul of Man. There are also other arguments may be drawn from what we may observe to stick very close to mans nature, and such is Na­turall remorse of Conscience, and a feare and disturbance from the committing of such things as notwithstanding are not punishable by men: As also a naturall hope of being prosperous and successefull in doing those things which are conceived by us to be good & righteous; And lastly Religious [Page 30] Veneration or Divine worship; All which are fruits unforced­ly and easily growing out of the nature of man; and if we rightly know the meaning of them, they all intimate that there is a God.

And first of Naturall Conscience it is plain that it is a fear and confusion of Mind arising from the presage of some mischief that may be [...]all a man beside the ordinary course of Nature, or the usuall occurrences of affaires, because he has done thus or thus. Not that what is supernatural or absolutely extraordinary must needs fall upon him, but that at least the ordinary calamityes and misfortunes, which are in the world, will be directed and levelled at him sometime or o­ther, because he hath done this or that Evill against his Con­science. And men doe naturally in some heavy Adversity, mighty Tempest on the Sea or dreadfull Thunder on the Land (though these be but from Naturall Causes) reflect upon themselves and their actions, and so are invaded with fear, or are unterrifide, accordingly as they condemne or acquit themselves in their own Consciences. And from this supposall is that magnificent Expression of the Poet concer­cerning the just man ‘Nec fulminant is magna Jovis manus,’

That he is not affrayd of the darting down of Thunder and Lightening from Heaven. But this fear, that one should bee struck rather then the rest, or at this time rather then another time, because a man has done thus or thus, is a na­turall acknowledgment that these things are guided and directed from some discerning principle, which is all one as to confesse that there is a God. Nor is it materiall that some alledge that Marmers curse and swear the lowdest when the storm is the greatest, for it is because the usualnesse of such dangers have made them loose the sense of the danger, not the sense of a God.

It is also very naturall for a man that follows honestly the [Page 31] dictates of his own Conscience, to be full of good hopes, and much at ease, and secure that all things at home and abroad will goe successfully with him, though his actions or sin­cere motions of his Mind act nothing upon Nature or the course of the world to change them any way: wherefore it implyes that there is a Superintendent Principle over Na­ture, and the materiall frame of the world, that looks to it so that nothing shall come to passe, but what is consistent with the good and welfare of honest and conscientious Men. And if it does not happen to them according to their expecta­tions in this world, it does naturally bring in a belief of a world to come.

Nor does it at all enervate the strength of this Argument that some men have lost the sense and difference betwixt good and evill, if there be any so fully degenerate; but let us suppose it, this is a monster, and I suspect of his own ma­king. But this is no more prejudice to what I ayme at, who argue from the Naturall constitution of a Man the Existen­cy of a God; then if because Democritus put out his Eyes, some are born blind, others drink out their Eyes and cannot see, that therefore you should conclude that there is neither Light nor Colours: For if there were, then every one would see them, but Democritus and some others doe not see them. But the reason is plain, there hath been force done to their Naturall Facultyes and they have put out their sight.

Wherefore I conclude from naturall Conscience in a Man that puts him upon hope and fear of Good and Evill from what he does or omits, though those actions and omis­sions doe nothing to the change of the course of Nature or the affaires of the world, that there is an Intelligent Principle over universall Nature that takes notice of the Actions of Men▪ that is that there is a God; for else this Naturall Fa­culty would be false and vaine.

Now for Adoration or Religious Worship it is as univer­sall as mankind, there being no Nation under the Cope [Page 32] of heaven that does not do divine worship to something or other, and in it to God as they conceive; wherefore ac­cording to the ordinary naturall light that is in all men, there is a God.

Nor can the force of this Argument be avoyded, by saying it is but an universall Tradition that has been time out of mind spread among the Nations of the world. For if it were so (which yet cannot at all be proved) in that it is universally received, it is manifest that it is according to the light of Nature to acknowledge there is a God. For that which all men admit as true, though upon the proposall of another, is undoubtedly to be termed true according to the light of Nature. As many hundreds of Geometricall De­monstrations that were first the inventions of some one man, have passed undenyable through all ages and places for true, according to the light of Nature, with them that were but Learners not Inventours of them. And it is suffi­cient to make a thing true according to the light of Nature, that no man upon a perception of what is propounded and the reasons of it (if it be not cleare at the first sight and need [...]easons to back it) will ever stick to acknowledge for a Truth. And therefore if there were any Nations that were destitute of the knowledge of a God, as they may be it is likely of the Rudiments of Geometry, so long as they will admit of the knowledge of one as well as of the other, upon due and [...]it proposall; the acknowledgment of a God is as well to be said to be according to the light of Nature, as the knowledge of Geometry which they thus receive.

But if it be here objected that a thing may be universal­ly receiv'd of all Nations and yet be so farre from being true according to the light of Nature, that it is not true at all▪ As for example that the Sun moves about the Earth, and that the Earth stands still as the fix'd Center of the world, which the best of Astronomers and the profoundest [Page 33] of Philosophers pronounce to be false: I answere that in some sense it does stand still, if you understand by Motion the translation of a body out of the vicinity of other bodyes. But suppose it did not stand still, this comes not home to our Case; For this is but the just victory of Reason over the general prejudice of Sense; and every one will ac­knowledge that Reason may correct the Impresses of Sense, otherwise we should admit the Sun and Moon to be no wi­der then a Sive, and the bodyes of the Starrs to be no bigger then the ordinary flame of a Candle. Therefore you see here is a clashing of the faculties one against another, and the stronger carryes it. But there is no faculty that can be pre­tended to clash with the judgement of Reason and natural Sagacity that so easily either concludes or presages that there is a God: wherefore that may well go for a Truth ac­cording to the light of Nature that is universally received of men, be it by what faculty it will they receive it, no other faculty appearing that can evidence to the contrary. And such is the universall acknowledgment that there is a God.

Nor is it much more materiall to reply, That though there be indeed a Religious Worship excercised in all Nations upon the face of the Earth, yet they worship many of them but stocks and stones, or some particular piece of Nature, as the Sunne, Moon, or Starrs; For I answer, That first it is very hard to prove that they worship any Image or Sta­tue, without reference to some Spirit at least, if not to the omnipotent God. So that we shall hence at least win thus much, that there are in the Universe some more subtile and Immateriall Substances that take notice of the affairs of Men, and this is as ill to a slow Atheist, as to believe that there is a God.

And for that adoration some of them do to the Sunne and Moon, I cannot believe they do it to them under the Notion of mere Inanimate Bodies, but they take them to be the habitation of some Intellectuall Beings, as that verse does plainly intimate to us,

[Page 34] [...]. The Sun that hears and sees all things; and this is very neer the true No­tion of a God.

But be this universall Religious Worship what it will, as absurd as you please to fancy it, yet it will not faile to reach very farre for the proving of a Deity. For there is no naturall Faculties in things that have not their object in the world; as there is meat as well as mouths, sounds as well as hearing, colours as well as sight, dangers as well as feare, and the like. So there ought in like manner to be a God as well as a naturall propension in men to Religious Worship, God alone being the proper Object thereof.

Nor does it abate the strength of the Argument that this so deeply radicated property of Religion in Man, that can­not be lost, does so ineptly and ridiculously display it self in Manking.

For as the plying of a Dogges [...]eet in this sleep, as if there were some game before him, and the butting of a yong lambe before he has yet either hornes or Enemies to encoun­ter, would not be in Nature, were there not such a thing as a Hare to be coursed, and an horned Enemy to be in­countred with horns: So there would not be so universall an Excercise of Religious Worship in the world, though it be done never so ineptly and foolishly, were there not real­ly a due Object of this worship, and a capacity in Man for the right performance thereof; which could not be unlesse there were a God.

But the Truth is, Mans Soul in this drunken drowsy con­dition she is in has fallen asleep in the body, and like one in a dreame talks to the bed-posts, embraces her pillow in­stead of her friend, falls down before statues in stead of ado­ring the Eternall and Invisible God, prayes to stocks and stones instead of speaking to him that by his word created all things.

[Page 35] I but you will reply that a yong Lambe has at length both his weapon and an Enemy to encounter, and the drea­ming Dogge did once and may again pursue some reall game; And so he that talks in his sleep did once conferre with men awake, and may do so again; But whole Na­tions for many successions of Ages have been very stupid Idolaters, and do so continue to this day. But I answere that this rather informes us of another great mystery, then at all enervates the present argument or obscures the grand truth we strive for. For this does plainly insinuate thus much, that Mankind is in a laps'd condition, like one fal­len down in the fit of an Epilepsy, whose limbes by force of the convulsion are moved very incomposedly and illfa­vourdly; but we know that he that does for the present move the members of his Body so rudely and fortuitously, did before command the use of his Muscles in a decent ex­ercise of his progressive faculty, and that when the fit is over he will doe so again.

This therefore rather implyes that these poore barbarous Souls had once the true knowledge of God, and of his wor­ship, and by some hidden providence may be recover'd into it again; then that this propension to Religious Worship, that so conspicuously appeares in them, should be utterly in vain: As it would be both in them and in all men else if there were no God.

CHAP. XI.
Of the Nature of the Soul of Man, whether she be a meere Modification of the Body, or a Substance really distinct, and then whether corporeall or incorporeall.

VVE have done with all those more obvious facul­ties in the Soul of Man, that naturally tend to the discovery of the Existence of a God. Let us briefly, be­fore [Page 36] wee loose from our selves and lanch out into the vast Ocean of the Externall Phaenomena of Nature, consider the Essence of the Soul her self, what it is, whether a meer Modification of the Body or Substance distinct therefrom; and then whether corporeall or incorporeall. For upon the clearing of this point wee may happily be convinced that there is a Spiritual Substance▪ really distinct from the Mat­ter. Which who so does acknowledge will be easilier indu­ced to beleeve there is a God.

First therefore if we say that the Soul is a meer Modifi­cation of the Body, the Soul then is but one universall Facul­ty of the Body, or a many Facultyes put together, and those operations which are usually attributed unto the Soul, must of necessity be attributed unto the Body. I demand there­fore to what in the body will you attribute Spontaneous Mo­tion? I understand thereby a power in our selves of wag­ging or holding still most of the parts of our Body, as our hand suppose or little finger. If you will lay that it is no­thing but the immission of the Spirits into such and such Mus­cles, I would gladly know what does immit these Spirits and direct them so curiously. Is it themselves, or the Braine, or that particular piece of the Braine they call the Co [...]arion or Pine-ker [...]ell? whatever it be, that which does thus immit them and direct them must have Animadversion and the same that has Animadversion has Memory also and Rea­son. Now I would know whether the Spirits themselves be capable of Animadversion, Memory and Reason: for it indeed seemes altogether impossible. For these animall Spirits are nothing else, but Matter very thin and liquid, whose nature consists in this, that all the particles of it be in Motion, and being loose from one another fridge and play up and down according to the measure and manner of agi­tation in them.

I therefore now demand which of the particles in these so many loosely moving one from another, has Animad­version [Page 37] in it? If you say that they all put together have, I appeal to him that thus answers how unlikely it is that that should have Animadversion that is so utterly uncapable of Memory, and consequently of Reason. For it is as impossi­ble to conceive Memory competible to such a subject, as it is, how to write Characters in the water or in the wind.

If you say the Brain immits and directs these Spirits, how can that so freely and spontaneously move it self or another that has no Muscles? besides Anatomists tell us that though the Brain be the Instrument of sense, yet it has no sense at all of it self; how then can that that has no sense, direct thus spontaneously and arbitrariously the animall Spirits into any part of the Body? an act that plainely requires deter­minate sense and perception. But let the Anatomists con­clude what they will, I think I shall little lesse then de­monstrate that the Brains have no Sense. For the same thing in us that has Sense has likewise Animadversion, and that which has Animadversion in us has also a faculty of free and arbitrarious Fansy and of Reason.

Let us now consider the nature of the Brain, and see how competible those operations are to such a Subject. Verily if wee take a right view of this laxe pith or marrow in Mans head, neither our sense nor understanding can discover any thing more in this substance that can pretend to such noble operations as free Imagination and sagacious collections of Reason, then we can discern in a Cake of Sewer or a bowle of Curds. For this loose Pulp, that is thus wrapp'd up within our Cranium is but a spongy and porous body, and pervious not onely to the Animall Spirits but also to more grosse Juice and Liquor, else it could not well be nourished, at least it could not be so soft and moistned by drunkennesse and excesse as to make the understanding inept and sottish in its operations. Wherefore I now demand in this soft substance which we call the Brain, whose softnesse implyes that it is in some measure liquid, and liquidity implyes [Page 38] a severall Motion of loosned parts; in what part or parcell thereof does Fancy, Reason and Animadversion lye? In this laxe consistence that lyes like a Net all on heaps in the water, I demand in what knot, loop, or Intervall thereof does this faculty of free Fancy and active Reason reside? I believe you will be asham'd to assigne me any: and if you will say in all together, you must say that the whole brain is figured into this or that representation, which would cancell Me­mory and take away all capacity of there being any distinct Notes and places for the severall Species of things there re­presented. But if you will say there is in Every part of the brain this power of Animadversion and Fansy, you are to remember that the brain is in some measure a liquid body, and we must inquire how these loose parts vnderstand one anothers severall Animadversions and Notions: And if they could (which is yet very inconceivable) yet if they could from hence doe any thing toward the immission and direction of the Animall Spirits into this or or that part of the Body, they must doe it by knowing one anothers minds, and by a joynt contention of strength, as when many men at once, the word being given, lift or tugge together for the moving of some so masty a body that the single strength of one could not deal with. But this is to make the severall particles of the brain so many Individuall persons; A fitter object for laughter then the least measure of beliefe.

Besides how come these many animadversions to seem but one to us, our mind being these, as is supposed? Or why if the figuration of one part of the brain be communicated to all the rest, does not the same object seem situated both behind us and before us, above and beneath, on the right hand and on the left, and every way as the Impresse of the object is reflected against all the parts of the braines? But there appearing to us but one animadversion and one site of things, it is a sufficient Argument that there is but one, or if there be many, that they are [Page 39] not mutually communicated from the parts one to another, and therefore there can be no such joynt endeavour to­ward one designe, whence it is manifest that the Braines cannot immit nor direct these Animall Spirits into what part of the Body they please.

Moreover that the Braine has no Sense, and therefore cannot impresse spontaneously any motion on the Ani­mall Spirits, it is no slight Argument in that some being dissected have been found without Braines, and Fontanus tells us of a boy at Amsterdam that had nothing but limpid water in his head in stead of Braines; and the Braines generally are easily dissolvable into a watry con­sistence, which agrees with what I intimated before. Now I appeale to any free Judge how likely these liquid par­ticles are to approve themselves of that nature and power as to bee able by erecting and knitting themselves toge­ther for a moment of time, to beare themselves so as with one joynt contention of strength to cause an arbitrarious ablegation of the Spirits into this or that determinate part of the Body. But the absurdity of this I have sufficiently insinuated already.

Lastly the Nerves, I mean the Marrow of them which is of the self same substance with the Braine, have no Sense as is demonstrable from a Catalepsis or Catochus: but I will not accumulate Arguments in a Matter so pal­pable.

As for that little sprunt piece of the Braine which they call the Conarion, that this should be the very substance whose naturall faculty it is to move it self, and by it's Mo­tions and Nods to determinate the course of the Spirits into this or that part of the Body, seems to me no lesse foo­lish and fabulous then the story of hi [...] that could change the wind as he pleased by setting his Cap on this or that side of his head.

If you heard but the magnificent stories that are told [Page 40] of this little lurking Mushrome, how it does not onely heare and see, but imagines, reasons, commands the whole fabrick of the Body more dextrously then an Indian boy does an Elephant, what an acute Logician, subtle Geometri­cian, prudent Statesman, skillfull Physician and profound Philosopher he is, and then afterward by dissection you dis­cover this worker of Miracles to be nothing but a poor silly contemptible Knobb or Protuberancy consisting of a thin Membrane containing a little pulpous Matter much of the same nature with the rest of the Braine, ‘Spectatum admissirisum teneatis amici?’

Would not you sooner laugh at it then goe about to con­fute it? And truly I may the better laugh at it now, having already confuted it in what I have afore argued concerning the rest of the braine.

I shall therefore make bold to conclude that the Im­presse of Spontaneous Motion is neither from the Animall Spirits nor from the Braine, and therefore that those opera­tions that are usually attributed unto the Soul are really incompetible to any part of the Body; and therefore that the Soul is not a meer Modification of the Body, but a Sub­stance distinct therefrom.

Now we are to enquire whether this Substance distinct from what ordinarily we call the Body, be also it self a Corporeall Substance, or whether it be Incorporeall. If you say that it is a Corporeall Substance, you can under­stand no other then Matter more subtile and tenuious then the Animall Spirits themselves, mingled with them and dispersed through the vessells and Porosities of the Body, for there can be no Penetration of Dimensions. But I need no new Arguments to confute this fond conceipt, for what I said of the Animall Spirits before, is applicable with all ease and fitnesse to this present case. And let [Page 41] it be sufficient that I advertise you so much, and so be excus'd from the repeating of the same things over a­gain.

It remains therefore that we conclude that that which impresses Spontaneous Motion upon the Body, or more immediatly upon the Animall Spirits, that which ima­gines, remembers, and reasons, is an Immateriall Sub­stance distinct from the Body, which uses the Animall Spirits and the Braines for Instruments in such and such Operations: and thus we have found a Spirit in a proper Notion and signification that has apparently these facul­ties in it; it can both understand and move Corporeall Matter.

And now this prize that we have wonne will prove for our designe of very great Consequence. For it is obvious here to observe that the Soul of man is as it were [...] a Compendious Statue of the Deity. Her substance is a solid Effigies of God. And therefore as with ease we consider the Substance and Motion of the vast Heavens on a little Sphere or Globe, so we may with like facility contemplate the na­ture of the All-mighty in this little Meddall of God, the Soul of Man, enlarging to Infinity what we observe in our selves when wee transferre it unto God; as we do imagine those Circles which we view on the Globea to be vastly bigger while we fancy them as described in the Heavens.

Wherefore we being assur'd of this that there is a Spi­rituall Substance in our selves in which both these pro­perties do resid, eviz. of understanding and of moving Cor­poreall Matter, let us but enlarge our Minds so, as to con­ceive as well as we can of a spirituall Substance that is able to move and actuate all Matter whatsoever never [...]o farre extended, and after what way and manner soever it please, and that it has not the knowledge onely of this or that particular thing, but a distinct and plenary Cognoscence of all things; and we have indeed a very competent [Page 42] apprehension of the Nature of the Eternall and Invisible God, who like the Soul of Man, does not indeed fall under sense, but does every where operate so, that his presence is easily to be gathered from what is discovered by our out­ward senses.

CHAP. I.
The Universall Matter of the World be it homogeneall or heterogeneall, self mov'd or resting of it self, that it can never be contriv'd into that Order it is without the Su­per-intendency of a God.

THE last thing I insisted upon was the Specifick nature of the Soul of Man, how it is an immate­riall substance indued with these two eminent Properties, of Understanding and Power of moving cor­poreall Matter. Which truth I cleared, to the intent that when we shall discover such Motions and Contrivances in the largely extended Matter of the world as imply Wis­dome and Providence we may the easilier come off to the acknowledgment of that Eternall Spirituall Essence that has fram'd Heaven and Earth, and is the Author and Ma­ker of all visible and invisible Beings.

Wherefore we being now so well furnish'd for the voi­age, I would have my Atheist to take Shipping with me, and loosing from this particular Speculation of our own inward nature to lanch out into that vast Ocean, as I said, of the Externall Phaenomena of universall Nature, or walke with me a while on the wide Theatre of this Out­ward world, and diligently to attend to those many and most manifest marks and signes that I shall point him to in this outward frame of things that naturally signify unto us that there is a God.

And now first to begin with what is most generall, I say that the Phaenomena of Day and Night, Winter and Sum­mer, Spring-time and Harvest, that the manner of rising and setting of the Sun, Moon and Starrs, that all these are signes and tokens unto us that there is a God, that is, that things are so framed that they naturally imply a principle [Page 44] of Wisdome and Counsell in the Authour of them. And if the [...]e be such an Authour of externall Nature, there is a God.

But here it will be reply'd▪ that meere Motion of the universall Matter will at last necessarily grinde it self into those more rude and generall Delineations of Nature that are observed in the Circuits of the Sunne, Moone and S [...]arres, and the generall Consequences of them. But if the mind of man g [...]ow so bold as to conceipt any such thing, let him examine his Faculties what they naturally conceive of the Notion of Matter. And verily the great Master of this Mechanicall Hypothesis does not suppose not admitt of any Specificall difference in this universall Matter, out of which this outward frame of the World should arise. Nei­ther do I think that any Man else will easily imagine but that all the Matter of the world is of one kind for its very Substance or Essence.

Now therefore I demand concerning this universall uni­form Matter, whether naturally Motion or Rest belongs unto it. If Motion it being acknowledg'd uniforme, it must be alike moved in every part or particle imaginable of it. For this Motion bring naturall and essentiall to the Mat­ter is alike every where in it, and therefore has loosened eve­ry Atome of it to the utmost capacity, so that every parti­cle is alike, and moved alike, And therefore there being no prevalency at all in any one Atome above another in bigg­nesse or motion, it is manifest that this universall Matter, to whom motion is so essentiall and intrinsecall, will be inef­fectu [...]ll [...]or the producing of any varity of appearances in Nature, and so [...]o Sunnes, nor Starres no [...] Earths, nor Vorti­c [...]s [...] ever arise out of this infinitely thin and still Matter, which most thus eternally remain unperceptible to any of [...], were our Senses ten thousand Millions of times [...] then they are▪ Indeed there could not be any such thing as either Man or Sense in the world. But we see this Matter shewes it self to us, in abundance of varieti [...] [Page 45] appearance; therefore there must be another principle besides the Matter to order the Motion of it so, as may make these varieties to appear: And what will that prove but a God?

But if you'l say that Motion is not of the nature of Mat­ter (as indeed it is very hard to conceive it, the matter sup­posed homogeneall) but that it is inert and stupid of it self; then it must be moved from some other, and thus of neces­sity we shall be cast upon a God, or at least a Spirituall sub­stance actuating the Matter▪ which the Atheists are as much affraid of, as children are of Spirits, or themselves of a God.

But men that are much degenerate know not the natu­rall Emanations of their own Minds, but think of all things confusedly, and therefore it may be will not stick to affirm, that either the parts of the Matter are Specifically different, or though they be not, yet some are Moveable of them­selves, others inclinable to Rest, and was ever so; for it happened so to be, though there be no reason for it in the thing it self; which is to wound our Faculties with so wide a gap, that after this they will let in any thing, and take away all pretence to any principles of Knowledge.

But to scuffle and combat with them in their own dark C [...]verns, let the universall Matter be a heterogeneall Cha­os of Confusion, variously moved and as it happens: I say there is no likelyhood that this mad Motion would ever amount to so wise a Contrivance as is discernable even in the generall Delineations of Nature. Nay it will not amount to a naturall appearance of what we see and is conceived most easy thus to come to passe, to wit, a round [...], Moon, and Earth. For it is shrewdly to be suspected that if there were no Superintendent over the Motions of those Aetheriall Whirle-pooles, which the French Philosophy supposes, that the form of the Sun and the rest of the Starres would be oblong not round, because the Matter recedes all along the Axis of a Vortex, as well as from the Center, and therefore naturally the Space that is left for the finest and [Page 46] subtilest Element of all, of which the Sunne and Starres are to consist, will be Long not Round. Wherefore this Round Figure we see them in, must proceed from some higher prin­ciple then the meere Agitation of the Matter: But whe­ther simply Spermaticall, or Sensitive also and Intellectu­all, I'le leave to the disquisition of others who are more at leasure to meddle with such Curiosities.

The Businesse that lies me in hand to make good is this, that taking that for granted which these great Naturallists would have allowed, to wit, that the Earth moves about the Sunne, I say the laws of its Motion are such, that if they had been imposed on her by humane Reason and Counsell, they would have been no other then they are. So that ap­pealing to our own faculties, we are to confesse that the Mo­tion of the Sunne and Starres, or of the Earth, as our Na­turallists would have it, is from a knowing Principle, or at least has pass'd the Approbation and Allowance of such a Principle.

For as Art takes what Nature wi [...]l afford for her purpose, and makes up the rest her self; So the Eternall Mind (that put the universall Matter upon Motion, as I conceive most reasonable, or if the Matter be confusedly mov'd of its self, as the Atheist wilfully contends) this Eternall Mind, I say, takes the easy and naturall results of this generall Impresse of Motion, where they are for his purpose, where they are not he rectifies and compleats them.

And verily it is farre more suteable to Reason that God making the Matter of that nature that it can by meere Motion produce something, that it should go on so farre as that single advantage could naturally carry it, that so the wit of Man, whom God has made to contemplate the Phae­nomena of Nature, may have a more fit object to exercise it self upon. For thus is the understanding of Man very highly gratifi'd, when the works of God and there manner of production are made intelligible unto him by a naturall [Page 47] deduction of one thing from another: which would not have been if God had on purpose avoided what the Matter upon Motion naturally afforded, and cancelled the laws thereof in every thing. Besides to have altered or added any thing further where there was no need, had been to Multiply Entities to no purpose.

Thus it is therefore with Divine Providence; what that one single Impresse of Motion upon the Vniversall Matter will afford that is usefull and good, it does allow and take in; what it might have miscarried in, or could not amount to, it directs or supplies. As in little pieces of wood natu­rally bow'd like a Mans Elbow, the Carver does not un­bow it, but carves an hand at the one end of it, and shapes it into the compleat figure of a Mans Arme.

That therefore that I contend for is this, that be the Matter moved how it will, the Appearances of things are such as do manifestly intimate that they are either appoint­ed all of them, or at least approved by an universall Prin­ciple of Wisdome and Counsell.

CHAP. II.
The perpetuall Parallelisme of the Axis of the Earth and its due proportion of Inclination, as also the course of the Moon crossing the Ecliptick, evident arguments that the fluid Matter is guided by a divine Providence. The Atheists Sophisme of arguing from some petty inconside­rable Effects of the Motion of the Matter, that the said Motion is cause of all things, seasonably detected and de­servedly derided.

NOw therefore to admit the Motion of the Earth, & to talk w^th the Naturallists in their own Dialect, I demand whether it be better to have the Axis of the Earth steddy, and perpetually parrallell with its self, or to have it carelesly tumble this way and that way as it happens, or at least very variously and intricately. And you cannot but answer me [Page 48] that it is better to have it steady and parallel: For in this lyes the necessary Foundation of the Art of Navi­gation and Dialling. For that steddy stream of Par­ticles which is supposed to keep the Axis of the Earth parallel to it self, affords the Mariner both his Cynosura and his Compasse. The Load-stone and the Load-star de­pend both on this. And Dialling could not be at all with­out it. But both of these Arts are pleasant, and the one especially of mighty importance to Mankind. For thus there is an orderly measuring of Time for our affaires at home, and an opportunity of Traffick abroad, with the most re­mote Nations of the world, and so there is a mutual sup­ply of the severall commodities of all Countreys, besides the inlarging of our understanding by so ample Experience we get of both men and things. Wherefore if we were ratio­nally to consult, whether the Axis of the Earth is to be held steady and parallel to it self, or to be left at randome, wee would conclude that it ought to be steady. And so we find it de facto, though the Earth move floating in the li­quid Heavens. So that appealing to our own Facultyes, we are to affirm that the constant direction of the Axis o [...] the Earth was established by a principle of Wisedom [...] and Counsell▪ or at least approved of it.

Again, there being severall Post [...]es of this steady dire­ction of the Axis of the Earth, v [...]z, either Perpendicular to a Plane going through the Center of the Sun, or Coincident or Incl [...]ning, I demand which of all these Reason and Know­ledge would make choise of. Not of a Perpendicular po­sture, For both the pleasant variety and great conveniency of Summer and Winter, Spring [...] time and Harvest would be lost; and for want of accession of the Sun, these parts of the Earth that bring forth fruit now and are habitable, would be i [...] an incapacity of ever bringing forth any, and consequently could entertain no Inhabitants; and those Parts that the full h [...]at of the Sun could reach, he plying [Page 49] them allwayes alike without any annual recession or inter­mission, would at last grow tired and exhausted. And be­sides consulting with our own facultyes we observe, that an orderly vicissitude of things, is most pleasant unto us, and does much more gratifie the contemplative property in Man.

And now in the second place▪ nor would reason make choice of a Coincident position of the Axis of the Earth. For if the Axis thus lay in a Plane that goes through the Center of the Sun, the Ecliptick would like a Colure or one of the Meridians passe through the Poles of the Earth, which would put the Inhabitants of the World into a pitti­full Condition. For they that scape best in the Temperate Zone, would be accloy'd with very tedious long Nights, no lesse then fourty dayes long, and they that now have their Night never aboue fovr and twenty houres, as Friseland, Iseland, the further parts of Russia and Norway, would be deprived of the Sun above a hundred and thirty dayes together, our selves in England and the rest of the same Clime would be closed up in darknesse no lesse then an hun­dred or eighty continuall dayes, and so proportionably of the rest both in and out of the Temperate Zones. And as for Summer and Winter, though those vicissitudes would be, yet it could not but cause very raging diseases, to have the Sun stay so long describing his little Circles neer the Poles and lying so hot upon the Inhabitants that had been in so long extremity of Darknesse and Cold before.

It remaines therefore that the posture of the Axis of the Earth be Inclining, not Coincident nor Perpendicular to the forenamed Plane. And verily it is not onely inclining, but in so fit proportion, that there can be no fitter excogi [...]ated, to make it to the utmost capacity as well pleasant as habi­table. For though the course of the Sun be curbed within the compasse of the Tropicks and so makes those parts very hot, yet the constantgales of wind from the East (to say nothing [Page 50] of the nature and fit length of their nights) make the Torrid Zone not only habitable but pleasant.

Now this best posture which our Reason would make choise of, we see really establish'd in Nature, and therefore, if we be not perverse and willful, we are to inferre that it was established by a Principle that has in it Knowledge and Counsell, not from a blind fortuitous jumbling of the parts of the Matter one against another, especially having found before in ourselves a knowing Spiritual Substance that is also able to move and alter the Matter. Wherefore I say we should more naturally conclude, that there is some such universall knowing Principle, that has power to move and direct the Matter; then to fancy that a confused justling of the Parts of the Matter should contrive themselves into such a condition, as if they had in them Reason and Coun­sell, and could direct themselves. But this directing Prin­ciple what could it be but God?

But to speake the same thing more briefly and yet more intelligibly, to those that are only acquainted with the Pto­lemaicall Hypothesis: I say that being it might have hap­pened that the annuall course of the Sun should have been through the Poles of the world, and that the Axis of the Heavens might have been very troublesomely and disor­derly moveable, from whence all those inconveniencies would arise which I have above mentioned; and yet they are not but are so ordered as our own Reason must approve of as best; it is Naturall for a man to conceive, that they are really ordered by a Principle of Reason and Counsell, that is, that they are made by an all wise and all-powerful God.

I will only adde one or two observables more, concer­ning the Axis of the Earth and the course of the Moon, and so I will passe to other things.

It cannot but be acknowledged that if the Axis of the Earth were perpendicular to the Plane of the Sun's Ecliptick, that her Motion would be more easy and naturall, and yet [Page 51] for the conveniencies afore mentioned we see it is made to stand in an inclining posture. So in all likelyhood it would be more easy and naturall for that hand-maid of the Earth the Moon, to finish her Monethly courses in the Aequinoctiall Line, but we see like the Sun she crosses it and expatiates some degrees further then the Sun him self, that her exalted light might be more comfortable to those that live very much North, in their long Nights.

Wherefore I conclude that though it were possible, that the confused agitation of the parts of the Matter might make a round hard heap like the Earth, and more thin and liquid bodies like the Aether, and Sun, and that the Earth may swimme in this liquid Aether like a rosted Apple in a great bowle of wine, and be carried about like straws or grasse cast upon a whirle-poole, yet that it's Motion and Posture should be so directed and attemper'd as we our selves that have Reason upon due consideration would have it to be; and yet not to be from that which is Knowing and in some sense Reasonable; is to our faculties, if they discerne any thing at all, as absonous and absurd as any thing can be. For when it had been easier to have been otherwise, why should it be thus, if some Superintendent Cause did not oversee and direct the Motions of the Matter, allowing nothing therein but what our Reason will confesse to be to very good purpose?

But because so many Bullets joggled together in a Mans Hat will settle to such a determinate figure, or be­cause the Frost and the Wind will draw upon dores and Glasse-windows pretty uncouth streaks like feathers, and other fooleries which are to no use or purpose, to inferre thence that all the Contrivances that are in Nature, even the frame of the bodyes both of Men and Beasts, are from no other principle but the jumbling together of the Matter, and so because that this does naturally effect something that it is the cause of all things, seems to me, to be a rea­soning [Page 52] in the same Mood and Figure with that wise Market-mans, who going down a Hill, and carrying his Cheeses under his Armes, one of them falling and trundling down the Hill very fast, let the other go after it, appoin­ting them all to meet him at his house at Gotham, not doub­ting but they beginning so hopefully would be able to make good the whole journey. Or like another of the same Town, who perceiving that his Iron Trevet he had bought had three feet, and could stand, expected also that it should walk too and save him the labour of the Carriage. So our profound Atheists and Epicureans according to the same pitch of Wisdome do not stick to infe [...]e, because this con­fused Motion of the parts of the Master may amount to a rude delineation of hard and soft, rigid and fluid, and the like; that therefore it will go on further and reach to the disposing of the Matter in such order as does naturally imply a Principle▪ that someway or other contains in it exact Wisdome and Counsell. A position more beseeming the Wise-men above mentioned, then any one that has the least command of his naturall wit and faculties.

Wherefore we having sufficiently detected the ridiculous folly of this present Sophisme, let us attending heedfully to the naturall emanations of unprejudic'd reason conclude, that the Rising and Setting of the lights of Heaven, the vi­cissitude of Day and Night, Winter and Summer, being so ordered and guided, as if they had been settled by exqui­site consultation, and by clearest knowledge; that there­fore that which did thus ordaine them is a knowing Princi­ple, able to move, alter and guide the Matter according to his own will and providence, that is to say, that there is a God.

And verily I do not at all doubt but that I shall evidently trace the visible foot-steps of this Divine Counsell and Pro­vidence, even in all things discoverable in the world. But I will passe through them as lightly and briefly as I can.

CHAP. III.
That Rivers, Quarries of stone, Timber-Wood, Metalls, Mineralls, and the Magnet, considering the nature of Man, what use he can make of them, are manifest signes that the rude Motion of the Matter is not left to it self, but is under the guidance and Super-intendency of an all-wise God.

LEt us therefore swiftly course over the Vallies and Mountains, sound the depth of the Sea, range the Woods and Forests, dig into the Entrailes of the Earth, and let the Atheist tell me which of all these places are silent and say nothing of a God. Those that are most dumbe will at least compromize with the rest, that all things are by the guidance and determination (let the Matter move as it will) or at least by the allowance, and approbation of a Knowing Principle: as a Mason that makes a wall, sometimes meets with a stone that wants no cutting, and so only ap­proving of it he places it in his work. And a piece of Tim­ber may happen to be crack'd in the very place where the Carpenter would cleave it, and he need not close it first that he may cleave it asunder afterwards; wherefore it the mee [...] Motion of the Matter can do any rude generall thing of good consequence, let it stand as allowable; but we shall find out also those things which do so manifestly [...]avour of Designe and Counsell, that we cannot naturally withhold our assent, but must say there is a God.

And now let us betake out selves to the search, and see if all things be not so as our Reason would desire them. And to begin at the Top first, even those rudely scattered Moun­tains, that seeme but so many Wens and unnaturall Protu­ [...]erancies upon the face of the Earth, if you consider but of what consequence they are, thus reconciled you may deeme them ornaments as well as usefull.

For these are Natures Stillatories in whose hollow [Page 54] Cavernes the ascending vapours are congealed to that uni­versal Aqua vitae, that good fresh-water, the liquor of life, that sustaines all the living Creatures in the world, being carried along in all parts of the Earth in the winding Cha­nels of Brookes and Rivers. Geography would make it good by a large induction. I will onely instance in three or foure: Ana and Tagus run from Sierra Molina in Spain, Rhenus, Padus and Rhodanus from the Alpes, Tenats from the Riphean, Garumna from the Pyrene [...]n Mountains, Achelous from Pindus, Hebrus from Rhodope, Tigris from Niphates, Or [...]ntes from Libanus, and Euphrae­tes from the Mountains of Armenia, and so in the rest. But I will not insist upon this, I will now betake my self to what does more forcibly declare an Eye of Providence, directing and determining as well as approving of the results of the supposed agitation of the parts of the Matter.

And that you may the better feel the strength of my Ar­gument, let us first briefly consider the nature of Man, what faculties he has, and in what order he is in respect of the rest of the Creatures. And indeed though his body he but weak and disarmed, yet his inward abilities of Reason and Artificiall contrivance is admirable. He is much given to Contemplation, and the viewing of this Theatre of the world, to trafick and commerce with forrain Nations, to the building of Houses and Ships, to the making curious in­struments of Silver, Brasse or Steele, and the like. In a word he is the flower and chief of all the products of Na­ture upon this Globe of the Earth. Now if I can shew that there are designes laid even in the lowest and vilest pro­ducts of Nature that respect Man the highest of all, you cannot deny but that there is an Eye of Providence that respecteth all things, and passeth very swiftly from the Top to the Bottome, disposing all things wisely.

I therefore now demand, Man being of this nature that he is, whether these noble faculties of his would not be lost [Page 55] and frustrate were there not Materialls to excercise them on. And in the second place I desire to know, whether the rude confused Agitation of the particles of the Matter do certainly produce any such Materialls fit for Man to ex­ercise his skill on or no; That is to say, whether there were any Necessity that could infallibly produce Quarries of Stone in the Earth which are the chief Materialls of all the Magnificent Structures of building in the world; And the same of Iron and Steel, without which there had been no use of these stones; And then of Sea-Coal and other neces­sary Fewel, fit for the working or melting of these Metalls; and also of Timber Trees, for all might have been as well brush-wood and shrubs; And then assuredly there had been no such convenient shipping, what ever had become of other buildings; And so of the Load-stone that great help to Navigation, whether it might not have laine so low in the Earth as never to have been reached by the Industry of Man; and the same may be said also of other Stones and Metalls, that they being heaviest might have laine lowest. Assuredly the Agitated Matter, unlesse there were some speciall over-powering guidance over it, might as well have over-slipt these necessary usefull things, as hit upon them: But if there had not been such a Creature as Man, these very things themselves had been uselesse, for none of the bruit beasts make use of such commodities, Wherefore unlesse a man will doe enormous violence to his faculties, he must conclude that there is a contrivance of Providence and Counsell in all those things, which reacheth from the begin­ning to the end, and orders all things sweetly. And that Providence foreseeing what a kind of Creature she would make Man, provided him with materialls from whence he might be able to adorne his present Age, and furnish History with the Records of egregious exploits both of Art and Valour. But without the provision of the forenamed Materialls, the Glory and Pompe both of warre and Peace [Page 56] had been lost. For men instead of those magnificent buil­dings which are seen in the world, could have had no better kind of dwellings, then a bigger sort of Bee-hives or Birds-nests made of contemptible sticks and straws & durty mo [...] ­ter. And instead of the usuall pompe and bravery of warre, wherein is heard the solemne sound of the hoarse Trumpett, the couragious beating of the Drumm, the neighing and pransing of the Horses, clattering of Armour, and the terrible thunder of Cannons, to say nothing of the glittering of the Sword and Spear▪ the waving and fluttering of displayed Colours, the gallantry of Charges upon their well mana­ged Steeds and the like: I say had it not been for the fore­named provision of Iron, Steel and Brasse, and such like ne­cessary Materialls, instead of all this glory and solemnity, there had been nothing but howlings and showtings of poor naked men belabouring one another with snag'd sticks, or dully falling together by the eares at Fi [...]ti-cuffs. Besides this, Beasts being naturally armed, and men naturally un­armed with any thing save their Reason, and Reason being ineffectuall having no materialls to work upon, it is plaine that that which made Men, Beasts and Metalls, knew what it did, and did not forget it self in leaving Man desti­tute of naturall Armature, having provided Materialls, and giving him wit and abilityes to arme himself, and so to be able to make his party good against the most fierce and stoutest of all living Creatures whatsoever, nay indeed left him unarmed on purpose that he might arme himself and excercise his naturall wit and industry.

CHAP. IV.
A further proof of divine Providence taken from the Sea, and the large train of Causes laid together in reference to Navigation.

HAving thus passed over the Hills and through the Woods and hollow Entrailes of the Earth, let us now view [Page 57] the wide Sea also, and see whether that do not informe us that there is a God, that is, whether things be not there in such sort as a rationall Principle would either order or ap­prove, when as yet notwithstanding they might have been otherwise. And now we are come to view those Campos natantes as Lucretius calls them, that vast Champian of water the Ocean, I demand first whether it might not have been wider then it is, even so large as to overspread the face of the whole Earth, and so to have taken away the habita­tion of Men and Beasts. For the wet particles might have easily ever mingled with the dry, and so all had either been Sea or Quag-mire. Secondly though this distinction of Land and Sea be made, whether this watry Element might not have fallen out to be of so thin a consistency as that it would not beare Shipping; For it is so farre from impossibility, as there be de facto in Nature such waters, as the river Silas for example in India. And the waters of B [...]risthenes are so thin and light, that they are said to swim upon the top of the Stream of the river Hypanis. And we know there is some kind of wood so heavy, that it will sink in any ordinary kind of water.

Thirdly and lastly, I appeale to any mans reason, whe­ther it be not better that there should be a distinction of Land and Sea, then that all should be mire or water; and whether it be not better that the Timber-trees afford wood so light that it swim on the water, or the water be so heavy that it will beare up the wood, then the Contrary. That therefore which might have been otherwise, and yet is settled according to our own hearts wish who are know­ing and rationall Creatures, ought to be deemed by us as established by Counsell and Reason. And the closer we looke into the buisinesse we shall discerne more evident foot-steps of Providence in it. For the two maine pro­perties of Man being contemplation and sociablenesse or love of converse, there could nothing so highly [Page 58] gratify his nature as power of Navigation, whereby he riding on the back of the waves of the Sea, views the wonders of the Deep, and by reason of the gl [...]bnesse of that Element, is able in a competent time to prove the truth of those sagacious suggestions of his own mind, that is, whether the Earth be every way round, and whether there be any Antipodes, and the like; and by cutting the Aequi­noctiall line decides that controversy of the habitablenesse of the Torrid Zone, or rather wipes out that blot that lay upon divine Providence, as if so great a share of the world had been lost by reason of unfitnesse for habitation.

Besides the falling upon strange Coasts and discovering Men of so great a diversity of manners from our selves, can­not but be a thing of infinite pleasure and advantage to the enlargement of our thoughts from what we observe in their conversation, parts, and Poli [...]y. Adde unto this the sundry rarities of Nature, and commodities proper to seve­rall Countries, which they that stay at home enjoy by the travailes of those that go abroad, and they that travaile grow rich for their adventure.

Now therefore Navigation being of so great consequence, to the delight and convenience▪ of humane life, and there being both wit and courage in Man to attempt the Seas, were he but [...]itted with right Materialls and other advanta­ges requisite; when we see there is so pat a provision made for him to this pu [...]pose, in large Timber for the building of his Ship, in a thick Sea-water sufficient to beare the Ships burden, in the Magnet or Load-stone for his Compasse, in the steady and parallell direction of the Axis of the Earth for his Cynosura; and then observing his naturall wit and courage to make use of them, and how that ingenit desire of knowledge an [...] converse, and of the improving of his own parts and happinesse stirre him up to so notable a designe; we cannot but conclude from such a traine of Causes so [...]ittly and congruously complying together, that it was real­ly [Page 59] the counsell of a [...] universall and eternall Mind that has the overseeing and guidance of the whole frame of Nature, that laid these causes so carefully and wisely together, that is, we cannot but conclude that there is a God.

And if we have got so fast foot-hold already in this truth by the consideration of such Phaenomena in the world that seeme more rude and generall, what will the contempla­tion of the more particular and more polished pieces of Na­ture afford in Vegetables, Animalls and the Body of Man?

CHAP. V.
Though the meere motion of the Matter may do something, yet it will not amount to the production of Plants and Animalls. That it is no Botch in Nature that some Phae­nomena be the results of Motion, others of Substantiall Formes. That Beauty is not a meere Phancy; and that the Beauty of Plants is an argument that they are from an Intellectuall Principle.

HItherto we have only considered the more rude and carelesse strokes and delineaments of divine Provi­dence in the world, set out in those more large Phaenomena of Day and Night, Winter and Summer, Land and Sea, Ri­vers, Mountains▪ Metalls and the like; we now come to a closer view of God and Nature in Vegetables, Animalls, and Man.

And first of Vegetables, where I shall touch only these foure heads, their Forme and Beauty, their Seed, their Signa­tures & their great Vse as well for Medicine as Sustenance. And that we may the better understand the advantage we have in this closer Contemplation of the works of Nature, we are in the first place to take notice of the condition of that Substance which we call Matter, how fluid and slip­pery and undeterminate it is of it self: or if it be hard, how unfit it is to be chang'd into any thing else. And therefore [Page 60] all things rot into a moisture before any thing can be genera­ted of them, as we soften the wax before we set on the Seal.

Now therefore, unlesse we will be so foolish, as because the uniforme motion of the Aire, or some more subtile cor­poreall Element, may so equally compresse or beare against the parts of a little vapourous moisture as to forme it into round drops (as we see in the Dew and other Experiments) and therefore because this more rude and generall Motion can do something, to conclude that it does all things; we must in all Reason confesse that there is an Eternall Mind, in vertue whereof the Matter is thus usefully formed and changed.

But meere rude and undirected Motion, because natu­rally it will have some kind of Results, that therefore it will reach to such as plainly imply a wise contrivance of Counsell, is so ridiculous a Sophisme, as I have already intimated, that it is more fit to impose upon the inconsiderate Souls of Fooles and Children then upon men of mature Rea­son and well exercis'd in Philosophy. Admit that Raine and Snow and Wind and Haile and Ice and such like Me­teors may be the products of Heat and Cold, or of the Mo­tion and Rest of certaine small particles of the Matter; yet that the usefull and beautifull contrivance of the branches, flowers and fruits of Plants should be so too (to say no­thing yet of the bodyes of Birds, Fishes, Beasts and Men) is as ridiculous and supine a Collection, as to inferre that because mere Heat and Cold does soften and harden waxe and puts it into some shape or other, that therefore this mere Heat and Cold or Motion and Rest, without any art or direction made the Silver Seal too, and graved upon it so curiously some Coat of Armes, or the shape of some Birds or Beasts, as an Eagle, a Lyon and the like. Nay in­deed this inference is more tolerable farre then the other, these effects of Art being more easy and lesse noble then those others of Nature.

[Page 61] Nor is it any botch or gap at all in the works of Nature that some particular Phaenomena be but the easy results of that generall Motion communicated unto the Matter from God, others the effects of more curious contrivance or of the divine Art or Reason (for such are the [...] the Rationes Seminales) incorporated in the Matter, espe­cially the Matter it self being in some sort vitall, else it would not continue the Motion that it is put upon when it is occasionally this or the other way moved; & besides, the Nature of God being the most perfect fullnesse of life that is possibly conceivable, it is very congruous that this out­most and remotest shadow of himself be some way though but ob [...]curely vitall. Wherefore things falling off by de­grees from the highest perfection, it will be no uneven or unproportionable step, if descending from the Top of this outward Creation, Man, in whom there is a principle of more fine and reflexive Reason, which hangs on, though not in that manner in the more perfect kind of Brutes, as sense also, loth to be curb'd within too narrow a compasse, layes hold upon some kinds of Plants, as in those sundry sorts of Zoophyta, but in the rest there are no further foot-steps discovered of an animadversive forme abiding in them, yet there be the effects of an inadvertent form ( [...]) of materiated or incorporated Art or Seminall Reason: I say it is no uneven jot, to passe from the more faint and ob­scure examples of Spermaticall life, to the more conside­rable effects of generall Motion, in Mineralls, Metalls & sundry Meteors, whose easy & rude shapes have no need of any particular principle of life or Spermaticall forme di­stinct from the Rest or Motion of the particles of the Matter.

But there is that Curiosity of forme and beauty in the more noble kind of Plants bearing such a sutablenesse and harmony with the more refined [...]ense and sagacity of the Soul of Man, that he cannot chose (his Intellectuall Touch being so sweetly gratifide by what it deprehends in [Page 62] such like Objects but acknowledge that some hidden Cause much a kin to his own nature, that is intellectuall, is the con­triver & perfecter of these so pleasant spectacles in the world.

Nor is it all to the purpose to object, that this buisinesse of Beauty and comelinesse of proportion is but a conceit, be­cause some men acknowledge no such thing, & all things are alike handsome to them, who yet notwithstanding have the use of their Eyes as well as other folkes. For I say this rather makes for what we a yme at, that pulchritude is convey'd in­deed by the outward Senses unto the Soul, but a more intel­lectuall faculty is that which relishes it; as a Geometricall Scheme is let in by the Eyes, but the demonstration is discern'd by Reason. And therefore it is more rationall to affirm that some Intellectuall Principle was the Authour of this Pul­chritude of things, then that they should be thus fashion'd without the help of that Principle. And to say that there is no such thing as Pulchritude, because some mens Souls are so dull & stupid that they relish all objects alike in that respect, is as absurd and groundlesse as to conclude there is no such thing as Reason and Demonstration, because a naturall Fool cannot reach unto it. But that there is such a thing as Beauty, & that it is acknowledged by the whole generations of Men to be in Trees, Flowers and Fruits; the adorning and beau­tifying of Buildings in all Ages is an ample & undenyable Testimony. For what is more ordinary with them then the taking in flowers and fruitage for the garnishing of their work? Besides I appeal to any man that is not sunk into so forlorne a pitch of Degeneracy, that he is as stupid of these things as the ba [...]est of Beasts▪ whether for Example a rightly cut Tetraedrum, Cube or Icosaedrum have no more pulchri­tude in them, then any rude broken stone lying in the field or high wayes; or to name other solid Figures which though they be not Regular properly so called, yet have a settled Idea and Nature, as a Cone, Sphear or Cylinder, whether the [...]ight of these doe not gratifie the minds of men more, [Page 63] and pretend to more elegancy of shape, then those rude cuttings or ch [...]ppings of free stone that fall from the Masons hands and serve for nothing but to fill up the middle of the Wall, and so to be hid from the Eyes of Man for their [...]glinesse. And it is observable that if Nature shape any thing near this Geometricall accuracy, that we take notice of it with much content and pleasure; As if it be but exactly round (as there are abundance of such stones found be­twixt [...]two hills in Cuba an Iland or America) or ordinatly Quinquangular, or have the sides but Parallell, though the Angles be unequall, as is seen in some little stones, and in a kind of Alabaster found here in England; these stones I say gratifie our sight, as having a neerer cognation with the Soul of man, that is rationall and intellectuall; and therefore is well pleased when it meets with any outward object that fits and agrees with those conge [...]it Ideas her own nature is furnished with. For Symmetry, Equality, and Correspondency of parts is the discernment of Reason, not the object of Sense, as I have heretofore proved.

Now therefore it being evident that there is such a thing as Beauty, Symmetry and Comelinesse of Proportion (to say nothing of the delightfull mixture of colours) and that this is the proper Object of the Understanding and Reason (for these things be not taken notice of by the Beasts) I think I may safely inferre that whatever is the first and principall cause of changing the fluid and undeter­minated Matter into shapes so comely and symmetricall, as wee see in Flowers and Trees, is an understanding Prin­ciple, and knows both the nature of man and of those ob­jects he offers to his sight in this outward and visible world. For these things cannot come by chance or by a mul­ti [...]arious attempt of the parts of the matter upon themselves, for then it were likely that the Species of things (though some might hit right, yet most) would be maym'd and ridiculous; but now there is not any ineptitude in any thing [Page 64] which is a signe that the fluidnesse of the Matter is guided and determined by the overpowering counsell of an Eter­nall Mind, that is, of a God.

If it were not needlesse I might now instance in sundry kinds of flowers, herbes and trees [...] but these objects being so obvious and every mans Phansie being branched with the remembrance of Roses, Marigolds, Gillyflowers, Pi­onyes, Tulips, Pa [...]sies, Primroses, the leaves and clusters of the Vine, and a thousand such like, of all which they can­not but confesse, that there is in them beauty and symmetry and gratefull proportion, I hold it superfluous to weary you with any longer induction, but shall passe on to the three considerations behind, of their Seed, Signatures and Vseful­nesse, and shall passe through them very briefly, the Ob­servables being very ordinary and easily intelligible.

CHAP. VI.
The Seeds and Signatures of Plants, arguments of a divine Providence.

I Say therefore in that every Plant▪ has its Seed, it is an evident signe of divine Providence. For it being no necessary Result of the Motion of the Matter, as the whole contrivance of the Plant indeed is not, and it being of so great consequence that they have Seed for the continuance and propagation of their own Species, and for the gartify­ing of mans Art also, industry and necessityes, (for much of husbandry and gradening lyes in this) it cannot but be an Act of Counsell to furnish the severall kinds of Plants with their Seeds, especially the Earth being of such a nature, that though at first for a while it might bring forth all manner of Plants, (as some will have it also to have brought forth all kinds of Animalls) yet at last it would grow so slug­gish, that without the advantage of those small compendi­ous Principles of generation, the graines of Seed, it would [Page 65] yield no such births; no more then a Pump grown dry will yield any water, unless you pour a little water into it first, & then for one Bason-full you may fetch up so many Soe-fulls.

Nor is it materiall to object that stinking weeds, and poysonous Plants bear seed too as well as the most pleasant and most usefull, For even those stinking weeds and poyso­nous Plants have their use. For first the Industry of Man is excercised by them to weed them out where they are hurt­full. Which reason if it seem slight, let us but consider that if humane Industry had nothing to conflict and struggle with, the fire of mans Spirit would be half extinguish'd in the flesh, and then wee shall acknowledge that that which I have alledged is not so contemptible nor invalid.

But secondly who knows but it is so with poysonous Plants, as vulgarly is phansied concerning Toads and other poysonous Serpents, that they lick the venome from off the Earth? so poysonous plants may well draw to them all the maligne juice and nourishment that the other may be more pure and defaecate, as there are Receptacles in the body of Man and Emunctories to draine them of superfluous Cho­ler, Melancholy and the like.

But lastly it is very well known by them that know any thing in Nature and Physick, that those herbs that the rude and ignorant would call weeds are the Materialls of very soveraigne Medicines, that Aconitum hyemale or Winter wolfes bane, that otherwise is ranck poyson, is repor­ted to prevaile mightily against the bitings of vipers and scorpions, which Crollius assenteth unto. And that that plant that bears death in the very name of it, Solanum Lae­thiferum, prevents death by procuring sleep, if it be rightly apply'd in a feaver. Nor are those things to be deemed un­profitable whose use we know not yet, for all is not to be known at once, that succeeding Ages may ever have some­thing left to gratifie themselves in their own discoveries.

We come now to the Signatures of Plants, which seems [Page 66] no lesse Argument that the highest originall of the works of Nature is some understanding Principle, then that so carefull provision of their seed. Nay indeed this respects us more properly and adaequare [...]y then the other, and is a certaine Key to enter Man into the knowledge and use of the Treasures of Nature. I demand therefore whether it be not a very easie and genuine inference from the observing that severall herbs are marked with some marke or signe that intimates their vertue, what they are good for; and there being such a creature as Man in the world that can read and understand these signes and characters, hence to collect that the Authour both of Man and them knew the nature of them both; For it is like the inscriptions upon Apothecaries Boxes that the Master of the Shop [...] on▪ that the Apprentise may read them; nay it is better, for here is in herbs inscribed the ve [...]y nature and use of them▪ not the meere name. Nor is there any necessity that all should be thus signed, though some be; for the rarity of it is the de­light; for otherwise it had been dull and cloying, too much harping upon the same string. And besides divine Provi­dence would onely initiate and enter mankind into the use­full knowledge of her Treasures, leaving the rest to imploy our industry that we might not live like idle Loyterers and Truants. For the Theatre of the world is an excercise of Mans wit, not a lazy Polyanthea or book of Common places. And therefore all things are in some measure obscure and intricate, that the sedulity of that divine Spark the Soul of Man, may have matter of conquest and triumph when he has done bravely by a superadvenient assistance of his God.

But that there be some Plants that bear a very evident Signature of their nature and use, I shall fully make good by these following instances.

Capillus Vener [...], Polytrichon or M [...]ydenhaire, the lye in which it is sodden or in [...]us'd, is good to wash the head and make the haire grow in those places that are more thin and bare.

[Page 67] And the decoction of Quinces, which are a downy and hairy fruit, is accounted good for the fetching again hair that has fallen by the French Poxe.

The leaf of Balme and of Alleluia or Wood-Sorrell, as also the Roots of Anthora represent the heart in figure and are Cardiacall.

Wall nuts beare the whole signature of the head. The outward green Cortex answers to the Pericranium, and a salt made of it is singularly good for wounds in that part, as the kernell is good for the brains which it resembles.

Vmbilicus Veneris is powerfull to provoke lust as Di [...]s­corides affirmes. As also your severall sorts of Satyrions which have the evident resemblance of the genitall parts up­on them: Aron especially, and all your Orchisses, that they have given names unto from some beasts or other, as Cynos­orchis, Orchis Myodes, Tragorchis and the like. The last whereof, notorious also for its goatish smell and tufts not unlike the beard of that lecherous Animall, is of all the rest the most powerful Incentive to Lust.

The leaves of Hypericon, are very thick prick'd, or pinck'd with little holes, and it is a singular good wound­herb, as usefull also for deobstructing the pores of the body.

Scorpioides, Echium, or Scorpion-grasse is like the crook­ed tayle of a Scorpion, and Ophioglossum or Adders-tongue has a very plain and perfect resemblance of the tongue of a Serpent, as also Ophioscorodon of the intire head and upper parts of the body, and these are all held very good against poyson and the biting of Serpents. And generally all such plants as are speckled with spots like the skins of vipers or other venemous creatures, are known to be good against the stings or bitings of them, and are powerfull Antidotes against Poyson.

Thus did divine Providence by naturall Hieroglyphicks read short Physick lectures to the rude wit of man, that being a little entered and engaged he might by his own in­dustry [Page 68] and endeavours search out the rest himself, it being very reasonable that other herbs that had not such signa­tures▪ might be very good for Medicinall uses, as well as they that had.

But if any here object that some herbs have the resem­blance of such things as cannot in any likelyhood referre to Physick, as Geranium, Cruciata, Bursa Pastoris, & the like; I say they answer themselves in the very proposall of their Objection: For this is a signe that they were intended onely for ludicrous ornaments of Nature, like the flou­rishes about a great letter that signify nothing but are made onely to delight the Eye. And 'tis so farre from being any inconvenience to our first progenitours if this intimation of signatures did faile, that it cast them with more courage upon attempting the vertue of those that had no such signa­tures at all; it being obvious for them to reason thus, Why may not those herbs have medicinall vertue in them that have no signatures, as well as they that have signatures have no vertue answerable to the signes they beare? which was a further confirmation to them of the former conclusion.

And it was sufficient that those that were of so present and great consequence as to be Antidotes against poyson that so quickly would have dispatch'd poore rude and naked Antiquity, or to helpe on the small beginnings of the world by quickning and actuating their phlegmatick Natures to more frequent and effectuall Venery (for their long lives shew they were not very fiery) I say it was sufficient that herbs of this kind were so legibly sign'd with Characters that so plainly bewrai'd their usefull vertues, as is manifest in your Satyrions, Ophioglossum, and the like. But I have dwelt too long upon this Theory, wee'l betake our selves to what followes.

CHAP. VII.
Arguments of divine Providence drawn from the Use­fulness of Plants.

VVE are at length come to the fourth and last con­sideration of Plants, viz. their Vse & Profi­tablenesse. And to say nothing now of those greater Trees that are fit for Timber, and are the requisite Materials for the building of Ships and magnificent Houses, to adorne the Earth, and make the life of Man more splendid and de­lectable; as also for the erecting of those holy Structures consecrated to divine Worship amongst which we are not to forget that famous Aedifice, that glorious Temple at Jerusalem consecrated to the great God of Heaven and Earth: As indeed it was most fit that he whose Guidance & Providence permitted not the strength of the Earth to spend it self in base gravel and pebbles insteed of Quar­ries of Stones, nor in briars and brush-wood instead of Pines, Cedars and Okes, that he should at some time or other have the most stately magnificent Temples erected to him, that the wit and industry of Man and the best of those materials could afford. It being the most suteable acknowledgment of thanks for that piece of Providence that can be invented. And it is the very consideration that moved that pious King David to designe the building of a Temple to the God of Israel; See now, sayes he, I dwell in a house of Cedar, but the Arke of God dwel­leth within Curtains. But as I sayd I will add nothing concerning these things being contented with what I have glanced upon heretofore.

We will now briefly take notice of the profitablenesse of Plants for Physick and Food, and then paste on to the consi­deration of Animalls. And as for their Medicinall uses, the large Herballs that are every where to be had [Page 70] are so ample Testimonies thereof, that I have said enough in but reminding you of them. That which is most obser­vable here is this, that brute Beasts have some share in their vertue as well as Men. For the Toad being overcharged with the poison of the Spider, as is ordinary believed, has recourse to the Plantane leafe. The Weasel when she is to encounter the Serpent, armes her self with eating of Rue. The Dog when he is sick at the stomach, knows his Cure, falls to his Grasse, vomits, and is well. The Swallowes make use of Celandine; the Linnet of Euphragia for the repairing of their sight. And the Asse when hee's oppress'd with Melancholy, eats of the herbe Asplenium or Milt­waste, and so eases himself of the swelling of the Spleene. And Virgill reports of the Dictamnum Cretense or Cretian Dittany, that the wild Goats eate it when they are shot with darts or arrowes, for that herb has the vertue to work them out of their body and to heale up the wound.

Which things I conceive no obscure indigitation of Pro­vidence; For they doing that by instinct and nature, which men who have free Reason cannot but acknowledge to be very pertinent and fitting, nay such that the skillfullest Physitian will approve and allow; and these Creatures ha­ving no such reason and skill themselves, as to turne Physi­tians; it must needs be concluded that they are inabled to do these things by vertue of that Principle that contrived them, and made them of that nature they are, and that that Prin­ciple therefore must have skill and knowledge, that is, that it must be God.

We come now to the consideration of Plants as they af­ford Food both to Man and Beasts. And here we may ob­serve that as there was a generall provision of water by set­ting the Mountains and Hills a broche, from whence through [Page 71] the Spring-heads and continued Rivulets drawn together (that caused afterwards greater Rivers with the long wind­ing distributions of them) all the Creatures of the Earth quench their thirst: So divine Providence has spread her Table every where, not with a juicelesse green Carpet, but with succulent Herbage and nourishing Grasse, upon which most of the beasts of the field doe feed. And they that feed not on it, feed on those that eate it, and so the generations of them all are continued.

But this seeming rather necessary then of choise, I will not insist upon it. For I grant that Counsell most properly is there implyde where we discerne a variety and possibility of being otherwise, and yet the best is made choise of. Therefore I will onely intimate thus much, that though it were necessary that some such thing as grasse should be, if there were such and such Creatures in the world, yet it was not at all necessary that grasse and herbs should have that colour which they have, for they might have been red or white, o [...] some such colour which would have been very offensive and hurtfull to our sight. But I will not insist upon these things; let us now consider the Fruits of Trees, where I think it will appear very mani­festly, that there was one and the same Authour both of Man and them, and that assuredly he knew what he did when he made them. For could Apples, and Oranges, and Grapes, and Apricocks, and such like fruit, be intended for Beasts that hold their heads downward and can scarce look up at them, much lesse know how to reach them? When we feed our dogs, we set the dish or trencher on the ground, nor on the Table. But you'le say that at last these fruits will fall down, and then the beasts may come at them: But one thing is, there are not many that desire them, and so they would rot upon the ground before they be spent, or be squander'd away in a moment of time, as it might easily fare with the most precious of Plants the Vine. [Page 72] But Man who knowes the worth of the Grape knowes to preserve it a long season (for it is both eaten and drunk some yeares after the vintage) as he does also gather the rest of the fruits of the Earth, and layes up both for himself and his Cattel: Wherefore it is plainly discoverable that Mans co­ming into the world, is not a thing of Chance or Necessity, but a Designe, as the bringing of worthy Guests to a well furnish'd Table.

And what I have intimated concerning the Vine is as eminently, if not more eminently, observable in the ordi­nary kinds of Graine, as Wheat and Barly, and the like, which also like the Vine are made either Edible or Potable by Mans Art and Industry; But that's not the thing that I care so much to observe. That which I drive at now is this: That Bread-corne that brings so considerable in­crease by tillage and husbandry would scarce be at all without it: for that which grows wildly of it self is worth nothing: But it being so wholesome and strengthning a food, that it should yield so plentifull increase, and that this should not be without humane Art and Industry, does plainly insinuate, that there is a divine Providence that intended to excercise the wit of Man in Husbandry and Til­lage: Which we may the more firmly assure our selves of, if we add unto this the carefull provision of Instru­ments so exactly fitted out for this imployment, viz. the laborious Oxe, and the stout but easily manageable Horse; Iron for the plough-share, and Ropes for the horse-geares to pull by. And it is very seasonable to take notice of this last, it belonging to this consideration of the profitablenesse of Plants. And I appeale to any body that will but take the pains a while to consider of what great use and conse­quence Cordage is in the affaires of Men, whether it was not a palpable Act of Providence to send out such plants out of the Earth which would affoord it. For we can dis­cover no necessity in Nature that there must needs be such [Page 73] Plants as Hempe and Flaxe. Wherefore if we will but follow the easy suggestions of free Reason, we muust cast it upon Providence, which has provided Man-kind of such a Commodity, that no lesse affaires depend upon, then all the Tackling of Ships, their Sayles and Cable-ropes, and what not? and so consequently all forraigne Traffick, and then the transportation of wood and stone, and other ne­cessary materialls for building; or the carriage of them by land in Waines and Carts, besides the ordinary use of Pul­leyes or other Engines for the lifting up of heavy weights which the strength of Man without these helps would not easily master; besides what I hinted before concerning the use of Cordage in Husbandry, in plowing and carrying home the fruits of the Earth. The uses indeed of the fore­named Plants are so universall, and take place so in every affaire of Man, that if it were lawfull to be a little merry in so serious a matter, a man might not unfittingly apply that verse of the Poet to this so generall a commodity; ‘Omnia sunt homini tenui pendentia filo.’

That all the businesses of Men do very much depend upon these little long fleaks or threds of Hempe and Flaxe▪ Or if you will say, that there may some scambling shift be made without them in long chaines of Iron, or sayles of Woollen and the like; yet we seeing our seives provided for infinitely better, are in all reason to judge it to pro­ceed from no worse a Principle then divine Providence.

I might now reach out to Exotick Plants, such as the Cinnamon-tree, the Balsame-tree, the Tree that beares the Nutmegge invelloped with the Mace, as also the famous Indian Nut-tree, which at once almost affords all the Ne­cessaries of life. For if they cut but the twiggs at Eve­ning, there is a plentifull and pleasant Juice comes out, which they receive into Bottles and drink instead of Wine, and out of which they extract such an Aqu [...]vitae as is [Page 74] very soveraign against all manner of sicknesses. The branches and boughs they make their Houses of; and the body of the Tree being very spongy within, though hard without, they easily contrive into the frame and use of their Canoes or boates. The kernell of the Nut serves them for Bread and Meat, and the shells for Cups to drink in, and indeed they are not mere empty Cups, for there is found a delicious cooling Milk in them: Besides there is a kind of Hemp that incloses the Nut, of which they make Ropes and Cables, and of the finest of it Sailes for their ships; and the leaves are so hard and sharpe-pointed, that they easily make needles or bodkins of them, for stitching their Sailes and for other necessary purposes. And that Providence may shew her self benigne as well as wise, this so notable a Plant is not restrain'd to one Coast of the world, as sup­pose the East-Indies, but is found also in some parts of Africa, and in all the Islands of the West-Indies, as Hispa­niola Cuba, as also upon the Continent of Carthagena, in Panama, Norembega, and severall others parts of the new-found world.

But I thought fit not to insist upon these things, but to containe my self within the compasse of such Objects as are familiarly and ordinarily before out eyes, that we may the better take occasion from thence to return thanks to him who is the bountiful Authour of all the supports of life.

CHAP. VIII.
The Usefullnesse of Animalls an Argument of divine Pro­vidence.

WE are now come to take a view of the nature of Animalls: In the contemplation whereof we shall use much what the same Method we did in that of Plants, for we shall consider in them also, their Beauty, their Birth, their Make and Fabrick of body, and Vse­fullnesse [Page 75] to Man-kind. And to dispatch this last first. It is wonderfull easy and naturall to conceive, that as almost all are made in some sort or other for humane uses, so some so notoriously and evidently, that without maine violence done to our faculties we can in no wise deny it. As to in­stance in those things that are most obvious and familiar; when we see in the solitary fields a Shepheard, his Flock, and his Dog, how well they are fitted together; when we knock at a Farmers door, and the first that answers shall be his vigilant Mastiffe, whom from his use and office he ordinarily names Keeper, and I remember Theophrastus in his Character [...] tells us, that his Master when he has let the stranger in [...] taking his Dog by the snout will relate long stories of his usefullnesse and his services he does to the house and them in it. [...]. This is he that keepes the yard, the house and them within. Lastly when we view in the open Champian a brace of swift Grey-hounds coursing a good stout and well-breathed Hare, or a pack of well tuned Hounds, and Huntsmen on their horse­backs with pleasure and alacrity pursuing their game, or heare them winding their Hornes neere a wood side, so that the whole wood rings with the Echo of that Musick and chearefull yelping of the eager Doggs: to say nothing of Duck-hunting, of Foxe-hunting, of Otter-hunting, and a hundred more such like sports and pastimes, that are all performed by this one kind of Animall; I say when we consider this so multifarious congruity and fitnesse of things in reference to our selves, how can we withhold from inferring, that that which made both Dogs and Ducks and Hares and Sheep, made them with a reference to us, and knew what it did when it made them? And though it be possible to be otherwise, yet it is highly improbable that the flesh of Sheep should not be designed for food for men; and that Dogs that are such a familiar and domestick Creature, [Page 76] to Man, amongst other pretty feats that they doe for him, should not be intended to supply the place of a servitour too, and to take away the bones and scraps that nothing might be lost. And unlesse we should expect that Nature should make Jerkins & Stockings grow out of the ground, what could she doe better then afford us so fit materialls for clothing as the Wooll of the Sheep, there being in Man Wit and Art to make use of it? To say nothing of the Silk­worme that seems to come into the world for no other pur­pose▪ then to furnish man with more costly clothing, and to spin away her very entrailes to make him fine without.

Agains when we view those large Bodies of Oxen, what can [...]e better conceit them to be then so many living and walking powdring Tubbs and that they have animam pro Sale, as Philo speaks of Fishes, that their life is but for Salt to keepe them sweet till we shall have need to eate them? Besides their Hides afford us Leather for Shooes and Boots. as the skins of other beasts also serve for other uses. And indeed Man seems to be brought into the world on purpose that the rest of the Creation might be improved to the utmost usefulnesse & advantage; For were it not bet­ter that the hides of Beasts and their flesh should be made so considerable use of as to feed and cloath Men, then that they should rot and stink upon the ground, and fall short of so noble an improvement as to be matter for the exercise of the wit of Man, & to afford him the necessary conveni­ences of life? For if Man did not make use of them, they would either dye of Age, or be torne apieces by more cruel Masters. Wherfore we plainly see that it is an Act of Reason & Counsel to have made Man that he might be a Lord over the rest of the Creation▪ & keep good quarter among them.

And being furnish'd with fit Materialls to make himself weapons, as well as with naturall wit and valour, he did bid battaile to the very fiercest of them, and either chased them away into Solitudes and Deserts, or else brought [Page 77] them under his subjection and gave lawes unto them; Un­der which they live more peaceably, and are better provi­ded for (or at least might be, if Men were good) then they could be when they were left to the mercy of the Lyon Bear or Tiger. And what it he doe occasionally and orderly kill some of them for food? their dispatch is quick and so lesse dolorous then the paw of the Bear or the teeth of the Lyon, or tedious Melancholy and sadnesse of old Age, which would first torture them, and then kill them and let them srot upon the ground stinking and uselesse.

Besides, all the wit and Philosophy in the world can ne­ver demonstrate, that the killing and slaughtering of a Beast is any more then the striking of a bush where a birds Nest is, where you fray away the Bird and then seize upon the empty Nest. So that if we could pierce to the utmost Catastrophe of things, all might prove but a Tra­gick-Comedy.

But as for those Rebells that have fled into the Moun­tains and Deserts, they are to us a very pleasant subject of naturall History besides we serve our selves of them as much as is to our purpose. And they are not onely for ornaments of the Universe, but a continuall Exercise of Mans Wit and Valour when he pleases to encounter. But to expect and wish that there were nothing but such dull tame things in the world, that will neither bite nor scratch, is as ground­lesse and childish as to wish there were no choler in the body nor fire in the universall compasse of Nature.

I cannot insist upon the whole result of this warre, nor must forget how that generous Animall the Horse, had at last the wit to yield himself up, to his own great advantage and ours. And verily he is so fitly made for us, that we wight justly claim a pecu­liar right in him above all other Creatures. When we ob­serve his patient service he does us at the Plough, Cart, or un­der the Pack-saddle, his speed upon the high way in matters [Page 78] of importance, his dociblenesse and desire of glory and praise, and consequently his notable atchievements in war, where he will knap the Speares a pieces with his teeth, and pull his Riders Enemy out of the Saddle; and then that he might be able to performe all this labour with more Ease, that his hoofs are made so fit for the Art of the Smith, and that round armature of Iron he puts upon them; it is a very hard thing not to acknowledge, that this so congruous con­trivance of things was really from a Principle of Wisdome and Counsell. There is also another consideration of Ani­ [...]alls and their usefulnesse, in removing those Evills we are pester'd with by reason of the abundance of some other hurtfull Animalls, such as are Mice and Rats and the like; and to this end the Cat is very serviceable. And there is in the West-Indies a beast in the form of a Beare which Car­dan calls Vrsus Formicarius, whose very businesse it is to eate up all the Ants which some parts of that Quarter of the World are sometimes excessively plagued withall.

We might add also sundry Examples of living Crea­tures that not onely bear a singular good affection to Man­kind, but are also fierce Enemies to those that are very hurtfull and cruell to Man; and such are the Lizard, an Enemy to the Serpent; the Dolphin to the Crocodile; the Horse to the Bear; the Elephant to the Dragon, &c. but I list not to insist upon these things.

CHAP. IX.
Arguments of divine Providence fetched from the Pulchri­tude of Animalls, as also from the manner of their Pro­pagation.

I Return now to what I proposed first, the Beauty of living Creatures; which though the coarse-spirited Atheist will not take notice of, as relishing nothing but what is subservient to his Tyranny or Lust: yet I think it unde­niable, [Page 79] but that there is comely Symmetry & Beautifulnesse in sundry living Creatures, a tolerable usefull Proportion of parts in all. For neither are all men and women exquisit­ly handsome, indeed very few, that they that are may raise the greater admiration in the minds of Men, and quic­ken their natural abilities to brave adventures either of Va­lour or Poetry. But as for the brute Creatures though some of them be of an hatefull aspect, as the Toad, the Swine & the Ra [...]; yet these are but like discords in Musick to make the succeeding chord goe off more pleasantly, as indeed most of those momentany inconveniences that the life of Man ever and anon meets withall they but put a greater edge and vigour upon his Enioyments.

But it is not hard to find very many Creatures, that are either [...] or [...] as the Philosopher distingui­shes, that are either very goodly things and beautifull, or at least elegant and pretty; as most of your Birds are. But for Statelinesse and Majesty what is comparable to a Horse? whether you looke upon him single, with his Mane and his Taile waving in the wind, and hear him coursing and neighing in the pastures; or whether you see him with some gallant Heros on his back, performing gracefully his usefull postures, and practising his exploits of warre; who can withhold from concluding that a providence brought these two together, that are fitted so well to each other that they seem but one compleat Spectacle of Nature? which imposed upon the rude people neere Thessaly, and gave the occasion of the fabulous Centaurs, as if they had been one living Creature made up of Horse and Man.

That which I drive at is this, there being that Goodli­nesse in the bodies of Animalls, as in the Oxe, Grey-hound and Stagge; or that Majesty and Statelinesse, as in the Lyon, the Horse, the Eagle and Cock; or that grave Awfull­nesse, as in your best breed of Mastives; or Elegancy and [Page 80] Prettinesse, as in your lesser Dogs, and most sorts of Birds, all which are severall Modes or Beauty, and Beauty being an intellectuall Object, as Symmetry and Proportion is (which I proved sufficiently in what I spake concerning the beauty of Plants) that which naturally followes from all this is, that the Authour or Originall of these Creatures, which are deemed beautifull, must himself be intellectuall, he having contrived so gratefull objects to the Mind or In­tellect of Man.

After their Beauty let us touch upon their Birth or man­ner of Propagation. And here I appeale to any man whe­ther the contrivance of Male and Female in living Crea­tures be not a genuine effect of Wisdome and Counsell; for it is notoriously obvious that these are made one for the other, and both for the continuation of the Species. For though we should admit with Cardan and other Natural­lists, that the Earth at first brought forth all manner of Animalls as well as Plants, and that they might be fast­ned by the Navell to their common Mother the Earth, as they are now to the Female in the Wombe; yet we see she is growne steril and barren, and her births of Animalis are now very inconsiderable. Wherefore what can it be but a Providence, that whiles she did beare she sent out Male and Female, that when her own Prolifick vertue was wasted▪ yet she might be a dry-Nurse or an officious Grand-mother to thousands of generations? And I say it is Providence, not Chance nor Necessity, for what is there imaginable in the parts of the Matter that they should necessarily fall into the structure of so much as an Animall, much lesse into so carefull a provision of difference of Sexes for their continuall propagation?

Nor was it the frequent attempts of the moved Matter that first light on Animalls, which perpetually were suddainly extinct for want of the difference of Sexes, but afterward by chance differenced their Sexes also, [Page 81] from whence their kinds have continued. For what is per­petuall, is not by chance; and the births that now are by putrefaction shew that it is perpetuall. For the Earth still constantly brings forth Male and Female.

Nor is it any thing to the purpose to reply (if you will make so large a skip as to cast your self from the land into the water to dive for Objections) that the Eele, though it be [...], an Animall so perfect as to have bloud in it, yet that it has no distinction of Sexe: For if it have not, there is good reason for it, that creature arising out of such kind of Matter as will never faile generation. For there will be such like mud as will serve this end so long as there be Rivers and longer too, and Rivers will not faile so long as there is a Sea. Wherefore this rather makes for discriminative Providence that knew afore the nature and course of all things, and made therefore her contrivances accordingly, doing nothing superfluously or in vain.

But in other Generations that are more hazardous, though they be sometimes by putrefaction, yet she makes them Male and Female, as 'tis plain in Frogs and Mice. Nor are we to be scandalized at it, that there such carefull provision made for such contemptible Vermine as we con­ceive them: For this onely comes out of pride and igno­rance, or a haughty presumption that because we are in­couraged to believe that in some sense all things are made for Man, that therefore they are not made at all for them­selves. But he that pronounces thus, is ignorant of the na­ture of God and the knowledge of things. For if a good man be mercifull to his beast, then surely a good God is bountifull and benigne, and takes pleasure that all his Creatures enjoy themselves that have life and sense and are capable of any enjoyment. So that the swarmes of little Vermine, and of Flyes, and innumerable such like diminutive Creatures, we should rather [Page 82] congratulate their coming into Being, then murmure sul­lenly and scornfully against their Existence; for they find nourishment in the world, which would be lost if they were nor, and are againe convenient nourishment themselves to others that prey upon them.

But besides, life being individuated into such infinite numbers that have their distinct sense and pleasure and are sufficiently [...]itted with contentments, those little Soules are in a manner as much considerable for the taking off or car­rying away to themselves the over-flowing benignity of the first Original of all things, as the Oxe the Elephant or Whale. For it is sense, nor bulk that makes things capable of enjoy­ments.

Wherefore it was fit that there should be a safe provisi­on made for the propagation and continuance of all the kinds of living Creatures, not onely of those that are good, but of those also that we rashly and inconsiderately call evill. For they are at least good to enjoy themselves and to partake of the bounty of their Creatour. But if they grow noysome and troublesome to us, we have both power and right to curbe them: For there is no question but we are more worth then they or any of the brute Creatures.

But to returne to the present point in hand; there are also other manifest footsteps of Providence which the Generation of living Creatures will discover to us, as for Example, the maner of Procreation of Fishes and Birds. For there being that notable difference in Animalls that some of them are Oviparous, others Viviparous, that the [...] (as Philo comprehends them by that generall terme) that Fishes and Birds should be Oviparous is a plain signe of Counsell and Providence. For though it will be granted that their Species might continue and subsist, though they had been Viviparous, yet it would have brought their Individualls to very small numbers.

[Page 83] For as for Fishes, since grasse and herbs are no fruit of the Sea, it was necessary that they should feed one upon another, and therefore that they should multiply in very great plenty, which they could not have done any thing neer to that fullnesse they now do, if they had been Viviparous as four-footed beasts are: but being now Oviparous, and the lesser kinds of them so many at first, and sending forth such infinite numbers of Spawn, their generations are nei­ther extinct nor scanted, but are as plentifull as any Crea­tures on the Land.

And the reason why Birds are Oviparous & lay Egges but do not bring forth their yong alive, is because there might be moreplenty of them also, and that neither the Birds of prey, the Serpent nor the Fowler should straiten their gene­rations too much. For if they had been Viviparous, the burden of their wombe, if they had brought forth any com­petent number at a time, had been so big and heavy, that their wings would have failed them, and so every body would have had the wit to catch the Old one. Or if they brought but one or two at a time, they would have been troubled all the yeare long with feeding their yong, or bearing them in their wombe; besides there had been a necessity of too frequent. Venery, which had been very pre­judiciall to their dry carcases. It was very reasonable therefore that Birds should propagate by laying of Egges.

But this is not all the advantage we shall make of this consideration. I demand further what is it that makes the Bird to prepare her Nest with that Artifice, to sit upon her Egges when she has laid them, and to distinguish betwixt these and her uselesse Excrement? Did she learne it of her Mother before her? or rather does she not do she knows not what, but yet what ought to be done by the appoint­ment of the most exquisite knowledge that is? Where­fore something else has knowledge for her, which is the [Page 84] Maker and Contriver of all things, the Omniscient and Omipotent God.

And though you may reply that the Hatching of their Egges be necessary else their generations would cease; yet I answere that all the Circumstances and Curiosities of Brooding them are not necessary. For they might have ma [...]e shift on the ground in the grasse, and not made themselves such curious and safe Nests in Bushes and Trees. Besides if all things were left to Chance, it is far easier to conceive that there should have been no such things as Birds, then that the blind Matter should ever have slum­bled on such lucky instincts as they that seem but barely necessary.

But you'le object that the Ostrich layes Egges and hatches them not, [...]o that these things are rather by Chance then Providence. But this rather argues a more exquisite discerning Providence then is any Argument against it. For the heat of the ground (like those Ovens in Egypt, Dio­dorus speaks of) whereon she layes them, proves effectuall for the production of her yong. So Nature tyes not the Female to this tedious service where it is needlesse and uselesse; as in Fishes also, who when they have spawn'd are discharg'd of any further trouble: which is a most ma­nifest discovery of a very curious and watchfull Eye of Providence which suffers nothing to be done ineptly and in vaine.

I will only make one advantage more of this Specula­tion of the Birth of Animalls, and then passe on to what remains. It is observed by those that are more attentive watchers of the works of Nature, that the foetus is framed out of some homogeneall liquour or moysture, in which there is no variety of parts of Matter to be contrived into bones and flesh; but, as in an Egge for Example, a­bout the third day the Hen has sate on it, in that part where Nature beginnes to set upon her worke of efforma­tion, [Page 85] all is turned into a Crystalline liquid substance about her, as also severall Insects are bred of little drops of dew: So in all Generations besides it is supposed by them, the Nature does as it were wipe clean the Table­booke first, and then pourtray upon it what she pleaseth. And if thus be her course to corrupt the subject Matter into as perfect Privation of Form as she may, that is, to make it as homogeneall as she can, but liquid and plyable to her Art and Skill; it is to me very highly probable, if not ne­cessary, that there should be something besides this fluid Matter, that must change it, alter and guide it into that wise contrivance of parts that afterwards we find it. For how should the parts of this liquid Matter ever come into this exquisite Fabrick of themselves? And this may con­vince any Atheist that there is a Substance besides corpo­reall Matter, which he is as loth to admit of as that there is a God.

For there being nothing else in Nature but Substantia or Modus, this power of contriving the liquid Matter into such order and shape as it is, being incompetible to the liquid Matter it self, it must be the Modus of some other substance latitant in the fluid Matter, and really distingui­shable from it, which it either the Soul or some seminall From or Archeus, as the Chymists call it, and they are all alike indifferent to me at this time. I ayming here only at a Substance besides the Matter, that thence the Atheist may be the more easily brought off to the acknowledgment of the existence of a God.

Nor can the force of this Argument be eluded by saying the Matter is touched and infected by the life of the Fe­male whiles she bore the Egge, or that her Phansy gets down into her wombe.

For what life or Phansy has the Earth, which as they say gendred at first all Animalls, some still? and what similitude is there betwixt a Bee and an Oxe, or [Page 86] a Waspe and an Horse, the those Insects should arise out of the putrifide bodies of these Creatures? It is but some rude and generall congruity of vitall preparation that sets this Archeus on work rather then another. As mere Choler engages the Phansy to dream of fiering of Gunns, and fighting of Armies: Sanguine figures the imagintion into the representation of faire Women, and beautifull Chil­dren: Phlegme transforms her into Water and Fishes; and the shadowy Melancholy intangles her in colluctation with old Hagges and Hobgoblins, and frights her with dead mens faces in the dark. But I have dwelt on this sub­ject longer then I intended.

CHAP. X.
The Frame or Fabrick of the Bodies of Animalls plainly argue that there is a God.

I Come now to the last consideration of Animalls, the out­ward Shape and Fabrick of their Bodies, which when I have shew'd you that they might have been otherwise, and yet are made according to the most exquisite pitch of Rea­ [...]on that the wit of Man can conceive of, it will naturally [...]ollow that they were really made by Wisdome and Provi­dence, and consequently that there is a God. And I de­m [...]nd first in generall concerning all those Creatures that have Eyes and Eares, whether they might not have had onely one Eye and one Eare a piece; and to make the sup­position more tolerable, had the Eye on one side the head, and the Eare on the other, or the Eare on the Crown of the head, the Eye in the Forehead for they might have lived and subsisted though they had been no better provided for then thus. But it is evident that their having two Eyes and two Eares, so placed as they are, is more safe, more sightly, and more usefull. Therefore that being made so constantly choice of, which our own Reason deemeth best, [Page 87] we are to inferr that that choice proceeded from Reason and Counsell.

Again I desire to know why there be no three-footed Beasts, (when I speak thus, I doe not meane Monsters, but a constant Species of kind of Animalls) for such a Creature as that would make a limping shift to live as well as they that have foure. Or why have not some beasts more then foure-feet, suppose sixe & the two middlemost shorter then the rest, hanging like the two legges of a Man a horse-back by the horse sides? For it is no harder a thing for Nature to make such frames of Bodies then others that are more elegant and usefull. But the works of Nature being neither uselesse nor inept, she must either be wise her self, or be guided by some higher Principle of Knowledge: As that Man that does nothing foolishly all the dayes of his life, is either wise himself, or consults with them that are so.

And then again for the armature of Beasts, who taught them the use of their weapons? The Lyon will not kick with his Feet, but he will strike such a stroke with his Tayle, that he will breake the back of his Encounterer with it. The Horse will not use his Tayle unlesse against the busy flyes, but kicks with his Feet with that force that he layes his Enemy on the ground. The Bull and Ram know the use of their Hornes as well as the Horse of his Hoofes. So the Bee and Serpent know their Stings, and the Beare the use of his Paw. Which things they know merely by naturall instinct, as the Male knowes the use of the Female. For they ga­ther not this skill by observation and experience, but the frame of their nature carries them to it, as it is manifest in young Lambes that will butt before they have horns. There­fore it is some higher Providence that has made them of this nature they are. And this is evident also in Birds that will flutter with their wings, when there is but a little Down upon them, and they are as yet utterly unusefull for flying.

[Page 88] And now I have fallen upon the mention of this kind of Creature, let me make my advantage of that generall stru­cture observable in them. The forme of their Heads being narrow and sharpe, that they may the better cut the Aire in their swift flight, and the spreading of their Tayles par­allell to the Horizon for the better bearing up their Body; for they might have been perpendicular as the Tayles of Fishes in the water. Nor is it any thing that the Owle has so broad a face, for her flight was not to be so swift nor so frequent.

And as for Fishes and the bladder of wind found in their Bodies, who can say it is conveigh'd thither by chance, but is contriv'd for their more easy swimming, as also the manner of their finnes, which consist of a number of gristly bones long and slender like pinnes and needles, and a kind of a skin betwixt, which is for the more exactnesse and makes them thin and flat like Oares. Which perfect ar­tifice and accuracy might have been omitted and yet they have made a shift to move up and down in the water.

But I have fallen upon a subject that is infinite and inex­haustible, therefore that I be not too tedious I will confine my self to some few observations in ordinary Beasts and Birds (that which is most known and obvious being most of all to our purpose,) and then I shall come to the con­templation of Man.

And indeed what is more obvious and ordinary then a Mole, and yet what more palpable Argument of Provi­dence then she? The members of her body are so exactly fitted to her nature and manner of life: For her dwelling being under ground where nothing is to be seene, Nature has so obscurely fitted her with Eyes, that Naturalists can scarce agree whither she have any sight at all or no. Bu [...] for amends, what she is capable of for her defence and warning of danger, she has very eminently conferr'd upon [Page 89] her: for she is exceeding quick of hearing. And then her short Tayle and short Leggs, but broad Fore-feet armed with sharpe Clawes, we see by the event to what purpose they are, she so swiftly working her self under ground and making her way so fast in the Earth, as they that behold it cannot but admire it. Her Leggs therefore are short that she need dig no more then will serve the merethicknesse of her Body. And her Fore-feet are broad, that she may scoup away much Earth at a time. And little or no Tayle she has, because she courses it not on the ground like the Rat or Mouse of whose kinred she is, but lives under the Earth and is fain to dig her self a dwelling there: And she ma­king her way through so thick an Element, which will not yield easily as the Aire or the Water, it had been dan­gerous to have drawn so long a train behind her: for her Enemy might fall upon her Reare and fetch her out before she had compleated or had got full possession of her works.

Cardan is so much taken with this contemplation, that though I find him often staggering, yet here he does very fully and finnely professe that the contrivance of all things is from Wisedome and Counsell: his words are so generous and significant that I hold them worth the transcribing. Palam est igitur, Naturam in cunctis sollicitam mi­rum in modum fuisse, nec [...]biter sed ex sententia omnia praevidisse, hominesque quibus hoc beneficium Deus lar­gitus est, ut Causam rerum primam inveniant, par­ticipes esse illius prim [...] Naturae, neque alterius esse generis Naturam quae haec constituit, ab illorum mente, qui causam eorum cur ita facta sint plene assequi po­tuerunt. Thus forcibly has the due contemplation of Nature carried him beyond Nature and himself, and made him write like a Man rap'd into a divine Ex­stasy.

But there are as manifest foot-steps of divine Providence [Page 90] in other Creatures as in the Mole. As for Example; the Hare, whose temper and frame of body are plainly fit­ted on purpose for her Condition.

For why is she made so full of Feare and Vigilancy ever re [...]ring up and listning whiles she is feeding? and why is she so exceeding swift of foot, and has her Eyes so promi­nent, and placed so that she can see better behind her then before her? but that her flight is her onely safety, and it was needful for her perpetually to eye her pursuing enemy, against whom she durst never stand at the Bay, having no­thing but her long soft limber Eares to defend her. Where­fore he that made the Hare made the Dog also, and guard­ed her with these Properties from her eager foe, that she might not be too easy a booty for him, and so never be able to save her self, or afford the Spectatour any conside­rable Pastime. And that the Hare might not alwayes get away from the Grey hound, see how exquisitely his shape is fitted for the Course: For the narrownesse and slen­dernesse of his parts are made for speed; and that seeming impertinent long Appendix of his body, his Taile, is made for more nimble turning.

There are other Animalls also whose particular Fabrick of Body does manifestly appeare the Effect of Providence and Counsell, though Naturallists cannot agree whether it be in the behalf of the Beast thus framed or of Man. And such is that Creature which though it be Exotick yet is ordinarily known by the name of a Camell: For why are those bunches on his backe, but that they may be instead of a [...]ack-saddle to receive the burden? And why has he four knees and all his Legges bending inwards, like the fore-feet of other beasts, and a Protuber [...]anoy under his Breast to lean on, but that being a tall Creature he might with ease kneel down and so might the more gainly be loaden?

But Cardan will by no meanes have this the designe of [Page 91] Nature, but that this frame of the Camell's body is thus made for his own convenience: For he being a Creature that lives and seeks his food in waste and dry deserts, those Bunches he would have Receptacles of redundant Moy­sture, from whence the rest of his body is to be supply'd in a hard and tedious time of drought, and that his legges being very long, he ought to have knees behind and a knob beneath, to rest his weary limbes in the wildernesse, by sit­ting or kneeling in that posture he does, for he could not so conveniently lie along as the Horse or Asse or other Creatures. But I should not determine this to either alone, but take in both Causes, and acknowledge therein a richer designe of Providence, that by this Frame and Artifice has gratifide both the Camell and his Master.

CHAP. XI.
The particular Frames of the Bodies of Fowls or Birds pal­pable signes of Divine Providence.

WE passe on now to the consideration of Fowls or Birds: where omitting the more generall Pro­perties of having two Ventricles, and picking up stones to conveigh them into their second Ventricle, the Gizzerne, (which provision and instinct is a supply for the want of teeth) as also their having no Paps as Beasts have, their yong ones being nourished so long in the Shell, that they are presently fit to be fed by the mouths of the old ones (which Observations plainly signify that Nature does nothing in­eptly and foolishly, and that therfore there is a Providence) I s [...]all content my self in taking notice only of some few kinds of this Creature that familiarly come into our sight, such as the Cock, the Duck, the Swan and the like. I de­mand therefore concerning the Cock, why he has Spurres at all, or having them how they come to be so fittingly pla­ced. For he might have had none▪ or so misplaced that they [Page 92] had been utterly uselesse, and so his courage and pleasure in fighting had been to no purpose. Nor are his Combe and his Wattles in vaine, for they are an Ornament becoming his Martiall Spirit, yea an Armature too, for the t [...]gging of those often excuses the more useful parts of his head from harm. Thus fittingly does Nature gratify all Creatures with accommodations sutable to their temper, and nothing is in vaine. Nor are we to cavill at the red pugger'd attire of the Turkey, and the long Excrescency that hangs down over his Bill, when he swells with pride and anger; for it may be a Receptacle for his heated bloud, that has such free recourse to his head, or he may please himself in it as the rude Indians, whose Jewells hang dangling at their Noses. And if the bird be pleasur'd we are not to be displeased, being alwaies mindfull that Creatures are made to enjoy themselves, as well as to serve us, and it is a grosse piece of Ignorance and Rusticity to think otherwise.

Now for Swannes and Ducks and such like Birds of the Water, it is obvious to take notice how well they are fitted for that manner of life. For those that swim their Feet are framed for it like a paire of Oares, their Clawes being connected with a pretty broad Membrane, and their Necks are long that they may dive deep enough into the water. As also the Neck of the Herne and such like Fowl who live of Fishes and are fain to frequent their Element, who walk on long stilts also like the people that dwell in the Marshes; but their Clawes have no such Membranes, for they had been but a hindrance to those kind of birds that onely wade in the water and do not swim. It is also ob­servable how Nature has fitted other Birds of Prey, who spy their booty from aloft in the Aire, and see best at that distance, scarce see at all neere at hand. So they are both the Archer and shaft, taking aime afar off, and then shoot­ing themselves directly upon the desired Mark, they seize upon the prey having hit it. The works of Providence are [Page 93] infinite, I will close all with the description of that strange bird of Paradise, for the strangenesse has made it notorious.

There is a Bird that falls down out of the Aire dead, and is found sometimes in the Molucco Ilands▪ that has no Feet at all no more then an ordinary Fish. The bignesse of her Body and Bill, as likewise the form of them, is much what as a Swallows; but the spreading out of her Wings and Tayle has no lesse compasse then an Eagles. She lives and breeds in the Aire, comes not near the Earth but for her buriall, for the largenesse and lightnesse of her Wings and Tayle sustain her without lassitude. And the laying of her Egges and brooding of her young is upon the back of the Male which is made hollow, as also the breast of the Female for the more easy incubation. Whether she live merely of the dew of Heaven or of Flyes and such like In­sects, I leave to others to dispute; but Cardan professes he saw the Bird no lesse then thrice, and describes it according­ly. Nor does Scaliger cavill with any thing but the big­nesse of the Wings and littlenesse of the Body, which he undertakes to correct from one of his own which was sent him by Orvesanus from Java. Now that such contri­vances as these should be without divine Providence, is as improbable to me as that the Copper Ring with the Greek inscription upon it found about the Neck of an over­grown Pike, should be the effect of unknowing Nature, not the Artifice and Skill of Man.

CHAP. XII.
Vnavoydable Arguments for divine Providence taken from the accurate Structure of Mans Body, from the Passions of his Mind, and fitnesse of the whole Man to be an Inhabiter of the Universe.

BUt we needed not to have rambled so farre out into the works of Nature, to seek out Arguments [Page 94] to prove a God, we being so plentifully furnish'd with that, at home which we took the pains to seek for abroad. For there can be no more ample testimony of a God & a Provi­dence then the frame and structure of our own Bodyes. The admirable Artifice whereof Galen, though a mere Naturallist, was so taken with, that he could not but ad­judge the honour of a hymne to the wise Creatour of it. The contrivance of the whole and every particular is so evident an argument of exquisite skill in the Maker, that if I should pursue all that suites to my purpose, it would amount to an entire Volume. I shall therefore only hint at some few things, leaving the rest to be supply'd by Anato­mists. And I think there is no man that has any skill in that Art, but will confesse the more diligently and accurately the frame of our Body is examined, it is found the more exquisitely conformable to our own Reason, Judgement, and Desire. So that supposing the same matter that our bodyes are made of, if it had been in our own power to have made our selves, we should have fram'd our selves no otherwise then we are. To instance in some particular. As in our Eyes, the number, the situation, the fabrick of them is such that we can excogitate nothing to be added thereto, or to be altered either for their beauty, safety or usefulnesse. But as for their Beauty I will leave it rather to the delicate wit and Pen of Poets and amorous persons, then venture upon so tender and nice a subject with my severer style. I will onely note how sa [...]ly they are guarded, and fitly framed out for that use they are intended. The Brow and the Nose saves them from harder strokes: but such a curious part as the Eye being necessarily lyable to mischief from smaller matters, the sweat of the Forehead is fenced off by those two wreaths of haire which we call the Eye-brows; and the Eye-lids are fortify'd with little stiffe bristles as with Palisadoes, against the assault of Flyes and Gnats, and such like bold Animalcula. Besides the upper-lid presently claps down and [Page 95] is as good a fence, as a Portcullis against the importunity of the Enemy: Which is done also every night, whether there be any present assault or no, as if Nature kept garrison in this Acropolis of Mans body the Head & look'd that such lawes should be duly observ'd, as were most for his safety.

And now for the Vse of the Eye which is Sight, it is evi­dent that this Organ is so exquisitely framed for that pur­pose, that not the least curiosity can be added. For first the Humour and Tunicles are purely Transparent, to let in light and colours unfoul'd and unsophisticated by any in­ward tincture. And then again the parts of the Eye are made Convex, that there might be a direction of many raies coming from one point of the Object unto one point an­swerable in the bottome of the Eye; to which purpose the Crystalline Humour is of great Moment, and without which the sight would be very obscure and weake. Thirdly the Tunica Vvea has a Musculous power, and can dilate & contract that round hole in it which is called the Pupill of the Eye, for the better moderating the transmission of light. Fourthly the inside of the Vvea is black'd like the wals of a Tennis-court, that the rayes falling upon the Retina▪ may not, by being rebounded thence upon the Vvea, be return­ed from the Vvea upon the Retina again, for such a reper­cussion would make the sight more confused. Fifthly the Tunica Arachnoides, which invellops the Crystalline Hu­mour by vertue of its Processus Ciliares can thrust forward or draw back that precious usefull part of the Eye, as the neernesse or distance of the Object shall require. Sixthly and lastly the Tunica Retina is white, for the better and more true reception of the species of things (as they ordina­rily call them) as a white paper is fittest to receive those Images into a dark roome. If the wit of Man had been to contrive this Organ for himself, what could he have possibly excogitated more accurate? Therefore to think that meer Motion of the Matter, or any other blind Cause could have [Page 96] hit so punctually (for Creatures might have subsisted with­out this accurate provision) is to be either mad or sottish.

And the Eye is already so perfect, that I believe the Rea­son of Man would have easily rested here, & admir'd at it's own contrivance: for he being able to move his whole head upward and downward and on every side, might have una­wares thought himself sufficiently well provided for. But Nature has added Muscles also to the Eyes, that no Per­fection might be wanting; For we have oft occasion to move our Eyes, our Head being unmoved, as in reading and viewing more particularly any Object set before us: and that this may be done with more ease and accuracy, she has furnish'd that Organ with no lesse then six severall Muscles. And indeed this framing of Muscles not only in the Eye but in the whole Body is admirable; For is it not a wonder that even all our flesh should be so hand­somly contriv'd into distinct pieces, whose Rise and Inser­tions should be with such advantage that they do serve to move some part of the Body or other; and that the parts of our Body are not moved only so conveniently as wil serve us to walke and subsist by, but that they are able to move every way imaginable that will advantage us? For we can fling our Leggs and Armes upwards and downwards, backwards, forwards and round, as they that spin, or would spread a Mol [...]hill with their feet. To say nothing of Re­spiration, the constriction of the Diaphragme for the keep­ing down the Guts and so enlarging the Thorax that the Lungs may have play, and the assistance of the inward In­tercostall Muscles in deep Suspirations, when we take more large gulps of Aire to coole our heart overcharged with Love or Sorrow. Nor of the curious fabrick of the Larynx so well fitted with muscles for the modulation of the Voice, tunable Speech, and delicious Singing. You may adde to these the notable contrivance of the Heart, it's two Ventricles and it's many Valvulae, so fram'd and situated [Page 97] as is most fit for the reception and transmission of the bloud, which comes about through the Heart, and is sent thence away warm to comfort & cherish the rest of the Body: For which purpose also the Valvulae in the Veines are made.

But I will rather insist upon such things as are easy and intelligible even to Idiots, who if they can but tell the Joynts of their Hands or know the use of their Teeth, they may easily discover it was Counsel, not Chance, that created them. For why have we three Joynts in our Leggs and Armes as also in our Fingers, but that it was much better then having but two or four? And why are our fore-Teeth sharp like cheesells to cut, but our inward-Teeth broad to grind, but that this is more exquisite then having them all sharp or all broad, or the fore-Teeth broad and the other sharp? But we might have made a hard shift to have lived though in that worser cōdition. Again why are the Teeth so luckily placed, or rather why are there not Teeth in other bones as well as in the jaw-bones? for they might have been as capable as these. But the reason is, Nothing is done foolishly nor in vaine, that is, there is a divine Providence that orders all things. Again to say nothing of the inward curiosity of the Eare, why is that outward frame of it, but that it is certainly known, that it is for the bettering of our Hearing?

I might adde to these that Nature has made the hind-most parts of our body which wee sit upon most fleshy, is provi­ding for our Ease and making us a natural Cushion, as well as for instruments of Motion for our Thighes and Legges. She has made the hinder-part of the Head more strong, as being otherwise unfenced against falls and other casualties. She has made the Back-bone of severall Vertebrae, as being more fit to bend, more tough & lesse in danger of breaking then if they were all one intire bone without those gristly Junctures. She has strengthned our Fingers and Toes with Nailes, wheras she might have sent out that substance at the end of the first or second joynt, w^ch had not been so handsome [...]or usefull, nay rather somewhat troublesome and hurtfull. [Page 98] And lastly she has made all the Bones devoid of sense, be­cause they were to bear the weight of themselves and of the whole Body. And therefore if they had had sense, our life had been painfull continually and dolorous.

And what she has done for us, she has done proportion­ably in the contrivance of all other Creatures; so that it is manifest that a divine Providence strikes through all things.

And therefore things being contrived with such exqui­site Curiosity as if the most watchfull wisdome imaginable did attend them, to say they are thus framed without the assistance of some Principle that has Wisdome in it, & that they come to passe from Chance or some other blind un­knowing Originall, is sullenly and humorously to assert a thing, because we will assert it, and under pretense of a­voyding Superstition, to fall into that which is the onely thing that makes Superstition it self hatefull or ridiculous, that is, a wilfull and groundlesse adhering to conceits with­out any support of Reason.

And now I have considered the fitnesse of the parts of Mans Body for the good of the whole, let me but consider briefly the fitnesse of the Passions of his Minde, whether proper, or common to him with the rest of Animalis, as also the fitness of the whole Man as he is part of the Vniverse, and then I shall conclude.

And it is manifest that Anger does so actuate the Spi­rits and heightens the Courage of men and beasts that it makes them with more ease break through the difficulties they incounter. Feare also is for the avoyding of danger, and Hope is a pleasant praemeditation of enjoyment, as when a Dog expects till his Master has done picking of the bone. But there is neither Hope, nor Feare, nor Hate, nor any peculiar Passion or Instinct in Brutes that is in vaine; why should we then think that Nature should miscarry more in us then in any other Creature, or should be so care­full in the Fabrick of our Body, and yet so forgetfull or un­lucky [Page 99] in the framing of the faculties of our Soules; that that Feare that is so peculiarly naturall to us, viz. the feare of a Deity, should be in vaine, and that pleasant Hope and Heavenly Joyes of the mind which man is naturally capa­ble of, with the earnest direction of his Spirit towards God, should have no reall Object in the world? And so Religi­ous affection which Nature has so plainly implanted in the Soul of Man should be to no use▪ but either to make him ridiculous or miserable: Whenas we find no Passion or Affection in Brutes either common or peculiar but what is for their good and welfare.

For it is not for nothing that the Hare is so fearfull of the Dog, & the Sheep of the Wolfe; & it there be either Fear or Enmity in some Creatures for which we cannot easily discerne any reason in respect of themselves, yet we may well allow of it as reasonable in regard of us, and to be to good purpose. But I thinke it is manifest that Sympathy and Antipathy, Love and Enmity, Aversation, Feare, and the like, that they are notable whetters and quickners of the Spirit of life in all Animalls, and that their being ob­noxious to dangers and encounters does more closely knit together the vitall Powers, and makes them more sensibly relish their present safety, and they are more pleased with an Escape then if they had never met with any Danger. Their greedy assaults also one upon another while there is hope of Victory highly gratifies them both. And if one be conquer'd and slaine, the Conquerour enjoyes a fresh improvement of the pleasure of life, the Tri­umph over his Enemy. Which things seeme to me to be contriv'd even in the behalf of these Creatures them­selves, that their vitall heat and moysture may not alwayes onely simber in one sluggish tenour, but some times boyle up higher and seeth over, the fire of life being more then ordinarily kindled upon some emer­gent occasion.

[Page 100] But it is without Controversy that these peculiar Passions of Animalls many of them are usefull to Men▪ (as that of the Lizards enmity against the Serpent) all of them highly gratify his contemplative faculty, some seem on purpose contriv'd to make his Worship merry; For what could Nature intend else in that Antipathy betwixt the Ape and Snayle, that that Beast that seems so boldly to claime kinred of Man from the resemblance of his outward shape, should have so little Wit or Courage as to runne away from a Snayl, and very [...]ufully and fright­fully to look back, as being affraid she would follow him as Erasmus more largely and pleasantly tells the whole story?

But that Nature should implant in Man such a strong Propension to Religion, which is the Reverence of a Deity, there being neither God nor Angell nor Spirit in the world, is such a Slurre committed by her as there can be in no wise excogitated any Excuse. For if there were a higher Species of things to laugh at us as wee doe a [...] the Ape, it might seem more tolerable. But there can be no End neither ludicrous nor serious of this Religious property in Man, unlesse there be something of an hig [...]er Nature then himself in the world. Wherefore Religion being convenient to no other Species of things besides Man, it ought to be convenient at least for himself: But supposing there were no God, there can be nothing worse for Man then Religion.

For whether we look at the Externall Effects thereof, such as are bloudy Massacres, the disturbance and subver­sion of Common-weales, Kingdomes and Empires, most salvage Tortures of particular persons, the extirpating and dispossessing of whole Nations, as it hath hapned in Ame­rica, where the remorselesse Spaniards in pretense of being educated in a better Religion then the Americans, vilifyed the poor Natives so much, that they made nothing of knoc­king them oth' head merely to feed their doggs with them, with many such unheard of crueltyes. Or whether we consi­der [Page 101] the great affliction that that severe Governess of the life of Man brings upon those Souls she seizes on▪ by affright­ing horrours of Conscience, by puzzeling and befooling them in the free use of their Reason, and putting a barre to more large searches into the pleasing knowledge of Nature, by anxious cares and disquieting feares concerning their state in the life to come, by curbing them in their naturall and kindly injoyments of the life present, and making bitter all the pleasures and contentments of it, by some checks of Conscience and suspicions that they do something now that they may rue eternally hereafter; Besides thosse ineffable Agonies of mind that they undergo that are more gene­rously Religious, and contend after the participation of the divine Nature, they being willing, though with un­speakeable paine, to be torn from themselves to become one with that Universall Spirit that ought to have the gui­dance of all things, and by an unsatiable desire after that just and decorous temper of mind (whereby all Arro­gancy should utterly cease in us, and that which is due to God, that is, all that we have or can do, should be lively and sensibly attributed to him, and we fully and heartily acknowledge ourselves to be nothing, that is, be as little elated, or no more rellish the glory and praise of Men, then if we had done nothing or were not at all in being) doe plunge themselves into such damps and deadnesse of Spirit, that to be buried quick were lesse torture by farre, then such darke privations of all the joyes of life, then such sad and heart-sinking Mortifications: I say, whether we consider these inward pangs of the Soul, or the externall outrages caused by Religion (and Religious pretense will animate men to the committing such violences, as bare Reason and the single passions of the Mind unback'd with the fury of Superstition will never venture upon) it is manifest that if there were no God, no Spirit, no Life to come, it were farre better that there were no such Religious [Page 102] propensions in Man-kind, as we see universally there is.

For the feare of the Civill Magistrate, the convenience of mutuall ayde and support, and the naturall scourge and plague of diseases would contain men in such bounds of Justice, Humanity and Temperance, as would make them more clearly and undisturbedly happy, then they are now capable of being, from any advantage Religion does to either Publique State or private person, supposing there were no God.

Wherefore this Religious affection which Nature has implanted, and as strongly rooted in Man as the feare of death or the love of women, would be the most enormous slip or bungle she could commit, so that she would so shamefully faile in the last Act, in this contrivance of the nature of Man that instead of a Plaudite she would deserve to be hissed off the Stage.

But she having done all things else so wisely, let us ra­ther suspect our own ignorance then reproach her, and ex­pect that which is allowed in well approved Comedies, [...], for nothing can unlose this knot but a Deity. And then we acknowledging Man to dwell as it were in the borders of the spirituall and materiall world (for he is utriusque mundi nexus, as Scaliger truly calls him) we shall not wonder that there is such tugging and pulling this way and that way, upward and downward, and such broken disorder of things; those that dwell in the confines of two kingdomes, being most subject to disquiet and confusion. And hitherto of the Passions of the mind of Man, as well those that tye him down to the Body, as those that lift him up towards God. Now briefly of the whole Man as he is part of the Vniverse.

It is true if we had not been here in the world, we could not then have missed our selves; but now we find our selves in being and able to examine the reasonableness of things, we cannot but conclude that our Creation was an Act of [Page 103] very exquisite Reason & Counsel. For there being so many notable Objects in the world, to entertaine such faculties as Reason and inquisitive Admiration▪ there ought to be such a member of this visible Creation as Man, that those things might not be in vaine: And if Man were out of the world, who were then left to view the face of Heaven, to wonder at the transcursion of Comets, to calculate Tables for the Motions of the Planets and Fix'd Starres, and to take their Heights and Distances with Mathematicall Instru­ments, to invent convenient Cycles for the computation of time, and consider the severall formes of Yeares, to take notice of the Directions, Stations and Repedations of those Erratick lights▪ and from thence most convincingly to in­forme himself of that pleasant and true Paradox of the Annuall Motion of the Earth, to view the asperityes of the Moon through a Di [...]ptrick-glasse, and venture at the Proportion of her Hills by their shadowes, to behold the beauty of the Rain-bow, the Halo▪ Parelii and other Me­teors, to search out the causes of the Flux and Reflux of the Sea, and the hidden vertue of the Magnet, to inquire into the usefullnesse of Plants, and to observe the variety of the wisdome of the first Cause in framing their bodies, and giving sundry observable instincts to Fishes▪ Birds and Beasts? And lastly as there are particular Priests amongst Men, so the whole Species of Man-kind being indued with Reason and a power of finding out God, there is yet one singular end more discoverable of his Creation, viz. that he may be a Priest in this magnificent Temple of the Vni­verse, and send up prayers and praises to the great Crea­tour of all things in behalf of the rest of the Creatures. Thus we see all filled up and fitted without any defect or uselesse superfluity.

Wherefore the whole Creation in generall and every part thereof being so ordered as if the most exquisite Rea­son and Knowledge had contrived them, it is as naturall [Page 104] to conclude that all this is the work of a wise God, as at the first sight to acknowledge that those inscribed Vrnes and Coynes digg'd out of the Earth were not the Products of unknowing Nature, but the Artifice of Man.

CHAP. I.
That, good men not alwayes faring best in this world, the great examples of Divine Vengeance upon wicked and blasphemous Persons are not so convincing to the obstinate Atheist. The irreligious Jeares and Sacrileges of Dio­nysius of Syracuse. That there have been true Mira­cles in the world as well as false, and what are the best and safest wayes to distinguish them that we may not be impos'd upon by History.

HItherto I have insisted upon such Arguments for the proving of the Existence of God, as were taken from the ordinary and known Phaenomena of Nature; For such is the Hi­story of Plants, Animalls and Man. I shall come now to such effects discovered in the World as are not deemed naturall, but extraordinary and miraculous. I do not mean unexpected discoveries of Murders, a con­spicuous Vengeance upon proud and blasphemous Persons, such as Nicanor, Antiochus, Herod and the like, of which all Histories, as well Sacred as Profane are very full, and all which tend to the impressing of this divine Precept, in the Poet, upon the minds of Men, ‘Discite Justitiam moniti & non temnere Divos.’

For though these Examples cannot but move indiffe­rent men to an acknowledgment of divine Providence, and a superiour Power above and different from the Matter; yet I having now to do with the obstinate and refractory Atheist, who, because himself a known contemner of the Deity he finds to be safe and well at ease, will shuffle all these things off, by asking such a Question as he did, to whom the Priest of Neptune shewed the many D [...]naria hung [Page 106] up in his Temple by his Votaries saved from ship-wrack, & therefore vaunted much of the Power of that God of the Sea; But what is become of all those, saith he, that not­withstanding their vowes have been lost? So I say, the Atheist to evade the force of this Argument will whisper within himself; But how many proud blasphemous Athe­isticall men like my self have escaped, and those that have been accounted good have dyed untimely deaths?

Such as Aesop and Socrates, the Prophets, Apostles and Martyrs, with sundry other wise and good men in all Ages and Places, who yet being not so well aware of the ill con­dition and restinesse of this wicked World, of which they have truely profess'd themselves no Citizens, but Strangers, have suffered the greatest mischiefs that can happen to hu­mane Nature, by their innocent meaning and intermedling in Aliena Republica; It having usually been more safe, craftily and cautiously to undermine the honour of God, then plainly and honestly to seek the good and wellfare of Men.

Nay outragious affronts done on purpose to Religion, will the Atheist further reply, have not onely past ap­plauded by the World, but unpunish'd by divine Justice: As is notorious in that Sacrilegious Wit, Dionysius of Sy­racuse, who spoiling Jupiter Olympius of his costly Robe very stiff and ponderous with Gold, added this A­pologetical jear to his Sacrilege, that this golden Vestment was too heavy for the Summer, and too cold for the Win­ter, but one of wooll would fit both Seasons.

So at Epidaurus he commanded the golden Beard of Aesculapius to be cut off and carried away, alledging that it was very unfit that the Son should wear a Beard when as his Father Apollo wore none.

That also was not inferiour to any of his Sacrilegious jests, when taking away the golden Cups and Crowns held forth by the hands of the Images of the Gods, he ex­cused [Page 107] himself, saying, that he received but what they of their own accord gave him; adding that it were a gross piece of foolishness, when as we pray to the Gods for all good things, not to take them when they so freely offer them with their own hands.

These and other such like irreligious Pranks did this Dionysius play, who notwithstanding fared no worse then the most demure and innocent, dying no other death then what usually other Mortalls do: as if in those Ages there had been as great a lack of Wit, as there was here in England once of Latin, and that he escaped a more severe Sentence by the benefit of his Clergy. But others think that he was pay'd home and punish'd in his Son that suc­ceeded him. But that, will the Atheist reply, is but to whip the absent, as Aristotle wittily said to him that told him that such an one did unmercifully traduce him behind his back.

Wherefore I hold it more convenient to omit such Ar­guments as may intangle us in such endless Altercations, & to bring only those that cannot be resolved into any Na­turall causes, or be phansyed to come by Chance, but are so Miraculous, that they do imply the presence of some free subtile understanding essence distinct from the brute Matter, and ordinary power of Nature.

And these Miraculous effects, as there is nothing more cogent if they could be believed; so there is nothing more hard to the Atheist to believe then they are. For Re­ligionists having for pious purposes, as they pretend, forged so many false miracles to gull and spoile the credulous people, they have thereby with the Atheist taken away all belief of those which are true. And the childish & super­stitious fear of Spirits in Melancholick persons who cre [...]te strange Monsters to themselves & terrible Apparitions in the darke, hath also helped them with a further evasion, to impute all Spectres and strange Apparitions to mere [Page 108] Melancholy and disturbed Phansy. But that there should be so universall a fame, and feare of that, which never was, nor is, nor can be ever in the world, is to me the grea­test Miracle of all.

For if there had not been at some time or other true Miracles (as indeed there ought to be, if the faculties of Man, who so easily listens to and allowes of such things, be not in vain) it is very improbable that Priests and cun­ning Deluders of the people would have ever been able so easily to impose upon them by their false. As the Alchy­mist would never go about to sophisticate Metalls, & then put them off for true Gold and Silver, but that it is ac­knowledged that there is such a thing as true Gold and Silver in the world. In like manner therefore as there is an indeavour of deluding the people with false Miracles, so it is a signe there have been and may be those that are true.

But you'l say there is a Touch-stone whereby we may d [...]scerne the truth of Metalls, but that there is nothing whereby we may discover the truth of Miracles recorded every where in History. But I answer there is; and it is this.

First if what is recorded was avouched by such persons who had no end nor interest in avouching such things.

Secondly if there were many Eye-witnesses of the same Matter.

Thirdly and lastly if these things which are so strange and miraculous leave any sensible effect behind them.

Though I will not acknowledge that all those stories are [...]alse that want these conditions, yet I dare affirme that it is mere humour and sullennesse in a man to reject the [...] of those that have them; For it is to believe nothing but what he seeth himself: From whence it will follow that he is to read nothing of History, for there is neither pleasu [...]e nor any usefullnesse of it, if it deserve no belief.

CHAP. II.
The Moving of a Sieve by a Charme. Coskinomancy. A Magicall cure of an Horse. The Charming of Serpents. A strange Example of one Death-strucken as he walked the Streets. A story of a suddain winde that had like to have thrown down the Gallows at the hanging of two Witches.

ANd now that I have premised thus much I will b [...]iefly recite some of few those many miraculous passages we meet with in Writers, beginning first with the bare and simple effects of Spirits, as I will aforehand adventure to pronounce them, and then afterwards we shall come to the Apparitions of Spirits themselves.

And of those bare effects we will not care to name what may seem slightest first. Bodinus relates how himself and severall others at Paris saw a young man with a Charme in French, move a Sieve up and down. And that ordinary way of Divination which they call Coskinomancy or finding who stole or spoiled this or that thing, by the Sieve and Sheares, Pictorius Vigillanus professeth he made use of thrice, and it was with successe.

A friend of mine told me this story concerning Charms, that himself had an Horse, which if he had stood sound had been of a good value. His servants carried him to severall Farriers but none of them had the skill to cure him. At last unknown to their Master, they led him to a Farrier, that had, it should seem, some tricks more then ordinarie, and dealt in Charms, or Spells, and such like Ceremoni [...]s: in vertue of these he made the Horse sound.

The Owner of him after he had observ'd how well his Horse was, asked his servants, how they got him cured, Whence understanding the whole matter, and observing also that there was an S. branded on his buttock, which he con­ceited [Page 110] stood for Satan, chid his servants very roughly, as having done that which was unwarrantable and impious. Upon this profession of his dislike of the fact, the Horse forthwith [...]ell as ill as ever he was, in so much that for his unserviceablenes he was faine to be turned up loose in the pasture. But a kinsman of the Owners coming to his house & after chanceing to see the Horse in the Grounds took the advātage of a low price for so fair a gelding & bought him. The Horse had no sooner changed his Master but presently changed his plight of body also & became as sound as ever.

Charming also of Serpents is above the power of Na­ture. And Wierus tells us this story of a Charmer at Saltz­burg, that when in the sight of the people he had char­med all the Serpents into a ditch and killed them, at last there came one huge one far bigger then the rest, that leapt upon him, and winded about his wast like a girdle, and pul­led him into the ditch, and so killed the Charmer himself in the conclusion.

That also I will adventure to refer to the effects of Spirits which I heard lately from one M^rs. Dark of Westminster concerning her own Husband; who being in the flower of his Age, well in health and very chearfull, going out of his house in the morning with an intent to return to dinner, was, as he walked the streets, sensibly struck upon the thigh by an invisible hand, for he could see no man near him to strike him. He returned home indeed about dinner-time, but could eat nothing, onely he complain'd of the sad Accident that befell him, and grew forthwith so mortally sick, that he dyed within three dayes. After he was dead there was found upon the place where he was struck, the perfect figure of a man's hand, the four fingers palme and thumb black and sunk into the flesh, as if one should clap his hand upon a lump of dow.

And hitherto there is nothing related which will not a­bide the exactest triall and be cleared from all suspicion [Page 111] of either Fraud or Melancholy. But I shall propound things more strange, and yet as free from that suspicion as the former.

And to say nothing of VVinds sold to Merchants by Laplanders, and the danger of losing the Third knot (which was very frequent as Olaus affirmes before those parts of the world were converted to Christianity) [...] shall content my self for the present with a true story W^ch I heard from an eye-witnesse concerning these preternatural Winds. At Cambridge in the raigne of Queen Elizabeth there was two VVitches to be executed, the Mother and Daughter. The Mother when she was called upon to repent and for­sake the Divel, she said, there was no reason for that, for he had been faithfull to her these threescore yeares, and she would be so to him so long as she lived; and thus she died in this obstinacy. But she hanging thus upon the Gal­lowes, her Daughter being of a contrary mind renounced the Divel, was very earnest in prayer and penitence; which by the effect, the people conceived the Divel to take very heinously. For there came such a sudden blast of Wind (when as all was calme before) that it drave the Mothers body against the ladder so violently, that it had like to have overturned it, and shook the Gallows with such force, that they were faine to hold the posts for fear of all being fung down to the ground.

CHAP. III.
That Winds and Tempests are raised upon mere Ceremo­nies or forms of words prov'd by sundry Examples. Mar­garet Warine discharg'd upon an Oake at a Thunder-Clap. Amantius and Rotarius cast headlong out of a Cloud upon a house top. The VVitch of Constance seen by the Shepheards to ride through the Aire.

VVIerus that industrious Advocate of Witches re­cites severall Ceremonies that they use for the [Page 112] raising of Tempests, and doth acknowledge that Tempests do follow the performance of those Ceremonies, but that they had come to passe neverthelesse without them: which the Divell foreseeing, excites the deluded Women to use those Magick Rites, that they may be the better perswa­ded of his power. But whether there be any causall con­nexion betwixt those Ceremonies and the ensuing Tempests I will not curiously decide. But that the connexion of them is supernaturall is plain at first sight. For what is casting of Flint-Stones behind their backs towards the West, or flinging a little Sand in the Aire, or striking a River with a Broom, and so sprinkling the Wet of it toward Heaven, the stirring of Vrine or Water with their finger in a Hole in the ground, or boyling of Hogs Bristles in a Pot? What are these fooleries available of themselves to gather Clouds and cover the Aire with Darknesse, and then to make the g [...]ound smoke with peales of Haile and Raine, and to make the Aire terrible with frequent Lightnings and Thunder? Certainly nothing at all. Therefore the ensuing of these Tempests after such like Ceremonies must be either from the prevision of the Divell (as Wierus would have it) who set the Witches on work, or else from the power of the Divell which he hath in his Kingdome of the Aire. And it seems strange to me that Wierus should doubt this power, when he gives him a greater; For what is the transporting of vapours or driving them together, to the carrying of Men and Cattel in the Aire, (of which he is a confident Asserter) unlesse it require larger Divells or greater numbers? And that there are sufficient numbers of such Spirits will seem to any body as credible, as that there are any at all. But now for the truth of this, that certain Words or Ceremonies do seem at least to cause an alteration in the Aire and to raise Tem­pests; Remigius writes that he had it witnessed to him by the free confession of neer two hundred men that he exami­ned: Where he adds a story or two in which there being [Page 113] neither Fraud, nor Melancholy to be suspected, I think them worth the mentioning. The one is of a Witch, who to satis­fy the curiosity of them that had power to punish her, was set free that she might give a proof of that power she pro­fessed she had to rai [...]e Tempests. She there [...]ore being let go▪ presently betakes her self to a place thick set with Trees, scrapes a Hole with her hands fills it with Vrine, and stirres it about so long, that she caused at last a thick dark Cloud charged with Thunder and Lightning to the terrour and affrightment of the beholders. But she bade them be of good courage▪ for she would command the [...] Cloud to discharge upon what place they would appoint her, which she made good in the sight of the Spectatours.

The other Story is of a young Girle, who to pleasure her Father complaining of a drought, by the guidance and help of that ill Master her Mother had devoted and consecrated her unto, rais'd a Cloud, and water'd her Father's ground only, all the rest continuing dry as before.

Let us add to these the Story of Cuinus and Margaret Warine. While this Cuinus was busy at his Hay-making, there arose suddenly great Thunder and Lightning, which made him runne homeward, and forsake his work, for he saw sixe Oakes hard by him overturned from the very Roots, and a seventh also shatter'd and torn a pieces: he was fain to lose his hat and leave his fork or rake for hast; which was not so fast but another crack overtakes him and rattles about his Eares; upon which Thunder-clap, he presently espied this Margaret Warme a reputed Witch upon the top of an Oake, whom he began to chide. She desired his secrecy, and she would promise that never any injury or harm should come to him from her at any time.

This Cuinus deposed upon Oath before the Magistrate, and Margaret Warine acknowledged the truth of it, with­out any force done unto her, severall times before her death, [Page 114] and at her death. [See Remigius Daemonolatr. lib. 1. cap. 29.] Remigius conceives she was discharged upon the top of the Oake at that last Thunder clap and there hung amongst the boughs; which he is induced to believe from two Stories he tells afterwards. The one is of a Tempest of Thunder and Lightning that the Herds­men tending their Cattell on the brow of the Hill Alman in the field of Guicuria were f [...]ighted with, who running into the Woods for shelter suddenly saw two countrey men on the top of the Trees, which were next them, so dur­ty, and in such a pickle, and so out of breath, as if they had been dragg'd up and down through thornes and miry pla­ces; but when they had well eyed them, they were gone in a moment out of their sight they knew not how nor whither. These Herdsmen talked of the businesse, but the certainty of it came out not long after. For the free con­fessions of those two men they then saw, being so exactly agreeing with what the Herdsmen had related, made the whole matter cleare and undoubted.

The other Story is of the same Persons, known after­ward by their names, viz. Amantius and his partner Ro­tarius, who having coursed it aloft again in the Aire, and being cast headlong out of a cloud upon an house, the la­ter of them being but a Novice and unexperienced in those supernaturall exploites, was much astonish'd and affraid at the strangenesse of the matter, but Amantius being used to those feats from his youth, his Parents having devoted him from his childhood to the Divell, made but a sport of it, and laughing at his friend called him Foole for his feare, and bad him be of good courage; for their Master, in whose power they were, would safely carry them through grea­ter dangers than those. And no sooner had he sayd these words, but a Whirlwinde took them, and set them both safe upon the ground: but the house they were carryed from, so shook, as if it would have been overturn'd from the very [Page 115] foundations. This, both those men examin'd apart, confes­sed in the same words, not varying their Story at all; whose confessions exactly agreed in all circumstances with what was observed by the country people concerning the time and the manner of the Tempest and shaking of the House.

I will onely add one Story more of this nature, and that is of a Witch of Constance, who being vext that all her neighbours in the Village where she lived were invited to the wedding, and so were drinking and dancing and ma­king merry, & she solitary and neglected, got the Divell to transport her through the Aire, in the middest of day, to a Hill hard by the Village: where she digging a hole and putting Vrine into it, rais'd a great Tempest of Haile, and directed it so, that it fell onely upon the Village, and pel­ted them that were dancing with that violence, that they were forc'd to leave off their sport. When she had done her exploite she returned to the Village, and being spied was suspected to have raised the Tempest, which the Shepheards in the field that saw her riding in the Aire knew well before, who bringing in their witnesse against her, she confess'd the fact. I might be infinite in such narrations, but I will moderate my self.

CHAP. IV.
Supernaturall Effects observ'd in them that are Bewitch'd and Possess'd. The famous Story of Magdalena Cru­cia.

WE will now passe to those supernaturall effects which are observed in them that are bewitch'd or possess'd. And such are; Foretelling things to come, Telling what such and such persons speak or do as exactly as if they were by them, when the party possess'd is at one end of the town and sitting in a house within doores, and [Page 116] those partyes that act and conferre together are without at the other end of the town; to be able to see some and not others; to play at Cards with one certain person and not to discern any body else at the table besides him▪ to act and talk and goe up and down and tell what will become of things, and what happens in those fitts of possession, and then so soon as the possessed or bewitched party is out of them, to remember nothing at all, but to enquire con­cerning the welfare of those whose faces they seemed to look upon but just befo [...]e, when they were in their fitts. All which can be no symptomes nor signes of any thing else but of the Devil got into the body of a man, and hol­ding all the operations of his Soul, and then acting and speaking and sporting as he pleases, in the miserable Tene­ment he hath crouded himself into, making use of the Or­gans of the body at his own pleasure for the performing of [...]uch pranks and fears as are farre above the capacity▪ st [...]ength or agility of the party thus bewitched or possessed.

All these things are fully made good by long and tedious observations recorded in the discovery of the Wit­ches of Warbois in Huntingtonshire Anno 1594. The memory whereof is still kept fresh by an Anniversary Ser­mon preacht at Huntington by some of the Fellows of Queens Colledge in Cambridge.

There is al [...]o lately come forth a Narration how one M^rs. Muschamp's children were handled in Cumberland▪ which is very like this of M^r. Throckmorton's children of Warbois.

That which is generally observed in them both is this, that in their fitts they are as if they had no Soule at all in their Bodyes, and that whatsoever operations of sense, reason or motion there seemes to be in them, it is not any thing at all to them, but is wholly that stranger's, that hath got into them. For so soone as their fitts are over, they are as if they had been in so profound a sleep, that they did not so much as dreame, and so remember nothing at all of what [Page 117] they either said, or did, or where they had been; as is ma­nifest by an infinite number of examples in the forenamed relations. Of the truth of which passages here at home we being very well ascertain'd, we may with the more confi­dence venture upon what is recorded concerning others a­broad. As for example▪ The possession of the Religious Vir­gins in the Monastery of Werts, others in Hessimont, others also not farre from Xantes, and in other places, where there were Eye-witnesses enough to take notice how strangely they were handled, being flung up from the ground higher then a mans head, and falling down again without harme, swarming upon trees as nimbly as Cats, and hanging upon the boughes, having their flesh [...]orne off from their bodyes without any visible hand or instrument, and many other mad prankes which is not so fit to name, but they that have a mind may read at large in Wierus.

I would passe now to other effects of Witchcraft, as the conveying of knives, balls of haire, and nailes into the bodyes of them that are bewitched; but that the mention of these Nunnes puts me in mind of that famous story in Wierus of Magdalena Crucia, first a Nunne, and then an Abbatesse of a Nunnery in Corduba in Spain. Those things which were miraculous in her were these; that she could tell allmost at any distance how the affairs of the world went, what consultations or transactions there were in all the nations of Christendome, from whence she got to her self the reputation of a very Holy woman and a great Prophetesse. But other things came to passe by her or for her sake, no lesse strange and miraculous; as that at the celebrating of the holy Encharist, the Priest should all­wayes want one of his round wafers, which was secretly conveyed to Magdalen, by the administration of Angells, as was supposed, and shee receiving of it into her mouth a [...]e it, in the view of the people, to their great astonish­ment and high reverence of the Saint. At the elevation [Page 118] of the Host Magdalen being near at hand, but yet a wall betwixt, that the wall was conceived to open and to exhibite Magdalen to the view of them in the chappell, and that thus she partaked of the consecrated bread. When this Abbatesse came into the chappel her self upon some speciall day, that she would set off the solemnity of the day by some notable and conspicuous miracle: For she would sometimes be lifted up above the ground three or foure cubits high; other sometimes bearing the I­mage of Christ in her armes, weeping sa [...]ou [...]ly, she would make her haire to increase to that length and largenesse that it would come to her heels, and cover her all over and the Image of Christ in her armes, which anon notwithstan­ding would shrink up again to its usuall size; with a ma­ny such specious though [...]nprofitable miracles.

But you'll say that the narration of these things is not true, but they are feigned for the advantage of the Roman Religion, and so it was profitable for the Church to forge them and record them to posterity. A man that is unwil­ling to admit of any thing supernaturall would please him­self with this generall shuffle and put-off. But when we come to the Catastrophe of the story he will find it quite otherwise; for this Saint at last began to be suspected for a Sorceresse as it is thought, and she being conscious, did of her own accord, to save her self, make confession of her wickednesse to the Visiters of the Order, as they are called, viz. That for thirty yeares shee had been marryed to the Divel in the shape of an Aethiopian; that another Divel [...]ervant to this, when his Master was at dalliance with her in her cell, supplyed her place amongst the Nunnes at their publick Devotions; that by vertue of this contract she made with this Spirit, she had done all those miracles she did. Upon this confession she was committed, and while she was in durance, yet she appear'd in her devout postures praying in the chappell as before at their set houres [Page 119] of prayer; which being told to the Visiters by the Nunnes, there was a strict watch over her that she should not stirre out. Neverthelesse shee appeared in the chappell as before, though she were really in the prison.

Now what credit or advantage there can be to the Ro­man Religion by this story, let any man judge. Where­fore it is no figment of the Priests or Religious persons, nor Melancholy, nor any such matter (for how could so many spectatours at once be deluded by Melancholy?) but it ought to be deemed a reall Truth: And this Magdalena Crucia appearing in two severall places at once, it is ma­nifest that there is such a thing as Apparitions of Spirits. But I must abstaine as yet from touching that argument, I having not dispatch'd what I propounded concerning the vomiting up of Nailes, the conveying of Knives and pieces of VVood into the Bodies of Men, and the like. Which things are so palpable and uncapable of delusion, that I think it worth the while to insist a little upon them.

CHAP. V.
Examples of Bewitch'd Persons that have had Balls of Haire, Nayles, Knives, Wood stuck with Pinns, pieces of Cloth, and such like trash conveigh'd into their Bodies, with examples also of other Supernatu­rall Effects.

I Will begin with that memorable true Story that Langius tels of one Vlricus Neusesser who being grievously tor­mented with a pain in his side, suddenly felt under his skin, which yet was whole, an iron Naile as he thought. And so it prov'd when the Chirurgion had cut it out: But ne­verthelesse his great torments continued, which enraged him so, that he cut his own Throat. The third day when he was carried out to be buried, Eucharius Rosenbader, and Joannes ab Ettenstet, a great company of people [Page 120] standing about them, dissected the Corps, and ripping up the Vent [...]icle, found a round piece of wood of a good length, four knives, some even and sharp, others indeated like a Saw, with other two rough pieces of Iron a span long. There was also a ball of Haire. This happened at Fugen­stall▪ 1539.

VVierus tells also a story of one that was possessed, of which himself was an Eye-witnesse, that vomited up pieces of cloth with pins stuck in them, nailes, needles and such like stuffe: which he contends doth not come from the sto­mack, but by a prestigious slight of the Devil is only inge­sted into the mouth.

Antonius Benivenius also witnesses of his own know­ledge, that a woman his Patient, after a great deal of tor­ture, and disquiet, and staring distraction, and extraor­dinary swelling of her belly, at last fell a vomiting of long crooked Nailes, Pinns, and a clue of Haire and VVaxe, and so great a Crust of Bread as no man's swallow could ever get down. Then she fell a prophecying and raging in such sort as those that are bewitched or possessed, so that the Physician was forced to leave her to the cure of the Church.

Meinerus Clatsius his Servant, when he was bewitch'd, his throat was so swelled that his face became blew again with it, and therefore his Mistresse, Judith a de­vout Mat [...]on, fearing he would be choked, betook her self to her prayers with the rest of her Family. VVilliam in the mean time (for so was his name) begins to discharge at the mouth, and sends out of his throat the forepart of the Shepheards Breeches, whole Flints and their fragments, clues of Yarne, besides long Locks of Womens Haire, Needles, a piece of the lining of a Boies Coat, a Peacocks feather which he had pulled out of the taile of it eight dayes before, with other more slight stuffe.

Cardan tells a story also of a good simple countrey fel­low [Page 121] and a friend of his, that had been a long time troubled with vomiting up Glasse, Iron, N [...]iles and Haire, and that at that time he told Cardan of it he was not so perfect­ly restored but that something yet crash'd in his belly as if there we [...]e a Bag of Glasse in it.

I might add seasonably hereunto what is so credibly re­ported of Mrs. Muschamp's Child, that it was seen to vomit up pieces of VVood with Pinns stuck in it.

But I will conclude all with that Story of about thirty Children that were so strangely handled at Amsterdam 1566. of the truth whereof VVierus professeth himself very well assured. They were tortured very much, and cast violently upon the ground, but when they arose out of their fitt knew nothing but thought they had been onely asleep. For the remedying of this mischief they got the help of Physicians, VVizards and Exorcists, but without successe▪ Onely while the Exorcists were reading, the Children vo­mited up Needles, Thimbles, shreds of Cloth, pieces of Pots, Glasse▪ Haire, and other things of the like nature.

Now the advantage I would make of these stories is this, that these effects extraordinary and supernaturall being so palpable and permanent, they are not at all lyable to such Subterfuges as Atheists usually betake themselves to, as of Melancholy, & disturbance of Phansy in those that professe they see such strange things, or any Fraud or Impost [...]re in those that act.

All that can with any shew of reason be alledged is this, That such partyes in their [...]itts of distraction may de­voure such things as they vomit up, or at least put them into their mouthes. But they that are by might easily see that, distracted people doing things carelessly and openly. And these things happen to those that are thus handled against their wills; and as they are not discovered to doe any such things, of themselves, so neither do they confess af­terwards that they did it, when they are come to their right [Page 122] senses; and ordinarily it is found out that some Woman or other by Sorcery or VVitchcraft was the Authour of it.

Besides it is evident that there can be no mistake at all in some of these passages; For how can an iron Naile get betwixt the skin and the flesh, the skin not at all ripped or touch'd? Or how is it possible for any body to swallow down Knives and pieces of Iron a span long? which be­sides that story of Vlricus Neusesser, is made good in ano­ther of a young Wench, who when she had made cleane a paire of shoes with a Knife, which she put in her bosome, she after seeking for it, it could not be found any where, till at length it began to discover it self in a swelling on her left side, and at last was pulled out thence by the Chirurgion. You may read the whole story in VVierus, lib. 4. It was done at Levensteet in the Dukedome of Brunswick 1562. An old Women had come to the house in the morning, and a strange black Dog was found under the table.

There are also other miraculous and supernaturall effects, as in that maid of Saxonies speaking of Greek; and in ano­ther in Italy telling what was the best verse in all Virgill.

In another whom Caelius Rhodiginus profess'd he saw that spoke from betwixt her legs. Another at Paris whom Dr. Picard and other Divines would have dispossest, whom one Hollerius a Physician deriding, as if it had been nothing but Melancholy in the Woman and Ignorance in those Di­vines, was after convinc'd of the contrary, when he saw her standing betwixt two other women and crying out of a sud­den, discerning her hands to be so fast bound that there was no loosing of them without cutting the string. There was not the appearance of any thing to any body but to the possessed onely, who said she saw then a white cloud come neer her when she was bound.

CHAP. VI.
The Apparition Eckerken. The Story of the pyed Piper. A Triton or Sea-God seen on the banks of Rubicon. Of the Imps of Witches, and whether those old women be guilty of so much dotage as the Atheist fancies them. That such things passe betwixt them and their Imps as are impossible to be imputed to Melancholy. The exami­nation of John Winnick of Molesworth. The reason of Sealing Covenants with the Divell.

BUt it is now high time to cleare up this more dim and cloudy discovery of Spirits into more distinct and articulate Apparitions, according as I did at first propound. And these I shall cast into two ranks: Such as appeare near to us on the Ground, or such as are seen afarr off, above in the Aire. And here again to begin with small things first. Near Elton a Village half a mile distant from Embrica in the Dukedome of Cleve, there was a thing had its haunt, they called it Eckerken; there appeared never more then the shape of an Hand, but [...]t would beat travellers, pull them off from their horses, and overturn carriages. This could be no Phansy, there following so reall Effects.

The story of the pyed Piper, that first by his pipe gathe­red together all the Rats and Mice, and drown'd them in the River, and afterward, being defrauded of his re­ward, which the Town promis'd him if he could deliver them from the plague of those Vermine, took his opportu­nity, and by the same pipe made the Children of the town follow him, and leading them into a Hill that opened, bu­ried them there all alive; hath so evident proof of it in the town of Hammel where it was done, that it ought not at all to be discredited. For the fact is very Religiously kept amongst their ancient Records, painted out also in their [Page 124] Church-windowes, and is an Epoche joyn'd with the yeare of our Lord in their Bills and Indentures and other Law [...]nstruments.

That also seems to me beyond all exception and evasion which Suetonius relates of a Spectrum appearing on the b [...]nks of the River Rubicon: w^ch was thus, Julius Caesar ha­ving marched with his Armie to this River, which divides Gall [...]a Citerior from Italy, and being very doubtfull with himself whither he should passe over into Italy or not, there was seen on the River side a Man of a prodigious stature and form playing on a Reed. The strangeness of his person as well as the pleasantnesse of his Musick had drawn seve­rall of the Shepherds unto him, as also many of the Soul­diers, amongst whom were some Trumpeters; which this [...] (as Melanchthon ventures to call him) or Sea God well ob [...]erving nimbly snatches away one of the Trumpets ou [...] of their hands, leaps forthwith into the River, and [...] a March with that strength and violence, that he seem'd to [...]end the Heavens, and made the Aire ring again with the m [...]ghty fo [...]cibleness of the Blast, in this manner he p [...]ssed over to the other side of the River. Whereupon Caesar taking the Omen, leaves off all further dispute with himself carries over his Army enters Italy, secure of success from so manifest tokens of the favour of the Gods.

To confirme this truth of Apparitions, if we would but admit the free confessions of VVitches concerning their Impes, whom they so frequently see and converse withall, know them by their names, and do obeisance to them; the point would be put quite out of all doubt, and their proofs would be so many, that no volume would be large enough to containe them. But forsooth these must be all Melan­choly old [...]women that dote and bring themselves into danger by their own Phansyes and Conceits. But that they doe net dote, I am better assured of, then of their not doting, that say they do. For to satisfy my own curiosity I have [Page 125] examined severall of them, and they have discours'd as cun­ningly as any of their quality and education. But by what I have read and observ'd I discerne they serve a very per­fidious Master, who playes wreaks many times on purpose to betray them. But that's only by the by.

I demand concerning these Witches who confesse their contract and frequent converse with the Divel; s [...]me with him in one shape, others in another; whether mere Me­lancholy and Imagination can put Powders, Rods, Oynt­ments, and such like things into their hands, and tell them the use of them, can impresse Markes upon their bodies▪ so deep as to take away all sense in that place, can put Silver and Gold into their hands, which afterwards commonly proves but either Counters, Leaves▪ or Shells, or some such like uselesse matter? These reall effects cannot be by mere Melancholy. For if a man receive any thing into his hand, be it what it will be, there was some body that gave it him. And therefore the VVitch receiving some reall thing from this or that other shape that appeared unto her, it is an evident signe, that it was an externall thing that she saw, not a mere figuration of her melancholy Phansy. There are innumerable examples of this kind, but the thing is so triviall and ordinary that it wants no instances. I will only for down one, wherein there is the apparition of three Spirits.

John VV [...]nnick of Molsew [...]rth in Huntington-shire being examin'd 11. Aprill 1646. confessed as followes. ‘Having lost his purse with seven shillings in it, for which he suspected one in the family where he lived, he saith, that on a Friday while he was making hay bottles in the barn, and swore and curs'd and rag'd, and wisht to himself that some wise body would help him to his purse a [...]d money again, there appear'd unto him a Spirit in the shape of a Beare but not so big as a Coney, who promis'd upon condi­tion that he would fall down and worship him, he would [Page 126] help him to his purse. He assented to it, and the Spirit told him to morrow about this time he should find his purse upon the floor where he made bottles, and that he would then come himself also; which was done accordingly: and thus at the time appointed recovering his purse he fell down upon his knees to the Spirit, and said, My Lord and God I thank you. This Spirit brought then with him two other, in the shape the one of a white Cat, the other of a Coney, which at the command of the Beare-Spirit he worshipped also. The Beare-Spirit told him he must have his Soul when he dyed, that he must suck of his body, that he must have some of his Bloud to seale the Covenant. To all which he agreed, and so the Beare-Spirit leaping up to his shoulder, prick'd him on the head, and thence took bloud. After that, they all three vanished, but ever since came to him once every twenty four houres, and suck'd on his body, where the markes are found. And that they had continually done thus for this twenty nine yeares together.’ That all these things should be a mere dreame is a conceit more slight and foolish than any dreame possibly can be. For that receiving of his purse was a palpable and sensible pledge of the truth of all the rest. And it is incredible that such a series of cir­cumstances back'd with twenty nine yeares experience of being suck'd and visited dayly, sometimes in the day time, most commonly by night, by the same three Familiars, should be nothing but the hanging together of so many Melancholy Conceits and Phansies.

Nor doth the sealing of Covenants and writing with Bloud make such stories as these more to be suspected: For it is not at all unreasonable that such Ceremonies should passe betwixt a Spirit and a Man, when the like palpable Rites are used for the more firmly tying of Man to God. For whatsoever is crasse and externall leaves a stronger Impresse upon the Phansy, and the remembrance of it [Page 127] strikes the mind with more efficacy. So that assuredly the Divel hath the greater hanck upon the Soul of a Witch or Wizard, that hath been perswaded to complete their Con­tract with him in such a grosse sensible way, and keepes them more fast from revolting from him, than if they had only contracted in bare words.

CHAP. VII.
The nocturnall Conventicles of Witches; that they have of­ten dissolved & disappeared at the naming of the Name of God or Jesus Christ; and that the party thus spea­king has found himself alone in the fields many miles from home. The Dancing of Men, Women and cloven-footed Satyres at mid-day; John Michaell piping from the bough of an Oake, &c.

BUt I shall now adde further stories that ought to gain credit for the conspicuous effects recited in them. As that which Paulus Grillandus reports of one not far from Rome, who at the perswasion of his wife anointing him­self, as she had done before him, was carried away in the aire to a great Assembly of Wizards and VVitches, where they were feasting under a Nut-Tree. But this stranger not relishing his cheare without Salt, at last the Salt coming, and he blessing of God for it, at that Name the whole As­sembly disappeared, and he poore man was left alone naked an hundred miles off from home; whither when he had got he accused his wife, she confess'd the fact, discovering also her companions, who were therefore burnt with her.

The same Authour writes a like story of a young girle thirteen years old in the Dukedome of Spalatto, who being brought into the like company and admiring the strange­nesse of the thing, and crying out Blessed God, what's here to do! made the whole assembly vanish, was left herself in the field alone, and wandring up and down was found [Page 128] by a countrey man to whom shee told the whole matter.

So the Husband of the Witch of Lochiae, whom she brought into the like Assembly, by saying O my God where are we? made all to vanish, and found himself naked alone in the field fifteen dayes journey from home.

Severall other stories to this purpose Bodinus sets down, which these sensible effects of being so far distant from home and being found naked in the fields, shew to be no freakes of Melancholy but certain truth. But that the Divel in these junquetings appeares to the Guests in the form of a Satyr, black Goat, or else sometimes in the shape of an ill-favoured black man, is the ordinary confession of VVitches, by this way discovered and convicted.

Of his appearance in the shape of a man in black at least, if not a black man, a young woman committed for the suspicion of VVitchcraft, at the castle in Cambridge told my learned friend D^r. Cudworth and my self this story. How one Lendall-wife, who afterwards at Cambridge suf­fered for a Witch, made a motion to her of procuring her a husband; she accepted of it. The day and hour appoint­ted, her Sweet-heart met her at Lendall's house. He brake the businesse to her; but in the middle of the con­ference she did but turne her head aside and he was vanish­ed, and instead of a good proper Yeomanlike Man there was found in the chaire, where he did sit, nothing but a young Whelp lying on the cushion.

Shee told us also how upon a time when she dwelt with a Dame in a little town near Cambridge, and was sent into the fields to gather sticks, that Lendall-wife did meet her there and urged the old businesse again, and b [...]cause she would not consent to it, that shee beat her unmercifully, pulled off all her cloathes, and left her naked and in a man­ner dead upon the ground, and that she thought, if her Dame had not come to seek her, and had not found her, she had died no other death.

[Page 129] She told us also how at another time the door being shut and she going to bed, that her Sweet-heart came to her himself, earnestly desiring that the Match might goe on: which she as resolutely refusing, he grew very angry, and asked her if she would make a fool of him, and gave her such a parting blow upon her thigh that it was black and blew a good while after. But that which I aime at hap­pened sometime betwixt these passages I have already related.

While this marriage was driving on, the Wench was again invited to Lendall-wife's house, where she might meet with her Sweet-heart at a supper. Shee told us, when she was come, that shee waited [...] great while below, and marvelled that there was neither fire nor rost-meat nor any thing else that could promise any such entertainment as was expected, nor did she see any thing brought into the house all the while she was there, and yet notwithstan­ding, that at supper time the table was well furnish't as well with guests as meat. He that did sit at the upper end of the table was all in black, to whom the rest gave very much respect, bowing themselves with a great deal of re­verence whenever they spake to him. But what the wench seemed most of all affected with, was that the company spake such a Language as she understood not; and Lendall-wife whom at other times, she said, she could understand very well, when she spake then at table she could not un­derstand at all. Old Stranguidge (of whom there hath been reported ever since I came to the Universitie that he was carried over Shelford Steeple upon a black Hogge and tore his breeches upon the weather-cock) was one of the com­pany. I doe not remember any other she told us of that wee knew; but there were severall that she her self knew not. It was darke when they went to supper, and yet there was neither candle nor candlestick on the board, but a move­able light hovered over them, that waf [...]ed it self this way [Page 130] and that way in the aire betwixt the seeling and the table. Under this glimmering lamp they ate their victuals and entertain'd discourse in that unknown Dialect. She amazed at the strangenesse of the businesse and weary of attending of so uncouth a company, as she said, slunck away from them and left them.

As for my own part, I should have looked upon this whole Narration as a mere idle fancy or sick mans dream, had it not been that my beliefe was so much enlarged by that palpable satisfaction I received from what wee heard from foure or five VVitches which we lately examined before: And yet what I heard was but such matters as are ordinarily acknowledged by such VVitches as will confesse. And therefore I shall rather leave my Reader to wait the like opportunity, then trouble my self with setting down any further examinations of my own.

I will only adde a Story or two out of Remigius concer­ning these Conventicles of Witches, and then I will proceed to some other proofs.

John of Hembach was carried by his Mother being a Witch to one of these Conventicles, and because he had learnt to play on the Pipe, was commanded by her to exercise his faculty & to get up into a Tree, that they might the better hear his Musick. Which he doing, & looking upon the Dancers, how uncouth and ridiculous they were in their Motions and Gestures, being struck with admiration at the novelty of the matter, suddenly burst out into these words, Good God, what a mad company have we here! Which was no sooner said, but down came John, Pipe and all, and hurt his shoulder with the tumbling cast, who when he called to the company to help him, found himself alone, for they had all vanish'd, John of Hembach told the story, but people knew not what to make of it, till some of that mad Crue that danc'd to his pipe, were apprehended upon other suspicions, as Catharina Praevotia, Kelvers [Page 131] Orilla, and others, who made good every whit what John had before told (though they knew nothing of what he told before) adding also more particularly that the place where he pip'd to them was Maybuch.

The other memorable Story that I shall relate out of Remigius is this. One Nicolea Langbernhard, while she was going towards Assenunturia along a hedge side, spied in the next field (it was about Noon-time of day) a com­pany of men and women dancing in a ring; and the posture of their bodies being uncouth and unusuall made her view them more attentively, whereby she discerned some of them to have cloven feet, like Oxen or Goats (it should seem they were Spirits in the shape of lusty Satyrs) she be­ing astonish'd with fear cryes out, Jesus help me and send me well home. She had no sooner said so, but they all vani­shed saving onely one Peter Grospetter, whom a little after­wards she saw snatch'd up into the aire and to let fall his Maulkin (a stick that they make cleane ovens withall) and her self was also driven so forcibly with the winde, that it made her almost loose her breath. She was faine to keep her bed three dayes after.

This Peter (though at first he would have followed the Law on Nicolea for slandring him, yet) afterward freely confess'd and discovered others of his companions, as Bar­belia the wife of Joannes Latomus, Mayetta the wife of Laurentius, who confessed she danced with those cloven­footed Creatures at what time Peter was amongst them. And for further evidence of the businesse John Michaell, Herds-man, did confesse, that while they thus danced, he plaid upon his Crooked staffe, and struck upon it with his fingers, as if it had been a Pipe, sitting upon an high bough of an Oake; and that so soon as Nicolea called upon the name of Jesus, he tumbled down headlong to the ground, but was presently catch'd up again with a whirldwind, and carryed to Weiller Meadowes, where he had left his Herds a little before.

[Page 132] Adde unto all this, that there was found in the place where they danced a round Circle wherein there was the manifest ma [...]kes of the treading of cloven feet, which were seen from the day after Nicolea had discover'd the businesse, till the next Winter that the plough cut them out. These things happened in the yeare 1590.

CHAP. VIII.
Of Fairy Circles. A larger discussion of those Controver­sies betwixt Bodinus and Remigius, viz. whether the Bodyes of Witches be really transformed into the shape of Wolves and other Creatures; whether the Souls of Witches be not sometimes at those nocturnall Conventi­cles, their bodies being left at home; as also whether they leav [...] not their bodies in those Extasies they put them­selves in when they promise to fetch certain newes from remote places in a very short time.

IT might be here very seasonable, upon the foregoing story, to enquire into the nature of those large darke Rings in the grasse, which they call Fairy Circles, whether they be the Rendezv [...]z of Witches, or the da [...]cing places of those little puppet-Spirits which they call Elves or Fairies. But these curios [...]ties I leave to more busy Wits. I am onely intent now upon my serious purpose of proving there are Spirits; which I think I have made a pretty good pro­gresse in already, and have produced such narrations that cannot but gain credit with such as are not perversly and wi [...]lfully incredulous.

There is another more profitable question started, if it could be decided, concerning these Night-revellings of VVitches, whether they be not sometimes there, their bo­dies lying at home, as sundry Stories seem to favour that opinion: Bodinus is for it, Remigius is against it.

[Page 133] It is the same question, whether when VVitches or VVi­zards professe they will tell what is done within so many miles compasse, and afterwards to give a proof of their skill first anoint their bodies and then fall down dead in a manner, and so lye a competent time senselesse, whether, I say, their souls go out of their bodies, or all be but repre­sented to their Imagination.

We may add a third, which may happily better fetch off the other two; And that is concerning your [...] (which the Germans call Were-VVolff; the French Loups garous) Men transformed into VVolves: and there is much what the same reason of other Transformations. I shall not trouble you with any Histories of them, though I might pro­duce many. But as well those that hold it is but a delusion of the Divell and mere Tragedies in Dreames, as they that say they are reall Transactions, do acknowledge, that those parties that have confessed themselves thus transformed have been weary and sore with running, have been wound­ed and the like. Bodinus here also is deserted of Remigius, who is of the same mind with VVierus, that sly, smooth Physician, and faithfull Patron of VVitches, who will be sure to load the Divell as much as he can, his shoulders being more able to bear it, and so to ease the Haggs.

But for mine own part, though I will not undertake to decide the controversy, yet I thinke it not a [...]isse to declare, that Bodinus may very well make good his own, notwith­standing any thing those do alledge to the contrary. For that which Wierus and Remigius seem so much to stand upon, that it is too great a power for the Divell and too great indignity to Man, that he should be able thus to transform him; are in my mind but slight Rhe [...]orications, no sound Arguments.

For what is that outward mis [...]apement of Body to the in­ward deformity of their Souls, which he helps on so noto­riously? And they having given themselves over to him so [Page 134] wholy, why may he not use them thus here, when they shall be worse used by him hereafter? And for the change­ing of the species of things, if that were a power too big to be granted the Divell, yet it is no more done here, when he thus transforms a Man into a VVolf, then when he trans­forms himself into the shape of a Man. For this VVolf is still a Man, and that Man is still a Divell. For it is so as the Poet sayes it was in Vlysses his companions which Circe turned into Hoggs, They had the Head, the Voice, the Body and Bristles of Hoggs; ‘— [...].’ But their Understanding was unchanged, they had the Mind and Memory of a Man as before. As Petrus Bourgotus professeth that when his companion Michael Verdung had a [...]ointed his body and transform'd him into a Wolf, when he look'd upon his hairy feet he was at first affraid of himself.

Now therefore it being plain that nothing materiall is alledged to the contrary, and that men confesse they are turn'd into Wolves, and acknowledge the salvage cruelties they then committed upon Children, Women and Sheep, that they find themselves exceeding weary, and sometimes wounded; it is more naturall to conclude they were really thus transformed, then that it was a mere Delusion of Phansy.

For I conceive the Divell gets into their body, and by his subtile substance, more operative and searching than any fire or putrifying liquour, melts the yielding Compages of the body to such a consistency, and so much of it as is fitt for his purpose, and makes it plyable to his imagination: and then it is as easy for him to work it into what Shape he pleaseth, as it is to work the Aire into such forms and fi­gures as he ordinarily doth. Nor is it any more difficulty [Page 135] for him to mollify what is hard, then it is to harden what is so soft and fluid as the Aire.

And he that hath this power, we can never stick to give him that which is lesse, viz. to instruct men how they shall for a time forsake their Bodies, and come in again. For can it be a hard thing for him, that can thus melt and take a pieces the particles of the Body, to have the skill and power to loosen the Soul, a substance really distinct from the Body and separable from it; which at last is done by the easy course of Nature, at that finall dissolution of Soul and Body which we call Death? But no course of Nature ever transforms the body of Man into the shape of a Wolf; so that this is more hard and exo [...]bitant from the order of Nature then the other.

I but you'l say the greatnesse and incrediblenesse of the Miracle is this; That there should be an actuall separation of Soul and Body and yet no Death. But this is not at all strange if we consider that Death is properly a disjuncti­on of the Soul from the Body by reason of the Bodie's un­fitnesse any longer to entertain the Soul, which may be cau­sed by extremity of Diseases, outward Violence or Age; And if the Divell could restore such bodies as these to life, it were a miracle indeed. But this is not such a miracle, nor is the Body properly dead, though the Soul be out of it. For the life of the Body is nothing else but that fitnesse to be actuated by the Soul. The conservation whereof is help'd, as I conceive, by the anointing of the Body before the Ex­tasy; which ointment filling the pores keeps out the cold and keeps in the heat and Spirits, that the frame and temper of the Body may continue in fit case to entertain th [...] Soul again at her return. So the vital streames of the carcasse be­ing not yet spent, the prist [...]ne operations of life are presently again kindled, as a candle new blown out and as yet reek­ing, suddenly catches fire from the flame of another, though at some distance, the light gliding down along the smoke.

[Page 136] Wherefore there being nothing in the nature of the thing that should make us incredulous, these Sorceresses so confidently pronouncing that they are out of their Bodies at such times, and see and do such & such things, meet one ano­ther, bring messages, discover secrets and the like, it is more naturall and easy to conclude they be really out of their Bo­dies, then in them. Which we should the more easily be induced to believe, if we could give credit to that Story Wie­rus tells of a Souldier out of whose mouth whilest he was asleep a thing in in the shape of a Wesell came, which nud­d [...]ng along in the grasse and at last coming to a brook side, very busily attempting to get over▪ but not being able, some one of the standers by that saw it, made a bridge for it of his sword▪ which it passed over by, and coming back made use of the same passage, and then entred into the Souldier's mouth again, many looking on: when he waked he told how he dream'd he had gone over an iron Bridge, and other particulars answerable to what the spectatours had seen afore-hand. Wierus acknowledgeth the truth of the story, but will by all meanes have it to be the Divell, not the Soul of the Man; which he doth in a tender regard to the Witches, that from such a truth as this they might not be made so obnoxious to suspicion that their Extasies are not mere Dreames and Delusions of the Divell, but are ac­companied with reall effects.

I will not take upon me to decide so nice a controversy, only I will make bold to in [...]ermeddle thus farre as to pro­nounce Bodinus his opinion, not at all unworthy of a ratio­nall and sagacious man. And that though by his being much addicted to such like speculations he might attribute some naturall effects to the ministry of Spirits, when there was no need so to doe, yet his judgement in other things of th [...]s kind is no more to be slighted for that, then Cartesi­us, that stupendious Mechanicall Witt, is to be disallowed in those excellent inventions of the causes of those more [Page 137] generall Phaenomena of Nature, because by his successe in those he was imboldned to enlarge his Principles too farre, and to assert that A [...]imalls themselves were mere Machi­na's: like Aristoxenus the Musician that made the Soul nothing else but an Harmony; of whom Tully pleasantly observes, Quod non recessit ab arte sua.

Every Genius and Temper, as the sundry sorts of Beasts and living Creatures, have their proper excrement: and it is the part of a wise man to take notice of it, and to chuse what is profitable, as well as to abandon what is uselesse and excrementitious.

CHAP. IX.
The Coldnesse of those bodyes that Spirits appear in witnes­sed by the experience of Cardan and Bourgotus. The na­turall Reason of this Coldnesse. That the Divell does really lye with VVitches. That the very substance of Spirits is not fire. Spirits skirmishing on the ground. Field-fights and Sea-fights seen in the Aire.

BUt to return into the way, I might adde other stories of your Daemones Metallici, your Guardian Genii, such as that of Socrates, and that other of which Bodinus tells an ample story, which hee received from him who had the society and assistance of such an Angell or Genius, which for my own part I give as much credit to as to any story in Livy or Plutarch: Your Lares familiares, as also those that haunt and vexe families appearing to many and lea­ving very sensible effects of their appearings. But I will not so farre tire either my self or my Reader. I will only name one or two storyes more, rather then recite them. As that of Cardan, who writes as you may see in Otho Me­lander, that a Spirit that familiarly was seen in the house of a friend of his, one night layd his hand upon his brow which felt intolerably cold. And so Petrus Bourgotus [Page 138] confessed that when the Divell gave him his hand to kisse, it felt cold. And many more examples there be to this purpose.

And indeed it stands to very good reason that the bodies of Divels being nothing but coagulated Aire should be cold, as well as coagulated Water, which is Snow or Ice and that it should have a more keen and piercing cold, it consisting of more subtile particles, than those of water, and therefore more fit to insinuate, and more accurately and stingingly▪ to affect and touch the nerves.

Wherefore Witches confessing so frequently as they do, that the Divel lyes with them, and withall complaining of his tedious and offensive coldnesse, it is a shrewd presum­ption that he doth lie with them indeed, and that it is not a mere Dreame, as their friend Wierus would have it.

Hence we may also discover the folly of that opinion that makes the very essence of Spirits to be fire: for how unfit that would be to coagulate the aire is plain at first sight. It would rather melt and dissolve these consistencies then con­stringe them and freeze them in a manner. But it is rather manifest that the essence of Spirits is a substance specifically distinct from all corporeall matter whatsoever. But my intent is not to Philosophize concerning the nature of Spirits, but only to prove their Existence. Which the story of the Spectre at Ephesus may be a further argument of. For that old man which Apollonius told the Ephesians was the walking plague of the city, when they stoned him and unco­vered the heap, appear'd in the shape of an huge black dog as big as the biggest Lion. This could be no imposture of Melanchly nor [...]raud of any Priest. And the learned Gro­tius, a man far from all Levity and vain Credulity, is so se­cure of the truth of Ty [...]neus his Miracles, that he does not stick to term him impudent, that has the face to deny them.

Our English Chronicles also tell us of Apparitions; ar­med men, foot and horse, fighting upon the ground in the [Page 139] North part of England and in Ireland for many Evenings together, seen by many hundreds of men at once, and that the grasse was troden down in the places where they were seen to fight their Battailes: which agreeth with Nicolea Langbernhard her Story of the cloven-footed Dancers, that left the print of their hoofs in the ring they trod down, for a long time after.

But this skirmishing upon the Earth puts me in mind of the last part of this argument, and bids me look up into the Aire. Where omitting all other Prodigies I shall only take notice of what is most notorious, and of which there can by no meanes be given any other account, then that it is the effect of Spirits. And this is the appearance of armed men fighting and encountring one another in the Sky. There are so many examples of these Prodigies in Historians, that it were superfluous to instance in any. That before the great slaughter of no lesse than fourescore thousand made by An­tiochus in Jerusalem recorded in the second of Maccabees chap. 5. is famous. The Historian there writes that ‘through all the city for the space almost of fourty dayes there were seen Horsemen running in the aire, in cloth of Gold, and Arm'd with Lances, like a band of Souldiers, and Troops of Horsemen in array encountring and running one against another, with shaking of shields, and multitudes of pi [...]es, and drawing of swords, and casting of darts, and glittering of golden ornaments, and harnesse of all sorts.’ And Jo­sephus writes also concerning the like Prodigies, that hap­pened before the destruction of the City by Titus▪ prefacing first, that they were incredible, were it not that they were recorded by those that were Eye-witnesses of them.

The like Apparitions were seen before the civill warres of Marius and Sylla. And Melanchthon affirmes that a world of such Prodigies were seen all over Germany from 1524 to 1548. S [...]ellius amongst other places doth par­ticularize in A [...]rtsfort, where these fightings were seen [Page 140] not much higher then the house tops; as also in Amster­dam where there was a Sea-fight appearing in the aire for an houre or two together, many thousands of men looking on. And to say nothing of what hath been seen in England not long ago, there is lately a punctuall narration of such a Sea-fight seen by certain Hollanders, and sent over hither into England, but a Lion appearing alone at the end of that Apparition, though it may be true for ought I know, yet it makes it obnoxious to Suspicion and evasion and so unpro­fitable for my purpose. But the Phaenomena of this kind, whose reports cannot be suspected to be in subserviency to any Politick designe, ought in reason to be held true, when there have been many profess'd Eye-witnesses of them. And they being resolvable into no naturall causes, it is evident that we must acknowledge supernaturall ones, such as Spirits, Intelligences or Angels, term them what you please.

CHAP. X.
A very memorable story of a certain pious man, who had the continuall Society of a Guardian Genius.

I Had here ended all my Stories, were I not tempted by that remarkable one in Bodinus, to our-run my Method. I but named it heretofore, I shall tell it now more at large. I am the more willingly drawn to relate it, such examples of the consociation of good Spirits being very scarce in History. The main reason whereof, as I conceive, is be­cause so very few men are heartily and sincerely good. The Narration is more considerable in that he that writes it, had it from the man's own mouth whom it concerns; and is as follows.

This Party, a holy and pious man, as it should seem, and an acquaintance of Bodinus's, freely told him, how that he had a certain Spirit that did perpetually accompany him, [Page 141] which he was then first aware of, when he had attain'd to about thirty seven years of Age, but conceiv'd that the said Spirit had been present with him all his life time, as he gathered from certain Monitory Dreams and Visions, whereby he was forewarn'd as well of severall dangers as vices. That this Spirit discovered himself to him after he had for a whole year together earnestly pray'd to God to [...]end a good Angell to him, to be the Guide and Governer of his life and actions; adding also, that before and after Prayer he used to spend two or three houres in meditation and reading the Scriptures, diligently enquiring with him­self, what Religion, amongst those many that are contro­verted in the world, might be best, beseeching God that he would be pleased to direct him to it. And that he did not allow of their way, that at all adventures pray to God to confirm them in that opinion they have already preconcei­ved, be it right or wrong. That while he was thus busy with himself in matters of Religion, that he light on a pas­sage in Philo Judaeus in his Book De Sacrificiis, where he writes, that a good and holy Man can offer no greater nor more acceptable Sacrifice to God, then the Oblation of him­self, and therefore following Philo's counsell, that he offered his Soul to God. And that after that, amongst many other divine Dreames and Visions, he once in his sleep seemed to hear the voice of God saying to him, I will save thy Soul, I am he that before appeared unto thee. Afterwards that the Spirit every day would knock at the doore about three or four a clock in the morning, though he rising and open­ing the doore could see no body, but that the Spirit persi­sted in this course, and unlesse he did rise, would thus rouze him up.

This trouble and boisterousnesse made him begin to con­ceit that it was some evill Spirit that thus haunted him, and therefore he daily pray'd earnestly unto God, that he would be pleased to send a good Angell to him, and often [Page 142] also sung Psalmes, having most of them by heart.

Wherefore the Spirit afterward knocked more gently at the doore, and one day discovered himself to him waking, which was the first time that he was assured by his senses that it was he; for he often touched and stirred a Drinking­glasse that stood in his chamber, which did not a little amaze him.

Two dayes after when he entertain'd at supper a certain f [...]end of his, Secretary to the King, that this friend of his was much abash'd while he heard the Spirit thumping on the bench hard by him, and was strucken with fear, but he [...]ad him be of good courage, there was no hurt towards; and the better to assure him of it, told him the truth of the whole Matter.

Wherefore from that time, [...]aith Bodinus, he did affirm that this Spirit was alwayes with him, and by some sensible signe did ever advertize him of things: as by striking his right eare if he did any thing amisse; if otherwise, his left. If any body came to circumvent him▪ that his right eare was st [...]uck, but his left eare, if a good man and to good ends accosted him. If he was about to eat or drink any thing that would hurt him, or intended or purposed with himself to do any thing that would prove ill, that he was inhibited by a signe, and if he delaid to follow his businesse, that he was quickened by a [...]gne given him.

When he began to praise God in Psalmes and to declare his marveilous Acts, that he was presently raised and strengthened with a spirituall and supernaturall power.

That he daily begg'd of God that he would teach him his Will, his Law and his Truth; And that he set one day of the week apart for reading the Scripture and Meditation, with singing of Psalmes, and that he did not [...] out of his house all that day; But that in his ordinary conversation he was sufficiently merry and of a chearfull minde, and he cited that saying for it, Vidi facies Sanctorum laetas. But [Page 143] in his conversing with others▪ if he had talked vainly and indiscreetly, or had some daies together neglected his De­votions, that he was forthwith admonished thereof by a Dreame. That he was also admonished to rise betimes in the Morning, and that about four of the clock a voice would come to him while he was asleep, saying, Who gets up first to pray?

He told Bodinus also how he was often admonish'd to give Almes, and that [...] more Charity he bestow'd, the more prosperous he was. And that on a time when his enemies sought after his life, and knew that he was to go by water, that his Father in a Dreame brought two Horses to him, the one white, the other bay; and that therefore he bid his servant hire him two horses, and though he told him nothing of the colours, that yet he brought him a white one and a bay one.

That in all difficulties, journeyings and what other en­terprizes soever, he used to ask counsell of God, and that one night, when he had begged his blessing, while he slept he saw a Vision wherein his Father seemed to blesse him.

At another time, when he was in very great Danger, and was newly gone to bed, he said that the Spirit would not let him alone till he had raised him again, wherefore he watched and pray'd all that night. The day after he esca­ped the hands of his Persecuters in a wonderfull manner; which being done, in his next sleep he heard a voice saying, Now sing, Quisedet in latibulo Altissi [...].

A great many other passages this Party told Bodinus, so many indeed, that he thought it an endlesse labour to re­cite them all. But what remains of those he has recited, I will not stick to take the pains of transcribing them.

Bodinus asked him why he would not speak to the Spirit for the gaining of the more plain and familiar converse with it. He answered that he once attempted it, but the Spirit [Page 144] instantly struck the doore with that vehemency, as if he had knock'd upon it with an hammer, whereby he gathered his dislike of the matter.

But though the Spirit would not talk with him, yet he could make use of his judgement in the reading of books and moderating his studies. For if he took an ill book into his hands and fell a reading, the Spirit would strike it, that he might lay it down, and would also sundry times, be the books what they would, hinder him from reading and writing overmuch, that his minde might rest, and silently meditate with it self. He added also, that very often while he was awake, a small, subtile, inarticulate sound would come unto his eares.

Bodinus further enquiring whether he ever see the Shape and Form of the Spirit, he told him that while he was awake he never see any thing but a certain light very bright and clear and of a round Compasse and Figure; But that once, being in great jeopardy of his life, and having heartily pray'd to God that he would be pleased to provide for his safety, about break of day, amidst his slumberings and wakings, he espyde on his bed where he lay a young Boy clad in a white Garment tinctured somewhat with a touch of purple, and of a visage admirably lovely and beautifull to behold. This he confidently affirmed to Bodinus for a certain truth.

CHAP. XI.
Certain Enquiries upon the preceding Story; as, What these Guardian Genii may be. Whether one or more of them be allotted to every man, or to some none. What may be the reason of Spirits so seldome appearing; And whether they have any settled Shape or no. What their manner is of assisting men in either Devotion or Pro­phecy. Whether every mans complexion is capable of the Society of a good Genius. And lastly whether it be lawfull to pray to God to send such a Genius or Angel to one or no.

[Page 145] IT is beside my present scope, as I have already professed, to enter into any more particular and more curious Dis­quisitions concerning the nature of Spirits, my ayme being now onely to demonstrate their Existence by those strange Effects recorded every where in History. But this last Narration is so extraordinarily remarkable, that it were a piece of disrespect done to it, to dismisse it without some Enquiries at least into such Problems as it naturally affords to our consideration, though it may well seem plainly be­yond the power of humane Witt, or lawes of Modesty to determine any thing therein.

In the first place therefore, it cannot but amuse a man's minde to think what these officious Spirits should be, that so willingly sometimes offer themselves to consociate with a man; whether they may be Angels uncapable of incor­poration into humane Bodies, which vulgarly is conceived: Or whether the Souls of the deceased, they having more affinity with mortality and humane frailty then the other, and so more sensible of our necessities and infirmities, ha­ving once felt them themselves; a reason alledged for the Incarnation of Christ by the Authour to the Hebrews: Which opinion has no worse Favourers then Plutarch, Maximus Tyrius, and other Platonists: Or lastly, whe­ther there may not be of both sorts. For separate Souls being [...], in a condition not unlike the Angels them­selves, it is easy to conceive that they may very well un­dergo the like Offices.

Secondly we are invited to enquire, whether every man have his Guardian Genius or no. That Witches have ma­ny, such as they are, their own confessions testify. The Py­thagorea [...]s were of opinion that every man has two Genii, a [Page 146] good one and a bad one. Which Mahomet has taken into his Religion, adding also, that they sit on Mens shoulders with table-books in their hands, and that the one writes down all the good, the other all the evill a man does. But such expressions as those I look upon as Symbolicall rather then Naturall. And I think it more reasonable that a man changing the frame of his minde changes his Genius withall: Or rather, unless a man be very sincere and single-hearted that he is left to common Providence, as well as if he be not desperately wicked or deplorably miserable, scarce any particular evill Spirit interposes or offers him­self a perpetuall Assistent in his affaires and fortunes. But extreme Poverty, irksome old Age, want of Friends, the Contempt, Injury and Hardheartednesse of evill Neigh­bours, working upon a Soul low sunk into the body and wholy devoid of the Divine life, does sometimes kindle so sharp, so eager, and so piercing a desire of Satisfaction and Revenge, that the shreeks of men while they are a murder­ing, the howling of a Wolf in the fields in the night, or the squeaking and roring of tortured Beasts do not [...]o certainly call to them those of their own kinde, as this powerfull Magick of a pensive and complaining soul in the bitternesse of it's affliction attracts the ayd of these over-officious Spirits. So that it is most probable that they that are the forwardest to [...]ang Witches are the first that made them, and have no more goodnesse nor true piety then these they so willingly prosecute, but are as wicked as they, though with better luck or more discretion, offending no further then the Law will permit them, and therefore they securely starve the poor helpless man, though with a great deal of clamour of justice▪ they will revenge the death of their Hogg, or Cow.

Thirdly it were worth our disquisition, why Spirits so seldome now adayes appear, especially those that are good; whether it be not the wickednesse of the present Age, as I [Page 147] have already hinted; or the generall prejudice men have against all Spirits that appear, that they must be straight­wayes Divells; or the frailty of humane nature that is not usually able to bear the appearance of a Spirit, no more then other Animalls are, for into what agonies Horses and Doggs are cast upon their approach, is in every ones mouth, and is a good circumstance to distinguish a reall Apparition from our own Imaginations; or lastly whether it be the con­dition of Spirits themselves, who, it may be, without some violence done to their own nature cannot become visi­ble, it being happily as troublesome a thing to them, to keep themselves in one steady visible consistency in the aire, as it is for men that dive, to hold their breath in the water.

Fourthly it may deserve our search, whether Spirits have any settled forme or shape. Angells are commonly pictured like good plump cher [...]y-cheek'd Lads. Which is no wond [...]r, the boldnesse of the same Artists not stick­ing to picture God Almighty in the shape of an old man. In both it is as it pleases the Painter. But this story seems rather to favour their opinion, that say that Angells and seperate S [...]uls have no settled forme but what they please to give themselves upon occasion, by the power of their own Phansy. Ficinu [...], as I remember, somewhere calls them Aereall Starres. And the good Genii seem to me to be as the benigne Eyes of God running to and fro in the world with love and pitty beholding the innocent endeavours of harmlesse and single-hearted men, ever ready to doe them good and to help them.

What I conceive of separate Soules and Spirits, I can­not better expresse then I have already in my Poem of the Pr [...]existency of the Soul. And I hope it will be no sin to be better then my word, who in my Preface have pro­missed no Poetry at all, but I shall not think much to offer to your view these two Stanzas out of the forenamed Poem.

And what I speak there of the condition of the Soul out of the Body, I think is easily applicable to other Gen [...]i, or Spirits.

The fift Enquiry may be, how these good Gen [...]i become serviceable to men, for either heightening their Devotions or inabling them to Prophecy; whether it can be by any other way then by descending into their bodies and posses­sing the heart and braine. For the Euchites, who affected the gift of Prophecy by familiarity with evill Spirits, did utterly obliterate in their Souls the [...], the Principles of Goodnesse and Honesty (as you may see in Psellus [...]) that the evill Spirits might come into their bodies, whom those sparks of virtue, as they said, would drive away, but those being extinguish'd they could come in and possess them and inable them to pr [...] ­phecy. [Page 149] And that the Imps of Witches do sometimes enter their own bodies as well as their's to whom they send them, is plain in the Story of the Witches of Warbois. It is also the opinion of Trismegist, that these Spirits get into the Veines and Arteries both of men and beasts.

Wherefore concerning the Dreames and Visions of this holy man that so freely imparted himself to Bodinus, it may be conceived reasonable that the good Genius insinuated him­self into his very Body, as well as the bad into the bodies of the wicked, and that residing in his braine and figuring of it, by thinking of this or that Object, as we ourselves figure it when we think, the external senses being laid asleep, those figurations would easily be represented to the Common sense; and that Memory recovering them when he awaked, they could not but seem to him as other Dreames did saving that they were better, they ever signifying some thing of importance unto him.

But those Raptures of Devotion by day, might be by the Spirits kindling a purer kinde of Love-flame in his heart, as well as by fortifying and raising his Imagination. And how far a man shall be carried beyond himself by this redou­bled soul in him, none, I think, can well conceive unlesse they had the experience of it.

And if this be their manner of communion, it may well be enquired into, in the sixt place, whether all men be ca­pable of consociation with these good Genii. Cardan some­where intimates that their approaches are deprehensible by certain sweet smells they cast. From whence it may seem not improbable, that those bodies that smell sweet them­selves, where the mind does not stink with pride and hypo­crisy, have some naturall advantage for the gaining their society. But if there be any peculiar c [...]plexion or naturall condition required, it will prove lesse hopefull for every one to obtaine their acquaintance. Yet Regeneration come to it's due pitch, though it can not be without much paine and [Page 150] anguish, may well rectify all uncleannesse of nature; so that no singularly good and sincere man can reasonably despaire of their Familiarity. For he that is so highly in favour with the Prince, it is no wonder he is taken notice of by his Courtiers.

But the last and most considerable question is, whether it be lawfull to pray to God for such a good Genius or An­gell. For the Example in the foregoing story seems a sufficient warrant. But I conceive Faith and Desire ought to be full-sayle to make such Voiages prosperous, and our end and purpose pure and sincere, But if Pride, Conceited­ness [...] ▪ or Affectation of some peculiar priviledge above other Mortalls, spurre a man up to so bold an Enterprise, his Devotions will no more move either God or the Good Geni [...], then the whining voice of a Counterfeit will stirr the affection of the discreetly Charitable. Nay this high Pre­sumption may invite some reall Fiends to put a worse jest upon him then was put upon that tattered Rogue Guzman, by those Mock-Spirits, for his so impudently pretending Kindred, and so boldly intruding himself into the know­ledge and acquaintance, of the Gentry and Nobility of Genoa.

But the safest Magick is the sincere consecrating a mans Soul to God, and the aspiring to nothing but so profound a pitch of Humility as not to be conscious to ourselves of be­ing at all touched with the praise and applause of men; and to such a free and universall sense of Charity as to be delighted with the welfare of another as much as our own. They that solely have their eye upon these will find coming in what ever their heart can desire. But they that put forth their hand to catch at high things, as they phansy, and neglect these, prove at last but a lague to themselves, and a Laughing-stock to the world.

These are the severall Speculations that the foregoing Narration would naturally beget in the mindes of the [Page 151] curious. But methinks I hear the Atheist replying to all this, That I have run a long division upo [...] very uncertain grounds, and asking me not without some scorn and anger, whether I believe that multifarious Fable I have rehearsed out of Bodinus and so much descanted upon. To which I answer, That I will not take my oath that the most like­ly passage in all Plutarch's Lives, or Livies History is assuredly true. But however that I am not ashamed to pro­fesse, that I am as well assured in my own judgement of the existence of Spirits, as that I have met with men in Westminster-Hall, or seen Beasts in Smithfield.

CHAP. XII.
That whether the Species of things have been from all Eter­nity, or whether they rose out of the Earth by degrees in Time, the Frame of them is such, that against all the Evasions of the Atheist they naturally imply that there is a God.

THus have we gone through the many and manifold effects represented to our senses on this wide Theater of the World. The faintest and obscurest whereof are Argu­ments full enough to prove the existence of a Deity. But some being more palpable then other some, and more ac­commodate to awaken the dull and slow belief of the Atheist into the acknowledgement of a God, it will not be amisse to take notice of what Evasions he attempts to make for the extricating himself out of those that he pharisies the most sensibly to entangle him, and the most strongly to hin­der his escape.

And such are especially these two last I insisted upon, the curious frame of Mans body, and Apparitions. And the force of the former some indeavour to evade thus; ‘That there hath ever been Man and Woman and other Species in the world, and so it is no wonder that like should pro­pagate [Page 152] its like, and therefore that there is no want of any other invisible or materiall cause but the species of things themselves: And so these admirable contrivances in Na­ture must imply no divine VVisdome nor Counsell or any such thing.’

But here I demand whether there were ever any Man that was not mortall, and whether there be any mortall that had not a beginning, and if he had, it must be either by Ge­neration or Creation. If by Creation, there is a God. If by aequivocall Generation, as rising out of the Earth, our argument will hold good still notwithstanding this evasion, But if you'll say there was never any man in the world but was born of a Woman, this must amount but to thus much▪ that there hath been an infinite number of successions of births. If there be meant by it any thing more then thus, it will not prove sense.

For though our Phansy cannot run through an infinite series of Effects, yet our Reason is assured there is no Ef­fect without a Cause, and be the Progresse of Causes and Effects as infinite as it will, at last we resolve it naturally into some First; and he that denies this, seems to me w [...]llfully to winke against the light of Nature, and do vio­lence to the faculties of his minde. And therefore of ne­cessity there must be at least one first Man and VVoman which are first ordine Naturae, though infinity of time reckoning from the present causeth a confusion & obscurity in our apprehensions. And these which are thus first in order of Nature or Causality must also exist first before there can be any other Men or Women in the World. And there­fore concerning these first it being manifest that they were born of no Parents, it follows they were Created or rose out of the Earth, and so the Evasion will be frustra­ted.

Besides if you affirm that there was never any Man in the world but who was born of a VVoman, and so grew to [Page 155] Mans estate by degrees, it will fall to some mans share to be a Babe and a Man at once, or to be both Father and Child, For so soon as Mankind was (let it be from Aeternity, and beyond Aeternity is nothing) those that then existed were begot of some body, and there was nothing before them to beget them, therefore they begot themselves.

But that they should at once then have been perfect men, their substances being of alterable and passive mat­ter, that is wrought diversly and by degrees into that frame it hath, is as rash, as if they should say that Bootes, and Shooes, and Stockins, and Pyes, and Peels, and Ovens have been together with all Aeternity: when as it is manifest there ought to be an orderly intervall of time before these things can be, wherein must precede the killing of Oxen, and flaying of them, as also of Sheep, tanning, spinning, cutting, and many more such like circumstances. So that it is enormously ridiculous to say that Mankind might have been at once from all Aeternity, unlesse the Omnipotency of a God, who can do what ever we can imagine and more, should by his unresistable Fiat cause such a thing in a mo­ment so soon as himself was, which was ever, and he was never to seek for either power or skill.

But that the fluid Matter of it self should have been thus raised up from all Aeternity into such compleat Species of things, is very groundlesse and irrationall. I say, that there ever should be such a thing as this in the world, a man at once existing of himself in this corporeall frame that we see, who notwithstanding did afterwards dye like other mortalls; is a fable above all Poeticall Figments whatsoever, and more incredible then the hardest Article that any Religion ever offered to the Atheist's beliefe.

Others therefore deserting this way of Evasion betake themselves to another, which, though it seem more plau­sible at first view, is fully as frivolous. They say that ‘all the Species of things, Man himself not excepted, came [Page 156] first [...]ut of the Earth by the omnifarious attempt of the particles of the Matter upon one another, which at last light on so lucky a construction and fabrick of the Bodies of Creatures as we see, and that having an infinite series of time to try all tricks in, they would of necessity at last come to this they are.’

But I answer, that these particles might commit infini [...]e Tautologies in their strokes and motions, and that there­fo [...]e there was no such n [...]cessi [...]y at all of falling into those formes and shapes that appea [...]e in the world.

Again, there is that excellent contrivance in the Body, suppose, of a Man, as [...] have heretofore instanced, that it cannot but be the effect of very accurate Knowledge and Counsell.

And lastly this concourse of Atoms they being left with­out a guide, it is a miracle above all apprehension, that they should produce no in [...]pt Species of things, such as should of their own nature have but three Leggs, and one Eye, or but one Eare, rowes of Teeth along the Vertebrae of their Backs, and the like, as I have above intimated, these In [...]ptitudes being more easy to hit upon, than such accurate and irreprehensible frames of Creatures.

But to [...]lude the force of this Argument against the for­tuitous concourse of Atoms▪ they'll excog [...]ta [...]e th [...]s mad evasion; ‘That Nature did indeed at first bring forth such ill-favoured and ill-appointed Monsters, as well as those that are of a more exquisite frame; but those that were more pe [...]fect fell upon those other and kill'd them, and devoured then, they being not so well provided of either limbs or senses as the other, and so were never able to hop fast enough from them, or maturely to discover the approaching d [...]ngers that ever and anon were coming upon them.’ But this unjust and audacious calumny cast upon God and Nature will be easily discover'd and con­victed of fa [...]shood if we do but consider,

[Page 157] First that Trees, Harbs, and Flowers, that do not stine from their places, or exercise such fierce cruelty one upon another, that they all in their severall kinds are handsome, and elegant, and have no ineptitude or defect in them.

Secondly that all Creatures born of putrefaction, as Mice▪ and Froggs and the like, as those many hundreds of Insects, as Grashoppers, Flyes, Spiders and such other, that these also have a most accurate contrivance of parts, & that there is nothing fram'd rashly or ineptly in any of them.

Lastly in more perfect Creatures, as in the Scotch Barnacles, which Historians write of, of which if there be any doubt, yet Gerard relates that of his own knowledge, which is as admirable, and as much to our purpose, that there is a kind of Fowle which in Lancashire are called Tree Geese, they are bred out of rotten pieces of broken ships and [...]unks of Trees cast upon a little Iland in Lan­cashire they call the Pile of Foulders; the same Authour saith he hath found the like also in other parts of this King­dome: Those Fowles in all respects, though bred thus of putrefaction, (and that they are thus bred is undeniably true as any man if he please may satisfy himself by consul­ting Gerard the very last page of his History of Plants) are of as an exact Fabrick of Body, and as fitly contriv'd for the functions of such a kind of living Creature, as any of those that are produced by propagation. Nay the [...]e kind of Fowles themselves do also propagate, which has imposed so upon the foolishness of some, that they [...] denied that other way of their generation, wh [...] as [...] being generated one way does not exclude the [...] seen in Froggs and Mice.

Where [...]ore those productions out of the [...] Putrefaction being thus perfect and accurate in [...] well as others, it is a manifest discovery that [...] never frame any species of things ineptly and [...] that therefore she was ever guided by Counsell and [...] [Page 158] that is, that Nature her self is the effect of an all­knowing God.

Nor doth this consideration onely take away this pre­sent Evasion, but doth more palpably and intelligibly ener­vate the former. For what boots it them to fly unto an infinite propagation of Individualls in the same aeternall Species, as they imagine, that they might be able alwaies to assigne a Cause answerable to the Effect; when as there are such Effects as these, and Products of Putrefaction, where Wisdome and Counsell are as truely conspicuous as in others? For thus are they neverthelesse necessarily illaquea­ted in that inconvenience which they thought to have esca­ped by so quaint a subtilty.

CHAP. XIII.
That the Evasions of Atheists against Apparitions are so weak and silly, that it is an evident Argument that they are convinced in their own Judgements of the Truth of these kinds of Phaenomena, which forces them to an­swer as well as they can, though they be so ill provided.

NOw for their Evasions whereby they would elude the force of that Argument for Spirits, which is drawn from Apparitions, they are so weak and silly, that a man may be almost sure they were convinced in their judgement of the truth of such like Stories, else it had been better flatly to have denied them, then to feigne such idle and vain reasons of them.

For first they say they are nothing but Imaginations, and that there is nothing reall without us in such Apparitions.

But being beaten off from this slight account, for that many see the same thing at once, then they fly to so mira­culous a power of Phansy, as if it were able to change the Aire into a reall shape and form, so that others may be­hold it, as well as he that fram'd it by the power of his Phansy.

[Page 159] Now I demand of any man, whether this be not a har­der Mysterie and more unconceivable then all the Magicall Metamorphoses of Divells or Witches. For it is farre easyer to conceive that some knowing thing in the Aire should thus transform the Aire into this or that shape, being in that part of the Aire it doth thus transform, then that the Imagination of man, which is but a Modification of his own mind, should be able at a distance to change it into such like Appearances, But suppose it could, can it animate the Aire that it doth thus metamorphize, and make it speak, and answer to questions, and put things into mens hands, and the like? O the credulity of besotted Atheisme! How intoxicated and infatuated are they in their conceits, being given up to sensuality, and having lost the free use of the naturall faculties of their minde!

But shall this force of Imagination reach as high as the Clouds also, and make Men fight pitched Battails in the Aire, running and charging one against the other?

Here the same bold pretender to Wit and Philosophy Caesar Vaninus (who cunningly and jugglingly endeavours to infuse the poyson of Atheisme into the mind of his Rea­der on every occasion) hath recourse to those old cast rags of Epicurus his. School, the Exuvious Effluxes of things; and attempts to salve these Phaenomena thus; That the va­pours of mens bodies and it seems of Horses too, are car­ried up into the Aire and fall into a certain proportionable posture of parts, and so imitate the figures of them aloft among the clouds.

But I demand how the vapours of the Horses finde the vapours of their Riders: and when and how long are they coming together: and whether they appeare not be­fore there be any Armies in the Field to send up such va­pours: and whether Harnesse and Weapons send up va­pours too, as Swords, Pikes, and Shields: and how they come to light so happily into the hands of those Aeriall men [Page 160] of warre, especially the vapours of Metalls (if they have any) being heavier in all likelyhood then the recke of A [...] ­malls and Men: and lastly how they come to discharge at one ano [...]her and to fight, there being neither life nor soul in them: and whether Sounds also have their Exuviae that are reserved till these solemnities; for at Alborough in Suf­folke 1642 were heard in the Aire very loud beatings of Drums▪ shooting of Muskets, and Ordinance▪ as also in other such like P [...]odigies there hath been heard the soun­ding of Trumpets, as Snellius w [...]ites. A [...]d Pliny also makes mention of the sounding of [...]rumpets and clashing of Ar­mour heard out of the Heavens about the Cymbr [...]ck Wars, and often before. But here at Alborough all was concluded with a melodious noise of Musicall [...]nstruments.

The Ex [...]viae [...] Fiddles it seems [...]ly up into the Aire too, or were those Musical Accen [...]s frozen there for a time, and at the heat and firing of the Canons the aire [...]elenting and thawing became so harmoniously vocall? With what vain concei [...]s are men intoxicated, that willfully wink [...]g [...]inst the light of Nature, and are [...]stranged from the true knowledge and acknowledgment of a God!

But there is another Evasion which the same se [...]ulous Insinuatour of A [...]heisme would make use of in case this should not hold, which seems more sober but no lesse false. And that is this: That these sigh [...]i [...]gs and skirmishings in the Aire are only the [...] of some reall Battail on the Earth. But this in Nature is plainly impossible. For of necessity these Armies thus fighting, being at such a distance from the Spectatours that the same of the Battail never ar­rives to their eares, their eyes can never behold it by any re [...]lexion from the clouds. For besides that reflexion makes the images more dim then direct sight, such a distance from the Army to the clouds, and then from the clouds to our eye, will lessen the Species so exceedingly that they will not at all be visible.

Or if we could imag [...]ne th [...]t there might be some times [Page 161] such an advantage in the figure of these clouds as might in some sort remedie this lessening of the Species, yet their surfaces are so exceeding rudely polish'd, and Reflection which, as I said, is ever dim enough of it self▪ is here so ex­traordinarily imperfect▪ that they can never be able, accor­ding to the course of Nature, to returne the Species of Ter­restriall Objects back again to our sight, it being so evi­dent that they are unfit for what is of farr less difficulty. For we never finde them able to reflect the image of a Starr when as not onely glass, but every troubled pool or durty plash of water in the High-way does usually do it.

But that it is far easier for a Star, then for any of these Objects here upon Earth to be reflected to our Eyes by those rude naturall Looking-glasses placed among the clouds, sundry reasons will sufficiently inform us.

For first, The Starrs do not abate at all of their usuall magnitude in which they ordinarily appeare to us, by this refl [...]ction; the difference of many hundreds of Leagues making no difference of magnitude in them, for indeed the distance of the Diameter of the Orbite of the Earth makes none, as must be acknowledged by all those that admit of the annuall motion thereof. But a very few miles do ex­ceedingly diminish the usuall biggnesse of the Species of an Horse or Man, even to that littlenesse, that they grow invisible. What then will become of his Sword, Shield, or Speare? And in these cases we now speak of, how great a journey the Species have from the Earth to the cloud that reflects them, I have intimated before.

Secondly it is manifest, that a Starre hath the prehemi­nence above these Terrestiall Objects, in that it is as pure a light as the Sunne, though not so bigg, but they but opake coloured bodies, and that therefore there is no comparison betwixt the vigour and strength of the Species of a Starre and of them.

Thirdly in the Night-time, the Eye being placed in the [Page 162] shadow of the earth, those reflections of a Starr will be yet more easily visible; whenas the great light of the Sun by Day, must needes much debilitate these reflected Images of the Objects upon the Earth, his beams striking our Eyes with so strong vibrations.

Fourthly and lastly, there being Starres all over the Fir­mament, so as there is, it should seem a hundred times more [...]asie for naturall Causes to hit upon a Paraster or Parastron (for let Analogie [...]mbolden me so to call these seldome or never seen Phaenomena, the image of a single Starre or whole Constellation reflected from the clouds) then upon a Parclios or Paraselenc. But now the story of these is more then an hundred times more frequent then that of the Paraster. For it is so seldome discovered that it is doubted whither it be or no, or rather acknowledged not to be, of which there can be no reason, but that the clouds are so ill-polished that they are not able to reflect so conside­rable a light as a Starre. From whence I th [...]nk, we may safely gather▪ that it is therefore impossible that they should reflect so debile Species as the Colours, and Shapes of Beasts and Men, and that so accurately, as that we may see their swords, helmets, shields, speares, and the like.

Wherefore it is plaine that these Apparitions on high in the Aire, are no Reflections of any Objects upon Earth; or if it were imaginable that they were, that some superna­turall cause must assist to conglaciate & polish the Surfaces of the clouds to such an extraordinary accuracy of figure & smoothnesse, as will suffice for such prodigious Reflections.

And that these Spirits that rule in the Aire may not act upon the Materials there, as well as Men here upon the Earth work upon the parts thereof, as also upon the neigh­bouring Elements so farre as they can reach, shaping, per­fecting, and directing things, according to their own pur­pose and pleasure, I know no reason at all in Nature or Philosophy, for any man to deny. For that the help of some o [...]ficious Gen [...] is implyed in such like Prodigies as these, [Page 163] the seasonablenesse of their appearance seems no contempti­ble argument, they being according to the observation of Historians, the Forerunners of Commotions and Troubles in all Kingdomes and Common-wealths.

Yet neverthelesse as good Artificers as I here suppose▪ they working upon nature must be bounded by the Laws of Nature. And Reflection will have its limits as well as Re­fractiō, whither for conveiance of Species or kindling of hea [...]; the Lawes and bounds whereof that discerning Wit Carte­sius being well aware of, doth generously and judiciously pronounce; That a burning-Glasse, the distance of whose fo­cus from the Glasse doth not beare a lesse proportion to the Diameter thereof, then the distance of the Earth from the Sun to the Diameter of the Sun, will burn no more vehemently then the direct raies of the Sun will do without it, though in other respects this Glasse were as exactly shaped & curious­ly polished, as could be exspected from the hand of an Angel.

I have now compleated this present Treatise against A­theisme in all the three parts therof: upon which while I cast mine eye and view that clear and irrefutable evidence of the cause I have undertaken, the external Appearances of things in the world so faithfully seconding the undeniable dictates of the innate Principles of our own mindes, I cannot but w^th cōfidence aver, That there is not any one Notion in all Philo­sophy more certain & demonstrable then that there is a God.

And verily I think I have ransacked all the corners of every kind of Philosophy that can pretend to bear any stroke in this Controversie, with that diligence, that I may safely pronounce, that it is mere brutish Ignorance or Impu­dence, no Skill in Nature or the Knowledge of things, that can encourage any man to pro [...]esse Atheisme, or to em­brace it at the proposall of those that make profession of it.

But so I conceive it is, that at first some famously learned men being not so indiscreetly zealous and superstitious as others, have been mistaken by Idiots and traduced for Atheists, and then ever after some one vain-glorious Fool or [Page 164] other, hath affected with what safety he could to seem Atheisticall, that he might thereby forsooth be repu­ted the more learned, or the profounder Naturallist.

But I dare assure any man, that if he doe but search into the bottome of this enormous Disease of the Soul, as Trismegist truely calles it, he will find nothing to be the cause thereof, but either Vanity of mind, or brutish Sensuali­ [...]y, & an untamed desire of satisfying a mans own will in every thing, an obnoxious Conscience, and a base Fear of divine vengeance, Ignorance of the scantness & insufficiency of second causes, a jumbled Feculencie and Incomposednesse of the spirits by reason of perpetuall Intemperance & Luxu­rie, or else a dark bedeading Melancholy that so starves and kils the apprehension of the Soul in divine matters especially, that it makes a man as inept for such Contemplations, as if his head was filled with cold Earth, or dry Grave-moulds.

And to such slow Constitutions as these, I shall not won­der, [...] as the first Part of my discourse must seem marve­lous subtile, so the last appear ridiculously incredible. But they are to remember that I do not here appeal to the Complexional humours or peculiar Relishes of men, that a­rise out of the temper of the body, but to the known & unalter­able Idea's of the mind, to the Phaenomena of Na [...]ure and Records of History. Upon the last whereof if I have some­thing more fully insisted, it is not to be imputed to any vain Credulity of mine, or that I take a pleasure in telling strange stories, b [...]t that I thought sit to fortify and streng­then the Faith of others as much as I could; being well assured that a contemptuous misbelief of such like Narra­tions concerning Spirits, and an endeavour of making them all ridiculous and incredible, is a dangerous Prelude to Atheisme it self, or else a more close and cra [...]ty Profession or Insinuation of it. For assuredly that Saying was no­thing so true in Politicks, No Bishop, no King; as this is in M [...]taphysicks, No Spirit, no God.