Humane Knowledge which concernes the Mind

For Humane Knowledge, Which Concernes The Mind, it hath two parts, the one that enquireth of The Substance, Or Nature Of The Soule Or Mind; The other, that enquireth of the Faculties Or Functions Thereof: unto the first of these, the considerations of the Originall of the soule, whether it be Native or adventive; and how farre it is exempted from Lawes of Matter; and of the Immortalitie thereof; and many other points do appertaine, which have been not more laboriously enquired, than variously reported; so as the travaile therein taken, seemeth to have ben rather in a Maze, than in a way. But although I am of opinion, that this knowledge may be more really and soundly enquired even in Nature, than it hath been; yet I hold, that in the end it must be bounded by Religion; or else it will bee subject to deceite and delusion: for as the substance of the soule in the Creation, was not extracted out of the Masse of heaven and earth, by the benediction of a Producat: but was immediately inspired from God; so it is not possible that it should bee (otherwise than by accident) subject to the Lawes of Heaven and Earth; which are the subject of Philosophie; And therefore the true knowledge of the Nature, and state of the soule, must come by the same inspiration, that gave the substance. Unto this part of knowledge touching the soule, there be two appendices, which as they have ben handled, have rather vapoured foorth fables, than kindled truth; Divination, and Fascination.

Divination, hath beene anciently and fitly divided into Artificiall and Naturall; whereof Artificiall is, when the minde maketh a prediction by argument, concluding upon signes and tokens: Naturallis, when the minde hath a presention by an internall power, without the inducement of a signe. Artificiall is of two sorts, either when the argument is coupled with a derivation of causes, which is rationall; or when it is onely grounded upon a Coincidence of the effect, which is experimentall; whereof the later for the most part, is superstitious: Such as were the Heathen observations, upon the inspection of Sacrifices, the flights of birds, the swarming of Bees; and such as was the Chaldean Astrologie, and the like. For Artificall Divination, the severall kinds thereof are distributed amongst particular knowledges. The Astronomer hath his predictions, as of conjunctions, aspects, Eclipses, and the like. The Phisitian hath his predictions, of death, of recoverie, of the accidents and issues of Diseases. The Politique hath his predictions; O urbem uænalem, & cito perituram, si emptorem invenerit; which stayed not long to bee perfourmed in Sylla first, and after in Cæsar. So as these predictions are now impertinent, & to be referred over. But the Divination, which springeth from the internal nature of the soul, is that which we now speak of which hath ben made to be of two sorts; Primitive and by influxion. Primitive is grounded upon the supposition, that the minde when it is withdrawne and collected into it selfe, and not diffused into the Organes of the bodie, hath some extent and latitude of prenotion; which therefore appeareth most in sleepe, in extasies, and nere death; and more rarely in waking apprehensions; and is induced and furthered by those abstinences, and observances, which make the minde most to consist in it selfe. By influxion; is grounded upon the conceit, that the mind, as a mirror or glasse, should take illumination from the fore knowledge of God and spirits, unto which the same Regiment doth likewise conduce. For the retyring of the minde within it selfe, is the State which is most susceptible of divine influxions; save that it is accompanied in this case with a fervencie and elevation, (which the ancients noted by furie) and not with a repose and and quiet, as it is in the other.

Fascination is the power and act of Imagination, intensive upon other bodies, than the bodie of the Imaginant; for of that we spake in the proper place: wherein the Schoole of Paracelsus, and the Disciples of pretended Naturall Magicke, have beene so intemperate, as they have exalted the power of the imagination, to be much one with the power of Miracle-working faith: others that drawe neerer to Probabilitie, calling to their view the secret passages of things, and specially of the Contagion that passeth from bodie to bodie, doe conceive it should likewise be agreeable to Nature, that there should be some transmissions and operations from spirit to spirit, without the mediation of the sences, whence the conceits have growne, (now almost made civile) of the Maistring Spirite, & the force of confidence, and the like. Incident unto this, is the inquirie how to raise and fortifie the imagination, for if the Imagination fortified have power, then it is materiall to know how to fortifie and exalt it. And herein comes in crookedly and dangerously, a palliation of a great part of Ceremoniall Magicke. For it may bee pretended, that Ceremonies, Characters, and Charmes doe worke, not by any Tacite or Sacramentall contract with evill spirits; but serve onely to strengthen the imagination of him that useth it; as Images are said by the Romane Church, to fix the cogitations, and raise the devotions of them that pray before them. But for mine owne judgment, if it be admitted that Imagination hath power; and that Ceremonies fortifie Imagination, & that they be used sincerely & intentionally for that purpose: yet I should hold them unlawfull, as opposing to that first edict, which God gave unto man. In sudore vultus comedes Panem tuum. For they propound those noble effects which God hath set foorth unto man, to bee bought at the price of Laboure, to bee attained by a fewe easie and slothful observances. Deficiences in these knowledges I wil report none, other than the generall deficience, that it is not knowne, how much of them is veritie, and how much vanitie.