REASON'S Academy. Set forth by Robert Mason of Lincoln's Inn, Gent. Vitet censura furorem.  
LONDON. Imprinted by Th. Creed, for john Browne, and are to be sold at his shop in S. Dunston's Churchyard in Fleetstreet. 1605.   

To the right Honourable, sir john Popham, knight, Lord chief justice of England, one of this majesties most honourable priute Counsel: and to the rest of the justices of Assize.  
RIght honourable, seeing it pleased you to patronize my fo●mer pains, entitled Reasons Monarchy: wherein is declared that reason is an essensial quality of the immortal soul, with a description of certain faculties & qualities belonging to so noble a Creature, and other circumstances in that small tract handled, to uphold ttue & sincere reason: & discovering the mischiefs & inconveniencies that have followed by corrupt abuse of reason, with the designs of some office, as well for particular, as general governmenr, advancing right reasons, above all affections, passions, and perturbations, as the great Queen to reign & govern over them al. I am bold again to become an humble Suitor unto your Lordships, that you will protect and further reasons true title, or rather true Reason's title for the dispersing of her Rudiments, precepts and directions, amongst her Scholars, for their better government and order. To the kings great majesty as the founder of her university in the time of his admirable union & peace, she appealeth. To his majesties great counsel of state, she appointeth the office of visitors. And your LL. she chooseth to be Precedents, Provosts, Wardens, & heads of her Colleges: acknowledging your intolerable pains taken continually in her behalf. And me, the unworthiest of all her poor scholars, she hath enjoined to present this her suit, to your Lordships: knowing that you will not account the less of her high worthiness; by the meanness or insufficiency of the messenger. Who in all humbleness, beseecheth your Lordships to take his duty in good part. And so with his prayer, for your happy estates, he leaveth further to trouble you.  
Your Lordships, humbly to command, Robert Mason.   

To the Reader.  
SEeing all men take most comfort and pleasure in the things wherein themselves have title, interest, or propriety; Therefore gentle Reader, I yield and render to thee, such place in this most famous University or School, as appertaineth to thy quality or degree: for it cannot be, but thou oughtest to have an office or exercise there: if not of command, government, or teaching: then at the least, of being taught, learned, and instructed, which may move thy consideration the more to peruse the points herein handled: which although it be, but as an Acaden●e or introduction in respect of deep learning, yet herein is something to be seen, which will be worth the consideration: and may move further progession, to higher understanding. Let it not seem strange, that I handle, number, place, and time, in the front of this work, as instruments, moulds, and frames, to fashion, set down, and work the substances and stuffs, that serve to make up the work itself.  
Then will ensue a discovery of the worthiness of man, and his reasonable soul, within which rank thou slandest: and of the innumerable blessings made for thy use, and the wrong done to thy genus or kind, by corrupt & false usages. Out of these thou must discern, that the greatest good, that Reason hath by the looking into Nature is to grow to the understanding of the price and value of the soul: and the employment of the faculties of the soul is, to search out the greatness of the Creator, & comforts or benefits that belong to herself: which doth manifestly show, that the worthiest operation of the soul, is contemplation and contemplation is properly knowing of the best things: now the best things are such as concern the knowledge of God, the understanding of the worthiness of the immortanll, and reasonable soul, all which I leave to thy due consideration. And thyself to the favour of God, with increase of learning, in this most famous University. Vale.   

REASON'S Academy.  

Of Number.  
AS I purpose not to discourse of all the deep points thereof, for that would require a large treatise; yet because it is a needful part to be known in the understanding of Reason's exercise, I will make bold briefly to touch the same.  
Number doth consist of diverse things, either of one, or several denominations: and without number there can be no true definition, demonstration, manifestation, nor understanding of any thing: for if all things were but one, than were there no number or order: wherefore one is said to be no number, Sed scala devni●●●e, the beginning of number. In the Godhead, being before all time, the maker of time, and all things that increase in time, there is number: The Trinity of persons and unity of Godhead do declare as much. For although god be a most singular Divine essence in himself, yet hath he proportioned number in himself, unseparably united in his Godhead: which the divines call the Father, Son, and holy Ghost. And the ancient Philosophers call three inbeings, The Father, the active, or inworking virtue, power & nature: The Son, they call the word, speech, or reason.  
The holy Ghost, love. These Philosophers have strived wonderfully in this labour, wherein they have waded exceeding deep. Amelius the disciple▪ of Plotin, is said to name the trinity, three things, or three understandings. The Beer, the Haver, and the Seer. The Trinity is expressed in these words, Power, understanding, & will; which Trinity maketh a full number of things belonging to a mind: 
Plotin. En. 5. Lib. 1.  which the Philosophers esteem to be the Godhead. But to leave off this kind of description, I conclude with Plotinus; There are saith he, three chief Inbeings: The one, or the God 2. The understanding or wit. 3. The soul of the world. And of these three, saith he, it is not for any man to speak, without praying unto god: And without settling his mind afore unto quietness. And if it be demanded (saith he) how one of them begetteth an other; it is to be considered, that we speak of everlasting things: & therefore we must not imagine any temporal begetting: for this begetting which we speak of, saith he, betokeneth but only cause and order.  
This Trinity and first, and everlasting number, hath proportioned & appointed, other numbers, & in them a miraculous order. If any ask a reason hereof, I answer: It was the power, the wisdom, understanding, & will of God, to express himself in this complete number of people, in one unity of godhead. By this number three, was the whole world created, & all things innumerable: whose movers are only known to the creator himself. In that number three, is expressed the wonder of the world: the taking up of Henock & Elias: & the Ascension of our Lord jesus Christ. jonas three days in the Whale's belly, and Christ three days in the grave: So that in the number of three, is manifested the eternal Trinity of the Godhead: the creation of the world, and of man: the life, the death, and the resurrection. There c●sented to the destruction of man, The Serpent, the woman, and the man. There have repaired that downfall; The Father, the giver: the Son the gift, and the holy Ghost the comforter. In the numof three, is a perfect conclusion of all things. Much may be said of the number and orders made by this trinity; As fire, water, air, and earth: to make the world, the Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter: to make the year, East, West, North, South: to quarter the world, Creatures, going creeping, flying, swimming, with infinite milions of celestial & terestial bodies, which he keepeth, preserveth, boundeth in, & holdeth within this Trinity. And briefly to wind up this point concerning number, I hold it the original & most worthy part of the three. I mean, that number is of higher consideration them place or time: for God himself the can by no means stoup to be known to the capacity of man, neither can be contained within any place, nor limited to any time, in respect of his onipotent greatness, and eternal essence, before and without respect of time, yet hath he vouchsafed to bring himself within the compass of number: And therein, & by the power thereof, to create man in a blessed and happy estate.  
Thus having in some measure discovered the nature & worthiness of original number: desiring by all means to avoid tediousness, I leave to be considered, that these and divers other ancient writèrs, that have left behind them learned works, had no other means to understand any thing of the deity & eternity of the Godhead, or immortality of the soul, but the use and help of Reason, only proper and peculiar to man. And so I proceed to the rest.   

Of place.  
IN respect of God, before the creation of the world, & beginning of time, All was Place. And yet in respect of his greatness, there was no place: for he cannot be contained in any thing, 
Place in respect of God  but in himself. If any be curious to demand how spacious, large, or ample this place was, let him take his answer with Cato of Utica: who would needs know of God why Caesar overcame Pompey. It is as if the meanest vassal in a kingdom should require the king to give a reason for all things he doth, or commandeth. Porpherius being much encumbered with understanding of supernatural causes, breaketh out into these words: Seeing that God did by skill, dispose and overrule all things, and ordereth them by incomparable propriety of virtue: And on the contrary part, man's reason being very small, is ignorant of most things, how skilful soever it seem to be of the truth: Surely we may then call it (meaning Reason) wise, when it is not curious in searching such doubtful and hard matters, as are matched with danger of blasphemy, but rather granteth, that the things which are done, are very well as they be: for saith he, what can our weak reason find fault with, or reprove in that great Reasonn (meaning of the deity) As if he should have said. The ways, the works, & the place of God, and Eternity, are not to be searched nor inquired after by any creature whatsoever. If we descend but to the diversity of the condtion and nature of Creatures confined unto place: and their understanding of matters, not designed, nor provided for their estates & conditions, we shall have sufficient cause to say, that Place was such, & so much as it pleased the purpose, providence, power, & wisdom of God.  
Before there was a creation of things, and a beginning of time, Place was infinite & indefinite: indevisible, without space or distance: without being repaired unto, or departed from: neither containing nor contained, with out Centre, Circonferience, rule, or diameter, consisting neither of matter, substance, nor whatsoever stuff. Every thing hath his point, his Centre, his place, and beginning. Only the divine escence, place & nature of god hath none: as every man that will seriously look into his own self, shall be enforced to confess. In nature, the greater, can never be comprehended by the lesser. But God in his nature, place, and essence, is greater than man. Therefore cannot ●od his incomprehensible place and nature, be comprehended by the reason or understanding of man: Nature is a thing wrought by God: Now, no work how great soever, can perfectly express the cause or worker thereof. Therefore nature cannot understand the divine essence, place, and nature of God. The reasonable soul, is the admirable nature of man: Now, whosoever shall come to know his own soul, and the place thereof, merely by the power & work of itself, shall confess himself to be absolutely ignorant thereof. Therefore if nature & reason, with the powers & affects of the soul & reason, cometh short to know itself; much more must it come short, to discover or understand the incircumscriptible nature, essence and place of the holy Trinity. We see in the course of the creatures of God, as well terestrial, as celestial, continual movings from plàce to place, & all those moved by their Creator, the first mover, which argueth subjection & obedience in the creatures to the Creator: and out of a cessarie consequent of the contrary, it discovereth that God the mover, is neither moved, nor doth move; too, or from any place. For to say, he is here, or there, it is all one, for he is every where: as it is anthentically proved: If I climb up to heaven, thou art there: If I go down to hell, thou art there also. If I take the wings of the morning, and remain in the utmost part of the sea, even there also shall thy hand lead me: and thy right hand shall hold me: for the heaven is his seat, and the earth is his footstool. To conclude this point, we fee and confess, that God made, and knoweth all things: and hath appointed their natures, beings, times, and places. Now, if he had in him the nature of any of his creatures, that is, to be limited unto one, contained in place, or consisting of any material substance, the same would encumber his di●ine essence: for he doth not come within the compass of their limited nature, place, nor number: for by that means, we should derogate from his holy and divine Deity, and essence of a Creator. Seeing therefore, that God is not compounded of material substance, he can not be a body. And seeing he is not a body, he can not be contained in place, neither wholly, nor in part: whereof it may properly be said, that he is nowhere: namely, that no part of him is limited within any place to be pointed at, or described. For like as he made all things by the power of his being; So doth the same power enter into all things: fill all things: & contain all things. And for so much as the same being & power is indivisible, it is whole in all, and whole in every part. So likewise, is he himself whole throughout, in whom all things have their being: how be it, he is not definitely, nor determinately in any thing, nor in any particular place. Upon which reason Aristotle made this definition of the soul of man: which cometh nearest to the nature of God. Ani●a (saith he) est totum in toto, & totum in qualibit part. The nearest beholding of this, is in our own minds. By the powers & working of the mind, we contemplate, behold, discern, understand, and judge of things that are far remote from us, & yet over selves never move. The mind in this case doth not entermingle truth, nor participate with the nature, substance, nor condition of the the things it entereth into. judge but of the reason thereof, which is briefly thus: These things are of less condition, nature, & quality, them the reasonable souls that possess these minds. God is said by the Philosophers, to be unmovable, unchangeable, beginninglesse, endless, bodiless, infinite, incomprehensible, etc. All which declare not what God is, but the he is not as his creatures are, local: nor his creatures mixed, or intermingled with him: nor with his power, or essence. For by these negatives all other things are discovered, to have beginning, to be made, to determine, to be changeable, weak, material corruptible: And to depend upon an other being then themselves. And that God only hath his being and place, in, and by himself. And the the more deeply any man will enter into consideration of these things, the more infinite and inscrutable shall he find them. For when he shall have taken all the pains he can possible, he will confess he hath learned no more, than to be ignorant of the want of his own knowledge in the behalf.  
Thus holding it necessary, to discover that there is no place in respect of God, as the most readiest way to explain what place is, in respect of his creatures, and the worthiness thereof; I proceed, desiring to be understood, that my meaning is, for opening the point of my main argument, 
Place in respect of the Creatures. Supernatural Natural. Unnatural.  by the way as I go, to discover, How supernatural, natural, and unnatural things, have their operations and workings: and the monstrous products, that some things against nature are enforced to bring forth.  
There is nothing created, but hath his special use: be it material, or immaterial, number serveth to make known to man his own weakness: that those things that are most certainly known by number to the Creator, are notwithstanding, innumerable, to the capacity, reason, and understanding of men: yea, much more, than the fantasy, conceit, or imagination of men, can by any means come near unto, or conceive. All these thus made of nothing, maketh the more wonderful the power of the maker, and the order and worthiness of number, within which condition every creature is contained. To every, and to the very lest of these innumerable creatures, there is appointed a several, distinct, particular, and local place; divided, severed, and sundered from the rest: which showeth what congruence there is, between number & place: that number being never so infinite, yet nothing wanteth his place. And place being never so spacious and large, yet there is Nullum vacum, no void place: which declareth, how the works of God do depend one of an other, in an admirable propotion & order, one in true use, serving the turn of another. For how could the creatures be, if they wanted place? Or, to what purpose served place, if there were not creatures to supply them? This showeth that God made nothing in vain: & therefore his works ought not to be lightly esteemed, much less abused.  
The first Creation we read of, is of Angels: 
Place divided.  They were made in number: They attended their Maker in Heaven: There w●s their place: & although they were spirits and incorporal, yea standing under the law, obedience, and command of their Maker: they had such several places as befitted creatures of such worthiness: & under such conditions as they were enjoined unto. Their disobedience, and fall, & thrusting & removing out of that blessed place, to another place of accursedness, show that there were several places, even for the spirits themselves: as likewise several numbers appointed for these places. So hitherto number & place go together, as necessary attendants on the providence, purpose, and will of God. But if any shall ask either number or place, of the blessed, or damned spirits, the time of their creation, or fall, or the reason why it is not discovered unto men: Let those men know, that they neither be within the number, creation, nor place of any those angels or spirits, but in another rank of God's creatures, a little inferior to the Angels. And therefore they must leave them, their creation, number and place, to their Maker: as matters inscrutable and forbidden, that men should have to meddle with all. The next creation is of the world: which consisteth of things, in number & place: The earth, the water, the Elements, the Sun, the Moon, the stars, the beasts, birds, fishes; and lastly man: as is said in holy Writ, Male and female, made he them. In all these there is number: in respect of these divers creatures that were made, there is number in the reasonable creatures, male & female. Place in worthiness & dignity: and the several & divers places, their several bodies were contained in, or did supply. Besides, what the divine spirit of God hath revealed, to holy men of the old ages, concerning these places: reason hath searched out divers divisions, and subdivisions of place; done, conceived, and understood by number, & distance: which always go together in what action soever: As relatives, that depend one upon another's being. The Mathematicians, in respect of the height of the Heavens from the earth, have divided this great spacious place, into ten Heavens: which, who so is skilled in their described Spheres, may easily & readily understand.  
This is done, in respect of the larg● vaught and scope, that is between heaven and earth: and the creatures therein placed. They conceive above these ten Heavens, to be the place, and seat of God the Creator, and that all the creatures (except the holy Angels) are bound down by this Primum mobile, under their Maker, not to approach his admirable presence. here is still number & place: In their division, they have appointed seven several Planets: whereof we have warrant to speak of the Sun and Moon, by holy writ. And of the other Stars there is great experience: and very profitable learning, hath been collected and drawn from them. Under the lowest of these, being the Moon, is affirmed to be a fiery Region, keeping all other Creatures under, that they may not mount above, nor exceed their bounds. The like fiery Region, is conceived to be above the tenth Heaven, to keep down the creatures in that mighty scope and compass. So here goeth still together, number & place. Under the moons Orb, they place the air to exist, which may not mount above the fiery Region. With this air, we have more familiar acquaintance then with the rest, because it partaketh with our nature. And under the air, the earth and water. And so of fire, water, air, and earth, they hold the bodies of man to be composed: wherein still number and place, partake together in all occasions. If I should speak at large of the infinite numbers of joints, sinews, arteries, muscles, veins, organs, instruments, matter, and things, whereof a perfect man doth consist: beside his immortal soul, it would be as admirable, as the whole frame and host of heaven and earth, and all wherewith they are replenished. But if I should discourse of the reasonable and immortal soul, and mind of man, the qualities, affects, effects, condition, state: attribute, & faculties of the soul and mind. It would far surmount all the creatures that e●er God made: and all in number, place, and time, which is the next point to be handled.  
Then gentle friend, I leave thee a spectacle in thyself, to behold all these 3. excellent things; number, place, and time: with the stuff, substance, matter, and essence, whereof thou art composed; much exceeding all the rest, if they were all compared with thee: Abuse neither of them, lest time turn thee, instead of a better place, from the number of the blessed, to a place of damnation, among the number of the damned spirits. So that whether thou seek heaven, earth, or hell, thou shalt find all things to consist of number, and place: therefore make account of them, as of their worthiness.  
Much might be said, of the number and place of the fixed, and moving Stars; Of the number of monarch, Kings, Emperors, and their Countries: the vegitative and sensitive creatures, and of the things that have only being, without sense or growing. But because I am to speak in the next place of Time, and of the use thereof, I cease further to enlarge this point: with this conclusion, that the exercise of reason, even amongst the heathen and profane men, hath waded far into this matter.   

Of Time.  
IN this discourse, of Time, there is an other way to discover the truth thereof, then is used in handling the former. For in number and place, there is neither priority nor posterity. For though in the Deity there be three distinct persons in number, yet in reputation of place, greatness, or number, none is greater or less than another: and in respect of Time, none is before or after an other: But the whole three persons are coequal together, and coeternal.  
The Philosophers of ancient time, found in the reason of their souls, that there was a certain nature and essence, in which they allege to be three inbeings as is aforesaid. And that this great and eternal nature and essence, do make the beginning of all other natures, which are contained in Time.  
And beside among many opinions, There were of these Philosophers, that did maintain, and uphold two beginnings, which in all likelihood they were induced unto, out of the two several dispositions and inclinations of the same in men; one to virtue, the other to vice. To these beginnings they give several names. The one good, which they call Oramases. 
Platarche in the life of Osiris and Isis.  T●e other evil, and that they call Arimarius. This opinion is furthered by some, to have his beginning from Zoroastres, the grand child of Noa: and from him, by tradition to the Persians: and from the Persians, to the Manathi●s. Their meaning & understanding, in this behalf is, that the Elements, the Plants, the herbs, the trees, beasts, men, and Spirits, were divided between these two Gods, holding one to be Creator of the good, and the other, of the evil. To the one, they allotted light: to the other darkness: to the one, Summer: to the other winter, etc. The sins, the wickedness, & corruptions which they saw in the nature of me, differing from the perfection of a righteous Creator, drew them into these absurd opinions, because they held their corruptions and evils in time and quality, to be in the creation of those evil creatures. Which opinion, hath come near to some in these Ages: who entering into consideration of the evil things, will not stick, if not to affirm, yet at least to demand, whether God be the author of evil?  
These opinions may be answered thus. That making, or creating, are referred to natures and substances: and that all original natures & substances are good; And therefore that God, who is all good, is the Creator, and maker of them. Now evil, is neither a nature, nor a substance: but an income, which is fallen into natures, and substances. And therefore not in the time of creation, but is come in since, by a collateral means. Evil, is a breathing, or diminishing of the four good qualities & effects: which natures and substances ought naturally to have.  
Hereby we see, that even in time itself, good was before evil: and in place shall be far preferred above it.  
I conclude therefore, that Evil, being neither nature nor substance, hath not, nor can have, any being in itself, but in the thing, that of his original nature, or stuff is good. Evil, is not an effect, but a default, 
Plato. Plotin. and other great Writers. Tr●smegistos in Asclapio. Simplicius.  not a production, but a corruption. Plato, and Plotin, hold opinion, that evil is not a thing of itself, nor can be imagined, but in the absence of goodness; as a deprivation of the good, which ought to be naturally in every thing. And that evil is a certain kind of nothing; having no abiding, but in the the good: whereof it is a fault, or diminishing of perfection. By which they conceive, that these things which have their being, nature, and substance, only temporary, and are finite with time, tending to the matter whereof they were first created: that is, to an unbeing of that it formerly was: or to not being at all, as were the things whereof they were created: and unto which, creatures have still a certain inclination, whereby they may fall from their goodness. By these & many other reasons, may be concluded, that there was not two beginnings, but one beginning of creatures and time. But the evil is crept in since, in the default, decay, or absence of the good, which in the original creation, was in the same natures & substances, that are now become evil.  
Many supposals, imaginations, and opinions, have been holden of everlastingness, eternity, & of the world, and of Time, by old writers; that had no other means to reach unto the same, but the scope of their own weak reasons. But omitting the rest, I will come shortly to the point. Plotinus in his book of Eternity, 
Plotin●● Enead. 3. Lib. 2. Chap. 1.  and of Time, saith; That Eternity and Time differ in this respect; That Eternity is verified, only of the everlasting nature: (meaning the Creator:) But Time, is to be verified of the things that are created. So as Eternity is, and abideth in God alone: which he calleth the world; that is, to be conceived but in mind and understanding. And Time, he intendeth to abide in the world; that is, subject to the senses. Adding further, that the world was not made in Time, but together with Time. Which opinion the Divines themselves do hold.  
The same Author, having taken wonderful pains in that point, and having searched out the definitions of time, made by the fo●mer Philosophers, knitting up the knot of his whole learning thus. We must needs (saith he) come back to the first nature; which I affirmed to be in Eternity: I mean, the unmovable nature, which is wholly all at once, the infinite and endless life; and which consisteth wholly in one, and tendeth unto one. But as yet saith he, there was no time at all: or at least wise, it was not among the natures that consist in understanding: but was to come afterward, by a certain kind of posteriority. Out of which he concludeth, that, before such time ●s forenesse issued out, and had need of afternesse: Time, which as then was not, rested in God, with the residue of all things that now are. But (saith he) a certain nature bend to many doings, that is to wit, the soul of the world, being desirous to have more than the present, began to move itself. And so from thence issued time, which passeth on continually, and is never the self same.  
By these conclusions, It is manifest, that the wisdom and providence of God, for special purposes and occasions, hath made and ordained these three numbers, time, and place: not that they are any things, natures, nor sustenances, in respect of themselves; but in regard of the use and employment thereof: for the numbering, placing, and conveying of things according to their qualities, natures, and effects. And for the beginning, disposing, and furnishing thereof.  
Time properly of itself, is neither active nor passive: It is neither escense nor substance, and scarcely can be said to have existence. And albeit time pass faster than imagination, yet of itself, hath it no power to move at all. And the best description thereof is, the Time is a certain measure of moving, or progression from one point to an other: of things corruptible, finishing, ending and ceasing to be, as time itself is: And is exercised altogether and alone in respect of corruptible things. In this appeareth the reason wherefore the worthy understanding of number, place, and time, is only known to man, and not to the other Creatures, is by the spiritual, immaterial, and mortal essence and understanding of the reasonable soul, which being created to endure when time shall be finished, hath power and faculty to discern between things commencing and transitory things, mortal, & immortal: and so out of a greater worthiness than time, or any corruptible substance, contained within the measure of time, to discern, the use, scope, end, & purpose of all these les worthy & meaner things. And out of an infallible reason, to conclude, that the true understanding of number, place, and time, their mixtures, divisions, purposes, and ends, are known to men: And the use thereof belongeth only unto them. And that in this number, place, & time, the Creator hath made sufficient substance, stuff and matter, to nourish, defend, and preserve the whole race of mankind, without any other artificial or unnatural workings. And upon that gro●nd, let this suffice for a conclusion, that whosoever goeth about by policy, art, or unnatural means, to erect, set up, or maintain any course or way, by proportioning of time, place, or number, for the benefit, relief, or sustentation of mankind; then God himself hath set down and provided, in the making and preserving of his creatures: goeth about as much as in him lieth, to reprove his creator for some defect or want: and to become himself in the nature of a God, to supply, succour, and make good that want, or defect. Wherefore I advise, great wariness to be taken, how men presume too much of their own wisdoms: and to contain themselves within all humble obedience, to take what God hath provided; and not to erect, maintain, or depend upon unnatural, false and misconceived supployments: All which I choose, to manifest by examples, that have proceeded from heathen men, which they only found out by reason: desiring christians that have all the blessings of God revealed unto them, to exceed, or at least, not to come short of the reasons of these profane men.   

Th● knitting together of number, place, and time: and their necessary uses, which cannot be wanting.  
IT may seem to some understandings, that in these discourses, I make much ado about little: or that I am tedious, and use many preambles, circumstances, and illusions. Let me answer in a word, and give some reason of my doing, and of my fear and carefulness: not rashly or suddenly to conclude so weighty a cause, First, I find the way I am to take in this matters (how easy soever it seem to others) to be full of briars, brambles, cragged rocks, ambushes, uneven ground, pits, and many encumbrances thrown in by the invention of many: which must be cut down, made plain, or removed: beside the mark an● scope I aim at can be made apparent. To descend therefore to the point, there is discovered by learning, 
A double life in man.  to be in man, a double life. The one in this world, in respect of his mere sensitive parts: the second, in another world, in regard of his reasonable soul. The first dying, finishing, & ceasing to be: The second immortal, and never finishing, nor ending. And in respect of these two li●es, man hath two several sorts of provision. For the sensitive life, the use and benefit of the transitory things of this corruptible world. For the reasonable soul, a provision in an endless world like to ●m̄ortality itself. In the creation, God made sundry creatures: in the general number whereof, man is.  
Among the number of things, that have either being, sense, or moving man is. But besides this, man hath a certain Genus, or kind specular alone by himself: and so is among the number of the reasonable creatures. A kind and number, peculiar and alone proper unto his nature and kind. And out of that reason, issueth two other conclusions, place, and time, in this world, amongst the other creatures, so long as the sensitive parts remain in life. And after that, place and endless continuing in an other world. And in respect of immortality, man is either in number, place, & time, amongst the elect: or, number, place, and time, among the reprobates. Now, for that I so generally find, that reasonable and immortal part, to be so universally carried away, seduced, and overruled by the mere sensitive powers, entertaining the evil and forbidden things, and refusing the good, allowable and lawful: I have made thus bold to distinguish between these two times, and to give this caviat to the possessers thereof, that they strive not overmuch, to possess or entertain the number, place, and time, of these transitory and corruptible blessings, as that thereby they lose, and fail to be of the number, place, and time, of the elect: and be cast amongst the number of the damned, into the place of utter perdition. For assuredly, whosoever preferreth the pleasures of this world, before, or equal with the other; abuseth both his Creator, and creatures; All the shifts, policies, arts & devices, that are used to cross the ordinance and order of God, to erect, establish, or set up any other way, or course of happiness, either terene, or immortal, more, or other, than God himself, hath provided, ordained, & appoined, are no less dangerous, than the eating of the forbidden fruit. These notes I thought fit to let drop by the way, in regard that I shall after in an other place, treat of a use generally exercised, which I take, doth neither proceed from God, nor nature. Into this disease, I fear many thousands are fallen, so unrecoverably sick, that with the sick man at the point of death, they fall to bite the sheets, and pull the threads of the coverlet, not knowing that they are sick at all, feeling no pain of their infection. And so much the more dangerous is the sickness.  
To come nearer to this point. It is plain by sundry places of the holy Bible, that God alone, numbereth, weigheth, & divideth: he measureth times, places, and seasons: Therefore let him stand for the numberer, placer, disposer, and appointer of all creatures, their places, times, seasons, their beginnings, continuing, finishings, changings, or ordaining. And let all his creatures be then numbered, placed, and limited, according to their creations, nature, qualities, and estates, not striving against the purpose of his divine providence, or adding, or diminishing, too, or from, what he hath appoindted or created.  
To discover this, I must distinguish between man and the other creatures, and the causes and marks they tend too, and aim at: together, with the admirable blessing of reason: and to what measure the capacity of man thereby extendeth, for the searching out the natures, qualities, times, seasons, places, and uses of the other creatures, which could not be but out of a kind of immortal Nature, above all other creatures.  
It cannot be denied, but that God hath created all things, first for his own glory and honour, wherein he appointeth several uses and services: And within the compass of this duty, are all creatures, as well men and Angels, as the other inferior things. And on this behalf, God is satisfied with the service he hath appointed to himself; so his ordinance and will be obeyed.  
From thence, let us come to things that are next unto the service of God, & provided to serve the use of men: And therein will appear what an excellent creature man is, in respect of his original nature and reason. And what wonderful, admirable, and abundant blessings and stores, are provided to serve his turn for both his lives; The true consideration whereof, may satisfy any tempered spirit to be contented with his Creators own works; and not to soyst in, or endeavour any other means of augmenting his happiness. And to this purpose, let us survey in order the Creatures which serve for the use and preservation of the life of man, and take them by degrees from the meanest to the greatest. And it will make any man wonder at the admirable greatness, plenty, and weightiness thereof: Let us consider them by degrees: The lowest & the meanest which is the earth, therein behold the stuff or matter wherewith this huge bale is filled, to make her swelling sides stiff, strong, and full stuffed, that it shrinke●ot. Let us consider the metals, mines and store of gold, silver, and other minerals, enclosed in her womb. The miraculous hanging thereof in the air, without support: The veins, conducts, fountains, springs, and rivers of water, that pass through her entrails: The herbs plants, trees, grass, and fruit of sundry sorts, that proceed and grow out of the richness and fatness thereof. The rain and dews that water and moisten the same: The waters & deeps severed from the earth, bounded and limited within a compass, upon the superficies of some part of the same earth, as it were in a great vessel, by the side of this great garden, ready at all times to be taken up for the watering thereof, as pleaseth the master Gardener: small rivers & brooks that issue from fountains innumerably, serving the turns of men, beasts, fishes, and fowls of the air. 
When I say innumerable, I mean according to the capacity of men.  Then behold the sensitive creatures, their sundry kinds, & their unknown multitudes. The beasts of the field, and the variety of their natures, employments & uses: together with multitudes of fishes, & their exceeding many sorts. Consider all these well, & we shall find their creation was not to serve their own turns, but only & alone for the use of man, whose they are to be disposed of by the direct bounty & gift of the Creator. But how? To be used as he hath appointed and limited for the preservation & benefit of all mankind. not to the destruction of any. These things, neither know themselves, nor the ends wherefore they were made, & yet they unknown to themselves, serve the use & benefit of man. The lean and barren hastening their own deaths, by how much they take pleasure to make themselves more speedily fat. If there were no more but this, is not here a wonderful blessing, and is not here sufficient & plentiful provision for all the race of mankind, dispersed upon the whole face of the earth? In which is not to be forgotten, that these creatures cease not in any instant of time, to yield increase for this provision. But let us proeede a little further, and behold the other two Elements, Fire and Air: The one warming the sensitive parts, and the other maintaining the spirit that keepeth life: neither of these know what they are, nor the end they were made for. The very Air itself, sustaineth, and in a sort, preserveth the flying fowls, in her concave and hollow Region. Let us go further; these four Elements, though there be contrariety in their several natures, yet th●re is a Sympathy and a joint working together by the appointment of the chief workmaster; for the making, growing, cherishing, and maintaining of the life of man: as well by their incorparation in the body of man, as by the use and fruition of these other Creatures. Will you not think these sufficient, yea admirable blessings? The earth to bring forth fruit, and herbs, so universally, & continually; some for the food of man, and others for the food of beasts, to perpare them to be man's meat. The sheep to bring both lamb for meat, & fleece for clothing: the beast, to bring the calf, milk, butter, cheese, to be eaten and to be worn: the fowl, to bring first eggs, than chickens: & lastly, feathers for easy lodging: the fishes first spawn, & then frie. The trees to erect houses, and make the fire. The earth that produceth grass, serveth for tile to cover the houses: The straw that yieldeth t●e corn, serveth other purposes. The timber that buildeth at land, serveth for navigation at sea: Out of the line or flax that maketh the great Cable, to be drawn, the threads that make the fine & curious linen: from the favage wild beasts, their warm furs: from the herbs & plants, rich and estimable virtues: & from the poor silk-worm, the costly apparel, of silks and velvets. It were a world to recite t●e several benefits that are drawn from these creatures: And I am persuaded, no creature can reduce them to a Catalogue: Excellent wines, oils, grapes, spices, perfumes, gums, pearl, Balms, elixors, spirits, virtues, and quintessence. Out of the earth, are drawnmetals, of gold, silver, copper, brass, tin, lead, iron, steel, and such like. Behold how one benefit followeth and hasteneth in the neck of an other: the several course of trying these metals, and the use thereof, which themselves know not: Are not these infinite blessings, sufficient for men to content themselves with all? but they must needs go further. Over all these, man, and only man, hath a power and dominion: the command & use but limited, not to be abused, or exercised to other purposes then the Creator ordained. Behold, what an insearchable reason is this one thing in the nature of man, by fire to try out these metals, and to season and apply them to their several, necessary, and commodious uses. But take heed of the abuse. Among many other hand uses of metals; Of iron and steel, they make knives to cut meat: but it is not intended to cut men's throats: they make sickles and scythes to cut down corn and grass, without intent to cut men's legs. The like may be concluded of the other metals, and the use of them. Wherefore to finish that point, gold and silver being the finest metals of the rest, are searched out, refined, & proportioned to pass between men at a value and rate, for the providing of victual, apparel, and other necessaries to defend the body, from heat, cold, and hunger: not that of themselves, simply by themselves, they are either diet, apparel, or provisiont to defend winters cold, or summers heat, but rather an incomberment, than comfort, if men be enforced to wear or use them next their naked bodies, or to feed of their solid substances. It shall be necessary therefore, that we do not dispose or employ the same, to general creatures beg: or bring forth any new creature, contrary & against his own nature: or to make it valuable with the least humane and reasonable Creature that ever was, or shall be borne.  
Let us look further, & see whether we can find any other benefits, if these be not sufficient to satisfy us. And as we began at the lowest, so let us ascend upwards. Above the Airy Region, The Moon which lighteneth the night, governeth the sea, tempereth the heat, & comfortteth the vital powers, made by the providence & command of the creator, hath her several world or Orb, wherein she moveth. The like is holden of the other moving star, the fixed stars, the very Cope of heaven, wherein they are placed. The glorious Sun itself, placed in the midst of the heavens. Behold and look upon them, their innumerable company, their admirable beauty, their several employments, courses and virtues: They all are ignorant of their own natures, virtues, vigours, places, beauties, stateliness, and disposes. They are the admirable works of God, showing forth his glory unto men. All these also serve only to the benefit and use of men, and none other. The Sun to visit & comfort all the corners of the earth, in one year: never ceasing nor standing still, unless it were to make the work admirable, & the workmaster and commander more wonderful, it stood still in the time of I●sua.  
They move once in thirty days, making her revolution, & all the rest of those celestial creatures, in their times, order, numbers, & places, moving with such harmony, consent, and agreement, to divide the year into Summer, & Winter, Spring and fall: as well to chasten the earth to make it fruitful, as to comfort the herbs and grass, to make them grow: as well to ripen and gather the fruits of the earth, as to sow seeds, and set plants: to divide the day and the night, and to proportion the times and season. They all keeping their own natures in their certain number, their motions within the limits of an appointed place: And their courses and revolutions just at their appointed time. So that in all this whole host of heaven, there is no manner of stirring, staggering, moving, or disordering, to the point of a pin, in respect of place; nor to the least instant, in regard of Time: after they were once placed, & set to take their spacious journeys.  
By the comfort and virtue of these, are all the inferior bodies, comforted, cherished, relieved, succoured, and made able to perform their several duties. All these benefits hath God made to supply and serve the turn, and use of man. Behold, and look upon them with admiration! consider whether they be not above the conceit of all capacity. Will any man affirm, that these are not enough and sufficient, to nourish, seed, succour, and preserve all the race of mankind: yea every one, as well the meanest as the greatest.  
Surely none, neither can nor will deny this to be true: And yet we see daily many thousands want, famish, and pine to death, for want of these earthly necessaries. There must needs be a fault in distribution & disposing of these benefits, or else none should not want: for God in his divine wisdom, in the creation, hath not appointed any such place of scarcity, nor any number so to perish: nor any time when any such misery should befall. This Extremities must needs then proceed of some wrong course, order, or disposition amongst men, in the distribution of his benefits: for all the rest of his creatures have not departed one jot from the worthiness of their first creation.  
Well, to proceed, there is a greater benefit than all these; and that is the reason, understanding, and wit of man; whereby he knoweth all these things, their virtues and effects: and thereby of his own propriety and right, he commandeth, disposeth, ordereth, and enjoyeth, these lower creatures, as it serveth ●est for his turn and use.  
What is it to be of never so great ●rower, value, vigour, or worthiness, to such a subject, as neither understandeth what it is of itself, nor what virtue is in itself: nor to what turn it serveth? labouring still for others, and taking no pleasure therein itself.  
This is the condition of the Sun, the Moon, the Firmament, and all the whole garnished and rich decked skies, with infinite numbers of Stars. And of all the creatures in this Sphere of Elements, they are: and yet they know not, neither what, nor whereof, nor to what purpose they are: what then availeth this glorious richness unto themselves: Surely nothing.  
This doth wonderfully exalt the creation, worthiness, and estimation of man, and of his reasonable soul: yea, of the meanest of all the race of man, above all these creatures, either Celestial or terrestrial; in that he: understandeth them all, and enjoyeth the use, benefit, and profit of them all. May not this serve for for a conclusion, and move the hearts of men to be very careful, how they either use, or abuse the blessings and benefits of God? least in gathering too much, it turn to worms, as Manna did in the wilderness: or to quails, and it become the destruction of the eaters thereof, in stead of nourishment.  
These benefits God hath bestowed on Man, principally & chiefly to serve his turn, and to instruct and teach him, in this first life, which shall finish and end. Behold, there are further matters, and benefits bestowed and provided for Man besides these; the meanest, far exceeding the greatest of these: They are such, as I dare not define or treat of; and therefore with reverence leave them to the Readers consideration, with such descriptions as they are left to me. They are such, As the eye hath not seen, the ear heard, nor the heart of man can conceive.  
Oh, inestimable riches, peace, plenty, joy, fullness, which God hath provided for this immortal, reasonable soul, if it vary not from the direction of the Creator. And are not these yet sufficient? but man must needs be meddling with himself, patching, and playing the tinker, or butcher, upon some imagination of his own, and so mar all: which the the ancient Philosophers hold to be the reason, that man was cast out of the company of the Gods, into this lower, base, and corruptible Sphere of the Elements.  
This is not all, I say, that God hath done for man: for beside his creation, he doth still by his holy hand, uphold and support him, he hath received him to favour, being abjected for using the creatures of God contrary to his ordinance: he hath set his holy Angels to preserve & defend him: his only Son to lose his life to redeem him: his most gracious holy spirit to be his comfort and consolation. A fullness of all benefits in this life: and eternal joys in heaven, etc.  
Provided always, that we do not use his creatures, to unnatural, unlawful, or forbidden uses, or employments. This is the happy estate of reasonable man, ● he contain himself within his bounds: All the world will confess no benefits or blessing can be added unto it.  
Let us not therefore seek to alter, change, charge, or encumber, the course and way, the Almighty power hath appointed in these things: lest it turn to our utter confusion. Let us not wrong our reasonable souls, therefore: but school and instruct them, in such rudiments as may preserve their worthiness.   

Reason is the Founder of Arts.  
BY the precedent Circumstances, it appeareth, that among all the creatures under Heaven, (man only excepted) nothing is seen to be made for itself: nor man only for himself, but for the service of God. The Sun shineth and heateth, but not for itself. The Earth beareth, and yet hath no benefit thereby. The Wind's blow, and yet they sail not. The Fire burneth, and yet feeleth not this own force. The Water beareth the ships, and yet knoweth not the weight thereof. All these serve only to the glory of God, and benefit of man. Behold therefore, how near God hath placed man unto himself: nay, what plentiful provision he hath made for sustentation of this sensitive life, and the necessary use thereof. The Sun warmeth the earth: the earth nourisheth the Plants: the Plants feed the beasts, and the beasts serve man. So that the noblest creatures have need of the basest, and the basest are served by the most noble: And all these by the divine providence of God: wherein as there can be nothing wanting, so thereunto there may be nothing added.  
Now for the better discovery of what dignity, honour, advancement, benefit, and supply this sensitive life hath, by the use and employment of Reanon, which is an inseparable quality of the immortal Soul, let us descend a little into the Arts, whereby Reason doth supply the defects & miseries, which otherwise this life must abide: which in reason should move the hearts of men to use these temporal blessings, in such a temporal measure, as they might supply and serve the turns and uses of all the race of Mankind. As I mean not to every one a like, so it is no equal sharing, that some should have all, and others want, If we consider but this one thing, that by the admirable reason of man in his first creation, he did suddenly give all the creatures of God several names, and still retained the memory of them when he had never seen them before, here began the Art, Memorative, and all other Arts, which afterwards had almost perished, and been confounded.  
Hermes taking consideration of these things, faith; The Sun beams of God are his actions: the Sun beams of the world, are the natures of things: And the Sunbeams of man, are his arts and sciences. Whence should he learn, teach, or understand this, but out of that reason which then remained, though imperfect and impaired. By which reason, he was led to acknowledge the divinity and omnipotency of God, being more than many men will at this day acknowledge. But to proceed to the Arts, albeit they are well known, yet let me recite some particulars. By Reason, first the general knowledge is attained. Then Reason hath proportioned things into divers parts: First, in consideration of their natures, & worthiness: secondly, in consideration of their numbers and places: thirdly, in regard of their uses and employments. So hath Reason left nothing unproportioned which she hath set down, and concluded by Arts & Sciences. By Grammar, ● course of true speaking: by Rhetoric the manner of persuasion: by Logic, the true proportion of reasoning: by Music, true consent of Harmony: by Arithmetic, the proportion of numbering, adding, diminishing, augmenting, and dividing. By Geometry, the manner of even & infallible proportioning: all these come of Reason. The petty, nay rather the great helps towards the effecting of these things. The inventing, the making, and fashioning, of the tools, instruments, and preparations that serve to these uses. The making of pen, ink, paper, letter's, syllables, words, edge-tools, notes of music, flat, etc. cards, wheels, looms, mills, the mechanical Arts, of Weavers, Tuckers, Spinsters, Tailors, Smiths, carpenters, sawyers, joiners, with diversother of the like quality. All these and many others, have been drawn, taken out, & proportioned by the noble●& famous arts of arithmetic, & geometry: which are neither so highly esteemed nor understood, as they deserve: for the more nearer reason (with reverend careof that creator) searcheth into these causes, the more nearer doth it bring the soul of man to the principal Artifex and maker of them. Let us proceed a little further: By the motion of the Sun, which surroundeth the world in 24 hours, they have proportioned the circumference of the world, to be 360 degrees: they divide every degree, into 60. miles: with many other such divisions, which I omit. By these Arts, they have found that the sun in the whole year, maketh her furthest point, both toward the North, and South pole: and thereupon they have divided that time into xii. months. To every of these twelve months, they proportion an appointed number of days; to every day, 24 hours: to every hour 60. minutes. And so reducing these learnings to one point or head, they proportion as well Latitude and Longitude of place, as motion & ●passage of time: together with the influence and aspects of the planets and stars; in such sort, as if this mystery were unknown in any man's understanding, it were impossible to be found out. And because the sun passeth always from the East, to the West, and never fully reacheth to the point of the North, or South, they have determined, & divided the world into 5. several zones. The 2. remote parts of North, & South, they call the cold parts: the middle, they call the hot or burning zone: the other two, are the temperate parts. To this they have likewise added a girdle, that goeth overthwart the hot & two temperate zones: dividing the same into 12. equal parts, ascribing a several Lord, or Governor of these houses: limiting the sun 30. days travel, to pass through every of mese same: with many other admirable & necessary lerning And out of these Arts, it is well known, they have truly set down the Eclipses of the Sun and Moon, the revolution of the Stars, stability of the North, and South poles, & the motion of the others: by which, all navigation is maintained: the compass, card, & needle, proportioned: nay the ship itself, and all other buildings, both of land and sea, devised, framed, & fashioned: All countries known and severed, and every man's possession divided, one from an other: Astronomy, and Astrology, have taken their foundation there. And how much the Physicians knowledges are increased thereby, or what defects they would find by the want thereof, let themselves judge. But to be short: These Arts are the only and true directors of the whole course of men's lives, as well in government, as obedience: in distribution, as well as in receiving: for there being diversity of honours, places, dignities, and worthiness, so ought there to be a measure and indifferency, in proportioning their contributions. Many thousands of admirable blessings would follow Reason, if measure and proportion were truly kept. For than should the King have the supreme place: The magistrates, their due honour. The subjects true and equal justice: and every man his own right, without controversy, check, or controlment. But Original reason is so weakened and impaired, that these things are not to be looked for: men's natures are prevaricated, and intemperate disires so bend to disorder; that poor Queen Reason hath little place, and her proportions little esteemed, and less used. Reason of itself discerneth, and concludeth, that the heavens are embowed like a vault about the lower parts. And the lower parts, circumualated and encompassed within the heavens convexity. The earth, as the flower or planks to go upon, and retain the massy bodies of men, and the mighty involved numbers of Creatures, there on residing: And the heavens as the wide drawn, and large extended Canopy, to cover all these, with many included essences and beings: all serving to exercise Reason withal: the more fully to apprehend the incomprehensible greatness, goodness, & bounty of the Creator, and the worthiness of man's original Creation. But as is before discovered, this perfection of Reason, & innocency is lost: corruption is creptin, and taken up right and true Reason's room: and had so much impaired, blemished, darkened, & obscured, Reason's faculties, that even the arts themselves, were almost forgotten, & put to oblivion: & great labour hath been used to revive, recontinue, and uphold, or make known these former Arts and Science.  
Concerning this point: Let us take a short view of the beginnings of creatures. All things had a kind of perfection, yet subject to imperfections. As creatures, to a Creator's command. Then the first declination & laps, after the Creation, which hath overthrown the sincere pureness of Reason. The fear of punishment, for that offence, hath exercised man's reason with many incomberments, and caused a kind of decisting, to continue the remembrance of such parts of reason as then remained not utterly overthrown. Unto which, I add two other decay: the overthrow of the world by the flood, & accursedness of the earth at that time. And the confusion of languages at the overthrow of the Tower of Babel, being in manner Arts destruction. For after this time in many parts of the world, Arts & Sciences were almost utterly unknown: & ther●equired a new time, first to learn & understand languages before Arts could be taught: & few remained in life, that had the Science of teaching: or at the least, for the dispercing of arts, for that there was then no such common use of letters, as of later time, for that reason had not then discovered the Art of printing: beside, the amazedness of that confusion of tongues, caused the inhabitants of the earth to dispose themselves into countries unfurnished, with other fruits, than such as the earth of her own accursed nature did produce (none such as were in the original Creation) & so men had enough to do to provide themselves food & apparel for many hundredth years: so as besides the forgetting of the use of Arts, there scarce remained so much, as the use of tillage and manuring of the earth, to succour and defend men's lives: by which means Arts remained raked up, as fire under ashes, not clean extinct, yet seeming not to be: In so much as it is reported of those parts of the world, wherein as well the greeks and other nations live, that Philosophy was first discovered by Pythagoras: long after whose time the Romans are holden to be ignorant thereof. Seneca faith, Philosophy was not found out above one thousand years before his time. Socrates is said to be the first, that brought it from study to practice: which is not much above two thousand years since: for which he is so holden in admiration, as he is said to have brought it from heaven to earth: and thereby to have taught men how to govern themselves, 
Plutarch in I●s & Ofiris jamblicus in libro de misteriis. Cap 1.  and others: yet these learnings had their Originals before, though they attributed them to Pythagoras, as the beginner thereof: arguing their own ignorance: for Pythagoras learned his skill from Gon●hedie, and of the jews: Plato of Sechnuphis: Endoxus, of Conuphis: and all these of the disciples of Trismegestus: who out of his own books manifesteth, 
Laercus in the life of Thales. Thales in his ep●tle to Pherecides.  that he learned it of Moses. Thales is said to be the first that taught in Astronomy to the greeks: It appeareth as well by his own as other men's works, that it was taught him by the Egyptians: & to the Egyptians, by the Chaldeans. And if Belus as Plini reporteth, were the finder out thereof, yet he hath the same from Abraham, in whose time he lived: wherein I observe, that many contentions have been about the beginning thereof, to advance the honour of their own Countries. But howsoever, it is most true, that the perfection of those Sciences and Arts were lost, & in manner put to absolute obscurity and oblivion. For it is said that Clearchus, who lived a thousand years after Moses, did visibly and with his eyes, see the jew of whom Aristotle learned his Philosophy. And it is reported, Phythagoras and Plato had their learning from Mercury's Pillars. So that the knowledge of these Arts, Sciencies, and learn, have been long discontinued in the world, 
Plin. lib. 2. Plutarhe in the life of Niceas. Quintilian. Lib. 2.  before they were received: and specially to these latter parts of the world: for it is said, that for the observation of the Eclipses of the Sun & Moon, Anaxxagoras was put in prison, and Protagoras was banished Athens. Nay, it was so obscured, that Thales is said to be the first that observed the North star: and that Phythagoras, first discovered the morning and evening star to be all one: and the describing of the Zodiac to go a skew. And that Solon, first found out the Moon's revolution to be within thirty. days; and that Archimedes out of many observations, made the first description of the Spheres: and that the observation of the Planets, was not discovered in many years after. In so much that it is said, that the very account of the year was uncertain and confused, in those parts where he reigned and was Emperor: which is well known to be over the most part of Christendom. And it is absolutely resolved, that within much less than two thousand years, none of these parts of the world had any Quadrant dial: or distinction of hours, times, or places; upon any method of learning: all which may very sufficiently show, that the understanding and Arts, were in manner forgotten and left in oblivion: and yet notwithstanding always remaining in itself, though blemished & obscured. And for the Arts of Arithmetic and Geometry, they are fathered upon Pythagoras, Endoxus, & Euclides: who wrote but in late time, in respect of Moses or Tresmegistes: but yet the same learning will conclude, the though the arts were obscured, yet they remained from ancient times, long before: and even from the first Creation. And as for Rome, with his great antiquity, they had no knowledge in Physic, until the Consulship of Lucius Aemilius, and Marcus Livius. At which time, Archagatus the Grecian, was made free of the City of Rome. Which showeth that these barbarous parts of the world, had not till that time recontinued or revived the worthy knowledge of honourable Arts. 
About ● 20. years before Christ.  But endeavouring to reduce my purpose, to as short a conclusion as I may, I will omit further to dilate, concerning the original worthiness of arts, and sciences, and their necessary uses and employments; and hast to the next point, that offereth itself to be handled: holding this opinion, that the reason, depth, and necessary knowledge of these arts, are known to few in these parts of our world. And that many have an appearance of knowledge, and yet fail of the substance which hath seduced and misled many men, and sundry matters, to the great wrong of right and true reason. Therefore give me leave to distinguish between things above nature, things natural, and things against nature, which will give great light to the point of this argument: and desire that men will not attribute to themselves, that knowledge of arts, whereof they are ignorant: And that the ignorant will not condemn the Arts which they know not: for it is truly said; Scientia non habet, inimicum 〈◊〉 Ignorantium.   

Things above Nature, and natural.  
BEsides the former reasons, that it was long before this part of the world had the understanding & use of Arts, which are the contrivers of civil government & order, as reason hath composed, & disposed them. Caesar, in his Commentaries faith, That in his time Germany was continually a Forest, wherein a man might have gone fifty days journey, before he could see any end of it: and that the people thereof were savage & beastly, offering their children in sacrifice to their imagined Gods. Which caused that the Romans in many years after, durst not adventure far over into that country: Whereupon it is conceived, that all the ancient Towns and Cities, which stood upon the River of Rhine and Danowe, toward France and Italy, were erected and built for defence against the Germans. For even in the time of Tacitus, living in the time of Nero, and sithence the Germans were a rude, ignorant, and ungoverned people. As these parts of the world were unskilful of the Arts, so such as traveled to understand them, and were able to teach them, lived so far as France, Italy, Spain, Germany: And these North parts were scarcely known to them, as appear by Ephorus, the most diligent Historiographer of those Ages. For he speaking of Spain, or Iberia, writeth thereof, but as if it were one Town: which argueth he had slender knowledge thereof. It is written, that Orpheus drew the greeks out of their Forests and Fiens, 
Theucidides Lib. 1. Orpheus in his Argo●nts.  about the time Troy was besieged. This worthy and famous service did Orpheus perform, by the arts, sciences, and skill he learned amongst the Egyptians: whereby first he laid aside his own savageness, and after undertook to direct & govern others: which doth much advance the estimation of these noble Artes. It would require a long discourse, to set down the divers opinions of the dispearcing of Arts, Sciences, & ●gouernments.  
Some affirm, Abraham first taught Letters or Characters. Others, father it upon Moses, or at least, that he first taught the Grammar. If it were discovered, to what perfection these things grew, or how young or green they were, in the time of Zoroastres, Scyonians, Ogyges, Ninus, Amoses, calisthenes, Ptolemy, the Hebrews, the Chaldeans, Egyptians, Assyrians, Medes, Persians, and Phoenicians; It would not much serve to excuse the Countries, in those arts and sciences. For they not knowing our parts of the world, could hardly inform them in their learn, by reason of their unknown and remote parts.  
Besides, it seemeth they were but in the beginning of the discovery of these Arts: they unraked the ashes, and opened the fire, and by the light which they took, many have since lighted their candles. For itseemeth, their means of spreading abroad their learn, was very hard, in that they were enforced to write their minds by Characters: made upon leaves, barks, rinds of Trees, and Stones: Info much, as it is written; That in Babylon certain observations of stars, were written in Tiles or Bricks. By these it seemeth, that Reason deprived of her ornaments, hath strived to set up, and erect Schools and Universities, for the reviving, and recontinuing of these lost, or obscured sciences, and worthy knowledges: for the well ordering of men, families, kingdoms, countries, & nations, which in time by travel, hath been brought amongst us, from the Centre or first place, where they were taught, being by conjecture of the learned, in Mesopotamia, the Mount Taure, or in the Wilderness of Semar, where the Ark first rested, & Noah first landed, and inhabited.  
It is said by Vives, that Politian, did spend his whole life, part in scanning whether he should pronounce Vergilius, or Virgilius: Carthaginences, or Carthaginiences. Primus, or Preimus. And despising all worthy sciences, and orderly course of government or rudiments, he spent the rest of his time, in making filthy Epigrams. Ifeare there is much time bestowed in this age, in as vain & idle courses, which might be bestowed to the learning ofbetter arts and sciences, more commendable for themselves, & more profitable for the common wealth. For if it be well observed, what honourable exploits and famous Acts have been brought to pass in the order of wars, in the government of countries, 
Cicero in his first book of Invention, and in his first book of Oratory.  and civil courses of life, appeasing of controversies by these estimable Sciences and Arts, which the most wise have ever had in admiration, as Tully concludeth. That man saith he, that first gathered together dispersed men, was surely a great parsonage. So was he (faith Pythagoras) which first gave names to things, and which compounded within a certain number of letters, the sounds of men's voices, which seemed to be infinite; and which marked the courses and proceedings of the wandering stars: & which first found out corn, cloth, buildings, defences against wild beasts, and the rest of the things that make our lives the more civil. These things may be attributed to the nature of man's reason, and reason of man's nature. 
Things above the Nature or Reason of man.  But to make and Create of nothing, so worthy a Creature as man is above nature: which Cicero considered, when he said: There was a certain might or power, which had a care of mankind, and which would not have begotten him, to fall into the mischief of endless death, after he hath outworn the great and innumerable adversities and toils of the world: For, faith he, We be not created by hazard. Which showeth directly, that Cicero did reach into an understanding; that there was a greater blessing and perfection in the creation, then retained in the nature of man: for he conceiveth, that neither misery in this world, nor the mischief of an endless death, were the ends unto which such worthy Creatures were first made. His Reason could extend to understand a Creating Nature above nature. For he that maketh, cannot be the same thing he maketh: nor of the same quality; but of a far more worthy. 
Things natural.  And so will I leave to speak of this supernatural cause, as the maker of the rest: and step lower to the next point, of things natural.  
To be brief in this point, because the natures of things are in some sort before discovered; I will only touch some few points.  
This great worke-master and Creator of things and natures, hath appointed their kinds, natures, conditions, and effects: their increases, generations, and propagations; for having set the Heavens in motion, they continually move without ceasing: but in this, there is no increase, nor generation.  
There is still but one Sun, and one Moon: notwithstanding all the conjunctions since the worlds beginning.  
There are no more Stars than were made at one instant.  
And so these bodies were ordained to continue their first numbers, places, and motions, without increase: according to their true natures. And these motions proceed of nature itself. The earth bringeth forth the vegitative things, but not by generation. The sensitive things increase by generation, all commencing from a beginning of things of their own natures: which showeth the worthiness of this Creation, and the admirable work that so infinite numbers of things should be made of nothing: and so admirably composed, and put in order by a workmaster, that had neither matter, stuff, instrument, model, nor pattern for the doing thereof.   

Thing against nature.  
I Mind not to speak of the miracles that have been done in the times of the patriarchs and Prophets. 
Things against nature  The incarnation of Christ, his fasting, & other the works of God, in the old & new Testament, which are above our nature. But to touch these things that Reason may descend into; It were against the nature of the Sun, to leave his motion, or lose his light: or of the Moon, to bring forth sons or daughters: The earth cannot be metamorphosed, or turned into an incorporeal substance, neither is it her nature to produce or bring forth beasts or men: for creation hath appointed every kinds a several manner of increase. The Fowls of the Air do not bring forth swine, nor the Tiger engender Doves, nor men beget Bears or Lion: men cannot be Gods. It is impossible for the foul of man to cease or give off his being, & to be of the same nature. The Hind cannot bring forth eggs, nor the Ostrich be the Dam of the Roe buck. Every thing hath his appointed nature, which it can neither change nor leave. And because we have spoken before, of number, place, and time, let us in this place consider what they are, or at lest what they are not. The better to discover their employments, they are not as is before recited, any matters, substances, natures, nor essences, in respect of themselves: neither have they power to procreate or bring forth any thing. They are only the vessels, engines, moulds, frames or organs, wherein things are cast, fashioned, placed, sorted, and ordered.  
Out of these, in respect of nature, can proceed nothing: no not so much as themselves, issue not, nor come not of themselves: but are respected, according to the motions, course, order, or number of creatures, that pass in, by and through them. If a man shall offer to bring up the Fox whelp, among the sheep, even from the first time of his littering: It is neither the placing him among these creatures, nor the use of time, will qualify his greedy nature of devouring his fellows. The like may be said of all other Creatures, and their kinds and natures.  
It is against nature, for Creatures of one kind, to destroy one an other: which is a great argument of prevarication of the nature and reason of man: in that they cease not continually and against nature, to work one an others confusion. Let us proceed a little further: & set these three, number, place, and time, to work simply of themselves: they neither engender, nor bring forth any things: albeit, in them, and by them, that is, in their moulds, infinite numbers are generated and brought forth. Let us sprinkle a few holy considerations in these causes, to make them the more savoury; lest striving to set our corrupt reason over high, we cast it to the dust. As in the first Creation, it was against nature, that there should be any imperfection, or foul matter, or defect, created in man's nature: So now, nature being corrupted, & altogether polluted by disobedience, It is both against, & above this corrupt nature, that any perfection should remain in man: Albeit, there are that maintain a spark or remnant of perfection, of the first original nature, to remain: whereby it may again work his former perfection. This is against corrupt nature: as much as to sunder & take apart wines from water, after it is once mingled: for no polluted thing entered into the substance, can afterwards be cleansed from this pollution: as the die will never be taken clean out of the white cloth. It is to be observed, that Christ in ministering the Sacrament of his blessed body and blood; First he broke the bread, and they eat it: and then he gave the cup, and all was done, whilst he was really and personally amongst them.  
It is unnaturally holden, that they did really and naturally eat his very flesh, and drink his very blood: This is against nature.  
First, it is against the nature of a Sacrament, to be the thing which it representeth: or for the thing signified, to be the signifier, or betokener of that which is signified. Then it is against nature, that Christ as he was very man, being present and personally among them, performing this office himself, should at one instant be, & not be. For, as he was man, so was he local. Now to deliver himself, & to be eaten, and yet remain in the same substance, of and by himself, at the same instant, is against nature. Besides, that he should so exhaust or draw his most precious blood, that when the bread (which they intent to be his real & manly body) was eaten, there should be therein no part of his blood: and more, that himself should be at one instant absolute man, & at the same instant, see himself visibly eaten with the teeth of men, in distinct and several places. This is against the nature of the manhood, and so against both. For Sacraments are not miracles, nor natures to be changed. Besides, in miracles, things did not at one, and the same instant, contain two several natures: nor one nature in two several places: as in the miracle at the marriage: as long as the water remained water, it was not wine: and after it became wine, it was no longer water: neither was it wine and water, all at one instant, though turned in less than a moment: neither was it water in two several places, nor wine in two places, otherwise then by dividing it into several cups or vessels. I make bold to give a touch of this mystery, which I hold to be of deeper consideretion than man's reason can reach into: which being a matter of spirit, cannot be apprehended but by the eye of the same spirit, having regard to the second life before spoken of. Herein I observe, if men be so bold to rock and strain these great matters, what is it that they will leave vn●● tempted in the less & meaner causes? 
Alchemy.  In the cases of Alchemy there is some reason (though the opinion thereof hath overthrown many men) for that they propone some matter to work, and some course of natures for incorporating and increasing. But such as will graff on a dead stock, long separated from the earth, a quick graff or imp, and expect that the same shall prove a tree, is deceived, for it is against nature. Likewise, If any man will sow eggs in the ground, or set corn under a hen, he will hardly find either Chickens, or harvest. In such sort are the natures of things tie to their particular sorts, and means of increase, that necessity will enforce nature to use her own means, and manner of increase or generation.   

An example of an unnatural product.  
Let us proceed to an example. There is an opinion, that the earth would in time, bring forth all the metals that are in her bowels, fully refined and pure, without Phesies or dross: But either the curse hath so weakened her natural heat, or else she is not permitted her time of bringing forth her brood, which hath caused Arts to try conclusions. If this be admitted, what will follow of the next question? In this case, though time be not agent, nor the passive part thereof, yet you must give this great bellied Lump, time to work to perfection, and bring forth her great litter, brood, or spawn. But it will be answered, that Reason and Art, hath found a means, how to help Nature in this cause, and to supply the defect of heat by fire, for separating of the purer metal from the dross. Admit this, yet it must be yielded, that these Mines were substantially in the bowels of the earth: who in time as is affirmed, would have brought them forth: so as Reason and Art, had to work upon. And in this case, you must likewise give Art and Reason, time to work their effect, and that by degrees and means: so that Reason nor Art cannot work, but upon substances, and by means, which in the ensuing example is not allowed. There is great difference between the Theoric & practic part of any thing: or between matter of bare imagination and conceit, and matters of substance and truth: between words and actions: for a man by contemplation may behold many thousand places in a moment, and set down a thousand proportions in his mind in short time: conceive a journey of ten thousand miles by Sea, with all the bowings and turnings: But come to action, and you shall find another work and labour to perform it. Aman may by conceit and in figures, set down ten thousand million, to be divided between a hundredth thousand men: but he that shall come to action, must have money in his purse; words will buy no meat in the market: neither will fantasy build Churches, although it set down the proportion & model. Contemplation, conceit, and art, may plot & set down, how or what to do: but substance, matter and art, must perform the action. These words, A thousand pounds written, will not pay one penny: although Art hath found a way by letters to signify or demonstrate such or any other sum: Arte hath found out by bills, bonds and specialties, to give assurance for money: but when it cometh to payment, there must be materially money, or valuable matter, to make satisfaction. It belongeth to Art only, to proportion, but essential money must make satisfaction. By these it appeareth, that God hath provided substantial matters to pass from man to man, or to be used by man. And Reason hath found out Arts, to proportion & rate the same. Besides this: by the observations before remembered, there are sufficient things created to serve the turn of men, in such liberal and plentiful sort, as they shall not need any new invention, to create or raise benefit by fantasy, imagination or any new sought devise, which will deceive like dreams: they are like witchcrafts & enchantments, seeming good, & yet in truth abominable. Let us in this point, consider one main & principal usage, which nature nor Art, can make to cohere with Reason. 
This is the main point against Nature. How money should produce monic.  And that is, that money should produce and increase money: I would in this case willingly know, the father and mother of this new increase. First, let us go to the nature of the metal, be it either silver, or gold, and draw from thence, what reasons we may.  
After that the metal is taken out of the earth's belly, it can be no longer her child, neither can the nourish or make it grow. And being once ripened, purified, and brought to perfection by Art, that is, by fire: It can then never come again, to be nourished by the earth: for that the mother, which is the Sulphere, is drawn from it: And if you would put it again into the earth, you cannot give it such a mixture of Elements, as to make it grow.  
If the Alchemist can do any thing with it, let him take the benefit for his labour: But I would not have ignorant men troubled therewith. It is an Art unfit for them, and me to deal with all.  
But to come nearer to the point: there is a devise that Time should cause money to yield increase: wherein they are driven to use the help and labour of man.  
This will not serve the turn, 
Usury.  that also it is unnatural: for albeit, the labour of man may obtain benefit: yet Re vera, there is no increase of the quality, quantity, or nature of the gold or silver: But the use that a man hath thereof, must make something dearer, and of more value, than nature or Art hath made it. For though Art hath refined it, yet cannot Art increase it: but here is the fallacy, a man is driven thereby to purchase his own labour, a very unnatural thing.  
For by Nature and Reason, every man's travel should be employed, for the serving of his own necessary turn.  
This is one of the cases I spoke of before: that men not contented with the things of God's creation, according to their own values, will set God to learn, as if he knew not what he had done: and will add further provisions and means then ever was ordained of God. Out of these reasons, it may be concluded, that the raising of increase upon bare money, is unnatural: and the means used to raise benefit thereby, is an other course than was originally appointed by God, and so directly against nature. The consideration whereof, ought not to be slightly regarded, because God hath left nothing unprovided that is requisite for the use of man.  
But there are, that spare not to lay a very reproachful ignomy on this kingdom, 
The Law wronged.  of the use of employing, and disposing of money, to benefit and great increase, above the principal, by the way of usury. And that the laws of this kingdom, either alone, or at the least tolarate such taking of usury. See how reason and truth is wronged. In whose defence I am occasioned a little to digress, & borrow leave for a few words, touching that point. Caesar forbade that an Usurer should be accounted a good or honest man. This understanding in all likelihood continued a thousand years after that. For Glannile, chief justice of England, one of the ancientest Writers we have, in the time of king Henr● the second, censured the goods of an Usurer, at the time of his death, to be confistcate to the King: the name hath been so odious, that they were not admitted civil society or Christian burial.  
I mean not to insist much upon this point, and therefore I refer the Reader for his satisfaction, 
Statut. de In, daismo. 37. H. ●9. 13. Eliz●. 8. 3●. Eliza. 7.  to peruse the margined Statutes: wherein he shall find the trade, to be holden accursed and damnable. The Trader is odious, and the use thereof utterly forbidden, by all the laws that ever were made in this Kingdom, concerning that matter. And whosoever will enter into true understanding of the reason, whether it doth benefit or annoy, shall be driven to confess, a great devasting of the subjects estate thereby: which in this place I mean not to handle. Yet seeing it is so repugnant unto nature and reason, let me crave pardon to go a little further in this matter: and under reformation, to express such reasons for confutation of an error, which I hold to be maintained in this point, and furthered, and succoured under the shadow of a cla●se in the law: In which behalf, because demonstrations are very fit course; to discover the reason's, as well of actual, as intellectual things; I have composed 2. Tables: The first, discovering the fallasie: and the second the truth: Which course I take, for that I find falsehood will ever vanish, when truth cometh in place. The point is this. It is holden that the Lender upon Usury, may take at one months' end his principal, and a twelfth part for the use, being the highest rate he might have taken, 
The like for 3.6. or 9 Mon●ths, apportioning the use, as if those were perfect times to divide by.  if he had forborn his principal and use money a whole year: and so for more or less time; so he take not his use before the principal: and his contract be not to continue after the taking of his use. As the point is hard to be discovered, so can I hardly admit myself to meddle therewith: whereby to open the way into this seeming Labyrinth, which notwithstanding I hold to be plain. Before I come to the Table, let me set down the words that they build upon. 
37. Heb. 8 7.  No man shall take above 10. for the forbearance of 100 for one whole year, and so after the rate, and not above: of, or for a more or less sum, or for longer or shorter time: And no more greater gain or sum thereupon to be had. Although I mean not to handle this cause by the course of a Law argument, yet let me crave leave, to see how Reason and Art will conclude in one truth. The law being to take construction most strongly and straightly for repressing of Usury.  
The law itself is a prohibiting law, in no jot giving liberty, but repressing. So are the words Negative, and forbidding. And upon that reason, none of these words can be strained to make any toleration. These words in the close of the sentence: And no more greater gain, or sum thereupon to be had; Do sufficiently explain, that by no means 100 li. by any course to be put out, may yield above the gain of 10. li. for a whole year: But 100 li. put out for 3.6.9. months, and the money and use taken at that time, being within the year, may and doth yield a greater gain than the rate of 10. li. for a whole year.  
The Reason is, the Lender may again dispose the same principal and vse● for more gain within the same year: and so not saved by the words nor meaning of the Law.  
Let us see how Reason can bring the former words to this conclusion. And so after that rate and not above: of, or for a more or less sum: or for shorter or longer time. These words being in body of the clause, have reference to a rate: which rate is before expressed; that the forbearing of 100 shall not raise above 10. pounds, for one whole year.  
In this behalf, the borrower is not respected, but the Lender: for the words are; No man shall take above 10 pounds, etc. Whereby appeareth, that as the Law is made only against the taker, so is there no liberty for him to take any thing, that may exceed the rate of 10. for a whole year. Otherwise, this mischief would ensue: the Lender would depart with his money, for one, two, or three months, to one man, and then receive his money and use, and deliver the same to an other debtor: and so monthly, or quarterly, or at his pleasure, raise his benefit upon the use of his use money within the year, contrary to the meaning of the Law: by often receiving & placing it within one year: which under correction, can by no means be construed to be saved by the words of the Law.  
A word or two, concerning the rate which I take to be double. A rate of money, and a rate of time. These two, are specially to be considered: for seeing Nature cannot work this matter, you must permit Time to do what office it is enjoined to perform. To this purpose then, whether there be one, or more takers, at one or more times, within the year, is not material: but the respect is, seeing they have nothing to raise this rate of money, but their industry, employment, and labour, with a limitation of a rated time for the use thereof: that they may have the fullness of all these without abatements. For the eye of Reason in this behalf, doth not regard how often the money be let within the year, nor to how many or few persons: but that the forbearing of 100 li. for a whole year, shall yield the Lender no more or greater gain 10. li. And in this behalf, is specially to be observed, the several offices of the Lender and Borrower. The Lender departeth with his money upon time, to raise his benefit: the Borrower, bestoweth his labour by merchandising the money, with diligence, in time to raise the increase upon the use of the money: If the Lender will take away any part of the time, limited in the statute, he doth not then allow the Borrower his full rate of time: and therefore of a consequent, he ought to abate it out of the rate of his use money: for in this cause, those two, that is, the rate of time, for which the use of time is forborn, and the rate of money taken for use, must ever jump, to make the reckoning even. And common and ordinary reason yieldeth, that no man will give so much for any thing to be paid at the end of one month, as he would, if his payment were forborn a whole year. Such is the plain case, as it is now commonly understood: that the Lender, for one month will take as much at the months end, as if he had forborn his use whole year. But I take it, this error hath grown out of a fallasie or mistaking in Art, 
Art abus●●  by some Arithmatitian● that hath calculated this proportion by ●●●●rong rule: not fully fitting this purpose● for I conceive, it hath proceeded only by the rule of division: when it should have been wrought, partly by division, and partly by addition: as the true consideration of the Tables will manifestly express.  
Wherefore, in a word or two, let me remember again the difference between contemplation and action. Any that worketh barely by conceit, may practise by conceit: but he that will perform any act indeed, must have matter and stuff: figures and ciphers, make no sums of money. Therefore if the Lender will have consideration, he must dispose of his money and time: that he, who will have money & time, may the better give consideration. In this cause therefore, the matter of Art, & the point from whence I conceive the error to arise, is to be looked into. It seemeth the Arithmatitians hath wrought only by division. In the first part of division, there are two requisite things the Dividende, & divisor, which in this corr must be essential & substantial, and not by conceit and imagination. Let us see, money must needs be the Dividend, and time the divisor. Put the case a man dareth a 100 li. for one month, what may the Lender take? The Arithmatition saith, a whole year will yield 10. li. then he divideth time, by time: One year into 12. parts: so that here time is both the Dividend and divisor: then he divideth money by time: that is 10. li. by 12 months, & he findeth the 12. part of 10. li. to be 16. s.8.d. which he alotteth to one month. The rule is true, but not to be used in this case: for Reason the founder of Art, will show, that he hath no warrant to measure by this rule: in that he hath no essential divisor: for if you mark it, he wanteth 11. months of his year, 
Reason and Art; conclude with ●uth.  at the time of his division. And so he worketh a substantial Dividend, of 10. li. by an imagined divisor, of 12. months, when there is but one occurred: but his course should be, as in the case of contribution: the shorter time of forbearance of the use, should not have so large allowance as the longer.  
And on this point, doth Reason and Art conclude, ● which are more plainly expressed in these ensuing Tables: the false being reproved by the excess, and the true, raised from less to more, as the rate of time, and use, of the money giveth occasion.  
I have drawn these Tables, as patterns or Models to show and discover, the truth from the false, and to manifest how truth and Art still draw to one Period. I the more insist upon this for my sole example, because it is a matter so directly against nature: and sophistically brought into the danger and overthrow of men's estate: for all the world must confess, that in this case, as having regard to matter of substance, nothing is enforced to produce something. And though I meant not to fill this place with law arguments, yet let me borrow a word for further explanation of my meaning. Let us see what the lender must do, to raise ten of his hundredth, he must contribute towards the raising thereof, a proportion of money, and a proportion of time. Of money a hundredth to raise ten: 
Contribution.  of time, one whole year. In this case as I said before, there is no respect of the borrower: well, than the lender is tied to both these contributions: so still the rate of his gain must not exceed ten for the rate of a whole year of time. In this case the lender is tied to his This is the Table that showeth the error of the former: by proportioning the rate according to the length of shortness of the time of forbearance of the principal, raising a rate to produce just ten pound, at the end of a whole year.   li. s. d. Parts.  li. s. d. Parts. 1 month.  15 10 5/6   15 10 5/6 2 month.  16  1/2  01 11 11 1/3 3 month.  16 02 1/6  02 08 01 1/2 4 month.  16 03 5/6  03 04 05 1/3 5 month.  16 05 1/2  04  10 5/6 6 month.  16 07 1/6  04 17 06  7 month.  16 08 5/6  05 14 02 5/6 8 month.  16 10 1/2  06 11 01 1/3 9 month.  17  1/6  07 08 01 1/2 10 month.  17 01 5/6  08 05 03 1/3 11 month.  17 03 1/2  09 02 06 5/6 12 month.  17 05 1/6  10 00 ●0  certainty. Then it followeth, he can have no election, differing from that rate of time which is the main point. Let us see what the borrower is to receive and perform. In which is to be observed, such a proportion of money and time as may perform a rateable allowance: that the use money may not exceed ten for a hundredth for a whole year: which performed, he is to render back the money borrowed: & as for use, the law alloweth non. Let us examine this by the rule of reason: In all natural causes, time must be abidden, for the working & perfecting of all increase & growing: the beasts by nature knoweth the time of bringing forth their young: the birds keep their eggs under their feathers; till an appointed time to produce chickens; the trees & herbs according to their so●t●, require time for the ripening of their fruits. The Sun in the sphere of heaven, laboureth a whole year to bring himself to his revolution. If all these, with many thousands of other things, stay their time by their natural course, why should not the lender premit the full occurency of time, for the raising of his benefit upon a barren, fruitless, and unnatural subject. Though many things offer themselves, 
Things sold in tender age for want of allowance of time, are of less value than otherwise they would be.  yet I strive to be brief. Observe therefore these resemblances. In all manner of eateable flesh. The tender lamb will not yield so much as the well grown sheep: the young veal, not so much as the full grown ox. The young chick, late out of the shell, not so much as the hen or capon: and so of many other things that time causeth to increase, both in growth and price. Now if the owner will sell any of these in their tenderness, he must be contented to abate of that he would require, if the same things were grown to more greatness. If this be so, then in reason there is more cause the lender should forbear his whole time before he receive his consideration, howsoever he doth his principal.  
Let us touch a little the exceeding reason and use the Law hath, in some particular causes of time. Estates for years, must have a certain beginning and ending. Inheritances have commencements ments upon time: and limited to the end of time. So the first estates, determine in time: and the second being real estates, only with time: and not before the ending of time. Approbations and elections are concluded in time: things voideable, rely only upon time. All conditions are tied unto time. In the cases of Cui in vita dum fuit infrae et 〈◊〉, dum non fuit compos mentis; special respect is of the time. All cases of entries upon dissisors, to take away entries, are tied unto time. The cases that require continual claim, are bound unto time, with many others. But among the rest, let me conclude with one or two, to discover what time, joined with some other matter, doth both enable & disable: I mean not to vouch any case. It is not unknown that one attainted by act of Parliament, part of his lands sold: time and the act of Parliament made the sale good. But this attainder being taken off by another act of Parliament, and the former act made void; Time and the act of Parliament, did restore both the blood and lands of the attained: & made their estates void, which formerly were nor. The law hath clean taken away the time that was in the Feoff; & put the same wholly into ceste q. use: and so wrought upon instants, that there is now no instant at all in the Feoff, which before had the whole estate. Such a servant is time, unto the law, & so assured is the law unto time; That what contract soever it maketh therewith, shall be assuredly performed. In the case of enrollments, there is special provision of time: wherein I make this short observation; that time doth work, and unworke, one and the same thing in nature according as time is employed. The King's tenant acknowledgeth a bargain and sale of land, held in capite to an other and his heirs: before the deed be enroled, the bargainer dieth, his son within age. In this case ', the son of this bargainor is ward. But the barganie also dieth within the six month, etc. his son within age, & within the 6. months the bargains & sale is enroled. In this case, the son of the bargainer shall be out of ward, & the son of the barganie shall be in ward, by relation to time. I put these cases, only to make known how flexible time doth turn and wind according to the employment it serveth, and how stout and stiff it is in some other cases, as the rules of law doth govern and direct it: and though this resemble not the case in all points, yet it showeth, that in this behalf, time is not to be disposed at the election or choice of any, but according to the true construction, scope & meaning of the law: which in this case is to be construed most strongly against the lender.  
A word or two concerning this division of the money & time. As I said before, in actual things there must be a substantial, natural, and present Dividend and Divisor, Numerator, and Denominator, as in these examples are apparent. A piec● of timber is to be made into boards: In this case the timber is the Dividend, and the Saw is the divisor. And of necessity it followeth, that there must be actually and essentially, timber, and a Saw, or else there can be no boards.  
There is a garment to be made, In that case, the cloth is the Dividend, and the shears the divisor. But for the performing of the work, there must essentially be both cloth & shears. There is a great piece of meat to be divided between many men; the meat is the Dividend, ●he knife is the instrument dividing. There is a necessity, both these should be present, though I know there be other Divisors in these cases: yet I make these resemblances, to make plain my demonstration of the necessity of an essential Dividend and Divisor, at the time of the division. To resemble this; The Lender at the end of one, 3.6. or 9 months, hath not an essential Divisor of twelve months, to warrant his division: And so dividing substantial money by imaginary time, doth err in the ground of his Art: and so hath proportioned a rate that is not warranted, either by Nature, Reason, Law, nor Art.   

Reason showeth, this life is but an apprenticeship.  
THere are many other usages whereof there can be no account given, that they should proceed either of nature or uncorrupted reason. God is Truth, and he hath made all things in, and by Truth: and appointed them to continue in truth, according to their Creation: All the Creatures saving man, continue this original perfection. Reason doth discern and know, though it cannot correct the causions and errors in the course of men's lives, different from truth: which men's consciences not void of reason cannot deny. Cain though he would not deny the kill of ●is brother Abel, yet he had learned to shift it and put it off, by ask whether he were keeper of his brother: his reason was corrupt, and his conscience did accuse him. Such as were sent with ●osua and Caleb, against their own knowledges, did find fault with the country which they sought; dissuading their companions to enterprise the obtaining thereof.  
The whole number of the Israelites felt the punishment of their credulousness, in following these false persuasions. Against false witnesses and corrupt judgement, the story of Susanna hath left sufficient testimony. Against hypocrisy, the text of Anansas and Saphira. Against Perjury and Subornation, The story of lesabell, Achab and Naboth. Against treason, the story of Corab, Dathan, & Abiram. Against rewards and bribes, the story of Gebasie. Against feigned excuses, the denial of Peter. Against presumption, the story of the Tempter. Against despair, the example of judas. Against witchcraft, the story of Saul; concerning the vision of Samuel. Against incest, the example of one of the patriarchs. Against rigour, and violence, the story of N●●rod. Against deceit, the story of the unjust steward. Against mercilessness, the text of the wounded man, and the Samariain. Against covetousness, the state of Dives and Lazarus. Against Enchantments, Sy●●on Magus. Against undutifulness to parents, the curse of Ca●, for discovering his father's nakedness. Against mistrust, or fearfulness, the story of Le●s wife. Against disobedience to God, the four first commandments. Against usury, & unnatural raising of money and increase, by the way of lone, more than a hundredth express places of commandment forbidding it in the holy Bible: accursing the users thereof: & blessing those that forbear & eschew it. And as for Whore●mongers, & Adulterers, the text is plain; God will judge them. The oppressors of the poor and uncharitable, are not left out of the number o● those that shall receive punishment. Moses, the prophets, & the Decalogue have left sufficient testimony what is like to become of these kind of people. And as for the unbelievers, if they escape unpunished, let the text itself discover. The hypocrites, I am sure shall have their reward among the unjust. Why should I particular any more: we are all contained under sin; And iniquity hath gotten the upper hand. Why should we by invention, raise a new kind of supply, more than God or nature hath ordained, thereby to reprove his divine providence or perfection. Now then, to draw to an end of this work, let us compare the beginning with the end.  
Reason I said, is an essential part of the soul: The soul is immortal. Therefore Reason will ha●e continuance after this sensiti●e life shall finish; and is one of the principal parts that will discover, take knowledge and participate either of beatitude or misery: of hell, or heaven: of salvation, or perdition. Is it not high time then, that Reason, which is in every man's soul, and that every soul being endued with Reason: seeing such huge corruptions in the world, as are in manner unspeakable, should now begin to look about to prevent these mischiefs, and imminent miseries, that daily & hourly are like to work his destruction.  
It is not time she s●ould erect a school, get Schoolmasters, and Hushers, ' to teach the dawnger these creatures partakers of reason are run into; & under which they are like to perish. Hath she not good cause to discover the difference between the sensitive life; and the immortal reasonable soul? the shortness of these pleasures, & the everlasting joys of heaven? The differences of the Creatures, having reason, and those wanting: And the uses of them all: which no creature void of reason can look into. Is it not time she should go about to subdue & keep under, all the sens●tiues powers, passions, affections, perturbations, inventions, fantasies, and counterfeit seeming pleasures of these her subjects, to make them know themselves? ●eft by their stubbornness, she ●e pulled out of her better kingdom, whereof she is heir apparent: appointed to reign with her elder brother, even the Son of God, Christ jesus himself: the only possessor and owner, of true, perfect, and uncorrupt Reason.  
What a world is this, to make more account of the journey and travel, then of the mansion and dwelling house? Well, give Queen Reason leave to conclude, with the solution of this one question.  
A young man is at his choice, whether he will be bound to serve certain years, and then to be free: or else to be f●ee for certain years, and ever after to be a bondman, and in thraldom and misery. I know this question will readily be answered: It is better to smart once, then ache ever: and as long as there is hope of amendment, so long the pains are not very bitter: But when hope is past, than the heart is broken.  
Such is the state of man: And such doth divine Reason discover, to be the state of every man, in respect of his double life: man hath but a kind of servitude or apprenticeship in this temporal, or sensitive life; tied to covenants, services, precepts, conditions, and commandments. Which if he be careful to observe and keep, he shall do more than marry his masters daughter: according to the phrase, & best preferment of merchants. For he shall be then joint inheritor with his masters son: and have the fullness of freedom, felicity and happiness in a haven, and harbour where no custom is to be paid: no imposition, no giving nor taking of money upon credit: no bad nor desperate debts: no assurance for money, nor fraught of Ships: no casting into prison, chains, and irons, disquietness, nor discontentment.  
But on the contrary side, if this present life be spent, in vain, unhonest, lewd, & ungodly execises, practices, employments, without respect of performance of covenants, commandments, and bonds: Then surely, as the immortal life is much more precious, than the mortal, or mere sensitive: so are the punishments more grievous than the other: And so much the more grievous, because Reason understandeth there is a felicity, otherwise the torments of hell were nothing.  
And for these causes, doth Queen Reason persuade and entreat every reasonable soul, to enter into the closet of his own conscience and heart, to school, inform, and instruct himself, concerning his own good, & to be so charitable as to inform others thereof: which she holdeth to be an office of charitable duty. And so to conclude, if every man will be his own Schoolmaster & instructor, which she desireth, her Academy will be wonderful large: But principally, she adviseth the learning and instruction of her Creator, to be taught, followed, & put in practice: for thereby the number of God's Saints will be increased, his glory adaunced, and his Triumphant kingdom replenished, with the company of holy and reasoble souls, after the sensitive life ended, which God grant, for his mercy.    

Reason's moan.  

WHen I peruse heavens ancient written story,  
part left in books, and part in contemplation:  
I find Creation tended to Godi glory:  
but when I look upon the foul evasion,  
Lo then I cry, I howl I weep, I moan,  
and seek for truth, but truth alas is gone.   

Whilom of old before the earth was founded,  
or hearhs, or trees, or plants, or beasts, had being,  
Or that the mighty Canopy of heaven surrounded  
these lower Creatures, ●re that the eye had seeing  
Then reason was within the mind of jove,  
embracing only, amity and love.   

The blessed Angels forms and admirable natures,  
their happy states, their lives, and high perfections:  
Immortal essence, and unmeasured statures,  
the more make known their falls & low directinos.  
These things when Reason doth peruse,  
She finds her errors, which she would excuse.   

●ut out alas, she sees strife is all in vain,  
It boats not to contend, on stand in this defence:  
death sorrow, grief, bell & torments, are her gain,  
And endless burning fire, becomes our recompense.  
Oh heavy m●ane! Oh endless sorrows anguishes,  
Never to cease, but ever still to languish.   

When I peruse the state of prime Created man,  
His wealth, his dignity, and reason:  
His power, his pleasure, his greatness when I s●an●  
I do admire, and wonder, that in so short a season,  
These noble parts, should have so short conclusion:  
and man himself, be brought to such confusion.   

In seeking countries far beyond the seas, I find,  
Even where fair Eden's pleasant garden stood:  
And all the Coasts unto the same confined,  
Gall to cruel wars, men's hands embrued in blood,  
In cutting throats, and murders, men delight,  
So from these places, Reason's banished quite.   

O jerusalem, that thou shouldst now turn Turk,  
And Zion's hill, where holy Rites of yore were used,  
Oh, that within that Holy place should turk  
Such sacrilege: whereby Ioues nau●e's abusdo.  
What famous Greece, farewell: thou canst not boast  
thy great renown: thy wit, thy learning's lost.   

The further search I make, the worse effect I find,  
All Asia swarms with huge impiety:  
All Africa's bent unto a bloody mind:  
All Treachers 'gainst jove, & his great deity.  
Let us return to famous Britons King,  
whose worthy praise; let all the world go sing.   

Great Tetragramaton out of thy bounteous love,  
Let all the world and Nations truly know,  
That be plants peace, and quarrel doth remove:  
Let him be great'st on all the earth below.  
Long may he live, and all the w●rld admire,  
that peace is wrought as they themselves desire.   

Wh●t Union he hath brought to late perfection,  
Twixt Nations that hath so long contended:  
Their wars, and envies by him receive correction,  
And in his royal Person all their jars are ended.  
And so in brief conclude, ought all that live,  
give thanks to him for joy, that Peace doth give.   

By power and will of this our mighty King,  
Reason doth show that God hath wrought a wonder:  
Countries distract he doth to Union bring,  
And joins together States which others sunder.  
God grant him life till Shiloes' coming be,  
In heavens high seat, he may enthronized be.   
FINIS.