CHAP. I. Of SENSE .

COncerning the Thoughts of man , I will consider them first Singly , and afterwards in Trayne , or dependance upon one another . Singly , they are every one a Representation or Apparence , of some quality , or other Accident of a body without us ; which is commonly called an Object . Which Object worketh on the Eyes , Eares , and other parts of mans body ; and by diversity of working , produceth diversity of Apparences .

The Originall of them all , is that which we call SENSE ; ( For there is no conception in a mans mind , which hath not at first , totally , or by parts , been begotten upon the organs of Sense . ) The rest are derived from that originall .

To know the naturall cause of Sense , is not very necessary to the business now in hand ; and I have else-where written of the same at large . Nevertheless , to fill each part of my present method , I will briefly deliver the same in this place .

The cause of Sense , is the Externall Body , or Object , which presseth the organ proper to each Sense , either immediatly , as in the Tast and Touch ; or mediately , as in Seeing , Hearing , and Smelling : which pressure , by the mediation of Nerves , and other strings , and membranes of the body , continued inwards to the Brain , and Heart , causeth there a resistance , or counter-pressure , or endeavour of the heart , to deliver it self : which endeavour because Outward , seemeth to be some matter without . And this seeming , or fancy , is that which men call Sense ; and consisteth , as to the Eye , in a Light , or Colour figured ; To the Eare , in a Sound ; To the Nostrill , in an Odour ; To the Tongue and Palat , in a Savour ; And to the rest of the body , in Heat , Cold , Hardnesse , Softnesse , and such other qualities , as we discern by Feeling . All which qualities called Sensible , are in the object that causeth them , but so many several motions of the matter , by which it presseth our organs diversly . Neither in us that are pressed , are they any thing else , but divers motions ; ( for motion , produceth nothing but motion . ) But their apparence to us is Fancy , the same waking , that dreaming . And as pressing , rubbing , or striking the Eye , makes us fancy a light ; and pressing the Eare , produceth a dinne ; so do the bodies also we see , or hear , produce the same by their strong , though unobserved action . For if those Colours , and Sounds , were in the Bodies , or Objects that cause them , they could not bee severed from them , as by glasses , and in Ecchoes by reflection , wee see they are ; where we know the thing we see , is in one place ; the apparence , in another . And though at some certain distance , the reall , and very object seem invested with the fancy it begets i●… us ; Yet still the object is one thing ▪ the image or fancy is another . So that Sense in all cases , is nothing els but originall fancy , caused ( as I have said ) by the pressure , that is , by the motion , of externall things upon our Eyes , Eares , and other organs thereunto ordained .

But the Philosophy-schooles , through all the Universities of Christendome , grounded upon certain Texts of Aristotle , teach another doctrine ; and say , For the cause of Vision , that the thing seen , sendeth forth on every side a visible species ( in English ) a vi●…ble 〈◊〉 , apparition , or aspect , or a being seen ; the receiving whereof into the Eye , is Seeing . And for the cause of Hearing , that the thing heard , sendeth forth an A●…dible species , that is , 〈◊〉 Audible aspect , or Audible being seen ; which entring at the Eare , maketh Hearing . Nay for the cause of Understanding also , they say the thing Understood sendeth forth intelligible species , that is , an intelligible being seen ; which comming into the Understanding , makes us Understand . I say not this , as disapproving the use of Universities : but because I am to speak hereafter of their office in a Common-wealth , I must let you see on all occasions by the way , what things would be amended in them ; amongst which the frequency of insignificant Speech is one .

CHAP. II. Of IMAGINATION .

THat when a thing lies still , unlesse somewhat els stirre it , it will lye still for ever , is a truth that no man doubts of . But that when a thing is in motion , it will eternally be in motion , unless somewhat els stay it , though the reason be the same , ( namely , that nothing can change it selfe , ) is not so easily assented to . For men measure , not onely other men , but all other things , by themselves : and because they find themselves subject after motion to pain , and lassitude , think every thing els growes weary of motion , and seeks repose of its own accord ; little considering , whether it be not some other motion , wherein that desire of rest they find in themselves , consisteth . From hence it is , that the Schooles say , Heavy bodies fall downwards , out of an appetite to rest , and to conserve their nature in that place which is most proper for them ; ascribing appetite , and Knowledge of what is good for their conservation , ( which is more than man has ) to things inanimate , absurdly .

When a Body is once in motion , it moveth ( unless something els hinder it ) eternally ; and whatsoever hindreth it , cannot in an instant , but in time , and by degrees quite extinguish it : And as wee see in the water , though the wind cease , the waves give not over rowling for a long time after ; so also it happeneth in that motion , which is made in the internall parts of a man , then , when he Sees , Dreams , &c. For after the object is removed , or the eye shut , wee still retain an image of the thing seen , though more obscure than when we see it . And this is it , the Latines call Imagination , from the image made in seeing ; and apply the same , though improperly , to all the other senses . But the Greeks call it Fancy ; which signifies apparence , and is as proper to one sense , as to another . IMAGINATION therefore is nothing but decaying sense ; and is found in men , and many other living Creatures , aswell sleeping , as waking .

The decay of Sense in men waking , is not the decay of the motion made in sense ; but an obscuring of it , in such manner , as the light of the Sun obscureth the light of the Starres ; which sta●…s do no less exercise their vertue by which they are visible , in the day , than in the night . But because amongst many stroaks , which our eyes , eares , and other organs receive from externall bodies , the predominant onely is sensible ; therefore the light of the Sun being predominant , we are not affected with the action of the starrs . And any object being removed from our eyes , though the impression it made in us remain ; yet other objects more present succeeding , and working on us , the Imagination of the past is obscured , and made weak ; as the voyce of a man is in the noyse of the day . From whence it followeth , that the longer the time is , after the sight , or Sense of any object , the weaker is the Imagination . For the continuall change of mans body , destroyes in time the parts which in sense were moved : So that distance of time , and of place , hath one and the same effect in us . For as at a great distance of place , that which wee look at , appears dimme , and without distinction of the smaller parts ; and as Voyces grow weak , and inarticulate : so also after great distance of time , our imagination of the Past is weak ; and wee lose ( for example ) of Cities wee have seen , many particular Streets ; and of Actions , many particular Circumstances . This decaying sense , when wee would express the thing it self , ( I mean fancy it selfe , ) wee call Imagination ; as I said before : But when we would express the decay , and signifie that the Sense is fading , old , and past , it is called Memory . So that Imagination and Memory , are but one Memory . thing , which for divers considerations hath divers names .

Much memory , or memory of many things , is called Experience . Againe , Imagination being only of those things which have been formerly perceived by Sense , either all at once , or by parts at severall times ; The former , ( which is the imagining the whole object , as it was presented to the sense ) is simple Imagination ; as when one imagineth a man , or horse , which he hath seen before . The other is Compounded ; as when from the sight of a man at one time , and of a horse at another , we conceive in our mind a Centaure . So when a man compoundeth the image of his own person , with the image of the actions of an other man ; as when a man imagins himselfe a Her●…s , or an Alexander , ( which happeneth often to them that are much taken with reading of Romants ) it is a compound imagination , and properly but a Fiction of the mind . There be also other Imaginations that rise in men , ( though waking ) from the great impression made in sense : As from gazing upon the Sun , the impression leaves an image of the Sun before our eyes a long time after ; and from being long and vehemently attent upon Geometricall Figures , a man shall in the dark , ( though awake ) have the Images of Lines , and Angles before his eyes : which kind of Fancy hath no particular name ; as being a thing that doth not commonly fall into mens discourse .

The imaginations of them that sleep , are those we call Dreams . Dreams . And these also ( as all other Imaginations ) have been before , either totally , or by parcells in the Sense . And because in sense , the Brain , and Nerves , which are the necessary Organs of sense , are so benummed in sleep , as not easily to be moved by the action of Externall Objects , there can happen in sleep , no Imagination ; and therefore no Dreame , but what proceeds from the agitation of the inward parts of mans body ; which inward parts , for the connexion they have with the Brayn , and other Organs , when they be distempered , do keep the same in motion ; whereby the Imaginations there formerly made , appeare as if a man were waking ; saving that the Organs of Sense being now benummed , so as there is no new object , which can master and obserue them with a more vigorous impression , a Dreame must needs be more cleare , in this silence of sense , than are our waking thoughts . And hence it cometh to passe , that it is a hard matter , and by many thought impossible to distinguish exactly between Sense and Dreaming . For my part , when I consider , that in Dreames , I do not often , nor constantly think of the same Persons , Places , Objects , and Actions that I do waking ; nor remember so long a trayne of coherent thoughts , Dreaming , as at other times ; And because waking I often observe the absurdity of Dreames , but never dream of the absurdities of my waking Thoughts ; I am well satisfied , that being awake , I know I dreame not ; though when I dreame , I think my selfe awake .

And seeing dreames are caused by the distemper of some of the inward parts of the Body ; divers distempers must needs cause different Dreams . And hence it is , that lying cold breedeth Dreams of Feare , and raiseth the thought and Image of some fearfull object ( the motion from the brain to the inner parts , and from the inner parts to the Brain being reciprocall : ) And that as Anger causeth heat in some parts of the Body , when we are awake ; so when we sleep , the over heating of the same parts causeth Anger , and raiseth up in the brain the Imagination of an Enemy . In the same manner ; as naturall kindness , when we are awake causeth desire ; and desire makes heat in certain other parts of the body ; so also , too much heat in those parts , while wee sleep , raiseth in the brain an imagination of some kindness shewn . In summe , our Dreams are the reverse of our waking Imaginations ; The motion when we are awake , beginning at one end ; and when we Dream , at another . Apparitions or Visions .

The most difficult discerning of a mans Dream , from his waking thoughts , is then , when by some accident we observe not that we have slept : which is easie to happen to a man full of fearfull thoughts ; and whose conscience is much troubled ; and that sleepeth , without the circumstances , of going to bed , or putting off his clothes , as one that noddeth in a chayre . For he that taketh pains , and industriously layes himself to sleep , in case any uncouth and exorbitant fancy come unto him , cannot easily think it other than a Dream . We read of Marcus Brutus , ( one that had his life given him by Iulius Caesar , and was also his favorite , and notwithstanding murthered him , ) how at Philippi , the night before he gave battell to Augustus C●…sar , hee saw a fearfull apparition , which is commonly related by Historians as a Vision : but considering the circumstances , one may easily judge to have been but a short Dream . For sitting in his tent , pensive and troubled with the horrour of his rash act , it was not hard for him , slumbering in the cold , to dream of that which most affrighted him ; which feare , as by degrees it made him wake ; so also it must needs make the Apparition by degrees to vanish : And having no assurance that he slept , he could have no cause to think it a Dream , or any thing but a Vision . And this is no very rare Accident : for even they that be perfectly awake , if they be timorous , and supperstitious , possessed with fearfull tales , and alone in the dark , are subject to the like fancies ; and believe they see spirits and dead mens Ghosts walking in Church-yards ; whereas it is either their Fancy onely , or els the knavery of such persons , as make use of such superstitious feare , to passe disguised in the night , to places they would not be known to haunt .

From this ignorance of how to distinguish Dreams , and other strong Fancies , from Vision and Sense , did arise the greatest part of the Religion of the Gentiles in time past , that worshipped Satyres , Fawnes , Nymphs , and the like ; and now adayes the opinion that rude people have of Fayries , Ghosts , and Goblins ; and of the power of Witches . For as for Witches , I think not that their witchcraft is any reall power ; but yet that they are justly punished , for the false beliefe they have , that they can do such mischiefe , joyned with their purpose to do it if they can : their trade being neerer to a new Religion , than to a Craft or Science . And for Fayries , and walking Ghosts , the opinion of them has I think been on purpose , either taught , or not confuted , to keep in credit the use of Exorcisme , of Crosses , of holy Water , and other such inventions of Ghostly men . Neverthelesse , there is no doubt , but God can make unnaturall Apparitions : But that he does it so often , as men need to feare such things , more than they feare the stay , or change , of the course of Nature , which he also can stay , and change , is no point of Christian faith . But evill men under pretext that God can do any thing , are so bold as to say any thing when it serves their turn , though they think it untrue ; It is the part of a wise man , to believe them no further , than right reason makes that which they say , appear credible . If this superstitious fear of Spirits were taken away , and with it , Prognostiques from Dreams , false Prophecies , and many other things depending thereon , by which , crafty ambitious persons abuse the simple people , men would be much more fitted than they are for civill Obedience .

And this ought to be the work of the Schooles : but they rather nourish such doctrine . For ( not knowing what Imagination , or the Senses are ) , what they receive , they reach : some saying , that Imaginations rise of themselves , and have no cause : Others that they rise most commonly from the Will ; and that Good thoughts are blown ( inspired ) into a man , by God ; and Evill thoughts by the Divell : or that Good thoughts are powred ( infused ) into a man , by God , and Evill ones by the Divell . Some say the Senses receive the Species of things , and deliver them to the Common-sense ; and the Common Sense delivers them over to the Fancy , and the Fancy to the Memory , and the Memory to the Judgement , like handing of things from one to another , with many words making nothing understood .

The Imagination that is raysed in man ( or any other creature indued Understanding . with the faculty of imagining ) by words , or other voluntary signes , is that we generally call Understanding ; and is common to Man and Beast . For a dogge by custome will understand the call , or the rating of his Master ; and so will many other Beasts . That Understanding which is peculiar to man , is the Understanding not onely his will ; but his conceptions and thoughts , by the sequell and contexture of the names of things into Affirmations , Negations , and other formes of Speech : And of this kinde of Understanding I shall speak hereafter .

CHAP. III. Of the Consequence or TRAYNE of Imaginations .

BY Consequence , or TRAYNE of Thoughts , I understand that succession of one Thought to another , which is called ( to distinguish it from Discourse in words ) Mentall Discourse .

When a man thinketh on any thing whatsoever , His next Thought after , is not altogether so casuall as it seems to be . Not every Thought to every Thought succeeds indifferently . But as wee have no Imagination , whereof we have not formerly had Sense , in whole , or in parts ; so we have no Transition from one Imagination to another , whereof we never had the like before in our Senses . The reason whereof is this . All Fancies are Motions within us , reliques of those made in the Sense : And those motions that immediately succeeded one another in the sense , continue also together after Sense : In so much as the former comming again to take place , and be praedominant , the later followeth , by coherence of the matter moved , in such manner , as water upon a plain Table is drawn which way any one part of it is guided by the finger . But because in sense , to one and the same thing perceived , sometimes one thing , sometimes another succeedeth , it comes to passe in ●…ime , that in the Imagining of any thing , there is no certainty what we shall Imagine next ; Onely this is certain , it shall be something that succeeded the same before , at one time or another .

This Trayne of Thoughts , or Mentall Discourse , is of two sorts . Trayne of Thoughts unguided . The first is Vnguided , without Designe , and inconstant ; Wherein there is no Passionate Thought , to govern and direct those that follow , to it self , as the end and scope of some desire , or other passion : In which case the thoughts are said to wander , and seem impertinent one to another , as in a Dream . Such are Commonly the thoughts of men , that are not onely without company , but also without care of any thing ; though even then their Thoughts are as busie as at other times , but without harmony ; as the sound which a Lute out of tune would yeeld to any man ; or in tune , to one that could not play . And yet in this wild ranging of the mind , a man may oft-times perceive the way of it , and the dependance of one thought upon another . For in a Discourse of our present civill warre , what could seem more impertinent , than to ask ( as one did ) what was the value of a Roman Penny ? Yet the Cohaerence to me was manifest enough . For the Thought of the warre , introduced the Thought of the delivering up the King to his Enemies ; The Thought of that , brought in the Thought of the delivering up of Christ ; and that again the Thought of the 30 pence , which was the price of that treason : and thence easily followed that malicious question ; and all this in a moment of time ; for Thought is quick .

The second is more constant ; as being regulated by some desire , Trayne of Thoughts regulated . and designe . For the impression made by such things as wee desire , or feare , is strong , and permanent , or , ( if it cease for a time , ) of quick return : so strong it is sometimes , as to hinder and break our sleep . From Desire , ariseth the Thought of some means we have seen produce the like of that which we ayme at ; and from the thought of that , the thought of means to that mean ; and so continually , till we come to some beginning within our own power . And because the End , by the greatnesse of the impression , comes often to mind , in case our thoughts begin to wander , they are quickly again reduced into the way : which observed by one of the seven wise men , made him give men this praecept , which is now worne out , Respice finem ; that is to say , in all your actions , look often upon what you would have , as the thing that directs all your thoughts in the way to attain it .

The Trayn of regulated Thoughts is of two kinds ; One , when of an effect imagined , wee seek the causes , or means that produce it : and this is common to Man and Beast . The other is , when imagining any thing whatsoever , wee seek all the possible effects , that can by it be produced ; that is to say , we imagine what we can do with it , when wee have it . Of which I have not at any time seen any signe , but in man onely ; for this is a curiosity hardly incident to the nature of any living creature that has no other Passion but sensuall , such as are hunger , thirst , lust , and anger . In summe , the Discourse of the Mind , when it is governed by designe , is nothing but Seeking , or the faculty of Invention , which the Latines call Sagacitas , and Solertia ; a hunting out of the causes , of some effect , present or past ; or of the effects , of some present or past cause . Sometimes a man seeks what he hath lost ; and from that place , and time , wherein hee misses it , his mind runs back , from place to place , and time to time , to find where , and when he had it ; that is to say , to find some certain , and limited time and place , in which to begin a method of seeking . Again , from thence , his thoughts run over the same places and times , to find what action , or other occasion might make him lose it . This we call Remembrance , or Calling to mind : the Latines call it Remembrance . Reminiscentia , as it were a Re-conning of our former actions .

Sometimes a man knows a place determinate , within the compasse whereof he is to seek ; and then his thoughts run over all the parts thereof , in the same manner , as one would sweep a room , to find a jewell ; or as a Spaniel ranges the field , till he find a sent ; or as a man should run over the Alphabet , to start a rime .

Sometime a man desires to know the event of an action ; and then Prudence . he thinketh of some like action past , and the events thereof one after another ; supposing like events will follow like actions . As he that foresees what wil become of a Criminal , re-cons what he has seen follow on the like Crime before ; having this order of thoughts , The Crime , the Officer , the Prison , the Judge , and the Gallowes . Which kind of thoughts , is called Foresight , and Prudence , or Providence ; and sometimes Wisdome ; though such conjecture , through the difficulty of observing all circumstances , be very fallacious . But this is certain ; by how much one man has more experience of things past , than another ; by so much also he is more Prudent , and his expectations the seldomer faile him . The Present onely has a being in Nature ; things Past have a being in the Memory onely , but things to come have no being at all ; the Future being but a fiction of the mind , applying the sequels of actions Past , to the actions that are Present ; which with most certainty is done by him that has most Experience ; but not with certainty enough . And though it be called Prudence , when the Event answereth our Expectation ; yet in its own nature , it is but Presumption . For the foresight of things to come , which is Providence , belongs onely to him by whose will they are to come . From him onely , and supernaturally , proceeds Prophecy . The best Prophet naturally is the best guesser ; and the best guesser , he that is most versed and studied in the matters he guesses at : for he hath most Signes to guesse by .

A Signe , is the Event Antecedent , of the Consequent ; and contrarily , Signes . the Consequent of the Antecedent , when the like Consequences have been observed , before : And the oftner they have been observed , the lesse uncertain is the Signe . And therefore he that has most experience in any kind of businesse , has most Signes , whereby to guesse at the Future time ; and consequently is the most prudent : And so much more prudent than he that is new in that kind of business , as not to be equalled by any advantage of naturall and extemporary wit : though perhaps many young men think the contrary .

Neverthelesse it is not Prudence that distinguisheth man from beast . There be beasts , that at a year old observe more , and pursue that which is for their good , more prudently , than a child can do at ten .

As Prudence is a Praesumtion of the Future , contracted from the Con●…ecture of the time past . Experience of time Past ▪ So there is a Praesumtion of things Past taken from other things ( not future but ) past also . For he that hath seen by what courses and degrees , a flourishing State hath first come into civil warre , and then to ruine ; upon the sight of the ●…ines of any other State , will guesse ▪ the like warre , and the like courses have been there also . But this conjecture , has the same incertainty almost with the conjecture of the Future ; both being grounded onely upon Experience .

There is no other act of mans mind , that I can remember , naturally planted in him , so , as to need no other thing , to the exercise of it , but to be born a man , and live with the use of his five Senses . Those other Faculties , of which I shall speak by and by , and which seem proper to man onely , are acquired , and encreased by study and industry ; and of most men learned by instruction , and discipline ; and proceed all from the invention of Words , and Speech . For besides Sense , and Thoughts , and the Trayne of thoughts , the mind of man has no other motion ; though by the help of Speech , and Method , the same Facultyes may be improved to such a height , as to distinguish men from all other living Creatures .

Whatsoever we imagine , is Finite . Therefore there is no Idea , or conception of any thing we call Infinite . No man can have in his mind an Image of infinite magnitude ; nor conceive infinite swiftness , infinite time , or infinite force , or infinite power . When we say any thing is infinite , we signifie onely ▪ that we are not able to conceive the ends , and bounds of the thing named ; having no Conception of the thing , but of our own inability . And therefore the Name of God is used , not to make us conceive him ; ( for he is Incomprehensible ; and his greatnesse , and power are unconceivable ; ) but that we may honour him . Also because whatsoever ( as I said before , ) we conceive , has been perceived first by sense , either all at once , or by parts ; a man can have no thought , representing any thing , not subject to sense . No man therefore can conceive any thing , but he must conceive it in some place ; and indued with some determinate magnitude ; and which may be divided into parts ; nor that any thing is all in this place , and all in another place at the same time ; nor that two , or more things can be in one , and the same place at once : For none of these things ever have , or can be incident to Sense ; but are absurd speeches , taken upon credit ( without any signification at all , ) from deceived Philosophers , and deceived , or deceiving Schoolemen .