A treatise of the passions and faculties of the soul of man With the…A treatise of the passions and faculties of the soule of man With the…

And that there should be such an Alienation of the Mind from Truth, when the Fancy and Heart are hot with Passion, cannot be any great wonder: For, the Soul is of a limited and determined Activity in the Body; insomuch, that it cannot with perspicuity and diligence give attendance unto diverse Objects. And therefore, when a Passion in its fullness, both of a violence and delight, doth take it up, the more clear and naked brightness of Truth is suspended and changed: So that, as the Sun and Moon, at their rising and setting, seem far greater than at other times, by reason of thick Vapours, which are then interposed; so, the Mind looking upon things through the Mists and Troubles of Passion, cannot possibly judge ⟨p. 70⟩of them, in their own proper and immediate Truth, but according to that magnitude or colour, which they are framed into, by prejudice and distemper.

And that there should be such an Alienation of the Mind from Truth, when the Fancie and Heart are hot with Passion, cannot be any great wonder: For, the Soule is of a limited and determined Activitie in the Body; insomuch, that it cannot with perspi•uitie and diligence give attendance unto diverse Objects. And therefore, when a Passion in its fulnesse, both of a violence and delight, doth take it up, the more cleare and naked brightnesse of Truth is suspended and changed: So that, as the Sunne and Moone, at their rising and setting, seeme farre greater than at other times, by reason of thick Vapours, which are then interposed; so, the Mind looking upon things through the Mists and Troubles of Passion, cannot possibly judge ⟨p. 70⟩of them, in their owne proper and immediate Truth, but according to that magnitude or colour, which they are framed into, by prejudice and distemper.

But then, thirdly, if Reason will neither be¹ deluded nor won over to the patronage of Evil, nor diverted from the knowledge and notice of Good; then doth Passion strive to confound and distract the Apprehensions thereof, that they may not with any firmness or efficacy of Discourse, interrupt the Current of such irregular and head-strong Motions. And this is a most inward and proper Effect of Passion: For, as things presented to the Mind, in the nakedness and simplicity of their own Truth, do gain a more firm Assent unto them, and a more fixed intuition on them; so, on the contrary side, those things which come mixed and troubled, dividing the intention of the Mind between Truth and Passion, cannot obtain any settled or satisfactory Resolution from the Discourses of Reason.