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…

Contemplation adds unto the Soul a double Delight: First, from it's own property, it being the proper and natural agitation of mans mind, insomuch that those things which we abhor to know experimentally, our curious and contemplative nature desires to know speculatively. And ⟨p. 204⟩therefore the Devils first temptation was drawn from the knowledge as well of evil as good, for he knew that the mind of Man would receive content in the understanding of that, which in it's own nature had no perfection in it.

Contemplation addes unto the Soule a double Delight: First, from it's owne property, it being the proper and naturall agitation of mans minde, insomuch that those things which wee abhorre to know experimentally, our curlous and contemplative nature desires to know speculatively. And ⟨p. 204⟩therefore the Devils first temptation was drawne from the knowledge as well of evill as good, for he knew that the minde of Man would receive content in the understanding of that, which in it's owne nature had no perfection in it.

But then secondly, in the Object of true Delight, Contemplation ministereth a farther Joy, in that it doth in some sort pre-unite our Souls and our Blessedness together: and this is partly the reason why Aristotle so much advanceth his Contemplative before his practic Felicity: For though this in regard of it's immediate reference unto Communion, be of a more spreading and diffusive Nature; yet certainly, in that sweetness of content, that serenity of Soul, that exaltation of thoughts which we receive from those noble motions of the higher Mind, the other doth far in pleasure and satisfaction surpass all active happiness. And hence we see in the parts of Mans Body, those which are (if I may so speak) more contemplative, have precedence to those that are more practic. The parts of Vision are before the parts of Action; the right eye is preferred before the right hand. Thus we may observe in God himself (notwithstanding in him there can be neither accession nor intermission of Delight) yet by way of expression to us ward, he did not in the creation of the World so much joy in his fiat, as in his vidit; not so much when he gave his creatures their Nature, as when he saw their Goodness: Nature being the Object of Power; but Goodness the Object of Delight; and therefore the day of