A10663:70
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…
A treatise of the passions and faculties of the soul of man With the several dignities and corruptions thereunto belonging. By Edward Reynolds, late preacher to the honourable society of Lincoln's Inn: and now rector of the Church of Braunston in Northamptonshire.A treatise of the passions and faculties of the soule of man With the severall dignities and corruptions thereunto belonging. By Edvvard Reynoldes, late preacher to the honorable society of Lincoln's Inne: and now rector of the Church of Braunston in Northamptonshire.
London: printed by R. Hearne and John Norton for Robert Bostock, 1640
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
And here, by the way from the three former, we may take occasion to observe the misery of mans corrupted Nature; wherein those Faculties which were originally ordained for mutual assistance, do now exercise a mutual imposture: ⟨p. 28⟩and as man did join with a fellow-creature to dishonour, and if it had been possible, to deceive his Maker; so in the Faculties of man, we may discover a joint conspiracy in the working of their own overthrow and reproach, and a secret joy, in one to be deluded by another.
And here, by the way from the three former, we may take occasion to observe the miserie of mans corrupted Nature; wherein those Faculties which were originally ordained for mutuall assistance, doe now exercise a mutuall imposture: ⟨p. 28⟩and as man did joyne with a fellow-creature to dishonour, and if it had been possible, to deceive his Maker; so in the Faculties of man, we may discover a joynt conspiracie in the working of their owne overthrow and reproach, and a secret joy, in one to be deluded by another.
The next Corruption which I observed, is the Levity and too much Volubility of this Power, proceeding from the over-hasty obtrusion of the species. For, notwithstanding I grant the quickness of its operations to be one principal part of the excellency thereof; yet I thereby understand the Power, not the Infirmity; the Nature, not the Disease of that Faculty; the ability of having speedy recourse unto variety of Objects, treasured up in the Memory; or of apprehending new, with dexterity; not that floating and inconstant humour, whereby it makes many needless excursions upon impertinent things, and thereby interrupteth the course of the more needful and present operations of the Soul. For, since it may fall out, that unto the same Faculty, from diversity of occasions, contrary operations may prove arguments of worth; a restraint unto one manner of working, is an argument of weakness and defect, in that it straiteneth and defraudeth the power of those advantages which it might receive, by a timely application of the other: There may be a time, when the Fancy may have liberty to expatiate; but again, some objects will require a more fixed and permanent act. And therefore,