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…

1 A first and most special one is the Abuse of Principles: For the Understanding must have ever something to rest it self upon: and from the conformity of other things, thereunto to gather the certainty and evidence of its Assents. For it is the nature of mans mind, since it had at first it self a beginning to abhor all manner of Infinity, á Part-Ante (I mean in Ascending and Resolution) as well of Sciences and Conclusions, as of Entities and Natures, as I before noted. And therefore as the Understanding is not quieted in Philosophical inquiries about created things, till it have according to their several differences ranged them severally within the compass of some Finite Line, and subordinated the Inferiors of every kind, Sub an• Summ• Genere, under one¹ chief; and rests not in the Resolution of Effects into their Causes, till it come to Aliquid primum, in Time, in Motion, in Place, in Causality, and Essential Dependence: so likewise it is in Knowledge & Truth, notwithstanding a Part Post, downward, our pursuits of them seem Infinite and Unlimited, by reason of our own Infinities, ⟨p. 485⟩and Aeviternity that way; yet upward in the resolving of Truth into its Causes and Originals, the Understanding is altogether Impatient of proceeding in Infinitum, and never rests till it finds a Non •ltra, an utmost link in the chain of any Science, and such a Prime, Universal, Unquestionable, Unprovable Truth, from whence all Inferior Collections are fundamentally raised, and this is the Truth of Principles: which if it be traduced and made crooked by the wrestings of any private conceit, mishaps all Conclusions that are derived from it: for if the foundation be weak, the whole edifice totters; if the root and fountain be bitter, all the branches and streams have their proportionable corruptions.

1 A first and most speciall one is the Abuse of Principles: For the Vnderstanding must have ever somthing to rest it selfe upon: and from the conformity of other things, thereunto to gather the certainty and evidence of its Assents. For it is the nature of mans minde, since it had at first it selfe a beginning to abhorre all manner of Infinity, á Parte-Ante (I meane in Ascending and Resolution) as well of Sciences and Conclusions, as of Entities and Natures, as I before noted. And therefore as the Vnderstanding is not quieted in Philosophicall inquiries about created things, till it have according to their severall differences ranged them severally within the compasse of some Finite Line, and subordinated the Inferiors of every kinde, Sub an Summ Genere, under one