Doctor Fludds answer vnto M· Foster or, The squeesing of Parson Fosters sponge, ordained by him for the wiping away of the weapon-salue VVherein the sponge-bearers immodest carriage and behauiour towards his bretheren is detected ...

CHAP. IIII.

This Chapter sheweth Master Fosters error, in saying that the soule doth not reside after an hidden man∣ner in the spirits.

The second attempt of the Sponge against the same Text.

Fourthly, I deny that the soule resideth after any hid∣den * 1.1 manner in the spirits. The Stoicks indeed held that the spirits were vincula animae & corporis; but the Peripatetick and Diuines deeme this as needlesse, seeing the body is generated for the soule, and the soule created for the body, and both make the totum compositum. What needs there any bonds to fasten them together? There is a reciprocall desire to come together at the first, and an endeauour after the vnion to keepe together. The soule can∣not in any kinde depend on, or reside in the spirits her in∣struments, but the spirits in the soule, &c.

We squeese once againe in this Argument, this swelling and full-gorged Sponge after this manner:

Though in the precedent, I answered sufficient∣ly * 1.2 that point; yet must I wring this Sponge a little harder, or it will keepe some of the iuyce of verity in his porous paunch.

I said before, that animaesedes was in sanguine, and her chiefest vehicle, was the humidum radicale, as we see, that the Spirit of life in the great world, did place His Tabernacle in the Sunne of Heauen; And a∣gaine * 1.3 it is said, that the incorruptible Spirit is in all

things, but this is that spirit which viuifyeth all things; and therefore it resideth in the blood, and consequently in the spirits, which are contained therein, after a hidden and mysticall manner.

As touching the Peripateticks and some 〈◊〉〈◊〉 opinion, who hold that it is needlesse, there should be a tye betweene the soule and body: veri∣ly that doctrine is most erroneous and false. First, because the soule and body are so contrary in com∣plexion vnto one another, that except an vnion were made betweene the two extremes, it were im∣possible that they should meet together, or if they should or could meete; yet the pure and heauenly light of the soule, would suddenly forsake the im∣pure and earthly darknesse of the body. For how can duo contraria conuenire in vnum? Doe we not see that all influences from aboue must haue an ayrie Chariot, vehicle or medium, to conuey them into bodies, and to vnite them together? Why did God ordaine and place the Ayre betweene the Heauen and Earth; but to serue as a vehicle to v∣nite celestiall things with terrestriall ones, quasi a∣moris vinculo, as it were with the band of loue? Can we haue a better proofe hereof in this typicall world, then that of the Archetypicall? Is not the Father vnited to the Sonne by the Holy Spirit, which Saint Augustine calleth, and many others, Diuinum amoris vinculum: The Diuine tye, or vnion of loue? Now after the Archetypicall image were all things effected, both in the little and great world. For the Prophet saith: By the Word of the Lord the * 1.4 Heauens were fashioned, and by the Spirit of his mouth all

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the vertues of them: So that the vertuous vnion or linke, which is made betweene the effects of the Word in whom is life, and the creature to be viui∣fied, is the Good and Incorruptible Spirit, by which tye God hath his essentiall relation vnto the creature. By this Spirit all the discordant elements are tyed in an vnion and louing consent, whereup∣on it is called Peace, and Loue, and Concord, which beareth (as the Apostle saith) and sustaineth all things * 1.5 by the Word of his vertue. By it, weight and proportion is assigned vnto the ayre, and the clouds are fastened or hung vp in measure, and the waters are tyed so fast in the thicke * 1.6 clouds, that they cleaue not. To conclude, in the great World, the Earth and the Heauens are established and linked together by the Word of God, as the Apostle Pe∣ter * 1.7 telleth vs, or else the elements would be conti∣nually at warre. And by the same reason the soule and the body, or Heauen and Earth in the little World are linked together, by this intermediate eternall tye, or else the body and soule would ne∣uer abide together, but warre against one another, being that they are as contrary in nature, as fire and water. But vnlesse the spirit of ayre were put betweene these two contrary elements, to ioyne them together, they would neuer agree, nor abide in their spheares: no more would the soule and body, without a spirituall meane. Now as we see, that the Heaven of the great World is composed of light and spirit proportioned, and as it were glewed together, by the eternall Spirit, which is the Infuser of life in them both; so also is the spirit in man so firmely vnited vnto the soule by the spiritu∣all

Word, which is the tye or glew of life, that it is not possible to be separated the one from the o∣ther, except it be by that Spirit, which did ioyne them together: And this may easily be gathered out of these words of the Apostle: Viuus est sermo Dei & * 1.8 efficax, & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 omni gladio ancipiti, & pertin∣gens vsque ad diuisionem animae 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉: The Word of God is liuely and effectuall, and more piercing then a •…•…edged Sword, and attaineth euen to the diuision of the soule from the spirit. Whereby it argueth, that the life consisteth of soule and spirit, and that these two are so vnited together, by the tye of the Word, that nothing but the composer or binder can make any separation of them. And for this reason wee may see, that there is a strong tye, as well betweene the spirit and the soule, as betweene the soule and the body. And therefore as the soule is more worthy then the spirit, so the spirit excelleth in dignity the body, and consequently, the spirit is by proporti∣on interposed betweene the soule and the body, no otherwise then the Ayre betweene the Sunne and Earth. Wherefore it is an absurdity in the Peri∣pateticks, to deny this tye and vnion, and more ab∣surd for Master Foster to make such a poore excuse, as to say, that the body was generated for the soule, and the soule created for the body, and therefore that there needeth no bands to faften them. A poore conclusion (I say) of so eminently appearing a Philosopher and Theosopher: as who fhould say, two extremes could more be ioyned together, without a medium or middle tye or intermediate spirit, to conioyne and vnite them; then the two extremes of a Dia∣meter

in a Circle, without a middle point or Cen∣ter. And more absurd it is in him to say, that there can be a reciprocall desire of two extremes and contrary opposites to come and dwell together at the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, when they are so contrary, that the Wise man saith, Corpus infestum corruptioni aggrauat ani∣mam, * 1.9 & terrena habitatio deprimit mentem multis curis plenam: The body which is subiect to corruption, doth ouer∣burthen and aggrauate the soule, and the earthly habitation doth depresse and keepe vnder the minde that is full of cares. Is it not strange and vnnaturall, that any cap∣tiue spirit should not desire his freedome and li∣berty, especially the bright soule, which is captiued in her darke bodily prison? For this reason there∣fore Iamblicus saith, that Anima dormiat in corpore humano: The soule sleepeth in mans body. And Porphyrie hath it, That it is alwayes 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in the body. And Mercurie Trismegistus, That the body is vnto the soule a veile of ig∣norance. Whereupon it is certaine, that there is a spirit which keepeth it in this his darke prison. By this therefore you may see, what goodly doctrine this is of Master Fosters! But to mend the matter, he proceedeth thus: And they endeauour after vnion so to keepe together, &c. It is true, if he speaketh in the behalfe of the darke body, who is •…•…oth to leaue the bright soule, which is his treasure. But as for the soule, we see how many there are, that to escape the fetter of this prison, doe sluce out their owne blood, or destroy themselues, and many as well a∣mongst the Elect (as by Scriptures we finde it) as among the common Worldlings, desire earnestly of God, as being weary of this World, to be dis∣solued

and to passe out of this life: Cupio dissolui & * 1.10 esse cum Christo, saith the one, &c. Whereby it is apparent, that the soule doth not desire to liue in the body, or with the body, as Master Foster conclu∣deth. And when she departeth, she cannot leaue her body without the spirit, so firme is their vnion, as the Apostle sheweth, in the text before mentio∣ned; neither can the spirit wholly forsake that re∣lation it hath to the body, as is said. I conclude therefore •…•…at against Master Fosters assertion, that the soule doth, with a strict vnion, depend and rely on the spirit, and reciprocally the spirits rely on the soule, no otherwise then the Agent can not be esteemed as an Agent without the Patient, nor the Patient without the Agent. And therefore they must both of them be vnited in one. And conse∣quently, as an essentiall Agent doth act from the Center vnto the Circumference: euen so it is to be conceiued, that the agile soule is contained in the spirits, as the Agent in the Patient, or soule in the body, or lightning in the cloud.

And thus farre haue we proceeded, to squeese out all Master Fosters Sponges validity, touching this matter: I come vnto the next.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Foster.
• * 1.2

  Fludd.
• * 1.3

  Psal. 19. Sap. 12. 1.
• * 1.4

  Psal. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.5

  Heb. 1 Iob 26. 9.
• * 1.6

  Iob 28. 25.
• * 1.7

  2 Pet. 3.
• * 1.8

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 4. 12.
• * 1.9

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 9.
• * 1.10

  Philip. 1. 23.