The history of the world

§. II. Of the intellectuall mind of man, in which there is much of the Image of God: and that this Image is much deformed by sinne. [unspec 10]

BVT Mens is not taken here for animaphysica, according to Aristotle, which is forma, vel natura hominis: The forme or nature of man; but this facultie or gift of God, called Mens, is taken for prima vis animi, the principall strength of the minde, or soule, cuius actus est perpetua veritatis contemplatio; whose act, exercise, or office, is the perpetuall contemplation of [unspec 20] truth; and therefore it is also called intellectus diuinus, intellectus contemplatiue, & * 1.1 anima contemplatiua, A diuine vnderstanding, and an intellect or minde contemplatiue. Est autem mens nostra (saith CVSANVS) vis comprehendendi, & totum virtuale ex-omnibus* 1.2 comprehendendi virtutibus compositum: Our intellectuall minde (saith hee) is a power of comprehending, euen the whole, that is in this kind powerfull, compounded of all the powers of comprehension: vnto which Mercurius attributeth so much (if his meaning accom∣pany his words) that he esteemeth it to be the very essence of God (which was also the errour of the Manichees and others) and no otherwise separate from God (sayth hee) then the light from the Sunne: for this Mens or vnderstanding (sayth MERCV∣RIVS) est 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in hominibus: Is God in men, or rather (and which I take to be his mea∣ning) [unspec 30] * 1.3 is the image of God in man. For as the Sunne is not of the same essence or na∣ture with the diuine light, but a body illightned, and an illumination created; so is this Mens or vnderstanding in men, not of the essence of Gods infinite vnderstanding, but a power and facultie of our soules the purest; or the lumen animae rationalis, by the true and eternall light illightned. And this Mens others call animam animae, The soule of the soule, or with S. Augustine, the eye of the soule, or receptacle of Sapience and diuine knowledge, quae amorem sapientiae tanquàm ducem scquitur, Which followeth after the loue of sapience as her guide (saith Philo) betweene which and reason, betweene which and the minde, called anima, betweene which and that power which the La∣tines call animus, there is this difference. Reason is that facultie by which wee iudge [unspec 40] and discourse; Anima, by which we liue. Hereof it is said, Anima corpus animat, id est, viuificat; anima, or the soule is that which doth animate the body, that is, giueth it life: for death is the separation of body and soule; and the same strength (sayth Philo) which God the great Director hath in the World, the same hath this Anima, or mind, or soule in man. Animus, is that, by which wee will and make election; and to this Basil agreeth, which calleth this Mens, or diuine vnderstanding, perspicacem animae par∣tem, the perceiuing part of the minde, or the light by which the Soule discerneth: dor∣mientium mens, non anima, sopitur, & in furiosis mens extinguitur, anima manet, In men that sleep it is this (mens) or vnderstanding, and not the minde or soule, which resteth, during which time it is but habituall in wise men, and in mad men this (mens) is extinguished, [unspec 50] and not the Soule: for mad men doe liue, though distract.

Therefore this word being often vsed for the Soule giuing life, is attributed abu∣siuely to mad men, when wee say that they are of a distract minde, in stead of a bro∣ken vnderstanding, which word (mind) we vse also for opinion, as, I am of this mind,

or that minde: and sometimes for mens conditions or vertues, as, hee is of an honest minde, or, a man of a iust minde: sometimes for affection, as I doe this for my mindes sake; and Aristotle sometimes vseth this word (Mens) for the phantasie, which is the strength of the imagination: sometimes for the knowledge of principles, which we haue without discourse: oftentimes for Spirits, Angels and Intelligences: but as it is vsed in the proper signification, including both the vnderstanding agent & possible, it is described to be a pure, simple, substantiall act, not depending vpon matter, but hauing relation to that, which is intelligible, as to his first obiect: or more at large thus; a part or particle of the Soule, whereby it doth vnderstand, not depending vpon matter, nor needing any organ, free from passion comming from without, and [unspec 10] apt to bee disseuered, as, eternall from that which is mortall. Hereof excellently MERCVRIVS: Anima est imago mentis, mens imago Dei. Deus menti praeest, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 animae, anima corpori; The Soule (meaning that which giueth life) is the Image of this vnder∣standing, or Mens, and this (Mens) or vnderstanding is the Image of God. God is Presi∣dent or Ruler ouer this vnderstanding, this vnderstanding ouer the Soule, and this Soule o∣uer the bodie. This diuision and distinction out of the Platonikes and Peripatetikes, I* 1.4 leaue to the Reader to iudge of. That, Mens humana hath no need of any organ, Marsilius Ficinus in his ninth Booke of the Soules immortalitie laboureth to proue.* 1.5 Zanchius doth not differ from Ficinus in words, for (sayth hee) ad facultatem intelli∣gentem exercendam non eget Mens organo, tanquàm medio, per quod intelligat, quanquàm [unspec 20] eget obiecto in quod intueatur, & ex quo intellectionem concipiat: hoc autem obiectum sunt phantasmata, seùrerum à sensibus perceptarum simulachra ad phantasiam prolata, To exer∣cise the facultie of vnderstanding, the mind of man (sayth hee) needeth no instrument, as a meane, by which it may vnderstand: but it needeth an obiect, whereon to looke, and whence to conceiue the act of vnderstanding. This obiect are the phantasmes, or the resemblances of things receiued from the sense, and carried to the phantasie: But in effect his conclusion seemeth to carry a contrarie sense, when he maketh the Phantasie, in representing the obiect to the vnderstanding, to be a corporall Organum; neither can it be vnderstood to be an Organum of any thing; but of the vnderstanding. And he addeth that the re∣semblance of things in mans imagination, are to his vnderstanding and minde, as [unspec 30] colours are to the sight: whence it so followeth, that the imagination or phantasie it selfe is to the facultie of vnderstanding, as the eye is to the facultie of seeing, and as this is an Organum: so that. Of this question, How the Mind in all her actions maketh vse of the body, and hath communion with the body, I referre the Reader to a most* 1.6 graue and learned Discourse in the last Reply of Master Doctor Bilson, late Bishop of Winchester, vnto Henry Iacob. Howsoeuer the Truth be determined, wee mnst con∣clude, that it is neither in respect of reason alone, by which wee discourse, nor in re∣spect of the minde it selfe, by which we liue, nor in respect of our soules simply, by which we are immortall, that we are made after the Image of God. But most safely may wee resemble our selues to God, in mente, and in respect of that pure facultie [unspec 40] which is neuer separate from the contemplation and loue of God. Yet this is not all. For Saint Bernard maketh a true difference betweene the nature and faculties of the* 1.7 Minde or Soule, and betweene the infusion of qualities, endowments and gifts of grace, wherewith it is adorned and enriched, which, being added to the nature, es∣sence, and faculties, maketh it altogether to be after the Image of God, whose words are these: Non proptereà imago Dei est, quia sui meminit Mens, se{que} intelligit & diligit (which was also the opinion of Saint AVGVSTINE) sed quia potest meminisse, intellige∣reac diligere eum à quo facta est, (that is) The minde (or Mens) was not therefore the Image of God, because it remembreth, vnderstandeth, and loueth it selfe, but because it can re∣member, vnderstand, and loue God, who created it. And, that this Image may bee defor∣med [unspec 50] and made vnprofitable, heare BASIL: Homo ad imaginem & similitudinem Dei factus est, peccatum verò imaginis 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pulchritudinem deformauit: & inutilem reddidit, dum animam corruptis concupiscentiae affectibus immersit: Man was made after the Image and similitude of GOD, but Sinne hath deformed the beautie of this Image, and made

it vnprofitable by drawing our minds into corrupt concupiscence.

It is not therefore (as aforesaid) by reason of Immortalitie, nor in Reason, nor in Dominion, nor in any one of these by it selfe, nor in all these ioyned, by any of which, or by all which wee resemble, or may be called the shadow of God, though by reason and vnderstanding, with the other faculties of the Soule, we are made ca∣pable of this print; but chiefly, in respect of the habit of Originall righteousnesse, most perfectly infused by God into the mind and Soule of man in his first Creation. For it is not by nature, nor by her liberalitie, that wee were printed with the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Gods Image (though Reason may be said to be of her gift, which ioyned to the soule is a part of the Essentiall constitution of our proper Species) but from the bountifull [unspec 10] grace of the Lord of all goodnesse, who breathed life into Earth, and contriued within the Truncke of Dust and Clay, the inimitable habilitie of his owne Iustice, Pietie, and Righteousnesse.

So long therefore (for that resemblance which Dominion hath) doe those that are powerfull retaine the Image of God, as acording to his Commandements they exercise the Office or Magistracy to which they are called, and sincerely walke in the wayes of God, which in the Scriptures is called, walking with God; and all other men* 1.8 so long retaine this Image, as they feare, loue, and serue God truely, (that is) for the loue of God alone, and do not bruise and deface his Seale by the waight of manifold and voluntary offences, and obstinate sinnes. For the vniust minde cannot bee after [unspec 20] the Image of God, seeing God is Iustice it selfe; The bloud-thirstie hath it not; for God is Charitie, and mercie it selfe: Falshood, cunning practice, and ambition, are properties of Sathan; and therefore cannot dwell in one soule, together with GOD; and to bee short, there is no likelihood betweene pure light and blacke darkenesse,* 1.9 betweene beautie and deformitie, or betweene righteousnesse and reprobation. And though Nature, according to common vnderstanding, haue made vs capable by the power of reason, and apt enough to receiue this Image of Gods goodnesse, which the sensuall soules of beasts cannot perceiue; yet were that aptitude naturall more inclinable to follow and imbrace the false and durelesse pleasures of this Stage-play World, then to become the shadow of God by walking after him, had not the ex∣ceeding [unspec 30] workmanship of Gods wisedome, and the liberalitie of his mercy, formed eyes to our soules, as to our bodies, which, piercing through the impuritie of our flesh, behold the Highest Heauens, and thence bring Knowledge and Obiect to the Mind and Soule, to contemplate the euer-during glory, and termelesseioy, prepared for those, which retaine the Image and similitude of their Creatour, preseruing vn∣defiled and vnrent the garment of the new man, which, after the Image of GOD, is created in Righteousnesse, and true Holinesse, as saith Saint Paul. Now, whereas it is* 1.10 thought by some of the Fathers, as by Saint Augustine, with whom Saint Ambrose ioyneth, that, by sinne, the perfection of the Image is lost, and not the Image it selfe; both opinions by this distinction may be well reconciled (to wit) that the Image of [unspec 40] God, in man, may be taken two wayes; for eyther it is considered, according to na∣turall gifts, and consisteth therein: namely to haue a reasonable and vnderstanding nature, &c. and in this sense, the Image of God is more lost by sinne, then the very reasonable or vnderstanding nature, &c. is lost: (or sinne doth not abolish and take away these naturall gifts) or, the Image of God is considered, according to superna∣turall gifts, namely, of Diuine grace, and heauenly glory, which is indeed the perfe∣ction and accomplishment of the naturall Image; and this manner of similitude and Image of God, is wholly blotted out and destroyed by sinne. [unspec 50]

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.2

  De 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Idiota. l. 3.
• * 1.3

  Sen. Ep. 65. f. & 31. f.
• * 1.4

  Lib. 9. cap. 5
• * 1.5

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. de 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Dei. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 3. lib. 1. cap. 2.
• * 1.6

  Pag. 185. & se∣quent.
• * 1.7

  Ad imaginem Dei 〈◊〉〈◊〉 il∣lum, id est, sapi∣entiae, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 com∣potem, qui 〈◊〉〈◊〉 intuitus Creato∣rem 〈◊〉〈◊〉 suum, at{que} imita∣ri, pro{que} ingenij, pro{que} 〈◊〉〈◊〉, sibi 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ratione 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Exana.
• * 1.8

  Gen. 5. 22.
• * 1.9

  2. Cor. 6. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.10

  2. Cor. 3. 9. S. Ambrose.