Malebranch's search after truth, or, A treatise of the nature of the humane mind and of its management for avoiding error in the sciences : vol I : done out of French from the last edition.

THE PREFACE.

THE Mind of Man is by its Nature, as it were, situated between its Creator and Cor∣poreal Creatures; since according to * 1.1 St. Austin there is nothing above it but God alone, and nothing below it but Bodies: But as the great Elevation it has above all Material things, does not hinder it from being united to them, and from depending in some measure upon a Portion of Matter; so the infi∣nite distance that is between the Sovereign Being and the Mind of Man, does not hinder it from being immediately and in a very strict manner united to him. This last Ʋnion raises it above all things; it gives it Life, Light, and all its Feli∣city; and * 1.2 St. Austin speaks of this Ʋnion in many Passages of his Works, as of that which is the most Natural and the most Essential to the Mind: On the contrary, the Ʋnion of the Mind with the Body, debases Man exceedingly, and is the Principal Cause of all our Errors and Miseries.

I do not wonder that the common sort of Men, or that the Heathen Philosophers, should only consider in the Soul, its Retation and Ʋnion with the Body, without distinguishing its Relation and Ʋnion with

God: But I am surprised that Christian Philo∣sophers, who should prefer the Mind of God to the Mind of Man, Moses to Aristotle, St. Austin to some wretched Commentator upon a Heathen Phi∣losopher, should look upon the Soul rather as the Form of the Body, than as being made after the Image, and for the Image of God, that is, according to * 1.3 St. Austin, for Truth, to which alone it is immediately united. It is true the Soul is united to the Body, and is naturally the Form of it; but it is also true, that it is united to God after a much stricter and more Essential manner. The relation it has to its Body might not be; but the relation it has to God is so Essential, that it is impossible to conceive that God could create a Spirit without that Relation.

It is evident that God can only Act for him∣self; that he can only Create Spirits to Know and Love him; that he can neither give them any Knowledge, nor imprint any Love in them, but what is for him, and what tends towards him: But he was not oblig'd to unite Spirits to Bodies as he has done. Therefore the * 1.4 Re∣lation which our Minds have to God, is Natural, Necessary, and absolutely Indispensible; but the Relation of our Spirits to our Bodies, though Natural, is neither absolutely Necessary, nor In∣dispensible.

This is not a proper place to set forth all the Authorities and Reasons, which may induce us to believe, that it is more suitable to the Nature of our Mind to be united to God, than to a Body;

these things would lead us too far. To place this Truth in a just Light, it would be necessary to destroy the Principal Foundations of Hea∣then Philosophy, to explain the Disorders of Sin, to engage what is falsly called Experience, and to argue against the Prejudices and Illusions of the Senses. Therefore to make the common sort of Mankind apprehend this Truth perfectly, is too hard a Task to attempt in a Preface.

Nevertheless it is not difficult to prove it to attentive Minds, which are acquainted with true Philosophy; for it is enough to put them in mind, that since the Will of God regulates the Nature of every thing, it is more suitable to the Nature of the Soul to be united to God by the Knowledge of Truth, and the Love of Good, than to be united to a Body; since it is certain, as above, that God has created Spirits to Know, and Love him, rather than to Inform Bodies. This Proof is able at first sight to startle Ingenious Minds, then to render them attentive, and lastly to convince them: But it is morally Impossible, that Sensualiz'd Spirits, who can know nothing but what is felt should ever be convinc'd by such Arguments. These sort of Men must have gross sensible Proofs, because nothing seems real to them, unless it makes an Impression upon their Senses.

The Fall of the first Man, has so much weakned the * 1.5 Ʋnion of our Mind with God, that none but those are sen∣sible of it whose Heart is purified, and whose Mind is inlightned; for this Ʋnion seems Imaginary to all those who blindly follow the Judgments of the Senses, and the Motions of the Passions.

On the contrary, it has so much strengthned the Ʋnion of our Soul with our Body, that these two parts of our selves seem to us to be no longer but one and the same Substance; or rather it has made us such Slaves to our Senses and Passions, that we are inclin'd to believe our Body is the Principal of the two Parts of which we are com∣posed.

When we consider the different Employments of Men, we have a great deal of reason to believe, that they have a mean and low Opinion of them∣selves; for as they all love Felicity, and the Per∣fection of their Being, and only labour to make themselves Happier or more Perfect, have we not reason to believe, that they have a greater Value for their Body, and the Goods of their Body, than for their Mind, and the Goods thereof, when we see them commonly imploy'd about things that have a Relation to the Body, seldom or never thinking on those which are absolutely necessary for the Perfection of the Mind?

The greatest part of Men labour with so much Industry and Toil, only to maintain a miserable Life, and to leave their Children some necessary Conveniencies for the Preservation of their Bodies.

Those, who by the good Fortune, or Chance of their Birth, are not subject to this Necessity, do not shew better by their Business and Imployments, that they look upon their Soul as the noblest part of their Being: Hunting, Dancing, Gaming, Enter∣tainments are their common Imployments; their Soul being a Slave to their Body, Esteems and Cherishes all those Divertisements, though altoge∣ther Ʋnworthy of it; but because their Body has a relation to all Sensible Things, the Soul is not only

inslav'd to the Body, but also to all sensible things by the Body, and for the Body; for 'tis by the Body that Men are united to their Relations, their Friends, their Country, their Imployments, and to all sensible Enjoyments, the Preservation of which seems to them as necessary and as valuable as the Preservation of their own Being. Thus the Care of their Estates, and the Desire of increasing them; the Passion of Glory and Grandeur agitates and imploys them infinitely more than the perfecting of their Soul.

Moreover the Learned, and those who pretend to Wit, spend more than half their Life in Actions purely Animal, or such as incline us to think, that they value their Health, their Estate, and their Reputation, more than the Perfection of their Mind. They study more to attain a Chimerical Grandeur, in the Opinion of other Men, than in∣crease the Power and Capacity of their Mind. They make their Heads a kind of Wardrobe, in which they Store up, without choice or order, what∣ever bears any Character of Learning; I mean, whatever may appear Rare and Extraordinary, and excite the Admiration of other Men. They are proud of being like those Cabinets of Curiosity and Antiquity, which have nothing Rich or Solid in them, the Value whereof only depends on Fancy, Passion and Chance; and they seldom labour to improve their Mind, and to regulate the Motions of their Heart.

Yet it is not that Men are wholly Ignorant they have a * 1.6 Soul, and that this Soul is the chief part of their Being. They have also been convinc'd a thou∣sand times by Reason and Experience,

that it is no very considerable Advantage, to have some Reputation, Riches, and Health for some Years; and generally that all the Advantages of the Body, and such as are only possess'd by the Body, and for the Body, are Imaginary and pe∣rishable Goods: Men are sensible that it is better to be Just than Rich; to be Reasonable than Learned; to have a lively penetrating Mind, than a quick and active Body. These Truths can never be effac'd out of their Mind; and they discover them Infallibly, whenever they are pleas'd to think on them. Homer, for instance, who praises his Hero for his Nimbleness in Running, might have observ'd (if had so pleas'd) that it is a Praise fit for Horses and Grey-hounds. Alexander, so Famous in History for his Illustrious Thefts, had sometimes the same Reproaeches from his Reason, as Murtherers and Thieves have, notwithstanding the confused Noise of the Flatterers that were about him. And Cesar, at the passage of the Rubicon, could not forbear discovering that these Reproaches terrified him, when he resolv'd to Sacrifice the Liberty of his Country to his Ambition.

The Soul, though strictly united to the Body, is nevertheless united to * 1.7 God, and at that very time, when it receives by its Body those lively but confused Sensations, which the Passions Inspire, it receives from the Eternal † 1.8 Truth which presides in its Mind, the Know∣ledge of its Duty and Disorders. When the Body deceives it, God undeceives it; when it Flatters it, God Mortifies it; and when it Praises and Applauds it, God Reproaches it severely, and Con∣demns

it by the Manifestation of a more Pure and Holy Law, than that of the Flesh which it has followed.

There was no need for the Scythians to come to Alexander, to teach him his Duty in a forreign Tongue; he knew from him, who instructs the Scy∣thians, and the most Barbarous Nations, the Rules of Justice which he ought to fol∣low: * 1.9 The Light of Truth, which lightens all the World enlighten'd him also; and the Voice of Nature, which speaks neither Greek nor Scythian, &c. spoke to him as to the rest of Mankind, in a very Intelligible Tongue. What∣ever Reproaches the Scythians could fasten upon him about his Conduct, they only spoke to his Ears, because God spoke not to his Heart; or rather, God spoke to his Heart, but he only hearkning to the Scythians, who did nothing but exasperate his Passion, and unman'd him, so that he heard not the Voice of Truth, although it thunder'd within him, nor did he see her Light, although it pierc'd him thorough.

It is true our Ʋnion with God diminishes and weakens by degrees, according as that which we have with sensible things, Increases and Strengthens; but it is impossible that that Ʋnion should be wholly broken, without the Dissolution of our Being. For though such as are plung'd in Vice, and indulge their Pleasure, are Insensible of Truth, they are nevertheless united to it. * 1.10 It does not forsake them, but they forsake it.

Its Light shines in Darkness, but it does not always expel it: Just as the light of the Sun encompasses the Blind, and those that close their Eyes, though it enlightens neither.

* 1.11 The Ʋnion of our Mind with our Body is the same: This Ʋnion dimi∣nishes by degrees, as that which we have with God increases; but it is never quite dissolv'd but by our Death: For though we were as much enlightned, and as much above the Pleasures of Sense as the Apostles were; yet it is necessary since the Fall, that our Mind should depend on our Body, and that we should feel the Law of our Flesh, continually resisting and opposing the Law of our Mind.

The Mind becomes Purer, Stronger, more Perspicuous, and more inlarged, proportionably as its Ʋnion with God increases; for 'tis he from whom it derives all its Perfection. On the con∣trary, it becomes Corrupted, Blind, Weak, and is contracted by degrees, as the Ʋnion which it has with its Body Increases and Strengthens; because that Ʋnion also causes all its Imperfections. There∣fore a Man who judges of all things by his Senses, who follows the Motions of his Passions in all things, who perceives nothing but what he feels, and who loves nothing but what flatters him, is in the most wretched Disposition of Mind that he can possibly be in: In that condition he is at a vast distance from Truth, and from his Good. But

when a Man only judges of things by the pure * 1.12 Idea's of the Mind, when he carefully avoids the confused noise of Creatures, and looking within him∣self, hearkens to his Sovereign Master in the Silence of his Senses and Passions, it is impossible for him to fall into Error.

God never deceives those who interrogate him by a serious Application, and by an entire Conver∣sion of their Mind towards him, though they do not always hear his Answers; but when the Mind, removing from God, diffuses it self Externally, when it only Interrogates the Body to learn Truth, hearkning only to its Senses, its Imagination and Passions which continually speak to it, it must needs be deceiv'd. Wisdom, Truth, Perfection, and Felicity, are not Goods that can be expected from the Body; he alone who is above us, and from whom we have a Being, can give it Perfection.

This is what * 1.13 St. Austin teaches us in these fine words. Eternal Wis∣dom, says he, is the Principle of all Creatures that are capable of In∣telligence; and this Wisdom always remaining the same, never ceases to speak to his Creatures in the secret Recesses of their Reason, that they may turn towards their Principle; because nothing but the sight of the Eternal Wisdom gives a Being to Spirits; and can, as it were, finish them, and give them the last Perfection they are capable of.

* 1.14 When we see God as he is, we shall be like him, says the Apostle St. John: By that Contemplation of Eternal Truth, we shall be elevated to that degree of Greatness, to which all Spiritual Creatures tend by the necessity of their Nature. But while we are on Earth, the weight of the Body Stupifies the Mind; it removes it continually from the Pre∣sence of God, or of that Internal Light which Illu∣minates it; it makes continual Efforts to strengthen its Ʋnion with Sensible Objects; and obliges it to represent to it self all things, not as they are in them∣selves, but according to the relation they have to∣wards the Preservation of Life.

* 1.15 The Body, says the Wise Man, fills the Mind with so great a number of Sensations, that it becomes incapable of knowing those things that are but a little conceal'd: The sight of the Body dazles and dissipates that of the Mind, and it is difficult to perceive Truths clearly by the Eyes of the Soul, while we make use of the Eyes of our Body to discover it. This shews that it is only by the Attention of the Mind that Truths are discover'd, and that all Sciences are Learned; for the Attention of the Mind is nothing but its Return and Conversion to∣wards God, who is our only Master, and who only can teach us Truth, by the Manifestation of his Substance, as * 1.16 St. Austin speaks.

It is plain by all these things, that we must con∣tinually resist the Effort which the Body makes against the Mind, and by degrees accustom our selves to disbelieve the Testimonies of our Senses in respect of all Bodies which are about us, and which they always represent to us as worthy our Application and Esteem; because we ought never to six upon any thing that is Sensible, nor imploy our selves about it. 'Tis one of the Truths which the Eternal Wisdom seems to have been willing to reveal to us by his Incarnation; for after having raised a sensible Body to the highest Dignity that can be apprehended, he has shew'd us by the deepest Humiliation of the same Body (which was the greatest of all sensible things) how much we ought to despise all the Objects of our Senses. It is per∣haps for the same reason St. Paul said that he knew not Jesus Christ according to the Flesh: For it is not the Flesh of Christ we must rest upon, it is the Spirit which is conceal'd under that Flesh; Caro vas fuit, quod habebat attende, non quod erat, says St. Austin. That which is * 1.17 visible or sensible in Jesus Christ, only deserves our Adora∣tion because it is united with the Word, which can only be the Object of the Mind.

It is absolutely necessary for those who aim at Wisdom and Happiness; to be fully convinc'd and affected with what I have said: It is not

enough to believe it upon my word, nor to be per∣swaded of it by the Lustre of a Transitory Light; they must know it by many Experiences, and many undeniable Demonstrations: These things must never be in danger of being effaced out of their Mind, they must ever be present to it in all their Studies, and other Imployments of their Life.

Those who will give themselves the Trouble to read the Work with some Application which is here publish'd, will, if I am not deceiv'd, commence such a Disposition of Mind; for we have demonstrated in it the different ways wherein our Senses, Ima∣gination, and Passions, are absolutely useless, to the discovery of Truth and Good: On the contrary, that they dazle and seduce us on all occasions; and generally that all the Knowledge the Mind receives by the Body, or by some inward Motions of the Body, are all false and confused, in respect of the Objects they represent; although they are very use∣ful towards the Preservation of the Body, and of the Goods which have relation to the Body.

Several Errors are engaged in it, and parti∣cularly those that are most universally receiv'd, or that occasion the greatest Disorder of the Mind; and we shew that most of them proceed from the Ʋnion of the Mind with the Body. We design in several places to make the Mind sensible of its Servitude, and of the Dependance it has on all sensible things, that it may awake from its Drowsiness, and make some Efforts for its Deli∣verance.

We do not only make a bare Exposition of our Errors, but also explain the Nature of the Mind: We do not, for instance, insist upon a great Enu∣meration of all the particular Errors of the Senses

or Imagination, but upon the Causes of those Errors. We shew at once (in the Explanation of these Faculties and general Errors, to which we are subject) an almost infinite Number of those parti∣cular Errors into which Men fall. Thus the subject of this Work is the whole Mind of Man; we consider it in it self, in relation to the Body, and in relation to God; we examine the Nature of all its Faculties, and observe the uses we ought to make from hence to avoid Error. Lastly, We explain most of those things we thought useful to advance in the Knowledge of Man.

The finest, the most agreeable, and most ne∣cessary Knowledge, is undoubtedly the Knowledge of our selves. Of all Humane Sciences, the Sci∣ence of Man is the most worthy of Man: Never∣theless that Science is not the most cultivated or ac∣complish'd Science we have: The common sort of Mankind neglects it wholly; even among those that value themselves upon Sciences, there are but few that apply themselves to it, and there are yet fewer who successfully apply themselves to it. Most of those who are esteem'd Learned in the World, have but a confused Knowledge of the Essential Diffe∣rence that is between the Mind and Body. St. * 1.18 Austin himself, who has distinguish'd those two Beings so well, confesses that it was a long time before he could know it. And though it must be granted, that he has explain'd the Properties of the Soul and Body better than any of those that were before him, and who have succeeded him, until our Age; yet it were to be wish'd, that he had not attributed to External Bodies, all the Sensible Qualities which we perceive by their means; for indeed they are not clearly contain'd in the Idea he had of Matter.

So that one may confidently say, That the Diffe∣rence between the Mind and the Body has not been known clearly enough till of late Years.

Some fancy they know the Nature of the Mind: Others are perswaded that it is impossible to know any thing about it. The greatest part of Men are insensible of the Ʋsefulness of that Know∣ledge, and for that reason they despise it. But all these common Opinions are rather Effects of the Imagination and Inclination of Men, than the Consequences of a clear and distinct Sight of their Mind: It is because they are loath to look within themselves, there to discover their Weaknesses and Infirmities, but they delight in curious Disco∣veries and fine Sciences; never looking within themselves, they are insensible of the Disorders that happen there; they think they are well, be∣cause they are insensible; they find fault with those, who knowing their own Distemper apply Re∣medies to it; and say, that they make themselves Sick, because they endeavour to cure themselves.

But these great Genius's, who penetrate into the most mysterious Secrets of Nature; who in their Mind ascend into the Heavens, and who descend even into the Abyss, ought to remember what they are: These great Objects perhaps only serve to dazle them: The Mind must go out of it self to attain to so many things, but it cannot do it without being dissipated.

Men are not born to become Astronomers, or Chymists, to spend all their Life in gazing through a Telescope, or in Sweating at a Furnace; in order to infer little insignificant Consequences from their Laborious Observations. I grant that an Astro∣nomer was the first that discovered Lands, Seas,

and Mountains in the Moon; that he was the first that observ'd Spots in the Sun, and exactly calcu∣lated their Motions: I grant that a Chymist hath at last found the Secret of fixing Mercury, or making the Alkaist, by which Vanhelmont boasted he could dissolve all Bodies; but are they become the Wiser or the Happier for this? They may have got some Reputation by it in the World; but if they have consider'd it, that Reputation has only increased their Servitude.

Men may look upon Astronomy, Chymistry, and most Sciences, as proper Divertisements for a Gen∣tleman; but they ought not to suffer themselves to be deluded by them, nor to prefer them to the Sci∣ence of Man; for the Imagination fixes a certain Idea of Grandeur upon Astronomy, because that Science considers great Objects, glorious Objects, Objects which are infinitely above all that are about us; the Mind ought not blindly to embrace that Idea: We should make our selves Judges and Masters of it, and divest it of that sensible Great∣ness which astonishes our Reason. The Mind ought to judge of all things according to its Internal Knowledge, without hearkning to the false and confused Testimony of the Senses and Imagination; and if it examines all Humane Sciences by the pure Light of Truth which guides it, we dare affirm, that it will despise most of them, and will have more respect for that which teaches us what we are, than for all others whatever.

Therefore we chuse to advise those who are Lovers of Truth, to judge of the Subject of this Work, according to the Answers they will receive from the Sovereign Masters of all Men, after having made their Application to him by serious Reflection, rather

than to prevent them by a long Discourse, which they might perhaps look upon as common Places, or the vain Ornaments of a Preface. If they think this Subject worthy their Application and Study, they are desir'd again not to judge of the matter it contains, by the good or ill manner in which they are express'd, but to look within themselves, to hear there the Decisions they are to follow, and according to which they ought to judge.

Because we are perswaded that Men cannot teach each other; and those that hear us do not learn the Truths we speak to their Ears, unless he that has discover'd them to us, reveal them at the same time to their Mind, we find our selves oblig'd to advise those who will profitably read this Work, not to believe us upon our word out of Inclination, nor to oppose what we say out of Aversion: For though we * 1.19 think we have advanc'd nothing but what we have learn'd by Meditation, we should be very sorry that others should content themselves to retain and believe our Sentiments without knowing them; or that they should be deceiv'd, either for want of understanding them, or because we are de∣ceiv'd.

* 1.20 The Pride of some of the Learned, who will be believ'd upon their Word, seems insupportable to us: They will not allow us to consult God after they have spoken, because they do not consult him themselves: They are angry as soon as any body

opposes their Sentiments, and they will needs force Men to prefer the Obscurity of their Imagina∣tion, to the pure Light of Truth which guides the Mind.

We are, Thanks be to God, far from being guilty of this way of proceeding, though we are often accused of it: We desire, indeed, that Men should believe the Facts and Experiences we relate, be∣cause those things cannot be learn'd by the Appli∣cation of the Mind to the Sovereign and Ʋniversal Reason. But as for all Truths that are discover'd in the true Idea's of those things, which Eternal Truth represents in the Recesses of our * 1.21 Reason, we expresly advise them not to rely upon what we think of them; for we judge it no small Crime for a Man to compare himself to God, by thus usurping Authority over the Mind.

The chief reason that we have for desiring those who shall read this Work, to apply themselves seri∣ously to it, is, That we are willing to be made sensi∣ble of the Faults we may have committed in it, for we do not pretend to Infallibility. The Mind has so strict a relation to the Body, and has so great a Dependance on it, that we may reasonably fear we have not always clearly distinguish'd the confused Noise of the Imagination, from the pure Voice of Truth which speaks to the Mind.

Did God only speak, and did we only judge accor∣ding to what we hear, we might perhaps use these words of Jesus Christ: * 1.22 I Judge according to what I hear, and my Judgment is Just and True. But we have a Body which speaks lowder than God himself, and that Body never speaks Truth: We have Self-love, which corrupts

the Words of him who always speaks Truth: And we have Pride, which inspires us with Boldness, to judge without hearkning to the Words of Truth, ac∣cording to which only we ought to judge: For the principal Cause of our Errors is, That our Judg∣ments extend themselves further than the clear pro∣spect of our Mind. Therefore I desire those to whom God shall discover my Mistakes, to make me sensible of them, that this Work, which I only give as an Essay, (whose subject is very worthy of Mens App••ication) may be perfected by degrees.

I had only undertaken it at first with a design to instruct my self, but some Persons having thought that it might be useful for the Publick, I willingly consented to publish it, the rather because one of the chief reasons they gave me for it, did suit with the desire I had to be useful to my self. The real way, said they, to be instructed in any Matter, is to pro∣pose our Sentiments about it to some Learned Men. It excites our Attention and theirs: Sometimes they have Truths which are unknown to us; and sometimes they go through certain Discoveries which we have neglected out of Inadvertency, or have abandon'd for want of Courage and Power.

It was vpon this Prospect of my particular Benefit, and that of some others, I venture to be an Au∣thor; but that my hopes may not prove vain, I give this Advice, that Men should not be disgusted at first, if they find things that contradict the com∣mon Opinions that are generally approv'd of by all Men and in all Ages. The Errors I endeavour to destroy, are those that are most general: If Men were very much enlighten'd, Ʋniversal Approba∣tion would be a reason, but 'tis quite contrary. There∣fore let it be well remembred, that Reason only ought

to preside in the Judgment of all Humane Opinions, which have no relation to Faith, which God only instructs us in after a very different manner from that by which he discovers natural things to us. Let Men look within themselves, and draw near unto the Light which shines there continually, that their Reason may be the more illuminated. Let them carefully avoid the Sensations which are too lively, and all the Emotions of the Soul which take up the Capacity of the Mind: For the least Noise, the least Appearance of Light, often dissipates the sight of the Mind: It is good to avoid all those things, though it is not absolutely necessary. And if in using our utmost * 1.23 Endeavours, we cannot resist the continual Impressions which our Bodies, and the Prejudices of our Infancy make upon our Imagination, we must have recourse to Prayer, to receive that from God which we cannot have by our own Power; but still without ceasing to resist our Senses; for that ought to be the continual Employ∣ment of those who in Imitation of St. Austin, have a great Love for Truth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Nihil est potentius illâ Creaturâ, quae mens dicitur rationalis, nihil est sublimius. Quidquid supra illam est, jam Creator est. Tr. 23. upon St. John.
• * 1.2

  Quod ra∣tionali a∣nimâ me∣lius est omnibus consenti∣entibus Deus est. Aug.
• * 1.3

  Ad ipsam simili∣tudinem non omnia facta sunt, sed sola sub∣stantia rationalis. Quare omnia per ipsam, sed ad ipsam non nisi anima rationalis. Itaque sub∣stantia rationalis & per ipsam facta est, & ad ip∣sam: Non enim est ulla natura interposita. Lib. Imp. de Gen. ad Litt.
• * 1.4

  Rectissimè dicitur factus ad imaginem & similitudinem Dei, non enim aliter incommu∣tabilem veritatem pos∣set mente conspicere. De vera Rel.
• * 1.5

  Mens, quod non sentit, nisi cum puris∣sima & beatisma est, nulla Cohaeret, nisi ipsi veritati, quae similitudo & Imago patris, & sa∣pientia dicitur. Aug. lib. Imp. de Gen. ad Litt.
• * 1.6

  Non exigua homi∣nis portio, sed totius Humana Universitatis substantia est. Amb. 6. Hexa. 7.
• * 1.7

  Ubi{que} veritas prae∣sides omnibus consu∣lentibus te, simul{que} re∣spondes omnibus etiam diversa consulentibus.
• † 1.8

  Liquidè tu respon∣des, sed non liquidè omnes audiunt. Omnes unde volunt consulunt, sed non semper quod volunt audiunt. Conf. S. Aug. Book 10. C. 26.5. Quint. Cur. Book 7. c. 8.
• * 1.9

  Intus in domicilio cogitationis, nec He∣braea, nec Graeca, nec Latina, nec Barbara Veritas, sine oris & Lingua organis, sine strepitu Syllabarum. Conf. S. Aug. B. 11. c. 3.
• * 1.10

  Videtur quasi ipse à te occidere; cum tu ab ipsa occidas. Au. in Ps. 25 Nam etiam sol iste, & videntis faciem illustrat & caesi; ambobus sol praesens est, sed praesene sole unus absens est. Sic & sapientia Dei, Dominus J. C. ubique praesens est, quia ubique est veritas ubique sapientia. Aug. in Joan. Tract. 35.
• * 1.11

  What I say in this place, of the two Unions of the Mind with God, and with the Body, is to be understood accor∣ding to the common way of conceiving things. For it is cer∣tain the Mind can only be immediately united to God; I mean, the Mind only depends truly on God; and if it be united to the Body, or if it depends on it, it is because the Will of God efficaciously causes that Union or that Dependance. This will be easily apprehended by the Sequel of this Work.
• * 1.12

  Quis enim bene se inspiciens non expertus est? Tanto se aliquid intellexisse sincerius, quanto removere, atq: subducere intentionem mentis à corporis sen∣sibus potuit. Aug. de Immort. animae. Ch. 10.
• * 1.13

  Principium Crea∣turae intellectualis est ae∣terna sapientia, quod principium manens in se incommutabiter, nullo modo cessat occulta in∣spiratione vocationis le∣qui ei Creaturae, cui principium est, ut con∣vertatur ad id ex quo est; quod aliter formata ac perfecta esse non pos∣sit. S. de Gen. ad Litt. Ch. 50.
• * 1.14

  Scimus quoniam cum apparuerit similes ei erimus, quoniam vi∣debimus eum sicuti est. Joan. Ep. 1. c. 3. v. 2.

  Corpus quod cor∣rumpitur aggravat ani∣mam. Sap. 9.10.
• * 1.15

  Terrena inhabita∣tio deprimit sensum multa cogitantem, & difficile aestimamus quae in terra sunt, & quae in prospectu sunt inveni∣mus cum labore. Sap. 9.15.
• * 1.16

  Deus in∣telligibilis lux, in quo, & à quo, & per quem intelligibiliter lucent omnia. S. Sol.

  Insinuavit nobis (Christus) animam humanam non vegetari, non illuminari, non beatificari, nisi ab ipsa Substantia. Dei Aug. in Joan.
• * 1.17

  Illa auto∣ritas Divi∣na dicenda est, quae non solum insensibili∣bus signis transcendit omnem humanam facultatem, sed & ipsum ho∣minem agens, ostendit ei quo usque se propter ipsum depresserit, & non teneri sensibus quibus videntur illa miranda; sed ad intellectum jubet evolare, simul demonstrans & quanta hic possit, & cur haec faciat, & quam parvi pendat. Aug. 2. de Ord. 9. Et si cognovimus secundum carnem Christum, jam non secundum carnem novimus. 2 ad Cor. Tr. in Joan. 27.
• * 1.18

  Conf. Book 4. Chap. 15.
• * 1.19

  Nolite put••re quem∣quam ho∣minem a∣liquid dis∣cere ab homine, admonere possumus per strepitum vocis nostrae, si non fit intus qui doceat in anis fit strepitus noster. Aug. in Joan. Auditus per me factus, in∣tellectus per quem? Dixit aliquis & ad eos vestrum, sed non eum videtis. Si intellexistis fratres, dictum est & cordi vestro. Munus Dei est Intelligentia. Aug. in Joan. Tr. 40.
• * 1.20

  The Book de Magistro of St. Aust.
• * 1.21

  Noli pu∣tare teip∣sam esse lucem. Aus. in Psal.
• * 1.22

  Sicut audio sic ju∣dico, & jucicium meum justum est, quia non quaero voluntatem me∣am. Joan. Ch. 5.30.
• * 1.23

  Qui hoc videre non potest, o∣ret & agat ut posse∣mereatur, nec ad ho∣minem disputato∣rem pul∣set, ut quod non legit legat, sed ad Deum Salvatorem ut quod non valet veleat. Ep. 112. c. 12. Suplexque illi qui lumen mentis accendit attendat, ut intelligat. Cont. Ep. Fund. c. 33.