Page 29
CHAP. XIV. Of the Intellective Faculty.
AT length we come to the understanding or rational faculty, whereby a man is elevated above other living Creatures, and is neer to, and as it were like unto his maker. The understanding abstracts things from their matter, and without considerations of matter, without quantity, without figure, knoweth things, under∣sands things freed from their matter; it is almost capable of infi∣••iteness, it reflects back upon its self, and knoweth it self, and under∣standeth that it doth understand, and because of that it hath an un∣atiable desire of the knowledge of eternity and blessedness. It per∣••orms its functions without all corporeal instruments; yet it hath ••eed of the Phantasie as its object to understand, and the Imagina∣tion supplies the mind with intelligible matter; And therefore al∣though it have not its seat in the brain, as in its organ by it self; yet because it worketh by the help of the Phantasie, and it behoveth the understanding to watch the Imagination, by accident and by the consequence its seat is appointed, where the imagination is, na∣mely the brain.
The reasonable soul comprehends two faculties, * 1.1 the Intellect whereby we apprehend things, and the Will whereby we are carried to chose things which we understand under the notion of good; And things, as they are beings, we know them; and as they are good, we desire them.