Constant praeceptis.
Every thing hath his special acts before it can work that main act, for which it was made, as reason must have two parts, it must see the simple causes, effects, subjects, adjuncts, &c. and Axiomes, Syllogismes and Method, that it may bene disserere, therefore there are many petty acts of reason to be performed, which though they all conspire in one main act, yet are they not one another: and here we see, that as Arts did arise from the frame of the thing; so the pre∣cepts of Art are from the Acts of things: so that thus Arts constant praeceptis or regulis, all is one, both are good, and regere is as large as regula, and praecep∣tum as praecipere. But my reason why I rather chuse praeceptum is this, because regula is tropical, for it is often taken for a Square or Ruler, whereby we rule any thing, and this is a grand Synecdoche. And a∣gain, because the Lord hath created, and governeth his creatures by the precepts of Arts, as by so many Statutes, or Commandements of the things act for his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as at the Creation, when the Lord said, Let there be light, by this rule, as by a Precept, did the Lord create light, and also governs it. It is a Law as God governs reason, speech, quantity, &c. by the rule of Logick, Grammar, Mathematicks; and even as a King governeth his Dominions by his Laws: so the Lord governeth his Creatures by the rules of