Then gather thou héereof, that among all creatures, the reaſonable ſoule preſenteth moſt openly, the lykeneſſe of the Image of God: and that becauſe it hath thrée manner of mights and vertues, though it be one and ſimple in kinde. Alſo it containeth in it ſelfe the lykenes of all things: and therefore the ſoule is named the lykeneſſe of all things, as Auſten ſaith. Alſo the ſoule being once made ſhall endure euermore in bodie or out of bodie. For as Caſſ. ſaith, It ſhuld neuer be ſayde, it was made to the Image of God, if it wor cloſed within the bond of death. Alſo it is the perfection of a kindly body with lims: and therefore the more verelye it maye make all the bodie perfect in euery part. Alſo by his owne kinde it maye kindlye determine a lyking to good and euill, truth or lyes. Alſo by diuers vertues it maye knowe lykeneſſe and ſhapes of diuers things both preſent and abſent. For it knoweth things materiall, preſent & abſent, by hir owne natural ſhapes: and he knoweth vnmaterial things, by hir own preſence, as Auſten ſaith. Alſo by the reflection of it ſelf aboue it ſelf, ſhe knoweth it ſelfe, as the Philoſopher ſaith. For ſéeing & vnderſtanding ſhe knoweth hir ſelfe. Alſo as a Table ſhe taketh kindly illuminations and impreſſions of diuers things, and for that it coueteth kindlye to be incorporated, & to be ioyned thereto, it deſireth kindly the felowſhip we he body. And kindly it deſireth good & flyeth euill, though it chooſe euill other while for want of aduiſement: but by kinde it forſaketh euill, and grudgeth there againſt, as Saint Auſten ſaith. So the ſoule vegetatiue deſireth to be[1], the ſenſible deſireth to be wel, and the reſonable ſoule deſireth to be beſt: and therefore it reſteth neuer, till it be ioyned with the beſt. For the place of the reaſonable ſoule is God, to whom warde it is moued, that it may reſt in him. And this mouing is not by changing of place but rather by loue and deſire. Theſe properties of the ſoule that be rehearſed before, ſhall ſuffice.
Of the vertues of the ſoule, ca. 14.
NOw after we haue circumſpectlye ſpoken of the properties of ye ſoule, in it ſelfe and in hir body: there remaineth to ſée and to treate of the vertues, by the which ſhe is mightie to vſe working in ye body. This vertue is a might of the ſoule eſſentially giuen to worke and doe hir déedes in the body. For by this vertue ſhe giueth ye body lyfe, draweth togethers, and openeth the heart, the organe, and ſmall wayes in the bodye alway, and giueth to the body that hath a ſoule, féelyng and ſkilfull mouing, as Con. ſaith lib. 13. Alſo this vertue hath thrée parts: one is called naturall, and is in the lyuer,[2] the other is called vitall, or ſpiritall, & hath place in the heart,[3] the third is called Animal, & hath place in ye brayn.[4] In beaſts & in plants ye working of the vertue yt is called naturall is the common working, that ingendereth, féedeth, and maketh to growe, as Conſtant ſaith, and hir ingendring or generation (as it is heere taken) is the chaunging and tourning of the ſubſtance of the humour, or the ſéede into the ſubſtaunce of a beaſt or of a plant, done by worke of kinde. And this vertue beginneth to worke from the time of ingendring to the perfecting of the plant or beaſt. But to this kindly generation, two vertues ſerue, that is to wit, Immutatiue and Informatiue: For the vertue Immutatiue is ſhe, that turneth & changeth the ſubſtaunce of the ſéede, into the ſubſtaunce of all the partes of the plant or of the beaſt. And this vertue maketh this chaunging and turning, by meanes of ye foure firſt qualities, yt is to wit, hot,[5] colde,[6] wet,[7] and dry[8]. For by heate & wet ſhe worketh ye ſofter ſubſtance, as fleſh in beaſts, flowers and ſap in trées: by hot and drye, ſhe worketh the rootes in plants, and the heart in the beaſtes: by wet and colde, ſhe worketh leaues in plantes, and haire in beaſtes: by colde and drye, ſhe worketh in ſinewes and boanes of beaſtes, and in ſtockes and ryndes of trees and of plantes. But the ſeconde vertue that is named Informatiua, is néedfull to the kindly working in generations.
