XI. 3.] THE SECOND BOOK. 147 



For they propound those noble effects, which God hath 

 set forth unto man to be bought at the price of labour, to 

 be attained by a few easy and slothful observances. De- 

 ficiences in these knowledges I will report none, other 

 than the general deficience, that it is not known how 

 much of them is verity, and how much vanity. 



XII. i. The knowledge which respecteth the faculties 

 of the mind of man is of two kinds ; the one respecting 

 his understanding and reason, and the other his^jwlir 

 appetite, arfli affection; whereof the former produce^ 

 positioner ^cfee^lSe^Tatter action or execution. It is 

 true that the imagination is an agent or nuncius, in both 

 provinces, both the judicial and the ministerial. For 

 sense sendeth over to imagination before reason have 

 judged: and reason sendeth over to imagination before 

 the decree can be acted. For imagination ever precedeth 

 voluntary motion. Saving that this Janus of imagination 

 hath differing faces : for the face towards reason hath the 

 print of truth, but the face towards action hath the print 

 of good ; which nevertheless are faces, 



Quales decet esse sororum. 



Neither is the imagination simply and only a messenger ; j 

 but is invested with, or at least wise usurpeth no small 

 authority in itself, besides the duty of the message. For 

 it was well said by Aristotle, That the mind hath over the 

 body that commandment, which the lord hath over a bond-\ 

 man; but that reason hath over the imagination that com 

 mandment which a magistrate hath over a free citizen ; who 

 may come also to rule in his turn. For we see that, in 

 matters of faith and religion, we raise our imagination 

 above our reason ; which is the cause why religion sought 

 ever access to the mind by similitudes, types, parables, 

 visions, dreams. And again, in all persuasions that are 

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