575 A TREATISE 



To begin then ; I conceive we may reduce all thofe actions 

 of beafts , which feeme admirable , and above the reach of an ir- 

 rationa II animal, unto three or fbure feverafi heads. Thcfirft 

 may be of foch , as feeme to be the very practice of reafon, as 

 donbting,refolving, inventing, and the like. 1 he next fhall be 

 of fuch , as by docility or pra&ife beaft s doe oftentimes arrive 

 unto. In the third p 'ace , wewillconfidercertainecontinuate 

 aliens of a long trait of time , fo orderly performed by them, 

 as that difcGurie and rational! know ledge feem clearely to fhine 

 through them. Andlaftly, we will caftour eye upon fomeo- 

 thers , which feeme to be even above the reafon that is in man 

 himfelfe as the knowing of things which the fenfe never had im- 

 . preffion of before , a preference of future events, providences, 



and the like. 



x As for the firfl : the doubting of bearts,, and their long \vave- 



Frm whence ring fometimes between objects t hat draw them feverali waies, 

 proceedeth the an< j at t j ie ] a ft their refbiving upon fome one of them, and their 

 f< ^ eac ty pw^^ia^ce of that afterwards j will not be matter of hard 

 digeltion to him , that/hall have well relifhed and meditated 

 ^ipon the concents of the Jaft Chapter : for it is evident, that if 

 feverali objects of different natures do at the fame time prefent 

 rhemfei ves unto a li ving creature , they mutt of nece/Iky make 

 divers impreffions in the heart of it, proportionable unto the 

 cauies from whence they proceed: fb that if one of them be a 

 motion of hope,and the other be of feare; it cannot choofc but 

 follow Jthence, that vyhat one of them beginneth , the other will 

 prefently breake off : by which meanes it will come to pafle,,tbat 

 in the beafls heart there mutf needs be fiich waverings , as we 

 may obferve in the fea. when at the beginning of a tide of flood, 

 it meeteth with a banke that checketh the comming in of the 

 waves and for a while, lieateth them backe as faft as they preiTe 

 upon it ,- they offer at getting over it, and by and by retire back 

 againe from the fteepnefTe oHt , as though they were apprehen- 

 fi vc of fome danger on the other fide ; and then againe attempt 

 it a frefh - and thus continue labouring, one while one way, an- 

 other while another ; untill at the length the flood increafing, 

 the water fcemeth to grow bolder, and breakethamaineover 

 ,-ihe banke and then floweth on,tiJl it meeteth with anothcr^that 

 refifkthit, asthefirftdid: and chits you fee, honr thcfeacan 



doubt 



