OF MANS SOULE. Chap. IV. 43 



We may then fafely conclude 3 that in humane nature thereare a. 

 two different centers, from whence crofle actions doe flow : the How our gene- 

 one he hath common with beafts.and whofc principles and laws ral 

 we dc li vercd in the former Treatife, where we difcourfed of life, 

 and the motions of life and of paffions: the other is the fubjcct ma nc 

 of our prefent enquiry ; which in this place, expecteth at our 

 hands, that we&ould confid.rhow it demeaneth it felfc, and 

 what it doth in us, when by its guidance we proceed to any acti- 

 on. Experience muft be our informer ingcnerall : after which, 

 our difcourfe (hall anatomife what that prcfenteth us in bulkc-She 

 giveth us notice of thr< e efpeciall effects of ourunderftanding: 

 firft, that it ordereth aright thofe conceptions which are brought 

 unto it ; (econdly,that when they appeare to be not fufficientfor 

 the intended worke, it cafteth about and feeketh out others: 

 and thirdly ,that it ftrengthncth thofe actions which fpringfrom 

 it j and kcepeth them regular and firme and conftant to their be- 

 ginnings and principles. Unto which laftfeemeth to belong,that 

 it fometimes checktth its own thoughts,andbringeth back thofe 

 it would have, and appeareth to keep as it were a watch over its 

 owne waves, 



As for the ordering of the prefent notions, it is eleare that it 

 is done by afccretdependance from the rules of difcourfe, and 

 from the maximes of humane action : I call this dt pendance a 

 fecret one, becaufe a man in his ordinary courfe, maketh ufe of 

 thofe rules an dmaximes which ferve histurne, as though they 

 were inftilled into him by nature, without fo much as ever thin- 

 king of them, or reflecting upon them to fquare out his actions 

 by them : nay,fomeofthem fo far out of the reach of moft men, 

 as they cannot think of them,though they would ; for they know 

 them not : as in particular,the rule#of difcourfe j the nfc of which 

 isfonece(Tary,aswithoutitnomancan converfe with another, 

 nor doe any thing like a man, that is, reafonably. From whence 

 then can this procced,that fo familiarlyfand readily a man maketh 

 ufe of what he is not confcious to himfelfe that he hath any ac- 

 quaintance withall ? It can be nothing elfe,but that the foule, 

 being in her owne nature ordered to doe the fame thing , 

 which Scholars with much difficulty arrive to know what it 

 is by reflection and ftudy, and then frame rules of that afterwards 

 carry their difcourfe tea higher pitch, fheby an inborne vertue 



maketh 



