CHAP.VIII.Of the Animation of theFOETUS.
THEhuman Fœtusbeing duly form’d and organiz’d about the 50th Day at the latest, as we observed in the preceedingChapter, it remains to beanimated, and that with a three-foldSoul,viz.avegetative, asensitive, and arational Soul.
THEFirstof which, according to the most learnedFortunius[20]Licetus, &c. may be ascribed to theMother, as chiefly proceeding from the Power of herMenstruum. TheSecondmay (by the same Authority) be ascribed to thePowerandSpiritof thePaternal Seed; but it is the more generally received Opinion, that thevegetative Soulis generated from theCommixtureof both Seeds with theMenstruum, and therefore as much to be ascribed to theone, as to theother,Parent: And that also thesensitive SOULproceeds from the propernatural Facultyof the organiz’dFœtus, as therationalSOULdoth from the immediateInfusionof the greatCreator. Touching whichInfusion, I desire not to meddle with theControversythat has so long subsisted betwixtPhilosophersandDivines: Only as I have noted inChap.iv. the Opinion of the greatestMasters of Nature; so if, inthis, we could, from the Dictates ofFaithandReligion, as well as from the Maxims ofnatural Philosophy, set the Matter in a clearerLight, I humbly presume it would not bedisagreeable: Since thePrinciplesofEither, taken separately, are in themselvesmysterious, and can never be fully comprehended bysome; whereas,bothtaken jointly, I mean, the Arguments of theone, to reinforce the Positions of theother, may be satisfactory toall.
INorder to which, Ifirstobserve; That theInfluxof celestial Bodies exerts its Power very efficaciously in allSublunariesandInferiours. Hence, touching thefour Humoursof our Bodies,Marsis thought to excite theyellow Bile, asSaturnexasperatesMelancholy; andLunato encreasePhlegm, asSolandJupitergovern theBlood.
SECONDLY, I observe, That the Power andInfluenceof thePlanetslies effectually inMetals,Stones,Gems,Herbs,Roots, and allSubterranean Bodies; asGold,Silver,Copper,Iron,Tin,Lead, and whatever is contained in theBowels of the Earth, whether it tend toUseorNecessity, ProfitorPleasure; theVirtuesandIncreaseof them all proceeding from theirpeculiarStars.
THISwe may easily conceive, by considering thatGod, who made all things for his singular, great, and good Ends, would never have exhibited to us such afair and spaciousHeaven, such aCourse,Order,Continuation, andSeriesofStarsto delight and feed ourEyes, like an emptyShadow, or an idlePicture: But, to the contrary, theTrees, theRoots, theBranches, theSeas, theRivers, theStreams, and whatever runs thro’ the Veins of theEarth, or graces the Surface ofSeaorLand; yea, whatever is, or may be distinguished by the Variety ofThingsorNames, together with ourBodies, and their implantedHumours,Hesubjected to theHeavens, that they might perceive some superiourImpulse,Motion, andAgitationfrom theStars, and experience the Utility of theirEffects.
HENCEthe learnedArabiansascribed theBodies,Actions, andDispositionsof Men toStarsandSigns: AsProclusteacheth, thatSuperioursandInferioursare manifestlyonein theother. But theseInferioursare defin’d, some to beSolar, othersLunar; on which theSunandMoonmake strongImpressions, like those of theStarsandSignsthey are under. In reference to which, they distribute thehuman Bodyamong thePlanetsandSignsof theZodiack; and most ingeniously demonstrate, that as theTriplicitiesof thoseSignsanswer one another, and agree inCelestials, so they also concur in theMembers of theBody; which Observation, dailyExperiencealso confirms. As for example: By aColdnessof theFeet, theBellyandBreastare affected; and theseMembersanswering to the sameTriplicity, any properMedicineapply’d to theone, helps theother; as by warming theFeet, the Pain of theBellyceaseth.
WHEREFORE, if we consider the manyoccult Qualities, andsecret Influencesof celestial Bodies, besides thesethreewhich are manifest to us, namely,Heat,Light, andMotion, we shall readily and rationally agree withAstrologers, as well asPhilosophers, in this Point; that thecelestial Bodiesconcur with othernatural Causes, in the regularProcessionof all the different Steps of theConformationandConstitutionof humanConception.
MOREOVER, in the Work ofAnimation, they concur not onlyphysically, butefficiently; not as formal,final, or materialCauses, but meerly byAction; upon which GreatEfficient, all otherCausesdepend. And yet they concurefficientlynot as the only particular, immediate, and proximousAgents, but as the common remote, physicalAgents, movingphysically. Now thisAristotlealso plainly teacheth, saying; that, “As thisinferiour Worldhath Existence fromsuperiour Beings, so all worldly Existences must necessarily be ordered and directed bythose, as the commonefficient Causeof allSub-celestials.”
BUTI would farther observe, that the onlyActionofthose Bodiesin this Work, is to dispose and govern all proper, special, and singularCausespertaining toNature, preserving themphysically; that is, by theirMotion,Light, andHeat.
THEreason I callthose Bodiesthe remote, not the proximousAgentsin the Work, is, because they do not inSubstance,Motion, orLight, immediately reach or touch theFoetus; but only, by their secretQualitiesandInfluences, extended to these inferiourOrbs, penetrate through, and affect theWomb, tho’ never so closely shut up: By which means, theSpiritandPowerof theSeeds, theFacultiesof theWomb, and all concurringCausesare fomented, govern’d, promoted, preserv’d, and determin’d.
HOWEVER, in thisConstitution, (whatevernatural Causesmay be advanc’d) the greatGodis indisputably and undeniably the prime and principalEfficient: for all otherCauses, whether proximous or remote, without hisConcurrence, would be but vain and insufficient, for the following Reasons.
I.HEis the only primaryAgent, notphysical, because not actingphysically; not operating byMotion, becauseimmoveable: but withoutMotion, and all otherphysical Helps, he powerfully and clearly displaysHimself, most eminently officiating by his ownAll-sufficiency, and Appointment ofNature.
II.HElikewise, as the prime, common, remote, and physicalCause, governs and directs allother secundary Causessupereminently, which are subjected to, and dependent uponHimself; in constituting, organizing, and fomenting theCONCEPTION.
III.HEfinally, as the proper, proximous, and immediateCause, orAgent, directingnone else, nor using anyother Assistancein the Work, neither beingdirectednorassistedby anyother, gives to the organiz’d humanFoetusits greatest Completion; and theultimate finishing Strokeof consummatePerfection, by infusing and communicating to it aMindin a rationalSOUL, by which theFoetusbecomesMAN.
ANDthisInfusioncomes immediately from, and ofHimself, who is (inAristotle’s Words): “TheFormandFormerof theUniverse, the ultimateEnd, the final and efficientCauseof allcelestial Bodies, andcreated Beings.”
BUTnow, as to theTimeof this great Work ofAnimation,Naturalistsagree, that it requires double theSpacethatFormationhad fromConception: which seems so far probable, because atthat time, and no sooner, theInfantmay be sensibly perceiv’d to move; andthatby theInfluenceof calid and siccidMars, who (according toAstrologers) now takes charge of it in thethird Month. For by virtue of hishot Quality, he perfecteth thethreeprincipal Members, separating theLegs,Arms, andHead(in due proportion) from therest: Wherefore thisauspicious Planetis called theAuthorof theInfant’s Motion. So that, in fine, conformable to what is laid down in the preceedingChapter, the Work ofAnimationis perfected, at soonest, about the 70th, and at latest, about the 100th Day fromCONCEPTION. Which being done, I proceed to the nextprincipal Workin constituting theMan.