The Forty Questions of the Soul

It may be some will think it so hard to attain the understanding of this Author, when they read the answer to the first Question (which is far more difficult than any of the other, because it contains the sum of them all in brief), that they will forbear to take so much pains as they suppose is requisite. But if it should prove a little harder than other writings, the profit will countervail the Labour with a hundredfold advantage; yet let everyone read it themselves, or hear it read with their own ears, that others' misreport hinder them not from so great a benefit, and they shall no doubt attain it, for I am convinced, by my own experience, that every one may receive according to their vast or narrow capacity, who have, according to mine own measure, been satisfied, though I be

One of the unworthiest of the Children of Men, J. S.

TO THE EARNEST LOVERS OF WISDOM

THE whole world would not contain the books that should be written of Christ, if all that he did and spake should be written of him, flowing from that fountain of wisdom which dwelt in him. What then can be expected in a httle Preface, but some few observations of the footsteps and paths of wisdom? And they are set down here as they occasionally presented themselves to the thoughts of him who desireth to be made fit for acquaintance with the lowest scholar in her school.

Many have been her scholars in their own way, which nature hath inclined them to; or God in them that have kindled the divine nature, and so have been made partakers of it in their souls. We may perceive the excellency of every one of them, by that which hath been left for a record behind them, and their fitness to be followed, in order tdl we shall attain the highest pitch we are capable of.

Since the true grounds of the ancient wisdom have been hidden in the dark writings of the wise men of former ages, some in this later age have endeavoured to reform the errors that have arisen from the want of knowing those grounds from which they wrote. The writings of that learned Selden are eminent in this kind, among others. By which means the true fame and glory of learning hath been in some part restored again; as also by contriving means to direct the way to raise the several kinds of knowledge from their own true basis and foundation.

The renowned Sir Francis Bacon, Lord Verulam, Viscount of St Albans, laid his foundation sure, and raised his building high. By his Instauratio Magna he taught men, first to free themselves from the Idola mentis humance, and then laid down the whole process of the mind, from a natural and experimental history, to raise a natural philosophy: which doth shew the way to compose a divine experimental history, to the building of a divine philosophy, or mystical divinity.

Comenius also, by his Pansophia, designeth the best way to educate all from their childhood, so that in the shortest time they may get the highest learning their natures can attain to.

Pellius, in his platform concerning the Mathematics, doth design to raise the principles and whole structure of that art, out of every one's self, without the help of books or instruments, by a treatise he calleth Mathematicus auTapxnS ', which may be well transferred to a Philosophus, Medicus, Legislator, Jurisperitus, Politicus, Theologus, Theosophus, aurapxnSAlso that strict inquirer into truth, Comes Castri Insula?, in his book De Veritate, teacheth the true progress of the mind in finding the certain infallible truth in all things.

Du Chartes doth lay the foundation of his philosophy in such grounds and principles as are undeniable, to him that doth but consider what is in his own thoughts.

These, and some others in their kind, have gone as far as the natural faculty of man's outward reason can reach. This author, Jacob Behmen, esteemeth not his own outward reason, but acknowledgeth to have received a higher gift from God, freely bestowed upon him, and left it in writing, for the good of those that should live after him.