Digital Donne: the Online Variorum
The 1654 Prose Letters Letter 6, cont. (p.15) |
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ties of the Elements, and that therefore they were driven often to that miserable refuge of specifique form, and of antipathy and sympathy; we see the world hath turned upon new principles which are attributed to Paracelsus, but (indeed) too much to his honour. Certainly it is also so in the Phy- sick of our soul Divinity, for in the Primi- tive Church, when amongst the Fathers there were so divers opinions of the state of the soul, presently after this life, they easi- ly inclined to be content to do as much for them dead as when they were alive, and so concurred in a charitable disposition to pray for them; which manner of prayer then in use, no Christian Church at this day having received better light, will al- low of. So also when in the beginning of S. Augustines time, Grace had been so much advanced that mans Nature was scarce ad- mitted to be so much as any means or in- strument (not onely no kinde of cause) of his own good works: And soon after in S. Augustines time also mans free will (by fierce [CW: opposi-] |
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