The Art of Logic, Title page – To the reader
THE Art of Logick; OR, THE ENTIRE BODY OF LOGICK In ENGLISH. UNFOLDING To the meanest Capacity the Way to dispute well, and to refute all Fallacies whatsoever.
The Second Edition, corrected and amended.
By Zachary Coke of Grays-Inn, Gent.
Jam. 1. 17.
foreign.
Multi multa canunt admiranda, haud sat credenda.
Cato Lib. 3. Distich. 17.
LONDON, Printed for John Streater, and are to be sold by the Book-sellers of London. 1657.
TO THE ILLUSTRIOUS, His Excellency Oliver Cromvvel, GENERALISSIMO OF England, Scotland, and Ireland, Chancellour of Oxford, &c. AND TO The most Renowned his Generall Councell of Officers.
SIRS,
THe Commodement of the Publike in the Appendages of an holy Peace, as it is the foreign, and just Carac of Heroick Enterprizings; so haerentes capiti multâ cum laude Coronae, the Crown and Apex of their Glories, whom God shall honour to contribute thereunto, though but a Grain or Atome.
Whereof (my Lords) by the conduct of Providence, and Advantage of your incomparable Magnanimities, after long Exagitations and Repugnance of Affairs, we have gotten more then a (glad) glimse, and by your unwearied Zeals may shortly obtain the ful Prospect and Fruition. Doubtlesse Sir, there is a Standard of Reforming all things. Nor is any Model so gratefull to good men, as whose footsteps appear in the Word of God; wherein there is no Peccadillo; To which you do well to take heed, as unto a most exact and perfect Rule.
And because, to Tranquillity of Government, Corruption of Manners, and Mazing Errors are grandly opposite (these delude and distract, that doth deboish a people,) It will be your Prudence, Sirs, who sit at Helm, steering affairs of the first Magnitude, to debel and overrun the one, as it may be any ones part (who to common Weal oweth both himself and his Devoire) to abandon in his capacity the other, as Fatal thereunto; Which humble Attempt, my Lords, here Implo…eth both your Resentment and Patronage.
The smattering (Sciolus) Soul of Lapsed man, in its most vigorous contendings unto Beatitude by its own Acies, cannot now (as in its estate of Native Innocence) with the Eagle behold the refulgence of Sunny Truths; Soaring in the highest Region of Contemplations, Penetrating the Arcana, and Essences of things; But through the flagginesse of her Pinion, flutters Estrich like, in grosse and earthy Idaeas; Forming sensual and faint conceptions, and in its survey, often taking shewes and shaddows for substances, gets the the minde great of Distemperature, and the State of Insecurity.
But this Iargon, my Lords, or rather System of Logico-Theologie, as it will medicine the disease, so it will purge out the humour and serve (with Heavens concurrence) as the Clew of Ariadne, to guide the intricate and perplexed thoughts of the unfixed people through the great Labyrinth of Time, and involvednesse of affairs to a point of consistency; and as a Jacobs staff o… Astralabe, to help them in taking the dimensions and full heights of things, by an infallible Rule of certitude.
And since knowledge is the excellency of man (seeing he abhorrs more to be accounted ignorant then vicious) surely the excellentest part of him (needs) must be that wherein this perfection inthrones, which being no other then intellect above Inferior Powers, challengeth the prerogative of Ayds and Organs: Of which kinde Logick (in our Native Tongue, as most rare, so) is the greated and most proper, which frameth and teacheth the use of Instruments accommodable to every operation of the understanding in its distinct and deliberate Quests of Truth.
This quality in man is the true Philophers stone it turneth all that his minde toucheth into Gold and Treasure of satisfaction. It is Janitrix Scientiarum; the Tutelary and Guardian of all, both Morall and Intellectual Habit: On the raisen wings of whose perfections, the prone and Reptile Soul soars a pitch, Circuiting all the stately Provinces and Dominions of knowledge.
This is that which by (Grace) recovers us to our Primogenial condition, unclouds the masqued mide, plows up, and useals the depths of Reason, Evolves the hidden Idaeas of things, and unites the knottinesse of every emergency.
By it are confuse things made Distinct; Abstru…e, Obvious: And the Planetick thoughts to act Syncentrick, and in its Sphere. This also rangeth the Pel-mel Conceptions to Battlia and Order; It unforks Oracles, making them Toothlesse, turneth into Milk bony Paradoxes, and Cloudy AEnigma's to clear Sunshine.
Ignorance, Sirs, benights the Soul, or rather Eclipseth it: By interposingit makes a man go all his way groping as he were blind: It is the Rack of ingenious and generous Spirits; who will oft rather drown then not dive beyond it; Nor did they ever finde a better way to chase or conquer it, then by Logicall Adjuments; The faithfull Organ to scent the footsteps of Truth (amidst the various Abolets of Error) in the Indagation and Researches after knowledge.
It is a Zealous (but frivolous) Mistake of (the foreign) some that would be thought Christians in these times; That Learning aversates, & Logick leadeth from the Grace and Truths of God: As if the Donations of Heaven were opposed, subordinated in mans tendency to Blisse and Glory; Can that be erroneous or bad, that teacheth what things be, or what be not, right and good? Such prove but the opinion of those men, who affirm the World groweth old, in their beginnings thus to dote and talk idly; Can there be contrariety in means that conspire one common end, mans perfection and happinesse? Gods gifts may serve, not shut out one another. Wherein Transcended us the first and second Adam and Solomon too, as to the Complement of their Natures, but in Logick and Philosophick endowments? The Connaturall Imposition of Names, at first to things; That Herbal of Herbals, swallowed of Time; And the famous disputes with the Sanhedrin-doctors, and Saducean Families, abundantly argue the advantages of acquired Habits; Nor can the manner of their having them, diversie the Nature of them.
By this time then it transpares, That, as Nature needs Grace, so Grace desireth Nature: and Art both Grace & Nature. Nature without Grace cannot do well; Grace without Nature cannot do at all: But Grace in Conjunction with nature and art, can do all things, as the great Apostle and Master of Learning affirmeth of himself; and as Symilus saith, Without Art Nature cannot be perfect, and without Nature Art can claim no being, foreign.
Now seeing this is the key of the Sciences, the study whereof is not more pleasing then profitable, and quisque cupit se beare: Why should it longer lie covert and concealed from the community? Is not Communication the excellency and measure of Good? Bonum est sui diffusivum; Doth not the Glorious and Superessentiall Being of beings (foreign delight himself in scattering beams, and filling every thing with the Expandings and Circumfusions of his goodnesse? And why should the lesser Beauties of Knowledge, and Arts be vailed with, and confined to Forraign Languages (to the most, Barbarous and unknown) since science is no mans property?
I do not derogate Sirs from the Universities, which I know are the Seminaries and Founts of Learning and Liberall Acquisitions. Rich streams have, do, and may hereafter flow from thence, to Indent the Land with (Rivulets of) Refreshing Blessings: Yet beleeve I not, they should still (as formerly) have the Monopoly of Letters to inhaunce them as by Patent, above the price of the meanest capacity (if willing) to purchase them.
There cannot be a greater Prop (next that of quenching the heavenly Tapers of the Word) to the black Monarchy of the Prince of Darknesse, than the Engrossments and Enclosure of the Sciences (which this layes open.) What were the Hieroglyphicks, and Imagery Resemblances of Egypt, and Ancient Greece, but to captive the People under blindnesse of mind, whilst some few obtained Titles of Magi, Daemones, and Sophoi; The Guerdon of their most injurious services.
But this Book, my Lords, as it designeth the Disempa…ing of the Sciences, unlocking to the People the Mysteries of them: So Heaven (no doubt) may follow it with a Correspondence of blessing, and breaking up the Caverns and Cells of raigning ignorance, may enamour the People with the Attractive Beauty of them, and clearly inform them (omitting matters of faith) what is payable to the Magistrate, and practicable each to other. The want whereof agitates their lighter minds, scorched with flashing Zeal (unduly tempered and set on fire) to pinch the Magistrate of their duty, whilst they know it not perfectly, and Ravelling the bond of love in the unity of the Spirit; for minute differences, uncharitably invade one another, contending as for their Fires and Altars.
And seeing Religion is the Pallisado, or rather the Palladium of Republikes, and knowledge the Cement of Religion; For that blesseth a people, this blasteth errour and drowns their breaches of Harmony; It importeth you Sirs whom God hath honoured with the chief Conduct of affairs, to promove both (which struck together, make a Diapason) since not-rare experience hath proved, where they have rung out for one, they have begun to toll for the other.
Indeed my Lords, you drive couragiously, you have almost doubled the Cape of Bon Speranze; Reformation and a happy peace will not longer ride at dead Anchor. These Mountains now removed, who were so long in travell of a Mouse of Reformation; We have hopes to receive (by your hands, as by some good Angels) the first born of our blood, establishment of Religion and liberty, which lately was like to have miscarried in the birth.
Sirs, God hath set you up the Oracles of War, made you to your Enemies Rocks, dashing them as Waves of the Sea; Your Drums▪ like Zizca's, conquering with Alarms, the clashing of your Armour terrible as thunder, your Victories alway as sure as the Rancontre; Every Field to bear you new Palms, immense structures to be crowded with Ensigns and Trophies of your admirable Successes: But these my Lords, are but Meteors adding Blaze, little of true Brightnesse: They have an Umbrage of Grandeur, not a spark or Dram of Glory; The Enamel of these Gayeti…s and Gauds, Sully and soon grow Dusky. It is your Zeals to the Interest of Heavens affairs. and the good of Community, that will be the Heralds to blazon your Escutcheons without stain, and Aggrandize your names to all Posterity.
And when the Ardour of Christian Charity in its sweetest Vigor, and the light of knowledge (by Providence. and your powerfull influences) shall flame, & as a flood break in upon us, and our youthful liberty open into a flower, then shal we grow rich with the increases of God, and the World venerate each of you, foreign; As a little Deity guesting in a body of flesh.
Or what is it to have the airy titles of a great Alexander, a victorious Caesar, a politick Hanibal, a valiant Serpio? What Fate attended these Philomathies? Some of them liv'd the Idols of the age, and mounting upon the pinacles of State (elevated on the wings of their ambitions) were most ingloriously dasht & precipic'd; whilst others like descending spokes of Fortunes wheel, beheld the solemnities of their Honors funerals: Nor could the Monuments of these Whirligigs serve Muniments to their expiring glories.
Greatnesse without goodnesse is a slippery height: The possessor in endeavouring to stand. accerseth his fall: But who builds on the Rock of ages, shall grow still and Bourgeon, his leaves shall refresh and shade the afflicted of the People; his dayes shall be many and good, his walks shall be on an Helix, still dilating.
And since God hath made you thus Great, may he also make you gratefull; he hath given you the Conquest of affairs, to give him the Conquest of your selves and wills. Be the shadow and Echo, or rather Heliotropes shutting and opening to his good pleasure: Then having perfected Deliverance for this Nation (whose expectations you are) your greatnesse shall be complemented with goodnesse, and your aspirements with Glory.
But that I build not too spatious Gates to my Mynda, or throw the Fabrick out at the Casements, I only add, that your Lordships fixing this Land to a happy Temperament of Justice, and Equity, advancing Letters, and reforming all things to the standard of the Word, will render England the Worlds Eutopia, the most Felicitous of Nations, and having absolved your courses thorow the Zodiac of praise-worthy actions, you will set laden with Lustre, and satisfying soulpeace: Treasures of an higher Carac than the worlds Magnalia; And the prayers of the Saints ascending with you, will Petarr your enterances thorow Heavens Portcullis; while you scale the Battlements of Glory to perfect your Triumphs, and with Seraphic Hierarchies chaunt Eternal Trisagions in ravishing Division; and every Colon and Column of your lives, quartered with the memory of your Atchievments, cause your Names (Rivalling with time) to survive on Earth, perfumed as Incense, and Odorous as a pile of Spices.
—Magnum hoc ego duco,
Quod placeat tibi, qui turpi secernis honestum.
Your Excellencies, Your Honours, and the Common-wealths most faithfull servant. Zach. Coke.
TO THE PEOPLE OF ENGLAND.
GOd hath made you an Ingenious and curious People, may he also make you wise unto Salvation. Not one of you (I presume) but would know much, and dispute well: This Book will serve you in both your ends. It will lead you through the plainnesse and depths of knowledges, both naturall and Divine, which as yet perhaps seem Mysterious to you, and impenetrable; make it but your own, and you have conquered the difficulties of all the Sciences; Truths that before deluge'd you, will take you now but up to the Ancles.
Though it be a little one, it may live to do you much good: and like the Bee of Myrmecides, hath not the lesse Labour and Artifice. It is not the Enchanted Egg of Oromazes, instead of universall happinesse, stuffed onelyonly with winde and Vapor, or as the numerous Tomes of the Times, Cui quidlibet scribendi est Cacoethes; which serve but to beat down the price of wastepaper, and to make the world sit straight about you; but securing always the Interests of truth, It will teach you to dispute and form a right Judgement of any thing, to discern golden Verities from glaring and guilded; and to assure your faith against the strongest Sconces of error, to Raze or batter it.
It will not lead you out of the right way (as some blind guides) but help you to reduce those that are strayed: From it, as from a spirituall Artillery, you may deprome all weapons of reason, to guard, not affront the truths of God (which not seldom suffer in mens hands.) But as the end of war is a calm and good peace, so Harmony and agreemement of spirit, is the Mark, or rather Center of disputings: for Fencing is but fooling in the Faith.
Look then into it, go over it, and you will quickly see the use and Advantage of it: Judge it not by the Frontispiece no more then you would the Riches of the Indian Mines, by the barren and Raggy surface of the Earth, or the Treasure of a Lapidaries store by the presentment at his Window: Yet when you have read it, and (perchance) dispute whether it doth more please or profit you, know that as a passion to the common good both▪ conceived and brought it forth, so I have obtained, if growing up with the peace of the Nation, it shall beget any thing of Amity and Unity among the Saints: That Paul being nothing, and Cephas nothing, The God of Truth and Love may be All in all.
Z. C.