Truely, as among the _Philoſophers_, the _Skeptike_, which _doubts all_, was more contentious, then either the _Dogmatike_ which _affirmes_, or _Academike_ which _denyes all_; ſo are theſe uncertaine _Elders_, which both cals them _fantaſtike_ which follow others _inventions_, and them alſo which are led by their owne humorous ſuggeſtion, more _fantaſtike_ then other. [Decoration] 8. _That Nature is our worſt Guide._ Shal ſhe be _guide_ to all _Creatures_, which is her ſelfe one? Or if ſhe alſo have a _guide_, ſhall any _Creature_ have a better guide then wee? The affections of _luſt_ and _anger_, yea even to _erre_ is _naturall_; ſhall we follow theſe? Can ſhee be a good _guide_ to us, which hath corrupted not us onely but her ſelfe? Was not the _firſt man_, by the deſire of _knowledge_, corrupted even in the _whiteſt integrity_ of _Nature_? And did not _Nature_ (if _Nature_ did any thing) infuſe into him this deſire of _knowledge_, and ſo this _corruption_ in him, into us? If by _Nature_ wee ſhall underſtand our _eſſence_, our _definition_, or _reaſon_, _nobleneſſe_, then this being alike common to all (the _Idiot_ and the _Wizard_ being equally _reaſonable_) why ſhould not all men having equally all one _nature_, follow one courſe? Or if we ſhall underſtand our _inclinations_; alas! how unable a guide is that which followes the _temperature_ of our ſlimie _bodies_? for we cannot ſay that we derive our _inclinations_, our _mindes_, or _ſoules_ from our _Parents_ by any way: to ſay that it is _all from all_, is _error_ in _reaſon_, for then with the firſt nothing remaines; or is a _part from all_, is _errour_ in _experience_, for then this _part_ equally imparted to many children, would like _Gavel-kind lands_, in few generations become nothing; or to ſay it by _communication_, is _errour_ in _Divinity_, for to communicate the _ability_ of communicating _whole eſſence_ with any but God, is utter _blaſphemy_. And if thou hit thy _Fathers nature_ and _inclination_, he alſo had his _Fathers_, and ſo climbing up, all comes of one man, and have one _nature_, all ſhall imbrace one courſe; but that cannot bee, therefore our _complexions_ and whole _bodies_, wee inherit from _Parents_; our _inclinations_ and minds follow that: For our minde is heavy in our _bodies afflictions_, and rejoyceth in our _bodies pleaſure_: how then ſhall this _nature_ governe us, that is governed by the worſt part of us? _Nature though oft chaſed away, it will returne_; ’tis true, but thoſe _good motions_ and _inſpirations_ which be our guides muſt bee _wooed_, _courted_, and _welcomed_, or elſe they abandon us. And that old _Axiome_, _nihil invita, &c._ muſt not be ſaid thou _ſhalt_, but thou _wilt_ doe nothing againſt _Nature_; ſo _unwilling_ he notes us to curbe our _naturall appetites_. Wee call our _baſtards_ alwayes our _naturall iſſue_, and we define a _Foole_ by nothing ſo ordinary, as by the name of _naturall_.