_deforme_ himſelfe, yea become _foole_ to no other _end_ that I can ſpie, but to give his _wiſe Companion_ occaſion to _laugh_: and to ſhew themſelves in _promptneſſe_ of _laughing_ is ſo great in _wiſemen_, that I thinke all _wiſemen_, if any _wiſeman_ do reade this _Paradox_, will _laugh_ both at it and me. [Decoration] 11. _That the gifts of the Body are better then thoſe of the Minde._ I ſay againe, that the _body_ makes the _minde_, not that it created it a _minde_, but _formes_ it a _good_ or a _bad mind_; and this _minde_ may be confounded with _ſoule_ without any violence or injuſtice to _Reaſon_ or _Philoſophy_: then the _ſoule_ it ſeemes is enabled by our _body_, not this by it. My _Body_ licenſeth my _ſoule_ to _ſee_ the Worlds _beauties_ through mine _eyes_; to _heare_ pleaſant things through mine _eares_; and affords it apt _Organs_ for the conveiance of all perceivable _delight_. But alas! my _ſoule_ cannot make any _part_, that is not of it ſelfe diſpoſed, to _ſee_ or _heare_, though without doubt ſhe be as able and as willing to ſee _behind_ as _before_. Now if my _ſoule_ would ſay, that ſhee enables any part to taſte theſe pleaſures, but is her ſelfe onely delighted with thoſe rich _ſweetneſſes_ which her _inward eyes_ and _ſenſes_ apprehend, ſhee ſhould diſſemble; for I ſee her often ſolaced with _beauties_, which ſhee ſees through mine _eyes_, and with _muſicke_ which through mine _eares_ ſhe heares. This _perfection_ then my _body_ hath, that it can impart to my _minde_ all his _pleaſures_; and my _minde_ hath ſtill many, that ſhe can neither teach my _indiſpoſed_ part her _faculties_, nor to the beſt _eſpouſed_ parts ſhew it _beauty_ of _Angels_, of _Muſicke_, of _Spheres_, whereof ſhe boaſts the _contemplation_. Are _chaſtity_, _temperance_, and _fortitude_ gifts of the _mind_? I appeale to _Phyſitians_ whether the _cauſe_ of theſe be not in the _body_, _health_ is the gift of the _body_, and _patience_ in ſickeneſſe the gift of the _minde_: then who will ſay that _patience_ is as good a happineſſe, as _health_, when wee muſt be extremely _miſerable_ to purchaſe this _happineſſe_. And for nouriſhing of _civill ſocieties_ and _mutuall love_ amongſt men, which is our _chiefe end_ while wee are men; I ſay, this _beauty_, _preſence_, and _proportion_ of the _body_, hath a more _maſculine_ force in begetting this _love_, then the _vertues_ of the _minde_: for it ſtrikes us _ſuddenly_, and poſſeſſeth us _immoderately_; when to know thoſe _vertues_ requires ſome _Iudgement_ in him which ſhall diſcerne, a _long time_ and _converſation_ betweene them. And even at _laſt_ how much of our _faith_ and _beleefe_ ſhall we be driven to beſtow, to aſſure our ſelves that theſe _vertues_ are not _counterfeited_: for it is the ſame to _be_, and _ſeeme vertuous_, becauſe that he that hath _no vertue_, can _diſſemble_ none, but he which hath a _little_, may _gild_ and _enamell_, yea and transforme