"So the will is the Lady and Mistris of human actions, the understanding is her trusty counseller, which gives no advise, but when it is required by the will."
— Bramhall, John (1594-1663)
Author
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for John Crook
Date
1655
Metaphor
"So the will is the Lady and Mistris of human actions, the understanding is her trusty counseller, which gives no advise, but when it is required by the will."
Metaphor in Context
First, this very act of the understanding is an effect of the will, and a testimony of its power and liberty. It is the will, which affecting some particular good doth, ingage and command the understanding to consult and deliberate what means are convenient for atteining that end. And though the will it self be blind, yet its object is good in generall, which is the end of all human actions. Therefore it belongs to the will as to the Generall of an Army to moove the other powers of the soul to their acts, and among the rest the understanding also, by applying it and reducing its power into act. So as whatsoever obligation the understanding doth put upon the will, is by the consent of the will, and derived from the power of the will, which was not necessitated to moove the understanding to consult. So the will is the Lady and Mistris of human actions, the understanding is her trusty counseller, which gives no advise, but when it is required by the will. And if the first consultation or deliberation be not sufficient, the will may moove a review, and require the understanding to inform it self better, and take advise of others, from whence many times the judgment of the understanding doth receive alteration.
(pp. 30-1)
Provenance
Reading Mark Goldie, "The Reception of Hobbes," The Cambridge History of Political Thought, eds. J.H. Burns, with the assistance of Mark Goldie (Cambridge UP, 2004), 599.
Citation
John Bramhall, A defence of true liberty from ante-cedent and extrinsecall necessity being an answer to a late book of Mr. Thomas Hobbs of Malmsbury, intituled, A treatise of liberty and necessity. Written by the Right Reverend John Bramhall D.D. and Lord Bishop of Derry. (London: Printed for John Crook, and are to be sold at his shop at the sign of the Ship in St. Pauls Church-yard, 1655). <Link to EEBO-TCP>
Date of Entry
05/19/2018
