they have their Essences from the Ideas in his Divine Understanding and their Existences by his Peculiar and Immediate Act of Creation He still conserves their Essence in Being by the same Continued Action and at the same time all their Faculties and Powers by which they act on one another He puts them forwards to exercise those several Faculties and actually to produce their Operations on one another according to their Natures by Motion which is given them by his Chief Officers in administring the World Angels and continues their Motions and Operations by their Incessant perpetuating of that Motion So that both their Essences their Actual Being their Power to act their Exercise of that Power and consequently whatever belongs to the Action it self as far as it is Positive or has Entity and Goodness in it and amongst the rest the Determination of our Will to what 's Good and Virtuous do all of them Entirely depend on GOD and are Deriv'd from Him Ipâ—â— Honor Gloria in saecula saeculorum Amen MEDITATION THe Essences of Things which give all Bodies their several Sorts of Operation being estaâ—…t by GOD and Vacuum being own Impossible from the Contiâ—â—ity That GOD's Ordinary Providence carries on the Course of Nature by Proper Causes still producing Proper Effects Demonstrated à priori of Quantity which is it's â—â—d of Unity or Entity It folâ—â—â—s that all the Bodies of the â—aterial World do immediately conâ—â— upon or touch one another â—â— therefore being set on work â—pusht forward by Motion which iâ— given and continu'd to them by the Angelical Nature they must necessarily affect or work upon one another and this according to their respective Essences or as we express it in Philosophical Language Proper Causes must still produce proper Effects And seeing this Reason holds in all Bodies whatever since the Creation was finisht and Natural Causes begun to move in a Regular Order â—â—sequently the whole Course of Nature to show and â—â—plain which is the Work of a Natural Philosopher â—â—sists in the Production of such Effects as are Proper â—d suteable to the Genius of their Causes Thus is the Providence of our Great GOD adâ—inistring the World after the Wisest â—anner Demonstrated a Priori Conâ—irm'd Because otherwise Mankind could not possibly have any Science nor know what to do in their ordinary Actions And that this way of Governing the Material World does most become His Divine Wisdom appears hence that as was lately said all our Acquir'd Wisdom in Natural things or all our Science is entirely grounded on our Knowing this Connexion of such Causes with such Effects insomuch that all Mankind would be a pack of Ignorant Fools if the Consequence of these later from the former were not Certainly establisht since in that case they could never know what things they were to make use of to compass any Effect they intended nor know what to eschew and what to pursue No Proportion of any Means to the End being Possible to be known in case such Determinate Causes were not apt to produce such Determinate and Proper Effects or which is the same if every thing did not Act as it Is but that Any thing might do or not do Any thing Nor is this Connected Tenour of managing the Material World by Proper Causes and Effects less Evident a posteriori The same Great Truth Demonstrated a posteriori For let us pitch our thought upon any one Effect done at present and let it be the Greatest or the most Inconsiderable one as it may seem to us for this alters not the case Plainest Reason will tell us that either it had some Cause or it had none If it had none and yet is it must have been Self-Existent Which is both against Experience for we see it lately produced and against our Reason too because to be Self-Existent is an Incommunicable Attribute of the DEITY If it had a Cause then that Cause was either Indifferent to produce this or any other Effect in which caâ—e it could produce Nothing since Ex indifferenti nihil sequitur Besides every Effect whether it be a Thing or a Mode of Thing is Determinate for whatever is produc'd â—s and whatever is is Determinate since nothing in common can be and an Indeterminate Cause cannot produce an Determinate Effect for in that Supposition it would work contradictorily to it's self It must then be Determinately apt or Proper to produce this kind of Effect and no other This Effect was therefore put because there was such a Determinate or Proper Cause to produce it This seen let us make the same Discourse concerning that which was the Proper Cause as we did now concerning its Effect now mention'd and so of all the Antecedent Causes in the World since Time first started into Motion Each of them Existed or was in it's Season None of them could exist of themselves therefore each of them had a Cause and that by our former Discourse a Determinate or Proper one Nothing therefore is or can be more Demonstrable nor more immediately reducible to Self-Evidence than it is that the whole Course of Nature is carry'd on by Proper Causes and Proper Effects This Consideration made that Great Aristotelian and truly Christian Philosopher Boetius begin his Devout Rapture in Hence the Course of GOD's Work manship the Fabrick of Nature is Close and Indissoluble these Words O qui perpetua Mundum Ratione gubernas The whole Current of our Reason runs upon this Ground and proceeds every step in this beaten Track that every Cause produces such Effects as are Agreeable and Proper to its peculiar Nature and this perpetually or thro' the whole Course of the World For were the Line of Causality interrupted by Chasms and Interstices our Reason would be at an utter Loss This it was also which made that Divine Writer the Author of Ecclesiasticus speaking of the Manner in which the World is Administer'd by the Divine Wisdom deliver his comprehensive Thoughts in these Emphatical Words Attingit a fine in finem fortiter disponit omnia suaviter It reaches from the Beginning to the End or carries it quite thorow Strongly for what stronger than the Infractile Chain of Causality establisht on this Great and Self-Evident Truth that Nothing can make it self or which is the same Nothing that is only Potential or meerly in power to work an Effect can reduce it Self to Act as to that Effect Or what Disposition more Sweet or farther from offering Violence to the Nature of any Cause than 't is to order that it should work connaturally or Act as it is Notwithstanding the Greatest and Clearest Truths can never want Enemies while there is Errour in the World Nor will The Epicurean Tenet of CHANCE Governing the World is most Absurd and Senseless there ever want Errour as long as Men either carelessly or wilfully decline the only Paths that lead to Truth which are to bottom their Discourse at
a Spiritual Understanding and not Ideas or Similitudes of them only 10. This Doctrine being grounded on that Logical Maxim All Differences are nothing but More and Less of the Generical Notion the consideration of that Thesis is recommended to the Reader 11. This holds equally in a Soul too when she comes to be a Pure Act. 12. Angels being Pure Acts are Immutable 13. The Distinction of Angels is taken from being More or Less Cognoscitive after their manner 14. This is not to be understood of the Extent of their Knowledge but of the Intenseness or Penetrativeness of it 15. Hence as far as Reason carries us is taken the Distinction of the Three Hierarchies and Nine Quires of Angels 16. The Different Manners by which Angels and Human Souls come to have all their Knowledge 17. That those Angels have Nobler Essences whose each Act of Knowledge has for it's Object a Greater portion of the Universe 18. Which fits them to super-intend the Administration of a Larger Province 19. How Consonant this is to those passages of Holy Scripture which speak of such Operations of Angels 20. An Angel cannot operate upon another Angel so as to Change it 21. Wherefore all it 's External Operations which work a Change in another thing can only be upon Bodies 22. An Angel can thus operate upon Material Beings or Bodies 23. That we only intend to evince here the An est of this Operation of an Angel and not the Manner how it is perform'd 24. Yet no One Angel has an Unlimited Power to operate thus on All Bodies whatever 25. An Angel can Move or Change those Bodies which are within the Sphere of it's Activity in an Imperceptible Time 26. Hence the wonderful Effects recorded in Holy Writ to have been done by Angels are Consonant to Metaphysical Principles 27. That the Ordinary Ministring Spirits or Angel-Guardians of Particular Persons are the Lowest sort of Angels 28. But the Greater and Weightier Affairs ure manag'd and transacted by Archangels 29. The Lower Angels receiv'd Intellectual Light from GOD by means of the Superiour ones in the very Instant they were Created 30. In what manner the Good Angels perform the Will of their Maker without New Instructions 31. That GOD makes use of Holy Angels to procure our Good and of Bad ones to afflict and punish Mankind as His Divine Wisdom sees fitting MEDITATION By what means Metaphysicks has rais'd our Thoughtâ— above the Sordid Mass of Matter to contemplatâ— the Angelical Nature The surpassing Excellency of their Intellectual Essences Decypher'd How Faith has antecedently enlighten'd our Reason and that 't is our Duty to Explicate and Defend it against the Empty Flourishes of the Drollich Renouncers of Faith and Reason both What Gratitude Love and Veneration we owe to those Blessed Ministring Spirits and what Benefit we shalâ— reap by keeping up a Spiritual Communion with them by following their good Inspirations Yet that we ought to honour them so as to remember they are only our Fellow Servants tho' highly Dignify'd by our Common Master BOOK III. Of the most Pure Actuality of Being the Adorable DEITY Of the Existence Essence and Attributes of GOD. § 1. THat there must be Something which is a most Pure Actuality of Being Demonstrated 2. Dem. II. From the acknowledg'd Potentiality of Being necessarily annext or rather Essential to all Creatures 3. Dem. III. Because what is not cannot Act. 4. Dem IV. Because Actual Being or Existence is the Noblest Effect imaginable 5. Dem. V. Because no Power can produce an Effect which is Contradictory to what it self is or to it 's own Nature 6. The foresaid Proofs summ'd up in One and Enforc'd 7. This Actuality of Being gave Being to all Other Things 8. The Objection of the Atheists propos'd viz. That The World was ever 9. First Answer That this does not solve our Demonstration 10. Second Answer That 't is a meer Voluntary Assertion neither Prov'd nor Attempted to be Prov'd nor Possible to be Prov'd 11. Third Answer Farther shewing that our Argument is not Toucht and Reducing it to an Identical Proposition 12. Fourth Answer This Pretence or Voluntary Assertion is shown to be an Absolute Impossibility 13. Fifth Answer That the putting an Infinite Antecedent Time which in their Supposition is absolutely necessary is a plain Contradiction 14. Sixth Answer That the very Notion of the word Infinite apply'd to our case shews also that 't is a manifest Contradiction 15. The putting a Finite Number of Causes giving Being to one another Circularly is as Absurd and Contradictory as the former 16. The Notion of Ens is different from that of Existence and consequently Essence from Existence 17. Philosophers must discourse of the First Being by such Notions as they have 18. The Notion of Existence is the most Actual of any we have 19. And therefore the Fittest to express a Pure Actuality of Being and given us by GOD himself 20. Every Abstract word includes comprehensively the Whole Nature of the Form or Act it signifies without any Limitation 21. Therefore it 's Limitation either proceeds from the Subject or from the Causes that Determine it 22. Wherefore GOD's Essence being EXISTENCE â—â— self is absolutely Unlimited or Actually Infinite 23. Therefore GOD is but ONE 24. Hence Polytheism or the putting Many Gods is a most senseless Absurdity and a plain Contradiction 25. Hence the Christian Doctrine is DIVINE the Dawning of which chaced away that Universal Darkness in despite of all Opposition Humane Power Wit or Learning could make 26 Existence is the Whole Perfection of every thing that Exists 27. Much more when it is Essential and actually Infinite 28. Therefore the Divine Existence or the DEITY Includes or Concenters all imaginable Perfections in it's self 29. Therefore GOD is Infinitely Perfect in all Intellectual and Moral Attributes 30. Therefore GOD is a Spirit 31. And no ways Corporeal 32. Therefore 't is an Indignity to the Divine Nature to apply any such Predicates to Him as belong to Bodies 33. Hence also He is Immutable 34. And a Self-Subsistent Being 35. Also His Essence is most Simple or Uncompounded 36. And his Duration ETERNAL 37. Whence it ought not to be Explicated by a Correspondency to our Time 38. Hence also GOD is IMMENSE 39. 'T is highly Derogatory to this Attribute to explicate it by Commensuration to an Infinite Space 40. Lastly the Divine Nature is of it's self infinitely Knowable or Intelligible 41. Of what comfort this may be to some Humble and Pious Souls 42. That the Author confines himself here to Metaphysical Mediums 43. Notwithstanding all that 's said no Notion or Word we have is Univocally or in the same Sense apply'd to GOD and to Creatures 44. Wherefore all the Words we use when we speak of GOD are in some sort Metaphorical 45. Because each of them signifies some one Notion or some one Perfection whereas the Divine Nature is the Plenitude of All Being and All Perfections center'd
contrary to all the Maâ—…ims of Sound Philosophy 34. Lastly If All the Ideas or Notions be Innatâ— and there can be no reason why some should be so and otheâ— Eighth Proof not since the Soul is equally capable of All as of Some only then since to be Actually in a Knowing Power is to Actuate or Inform that Power that is to render that Power Actually Knowing it would follow that the Souâ— in that case having in her all those Notions of which her Nature is capable that is All Notions whatever she would either know all things while she is here or else she would have while here Innumerable Ideas or Materials of Knowledge which never come to be Excited and so are perfectly Useless Which makes the Immediate Act of the First Being which Infus'd them Frustraneous and to no purpose For their own Principles must force them to confess those Ideas which shall never be Excited cannot in that case either serve for Reasoning Contemplation nor Outward Action and therefore the Imbuing the Mind with them here is Preposterous Suâ—…ous and to no end 35. 'T is equally Groundless and Unphilosoâ—…cal in many regards to affirm That the Soul cannot Elicit Ideas out of her self from many heads 〈…〉 the Soul has a Power to Eliâ—… or Produce such Ideas in her â—… upon Occasion of such an Imâ—…ssion made on the Senses For â—… the Reasons given above I mean those â—…hich have been produced § 28 29 30 32. â—… in a manner equally disprove such Ideas â—…se which are properly Innate Secondly 〈…〉 impossible to show by their Grounds any Natural Connexion between that Impression on the â—…ve and the Production of such or such an 〈…〉 nor as far as I can see do they so much 〈…〉 pretend to show how this Effect does ex naâ—…a rei spring from that Cause For 't is conâ—… that the Stroke on the Nerve and the Idea which starts up when it is made there are utterly Unlike one another By which lame account any kind of Impression provided it be Unlike may occasion the Production of any Idea whatever and therefore there would be no Reason why 〈…〉 particular Impression more than another made 〈…〉 the Body should concur any way no not so much as a sutable Occasion to the Production of any particular Idea at all Thirdly Hence they make this Impression on the Nerve to be only an Occasion that is a kind of Conditio sine quâ non and not any sort of Cause contrary to the whole Intention and End of all Philosophy which is to refund Effects into their Proper Causes Fourthly They put the Soul which is of an Indivisible nature to Act upon it self and to be the Sole Cause of such an Idea which is against divers Principles confining upon Self-evidence and easily reducible to it Such as are Nothing that is meerly iâ— Power to such an Effect can reduce st self to Act. Nothing Indetermin'd can produce a Determinate Effect Nothing can change it self An Indivisible Entity cannot work upon it self A Thing in Rest cannot move it self Or in a word the Whole Course of Causes consisting in this that One Thing which is in Act it self is to work upon Another which is in Power to receive that Act is by this Extravagant Doctrine made Needless Absurd and Incoherent 36. Corollary XII From what 's Deduc't above it follows that that Position of That the Position which makes the Soul and Body Two Things hinders the Right Explication of Christian Faith the Cartesians which makes the Soul and Body in Man to be Duae Res or Two Things does not seem to sute well with Christian Faith For since Cartesius does therefore make them Two Things because he finds them to be of Different Natures 't is Evident that he does not Distinguish between the Notion of the Thing which has the Nature in it and of the Nature which is in the Thing or is had by it Whence follows that whereever and whenever there are those two Distinct Natures there must also be two Distinct Things But the Second Person of the Trinity will ever retain the Humanity of Christ and the Humanity of Christ will ever consist of the Corporeal and Spiritual Natures call'd Soul and Body therefore there will ever be according to this Doctrine two distinct Things in the Humanity of Christ-Again since these Two Natures in Christ's Humanity which they call Two Things are Individually or Numerically such and an Individual Thing is the same as a Suppositum the Followers of this Doctrine must hold there are Two Suppositums in Christ according to his Humanity Wherefore since 't is a Fundamental of Christian Faith that there is also in Christ the Divine Suppositum they must be forced to put three Suppositums in Christ GOD and MAN which is strange Language in Christianity Nor will it avail them to alledge that the Divine Personality by Assuming Humane Nature sâ—pplies the Subsistence of both those Natures for this takes not away the Distinction of the Two Natures in the Humanity wherefore if whereever there are two Natures there must be Two Things and those in our case Individually such of force there will remain two Individual Things that is Two Supposita in Christ's Humane Nature and consequently Three in all Whence since Verum vero non contradicit the Christian Tenet of but One Suppositum in Christ being True the Cartesian Doctrine that the Soul and Body in Man are two Things because they are of such Different Natures must needs be False and our main Tenet that the Soul and Body in Man do make but One Thing is both Evident to Reason and Consonant to Faith and to the Creed of St. Athanasius 37. Corollary XIII Hence also it follows from this Thesis of the Cartesians that every Individual Man in This Tenet makes overy Man to be a Monstrous Chimera the World is a Perfect Chimera nay a more Monstrous one than a Hircoceruus a Centaur or any other we use to Instance in For since all Created Beings are either Pure Acts or Compounded of Power and Act that is Matter and Form by Ch. 1. § 33. and the Word Thing signifies What 's Capable of Existing and therefore Two Things must be Capable of Diverse Existences and if they exist actually must actually have Two Existences It follows that the Soul and Body even in this State they have here must have actually Two Diverse Existences Again since their Nature the one being Corporeal the other Incorporeal are far more Distant and more vastly Different than a Goat and a Stag or any other Natures amongst Bodies to clap two such Things thus actually distinct under the Notion of Thing and Existing thus Distinct into One Species call'd MAN makes all the Individuals under that Species to be Chimerical nay greater Chimera's than is a Compound made of any two Things in Nature which are of divers Corporeal Species and exist actually by distinct Existences as a
comprehend those Times and Places which are Modes of those Things and consequently Parts of the Entire Notion of those Things themselves that is she must comprehend all Time or Place 8. Corollary I. Hence is demonstrated how great an Errour it is and against Hence her Operations are not measur'd by Time They and their Subject being of a Superiour Nature the Nature of a Pure Act to put the Duration of Pure Spirits to be in some sort Successive and that their Operations and consequently their Existence are measureable by the Differences of Time Before and After whereas they comprehend all Time and are of such a Nature as far transcends it 9. Therefore such a Soul cannot but naturally have an Ardent Longing to know the Nature of the First Cause that Hence she will be Eternally Miserable unless she knows the First Cause GOD. made and order'd those Things For since 't is Essential to the Soul to be Cognoscitive and consequently the whole Bent and only Good of her Nature in that State is to have all the Knowledge she can and must wish and the Knowledge of the Effects does naturally and also vehemently excite and enflame those who are wholly addicted to Knowledge as the Soul naturally is in that State to know the Cause which Created them of Nothing and rang'd them in that most beautiful Order Nay since they do not know those things as they ought without knowing them a priori in their First Cause and how and by what virtue he Created them Again since as was often prov'd the Knowledge of all Created Truths they being Finite cannot in the least fill or satisfie the Natural Desire of the Soul and therefore only the Knowledge of an Infinite Truth can satiate and content her and she cannot but vehemently long to enjoy that which only can satisfie a Propension so â—adicated in her Nature It follows from all these heads that the Knowledge of all Created Truths do serve only to increase her Thirst and to enflame her Desire more ardently and impatiently to know the Nature or Essence of that Infinite and Glorious Source of all Being the First Cause from which issued all those admirable Effects and which she now sees is the Object only worthy of her Knowledge Whence she must look upon her self as utterly lost and unâ—one and remain eternally miserable if she falls short of that only Soul-satisfying Sight 10. From the § § 4 and 5. it follows necessarily that a Soul when Separated is naturally while Separated Hence also she is naturally Unchangeable Unchangeable For besides other Reasons the Notion of Created Ens is adequately Divided by Indivisible and Divisible as by its Differences which are Contradictories Nor is there any thing in the Species but the Notion of the Genus in which they agree and the Notion of the Difference by which they disagree and this in our case contradictorily Hence it follows that whatever is Affirm'd of One of the Species besides the Generical Notion the Contradictory to it must be Affirm'd of the Other Species wherefore as truly and certainly as we can affirm of One of the Species Body that it is Quantitative Divisible has Part after Part and that its Operations are perform'd Successively one after another c. so truly can we affirm of the Other Species Spirit that it is Unquantitative Indivisible has not Part after Part and is not Successive in its Operations in regard none of these relate to the Genus But what has no Successiveness in it cannot be otherwise than it was before or Chang'd Therefore the Soul while it is a pure Spirit is naturally Unchangeable 11. From the same § 5. 't is demonstrated without needing any farther Hence too as soon as Separated she knows all the Thoughts and Affections Words and Actions of her past Life Proof that the Soul when Separated knows and cannot but know all the Words Actions Thoughts and Affections of her whole fore-past Life finding those Later in her Self she her Self being then her own First Immediate and Ever-present Object and the Former in the Course of Causes and in the Circumstances there mention'd Also that she cannot but know the Natural Actions Thoughts c. of others since these also were Effects and had their Causes and so were knowable by her as well as the others Lastly That she must a fortiori know what Good or Bad Dispositions were in her self when she Dy'd they being now Modes or Accidents of her self nor is it possible that a Creature that has Knowledge and Will in it should not even in this dull State know what it self chiefly wishes and desires 12. Corollary 1. Hence is understood how the Particular Iudgment determining the Soul's Future Condition Whence follows the Particular Judgment which determines her Lot at the Hour of Death is made at the Hour of Death and how she comes to Hope or Despair of Eternal Hap piness according as she sees her self Fit or Unfit for it whence she becomes Determin'd to her Final Lot which Fitness or Unfitness is in the Old Language of the Christian Church call'd Merit or Demerit which are the same as Disposition or Indisposition for Bliss only differing in an Extrinsecal Denomination taken from GOD's having Promis'd and Threaten'd the Happy or Unhappy Consequences of Good or Bad Actions 13. Corollary II. Hence also is understood how the Book of Conscience will be laid open at the last Day Hence is understood how the Book of Conscience will be laid open at the last Day when GOD shall reveal abscondita tenebrarum or as the Sybill expresses it Cunctaq cunctorum cunctis arcana patebunt and this after a more Clear and Solemn Manner than meer Nature could have perform'd 14 Corallary III. Hence also we may see why and how Infants are connaturally sav'd by Baptism as And how Infants are connaturally sav'd by Baptism by the most General and Genuine Means For they carry no Dispositions out of the Body but Affections to the Mother's Dug to lie soft and warm and such like which being meerly Natural or rather Animal were too weak and too base to put any thing in them which might raise them in their Future State towards Heaven But when they come into the Region of Light and know all things amongst the rest that they were Baptiz'd in Christ's Name and that that External Action the Impressions and consequently the Notions of which remain yet in their Soul was particularly done upon them and was Ordain'd as a Supernatural Means by Him acting as a Supernatural Agent for their Salvation or to addict them to Him and make them His immediately that Sacrament as others also do working its Effect ex vi Institutionis Christi gives them other Thoughts and Higher Aims than meer Nature could have done makes them conceive Actual Hope and Love of their Good GOD and Saviour and so disposes or fits them at the same Instant for Heaven 15. Corollary
either have â—…d Actual Being given them or have been â—reated by that Self-existent Thing that has Actual Being in it's Nature or is essentially an Actuality of Being or else they must have had Actual Being given them by Nothing 8. Against this Demonstration for the Existence of some First Being or Beings some may object That The Objection of the Atheists propos'd viz That the World was ever there has been an Infinite Number of Things Antecedent to one another without any possibility of conceiving a First none of which Things were meerly Potential in order to Being but all of them were actually in their Proper Seasons and therefore they might give Actual Being to those Things that still succeeded To which I Answer 9. First That this does not solve the Argument but objects against the Conclusion than which nothing is more Answer I. That this does not solve our Demonstration Unfair in Discoursing For this untoward Method allows him who is the Respondent to prevaricate from his Duty and turn Opponent Which confounds those two Offices and perverts all the Laws of Reasoning or Discoursing 10. Secondly which is yet much worse It opposes the Conclusion by a meer Voluntary Assertion neither Demonstrated Ans. II. That 't is a meer Voluntary Assertion never yet prov'd nor Attempted to be Prov'd nor Possible to be Prov'd nor as we peremptorily challenge them possible to bear even any show of a Demonstration Whereas against a Pretended Demonstration even in case this aukward Method of Discoursing were allowable as it is not nothing under a Pretended Demonstration has right to be alledg'd Probabilities in such a case being Insignificant and Incompetent to be put in the Ballance 11. Thirdly That the Argument is not solv'd 〈…〉 Evident for it manifestly proceeds upon what of it's own Ans. III. Farther showing that our Argument is not toucht and is reducible to an Identical Proposition Nature or essentially is Potential to Being or Actual Being and as is seen § 6. 7. the Demonstration is in part grounded upon the Necessity that one side of the Contradiction must be True Now it must be confest by themselves that maâ—y of these Actual Causes which they pretend â—id all along give Actual Being to others viz. many Bodies were not of their own Nature or Essentially Existent for had they been such essentially they had not needed nor could they receive Existence from others since they had it of themselves nor could they ever not have been â—…e contrary to all which we experience since we see many of them Generated and others Corrupted And had the Predicate Existent been Essential to any of them then since Essential Predicates are always predicated of their Subjects Existent could always with truth be predicated of Peter or every Individual Entity which put we could never say with Truth that Peter or 〈…〉 other Thing which once was and is now corrupted is not Existent or is not which Common Sense and the very Notion of the word was or Fuit makes it Self-evident we can do lastly To clinch the Truth of this Point 't is an Identical Proposition and one of the First Truths that Every thing is what it is or is it's self Wherefore in case Existent were an Essential Predicate of any of those Corruptible or Finite Things then since what 's Essential to any thing does at least as a necessary and intrinsecal part constitute it and what wants it's Essence is not that Thing or is not it's self it would be against an Identical Proposition on which the Metaphysical Verity that is all the Truth we can imagine depends if those Things which they put to be the Successive Causes of Actual Being should at any time not be which yet Experience tells us do sometime cease to be or are not As certain then as an Identical Proposition is True so Certain it is that the Natures of all Finite Things are no more but only Capable of Being that is Potential and Indifferent to Being and not-Being and therefore that they had no Being from any Finite Cause but from some Infinite First Cause or Causes which is Essentially Actual Being or a Pure Actuality of Being 12. Fourthly Their Assertion relying on the Supposition of an Infinite Number of Successive Causes is utterly Ans. IV. That this Pretence or Voluntary Assertion is shown to be an absolute Impossibility overthrown by proving that An Infinite Number is absolutely Impossible which I thus show out of the Nature of the Subject about which we are Discoursing Number For all Number even tho' Infinite is compounded made up or consists of Units or Ones So that as Twenty is Twenty Ones and a Million is a Million of Ones so an Infinite Number is Infinite Ones nor can it as it has the Notion of Number consist of any thing else Nor can themselves find any thing in it's Composition but Ones Regarding then the Subject of our Discourse this Infinite Collection of Ones we can find or imagine nothing in it by which it can be conceiv'd to grow up or rather become Infinite but One still successively following the foregoing Ones Wherefore it must become formally Infinite by some One added to or taken with the rest there being in it nothing else as was said imaginable by which it could formally oâ— integrally become Infinite But 't is an absolute Impossibility that a Number or Multitude if that word rather please them should become Infinite by the Accession of some One Therefore an Infinite Number is absolutely Impossible I do remember that when I prest this Argument against a very Ingenious Atheist he to shift it oâ— reply'd that no Man has or can have any Notion of an Infinite Number I answer'd That thâ—â— condemns themselves for recurring to such a Position that no Man can tell what the Words â—… I added That this was a strong Argument against them that the Position it self was Chimerical and convinces them of being baffled in their Cause by their running to such a Thesis as was confessedly Unintelligible either by themselves or their Adversary Next I assur'd him That waving this we could very easily have a Notion or Simple Apprehension of what the word Infinite means as is clearly shown Solid Philosophy Asserted Reflexion IX Otherwise we could not Speak or Discourse of it either pro or con But when we come to joyn it in a Proposition with Existent and say An Infinite Number is â—t has been then indeed our Understanding iâ— puzzled and at an utter loss to make Sense of it and no wonder since it implies a Contradiction which being against the Nature of Ens iâ— altogether Unintelligible His next Answer was That my Argument proceeded upon a False Supposition For there could be no Agent to Calculate it or add one to one till it became Infinite I reply'd Those very Agents himself puts to have produced still a New One all along did add those Successive Ones in re tho'
Finite Ens consists in a Potentiality or a meer Possibility of Existing whereas Existence is the Act that answers to that Power and so is vastly distinguishâ— or Different from it the Power and it 's Proper Act being counterpos'd to one another Add That this has also been demonstrated here § 2. 17. Lemma II. We cannot think or speak of the First Being tho' suppos'd Infinite but by making use of such Philosophers must Discourse of the First Being by sueh Natural Notions as they have Natural Notions and Words as we have This is Self-evident since none can think or speak with Thoughts or Words which he has not 18. Lemma III. Amongst all our Natural Notions that of Existence is moâ—â— Actual and being Pure from all The Notion of Existence is the most Actual of any we havâ— Potentiality in the Line of Being it is deservedly call'd an Actuality or the very Formal and Whole and Sole Nature of Act in that Line This has â—… Demonstrated B. 1. Ch. 1 § 34 35. â—o 〈…〉 the Reader is referred â—… Of all our Natural Notions that â—… that of Existence is the â—…perest and Best we can use And therefâ—râ— the Fittâ—st to 〈…〉 a Pure Actuaâ—â—ty of Being â—â—d glven us by GOD Himself 〈…〉 we speak of a Pure Actuâ—…y of Being or a DEITY This â—…prov'd § 16 17. and is Evident â—â—â—m the Terms For since Ens 〈…〉 who le Latitude abstracts 〈…〉 Corporeal Nature which has that Power call'd â—… and is clearly Antecedent to the Third 〈…〉 of Power since a Capacity of being it self â—â—â— antecede a Capacity of Sustaining or giving 〈…〉 to Accidents and therefore the Potenâ—… which Ens has to it's Act is more Noble 〈…〉 Exalted and more defaecated as it were 〈…〉 those baser and narrower sorts of Power than aâ—y other Wherefore since Existence is the Ultimate Act of Ens in it's whole Latitude it â—ollows that it is the most Abstracted or Purest sort â—â— Act in the Line of Being and therefore is â—…incident with the Notion of Pure Actuality of â—… which is the best Positive Notion we can 〈…〉 of a DEITY And accordingly the True â—… as will be demonstrated shortly the ONLY â—OD Himself who could best express to us 〈…〉 owâ— Divine Essence when Moses Exod. 3. â—… desir'd to know by what Name which sigâ—… his Essence he should call him when he â—â—ould come to speak from Him to the Children of Israel answer'd him Ego sum qui sum I am who AM or I am He who IS and bid him tell tâ—â—m that He who IS has sent me unto you Which â—…inly signifies that all Other Things have only a Potentiality or Possibility of Existing or Being Actually and that 't is Proper and Peculiar to GOD's Nature or Essence which the Name is to express to Be Actually or Exist And that if any Thing else has Being or Exists it partakes or borrows it's Being from Him who only â—â— or whose Essence is that Pure Actuality of Being call'd Existence So that the main Ground of our Metaphysicks particularly that which discourses of the Adorable DEITY is in the main the same Sense given to our hands by GOD Himself which we dilate and on which we descant by our Reason 20. Lemma IV Every Abstract Word which signifies meerly any Form or Act includes in it's Notion the Every Abstract Word comprehends the whole Nature of the Form or Act it signifies without any Limitation whole Nature of the Act imported by that Word without any Limitation For let us take Knowledge Virtue Whiteness or any other such Abstract Word we shall find that none of them either Express Hint or Connotate thus much or such a Portion or Degree of those Acts. Wherefore those Abstract Words involve in them the Whole Nature of those Acts that is without Limitation Moreover were there per impossibile suppos'd Infinite things which had Knowledge Virtue or Whiteness in them they would all partake of the Nature of those Acts and yet it would not be exhausted which shows the word signifies those Acts without Limitation 21. Lemma V. Therefore the Limitation of all Acts must either proceed from the Subject it affects which being Therefore it 's Limitation proceeds either from the Subject or from the Causes that Determine it a Particular or Determinate Ens makes it This and no Other or else from the Causes which determin'd the Act to such or such a Degree of it Hence I Argue 22. Therefore GOD's Existence which is his Essence is Unlimited and Actually Infinite For since his Existence Hence GOD's Essence it self is absolutely Unlimited or Actually Infinite includes the whole Nature of Existence by Lem. IV. nor is it as it is found in Him an Act corresponding to a Potential Essence as it is in Creatures this being against the Nature of a Pure Actuality but is His Proper Name which imports his Essence neither is his Existence limited by any Subject in regard every Subject is a Power to receive advening Acts which is against the Nature of that Essence which is purely Actual Hence it follows that it is it 's own Subject or Self-subsistent Nor Lastly can â— be Limited by the Operation of any Cause which gave him that Act He being the First Cause and incapable to receive anything in regard this implies Passiveness and Potentiality It â—ollows then that his Existence is absolutely Unlimiâ—ed and it being a Pure Actuality actually Infinite 13. Therefore the DEITY is but ONE For â—ere there Two Infinite Existences â—ach of them must necessarily Therefore GOD is but ONE â—â—ve something which the other â—â— not otherwise they would â—re nothing to distinguish them or make them more they being in all respects the Same Therefore if there were two GODs this would limit both of them and make neither of them to be Infinite therefore there can be but One Infinite Existence or One GOD. Again were there Two Self-Existences they would agree in that Common Notion and the Differences that constitute them within that Notion must be more and less of that Common Notion Infinite Existence as has been often prov'd Which is perfect Nonsense Infinity being beyond all Degrees and Incapable of them Besides Differences are necessarily more Actual than the Common Notion they divide but no Notion can be more Actual than Existence much less than Self-existence which is a Pure Actulity therefore since Self-Existence can admit no Differences to divide it 't is impossible it should be more than One. To proceed 24. Corol. I. Hence nothing could be so extravagantly Foolish and void of Common Sense as the Polytheism Hence Polytheism was a most Senseless Absurdity and a flat Contradiction of the Antient Heathens For by making more Gods they did by consequence make them all to be Finite and therefore none of their Essences to be Actual Being but Potential in order to Existence Whence since they could not having no more of their
GOD who is a Self-subsistent Existence 46. Hence the Names of our Best Virtues are Metaphorically said of GOD. For were they Properly said of GOD Hence even the Names of our best Virtues are not in every regard properly spoken of GOD. there would be some Notion Univocal to GOD and Creatures contrary to what was prov'd §§ 43. 44. Besides we had the Notions of those Virtues first from Creatures therefore the First Signification of those Words which express them was what we observ'd in Them and we transferr'd them to GOD because He produces such like Effects as we had remark'd those Men did who were endow'd with those Virtues 47. Hence follows also that GOD as in Himself is not without some Impropriety denominated Omnipotent Nor Omnipotent Creatour or such like all our Language having some tang of Imperfection Annext to it â—â—â—-knowing c. because Power and Knowledge which are included in those Words are with some Impropriety spoken of God and not Properly and Univocally And tho' Creatour Lord and such like are thought by some to be Extrinsecal Denominations and therefore refund no Imperfection upon GOD if spoken of Him yet â—…s not so for Relations are Intrinsecal Denominations and as us'd amongst us which gives them their First Signification they signifie either â—…ty of Nature or some Coordination in Acting or Suffering as is shown at large Method to Sciâ—… B. I. Lessâ— 7. and it cannot agree to GOD to have any Order to his Creatures or Coordination with them as is shown there § 12. 48. Lastly Negative Notions such as are Immense Infinite Immaterial and â—â—n like seem to have the fairest Nor yet Negative Notions as Immense Infine Immaterial c. â—…le to be properly said of GOD in regard they distinguish Him from all other Beings or from 〈…〉 Creatures But neither are these Notions 〈…〉 from all Impropriety for we use these words as Differences to distinguish the several sorts of Things which implies there is some Generical Notion common to both Sorts which is thus Divided or Distinguisht by those Differences â—â—g when we say Creatures are Finite and GOD 〈…〉 Infinite these Differencing Notions do suppose there is some Univocal Notion Common to both which is thus Distinguisht or Differenc'd But this puts in GOD's Essence a Composition of Genus and Difference and the Generical Notion being Essentially Potential in respect of it's Differences and they Actual in respect of it is utterly against the Nature of Pure Actuality of Being which is GOD's Essence Therefore neither are these Words or Notions of ours with due Propriety to be attributed to GOD as He is in Himself 49. Moreover from our former Principles it follows that there can no Priority No Priority or Posteriority either Real or made by our Reason conceiving the least Ground for it in the Thing can be attributed to GOD. or Posteriority either Rei or Rationis be put in GOD much less any such Respects as have the least show of inducing the want of any thing belonging to Being for one Instant or Signum as some call it For this is altogether Repugnant to the Notion of Purest Actuality of Being or the Godhead Nor yet of Formal or Virtual Distinction in his Essence for this is against GOD's Perfect Simplicity and withal implies some Negation which is an Imperfection Nor is either of these Positions against the Mystery of the B. Trinity rightly explain'd where the Notion of Origin Principiation Prâ—cession c. do debar both these Priorities and imply nay necessitate perfect Simultaneousness Much less can any such Words be attributed to GOD as savour in the least of the Notions of any thing in Him which is Cause or Effect Nor lastly which is next akin to it which induces the Dependence of GOD's Knowledge or of the Decrees of his Will on Creatures whether Existent or Possible Which â—â— unworthy the All-ordering Providence of the First Cause which prevents all such Considerations 50. Notwithstanding what 's said all the Metaphorical Words mention'd §§ Notwithstanding that all these are with some Impropriety spoken of GOD yet all of them but the last are Truly said of Him 44 45. nay all those which frequently occurr in Holy Writ and are designedly made use of there in Accommodation â—o the Rude Understandings of the Vulgar are True and Truly said of GOD tho' they have some and â—ivers of them a Great Degree of Impropriety in them For since we know that GOD is Infiâ—â—tely above the Rank of his Creatures and that they are as Nothing in comparison of His Sublime â—ssence which is in every regard most Perfect sâ—ch Users of those Words do intend while they â—â—e them to depure and strip them of whatever is â—â—perfect in their Signification and do only â—â—â—an to apply them to GOD as far as they sure â—â—me Notion of ours which by Analogy has â—â—â—e Perfection Resembling what 's in Him For â—xample In regard we call such Persons Wise â—â—â—â— Good Merciful c. from whom we have â—â—serv'd such Effects proceed as are Proper to â—â—ese Virtues therefore holding as we do â—â—â—t the same Effects proceed from GOD we do â—â— this reason denominate Him or apply such attributes to Him as we gave to such Virtuous Persons And therefore those Propositions are most True because he does indeed and that with an incomparably more Excellent manner produce the same Effects which was the Reason of our transferring those Notions to Him Yet all the while we abstracted from the manner how those Virtues are in GOD in regard this being utterly Unknown to us could not enter into our Intention when we thus Transferr'd them our Intention or Meaning and our Notion being the same thing Again since when our Saviour is call'd a Lamb or a Lion which being taken from Animals are some of the Worst and more Ignoble sort of Metaphors by reason of his Meekness and Courage these Spiritual Qualities are the only Consideration we intend or mean when we apply those words to Him and therefore those Propositions are exactly True because our Meaning or Notion signify'd by those Words was only such Much more is he truly â—aid to be Good Iust Wise c. Which are by far less Metaphorical and less Unlike Him than are the other 51. To clear this Point more fully and withal to show that Mystical Theology which some apprehend to be The Solid Ground of Mystick Theology nothing but Eâ—statick Fancy proceeds upon Solid Grounds viz. Metaphysicks assisted by Logick I Discourse thus Let us take two Perfections which some conceive to be Formally in GOD viz. Mercy and Iustice. Reflecting upon the Meaning of those two Words we shall find that we have two Forms or Acts in our Mind whereof one is not the other for a Man may be Iust and not Merciful or Merciful and not Iust. If then these two Forms thus Distinct be in GOD then we must put Formal Distinction in GOD which
down and breaks his Neck Now all these are said to be done by Chance But does any of these who say so hold that there was no Cause at all which made the Glass the Tyle or the Man fall No certainly for every Man of Common Sense holds that no Effect can be without a Cause and will deny that a Tyle or a Glass did move themselves Their meaning then is and they tell you they did not fore-see or fore-know that any of these would fall being Attentive to some other Object or Business CHANCE then is an UNADVERTED or Unforeseen Cause for had they foreseen that such Causes taking them all together would have brought those Disasters it had been Willfulness and Design in them to have come in the way of such Misohievous Causes and Design is Opposite to the Notion of Chance In this Sense then Christianity allows us to say the Chance or an Unforeseen Cause wrought these Effect â—â— But since nothing is Unforeseen to GOD who laid and order'd all those Causes What is Chance to Us is Providence if we regard Him nor is there any Thing Distinct from Him call'd Chance which has the least hâ—nd in administring the World but He is the only Adequate Governor of it 'T is not without some loathness I am forced to take notice that some of our Modern Ideists tho' I hope with a good How groundlessly some Christian Philosophers the Ideists do in part violate this Best Method of GOD's Ordinary Providence now Demonstrated Intention do violate this connected course of Causes and Effects in which GOD's Ordinary Providence consists Whoever as do the Cartesians make all Second Causes which have Powers or Faculties given them to work such Effects to be Useless as to those Effects even as Instruments Whoever puts on the Creature 's side only OCCASIONS which they say are No Causes for every Act of Knowledge Mankind has and perhaps for every Effect in Nature Whoever puts Determinate Ideas to be produced by Indeterminate and therefore Improper Causes as the Soul was before she did elicit them as they pretend of her self Whoever puts such Idea's Annext voluntarily to such Motions which were not at all Like them or No Causes of them alledging gratis that GOD Wills it Whoever maintains the Annexing of one Thing or Mode of Thing to another otherwise than by being the Proper Cause of it does fall into the same ill-grounded Errour of interrupting the Course of GOD's Ordinary Providence by Second Causes and destroys the Laws of Causality As has been over and over Demonstrated in my Ideae Cartesianae Indicatio Tertia from § 30. to § 50. and in my Solid Philosophy Asserted Reflexion 4. § 3. and 5. It will run in the Fancies of some less Intelligent Intelligent Readers who take things at the first rebound and pass a The Folly of the Stoical FATALITY confuted and exploded peremptory Iudgment on what they understand but by halves that this Settled Order of Providence I here assert does introduce a kind of Fatality into the World Now if by the word FATUM they mean what is Spoken or Decreed by GOD I must own the Position and stand to it as clearly demonstrated above Which leads me to the Other sort of the Opposers of Providenoe I mean those who maintain a Stoical FATALITY a Tenet widely Different from our Thesis or rather perfectly Contradictory to it For ours proceeds upon a Continued Connexion of Natural Causes with Consequent Effects which are Suteable and Agreeable to their Natures Theirs regards no Influence of any Causes at all but is built on the force of this Contradiction Either such a thing will be or will not be Wherefore say they since it inevitably follows that both of these cannot be True and yet one of them must be True 't is a Folly to endeavour to avoid any Harm or to pursue any Good since out of the force of not-admitting Contradiction what will be will be But this tho' the Wittier of the two is a Pure Folly since as Common Experience tells us and Common Sense assures us nothing is done but by Means of Causes nor not-done but because there wanted Causes able to do it But they fancy to themselves by the Words will be and will not be there is a certain kind of Self-Existence or Non-Self-Existenee in the Futurity of Events Whereas none of them has or can have any Existence or Non-Existence at all but as they stand under Determinate Natural Causes â—r no Causes Whence we who know this to be so are bound in Prudence to endeavour as much as lies in us to put those Causes if we would have the Effect follow They forget too that We our selves are part of the Rank of Causes and that the using our own Reason in chusing and applying those other Causes is the Supreme Superintendent Cause and the very Best of all the rest They reflect not also that since Future Effects are not neither of those Propositions they put and rely on has any Truth in it at all nor has the Futurity of it any Certainty but as it stands under Determinate or Proper Causes which will produce that Effect from which only it has Title to the name of Future So that the Proposition Such a thing will be or is future is an imprudent saying and not be spoke by any Man of Sense unless he sees the Causes will certainly make it be These Discoursers do therefore argue from a Logical Impossibility found only in our Mind considering the Nature of Ens and that it excludes Non-Ens out of it's Notion to a Physical one which is wholly grounded on the Nature of Causes Lastly This Thesis is manifestly convicted of Folly by the Consent of all Mankind and even of themselves too who do all of them lay means for the Effects they aim at Nor could the World continue or subsist if this whimsical Doctrine stands as by applying it to a Harvest next year the using ways for Trade and Traffick or for defending our Country and a thousand such particulars does manifestly appear For either Success will follow or not follow whither we endeavour or not endeavour to lay Means for such Effects which consideration will also help to cure those weak Discoursers who so perplex their thought about Predestination All which depend on the same Principles and can disrellish no Man unless he be offended that GOD is the First Cause and that Good comes to us from Him by Second Causes laid in the Best Order imaginable But in how different a manner does our way of Philosophy discourse of GOD's Ordinary Providence from that of those other Philosophers and particularly from that of the Ideists It puts no blind Suppositions nor Conceits taken from Fancy but is entirely built on Principles and such Principles as are either Self-Evident or so neerely remov'd from them that they are easily reducible thither viz. Every Thing acts as it is and therefore is a Proper Cause
next Consideration that occurs to us in the Order of our Natural Notions is the Act of that Power viz. Existence or Actual Being whence we denominate it Existent of which State as it were of Ens we can only say this for to define Existence is impossible that 't is then put Extra Causas meaning by those words Causa Naturales For while the Operation of these Causes was yet Determining or as we may say Molding or Shaping the Matter so long the Ens or Individuum was Potential in fieri or within the Power of those Causes but when they had once brought that Determination to Perfection by Distinguishing it from all others or making it This and had by that means Fitted it for Existence they having now done their best had no more to do but the First Being puts the last hand to â—…ir Imperfect Workmanship and gives it to 〈…〉 or be Actually whence it is now said to be â—…ra causas Naturales and only under GOD's â—â—wer who as the First Ens and a Pure Actuaâ—…y of Being gives and conserves to all his Creatures their Existence or makes them be Actually But still the bare Notion of Existent does not express or signifie that that Thing does Exist Alone or without the Assistance of Another For the Quantitative Parts in an Element the Natural Parts in a Mixt the Metaphysical Parts or as we call them Secundae Substantiae in an Individual Brute or Man lastly the Modes or Accidents do all of them some way or other Exist For who can say that the whole Exists and yet the Parts of which that whole consists do not at â—â—â— Exist 'T is most Evident then that we do still want Another Notion and Another Word to Conceive and Express a farther Perfection in the Line of Substance than meer Existence affords us viz. the Notion of Existing Alone which none of the other tho' some way Existent had for Parts cannot exist but in the Whole nor Accidents but in the Substance Now this more-perfect Notion which is yet wanting to couceive it Existing Alone we call Subsistence with which Formality when the Thing is once endow'd it is justly conceiv'd to have all the Perfection in the Line of Being which our Natural Notions can attribure to it And hence it is truly conceiv'd to have a Power to make others whether Parts or Modes to Exist which otherwise or without Dependence on this SUBSISTER or Reference to it that is meerly by virtue of their own Notion could not be conceiv'd to be at all Now the Thing as it is Subsistent is that which Learned Men agree to câ—â—â— a Suppositum and which if it be an Intelligeâ—â— Being our Common Language in correspondency to our Natural Notion calls a PERSON That the Natural Notion of Subsistent and Person are distinct from that of Existent is evident from the Vulgar and Unanimous Use of those Words For let an honest Country-Fellow be ask'd how many Things or how many Persons are in such à Room he will not reckon Parts or the Model but the whole Things and the Intelligent Animals which only do properly Exist of themselves or Alone that is which subsist And yet they will if put to it acknowledge that both those Parts and those Modes do some way Exist Wherefore 't is Evident that he meant to reckon only those which Subsist or Exist Alone and not what he thought did exist by means of Another So that 't is plain he has naturally in his Mind the Distinction of Existent and Subsistent tho' if you ask him to give an account of this Distinction between them he will be at a plunge as he would be also were he put to give an account of the Distinction of Moist Dry Hard c. For Reflexion on his Natural Notions or Distinguishing them formally is not his Talent And yet he knows after his rude manner what he means by those Words and that there is a Distinction between those Qualities Of what exceeding Use this Distinguishing our Notions exactly is in Philosophy both to Discourse clearly and to bring the Mystical and less-intelligible Language of the Schools to a Literal and Natural Sense is left to the Judgment and Reflexion of Learned Men What use we shall make of it in this present Appendix will be â—… hereafter In the mean time applying this â—…scourse to Prelim. II III and IV. it is hence â—…ident that if the Notion of Subsistent be Diffeâ—â—nt from the Notions or Respects of Ens Essence â—â—d Existence there can be no show of Contraâ—â—ction that the same thing is One according to 〈…〉 Nature or it's Existence and yet be Not-onâ— â—â—t Three according to the Notion or Respect of â—…sistence or Personality because the Respect is Dâ—â—…erse as also why the Second Person may â—e United or One in Respect of the Personality and â—â—t Not-one but Two according the Respect of â—â—'s Nature or Essence 12. Prelim. XII As for our Natural Notion of Relation it adds no New Perfection to the Thing â—elated and what 's in it but 't is the very Thing it self in our Understanding as it gives our â—ind the Reason or Ground of Relating it or Reâ—â—â—â—ing it to Another For Example The Relation of Likeness between two Things that are White is nothing but those very Things as they have Whiteness in them which our Mind comâ—aring according to that precise Respect and Conâ—â—dering One of them in order to the Other apprehends there is such a Relation between them â—â—d accordingly denominates them Alike Thus the Relation of Equality between two things each â—â— which is a Yard Long is nothing but the Things which have that Quantity in them Common to â—oth which our Referring Power comparing One of them to the Other gains thence a Relative Notion of Equality between them and denominates them Equal Thus the Relation of Identity in Nature between Two Men is nothing but those very Natures Compar'd as aforesaid whence we truly conceive there is a Relation of Identity between them Which will better appear by this that if we ask what is the Formal Reason why one of those Things are said to be Alike Equal or the Same with the Other the Proper and Natural Answer would be because they are both of them White a Yard Long or a Man which shows that the Ratio as the Schools call it or Essence of Relation is Intrinsecal to the Thing it self and in reality It. 13. Prel XIII Hence tho' the Act of our Understanding is Necessary to the Referring those Correlates actually yet the Formal Notion or Ratio of those Relations themselves is entirely taken from what 's in those Subjects that are Related nor does that Act of ours enter into the Relation it self or bear any part in it This is very Evident because 't is not the Act of the Understanding Comparing those Things which is Denominated Alike Equal or the Same but the Things themselves which are Compar'd or are the Objects
them Finite is Infinitely short of His INFINITE Bounty or Goodness 5. Again Fecundity bears in it's Natural Notion a very High Perfection We may observe That all Living Creatures when grown up to a consummate pitch in their respective Natures are Fruitful or Prolifick that is are apt to produce another of their own Kind And Spiritual Natures when they come to know are said to Conceive and our Knowledges are call'd Conceptions tho' few reflect on the word or the Analogy it bears to the Verbum in the Divine Mind or to the Procession of the Son only our Conceptions of Natural Objects are Imperfeâ—â— and never arrive at their utmost Perfection till 〈…〉 see them in the First Cause Since then these arâ— some kind of Perfection in their several ways 〈…〉 most Consonant to Reason that we should Transfeâ— the Notion of Fecundity too to GOD to whom â—â— being Infinitely Perfect we ought to ascribe all sorts of Perfection after they are stript from the Imperfections and from their Limitedness which necessarily accompanies all Finite Beings as has been often said above 6. As for his Communicating his Whole Divine Essence whence in Discourse with no small Man among the Deists I have heard it inferr'd that if the Father Communicates His WHOLE Essence and all it's Attributes to the Son He can leave nothing at all for Himself it is Evident that this Objection proceeds from most profound and most Gross Ignorance of Spiritual Natures A Master may communicate all his Knowledge to His Scholler or to such a degree as to make Him as Learned as Himself Does it follow thence that he has Empty'd or Disfurnisht himself of his whole Stock of Learning and is become now an Ignorant Dunce But speaking of Objects which is more to the Point Even Material Objects lose nothing at all by being known Suppose I could penetrate so â—horowly the Individuating Complexion of Accidents of such a Body in Nature so that I comprehended every minute consideration that could possibly belong to it would that Body be ever the Worse or Diminisht in it self because it is Wholly Known or Understood I desire those weak Reasoners to consider that as Spiritual Natures are above Quantity so they do not follow the Rules of Material Beings nor in discoursing of them ought we to take our Measures â—…om such Predicates or Sayings as we use when â—e speak of Bodies Rather Divisible and Indiâ—…sible which are their Differences that constitute â—…em being Contradictories whatever Conceptions â—…e make of the One the quite Opposite must be made of the Other excepting only the Notion of the Common Genus Ens in which and which only they do boâ—h of them agree Nothing at all is Defalkt from Them by their Communicating themselves nor do they lose any thing even by Actiag upon Bodies The Nerves of an Angel are not over-strain'd nor their Spirits spent by Changing or Altering them Nor are Spiritual Objects impair'd by their being thus Communicated But 't is prodigiously weak to object this in our case where the Discourse is of GOD's Knowing Himself and where it is granted that He does so unless those Gentlemen think that the Word Himself in that speech does not signifie GOD or else they conceit that GOD is the Worse by Knowing Himself that is the Worse for being Infinitely Perfect for in such Nonsense as this all their Objections against the most B. Trinity when driven home to their Principles will be found to terminate 7. Tho' I cannot but judge that enough has been said both here and indeed in divers places of this Treatise to assert and manifest that notwithstanding this Distinction or Plurality of Persons there is not the least Show of prejudicing the Unity of the GODHEAD yet it were not amiss to add one Consideration more which will much surprise the Anti-Trinitarians and be lookt upon by them as a most strange Paradox which is that the Unity of the GODHEAD is so far from being violated by a Trinity of Persons that it is in divers regards better Strengthen'd by that Position To show which I premise this Lemma That That Unity is Best which is every manner of way such and not that which is not so Whence follows that such a Compleat Unity in all Regards ought to be ascrib'd to the GODHEAD Wherefore since it has been by so many Demonstrations quoted and related to above prov'd I hope beyond all possibility of Confute that Knowledge consists in this that the Nature Known even tho' it be of a Material or Corporeal thing which is of a contrary Nature to that of the Knower must out of the very Notion of being Knâ—wn be One and the Same in the Knower as it is in it self Likewise since our Natural Notions do assure us that Love is Spiritually Unitive of the Lover with the thing Loved and these ways of making the Divine Nature One with it self are clearly Different from that of being an Infinite Actuality of Being whence we deduced GOD's Metaphysical Unity in our Third Book of our Transnatural Philosophy it follows necessarily that the Deity had not been in so many Respects One had He not per impossible Known and Lov'd Himself that is had there not been a Trinity of Persons by which only He could be said to Know and Love Himself as has been abundantly Deduced Wherefore since it belongs to the Divine Unity to be Infinitely and consequently every way such even out of this very consideration secluding all others there ought to be admitted a Trinity of Persons SECT IX The Substance of the foregoing Explication Recapitulated 1. TO sum up the precedent Explication in short Since GOD Knows and Loves Himself there is in the Divine Nature what does Verifie both Knower and Known Lover and Loved Wherefore since each of these Pairs of Notions they being relatively Opposite have unavoidably some Distinction in them and being verify'd of GOD are in the Divine Nature there is necessarily some Distinction in the Divine Nature Again since these Notions which are Verify'd of GOD and therefore since they cannot be thought to be Extrinsecal Denominations are really in Him are Distinct and not Common Notions to Many but each of them singular in it's self they must be Particulars to which the word GOD is Common and in some manner or other predicated of them all There are therefore in GOD in some Sense or other Distinct Particulars As appears farther because this Predication is made by the Copula Est which Identifies those Particulars with the Common Predicate GOD that is signifies these Distinct Particulars are Intrinsecal to the Divine Nature and not Apply'd to it Outwardly by our false or untoward manner of Conceiving it but spring out of the very Nature of the Thing or Divine Nature truly Conceiv'd Also since what 's meant by the word GOD must be conceiv'd to have All Perfections in it in the Line of Being of which to be Subsistent or a Suppositum is One we must