Corrupted Much less in Man or totally Disabled that are necessary for Ratiocination which is the Primary Operation of his Species Man 24. Hence the Individuality of a Simple Body or Element if there be any such now would be alter'd if the Degree of Rarity When the Individuation is lost in Simple Bodies and Density be so notably chang'd that a vastly different Operation follows from it and that the Subject which is thought to succeed does enjoy that Degree not meerly successively or in transitu but with some kind of Constancy or for some time so that it will not be immediately reduced to it's former state by Natural Causes For in this case that Degree alters the Species it self of the Simple Body as is shown Ch. 2. § 21. and consequently the Individuation 25. Hence the Individuality of First-Mixt Bodies is lost when they are dissolv'd into Simple Bodies because When in First-Mixt Bodies this changes the Specifick Nature of a Mixt. See Ch 3. § 2 3 4. 26. Hence Demixts are Individually Chang'd when the Proportion of the First-Mixts is alter'd to a high Degree When in Demixts and continues so with some Constancy See Ch. 3. § 7 8. 27. Simple Division if perfectly such takes away the Individual Unity in Homogeneous Bodies For since When in Homogeneous Bodies to Divide is to make more of oâ—â— and what divides the Thing or Individuum as 't is an Ens divides it as 't is Unâ—â— and therefore takes away it's Unity and on the other side since Homogeneous Bodies are such that each part of them does according to it's pitch perform the same kind of Primary Operation It follows that meer Division if it be perfected takes away the Individual Unity Again since neither part of the Divided Body is by Division annihilated each of them after Division â—s Capable of Existence and consequently they being made Two at least by Division they become duo Entia and since they can and do exist Two Individuums 28. Yet meer Division does not necessarily alter the Divided Individuum essentially if it be very Heterogeneous When in very Heterogeneous or Organical Bodies â—â— Organical For since the former Individuum is in that case if not always under such a Species aâ— is Constituted by such a Complexion of Accidents as fits it for it's Primary Operation and the Individuum has moreover a peculiar Complexion of it's own both which being Essential to them they must consequently continue essentially the same while the same Formal Constituent remains because it is still Capable to perform the Substance of it's former Operation It follows that the former Individuum and Species too must continue unless the Division is such that it destroys the said Complexion which as was shown Ch. 2. § 16. and here § 9. is their Essential Form Wherefore the former Individuum is in these only chang'd Accidentally that is â—oses only some virtuality or potentiality of it's Matter some part of it's Quantity or some Qualities immediately affecting that part which is taken from it none of which are Essential to it and these Accidents which the Matter of that part had formerly being sufficient to Determine the Matter of which a New Individuum is made that Matter is so dispos'd before-hand that there needed little but to put it out of the condition of being any longer a Port to fit it for Existence 29. Two contra-contra-distinct Natures may very connaturally if things be well order'd compound One Individual Two contradistinct Natures may Compound One Thing Ens or One Thing And therefore the Soul and Body may make up that One Thing call'd A Man For there can be no doubt but that Things of the most opposite Natures can and do perfectly agree in the Common Generical Notion of Thing and that therefore all their Disagreement Opposition and Inconsistency does spring from their Differences or that we may bring the Discourse from Logical to Metaphysical Language from the Act from which only and not from the Power all Distinction and consequently Contradistinction comes Wherefore when there are not two Distinct Substantial Acts in the Compound as there is in Hirco-ceruus and other Chimera's nothing can hinder their Coalition into One Thing On the other side since there can be no difficulty for the Proper Parts of any Compound to make up One Whole and it has been shown Chap. 1. § 17 18. that the Proper Parts of a Compound Ens as such are Power and Act 't is Clear that there are not more Contradistinct Acts in such an Ens. Wherefore if the Matter or Power on the Body's side can by the Author of Nature be so dispos'd as to require a Form of a Spiritual Nature the Bodily Part will thence become the Proper Matter of that Compound Ens and that Spiritual Nature will be the Proper Act or Form of such a Body and this verè essentialiter as the Council of Vienna has defin'd and so both together will friendly conspire to make up that One Ent call'd a Man The main difficulty then objected is quite taken away and superseded For since only Two Substantial Acts can distinguish and multiply Entia or Things and here is but One Act determining the Power or Matter to This Entity and consequently to Unity under the notion of Thing 't is demonstrable by a Metaphysical Argument as it was Ch. 4. § 1. by a Logical one that Man made up according to this Doctrine of Soul and Body is most truly and properly One Thing as much as any other Natural Compound whatever and not Two Things This Discourse supposes there can be some Dispâ—â—â—ion in a Body requiring a Form which is not educible out of the Power or Matter by Natural Causes Of which see Ch. 4. especially § 10. and the Preliminary there cited 30. There is no show of Impossibility why the Divine and the Human Nature may not join in one Suppositum And the Human Na ture may subsist in the Divine Suppositum or rather why the Human Nature may not subsist in a Divine Person For since an Infinite Being as the Divine Nature iâ— has eminently in it's self all the Perfections belonging to Being of which as was shown above Coroll 6. Subsistence or Standing alone by it's own virtue is one and consequently it can supply by it self immediately any such Perfection so it does not induce any Imperfection in GOD only which can render it impossible it follows that Humane Nature may be made to subsist in a Divine Suppositum provided it draws not after it any Imperfection or Unbecomingness Unworthy of GOD which cannot be said in this case For to communicate or impart it's Subsistence or Personality to another is most Agreeable to an Infinite Goodness when his Wisdom sees it most fit and most Necessary for the Good of a very considerable Portion of the Creation Nor does this put the least degree of Potentiality or Imperfection in the Divine
Nature or makes it a Potential Part or an Informing Form but it supposes the Humane Nature constituted and only supplies it's Subsistence or Personality 't is evident then that this neither alters nor depresses the Divine Nature from it's Higheâ—â— Dignity of being still in it self a Pure Actuality but is rather Agreeable to that Attribute since it only exalts Humane Nature by thus Assuming it or Uniting it to a Divine Person Hypostatically that is according to the Notion of Suppositum to which of it's self it could not otherwise aspire To do which also the Wisest and Best Ends of the Incarnation being well reflected on is as Divines show no way Derogatory but in every respect Agreeable to the Divine Attributes And all the Objections that the Antient Greeks and Modern Adversaries can bring to show â—â— Foolish and Misbecoming GOD seem grounded on this that GOD is Infinitely GREAT which makes the greatest Esclat in their Fancy without considering at the same time that he is Equally that is Infinitely GOOD Which resembles those men'â— way of Arguing who are only sollicitous of magnifying GOD's Power and his Will without considering his Wisdom which according to our manner of Conceiving determines the exercise of those other Attributes 31. Notwithstanding this Hypostatick Union of those two Natures in Yet those Natures and their Properties will remain Unmingled and not Confounded as some Eutychians imagin'd Christ each Nature retains it's own Distinction Essence Properties and Attributes For â—â—â—ce this Union of these two â—â—tures in one Suppositum or Person supposes those Natures Distinctly and Essentially constituted and the giving them meerly to Subsist superâ—â—â—es to the Nature already constituted and therefore can be no part of it's Essential Constitutive consequently it neither alters the Divine Nature noâ— affects the Humane Nature at all by making 〈…〉 Subsist such as it is which is a Notion evidently Extraneòus to the Notion of the Nature and â—ifferent from it Wherefore each of those Natures remains in it's own precise Essential bounds and not Mingled or Confounded with the other as some Eutychians fondly imagin'd 32. Yet all the Actions and Passions of this Subsistent Thing to which soever of those Natures they properly Yet all the Actions and Passions must be attributed to the Suppositum tho' according to such in Nature contrary to what Nestorius fancy'd â—â—long are justly attributed to Christ GOD and Man For â—ince the Suppositum of those two Natures are but One and that Suppositum is Christ's and all Actions and Passions belong to the Suppositum and are attributed to it 't is consequent that the Actions of this diverse-natur'd Suppositum do belong to Christ who has those Distinct Natures in Him Moreover since every thing doâ—â— connaturally Act and Suffer as it is and Christ he having Two Natures or Essences in One Suppositum is truly GOD and Man it follows against Nestorius that all the Actions of Christ are Divine-Human or Theandrical With which yet well consists that some Actions and Sufferings may belong to his Suppositum according to or by reason of the one Nature and not by reason of the other 33. Hence also there can be no show of Contradiction in saying the Divine Nature is Three according to the Hence lastly there is no shew of Contradiction that GOD should be Three according the Notion of Person and yet but One according to the Respect of his Essence or Nature Notion of Subsistence and yet but one according to the Notion of Essence For since as has been shown here § 17. the Respect or Notion of Subsistence is quite different from the Respect of Essence and there can be no Contradiction where Opposites are Affirm'd and Deny'd of the same according to a Different Respect It follows that neither can there be any show of Contradiction in saying the Divine Nature is Three according to the precise Notion or Respect of Subsistence and yet not-Three but One only in respect of the Notion of Essence 34. Advertisement For the clearer understanding some parts of these late Discourses and to render some A large Explication of some Grounds very Useful to take oâ—f all Shadow of Contradiction from divers Chief Mysteries of Christian Faith and to show how Consonant they are to the most Exact Rules of Right Reason Terms we have us'd more distinctly intelligible I take leave to re-min'd my Reader here of what I have frequently inculcated in my former Books viz. first That all our Knowledge which is Solid is of the Thing and taken from the Thing Secondly That we cannot know the Thing Clearly and Distinctly any other way than by having several Partial or Inadequate Conceptions of it which therefore are Knowledges of the Thing in part only Thirdly That hence when ever we speak of Act Power Essence Ens Form Matter Existence Subsistence Quantity Quality or of any other Intrinsecal Mode we neither can nor ought mean any other by those words but the Thing according as it is the Object of those several Abstracted Notions or Considerations we make of it and which are Verify'd of It and consequently since all Verification is made by the Copula Est which signifies Identity which are truly It. Fourthly Hence when we speak of Metaphysical Parts of the Thing according to the meer Notion of Thing we mean that they are Parts of the Thing Metaphysically consider'd or as it is the Object that verifies or has in it what answers to those Conceptions or Notions which do properly belong to ENS or BEâ—â—G because the Supreme Science Metaphysicks does only or chiefly regard or concern her self with such Notions as belong to Being â—â— it's Proper Object In the same manner as the Notions of Length Breadth and Thickness which belong to Quantity as it abstracts from Natural Motion are the Parts or Partial Conceptions of Bodies or of that Thing call'd Body consider'd Mathematically and those Notions which regard Quantity as affecting tâ—â— Thing in order to Natural Action or Passion â—â—â— Rarity Density Divisibility c. are Parts â—â— Partial Conceptions of Body Physically consider'd As likewise are Matter and Form for the same reason if taken under the same consideration of Grounding Natural Action or Passion For as they meerly relate to Being or as they are consider'd precisely as Parts or Partial Conceptions of Ens they belong to Metaphysicks and are there call'd Power and Act. Fifthly Hence the Ens or Thiâ—â— properly so call'd that is the Individuum â—â— call'd by us a Whole because all those Partial Conceptions objectively consider'd are Contain'd and Involv'd in the Individuum anâ— are Verify'd of it as is shown above which being only Inadequate in respect to the Whole Thing they are hence said to be only Parts of It and It a whole in respect of them Sixthly Tho' theâ— be only Different Conceptions of the same Thing yet thus Aparted and Abstracted by our Understanding we can discourse of each of them
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
of that Act. Whence the Act it self is no Part of the Relation but is Extrinsecal to the precise Notion of it As farther appears hence that Relation is one of those Notions which are call'd Accidental Modes or Accidents whose whole Being such as it is is to affect the Substance in their several ways and denominate them such as they do formally make them Since then Relation does not affect or denominate the Act of the Understanding but the Things which that Act compares and as has been often demonstrated the Accidents or Modes are Really the Same with the Thing which they modifie it follows that Relation is the Thing it self in our Minds conceiv'd consider'd as bearing in it a Respectiveness or â—ther as Referrible to Another To penetrate this betâ—… we will put a kind of Parrallel in the Predicaâ—…nt of Quality A Pint is the same Quantity whereever it is Yet put the same Pint of Water 〈…〉 a Round Glass it will be Round in a Square â—lass and it will be of a Square Figure Yet both these Figures are Identify'd with the same Quantity and the same Substance of the Water whose Modes they are and 't is only the Containers and their Difference which gives them this Different Denomination So Whiteness in those Subjects which are White is Apprehended and Denominated by an Absolute Name and they are both call'd White but put two such Subjects with Whiteness in them in our Mind which is a Comparing kind of Container or a Comparing Power and they come thence to be Apprehended by a Relative Notion and Denominated by a Relative Word Alike So that the Things themselves do give themselves this Relative Notion and Denomination of being Alike taking them as in such a Container as our Mind is which is apt to consider them in order to one another or refer them Actually These Things consider'd no Man of Reason can imagine that tho' we use the Common Word Relation because it passes amongst Learned Men as we do other Abstract Words therefore it means something hovering in the Air as it were without a Subject like a kind of Idea Platonica or that it can be any thing but the very Thing it self which is Related And hence it is that that most Solid and Acute Distinguisher of our Natural Notions Aristotle rather chuses to make use of the Concretes and as he call'd the foregoing Predicaments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so he names Relation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Thingâ— Related or as having in them the Ground of verifying a Respect to Another as I have noted in my Fifth Preliminary to Solid Philosophy Asserted 14. Prel XIV 'T is impossible to conceive a Real Relation without a Correlate answering to it in case it be grounded on Action and Passion or on the Unity of the Form nor to conceive such Correlates without conceiving some kind of Particularity or Difference between them There needs no more to evince this but only to reflect on the Word Ad which gives us the Notion of Relation and withall imports a Rapport or Respect to that which as is evident by it's Contraposition is in some Sense or other Distinct from it or Another 15. Prelim. XV. The Essence of GOD not only being Self-Existence but whatever is an Intrinsecal Attribute of Him being Eternally such it follows that the word is not only gives us the true Sense of what 's Predicated of GOD as is shown Prelim. IX but it must also signifie is Eternally there being no Temporary or Accidental Predications of any thing that is in the DEITY Wherefore we must in the truest Sense mean in all such Speeches that GOD Eternally that is from all Eternity and to all Eternity is Knowing and Loving Himself is Generating his Son is Generated is Proceeding from Father and Son c. So that the word is signifies here the most Absolute Necessity of His Being Eternally so as those Predicates import and not Contingently only as the same Word is does often signifie when we Predicate or speak of Creatures Which 〈…〉 at first amuse the Fancy but as I hope afâ—â—â—wards upon due Reflexion it will rectifie the â—…dgment of some Anti-Trinitarians who weakâ—… apprehending there can be no Pre-existence but 〈…〉 of Time imagine we put some Instant when 〈…〉 Son did not exist and that after he had got Existence the Father ceas'd afterwards to communicate it to Him any longer but left Him to stand done as Sons do here when their Fathers Die oâ— Disregard them and many other such Foolâ—â—ies with which they delude the Ignorant Which as will be shown are abhorr'd by us and most Absurd in a Discourse concerning the DEITY and therefore most ridiculously objected by them SECT II. The State of the Question 1 THE Divine Nature which is the Subject of our present Discourse may be consider'd two manner of Ways One is as to what GOD is in himself as the Mysticks treat of Him in which Sense He Abstracts from all our Natural Notions because He Transcends them and therefore He is altogether Unconceiveable and Unnameable by us in this State and only Intelligible by the Angels and Saints in Heaven to whose Intellectual Eye purify'd from all Sinful Affections and Dispos'd by Perfect Charity he reveals His Blissful and Glorious Face to be seen by a Clear and Simple Intuition The other way is to consider Him as He is the Object of our Natural Notions which having first as is said above Refin'd them from their Imperfection we transfer to Him and thence become Enabled in some sort to speak and discourse of Him Truly tho' with some Impropriety in our Low and Homely Language 2. Since then 't is manifest that we cannot Speak or Discourse of much less Explicate what we cannot conceive or of which we cannot have any Notion 't is Evident that the Divinity being the subject of our intended Discourse is to be consider'd and taken according to the Later manner and not according to the Former in our Discourses concerning it This premis'd since Faith by Prelim. V. is deliver'd to us in Words expressing our Natural Notions the True State of the Question is this Whether the Divine Nature Conceiv'd by us according to such Notions as we had from Creatures which being depur'd first from their ImPerfections we Apply to GOD does not oblige us as we affirm of Him that He is Just Merciful Wise c. So with Equal Reason and Truth to affirm that He is ONE according to His Nature and Essence and withal THREE according to Another Notion or Respect which we fitly call Person To set this Question and our ensuing Explication in a Clearer Light we will divide this Entire Question into Five Distinct or Particular ones viz. First Whether it be not Agreeable to Rational Principles taken from our Natural Notions to affirm that the Divine Nature does verify some One Notion that is Common and some Others that are Distinct or Particulars
be forced to say that what 's meant by the word GOD is not only Common in respect of those others but also that 't is a Common Suppositum and that it is the Common Suppositum which is Verify'd of all those Particulars And since it cannot be Verify'd or Predicated of them as a Genus or Species because These do necessarily include Indetermination and Potentiality which are Inconsistent with GOD's Purest Actuality therefore it must be Predicated of them after such a manner as is not Generical or Specifical but in such a way as a Notion which is in One Line is predicated of such Notions as are conceiv'd to be Formally in Another 2. These Particulars can be but Three tho' there seems to be two Conjugations as it were of mutually Opposite Relations Because Divine Love ought to proceed from the Greatest GOOD that can be conceiv'd to belong or be Connatural to GOD as He is of a Spiritual Nature viz. the Knowledge of Infinite Truth or which is the same from Infinite or Divine Truth Known in the Divine Knowledge which amounts to this that Divine Love proceeds from the Two other Particulars formally according to their Relations Whence no Correlation can be from those other Persons to Divine Love which thus proceeds from them because Relation is Grounded on that which it Refers or Relates It being then Evident that whatever is the Ground of Relation or Related must be some Absolute Notion and not such a one as is Relative it follows that there cannot be any Correlation where the Immediate Ground is a Relative it self 3. These Three Distinct Particulars Verify'd of GOD and therefore Truly in the Divine Nature are properly to be called PERSONS because â—here being no Accidents in GOD there is noâ—hing in the Divine Nature to be Distinguish'd or â—articulariz'd but his Substance and Particulars â—n an Intelligent Substance are properly called PERâ—ONS There are therefore Three Persons in GOD. Amongst which since Knowledge formally proceeds from an Object of the same Nature in both the Knower and thing Known and to communicate a Living Nature to another Living Particular is to GENERATE hence this Procession is truly call'd GENERATION and therefore the Divine Object Known from which Divine Knowledge thus proceeds is truly tho' in a Spiritual Sense call'd a FATHER and the Divine Knowledge a SON and the former of these is the First by way of Origin because Knowledge must be conceiv'd to proceed from the Object and not the Object or Thing to proceed from the Knowledge unless that Knowledge makes it to be or Creates it as the Divine Wisdom does Creatures The Third Person is properly call'd Divine Love because Love proceeds from that which is our Greatest and most Connatural Good perfectly and expresly Known or as we phrase it conceited or fully conceiv'd to be such Now the Greatest Good of GOD who is of a Spiritual Nature is Essential TRUTH which as was said consists in this that GOD knows Himself or which is the same that the Divine Object is in the Divine Knower By which is seen How and Why the Holy Ghost who is Divine Love proceeds from both the Father and the Son 4. Wherefore since as appears by those oftrecited Words on which we build our Explication the Common Suppositum exprest by the word GOD has in it All the Perfections that can be imagin'd and this Infinitely hence all the Three Persons having the common Suppositum or the GODHEAD in them are Coeternal Co-omnipotent c. and in every respect Co-equal as is exprest in ihe Creed of St. Athanasius Whence all Objections of their being before one another for some Time or some Instant as also of Dependence on one another and all Distinction in Nature or imagin'd Plurality of Gods are Diametrically opposite to the Doctrine of the Trinity Lastly hence all pretended Arguments taken from Fancy for from True Reason none at all can be drawn are by the respective parts of this Explication shewn to be frivolous and either Answer'd or else Forestall'd and Prevented 5. If the Anti-Trinitarians have any Objections in their Quiver I have set them here a fair Mark at which they may level them They may see here that I do not wrap my Discourse in Ambiguity of words but I distinguish my Notions as exactly as is possible and draw my Conclusions consequently Nor have I any Deductions which are nor grounded on Principles But I foresee that they will not be able to raise any Opposition which is not built on Faneies taken from Material Beings which are too grofs to be made use of when we are discoursing of GOD and altogether unfit to be Transferr'd in their rude sense to so sublime a Majesty or else that they are occasion'd by perfect Ignorance of Spiritual Natures and their Operations The main Distinction between which and Bodies is this that whereas Bodies being Divisible Entitites can have nothing in them Matter supposed but their own Accidents or Modes which Determine the Matter thus or thus and thence make it this or the other Individuum so that a Corporeal Suppositum or Thing can have nothing in it but its own Nature and its own Intrinsical Modes which have no Being but Its A Spiritual Being which is so far Superiour to it that it is constituted by its Difference Indivisible which is of a Contradictory Nature to it can therefore by its Proper Operation Knowing have all other Essences or Natures in it besides its own and engraft them as it were on its Stoek of Being and in such a different manner from the former that as they are in It they are no Part or proper Mode of the Spiritual Nature it self nor any Intrinsical Accidents of it but they are there formally as Others or as Distinct from it nor are they Dependent on the Spiritual Nature that Knows them for their Being as were the Corporeal Modes on their Subject but they have a Proper Being of their own out of the Understanding and Independently on it So likewise when they have an Act of Love they have a Propension Tendency or Panting after the Object of that Love and an endeavour to be Conjoyn'd and United to it by way of Attainment or Fruition of the Good they conceive to be in it Whence 't is plain that they are carry'd to it as it is Another or as 't is Distinct from themselves So that even when an Angel or a Soul Knows and Loves its self they must in some Respect or other be Distinct from themselves as they are the Object of that Knowledge and Love as the very word Object does Evidence and as manifestly appears from the Antithesis between Knower and Known Lover and Loved Only because as was shown above in Creatures which are not Self-Beings this Knowledge and consequently Love are Accidental to them in regard that even their Existence which this Knowledge and Love presupposes is Extrinsical and Accidental to their Essence therefore this Distinction
What Soul tho' never so Wicked and Senseless who with a full consideration lays this to Heart will not melt with Love at such a Transcendent Mercy to a Sinful World Who can chuse but be Astonisht even to an Extasie at such a Generous Goodness Who can be so Ungrateful as wilfully to offend and disoblige so kind a Benefactor Who will not tremble at the Iustice of so Pure a GOD and reflect on the Hatred he bears to Sin who punisht it so severely in his own Son who had taken upon Him to bear the Curse of it What heart would not break in the midst of all Temptations rather than Crucifie again so dear a Saviour Who would stick to pardon an Enemy for his sake who had not only pardon'd us while we were his Enemies but moreover heapt all the â—â—â—â—est Benefits of his Mercy upon us even while we were such tho' it cost him so dear Who would not Love and Hope in such an Indulgent Father who so tenderly lov'd us and a Suffering GOD who at the Infinite Expence of His most Precious Blood Redeem'd us and in Both of them who to Crown all their Favours sent the Holy Ghost GOD Coequal with themselves to Sanctifie with a thousand Blessed Effects the Hearts of the Faithful to strengthen them in Afflictions and Temptations to inspire them with Charity the Source of all heavenly Virtues to the end of the World and to dwell spiritually in our Hearts for ever 5. Here are Motives of another kind of size than either the Law of Nature or the Empty Elements of the Mosaick Law could afford us or even give us a glimpse of Here are Means of raising Souls effectually to Love of Heaven in comparison of which all the rest are Flat and Dull and in comparison Trifles or rather meer Nothing Yet these Men who would bereave the World of these by Denying the Mystery of the B. Trinity on which all these are grounded expect they should be kindly treated as Brethren while they for their Whimsies of Fancy bereave all the Faithful in GOD's Church of these highest Spiritual Advantages which every sensible Man cannot but see would both dispose them strongly for Heaven and bring to Salvation innumerably more Souls and advance those who do go thither to higher Degrees of Bliss and make them more Glorious Stars in the Firmament of the Heavenly Hierusalem What I wonder at is That these Gentlemen do not plant their Batteries against the Belief of the B. Trinity upon the Incredibility of such wonderful Condescensions and as they might pretend Debasements of thâ— DEITY than against the Speculative Truth of the Point it self None of those Prodigious Mercies but transcend our Fâ—ncy whence all their other Arguments are drawn for which reason the Greeks esteem'd Christianity Foolishness and therefore might afford them more plausible Arguments than any they have brought hitherto Had they employ'd their Talent in impugning the Trinity upon that score and ply'd that Topick I must confess I had been to seek for any other Answer than to alledge that GOD is INFINITE in all His Attributes which he had not been at least we could not so well have known it had not he given us such Testimonies of His Mercy Goodness Justice c. as are beyond all that we are able to conceive Wherefore since what 's beyond what we are able to conceive is justly held Mysterious to us all the Mysteries of our Faith if things be well consider'd and driven up to their First Root or Principle do spring from GOD's Infinity in this or some such Regard Even the Mystery of the B. Trinity which chiefly consists in this that the same Numerical Nature is in Three Distinct Persons is grounned on this that His Nature being Infinite is but One as is shown above B. 3. and the same may be said of all the rest of those Articles of our Faith which we account Mysteries Wherefore I would recommend it to the Author of Christianity not Mysterious that He would bless us wâ—th a Treatise to show us how to comprehend INFINITY how to Define it or give us it 's Full Dimensions for all we know of it hitherto is to distinguish it's Notion from Finite by a Negation but to make a true Conception of it's Entire Positive Perfection we fall infinitely short Let â—im then either do this or else as long as GOD â—e Author of our Faith is Unconceiveable by us or â—NFINITE so long that Faith it self the Product of His Infinite Being and His other Attributes especially those which concern His own Essence â—ill still be Impossible to be comprehended by us and so Christianity will still remain Mysterious let him scribâ—le his plausibe Conceits as long as he pleases But to proceed with showing the Demerit of those scarce-half-quarter Christians 6. Let us next consider what Powerful Authority and Majesty it must give to the whole Doctrine of Christianity and to every Particular of it What Veneration and Esteem to the Holy Sacraments instituted by Christ to every Sentence which is recorded in the Holy Scripture to have been spoken by our B. Saviour and to every Action said to have been done by Him to believe that it was GOD Himself who came down from Heaven to teach us that Doctrine institute those Sacraments from which Institution they have all their Efficacy who spoke those Words of Eternal Life and did those Actions in his own Person Infinite are the Particular Motives of this Nature and beyond any Man's Power to recount and lay open at large as he ought all of them â—ending to rectifie our Irregular Passions to arm us against Temptations and sanctifie our Souls by raising them to a Firm Faith a Stedfast Hope and Ardent Charity the only Dispositions which can fit Mankind for Eternal Happiness Were all these Particulars laid open and dilated upon to their full Energy in Affective Sermons as they are daily to a great measure in the Christian Church what Transports of Heavenly Love and Affectionate Devotion must they needs make in the hearts of the Hearers to thâ— End of the World what innumerable Pioâ— Thoughts must they excite how many Actions oâ— all sorts of Virtue must they produce Not to speak how vigorously it must move People of all sorts to the Imitation of those Heroick Virtues which the Life and Practice of a GOD made Man sets before their Eyes for Patterns by which they ought to frame their Christian Conversation the very Notions of which confronted with the contrary demeanour of frail Sinners is of force to shame them into Repentance and Amendment of their Lives 7. Now the main Efficacy and Powerfulness of all these Highest Motives to true Sanctity depends on the Belief of Three Divine Persons in the Unity of the GODHEAD Take this away GOD the Father could not send his Son who was also GOD nor could GOD in his own Person come amongst us to teach and instruct us by His Word and Example
Distinct Conception or Notion of it Homo has fewer whence it is more Clear so that we are now able to frame a Definition of it which we could not of the Individuum Yet because it comprehends in it the Natures or Notions of Animal Vegetative Mixt Body and Ens 't is still very Confus'd and therefore less Clearly Intelligible Animal is less Confus'd because it contains fewer Superiour-notions or Natures in it Vegetative is still less Confus'd than Animal for the same reason Mixt is less Confus'd than Vegetable Body than Mixt. And lastly Ens is the least Confus'd of any of the Other and therefore the Clearest of any oâ— them as having no Superiour Notion in it â—â— all Whence all the Composition and consiquently Confusion it has is that it confound in it the Notions of its own Metaphysical Parts which its Definition viz. That which is Capable to bee gives us which contains onely the Notions of the Power and of the Act viz. Existence to which it is a Power The Senseâ— of which Words is so Obvious and Easy the 't is impossible the rudest Vulgar should be Ignorant of them VI. Still it will be objected that such Abstracted Words as Power and Act â—â— Unusual to Mankind and seem to hover in tâ— Air so that no Man can make any Fancy of them And it must be confest they sute not with Fancy at all for Brutes have none such nor ought they to sute with it for 't is impossible for us to have any Proper or Express I hantasmâ— of Abstracted Universal Conceptions because as they are such they never enter'd into our Senses nor have any Being but in our Understanding But why are not those Notions or Conceptions of Power and Act Easy 〈…〉 Can any Man living be ignorant of the Meaning of these Words such a thing can be or may be 'T is impossible nor was there ever any that came to the use of ordinary Knowledge but understands them Now the Word can signifies that which we call Power and the Word Bee that which is the Act of that Power only they are put into a manner of Expressionâ— Proper to Abstract Words Nor can this breed any difficulty For he who knows what it is to love cannot but know what the Noun Substantive Love means Nor was ever any Man who knows what White and Round mean so dull as to be pazzled in knowing the meaning of Whiteness and Roundness Yet the Reader may observe that the main Body of my Metaphysicks is built on the Self-evident Notions or Meanings of those Words Power and Act or the different Kinds of them Whence were I to begin to teach a Philosophy-School I should think it best to take this Method viz. that after my Schollers had perfectly learnt the Doctrine of the Ten Predicaments so as to distinguish exactly our Natural Notions got knowledge of the necessary Laws of Predicating and how to place the Terms best in order to conclude evidently I should begin with teaching Metaphysicks Not at all doubting but that any Man of a good Natural Mother-wit would perfectly comprehend it and thence become excellently dispos'd to demonstrate a priori which is the most Effectual and Best way to attain True Science and to branch out his Knowledge of Principles to an incomparably greater Number of Particular Conclusions than he could by Demonstrating a posteriori Besides all Inferiour Objects would far more easily and connaturally open themselves to his View after he had once taken a Distant Sight of them from the higher Ground of their Causes and Principles VII The Second Objection is grounded on a Gross misunderstanding of the main Fundamental of all True Philosophy which I most religiously observe in all my Discourses and which if neglected or not well attended to brings every thing into Wrangle and Confusion which is that all our Abstracted Conceptions without which we cannot possibly Apprehend nor consequently Discourse of any thing Distinctly and Clearly are of the Things themselves consider'd according to such or such a Respect This is the Basis of all the Aristotâ—lian Philosophy however there be too Few that exactly attend or hold to it For example That Great Man when he was Distinguishing all our Natural Notions into Ten several Heads call'd the Second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quantum and Quale Now these Words being Concretes of a Thing or Substance and an Accident if they be not taken Formally or with a â—eduplication for the Thing as it is Big or Qualify'd would Confound Substance and each of those Accidents into one Compound Notion which being quite contrary to his Intention which was to distinguish them we must conclude that he took those words as we take our Abstract words Quantitas Qualitas in a meer Formal Sense for the Thing quatenus Quanta and Quatenus Qualis or Qualify'd which word Quatenus cuts off that precise Consideration or Notion from any other which done their Perfect Distinction is Evident The Objecter then may please to reflect that we following the same Method do mean by all those Abstract Words the very Thing it self Consider'd or Conceiv'd according to such a precise Respect and no other So that when we speak of Power Act Essence Existence Ens Suppositum Person Bigness Quality Relation c. we mean still the Thing apprehended according to such a Formal Consideration nor can we with any Sense mean any thing else Whence we building all our Discourses on our Natural Notions each of which is the Thing it self Conceiv'd thus and not otherwise do by consequence ground all our Philosophy on the Things themselves which being Establisht in their Essences by GOD'S Creative Wisedom must be acknowledg'd to be the most Solid Ground imaginable Wherefore there can be no show of Reason in objecting to us that our Discourses thus Grounded are Aiery or Superficial whereas it is an Unanswerable Objection against those who build their Philosophy on Ideas which they confess not to be the Things but Distinct from them To give an Instance what Mistakes arise when Writers do not exactly Distinguish their Abstracted Notions it would not be much a miss to take notice of the famous Controversie between the late Bp. of Worster and Mr. Locke which might have been prevented had this Method of Distinguishing our Conceptions been accurately observ'd The former of these being worthily Sollicitous lest the Mystery of the B. Trinity which he was then Explicating should receive any Prejudice did check at Mr. Lockes denying he had any Clear Idea of Substance Now had Mr. Locke declar'd himself to take the Word Substance to signifie the Abstracted Notion or Conception he had of the Thing as it is Distinct from that of the Modes or Accidents or declar'd it to signifie the Conception of a Thing as it is Capable of Existing which is the First and Proper Notion of a Created Being he might by depuring it first of its Imperfection necessarily
what Assured Hopes of Success in our Quest of Science so we ground our Discourses on the Natures of the Things made and establisht by GOD's Creative Wisdom CHAP. II. Of the ESSENCES of Bodies in in Common and of the First or Simple Bodies in particular § 1. ALl Concrete Notions do include some Form which constitutes them such 2. The Form of Ens is Essence 5. The Essences of Pure Acts consists in Actual Knowledge 4. Yet they are Potential to the Act of Existence 5. The Essence of Body is chiefly taken from it's Form 6 Yet not only but from the Matter also 7. Quantitative and not Quantitative are not the Proper Differences that constitute Body and Spirit 8. The Essence of the FIRST MATTER of the Cartesians cannot consist in only Extension 9. Nor as Mr. Locke speculates in Extension and Impenetrability together 10. Every Body is essentially a Distinct Part of Nature 11. Wherefore 't is essentially ordain'd for some Proper and Primary Operation in Nature 12. Wherefore what sits it for this Primary Operation does Constitute it 13. In this Fitness to perform this Primary Operation consists it's Metaphysical Bonity or GOODNESS 14. Every Body is also Essentially an Instrument 15. The Essential Difference of Body is chiefly taken from it's Action 16. The Modes or Accidents which make Bodies thus Fit are their ESSENTIAL or SUBSTANTIAL FORM. 17. But the Thing must retain that Complexion of Accidents for some time 18. Divisibility in common cannot constitute any Body 19. More and Less of Divisibility may 20. One or Two different Accidents may constitute the Simplest Bodies 21. Wherefore the Elements may be constituted by Rarity or Density 22. That is they were thus Constituted at first tho' perhaps there are not any such now 23. Hence the Cartesian First Matter which they put neither to be Rare nor Dense is a Chimera MEDITATION What we have gain'd by our Speculation hitherto What Dull Unactive Instruments Bodies are Yet none of them is Useless but in it's Degree Good The Reason why we discourse of such Abstract Notions and of the many Vast Advantages that Way yields CHAP. III. Of the Essences of Mixt Vegetable and Animal Bodies § 1. 'T Is scarce conceiveable there should be now any Pure Elements 2. How First-Mixt Bodies may be conceiv'd to have been made 3. The Essential Form of First-Mixt Bodies 4. And their Essence or Total Form 5. The Second Sort of Mixt Bodies 6. The Third Sort of Mixts 7. The Fourth Sort. 8. What other Accidents are added to make Variety of Mixts and Demixts 9. Yet Rarity and Density are the Principal and most Intrinsecal 10. Hence the Corpuscularians can give no account of the Intrinsecal Constitution of any Natural Body 11. Of the several Sorts of Demixts 12. The Ground of Sensible Qualities 13. Of Imperfect Mixts 14 Of Living Bodies 15. Of Vegetables 16 The Primary Operation of Vegetables 17. The Form of Vegetables 18. The Essence of Animals 19. The Primary Operation of Animals 20. What Animal is most Perfect in it's Kind 21. In what Sense we speak here of the Primary Operation of meer Animals MEDITATION What has been prov'd here Recapitulated The Excellency of Metaphysicks and the Sublime Way of Discoursing peculiar to that Science What sleight ways of Discoursing are affected by some Great Pretenders to Science Of our Duty as we are Rational Creatures CHAP. IV. Of the Essence of MAN § 1. MAN is One Thing made up of Soul and Body 2. Therefore the Soul and Body are here only Potential Parts of Man 3. Therefore neither Part can Operate Alone 4. According to that Excellent Maxim Actiones Passiones sunt Suppositorum 5. Hence the Christian Tenet of the Incarnation is Agreeable to Right Reason 6. Of the Act or Form of Man as he is MAN 7. That Both Parts concur to every Operation of Man as he is Man 8. Hence every Notion has a Phantasm accompanying it 9. Of the Total Form of Man 10. What chiefly in both those Parts distinguishes Man from all Other Things 11. Hence all pretence of GOD's Voluntary Annexing one thing to another is Groundless and Unphilosophical 12. Hence the Mens is not the Man as Cartesius fancy'd 13. The Soul's Manner of Existing and Operating here is in part Corporeal 14. The Primary Operation of Man is Reasoning 15. The Attainment of Truth is the Perfection of Man's Understanding 16. The Knowledge of Truth which thus perfects Man must be Evident 17. Hence Probability perfects no Man 18. Nor the Improvements of Memory or Fancy 19. Hence the Promoting Evident Truth is the Noblest Action of Man as he is Intellectual 20. Hence ERROUR is the Greatest Depravation of Man's Nature as he is Cognoscitive 21. The Essence of Man is RATIONALITY 22. And Distinguishes him from Angels and Brutes 23. Hence Animal Rationale is his True Definition 24. In Rationality are included the Powers of Apprehending and Judging as also of Receiving Impressions from the Senses 25. The Power of Reflecting is also an Essential Property of Man 26. The Soul acquires Knowledge by Impressions from Outward Objects on the Senses 27. First Proof 28. Second Proof 29. Third Proof 30. Fourth Proof 31. Fifth Proof 32. Sixth Proof 33 Seventh Proof 34. Eighth Proof 35. That the Soul cannot Elicit Ideas out of her self Prov'd from many heads 36. That the Position which makes the Soul and Body Two Things hinders the Right Explication of Christian Faith 37. And moreover makes every Man to be a Monstrous Chimera 38. That the Pre existence of Souls is a Senseless Conceit and Impossible 39. So is the Pythagorean Transmigration 40. That 't is a Folly to ask how the Soul and Body which they fancy Two Things come to be United MEDITATION What Immediate Steps we have taken in our Rational Progress hitherto Why it was Fitting such a Creature as Man should be made By what Connatural Means GOD's Infinite Wisdom contriv'd that Soul and Body should make up One Thing The Condition of our Soul here laid open What Incredible Inconveniencies and Absurdities arise from putting the Soul and Body to be Two Things CHAP. V. Of the Constitution and Dissolution of Individual Bodies § 1. THat only Individuals are properly THINGS 2. And therefore only Individual Essences are properly ESSENCES 3. Yet we can discourse more clearly of the Common Essences than we can of the Individual ones 4. There go more Accidents to constitute the Individuum than there go to constitute the Common Essences 5. The Individual Complexion of Accidents is the most Perfect Act next to that of Existence 6. Hence 't is Demonstrated that to give Existence is above the Power of Natural Causes and only Peculiar to GOD. 7. There must be some Instant in which the Individual Thing first begins to Bee 8. This Complexion of Accidents is Essential to the new-made Individuum 9. Therefore it is the Essential or Substantial FORM of the Individual Compound 10. Those Accidents that accrue
afterwards are Accidental 11. To be an Individuum some degree of Constancy Permanency or Stability is requir'd 12. Which Existence supervening does establish 13. The Twisting the Results of so many Causes into one Individuum argues the Design of an All-comprehending Providence 14. This Complexion of Accidents can never be eradicated while the Individuum continues 15. And gives the Compound a Different Genius and Natural Propension 16. Existence can with no show of Reason be pretended to be the Principle of Individuation 17. The Distinction between the Notion of a Subsistent Thing or a Suppositum and the Notion of an Individual Ens clearly manifested 18. How and When the Individuality is lost 19. The First Rule how to know this 20. The Second Rule 22. The Third Rule 22. Hence Simple Division of the Matter or Quantity in Living Bodies does not change the Individuum 23. Much less in Man 24. When 't is Chang'd in Simple Bodies 25. When in First-Mixt Bodies 26. When in Demixts 27. When in Homogeneous Mixts 28. When in very Heterogeneous or Organical Bodies 29. Two Contradistinct Natures may compound One Thing 30. The Divine and Humane Natures may siâ—â—sist in the same Suppositum 31. Notwithstanding those Natures and their Properties must remain Unmingled and not Confounded as some Eutvchians imagin'd 32. Yet all the Actions and Padions must be attributed to the Suppositum tho' according to such a Nature contrary to what Nestorius fancy'd 33. Hence Lastly There is no show of Contradiction that GOD should be Three according to the Respect of Person and yet not-Three but One according to the Respect of Nature or Essence 34. A large Explication of some Grounds very Useful to take off all Shadow of Contradiction from divers Chief Mysteries of Christian Faith and to show how Consonant they are to the most Exact Rules of Right Reason MEDITATION How impossible it is for us to know perfectly all that belongs to our own Individuum By what Wonderful and Untraceable ways GOD's Providence has brought about our Individuation and gives us all our Knowledge and other Endowments How little our Best Performances contributed to the Acquisition of them and how little reason the most Knowing and most Virtuous Man living has to be Proud of the most Laudable Actions GOD has done by him That we ought to comply with the Designs of our Creatour by pursuing the End of our Nature and by what Means this may be best accomplisht CHAP. VI. Some Preliminaries fore-lay'd in order to Demonstrate the Immortality of the Soul § 1. WE cannot but have Different Conceptions of the Essence of MAN 2. And consequently of every Operation of his aâ— he is Man 3. We are therefore to examine whether there be any thing in Man according to his Soul which is above Quantity or Matter 4. There are Three Distinct Operations of Man as he is Intellective 5. The Notion of Ens or Thing is Indifferent to Actual Being and not-being 6. Every Form must denominate the Subject in which it is such as the Form it self is 7. A Notion may either be consider'd Subjectively or Objectively 8. Every Object of our Knowledge must either be the Thing it self in the Mind or something that 's Like it 9. NOTIONS understood objectively are the Things themselves as they are in the Mind and not meer Similitudes of them Prov'd unanswerably 10. Prov'd no less unaswerably by the Concession of the Ideists themselves that the Thing it self must thus be in the Mind 11. In what Sense that saying Every Like is not the Same is verify'd 12. Every Inadequate Notion we have of the Thing is of the Whole Thing Confusedly and Materially tho' it be only of one Metaphysical Part or Considerability of it Distinctly and Formally 13. A Third Unanswerable Proof that the Thing must be in the Mind when we know it 14. The Author's Reason why he builds on this Thesis The Reasons why some others are backwards in Assenting to it 15. Notwithstanding the Immortality of the Soul may be demonstrated tho' this Thesis were wav'd CHAP. VII Of the Immateriality and consequently the Immortality of Man's SOUL § 1. FIrst Leading Demonstration Because her Operations and Objects are receiv'd in her after an Indivisible Manner 2. Dem. II. Because her Capacity is Infinite 3. Dem. III. Because she has Other Natures in her without Altering her own 4. Dem. IV. Because they are in her not as Intrinfecal Modes affecting Her but as Distinct from her Contrary to the Nature of Material Subjects 5. Dem. V. Because the Contrary Thesis is Opposite to the Natural Notions of all Mankind 6. Existence is the only Absolute Notion we have and all the rest are Respective 7. Dem. VI. Because she has in her the Notion of Existence which is every way Indivisible 8. Dem. VII Because she has Actual Respects in her 9. This Demonstration enforced 10. Dem. VIII Because she has in her the Notions or Natures of Vast Quantities which are impossible to be there Themselves as they are in Matter nâ—â— yet any Material Similitudes of them 11. Dem. IX Because the Parts of Motion are perfectly Distinct and Determinate in the Soul which are utterly Undistinguisht and Indeterminate as they are in Material Subjects 12. Dem. 10. Because the Soul has Past and Future Parts of Time Present in her at once 13. Dem. XI Because the Soul can tye together as many Singulars as she pleases in the Notion of One Number of which generally the Fancy can have no Material Resemblance 14. Dem. XII Because Sensible Qualities tho' Innumerable and Contrary to one another are in the Soul without Disordering her in the least 15. Dem. XIII Because the said Qualities as in her do not fight and expel one another as they must were their Subject made of Matter 16. Dem. XIV Because Innumerable multitudes of various and large Figures are in the Soul at once 17. Dem. XV. Because the Soul has in her Universal Notions 18. Dem. XVI Because the Thing is in and by the Soul Divided into such Parts as Material Division cannot reach 19. Dem. XVII Because that kind of Composition which the Soul makes afterwards of these thus-Divided Parts is impossible to be perform'd by a Material Agent 20. Hence is seen the reason why Angels do not thus Compound and Divide and consequently they know the Whole Thing Intuitively 21. Dem. XVIII Because what is meant by the Copula is which we use in all our Affirmative Iudgments cannot be so much as shadow'd or represented by a Material Similitude 22. Dem. XIX Because the Connexion of the Conclusion with Right Premisses is above the force of all Nature or Matter and impossible to be Solv'd or Broken 23. Dem. XX. Because all the Notions the Soul has are most concise and exact even to an Indivisible 24. Dem. XXI Because the Soul is a Pure Act and therefore Immaterial 25 Dem. XXII Because the Soul gives a kind of Being to Non-Entities and Chimeraes
Matter has no Act at all in it's Notion to distinguish it actually from it'â— Proper Form and the Forms themselves whether Essential or Accidental are meer Distinguishers and have nothing in their Nature or Notion by which they can be said to receive an Act and so become the Thing Distinguished Wherefore 't is most Demonstrable by Metaphysical Mediums that there can be no Actual Parts in any Compound whatever Wherefore all the Parts they are said to have whether they be Physical or Metaphysical are Potential only or to speak more properly there is nothing but one whole Actual Ens which has a Power to be divided into Many either in re or in intellectu 28. Corollary VIII Whence is clearly Demonstrated the reason of that Useful Maxim Actiones The Ground and Reason of that Maxim Actiones Passiones sunt Suppositorum Passiones sunt Suppositorum For that which Acts or Suffers must Actually Bee Wherefore since no Part actually is but only the Whole it follows that only the Whole or the Suppositum can be said in proper Speech to Act and Suffer and not any Part or which is the same the Whole according to such a Part. Which agrces perfectly with the Sense and Language of Mankind who if a man strikes another with his Hand upon the Cheek use to say He struck him where tho' he He and Him signifie the whole Suppositum yet they clearly mean that He according to such a Part only call'd the Hand struck him and that the Other according to such a Part call'd the Cheek was struck and that neither of them did strike or was struck according to any other Part. 29. Hence is still more evidently Demonstrated against the Cartesians that since they put all the Things in Nature Hence the Cartesians destroy the Notions of Unum and Ens to be made up of the particles of their Three Elements each of which seeing it can exist alone must be an actually-Actually-Distinct Thiâ—â— from all the rest they leave nothing in Nature which is truly One Ens that is Unum being a Property of Ens they leave no Natural Eâ—â— in the World except each of those particles may be thought to be such which yet accordiâ—â— to their Doctrine cannot be said For â—inâ—â— they must admit Diverse Things in Nature call'd Bodies and those things that Compound an Eâ—â— or Unum in Nature cannot each of them bâ— an Ens or Unum it self Common Sense telling us most evidently that divers of such Components would make the Compound Multa Eâ—tia or Divisum in se under the Notion of Ens and not an Ens or Unum which must be Indivisum in se Hence follows that for want of Skill in Metaphysicks they leave nothing in Nature which is truly One Natural-Body or One Ens but a kind of Heap or Aggregate of Maâ—â— 'T is to no purpose to object the Distinction of Ens Completum and Incompletum for every Eâ—â— is Compleat under the Notion of Ens or Thing which is Capable of Existing alone as each of those Particles is which they Club into One Châ—merical Ens. Nor can they evade by saying that the Entia in Nature are Compounded and those Particles are Uncompounded or perfectly Simple For since each of those Particles is Distinct from the rest it must have something in it that â—â— common to them all which we call the Matter and also somewhat by which it is Distinguisht from all the other Particles which we call it's â—ct or Form Whence follows that every one of those Particles even the very least has all the Composition that can be requir'd to make it â—â—uly and properly a Corporeal Ens or a Body â—specially since it is Capable of Existing alone or without needing the help of any other And therefore none of those Entities they put to be Compounded of these is truly an Ens or Unum â—uâ— a Medly or Aggregate of Many Entities â—â—â—t is 't is Non unum as being Divisum in se acâ—â—â—ding to the Notion of Ens or which is the â—â—me being a Non Ens or Chimera 30. Hence is Demonstrated that speaking of â—â—dies the Proper Constitution â—â— Composition belonging to an The Proper Metaphysical Partt of Body are Matter and Form â—â—s or Thing as such is that Second Sort of Power and Act. For â—oth of these bearing in their Notion some Respect to the Thing as it is an Ens and neither of them having in them the Notion of a WHOLE Ens since neither of them â—â—one is Capable of Existing it follows that their Proper Nature is to be PARTS of Ens â—nd therefore 't is Proper to that Whole Ens to be â—ompounded of Them Again since as was lately â—â—own no Natural Ens can be made up of more â—ompleat Entities each of which have both â—â—wer and Act in them because in that case that Compound Ens would be Non-Unum and therefore Non-Ens it follows necessarily that they must be Compounded of Power and Act neither of which singly or alone can have that Composition in them which is requisite to make them such Entia 31. In the Consistency Compossibility or Agreeableness of the Act and Power with one another found in Corporeal The Possibility or Essence of a Body consists in the Agreeableness of its Matter and Form Substances consists the Possibility or Essence of all the Bodies in Nature For while the Power is Dsterminable by such an Act and the Act is Determinative of such a Power they are connaturally fitted to one another or apt to be joyn'd in order to Compound an Ens as Proper Parts to such a Whole Which frees the Compound from Chimericalness Repugnancy and Incompossibility of it's Constituent Parts because neither of them is Actually an Ens and yet they are apt to joyn in one Ens whence it becomes Fit for Creative Wisdom to give to such a kind of Compound Actual Being or Existence 32. Hence is clearly Demonstrated that there is no Real and Actual Distinction found in any one single That there is no Real or Actual Distinction in â—n any Ens whatsoever Thing whatever in re but only what is made by the Understanding or what 's found in the Distinct Notions we frame of it which springs from the Metaphysical Divisibility of the Thing or which is the same from it's Power to ground Different Conceptions in uâ— For since what 's Divisible is for that very regard One for were it More it would be Divided to our hand and not Divisible it follows that what 's thus Divisible by our Understanding is necessitated out of the very Terms to be Onâ— in it's self before our Understanding came to Divide it Whence 't is evinced most evidently that before this Operation of our Understanding thus Divided it by making Different Abstracted Conceptions of it the Thing tho' having it's Matter Form Existence and all it's Accidents in it was in it's self or as it was in Nature
no where but in the Things whose Essences the GOD of Truth has made and Establisht and then thou mayst be confident thy Iudgments and Discourses will be Well-grounded and Solid not Airy and Fantastical Imaginations Which tho they flatter thee with fine Appearances counterfeiting Evidence will certainly prove most Obscure leave thee in the dark and be found to be no more but Airy Bubbles when thoy come to be graspt by the Strict Hand or Palma Contracta of Connected Discourse or Exact Reason CHAP. II. Of the ESSENCES of Bodies in in Common and of the First or Simple Bodies in particular 1. EVERY Notion that is not Abstract but Concrete must have some Form or Formal Cause by which it is constituted such This is Self-evident for All Concrete Notious include some Form that constitutes them such we call that a Concrete Notion which is compounded of the Subject which has such a Form in it and the Form which is had by it and which by being in it makes and denominates it to be This Kind of Concrete in particular 2. Wherefore the Notion of Ens it being not an Abstract but a Concrete is constituted by it's ESSENCE as it 's The Form of Ens is Essence Form or Formal Cause which makes it to be an Ens or Thing For since the word Essence imports somewhat that belongs intrinsically to Being and yet is not the Notion of Actual Being or Existence in Nature consequently it can only signifie a Capacity of Being or the Form of that which is Capable of Being that is by Ch. 1. § 5. of Ens. Wherefore as that which is White is made Formally such by having that Mode or Accidental Act in it call'd Whiteness and that which is Round becomes Formally such by having Rotundity in it so every Ens or Thing is formally constituted such by having that Formality in it call'd ESSENCE 3. The Essences of those Things call'd Pure Acts or Spirits consists in their Actual Knowledge For since being Pure The Essences of Pure Acts consists in Actual Knowledge Acts they have no Power â—â— Matter in them their Essence cannot consist in a Power to have what is Natural to them as Knowledge is therefore their Essences must consist in Actual Knowledge of what is due to their Natures to know Again if their Essences did consist only in a Power to Know it being evident that whatever is reduced from the State of Potentiality or Power to that of Actuality or Act is intrinsecally Chang'd and all Change or Mutability proceeds from Matter as is prov'd Ch. I. § 19. and Pure Acts are therefore call'd Pure because they have none of that Power call'd Matter in them it follows necessarily that the Essence of all Intelligences or Intellectual Things can only consist in Actual Knowledge 4. Notwithstanding that Actual Knowledge is Essential to Pure Acts this hinders Yet they are Potential to the Act of Existence not but that they have a Potentiality to that First sort of Act call'd Existence which as is shown Ch. 1. § 3. and 4. is Common and Essential to all Creatures For since to Know is to have the Thing in it intellectually and the Notion of Ens or Thing speaking of Created Things abstracts from Existence it follows that the Knowledge of those Things to which Existence is Accidental consists with the Power to Existence especially since all Knowledge even of the Existence of other Things as will be shown Ch. 6. consists in being those Things as Other or as Distinct from the Knower Wherefore tho' Angels by Actual Knowledge are those other Things with their Existences intellectually yet they being in them as Others they are still left Indifferent in their proper Natures to exist or not exist 5. The Essence of Body or of such an Ens as consists of Matter and Form is The Essence of Body is câ—â—â—â—ly taken from its Form chiefly taken from it's Proper Act or it's Form For since what distinguishes a Thing from all others does consequently make it This and no Other and Matter being of it self perfectly Indeterminate cannot distinguish or determine a Thing to be of this Kind much less to be this Individuum it follows that the Essence of all Bodies and consequently of Body in Common is chiefly taken from the Form or Act. 6. Yet the Compleat Essence of Body is not only taken from the Form but also Yet not only but from the Matter also from the Matter which together with the Form compounds the Nature of Body For since that constitutes the Notion of that Species of Ens call'd Body which distinguishes it essentially from the other Species of Ens call'd Pure Acts or Spirits and the not-being a Pure Act is that which distinguishes it from those Entities which are Pure Acts and the not-being a Pure Act does also out of the force of the very Terms import that it has Power or Matter mixt with it it follows that Body is essentially distinguisht from Spirit by it's being compounded of Power and Act or Matter and Form and consequently not by the Form only Again since Essence speaks the Total Form of any Ens as Humanitas does of Homo or Petreitas of Peter and not meerly that Partial Form which with thâ— other Part call'd Matter compounds Body it must necessarily import an Act of that whole Compound and consequently include a respect to to the Matter also and not to the Form only as is evident from the word Corporeity which signifies thâ— Total Form or Essence of Body 7. Hence Divisible and Indivisible taken as they signifie Quantitative and Not-Quantitative are not the Proper Quantitative and Not-Quantitative are not the Proper Differences that constitute Body and Spirit Differences which constitute the First Kinds of Ens Body and Spirit but the Metaphysical Divisibility and Indivisibility into Matter and Form as besides the Reasons here given is clearly demonstrated in my METHOD to Science B. 1. Less 3. § 4. and 5. In which Lesson if I do not flatter my self that most Useful Doctrine of assigning Proper and Intrinsecal Differences and of Dividing any Genus by such is more Solidly establisht and more clearly and largely deliver'd than has been hitherto The Knowledge of which is so necessary that without this 't is impossible to keep our Notions Distinct or preserve them from interfering and being confusedly jumbled which must forcibly in a high manner obstruct the Way to that Clear and Distinct Knowledge call'd SCIENCE 8. Corollary I. Hence those Philosophers are convicted of a Vast Errour in one of the First Principles The Essence of the FIRST MATTER of the Cartesians cannot consist in only Extension of Nature who make the Essence of their First Body to consist in Nothing but Extension For since as has been Evidently demonstrated in the place now cited § 1. and 2 all Proper and Intrinsecal Differences can be nothing but more or less of the Notion Divided
if Extension be the Essential Constitutive of that Matter of theirs which it not being pretended to be a Spiritual Substance must be some kind of Body then Difference in Extension or more and less of Extension must essentially constitute Distinct Things under the Notion of Body or Distinct Bodies By which Doctrine no Man living nor perhaps any Body in Nature while it continually sends out it's Particles or Effluviums would be the same Body or the same Thing one single moment Which quite destroys the Stability of Things and would alter all or most of the Actions Comportments Duties and even all the Discourse of Mankind since ere they could speak or think of any Thing it would no longer be the same Thing but Another in regard it is perpetually otherwise than it was according to it's Extension which is as they hold it 's Essential Constitutive Nor will it avail the Cartesians to say that this holds in every Simple Body such as are their Three Elements but not in a Mixt Body For no Mixt is according to them any thing but an Aggrâ—…gate of Many and not One Body and so the Subject of our Discourse is alter'd while we speak of One they of a Multitude None of their Mixts being One Thing as is shown Ideae Cartesianae Expensae from Pag. 240. to pag. 248. 9. Corollary II. Hence our Modern Ideists arâ—… equally Faulty while they Nor in Extension and Impenetrability together make the Essence of Body to consist in Extension and Impenetrability which they Nick-name Solidity for they leave out the Matter as not worth considering which as was shown § 6. is part of the Essenâ—… of Body Besides they reflect not thâ—… those Notions which are meerly Quantitative cannot be the Total Form of any Enâ—… nor consequently the Essence of that Enâ— call'd Body To show farther the Essential Distinction of Bodies I advance these following Positions 10. Every Particular Body in the World is essentially a Distinct Part of Nature For since the whole Complex Every Body is essentially a Distinct Part of Nature of Bodies call'd the Universe or the World does essentially consist of a Multitude of Things which are of many Distinct Natures as of it's Parts and their Essence as they are Parts of Nature does consist in their compounding or making up this Aggregate or Whole and all those Parts are such Things as we call Bodies it folâ—â—ws that every Body in the World is essentially such a Thing by it's being a Distinct Part in Nature 11. Wherefore every Body is also essentially ordain'd for some Distinct Proâ—â— and Primary Operation in Nature Wherefore 't is ordain'd for some Proper and Primary Operation in Nature For since the Course of Nature does essentially consist in the Motion of a great Variety of Things which are Agents and Patients in respect of one another and those Things are Bodies which being Distinct in their Individual Essences must consequently every â—hing acting as it is have also some distinct Oâ—â—â—â—tion primarily and properly belonging to them 〈◊〉 proceeding from them that is such as could 〈◊〉 proceed from any other Body It follows that â—â—â—â—y Body is essentially ordain'd for some Distinct Proper and Primary Operation in Nature 12. Wherefore whatever fits the Matter for the Performance of this Primary Operation does essentially constitute Wherefore whatever fits it for this Primary Operation constitutes it such a Thing in Nature or such a Body For since the Course of Nature consists in Moâ—â—â—â— carry'd on with that Reguâ—â—â—â—y and Exact Order that * See B. 4. Med. last every Distinct Thing acting as it is that is after a Distinct but Certain manner Proper Effects should still be produced by Proper Causes were there any Body or Part of Nature which had No Effect at all or which comes to the same no Proper Effect such a Body would be in Vain and Useless or Good for nothing Wherefore since it is impossâ—… that Infinite Wisdom which Created and Goveâ—… the World should make any thing that is in vâ—… and Good for nothing it follows that every Thinâ—… and every Body in Nature is constituted such 〈…〉 Part of it or such a Body by the Aptness it hâ—… to perform its Proper or Primary Operation aâ—… therefore whatever fits the Matter for the Pâ—â—formance of this Primary Operation does essentially constitute such a Thing in Nature or 〈…〉 a Body 13. Corollary III. Hence is seen in what coâ—sists the Metaphysical BONâ—… or GOODNESS of every body In this Fitness to perform its Primary Operation consists it's Metaphysical GOODNESS which is one of the Properties of it as it is an Ens 〈…〉 Thing viz. That it is Useâ—… for some Effect or other tâ—… proceeds from it as 't is such 〈…〉 Ens or for such an Operation as is Propeâ—… and Peculiar to it Whence those Cartesiâ—… who deny Bodies to be Causes of any Effect in Nature no not so much as Instrumentâ—… ones but only to be Occasions which themselves say are No Causes and consequently do put them to have No Operation do by making them Good for Nothing take away their Metaphysical Bonity and BONUM being a Property of ENS by consequence their ENTITY also Moreover 14. Every Body in Nature is essentially an Instrument For since the Definition of an Instrumental Cause is Every Body is essentially an Instrument that it can no otherwise Act than as it is Acted upon or mov'd by Another and no Body can actually move of it 〈…〉 but has only a Power to be mov'd by anoâ—…r because it is far from being a Pure Act â—…ich is essentially in Act according to it's Nature but having Matter in it which is a Power 〈…〉 the Notion of Thing it is a fortiori only Poâ—…ial in order to it's Operation which is Subseâ—…nt to the Notion of Thing Wherefore every â—…dy is only an Instrument put into Motion immediately by Angels or Intelligences which are Pure Acts in such a manner as best conduces to â—â—complish the Intention of the World 's Supreme â—overnour 15. The Essential Difference of Body is chiefly 〈…〉 from the Action it is orâ—…n'd for in Nature and not The Essential Difference of Body is chiefly taken from it's Action 〈…〉 it's Power to be acted on or â—…'d by Another For since â—…t which constitutes any Essence 〈…〉 be the most Formal and as it were the â—…st Noble consideration found in the Thing And Act let it be never so imperfect is far â—ore Formal and more Noble than the Power which corresponds to that Act It follows that the Essential Difference constituting Body must chiefly â—…ring from it's Activeness which belongs to Body 〈…〉 â—t has the nature of Act or Form in it and not â—…om it 's Passiveness or Aptness to be operated upon by others which it has from the Matter 16. Those Accidents or Modes which do make a Body fit for it's Primary Operation in Nature do constirute it
The Modes or Accidents that make Bodies thus Fit are it 's Essential Form 〈…〉 Distinct Body or are it 's Essential Form For since nothing is requir'd to make one Body essentially distinct from another but to make 〈…〉 a Distinct Part of the Universe and that which makes it a Distinct Agent in Nature does also make it a Distinct Part of the Universe and that which fits it for a Distinct and Peculiar Operation makes it a Distinct Natural Agent and the Modes or Accidents as will be shown in 〈…〉 several sorts of Bodies make it a Distinct Ageâ—… It follows that those Modes or Aocidents thâ—… make it fit for it's Primary Operation are 〈…〉 Essential Form 17. The Suppositum or Individual Body must retain that Complexion of Accidents with some Constancy or foâ— But the Thing must retain that Complexion of Accidents for some time some time according as it's Constitution requires and not 〈…〉 transitu only or by way of continu'd Motion For otherwise we could never pitch upon any thing in Nature so as to be able to say it is This or That Thing if it's intrinsecal Constitution were perpetually Fleeting Besides a Thing is that which is Capable of Existence and actually has it when it is a Part of Nature and Existence has some Steadiness and Permanency in it's Notion Whereas in case Individual Bodies did possess those Accidents only in a Transitory Succession we could never assign any the least time in which it could be said to be This or That Thing at all nor consequently since nothing can exist which is not either This or That to Be at all Whence follows that Accidents are not Entia or Capable of Existing without any subject Since the Complexion of those Accidents which with the Matter make the Thing fit for it's Primary Operation is the Form that is but one part of the â—hing Besides they are no more but Modes or Manners how the Thing is as all Cartesians hold which is consistent in Sense with the Doctrine of the Aristotelians who make them to be Affections or Determinations of the Matter Now the â—otions of Ens Res Substance or Thing is to be â—…able of Existing wherefore that Definition â—…nnot possibly agree to any other Notion and â—…refore those Modes or Accidents cannot be 〈…〉 themselves Capable of Existence Again how 〈…〉 it conceivable that the Mode or Manner can be â—â—thout that of which it is a Mode especially â—…ce in the Definition of every Mode or Accident the Thing of which it is a Manner is conâ—…ated or included Lastly If Accidents were â—…ble of Existing alone or Entia then since â—…ry Body has Many and some of them Innuâ—…able such Modes in them that Ens which has 〈…〉 could not be said to be Unum nor consequently an Ens which would leave neither any â—nity nor by consequence any Entity in all Nature 18. No Body can exist in Nature if it have â—o other Form in it but meer Divisibility in Common For since Divisibility in Common cannot constitute any Body â—…thing can exist but what is â—…rminately This or That and â—hat is Common to all is Indeâ—…minate to every Individuum and therefore cannot determine it to be This or That in particular It follows that Divisibility in Common cannot fit or determine any Body in Nature to Exist 19. More and Less of Divisibility which 〈…〉 the Immediate and First Diâ—…rences of Divisibility in commoâ— More and Less of Divisibility may determine it's Notion and may consequently taken within somâ— Determinate Degree fit the Matter to receiâ—â— Existence For since all that is requisite to maâ—…a Thing capable of Existence is to determâ—…it and make it distinct from others and mâ—… and less of Divisibility that is Rarity and Deâ—…sity so they be in some particular Degree anâ— belong to their Subjects with some Constancy do make their Subjects thus Distinct from onâ— another It follows that such Rarity and Density may render the Matter capable of Exisâ—ence 20. One or two different Modes or Accideâ—â— which are Intrinsecal to the Suâ—ject so they be determinateâ— One or Two different Accidents may constitute the Simplest Bodies such within such a Degree may suffice to make the First anâ— Simplest Bodies essentially Distinct. For as it has been prov'd and will be more amply shown hereafter that the Complexion of Accidents which make a Body fit for it's Primary Operation is the Essential Form to all Mixt Bodies of which perhapâ— all Nature does now consist So it is Consâ—…nant to Reason that the Simplest and First Bodies which by being such cannot have such a numerous Complexion in them should be constituted by some one or a few Modes or be distinguisht from other Simple Bodies by it and it 's Opposite 21. Wherefore the Essences of the First and 〈…〉 Simple Bodies of all which we call the Four Elements are Wherefore the Elements are constituted by Density and Rarity constituted by the First and most â—â—mple Differences of Divisible 〈…〉 or Body in common viz. 〈…〉 their being to a Certain Degree more and 〈…〉 Divisible that is by their being Rare and â—…se This is evident from the very Terms 〈…〉 these Determine the Indifferency of the Matâ—… and distinguish the Subjects from one anoâ—â—er and withall suffice to render them Capaâ—… of performing the Primary â—…ration Proper to them For * See B. 4. §. 6. 〈…〉 First Operation in Nature is â—…l Motion or Division by which Mixt Bodies 〈…〉 consequently all Nature is made Whereâ—… since Density renders the Dense Body able 〈…〉 divide the Rare one and Rarity make the â—…re one apt to be divided by the Dense they â—â—â— exactly and perfectly fitted each in it's Kind â—o accomplish the Primary Operation in Nature which is also theirs They being as yet consider'd â—t the only Agents and Patients Add that Raâ—ity and Density are Intrinsecal to them as is eviâ—â—nt because their Notions cannot be thought 〈…〉 belong to any of the Six last Predicaments â—hich are all Extrinsecal 22. Corollary IV. Whether those Simplest Bodies do now exist in themselves or as in their own Nature that The Elements were thus constituted at first tho' perhaps there are not any such now is out of the Compounds or no is not easie to be demonstrated What I conceive is That Earth Air and Water which were Created in thâ—… Beginning of the World did really exiâ—… Separate before Motion which caus'd Mixture was set on work Also that the Degree of Rarity and Density they had at Firâ—… was the true Standard of their Nature anâ—… most exactly so proportion'd and fitted wheâ—… that most Active Divider Fire call'd 〈…〉 the Scripture Light was made the first Day as to be mingled variously in such a manner as was perfectly Best for the Forming thâ—… World and for carrying on the Series â—…â—â— it afterwards most connaturally But I cannot be Positive that since Motion and thâ—… Course of Nature was universally
Considering the most Common Notions of 〈◊〉 Thing enlarges the Soul and that tho' those 〈◊〉 Abstract Conceptions be but a very small part a partial and very Inadequate Notion of the whâ—… Individual Thing yet that Shortness is abundantly reâ—â—mpenced by the Largeness of their Extent He that knows distinctly the Notion or Nature of Quantity knows the whole World and each particular Body in it as far as they are Quantitative In like â—…nner he who has the Exact Knowledge of Ens â—…nce Act Power c. knows the whole Creaâ—… and every particular part of it as far as they â—…ve in them what grounds the Notions of Ens Essence Power Act Divisibility Composition c. â—…t what is all this if we add the vast trains of â—lear Consequences enriching our Mind with Innumerable Truths many of which are neer as Universal 〈◊〉 these Notions themselves were Let us permit 〈◊〉 those Men of Fancy to slubber over their Knowâ—… of things by their Confused Methods of Talking 〈◊〉 random and pursue the Way to Science which Right Nature and the Rules of Exact Art have â—…ablisht to our hands CHAP. III. Of the Essences of Mixt Vegetable and Animal Bodies 1. THere are not in Nature as far as we can judge at this time any perfectly Simpâ—… Bodies or Pure Elements For since to perfect the Forming of It can scarce be imagin'd that there are now any Pure Elements farther prov'd the World at first it was requisite that there should be a thoroâ—… Mixture of those Simplest Bodies or Elements which were made in the Beginning And finâ— there are many pregnant Reasons which are very hard to solve that at the Flood or Universal Deluge the whole Body of the Earth and all it's parts were still more confusedly blended together with the other Bodies which were themselves Mixts or rather Demixts before Again since it is hard to conceive the Course of Nature which consists in Motion still continuing how those Simple Bodies should re-gain their Original Purity and not rather mingle still 〈…〉 and more It may I think be concluded hence and from what has been alledged Chap. 2. Cordlary IV. that there are not now in the World anâ— Pure Elements or Unmixt Bodies 2. To pursue the Thread of my Discourse When Two very Minute Bodies of different Natures of which How First-Mixt Bodies may be conceiv'd to be made one is Rare the other Dense do cling together which by being of the smallest size are not easie to be divided or separated from one another by others they being too big to come between their parts and so divide them they may be reasonably conceiv'd to constitute a First-Mixt Body For since by their constant Adhesion they do not Act or Operate as Two but Conjoyntly or as One 〈…〉 follows that they have a peculiar Modify'd Operation of their own distinct from that which other of those Elements had produced in case it had existed alone Wherefore since every Part 〈…〉 Nature is then a Distinct Thing when it has a â—…ct Operation 't is consequent that these were at first or in the beginning Distinct Entities which kind of Things we call Mixt or Compounded and this being the Simplest or Least sort of Mixture First-Mixt Bodies 3. Wherefore the Essential Form of those First-Mixt-Bodies was the Complexion The Essential Form of First-Mixt Bodies of those two Primary Qualities Rarity and Density since 't is evident that the having those Two in it does distinguish them from Simple Bodies or Elements which have but One of them that is at that time distinguisht them from all others 4. Therefore the Essence or Total Form of those First-Mixt And their Essences Bodies consists of Power and Act or in this that they have Matter in them Determin'd by such a Form viz. by the Complexion of those two Accidents 5. The next Sort of Mixt Bodies is That they have Three or All of the Elements in them For all Proper The Second sort of Mixt Bodies and Intrinsecal Differences being nothing but more and less and the Elements having each of them a Distinct Degree of Rarity or Density in them It follows that these are evidently more-Mixt than the others were which had but only Two Elements and their Particular Degrees of Rarity and Density in their Composition Whence 't is easie by what 's discourst here § 4. and 5. to discover in what their Essential or Partial Form and their Essence which is their Total Form consists 6. The Next or Third Sort of Mixt Bodies if it be not in some sort the same is when the Compound possesses The Third sort of Mixts with some Stability and Constancy an incomparably greater Proportion of some one of those Elements above the rest For 't is manifest that there are in Nature many sorts of those Things which we call Fire Air Earth and Water in all which some One of those particular Elements does so much abound that we cannot well discern at first Sight any Mixture of the others tho' 't is Evident to our Reflex Thoughts there is and even to our Sight when Art comes to separate them tho' our Rude and First Impressions make us commonly give them their Name from the exceedingly Predominant Element 7. The Next or Fourth sort of Mixts which perhaps are in proper Speech the First Sort of Demixt or Decompounded The Fourth sort of Mixts Bodias is when they have More or Fewer of the former Sorts of Mixts variously united in them whose 〈…〉 is the Complexion of those Qualities found in those several Mixts And their Essence consists in this that their Matter is Determin'd by the Complexion of those Mixt Accidents which giving them as Constant Agents the power of Operating thus or after a Distinct Manner from the former do by consequence principally concur to make them Distinct Parts of Nature that is Distinct Things or Bodies I say principally for 't is to be observ'd that â—â—st Many other Accidents besides those most Intrinsecal ones of Rarity and Density either Single or Mingled What other Accidents are superadded to make variety of Mixts and Demixts do concur to the Essential Constitution of most Mixts and Demixts For since Mixture is made first by the Division of the Simple and afterwards of First-Mixt-Bodies at and Division makes more of One the parts of those Divided Bodies the ways of Nature's Operation being manifold and various must necessarily be Diverse in Number and consequently each Divided part being Determinate in Bigness Figure and Situation which the Potential parts of the Elements before Division each of them being Homogeneous or Uniform were not Whence follows that most of the Mixt and all of the Demixt bodies besides their Different Degrees of Rarity and Density must also have in them great Variety of the Bulk Figure and Situation of their Parts Which every thing operating as it is must needs make them operate diversely and consequently these are parts of their
Essential Form and therefore their Consistency or Constancy of being such suppos'd must constitute them Distinct Agents in Nature of Distinct Bodies 9. Notwithstanding that these last-named Accidents do thus concur yet 't is chiefly their Rarity and Density Yet Rarity and Density are the Principal and most Intrinsecal which gives those Mixts and Demixts that Nature in which consists their most Intrinsecal Temperature and Constitution For since Rarity and Density are those Primary Qualities the partaking of which within some certain Degree did constitute the Simple Bodies and all the Mixt Bodies are essentially compounded of Simple ones those two First Qualities must needs be more Intrinsecal to them than are those others which acâ—ru'd to them by the Division of Matter tho they also concur each in his way to determine the Matter so that the Mixt or Compounds may have Different Operations in Nature and thence become Distinct Things or Distinct Mixt Bodies Conformably to what Aristotle asserts Lib. Physic 8. Cap. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Of all the Affections or Determinations of Matter Density and Rarity are the Principal or the Beginning and Origin of all others 10. Corollary I. Hence all the Followers of Democritus whether Epioureans Cartesians or others who Hence the Corpuscularians can give no account of the Intrinsecal Constitution of any Natural Body put no Parts of their Matter to be distinguisht by Rarity and Density which as is prov'd are most Intrinsecal and affirm that they have only in them these two Accidents Extension and Figure the former of which being Common to them all cannot without wronging clear Reason distinguish them and the Later of them it being only the Termination of Quantity is rather Extrinsecal or belonging to the Surface of the Bodies And is evidently impossible to give the Body which has it it 's Inward Constitution hence they cannot possibly give any account of the most Intrinsecal or Essential Constitution and Distinction of their Mixts and Demixts nor consequently of what it is in which the Essence of any particular Body which must certainly be most Intrinsecal to it does consist 11. Of this last sort of Demixts are all Minerals Gems Coral Clay Marl all the several sorts of Earths Of the several sorts of Demixts and such like Which are Differenced by the Proportion Size and Figures of their Rare and Dense particles and not a little by the Situation or Manner of their Texture Whence they come to be more or less Solid or Compacted Light Heavy Clammy Friable Porous Pellucid Fusible Malleable c. To treat of which particularly and reduce them into their Proper Causes belongs to Physicks or Natural Philosophy Nor is it very hard to do this were true Principles of Nature taken up at First and pursu'd home by Immediate Consequences 12. The same Accidents and particularly the Figure and Situation of Parts give Bodies their different manner The Ground of Sensible Qualities of affecting our Senses For 't is not hard to show that all Colour and it 's several kinds are chiefly produced by These as also the Qualities of Odoriferous Stinking Sweet Sharp Sowr Rough Smooth Bodies Tho' Sound and it's Varieties spring from the Greater or Lesser Tension Thickness or Smart Force of the Instrument that makes the Different Motions of the Air. 13. Corollary II. If the Duration of those Bodies be Transitory and Unconstant in comparison of others that seem Of Imperfect Mixts of the same sort they are call'd in a Common Appellation Imperfect Mixts such as are Winds Snow Hail Smoak Mists Meteors c. and therefore wanting that Constancy an Argument of their not being well united they are less properly Entia or Things than the Perfect Mixts are as is shown Ch. 2. § 17. And perhaps they are no more but Aggregates of more Distinct Bodies lighting together casually or approximated to one another and sticking together by virtue of some Physical Quality for some short time which is not enough to make those Compounds to be Constant and Distinct Agents in Nature or Distinct and Perfect Natural Bodies 14. When the Parts of a Demixt are exexceedingly Different in their several Temperaments and withall Of Living Bodies One of them the Common Causes of the World setting them on work is apt to move Another that Body is said to be LIVING For since the Notion of LIFE is A Principle of Self-Motion and there are no Actual Parts in any Compound whence we say All Actions and Passions are of the Suppositum it follows that the Action or Motion of each of those Parts is the Action or the Motion of the Whole Thing tho' consider'd particularly according to such a Part of it Hence such a Thing one Part of which moves another is truly said to move it self or to be LIVING 15. The Simplest Lowest and Ignoblest sort of Living or Self-moving Things are those which are meer Vegetables Of Vegetables For since all Proper Differences are more and less of the Generical Notion and Life is Self-Motion that is One sort of Motion and to move Swiftly and Slowly is to move more or less it follows that Velâ—city and Tardity are the First Differences of all Motions of which to move it self is one and consequently that to perform their Primary Operation more quickly and more slowly does essentially distinguish Living Things as they are Living Wherefore since Experience shows and it will be more clearly manifested hereafter that Vegetables or Plants do more slowly and more dully go about their Primary Operation than other Self-moving Things v. g. Brutes or Men do it follows that those Bodies we call Vegetables or Plants are the Simplest Lowest and Ignoblest of Self-moving of Living Things 16. The Primary Operation of meer Vegetables is to nourish the Compound For since as any attentive Speculater The Primary Operation of Vegetables may observe every Thing is ordain'd to preserve it's own Unity and Entity as much as it can this preserving it self is most Natural and Intrinsecal to it and therefore not a Secondary but it 's Primary Action Wherefore those Individual Vegetables which have a Power in them to concoct their Proper Juice or Sap and so make it fit Aliment for them which is the Preserving themselves from Withering or Decay must be ordain'd in the first place or primarily to perform this Operation Especially since whatever other or Secondary sorts of Actions they may be Useful for in Nature will be better accomplish'd by their being first nourisht duly and as they ought which by perfecting them in Being does make them more-perfect Agents 17. Wherefore the Form of Vegetables is that Complexion of Accidents as fits the Vegetable for that Operation The Form of Vegetables and it 's Essence consists in this that the Matter of it's Parts has such a Complexion of those Modes or Accidents in it as sits one of them to work upon or move another in order to the
Nourishment and Preservation of the Whole 18. Those Living Bodies whose Parts are moreâ—oving-one-another or with more Velocity in order to their Primary The Essences of Animals Operation that is upon the least Excitation from External Causes are therefore a Higher and Perfecter â—ort of Vegetables or something more than meer Vegetables These we call Animal or Sensitive because upon Impressions on those Parts call'd the Senses they proceed to Action 19. The Primary Operation of Animals is to pursue such Food as is Agreeable Their Primary Operation â—o their Natures as is shown § 16. of meer Vegetables and the reason given there holds equally for both 20. Whence that meer Animal is most perfect that moves it self to acquire What Animal is most Perfect in it's Kind such Food as is agreeable to it's Nature that is such as â—akes it's Fancy which is the principal Faculty that sets on Work all the rest Calm or Indifferent By which means it becomes applicable to more Motions Add that â—â—ch Food as is Violent or extremely distant from 〈◊〉 Constitution and therefore is disproportion'd to the pitch of it's Nature does make it's operations deprav'd and to some degree Preterâ—â—tural As we Experience in our selves when â—e Eat any thing too Hot or too Cold for our Constitution which disorders our Temperaâ—ure or as we use to say distempers it or â—akes us Sick Note That we discourse here of what is the Primary Operation of Individual Bodieâ— as to themselves What farther or more Remote Effects they are intended or order'd for by the Governor of the World belongs to another Question and will be treated of towards the End of this Book ADVERTISEMENT These Discourses suppose it prov'd thâ—â— Rare and Dense or more and less Divisible are the First Differences of Bodies as they are in Nâ—ture or as they are the Subjects of Natural Operations which has been already demonstrated here Chap. 2. § 19 20 21. as also in my Method to Science Book I. Lesson 5. § 10 11. and Solid Philosophy Reflexion 17. § 13 14 15. MEDITATION THus we have deduced the First Difference of Bodies from the more and less Divisibility of them consider'd as giviâ—g What has been prov'd hitherto recapitulated the Ground to all Natural Action and Passion and have found thâ—â— they are of two sorts viz. Rare or Dense whence also the several Kinds of those First Bodies can only be taken from their having more or less Degrees I mean such as are very distant and notorious of those two Primary Qualities in which therefore the Form or Act which supposing it's Power or Matter does chiefly give them their Essence consists Moreover we have shown how from ACTUAL DIVISION which is the First Operation in Nature there naturally and necessarily arise other Modes or Accidents viz. the Number Bigness Figure and Situation of the several Parts of those First Bodies the variety of which woven together after a different manner and cohering with some Durableness does compound all Mixt and Demixt Bodies We have seen in common that those Accidents do make them fit to produce their Proper Effects or to perform their Primary Operation which constitutes them Distinct Parts and Agents in Nature and therefore Distinct Things Whence follows That the Complexion of Accidents is â—eally that which we call their Essential or Substantial Form And that by this Doctrine an Intelligible Account is given of those Forms so much talkt of and so little understood that lame account which the Schools give of them making them as Obscure as an Occult Faculty neither giving any grounded Reason by what Connatural Means they come into the Matter how they determine it ultimately for Existence by making it Distinct from all others or This and That Individuum nor lastly how they fit it for some Proper or Primary Operation which Considerations are Requisite and Sufficient to give it the Nature or Notion of an Ens or Thing While we were doing this we have at the same time laid Grounds for the pursuing orderly the Knowledge of Secondary and Sensible Qualities about which the greatest part of Physicks is employ'd and to distinguish the Essences of all Things in the World under what Sort or Kind soever they are rankt Which shows how the Architectonick Science of METAPHYSICKS as becomes her Highest Statiâ—â— and Dignity does Superintend the Inferiour Science of Physicks and The Excellency of Metaphysicks and the Sublime way of discoursing peculiar to it consequently the rest Prescribing them what they are to do by assigning them their Proper Objects as also by Enlightning them and Establishing the Truths they deduce by her most General most Evident and most Certain Maxims which tho' they be Deductions in Metaphysicks are Principles to them For her manner of considering the Objects of all other Sciences is far Exaâ—ted above the Inferiour manners according to which Subordinate Sciences treat of them nor does she regard any Quality Operation Bulk Figure Motion c. otherwise than under that Soveraign Respect as they câ—â—duce to constitute and establish the Essences of Thingâ— by determining the Common Power or Matter to such a Particular Nature as is Different from all others which makes it Capable of Existing or an 〈…〉 We have avoided the Precipices of some very Fundemental Errours highly prejudicial to the Intrinseâ—â— Constirution and Distinction of Essences and consequently to the Knowledge of the Things themselves without settling well the Grounds of which first 't is impossible to have true Science of any Thing whatever or to know what a Thing is All this we have endeavoured and we hope perform'd by an Immediate and Orderly Connexion of 〈…〉 Natural Notions deducing still our Consequences in 〈…〉 Frame so closely compacted that each Foregoing Knowledge setting aside the Corollaries naturally leads 〈…〉 the Following ones A Method Unusual to the Generality of Philosophers and yet so Proper and Effectual to assert and establish Truth that however â—… may not please such Men and their Readers yet it â—â—ght not to deter us from pursuing a Way so evidently of it 's own Nature What sleight ways of Discoursing some others affect Conclusive and Decisive and withall so Proper to Science how lamely soever we travel in it Whereas Dishevell'd Ill-knit and Unprincipled Discourses however Witty and Pleasing to the Dotage of â—â—r Fancy have not the least Semblance of Concluding evidently or Establishing solidly any one Truth In a word having seen in what consists the Essence of meer Animals which is part of our selves we have made way to the Contemplation of our own Nature which is What is our Duty as we are Rational Creatures â—ver and above Rational which therefore ought to challenge from us 〈…〉 most Attentive Reflexion that â—…ng to a Distinct and Clear Knowledge of what iâ— our true Essence or Nature and what the Primary Operation for the performance of which the GOD of Nature intended us we may not deviate from it
〈…〉 labour for our own True Good pursue that bestâ—…isht Food which connaturally nourishes our Soul in it's way and comply with the Best Intentions and End of our Creation CHAP. IV. Of the Essence of MAN 1. MAN is One Thing made up or Compounded of a Corporeal and a Spiritual Part which we call BODY and SOUL For were the Body and Soul iâ— MAN is One Thing made up of Soul and Body Man Two Distinct Things those Two Things they being of such Different Natures could not possibly have any Coalition nor any kind of Union 〈…〉 as to make up One Compound more than can 〈…〉 Angel and a Brute Nor could they be in 〈…〉 Manner or according to any Mode of which wâ— have a Notion cemented together Not according to that Mode or Accident call'd QUANTITY the Unity of which kind of Parts is Continuity because the Spiritual Part the Soul is not Quantitative nor can it be thus Continu'd or Joyn'd to the Body Nor consequently according to the Notion of Quality For first Quality supposes tâ—… Thing which it Qualifies already constituted and only superadds some Perfection or Imperfectiâ—… to it's Nature Secondly Because all the Qualities of One of those Parts are Corporeal ones aâ—… all the Qualities of the Other Part are Spiritual that is they are Quantitatiâ—s and Not-Quantitativâ— which can no more unite than a Body and a Spâ—… could Nor according to Relation or to speâ—… more properly according to the Things themselves as they are consider'd to be Relata or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For this Notion is of the Thing it self as it gives us the Ground or Reason of our Relating or Comparing it to Another in such a Respect which presupposes the Things and is so far from giving us a Ground of conceiving them to be One that it obliges us to conceive them as some way or other Two and moreover Relatively Opposite to one another and Opposition cannot be the Formal Reason of Unity And if we take the word Relation not Fundamentally but Formally for the very Act of Referring 't is clearly a Spiritual Mode peculiarly belonging to One part of Man the Soul and therefore for the Reason lately given it cannot unite both those Parts together Nor can they be United according to any of the Four last Predicaments for These as is shown in my METHOD can only belong to Bodies Nor lastly can those Parts were they Two Things be United according to Action and Passion in which the Cartesians â—â—ce this Union for these besides their being Extrinsecal Considerations do most evidently presuppose the Whole Thing or Suppositum only which Acts oâ— Suffers constituted and therefore cannot be the Formal Cause or Reason of constituting that Whole or Compounding those Parts together but are the Exercise of that Essence and 〈…〉 Existence already Constituted such It is left â—â—en that those Two Parts can only be United 〈…〉 make One Compound according to the First Predicament or according to the Notion of Ens Thing or Substance But to be United or which â—…the same made One precisely under the Notion or Respect of Thing is out of the force of the very Words to be One Thing Therefore this Compound of SOUL and BODY call'd MAN is truly and necessarily One Thing 2. Therefore the Soul and Body in Man are only Potential Parts of that Compound Therefore the Soul and Body are here only Potential Parts and neither of them while in the Compound is Actual For it has been already Demonstrated Ch. 1. § 27. that there can be no Actual Parts in any Compound whatever Moreover were they Actual while in the Compound each of them would have it's oâ—â— Act there and consequently it 's own Essence and this not only Distinctly from the Other but Independently of it since every Act in the Line of Substance as both these Parts are determines the Substance to be This fits it for Existence and makes it capable to Subsist alone wherefore each of those Parts when separated would retain it's Act and Essence and exist or actually remain such as it was whereas 't is manifest that a Human Body does not exist or remain so much as a Sensitive or Vegetative Thing but becomes a meeâ— Dead Carkass 3. Therefore neither Part while in the Compound can Act or Operate Alâ—… Therefore Neither Part can Operate Alone For 't is Demonstrable that Whâ—… ever Acts must Be Actually Bâ—… in our case neither Part Is actuaâ—… but are both of them only Potential by § 2. Wheâ—… fore 't is manifest that Neither Part can work Alâ—… but concomitantly with the other that is in all 〈…〉 Operations of Man as he is Man 't is the Wâ—… Compound or that Ens Thing Substantia Priâ—… or Suppâ—sâ—â—um which only can Act or Operâ—… sâ—nce It only Is actually 4. Corollary I. Hence is seen on what Evident Ground that most Useful and Solid Maxim Actiones Which Groundâ— that Excellent Maxim Actiones Passiones sunt Suppositorum Passiones sunt Suppositorum which all seem to admit but Few I fear duly reflect on is built viz. on those most Evident Truths Nothing can Act but what is it self in Act or Is Actually or Nothing can Act in such a manner unless it Bee such and No Parts in any Compound singly consider'd Are Actually With which notwithstanding it well consists that The Whole may act more chiefly and Peculiarly according to This Part than to That as we also experience not only in Man but in every Compound whatever 5. Corollary II. How Useful this Doctrine is to explicate the Incarnation or the Subsistence of Two Natures Hence the Christian Tenet of the Incarnation is Agreeable to Right Reason in One Divine Person and the Different Operations of Christ our Saviour as he is GOD and MAN will easily appear to Reflecters and will more fully be seen when we shall have occasion to show the Conformity which that Fundamental Article of Christian Faith has to the Principles of True Philosophy 6. Tho' the Peculiar and Immediate Form or Act of that Part call'd The Seat of Knowledge be that Spiritual Of the Form or Act of Man as he is Man Part we call The Soul yet the Act or Form of Man as he is Man is the said Spiritual Part together with that Complexion of Accidents in his Body which contribute to fit him for his Primary Operation For since Man is One Thing which has in it both a Corporeal and a Spiritual Nature § 1. and every Thing acts as it is his Operation peculiar to him as he is Man must also be Corporeo-Spiritual and consequently his Total Form which constitutes him such an Individual Acter must likewise partake of both those Natures 7. Corollary III. Hence in every Operation of Man as he is Man the Operations peculiar to the Soul Both â—arts concurr to every Operation of Man as he is Man cannot be produced without the Immediate
Stone and a Tree a Horse and an Eagle a Lizard and a Herring c. Nor is at all to purpose to alledge they are a Compound Thing for this is contrary to many Evident Truths since it has been demonstrated Ch. 1. § 27. that there are no Actual Parts in any Compound whatever Nor can the Parts of Ens joyn to make One Thing otherwise than as one of them is Determinable Potential or has the Notion of Matter the other Determinative of the Other as it 's Form Lastly that Unum or One Thing would be Divisum in se which is against the Nature of Ens. Nor is it to purpose to alledge they are United by their Acting together for this only makes them Coacters such as the Principal Cause and the Instrument uses to be and not One Thing as is clearly shown Preliminary V. § 25. Besides they must Be One Thing ere they can Act as One Thing which as is there shown makes the alledging this for a Reason very Preposterous 38. Corollary XIV From what 's deduced above 't is demonstrated against that every-way-Groundless Opinion That the Pre-existence of Souls is a Senseless Conceit and Impossible of the Pre-existence of Souls Since the Form of an Ens being but a Part of that thing it belongs to and a Part of a Thing not being the Thing it self or the Whole Thing and only the Thing it self being Capable of Existance the Soul which is the Form of Man cannot possibly exist till it informs the Matter and with it makes up that Thing call'd Man 39. Corollary XV. Hence that foppish Opinion of the Transmigration of Souls So is the Pythagorean Transmigration is confuted Since the Form is not Received but in Matter fitted to receive it or Dispos'd for it and with it compounding one Thing which shall have a Primary Operation sutable to the Nature of such a Compound which kind of Disposition can no where be found but in Humane Bodies otherwise every meer Animal and Vegetable might require and therefore have a Rational Soul in them which put there could neither need any Transmigration nor could it be without having two Souls in one Body or Two Forms in the same Matter which would make every such Compound a CHIMERA Whence I am forced to declare that those who talk of GOD's Annexing Reason to the Matter of a Brute bid fair for the Tenet of a Pythagorean Transmigration for to what other end can the starting such a Question or such a wild Supposition tend 40. Corollary XVI Hence is farther shown that to those who ask How the Soul and Body come to be That 't is a Folly to ask how the Soul and Body came to be United United The properest Answer is They were never DISUNITED or TWO A farther reason how they come to be One may be gather'd out of the following Meditation MEDITATION BY this time my Soul we have rais'd our selves by immediate Steps from the Material World our Underling and God's Footstool The Rational Progress and Immediate Steps of our Thoughts hitherto till we are come within Ken of our own Nature Nor can we think we have err'd in that Noble and Necessary Quest There have been no Meandrian Turnings and Windings in our Rational Progress which is the Way we have taken We started first from the Simplest and as we may say Embryo-Notions of POWER and ACT which belong to every Created Being We proceeded next to that sort of Power and Act which compounds the Changeable Nature of BODY We went on to take a view of the Essences of the most Uncompounded Bodies and those of their Simpler Mixts and Demixts till we arriv'd at those most Compounded ones which are Organical such as are Vegetables and Animals divers Parts of which seem to have distinct Natures and Operations of their own But they only seem to have them for out of the Compound they can perform no such Operations at all because those Parts being only Potential or in Power to be Things they are hence of themselves not Actually Things nor capable of Being nor consequently of Acting So that 't is the Compound only that Acts according to such a Part which is somewhat of it because it only Is or is in Act. Lastly We have shewn the Establishment of the Essence of an Animal and that its Primary Operation for which it was ordain'd is like it self meerly Sensitive or Material But must the Climax of BEING stop in that lowest Degree of Entity Base Matter Why it was necessary such a Creature as MAN should be made No surely For how should the Alpha of all Being be the Omega of it too if there were nothing Created here but such a Stupid and Senseless Nature as Body which is utterly unable to ascend to him or raise it self towards him and chuse him for its Last End and Final Good And yet how should meer Matter rise to that vastly higher Story of Being call'd Spiritual or how should it arrive to a next Neighbourhood with an Angel They seem rather Contradictory and in the highest manner Opposite The one is of its own Nature Divifible the other Indivisible The one is a Pure Act the other is meerly Potential being made of Matter which depresses it's Compart while here to a Potential State also The Order of Beings which is the Product of God's Creative Wisdom could not but be contriv'd with all the Beauty of the most exact Harmony which consists in fitting one Thing to another It must then arise by Immediate Degrees otherwise it would not be Compacted but Shatter'd And it had been too great a Leap and had left too wide a Chasm in the Frame of the Creation to ascend or rather skip from meer Matter to a Pure Spirit But what cannot Infinite Wisdom By what means GOD's Infinite Wisdom contriv'd the Union of the Soul and Body in one Thing contrive without either perverting or straining the Proportions of Order or Violating the Natures of Body or Spirit either Wherefore to make the Contexture of Beings Close and not intersticed by Flaws Gaps or Incoherences Divine Providence which disposes all things sweetly order'd there should be some Dispositions in Matter which requir'd to be indu'd with such a Form as was beyond the Power of Matter to produce 〈◊〉 have educed out of it viz. Such as was of a Spiritual Nature tho' of the lowest size to perform with its Assistance Operations beyond the Power of Matter to compass alone that is with a Faculty of Reasoning which partakes in some sort â—â—th Natures or with a Power both of Knowing 〈◊〉 also of Succession in Acquiring or Using that Knowledge Those Dispositions being laid in Matter 〈◊〉 â—â—llow'd necessarily that a Form of a Spiritual Naâ—â—re would be in it For to an Infinite Being streamâ—…enerously his Gifts from his Exuberant Source of â—…ss there needs no more to receive and have the Effects of his Bounty but to be Dispos'd for them or
of Individuums each of which must be Distinct from all the others there must necessarily be a far Greater Complexion of Accidents to distinguish these by their various Complication from one another than was requisite to distinguish and constitute the Common Natures the Common Kinds of Things being in comparison of them but a very Few 5. That Complexion of Accidents which constitutes Individual Bodies must be the most perfect Act they can Thts Complexion of Accidents is the most Perfect Act next câ— that of Existence have except that of Existence For since 't is the Nature of Power taken in a Physical sense or of Matter to be Common to All it can distinguish no Two of them from one another On the other side it being hence evident that 't is the nature of Act and of It only to Distinguish nor can there be a greater Distinction than to make each Subject to be This and â—â— Other it follows hence that the Complexion of Accidents which constitutes Individuums and which imparts this Formal Effect to each of them is the greatest Distinguisher or which is the same the most Perfect Act Second-Causes can give And that this is a less perfect Act than Existence is Evident because the utmost it can do is to make it's Subject This Thing or This Ens that is to make it Capable of Existing and consequently tho' it be most Actual in the direct Line of Ens yet it has the Nature of â— Power in respect of Existence which is therefore the Ultimate Actuality or most perfect Act Imaginable next to that of a DEITY and most resembling it 6. Corollary II. Hence is evidently demonstrated against the Atheists that 't is above all the Power of Natural Hence 't is demonstrated that to give Existence is above the Power of Natural Causes and Peculiar to GOD. Causes and only Peculiar to GOD to give the last Actuality of Existence For since as appears by our former Discourses all that Natural Causes can do is by Motion to mingle the First Bodies which have more or less of Quantity in them that is which are Rare or Dense from the Diversity of which Action follows their various Size Number Proportion Figure Situation c. and these do make the several Complexions of Accidents which constitute all the Individuums in Nature and in none of those Effects is found the Notion of Existence much less of a New Existence which yet belongs to every Individual when it is first made as will easily be discern'd by any Reflecter who considers the Notion or Essence of those several Modes and compares them to the Notion or Nature of Existence It follows manifestly that the last Actuality of Existence cannot be given by Natural Causes but must come from some Cause above Nature that is from the Author of Nature or from that Supreme Essentially-existing Cause GOD Whence is demonstrated a posteriori thâ—â— There is a GOD. 7. There must be some Instant in which the Individuum becomes another Thing or of another Kind For 〈…〉 There must be some Instant in which the Individual first begins to be 't is a manifest contradiction to say that any thing can for any one Instant much less for any part of Time be at once what it lately was and what it newly is or be at once it's-self and â—… it's self but Another 'T is Demonstrable that there must be some Instant in which it first becomes This Individuum or of this Kind and ceases to be Another or of Another Kind 8. This Complexion of Accidents which Determines the Matter to be This and no Other in the First Instant This Complexion of Accidents is Essential to the New Individuum of it's Being must necessarily â—â— Essential to the Individuum newly made For since meer Accidents do advene to the Thing already made This and therefore do presuppose it according to some Priority or other and there can be no Priority no not even that of Nature or Reason of the â—…ng to that which constitutes it because that which constitutes it as being it 's Formal Cause 〈…〉 Priority of Nature to It as the Cause has to 〈…〉 Effect It follows that That Complexion of Accidents which Determines the Matter to be This 〈…〉 no Other in the First Instant of it's Being â—…st necessarily be Essential to the Things or Individuums newly made 9. Therefore this Complexion of Accidents â—ow spoken of is the Essential Therefore it is the Essential or Substantial FORM of the Individual Compound 〈…〉 Substantial FORM of the newâ—ade Compound or Individuum That it is the Form of it is Evident because the whole Notion 〈…〉 the Form or Act is nothing 〈…〉 but to be the Distinguisher of the Confused or Undistinguisht Potentiality of the Matter or to be the Determiner of it's Indifferency to This or That which in the Schools Language is to Inform it and by doing thus to be the Constituter of the Individuum And that this Complexion of Accidents does these Essects is manifest because it is suppos'd to be Peculiar to the Individuum it constitutes and found in no other Lastly That this Complexion of Accidents or Form is Essential 〈…〉 it's Proper Individuum is shown § 8. 10. For the same Reason whatever Modes or Accidents do accrue to the Ens or Individuum afterwards are Accidental Those Accidents that accrue afterwards are Accidentals to it whether they concern it's Quantity or the Accession or Diminution of the Matter that is it 's Growth and Decay or it's Qualities which perfect it or the Relations it acquires to other Individuums and much more what Denominations soever come to it from any of the last Predicaments because all these do advenâ— or are superadded to the Ens already Essentially constituted and are as it were engrafted on that Stock of Being and do not constitute it 11. All Individuums must have some Degree of Constancy and Permanency iâ— their Notion For since all Natural To be an Individuum some degree of Constancy Permanency or Stability is requir'd Motion is for some End to the attaining which it is a kind of Way or Tendency and the Way or Means is not the End and consequently Motion is not the End of Motion it follows that the End of Motion must be something that has some kind of Rest Fixure and Constancy in its Nature Wherefore since the End of that Natural Motion which Determines the Power or Matter to be This and no other is to produce the Individuum it follows that the Individuum or Ens produc'd by that Motion must not be perpetually-Changing or continually Successive as that Motion was but must have some degree of Permanency in it Add that were not this so we could never say with Truth that any thing is what it is nor indeed that it is nor could we act or discourse about it since ere we could speak act or think the. Thing would be Chang'd and
Vanisht Nor would the Notion of Substance consist in an Indivisible nor be Distinct from that of Quantity Nor would the Accidents have any Being there being in that case no Determinate Thing to which they could belong or by means of which they might Bee or which they might modify 12. EXISTENCE supervening to the Notion 〈…〉 Nature of Ens does add also Which Existence supervening does establish 〈…〉 the Ens or Substance some Degree of Stability and Constancy â—or since Motion consider'd â—ormally according to it's precise and abstracted Notion does only import that no Two Parts that is Nothing of it is at once but that some â—arts of it are not now but past others are not â—… but to come it is manifest to any acute conâ—â—derer that Motion according to it 's own precise Notion or taken as Abstracted from it's Subject which is moved and from the other Accidents â—hich are found in It and in the Contiâ—…ous Bodies through which it moves is nothing 〈…〉 but a Continu'd Flux of certain Not Beings â—hich it sows as it were all along through it's â—…hole Progress of which therefore it seems formally to consist Wherefore since Existence in what kind soever is diametrically Opposite to Not being it follows that as Motion gives a fleeting Inconstancy to the Subject it affects so Existence does of it 's own Nature give to the Ens or Substance it 's Proper Subject a certain degree of Stability and Constancy and some degree of Permanency in retaining the same Essence as far as the nature of the Subject and the best Order of the World design'd by it's All-Wise Governour sees fitting The twisting the results of so many various Causes into one Individuum argues the Design of an All-comprehending Providence 13. Corollary III. Hence our steady Reflexion upon what has been hitherto deduced will inform us that this Determination of Matter as to certain Lesser and Greater Degrees which constitute the Superiour and Inferiour Kinds of Things and especially this Ultimate Determination of it by such a Complexion of Accidents as is Incommunicable to any other and constitutes and fixes the Essence of the Individuums as is shown § 9. is absolutely Necessary for all Created Things as rendring them Apt or Fit to exist which is the Main Work of Nature and the only Means to continue the Succession of Creatures Whence it is not carry'd on by a Temerarious or Fortuitous Conduct but is like the Artificial Twisting together of many scatter'd Ends and tying them into one Firm Knot or the summing up the many Scenes and Interludes or the Windings and Turnings of variously-operating Causes in one harmonious Close at the last Act. All which clearly argues a form'd Design and an All comprehending Providence in the Giver of Being sweetly and surely disposing his Creatures to this Ultimate Determination to be This or to a Capacity of receiving Existence 14. Corollary IV. This Complexion of Accidents being Incommunicable to any other Individuum and withal This Complexion of Accidents can never be eradicated while the Individuum continues Essential to it can never be Eradicated while the Compound continues This is in a manner Self-Evident For this Complexion being the ESSENTIAL Form which constitutes the Compound it follows that the Compound must remain Constituted or continue while that which makes it such is in it in the same manner as Rotundity being the Formal Cause why a Thing is Round that thing must continue to be Round while Rotundity is in it 15. Corollary V. This Complexion of Accidents gives each Individuum and sometimes the whole Species And gives the Compound a Different Genius and Natural Propension a Different Genius and Propension Thus every single Man has from his Conception some peculiarity of Temperament Genius Humour or Inclination distinct from that of all others which tho' Art Education Reflexion and Circumstances may alter for the better or the worse yet nothing can so totally efface or extinguish it but the Root of that peculiar Propension will stick fast rivetted in his Selfish Individuality Thus Original Sin is transfus'd from Adam and engrafted in the primigenial Constitution of each of his Descendents In peccatis concepit me mater mea Psal. 50. inclining Men more or less to this or that sort of Sin according as their Individual Temperature determines their Propension And tho' God's All-powerful Grace and careful Christian Discipline may restrain it's promptitude from breaking out into Enormous Outward Actions yet no Man but feels it too deeply rooted in his Nature to be ever extirpated so that even the greatest Saints may with grief cry out Quis me liberabit a corpore mortis hujus Thus every Individual Seed tho' it be of the same Kind has a peculiar Temperament and Complexion of its own which tho' we cannot discern while we view it in little yet in evidently discovers it self in the Individual Shrub or Tree which springs from it when grown up in which we may then observe thousands of Diversities from other Individuums of the same kind tho' they be planted in the same Soyl water'd by the same Rain and equally quicken'd and warm'd by the same Sun A certain Argument that all those Varieties amongst such Vegetables were included intrinsecally in the Primordial and Individual Constitution and Temperament of each of those single Seeds and did spring thence Originally 16. From what 's said above 't is evidently Demonstrated that there can be no show of Reason why Existence Existence can with no shew of Reason be pretended to be the Principle of Individuation should be the Principle of Individuation For since what 's Nothing cannot exist That only which is an Ens or which is the same an Individuum can be capable of Existence Wherefore there must be conceived First in Priority of Nature an Ens Thing or Individuum constituted e're we can conceive there can be any Subject fit to receive Existence and consequently Existence which presupposes the Individuum Constituted cannot be the Principle that Constitutes it Again since nothing that is Common to more Individuals v. g. A Man or Horse is Common cannot exist but only what is Determinately This or That v. g. This Individual Man or this Horse c. 't is most evident that the Matter must be made or Determin'd to be This or That that is it must be constituted such an Individuum ere it can possibly be Capable to exist Wherefore Existence is Subsequent to the Constitution of the Individuum and so cannot be the Principle by which it is constituted Lastly the Power does ex naturâ rei antecede the Act otherwise it would follow that That is which cannot be which is against an Identical Proposition and a manifest Contradiction Whence seeing as was lately shown only Individuums which are This or That in particular can bee or have a Power to bee they must first be suppos'd to be Determin'd by Natural Causes ere Existence which is
singly as if they were so many Distinct Essences or â—â—stinct Things tho' in re they be but One Thing variously conceiv'd And thence we can consider what or how great a Complexion of Aâ—â—dents is requisite to constitute the Essences of â—â—â— of those Superiour or Inadequate Notions anâ— what is requir'd to constitute Another as is seâ—â— Ch. 2 3 4. Hence also we can truly say that One of them is not Another viz. Formally or Distinctly taken tho' Materially or as in â—â— they are but One and the Same Thing in the same manner as we can say The Hand is not the Foot which are Integral parts of a Man and not â—â—stinct Things from the Man materially but â—…fy'd with him in re Seventhly Hence â—… we can say with Truth that the Thing â—â—y be Chang'd according to One of these Conâ—…tions or Respects and not-Chang'd according â—â— another That the Determination to be This â—…de immediately by Second Causes the â—istence not but given by GOD That a Thing â—â—â—ording to the precise Notion of Essence or â—â—ture may be Two and yet not-Two but One â—â—â—ording to the Notion of Suppositum or may â—â— Three as to it's Suppofitality or Personality and â—â— but One according to it's Essence or Nature â—â— which sayings are properly Verify'd because â—â—â—â—â—â—â—mation and Negation are only made in â—â— Mind where One of those Notions is not the 〈◊〉 or which is the same where the Thing â—â— â—â—â—ceiv'd THUS is not the Thing as conceiv'd â—â—HERWISE And the same is of the Things 〈◊〉 United or Assum'd according to the Noâ—â—â—â— of Person and yet not-United according to â—â—â— Notion of Essence Lastly 't is to be noted â—â—â— as Conception Apprehension Proposition Disâ—â—â—â— c. are Metaphorical Expressions tranâ—… from Corporeal to Spiritual Natures by 〈…〉 of some Analogy Proportion or Resemâ—… to those other so likewise are those â—…ds Substratum Suppositum Subjectum Inheâ—… Accident and such like And the Literal meaning of those words is this that As those things which cannot subsist or stand by themselves or by virtue of any Firmness of their own â—â— re or in Nature must and use to be underâ—â—â—â— and sustain'd by Another which is more Substantial as we use to say or more strong than they so neither in our Mind can the Notion of Mode Manner or Accident stand alone unless we conceive Some Thing of which it is a Mode or speaks the Manner HOW it is or Some Thing to which it advenes or is superadded whereas on the other side we have the Notion of Being or Thing without apprehending such a Transcendental Relation to the Mode or Manner how it is Whence the Notion of Thing has a kind of Priority in our Minds to the Accidents or Modes under the consideration of Standing in our Intellect without them and the Notions of the Modes or Accidents has a kind of posteriorily in our Mind and a Dependence on them for their Being these because the former has Being one way or other in it's Notion the others as Length Whiteness Roundness â— have in their Notion no express signification of Being at all Whence I cannot but think Mr. Locke should not have apply'd his Ingenioâ—â— Raillery of Supporting and Underpropping and of an Elephant supporting the Earth and a Tortoise the Elephant to those Authors who were forced to use those words in case they did not take those Expressions in that Gross and too-Literal Sense And I conceive he might with equal Justice have apply'd them against Grammarians who tell us that a Noun Substantive can stand by it's self aâ—â— a Noun Adjective cannot without it's Elephant and Tortoise the Substantive to support it MEDITATION WE have seen formerly in what consisted our Essence as we are of that Species call'd Mankind This was a fair Step towards the Knowing our Individual How impossible it is to know perfectly all that belongs to our Individuality Self which we have here to â—â—r power attempted But alas How lamely and imperfectly have â—e reacht it We experienc'd no great difficulty to find our way amongst so many Common Kinds of Things tho' in a manner Strangers to us but we have lost our selves at home A Few Abstracted Modes twisted together â—…y by Nature did oft times satisfie our Enquiry â—â—ile we discours'd of the former but when we came to consider that numerous Complexion of them only which can serve to constitute our Individual Body â—â—d to distinguish our single Self from every other Particular Thing whether of our own or of any other Kind we are at an utter loss and seem bewilder'd â—â—â— pathless Wood Such a Concourse of various Acâ—â—ents and as it were Thrums-ends of Being are requisite to weave our Particular Texture so to make up This Thing which we are that to endeavour to comprehend them all seems the same as to go about to fathom at once a great part of Nature and in stead of enlightning us stuns our Understanding Our Primigenial Composition in the last minute of our Embryo-state which was the first Instant of our being This Man is so admirably Deliâ—ate and the Stamina of it so finely spun by the most wise Contrivance of the Author of Nature that we may break our Eye-balls by bending our Sight â—re we can gain a Glimpse of it Nor can the help of Microscopes which as Modern Virtuoso's tell us can show tho Outward Shape of the Tree in it's Seed discover to us those imperceptible Particles their Natures Mixture Order Proportion Situation c. that make up the Individual Composition of our Body which gave the Particular Degree of Excellency and Nobleness to our Soul Dull Artificers must see all the parts of the Matter they are to work upon that so they may measure proportion and place them but the Architect of the World needs no reflected Rays of his own Sun to discern them but sees them by the Creative Light of his own Wisdom or rather by seeing them makes them tho' they be meer Darkness to us Non est occultatum os meum a te quod fecisti in occulto substantia mea in inferioribus terrae Imperfectum meum viderunt oculi tui and every part of all thy Creature in libro duo scribuntur Ps. 138. But alas Who can read so abstruse a Manuscript much less the Original from which 't is Copy'd Let us then vail our over-weoning Pride bewail our Ignorance and lament with the Eagle-sighted Evangelist that No Man is found worthy or able to open the folded and Sealed Book even of Created Nature nor read the Contents of it wrapt up in the shady leaves of an incomprehensible Providence But how large a Field of Contemplation is open'd to us when we come to consider the Infinite number of Causes which By what wonderful and Untraceable Ways GOD's Providence has brought about our Individuation were order'd to make this Complexion of Accidents that constituted This Body of ours and Distinguisht
of that Saying of the Schools Accidentis Essentia est Inhaerentia And the Notion of Thing or as the Schools call it Substance being That which is Capable of Being or which is the same a Power to Existence It follows that the Notion of Thing relates to its Act Existence and that the Ens or Substance which is Capable to be or is the Power to be does respect it as such Whence follows that Existence has no Respect at all in the Line of Ens to any other Notion whatever that perfects it there being none more Actual than it self is nor has it any Reference or Order to any thing but to GOD our Creatour who is the Immediate Cause of it on whom only it depends and whom only of all our Natural Notions for it's Indivisibility Simplicity and Actuality it most resembles From which Discourse 't is clearly seen that Existence or Actual Being is the only Absolute Notion we have and that all the rest either Immediately as Ens or Mediately as the Modes of Ens or Accidents are Respective to It. To begin then with the only Absolute Notion Existence I argue thus 7. Demonstration VI. That Subject is Indivisible or Immaterial that has Objects in her which are every way Indivisible by § 1. But the Soul when she has in her Dem. VI. Because she has the No tion of Existence in her which is every way Indivisible the abstract Notion of Existence has an Object in her which is every way Indivisible Therefore the Soul it self is Indivisible or Immaterial That the Soul has the Notion of Existence in her is Evident by Experience for we know nay cannot but know that we have the Notion of what 's meant by the word is since without this we could neither Affirm nor Deny And 't is farther Demonstrable because the Soul has no Notion at all in it but tâ—â—o ' it or in Order to it For the Ens or Thing with all it's Complexion of Modes in it which constitute the Individuum is no more formally but a meer Power to Existence and every Power is nothing but a kind of Order Degree or Step towards it's Act nay 't is so Confus'd a Notion staying in the Notion of meer Power that 't is no way Distinctly Intelligible without some Order to the Act from which all Distinct Knowledge in our Mind proceeds And that the Notion of this most Distinct and most Perfect Act call'd Existence is every way Indivisible is Evident For it cannot be Divisible Quantitatively or Physically that is Materially since all such Division is done by way of Local Motion that is by Degrees or Part after Part whereas there are no Degrees or Part after Part in the Notion of meet Existence We no sooner alter the Actual Being of a Thing but we destroy it and make it not-bee Nor is there any Middling or Gradual passage from the one to the other it being impossible a Thing should half-be half-not-be or which is the same neither be nor not bee Again even in Material Things Existence presupposes all the Matter Quantity and the Complexion of all the Modes which constituted the Individuum nay it presupposes too all the Motions that anteceded and terminated the precedent Operation of Natural Agents which caus'd the perfect Determination of the Matter or Power to be This Thing which fitted it for Existence and fixt the Thing in Actual Being as is shown above Ch. 5. § 16. Nor is the Notion or Nature of Existence Divisible Metaphysically by our framing different Conceptions of it as we do of other Objects for being in it's self most Simple 't is impossible it should afford us Ground to make different Notions of it as appears by this that No Wit of Man can invent or assign a Genus or a Difference for it nor consequently resolve it into Metaphysical Parts by Defining it Therefore the Notion of Existence is every way Indivisible and consequently it 's Subject the SOUL is also Indivisible and Immaterial 8. We come now to consider those Notions which are Respective Which directs That the Soul has Actual Respects in her us in the first place to reâ—â—ect what a Respect in common means or is and whether it can be any Material Thing or Mode of Thing or can be represented by a Material Similitude A Respect then is an Order Reference or a kind of Alliance which one Thing or Mode has to another Now who sees not that such a thing as Respect is not to be found nor has any place in Material Nature There are nothing in the Material World but such and such Individual Bodies each of which has it's own Distinct Complexion of Accidents by which it is aparted and Distinguisht from all others is Independent on them and enjoys it 's proper Existence and Subsistence Each stands on it's own Bottom without having any thing to do with any other Whence comes then this General Nature as it wâ—re of being Respective to others which we observe is found in all the Notions which belong to all the last Nine Predicaments It is certain that all our Notions except that of Existence are of this Respective Nature as appears by all their Definitions The Modes or Accidents do respect the Thing or Substance as a kind of Form which makes it be such or of such â— Manner as they are apt to determine and denominate it and the Thing is Capable to Exist and so respects Existence as it's Act or Perfection But tho' we run over the whole Beadroll of Individuums in the world we find nothing in any of them which answers to the word Respect Each Thing is what it is and it's Accidents or Modes are the Accidents of that Thing and of no other or respect no other Thing but that which is their Proper Subject And there are in Nature nothing but particular Substances and their Accidents nor have we except the Absolute Notion of Existence any other Natural Notions There is indeed found in them what grounds or gives the Reason why they should be Referr'd to another or respect it when they are put together in a Comparing Power But where is this Reasoning Faculty or Comparing Power found in Matter by which we consider build upon and make use of this Ground or Reason or which is Attentive to lay hold of this Reason why it ought to be Referr'd and make Things actually respect one another and thence actually denominate them Genera or Species Predicate or Subject Inherent that is Dependent for their Being or Independent which we call Subsistent This Notion of Actual Respect then is not to be found in any of the Lordships Territories or Purlews of Material Nature Hence I argue 9. That Subject which has Affections or Determinations in her which are no where found in Matter is Immaterial This Demonstration enforced But the Soul is the Subject of such Operations or Affections viz. Actual Respects Therefore the Soul is Immaterial 10.
Demonstration VIII We come now to Quantity and we discourse thus We Dem. VIII Because she has the Notions or Natures of Vast Quantities in her which 't is impossible they should be there Themselves as they are in Matter or any Material Resemblances of them have clearly a Notion of a Yard or of a Mile c. and have truly in our Mind the Meaning of those Words and the Meaning of them is a Real Yard and a Real Mile and not a Similitude of them only We can also define a Yard and a Mile and therefore since a Definition tells us the Essence of a Thing we have consequently in our Souls the Essence or Nature of those Determinate Quantities whence the Essence or Nature of those Quantities must be in our Minds first otherwise we should define we know not what Wherefore since by Ch. 6 â— 6. the Form denominates and makes a Thing such as it self is when the Nature of a Yard or Mile is in the Soul it must make our Soul a Yard or a Mile Long if this were done after the manner of Things made of Matter Whence oâ—â— Soul would be Extended a vast way out of our Body Nay since she has some kind of Notion of the Immense Expansion of the Heavens and by Reflexion multiplying it as she easily may can also have a Notion of a Million of times more she would stretch her self to a kind of Ubiquity But waving the Thesis of the Thing 's being really in our Minds as an Object when she knows it and allowing or supposing that when we know it there is only a Similitude or Resemblance of it there I would ask what can there be in Matter that can resemble a Yard after the manner we find in Material or Corporeal things unless it self be some way or other a Yard Long. It must be some sort of Quantity that can do this for otherwise it is quite Different from it and so can no way resemble it and if it be some Quantity and yet it self be not a Yard Long it must necessarily be either more than a Yard or less than a Yard And how can that which is more than a Yard or less than a Yard represent this precise and distinct Quantity of a Yard which would not be it self were it never so little either more or less than it is As certain then as it is that A Yard is a Yard or is it self so certain it is that nothing does or can resemble it materially but Another Yard which as is lately seen is in our case most Absurd and Impossible I remember I prest this Demonstration in the year 1658. against a very Civil and Ingenious Gentleman who was a Scholar of Mr. Hobbs's he reply'd that the least Quantity imaginable might represent the greatest instancing in the Scale of Miles in Maps I answer'd that ' ere we can say This very little Quantity shall stand for a very Great one or This Inch shall stand for Five or Ten Miles we must have the exact and full Notions of Inch and Mile in our Minds antecedently otherwise we could never proportion them nor could we even understand what The Scale of Miles meant if we had not in our Understanding what is meant by the word Mile that is a Real Mile for as is here prov'd even the Similitudes of a Mile must be such And so the Question returns and we are but where we were 'T is most Evident then that we cannot possibly have in our Minds either the Nature or the Similitude of a Mile after the manner it is found in Matter Wherefore it is in us quite otherwise that is Immaterially And since it has not this Manner of Being from the Things which are without us for there it is Divisibly or Extendedly it follows necessarily that it has it from it's new Subject the Soul and consequently that the Soul which imparts to the Nature of Quantity such an Indivisible Manner of Being is it self Immaterial 11. Demonstration IX From that kind of Continu'd Quantity now spoken of which is Permanent we come to Dem. IX Because the Parts of Motion are perfectly Distinct and Determinate in the Soul which are utterly Undistinguisht as they are in Material Nature consider that other sort of Continu'd Quantity which is Successive call'd Motion This Succession or Motion tho' it has it's Degrees of Slowness or Velâ—city yet while it endures as it is in Matter or Nature it flows or goes on in one Even Undistinguisht Tenour without any Butts or Bounds terminating it here or there Now for Instance Let 's consider this Regular Motion of the Heavens or of the Sun call'd Time and we shall find that we have Notions of such Parts of it call'd an Hour a Day a Year an Age c. Distinct from any other Quantity of it as much as we have of any two Individual Things which are most perfectly Distinguisht in Nature Wherefore since this Motion call'd Time as it is in Material Nature has no such Actual Distinction of it's Parts plainest Reason assures us that it has another different Manner of Being as it is in the Soul than it has in Matter for in Matter it's Parts were only Potential and utterly Undistinguisht but in the Soul they are all Actual and most exactly Distinguisht Wherefore since the Manner of Being they have in Nature is confessedly Material it follows that that contradistinct Manner of Being they have in the Soul must forcibly be Immaterial and consequently the Soul it 's self which gives them that vastly distinct Manner of Being must necessarily it self be Immaterial also 12. Demonstration X. Divers other Demonstrations might be drawn from the same Head I shall select one Dem. X. Because the Soul has in her Past and Future Parts of Time Present at once No two parts of Time or of any other kind of Motion as it is in re or in Material Nature can be present at once without a manifest Contradiction for it would make some Successive Quantity to be Simultaneous or Unsuccessive But in the Mind many and great Portions of Time are at once Present For we could not work interiously or discourse of a Day v. g. or a Year by Dividing Multiplying or Proportioning their parts if those parts were not all at once in our Minds which since as was shown they could not be as they are in Material Nature they must therefore be there Immaterially and consequently our Mind their Subject is Immaterial Which is enforced by this that both Past and Future Parts of Time exist in the Soul when she has a Notion of them whereas 't is direct Contradiction to say they can actually exist in re or in Matter Add That our Soul comprizes as much of Time as she pleases in one Notion as a Day a Year c. which remains there as steadily and grounds all her Notions about it as firmly as if it were the most Stable Thing in Nature So that the
very Notion of Succession is in the Soul Permanently or Unsuccessively which is directly contrary to it's Nature as it passes in the Material World 13. Demonstration XI The same may be said of Discrete Quantity or Number There is nothing in Nature but Dem. XI Because the Soul can tye together as many Singulars as she pleases in the Notion of One Number of which the Fancy has no Material Resemblance Individuals each of which is properly an Ens and consequently Unum and therefore if we put a Multitude the Unity they had in Nature is lost since One cannot be Many nor Many One and this is all the Unity we find among Individual Beings as they are in Matter or out of the Soul Now when the Soul takes Many or More of these together she bundles up even those Incommunicable Actual and perfectly Distinct Individuums at her pleasure and tho' they were never so many she pâ—â—ches upon what Quantity of them she lists to take notice of and gives even their Singularitâ—â—s a new sort of Unity in her Notion which Nature never gave them and calls this Notion which comprizes them all Three Ten or a Hundrâ—â— or what she pleasâ—s Which since it depends on her Choice how many she will take of them 't is Evident that this Union was not given them by the Being which they had in Material Nature Or out of the Soul where they were altogether Distinct and one of them has nothing to say to the other And let it be noted that this Union is not made as Universal Notions are by Abstraction or our leaving out the Particular Considerations belonging to the Species or Inferiour Notion and only taking in one Common Consideration found in them all there being a fair Ground in Nature to consider them on that fashion But this Colligation of many into One Number is a kind of Union of those whole Individuums in despite of the multitude of their Singularities and a Reducing those Things which are ultimately Determin'd Distinct and stand aloof from one another as they are in Material Nature to a Close Unity compacted so Indivisibly and Indissolubly that the least part added or detracted that Unity is specifically alter'd and presently becomes another kind of Number Lastly which makes this Point yet more Evident We can have a Material Resemblance in our Fancy of Four Five or some small number of Natural Things and have in our Heads a kind of Picture of them as it were standing all on a Row But 't is impossible for us to have such a Lively and exactly-Just Picture of a Hundred a Thousand a Million c. so as to see clearly there is not one more or less and yet we experience that we can have most Clear Distinct and Exact Notions of These as well as we can have of Two or Three Nor do we look upon those Great Numbers by the Eye of our Understanding as a Confused Heap or Multitude as it happens when we see a great Croud of Men standing together but with a clear and perfect Discernment that they are just so many not one more or less and this as easily as we can know Four or Five Since then in the way of Matter nothing can resemble a Thousand but a Thousand for the Resembler must be some sort of Number otherwise it is not at all Like it and neither One more nor less that it is must it self be a Thousand it follows that the Distinct and Exact Notions we have of very great Numbers is Immaterial and consequently the Soul their Subject is such also 14. Demonstration XII Come we now to these Notions which belong to the Head of Quality which because Dem. XII Because Sensible Qualities tho' Innumerable and contrary to one another are in the Soul without Disordering her in the least they are Innumerable we will instance in Two of them Sensible Qualities and Figure As for the First of these If when we have the Notion of a Sensible Quality v. g. Dry or Moist the Thing or Body thus affected be in our Mind and consequently the Nature of those Qualities we have gain'd our Point and prov'd it is in us Immaterially it being evidently impossible a thing should have two Material Manners of Existing Nor can these Qualities be there by some Material Representation or Resemblance For what can resemble Dryness or Moistness Whatever it be it must be some other Sensible Quality for otherwise it would be utterly Unlike it and the same would happen were it a Sensible Quality belonging to some other Sense than that of the Touch v. g. were it Whiteness or Fragrancy which belong to the Sight and Smell 'T is Evident then that nothing but Dryness it self can represent Dryness materially Wherefore it must either be said that Dryness it self is in the Soul Immaterially or not at all and yet that we have iâ— in us we are satisfi'd in regard we have it in our Notion and can discourse of Dryness it self Again if Dryness Moistness and all other Sensible Qualities be in the Soul materially when she knows them then as they did in Material Nature affect their other Material Subject according to the peculiar Genius of each by Ch. 6. § 6. so they must affect the Soul too after the same Manner and make her materially Dry and Moist And moreover since no Notions are ever blotted out of the Soul she would also be at once Moist and Dry Hot and Cold White Black Blue Green and of all Colours Rough and Smooth Fragrant and Stinking Diaphanous and Opacous and imbâ—'d with a thousand other Contrary Qualities which finee they could not be all of them Agreeable to any Material Nature each of them having a peculiar Constitution of it's own they must needs Disorder Distemper and Corrupt it the Effects of which the Man must necessarily experience if the most Frincipal Part of him the Soul were made of Matter and they would render the Compound affected with many Diseases whereas yet none ever found himself in the least Distemper'd Griev'd or Pain'd by having in his Mind the Notions of all these Opposite Qualities and ill-agreeing Dispositions 15. Demonstration XIII This is farther enforced because were the Soul which is confest to be our Knowing Dem. XIII Because those Sensible Qualities do not fight and expel one another as they must were their Subject made of Matter Power Material all these Opposite Qualities when they are in that Power or Known must be perpetually Fighting Contrasting and Expelling one another out of their Subject at least they would Refract one another's Nature and make it otherwise than it was to some Degree as they do in Material Things or Bodies Whereas we experience that they amiâ—ably cohabit in the Soul and are so far from â—â—pelling one another out of the Knowing Power that they draw their Contraries into it and each â—â—tters one another as an Object and makes it more distinctly Knowable according to that â—â—â—axim
and Confâ—sion Whence follows that that which Determines most perfectly or to an Indivisible has no Matter at all in it but is of it 's own peculiar Nature and consider'd according to her self only a Pure Act and therefore Immaterial 25. Demonstration XXII Numberless are the Demonstrations and to the shame Demon. XXII Because the Soul gives a kind of Being to Non-Entities and Chimeraes which can have no Existence in Nature of Atheists be it spoken as many as the Soul has particular Acts or Objects to evince her Immateriality and consequently her Immortality I have rather hinted a few of them here than endeavour'd to enumerate them all or pursue them home as they might deserve Only I hope that the Grounds I have laid and the Way I have taken in my Proofs may exciâ—â— some others to add many other Demonstrations as occasion invites and enforce these I have here touch'd upon to a fuller and clearer Eviction of this Preliminary Point to all Religion I shall only add this Last Demonstration We have Notions in our Minds of Indivisibles of Negations Privations of Non-Ens of Chimera's of Chrystal Mountains a Golden Earth and innumerable such which we can frame to our selves at pleasure We are most Certain all these are in our Minds as Objects of our Simple Apprehensions because we know and have in us the Meanings of those Words which signifie them as also because we can by our Iudgment admit some of them as Possible and reject others as Impossible which we could not do unless we had the Natures as it were of each of them in our Understanding before we come to judge of them otherwise we should Admit and Reject we know not what nor why which we are sure we do not Nay we can by a Reflex Act have a Notion of their Formalities as Distinct from or Superadded to the Subjects they are conceiv'd to affect Now none of these formally conceiv'd can with any shew of Sense have any Being in Nature or Matter some of them being formally Non-Entities others Chimerical which is in a manner the same Therefore this Distinct Being they have in our Mind as Objects of our Simple Apprehension is most incontestably Immaterial and therefore their Subject the Soul is such also To clear the Meaning of some Words we have us'd and to meet with some Objections I thought fit to subjoyn these following Notes 26. Note I. I fear that when we say the Soul is of an Indivisible Nature some Readers who are not well vers'd in Metaphysicks should be apt to apprehend How some do mistake the Nature of the Indivisibility attributed to the Soul that we take the word Indivisible in a Mathematical Sense and mean she is Indivisible as a Point is or so little that there is not Space enough for the least possible Divider to come between the Parts of it and so Divide it And hence they may imagine it Inconceiveable that all these several Notions or Natures of things which are in our Knowledge and so many Innumerable Operations should all be Compriz'd and Transacted in so narrow a room as is a Point or a Quantitative Indivisible But the thing is quite otherwise Those kind of Indivisibles call'd Points and such like have no Positive Being in Nature but because we must conceive a Finite Line whose every Part it being some Quantity is Divisible has an End hence this End or as we may call it No-fartherness of Quantity is no Quantity and therefore Quantity being Divisibility it is not Quantitative nor Divisible but Indivisible Now those Ends or Not-Beings of Quantity we call Points or Surfaces according to the Respective Quantities which they are conceiv'd to terminate So likewise Continuative Indivisibles which some do imagine in Quantity and suppose them to be in the midst of all Quantitative Beings can mean no more in any good Sense but that let us divide any Continu'd Quantity where we please the Parts when Divided becoming so many Wholes will for the same reason be each of them Terminated as that Greater Whole was Whence some conceit that these result as it were from that Division only they change their Office and are become Terminative now whereas they were before Continuative and that they were potentially in that Former Whole before and are only of late Discluded For Because we call this sort of Quantity Continu'd it being the Genius of such Mis-Speculaters whenever they are at a plunge to invent some New Entity to do the Job they cannot apprehend how Quantitative Parts should cohere but by this Cement of Continuative Indivisibles Not considering that 't is the Nature Entity or Unity peculiar to Quantity to be Continu'd of it's self For it 's Essence being Divisibility and what 's Divisible or has only a Power to be Divided quantitatively or a Power to be made More according to the Respect of Quantity not being Actually thus Divided and what 's not Actually thus Divided or made more is out of the force of the Terms Actually One according to the notion of Quantity which kind of Quantitative Unity we call Continuity to contra-distinguish it from Discrete Quantity the Parts of which are actually and really Divided and Separated and only Ty'd into One Number by the Operation or Consideration of the Mind as is shewn above Hence whatever Bodies have Quantity in them are by It as by the Formal Cause Quantitatively One or Continu'd without any other assistance Another Reason or rather the main Errour which led those Schoolmen into that Groundless Conceit was their Fanâ—ying that there are Actual Parts in every Compound particularly in Quantity the contrary to which is Demonstrated Ch. 1. § 27. No wonder then such a Fundamental Truth in Metaphysicks being violated those Gentlemen have faln into these absurd Tenets about Indivisibles especially being apt to conceit that whenever we have a diverse Conception or Notion in our Mind there is a New Entity in re answering to it adequately even tho' sometimes the Object of that Conception be purely a Non-Ens 27. Note II. When therefore we say that an Angel or a Soul is Indivisible however we are forced to use a Negative The Proper and True Sense in which a Spirit is said to be Indivisible Manner of Expression because we have no Proper Notion of a Spiritual Substance we do not intend to express by that word a meer Negation as we did in those Indivisibles call'd Points but the most Positive Being that can be next to that of GOD himself Which I show thus Ens and all other Common Notions as is Demonstrated in my Method to Science B. 1. L. 3. is Divided by More and Less of the Common Notion of Ens or by being more Capable of Being or Existing Thus far Logick which teaches us how to Divide our General Notions by Proper or Intrinsecal Differences The Supreme Science of Metaphysicks which treats of the Essence of Things takes up the Thesis and pursues it
of this Great and most Important Trâ—â— How Unreasonable then and Unnatural would it â—â— in us not to bestow our Chief if not Only carâ— â—â— provide for the Eternal Welfare of our Soul which â—â— so Precious in it self and so neerly ally'd to Us tâ—â— 't is a Part and by far the Best Part of this Thing â—â— are call'd Man What will it profit a Man sayâ—â— who is the Eternal Wisdom to gain the Whoâ—â— World and lose his own Soul How Senseless â—â— Foolish must we appear in the Sight of GOD and â—â— Angels â—o prefer the Conveniencies of this Momeâ—tary Life for all Time could we live while it lâ—st is but a Moment to the Endless Duration of a Spirâ—â— before the Mâ—ans to live Eternally Happy in the Oâ—â—â—â— How Vile to enslave our Affections here to Riches â—â—â—â—oâ—eal Pleasures or Airy Honour which are so inâ—â—itely below us being indeed nothing but Shining Clay well figur'd and colour'd Earth and Articulate Air which are perhaps the Basest of all Material Beings What Generous heart if not infatuated even to Madness would so debase his Dignity as to subject himself and all his dearest Concerns to his Underling or Slave and such a Slave as will certainly ruin him by his over-kind Condescendency Knowledge and Virtue are the Only True and the â—â—â—t Perfections of our Soul while she is in the Way to her Last End Whence we may be Certain they â—â—â— Agreeable to her Nature The Increase in these gives her Growth and Strength and consequently must advance her towards the Right End for which Nature ordain'd her Whereas what 's made of this corruptible Trash Matter must needs depress â—er High-born Nature and disgrace her Extraction â—â—deed those Material Creatures may by our Sober â—se of them serve as Drudges to assist our other Compâ—rt the Body with necessary Conveniencies They may also be a means to raise the Soul to the Knowledge of her self and her Great Maker but â—f we affect them farther than as they are subservient to those Laudable Ends we shall put the Order of the Creation out of it's Frame and Irrational Love especially if Excessive being a perfect Slavery we shall invert the Gradual Series of Beings of which the world consists turn the Climax of Causes with the â—eels upwards and make our Soul servilely truckle to those Despicable things which were made to do her Homage Lest our Fancy not much assisting our Memory in things above us we may forget what we lately demonstrated of how Our former Demonstrations for the Immortality of our Soul summ'd up and Recapitulated surpassing an Excellency and how Refin'd a perfection of Being our Soul is above this Dross of Matter of which our Bodies are â—neaded let us review once more the Product of some of our most Attentive and Deliberate Thoughts We have seen it clearly Demonstrated that our Soul's Capacity which is of Knowledge contrary to the Nature of Material Containers is Infinite Whence she is so far from being fill'd by the accession of such Objects as this Material World can afford her that even now while here they serve but to enlarge her said Capacity that is to encrease â—er Thirst of knowing still more From which follows that in her future State when she is all Mind and constantly and most eagerly Attentive and addicted to her only Natural Perfection Knowledge she will being then a Pure Act and operating accordingly strain her incredible Activity to attain the Sight of the First Cause of all things and to know what he is in himself and thence must remain ever in a vehement Longing and Tormenting Dissatisfaction unless she attain that only Soul-satiating Contemplation of Him who is Infinite Truth and the First Cause of all those Created Effects the Knowledge of which transported her with such an Insatiable Desire of seeing him We have seen that as the Purest and most Refined Gold cannot incorporate with Dust the Natures or Qualities of Corporeal Beings when in thy Knowing Power cannot mingle with thy Purer and Nobler Essence nor as Proper and Connatural Affections do use alter it or bring it to their Nature But they stand aloof from it and tho' they be in thee yet they keep their Distance and contrary to the Genius of Corporeal Modes they are there â—s Objects that is as Other Things or as Distinct from thee We have shown that by our Apprehending what Existence or Actual Being is which 't is Evident we do since we know the Meaning of those words thou hast the Nature of Existence in thy Knowledge that is in thy self which is impossible to be shadow'd or represented but only in a Spiritual Mirrour Nay by having what 's meant by the word Existence in thee which Abstracts from all Limited or Particular Manners or Degrees of it thou hast in thee the Nature of Existence in Common or in it's whole Latitude Unconfin'd to this or that Subject which demonstrates that thy Nature is Capable to comprehend the whole Creation and to see clearly even that Soveraign Being it self whose Nature is Unconfin'd or Infinite Existence We have seen by thy framing Respects of one thing to another that thou hast in thee a Power of Ordering them and consequently the Nature of that Order it self whereas there is nothing in the Material World but so many Singulars each of which is ultimately Determin'd by it's Individuating Principles and therefore is Independent and Absolute in it self without the least Reference or Actual Respect to one another We have seen clearly demonstrated that thy Essâ—â—ce is Superiour in the Line of Being to the whole â—â—ture of Continu'd Quantity tho' stretcht out to the vast Expansion of the Heavens and even as far as the World's Surface and that thy Knowing Power is able to fathom it all without straining it's Capacity beyond it's reach We have seen also how it is capacious enough to contain the whole Nature of Discrete Quantity tho' it fills all those Boundless Rooms in the Long Row of Number algebraically repeated All those short Items of particular Times and Places summ'd up into one Total are compriz'd and writ in short hand in thy Indivisible Essence The whole Progress of Motion and Time and it 's Untraceable Antiquity from the First Winding up the Clock of Nature till it's Line is run out at the World's last Period when the sick Tapour of dying Nature and the Eye of the World the Sun shall begin to wink and become bloodshot till 't is darken'd and Extinguisht All this Long Race of Time I say is far too short to be commensurated with thy Essence and Duration The Former sort of Quantity is but as it were a Point the later but an Instant when resum'd after an Indivisible manner in thy Comprehensive Being All the Permanent parts of the one are in Thee without the least Extension or Distance and all the Succeeding Parts of the Other whether Past or Future when vested with thy manner
of Being amount but to one still-Present Now. Nor can this seem Incredible to any Christian since we all hold that Spiritual Natures are Capable of seeing GOD's Essence as in it self which as is Undeniable infinitely surmounts all the whole Machine of this Material World We have seen that all Physical Qualities do enjoy when in thee another manner of Being and affect Thee their Subject after a quite different way from what they had when they were in Material Nature The most Opposite ones which are perpetually contrasting and restlessly striving to expell one another do by thy Soveraign Power remain at peace in thy Steady Essence which is of 〈…〉 High a Dignity to be mov'd or disturb'd by their Petty Quarrels We have seen that thy Abstracting Power can â—…de these Lower Beings more Subtilly than can the Operation of Fire or any Chymistry of Nature assisted by Art and can take in pieces their very Essences and the Essences of their several Modes by cutting them into their Metaphysical Parts which are too delicate for our Bodily Sight tho' assisted with the best Microscopes to discern or make Observations how they differ Each of which Parts too tho' naturally Impartible have a Distinct Being given by Thee and can be wrought upon by thy Understanding as if they were so many Wholes and this with that most perfect Distinction that they do not in the least interfere in thee tho' they â—â—â— All of them confusedly blended as they stand in Rude and Unpolisht Matter We have seen how by the cement of Existence exprest by the short Monosyllable is thou dost iâ— thy Comparing Power the Laboratory where Truths are fram'd re-connect those thus-divided Parts into Propositions and this with an Union so Close that 't is absolutely Indissoluble by the utmost Force of all the Causes in Nature Nay that thy Spiritual Essence can in some manner Create by giving a kind of Being in Thee to Not-Beings or Nothings In a word we have seen that all the whole Material World and every Part of it that ever came to thy Knowledge do enjoy a New sort of Being in Thee and such a one as is contradictorily Opposite to the Being they had in their Material State All these high Prerogatives dilating thy Essence and Duration to a kind of Infinity above this Narrow World we The most Important Use we ought to make of this Doctrin That our Soul is Immortal have found clearly to be no more but thy Just Due however Unreflecting Atheists whose groveling Souls immerst in Matter cannot or will not raise themselves above Fancy do use their misemploy'd Foolish Wit as the World calls it to devest themselves of their own Dignity and like so many worst Feloes de se by maintaining their Soul is Mortal do give themselves to be Guilty of Eternal Death or which is worse than Death of Annihilation by granting their Souls incapable of Surviving But let us to whom the Providence of our Good Makeâ— has indulg'd these Clear Informations make oâ—â— Right Use of them Since these are Great Truths let Truth have it's Due Effects 'T is so Gross at Errour that it is below Confute to imagine that any Truth is an Idle and Fruitless Speculatiâ—â— The Knowledge of Truth in Particular things does of it's own Nature tend to direct our Outward Actions and Universal Truths such as these are do naturally conduce to enlarge our Soul raise â—â— to High Contemplation and to breed in us Conformable Affections Since then we have the best â—…rance Clear Demonstration can give us that this Material World is below our Essence 't is most fit we should esteem it to be also below our most Serious Thoughts and our Best Affections Let us â—â—ancipate our selves then from the Slavish Adoration with which Worldlings devote themselves to that Dull and Senseless Idol And seeing Evident Reason has perfectly convinced us there is no shadow of Likelihood that our Soul is Mortal let us bend all â—â—â— carefullest Endeavours to provide she may be Happy in her Eternal State when she comes to be â—â—â—â—â—dg'd from her terrene habitation and has got clear of her Body and this World nay is got above it which is the only True Wisdom To the Consideration of which State of hers we advance in our next Discourse Transnatural Philosophy OR METAPHYSICKS BOOK II. Of PURE ACTS VIZ. Of the SOUL SEPARATED and ANGELS CHAP. I. Of the State of the Soul Separated from the Body and what Dispositions in her when the Man Dies will make her Eternally Happy or Miserable 1. THE Soul does at her Separation The Soul at her Separation receives some Change according to her Manner of Existing and Suppositality receive from GOD as he is the Author of Nature some Change according to her Existence and her Subsistence or Suppositality For since in her former State of Union with her Body she was the Form of that Body and therefore Form and Matter being the Parts of every Compound Ens only a Part of Man and a Part of an Ens is not an Ens or Individuum nor consequently capable of Existing much less of Subsisting which as is shown above B. 1. Chap. 5. § 17. superadds some Perfection to the Notion of Existence It follows that seeing the same Soul when separated from the Body she being by Book 1. Chap. 7. Immortal does Exist and also Subsist in regard she Sustains her own Nature and as will be prov'd shortly her Modes too she must be made apt to Exist and Subsist which she was not while in her former State that is she must be Chang'd according to those Considerations or Respects and made an Existent and Subsistent Thing and consequently a Kind of Suppositum And that it belongs to GOD as he is the First Cause to give the Soul this highest Perfection of Being is hence demonstrated For it belongs to an Infinite Actuality or an Infinite Goodness to give to his Creatures all the Goodness and Natural Perfections they are capable to receive especially such as the very Nature he has given them makes them require Now 't is evident that the Nature of the Soul she being Immortal is capable of and requires still to Exist and also to Subsist and be a Suppositum because she had while in the Body Power to have in her as in their Subject that is to Sustain or be the Suppositum of innumerable Accidents Notions or Knowledges which they being Spiritual or Indivisible could not be received in a Divisible Subject the Corporeal part of Man and therefore could only be peculiarly in Her Whence it follows that since 〈◊〉 Ordain'd the Dissolution of the Man or the 〈◊〉 Separation from the Body and had also mâ—de the Soul Immortal it became His Goodness to give her when separated Existence which her Immortal Nature requir'd and also the Power of Subsisting and of being the Subject or Suppositum of those Accidents â— How this is done we may learn by this
Give us Grace to sink deep and fix steadily in our Mind this most Solid most Clear and most Important Truth that as to live for ever in a dark Dungeon would be highly Disastrous to our Bodily Sight and the seeing the Chearful Rays of the Day is the only true Perfection Comfort and Satisfaction of our Corporeal Eye So when our Soul now Separate comes to be altogether one Intellectual Eye her falling short for ever of seeing thy Divine Essence her only True Light for which as her Last End she was Created will certainly plunge her in a Dismal Hell of Torment and Misery Since Nothing but the Clear Sight of thy Glorious Being can be able to give her True and Eternal Happiness in whose Face is the Fullness of Joy and at thy right hand Pleafures for evermore Psalm 16. 11. CHAP. II. Of the Existence Knowledge Distinction and Action of ANGELS 1. THE Order of Things requires that there should be Different Kinds of Entitles arising gradually to Higher Perfection under the Notion of The Order of the Universe requires that there should be different Kinds of Beings Ens. For since were all Things of the same pitch of Perfection or all of One Sort the Creation would look like a Confused Multitude or as it were a Heap of Things and quite destitute of Order which by placing them in Due Ranks of Superiority and Inferiority makes up this Harmony which beautifies the World Again since there can be no Distinction nor consequently any Ground of Order under the Notion of Ens but it must be made by Intrinsecal Differences or such as are found within the Precincts of that Line that is as is Demonâ—â—rated in my METHOD to Science B. I. L. 3. â—â— 1. 2. c. by Partaking More and Less of that Common Notion and what has More of it â—ontains what has Less and superadds to it and â—â—â—â—quently is more perfect under that Notion 〈◊〉 the other which several or Distinct Degrees â—f Perfection when they come to be Excessive â—o constitute divers Sorts Kinds or Species of it â—â—s therefore Evident out of the Order of the World which is the Workmanship of the First Being and is also Logically Demonstrated that 't is Requisite there should be Different Kinds of Things arising Gradually to higher Perfection under the Notion of Ens. This is seen almost to our Eye in the Predicamental Scale of Substance where we find the several kinds of Ens gradually Descending in one of the Collateral Lines as to the Extent of their Notion but Increasing or Ascending as to their Degrees of Perfection v. g. Body Mixt Vegetable Sensitive Rational Which Orderly Distinction is not invented by us as are the imaginary Lines in the Heavens put by Astronomers but Copy'd from Nature 2. Hence follows immediately and necessarily without Proof that there ought à fortiori to be Pure Acts or ANGELS And much more that there should be Pure Acts or ANGELS Created unless they be Incapable of Being that is Chimerical or Non-Entia Otherwise the Order of Entities had been Maim'd and Imperfect in its Principal or most Noble Part. 3. The Angelical Essence is Capable of having Existence given it For since the reason why Individual Bodies have Especially since the Angelical Nature is Capable of Existence Title to have Existence given them is because by their peculiar Complexion of Accidents they are become Distinct from all others or Determinate under the Notion of such an Ens oâ— Body and this Distinction or Determination springs from it's Act or Form and consequently the Act which gives Determinations to all others cannot but be Determinate it self a fortiâ—â—â— the Nature or Essence of a Pure Act bears in it's Notion that it is of it 's own Nature or Essentially Determinate in the Line of Ens and more Capable of Existence than any other sort of Ens whatever Again since as was shown Book I. â—â— 1. § 6. the Essence of all Einite Entities consists in their Possibility or Non-Repugnance to Existence and there can be no shadow of Impossibility but much more Reason that the Nature of a Pure Act should exist than that Bodies should that have Matter or Power in them which iâ— of it self the Principle of Indetermination and Confusion in regard this Indetermination makes Bodies less fit for Existence or rather did not the Act determine the Power or Matter utterly Unfit Wherefore seeing it belongs to the First Being to give to his Creatures what they are Capable of especially when it consists with the Best Order of the World as is shown § 1. this does It follows that he has given to that Nature or Essence which is a Pure Act that is to the Angelical Nature to Exist and consequently ANGELS are Which is farther Demonâ—â—rated by the following Medium showing that otherwise there had wanted a Proper or Immediate â—â—â—se of Motion 4. Every Thing acts it is Wherefore Imperfect Agents do produce first that part of the Effect which is Imperfect And that otherwise there could be no Immediate Cause of Motion and thence proceed to what 's 〈◊〉 perfect as we see all Natuâ—â—â— Agents do But Perfect Agents and most especially that Agent which is 〈◊〉 Perfect produces first that Effect which is most Perfect or most Like it self Wherefore the First and Immediate Effect produced by GOD is Existence it being the most perfect of any thing found in Creatures To proceed Since nothing is more Preposterous and contrary to Reason than to order that which is most perfect as a Means to produce that which is Less-perfect it follows that GOD's Wisdom does not order Existence which as being most Actual is most perfect of any thing found in Creatures it does not I say order It as a Means to cause any thing that is less perfect than it self is Wherefore whatever less perfect Effect is produced by GOD as Motion is it must either have been caus'd by him because it is necessarily concomitant to Existence or else necessarily consequent to it But Motion is neither necessarily Concomitant nor Consequent to Existence For let us put diverse Bodies to be Created in Rest as they must be in the First Instant they were Created ere Motion began they would have in that Case all that is requisite to Existence nor would Motion follow meerly upon their being put to Exist Therefore some other Cause is requisite to produce the First Motion of Bodies Which since it can neither be a Body as is granted and indeed in a manner Self-evident nor GOD as was now proved nor a Separated Soul for this presupposes the Motion of Bodies to her Being it must be some other Cause distinct from all these But no other Cause is imaginable or possible to be assign'd but some Creature which is a Pure Act or an Angel Therefore as certain as it is that there is Motion so certain it is that Angels are Nay so impossible it is that Motion can be
defeat all the Opâ—â—ion that can be made against it 10. Corollary I. Our foregoing Discourses being chiefly built on that piece of Doctrine in my Method This Doctrine being built on that Logical Maxim All Differences are more and less of the Generical Notion The Consideration of that Thesis is recommended to the Reader B. I. L. 3 § 2. that all Intrinsecal or Essential Differences in any Predicament or under whatever Notion are nothing else but More and Less of that Notion therefore since so much stress is put upon this Thesis I beg of my Readers to peruse attentively the Third Chapter of my Method to Science my Ideae Cartesianae Expensae Pag. 51 52 53. and Raillery Defeated § 72. where this Position is at large explicated and defended against the Mistakes of my Opposers Which I do the rather Request because however it may seem New yet I dare affirm that besides it 's being perfectly Demonstrable no one Rule in Logick is more Useful to keep our Notions Distinct or to frame Right Definitions or to Discourse solidly or exactly 11. Corollary II. What 's deduc'd here of the very Essences of things being intellectually or as Objects in the This holds equally in the Soul which is of a Spiritual Nature Understanding of an Angel does for the same reason hold in every Spiritual or Cognoscitive Nature and consequently in the Soul whether in the Body or Separated the Argument being grounded on the Nature of a Spirit and it 's being Superiour to the Nature of Body 12. Corollary III. For the same reason what has been discourst before of the Angels being Pure Acts are Immutable Immutability of a Soul while Separated and of her Final or Eternal State springing from her Choice of a wrong Last End if unretracted before Death may Mutatis Mâ—tandis be apply'd to an Angel without needing Repetition or farther Enlarging upon it 13. Since the Essence or Nature of an Angel is to be after such a manner Cognoscitive the Distinction of Angels The Distinction of Angels is taken from their being more or less Cognoscitive after their manner must consist in their being more or less thus Cognoscitive This is already Demonstrated because by the Doctrine lately given all the Intrinsecal or Essential Differences under whatever Kind or Notion are nothing but more or less of the Common Notion or the partaking of it unequally 14. Yet this Degree of Cognoscitiveness which â—â—â—â—itutes Distinct Angels must This is not to be understood of the greater Extent of their Knowledge but of the Intenseness or Penetrativeness of it understood of the Intenseness â— their Knowledge or the Penetrativeness of their Knowing Poâ—â— For since every Pure Act â—â—is shown above and particuâ—â—â— Raillery Defeated P. 89 90. â—â—ws All things it cannot be understood of the Extent of their Knowledge or that one of them knows a Greater Number of things than Another It must therefore be meant â—â— One of them knows things more perfectly â—â—â— clearly thorowly or deeply than Another â—â—â— Which as may be seen in my Ideae Cartesianae P. 68 69. may spring from two Causes Oâ— Because Eorum aliqui magis perspicaâ—i Intelâ—â—â— acie praediti sunt quà m alii which seems â—â— be most Essential to them The Other Because by their seeing better the First Cause it self they must better and withal more solidly and â—â—â—ndedly know those Effects that spring â—â—â—m that Supreme Cause 15. Corollary IV. From this Greater or Lesser Excess of Knowledge as thus explicated as far as Natural Hence as far as Reason carries us is taken the Distinction of the Three Hierarchies and Nine Quires of Angels Reason carries us are taken the Diverse Orders of Angels All farther or more particular Disquisition concerning the Three Hierarchies and Nine Quires of Angels is left to Divines gathering them from Holy Writ and the Antient Mysticks A Philosopher must step no farther than he can tread sure upon his own Firm Grounds 16. Corollary V. From our Discourse about Human Souls and Angels will be seen in what different manner The different manner by which Angels and Human Souls come to have all their Knowledge and by what means an Angel and a Humane Soul when Separate come to know all things The Later by Notions caus'd at first by Impressions on the Senses and improv'd into Iudgments and Discourses The Former by Knowledge not Acquir'd but Innate The First and Immediate Objects of both of them is Themselves or their own Essence Whence a Soul in regard it's Body and consequently the Determination of the Degree of Rationality it had grew as it were out of Natural Causes knows all things as first Connected with her self then with one another in the well-linkt Chain of those Causes in which there can be no Flaw or Interruption But an Angel knows all Things by Transcending from one Ens or one Degree of Entity to another and this Intuitively that is an Angel by knowing it self knows what place it bears in the Order of Angels or Spirits And since it could not know it 's own particular pitch or Individuality but by knowing how high or low it is in the Order of Angelical Beings nor could this be known but by knowing the whole Order because in an Order which is contriv'd after the best manner each part is proportion'd in exact Symmetry to the rest Hence the Knowledge of that whole Order and consequently of each part of it or each Entity in the whole Creation is Due to it's Nature and therefore is given it As for the Knowledge of Corporeal Nature 't is below them both and therefore both of them comprehends it Knowingly as is deduced above Lastly The Soul gains her Knowledge by Abstract or Inadequate Notions and by Discourse whereas an Angel knows at once the Whole Entities and all that belongs to them and this not by Discourse or Reflex Thoughts but by a Direct Penetrative and Comprehensive Intuition 17. There is besides those Differences amongst Angels mention'd § 13. 14. and Câ—roll V. Another arising from These Angels have a Nobler Essence whose each Act of Knowledge has for it's Object a Greater Portion of the Universe the several Degrees or rather Manners of that Cognoscitiveness which is Essential to them viz. That some of them know more things by One Operation or Act of Knowledge or as it were by one Thought than Another does which happens because the Object of each Thought which some of them have is more Universal than are the Objects of those Thoughts that others have Parallels of which may be found among our several Sorts of Knowers or Philosophers here Some treat of such particular Sorts of Quantities or Figures Others of Quantity or Figure in their whole Latitude or iâ— Common Some Philosophers have for the Objects of their Knowledge such a sort of Ens as Minerals or such a Species of Birds or Beasts Others raise their Thoughts to contemplate Body or
inconsiderable in comparison of the Whole tho' it may change some Part or Parts of it yet it 's Activity which consists in it's Addiction to do that Effect or in it's Act of Volitiâ—â— and not in it's bare Knowledge of it is stinted to a certain Proportion of Matter according to the Greater or Lesser Excellency of it's Essence from which it's Activity springs and to which it goes parallel 25. An Angel can easily and in an Imperceptiâ—… Time order and alter that Quantity An Angel can move or change those Bodies which are of Matter or those Bodies that are within the Bounds of it Activity which generally speaking are only those which it superintends anâ—… also those material Causes which are requisite as fit Instruments for Holy Angels to do Men Good or Protect within the Sphere of it's Activity in an imperceptible Time them or for Bad Angels to do them Harm or Punish them as sutes best with GOD's Mercy or â—ustice For since all Motion proceeds from Angels as Second Causes and that by knowing all Nature Intuitively their Knowledge reaches not only to the Subject or Patient which is to be alter'd but to every imaginable circumstance either belonging to the said Patient or to those Material Agents which being apply'd are proper to work upon them It follows that this alone must needs wonderfully facilitate the Effect Again since those Acts of the Angel's Will which were the Efficient Causes of Altering those Bodies were of themselves Instantaneous It follows that tho' the Nature of the Patient which is Material or Quantitative would not permit the Effect or Change to be put by a â—…ite Power in an Instant yet all imaginable Requisites do concur to produce in it such or as little a Time as the perfect Subjection of the Patient can bear and as the Activity of the Agent which acts on it's part Instantaneously requires that is in a very Imperceptible Time And accordingly 1 Cor. 15. v. 51 52. the Holy Scripture tells us that the Change of those Bodies which survive at the Resurrection from a Corruptible to an Incorruptible Condition the â—…rangest Change Matter can possibly bear will be made in a moment in the twinkling of an Eye that is in the least time we are able to conceive 26. Corollary VIII Whence it being so consonant to the Natures of Things Hence the Wonderful Effects recorded in Holy Writ to have been done by Angels are Consonant to Metaphysical Principles viz. to the Activity of Angels and to the Passiveness of Matter our meer Naturalists need not wonder that the Prophet Habbacuc was carried so suddenly Dan. 14. 35. by an Angel impetu Spiritus sui as the Scripture expresses it to Daniel in the Lion's Den at Babylon a place unknown to the Prophet and therefore very far off so quickly which can scarce be conceiv'd possible to be done so suddenly without strangely disordering and even killing him without taking from the Air all power of Resistence Nor need it be wonder'd at that a Light shone so suddenly in St. Peter's Prison nor that his Chains fell off and that the Iron-Gate open'd to them of it's own accord Act. 12. nor that all the Guards were stupify'd with a dead Sleep Nor that Angels so suddenly make to themselves a Body of Air to appear in and as suddenly disappear again Nor at many other such like Effects related in Holy Writ None of these I say ought to appear Wonderful to any Solid Philosopher who attends to his Principles and True Reason For since the Motion of Bodie and therefore all Action springs from Angels as the Immediate Causes their Activity upon Bodily Substances so Inferiour tâ— them must needs be very Soveraign and Powerful Nor is there any thing in thâ— whole Discourse or in any of these anâ— such like Particular Actions which does not subsist upon Solid Grounds and is not built upon and is consonant to Evident Principles of Reason 27. Corollary IX From what has been deduced formerly we may Collect as most Agreeable to Rational That the Ordinary Ministring Spirits or the Guardian Angels of particular Persons are the Lowest sort of Angels Principles that those Angels or Ministring Spirits who by their Office are to work upon Matter and are with good reason hold to be those of the lowest Quire and particularly the Angel Guardians should at the General Resurrection be employ'd in Changing the Mass of pre-existent Matter for we cannot think Creation begins a-new when the World is near an end into Human Bodies fitted according to the respective Dispositions of the Holy and the Wicked Souls as is seen Mat. 13. where the Harvest is said to be the Resurrection and the Angels the Reapers gathering the good Seed to be eternally preserv'd and the Tares to be burnt We may hence also clearly gather that the Chief Overseeing that Grand Affair belongs to the Superiour Influence of an Arch-Angel signify'd Metaphorically 1 Thessal 4. 15. by the Voice of an Archangel and his Trumpet blowing to summon the Dead to appear before Christ's Dread Tribunal Which understood literally is the putting them or making them to appear in their Distinct Ranks according to their several Merits or Demerits that Christ may judge them by discriminating the Sheep from the Goats that is by Beatifying the Former and Establishing them in Sanctity and the Reward of it Glory and the Later as the Nature of their State requires unchangeably in Sin and consequently Damnation as is emphatically exprest in our Saviours Words Apoc. 22. 11. He that is Unjust let him be Unjust still and he that is Filthy let him be Filthy still and he that is Righteous let him be Righteous still and he that is Holy let him be Holy still Which Final Sentence forbids and precludes to the Damned all hope of Change or fruitful Repentance and fixes them Unalterably and for ever in their Sinful State and consequently in Eternal Death which is the Reward and Connatural Effect or Fruit of Sin Whence also we see the reason of that severe Saying Ex inferno nulla Redemptio and why their Bad and Unchangeable Affections which so strongly detain them there are called Rudentes Inferni 2 Pet. 2 4. 28. Corollary X. For the reason given above all the Affairs of very High moment are said to be done by But the Greater and Weightier Affairs are transacted by Archangels â— an Archangel Thus Michael made head against Lucifer and subdu'd him Thus Gabriel the Archangel was the Messenger of the Incarnation Nor can it be doubted but the Head of those Angels which gave the Law on Mount Sina as is written Acts 7. 38. and v. 53. was of the same Dignity Nor that those Intelligences which give and continue Motion to the Matter of ours and of all the other Suns if that opinion may be allow'd which holds all the Fixed Stars to be so many Corpora per se lucentia or so many Suns are all
no Logical Composition For the same Reason the Divine Essence is most Simple or Uncompounded of Genus and Difference because the Genus is essentially that which has more of it 's Kind under it and there cannot be more where as is demonstrated § 23. there is but One. Nor can it admit any Difference for â—tis the Essence of the Difference to make One Thing differ from Another and in our case there can be no Other where there is but One. Nor can there be in GOD that Logical Composition of Accidents with their Subject For the Subject is Potential in respect of the Accidents or Modes which affect or actuate it Nor can there be in GOD Physical Composition of the Second sort of Power with it's Act call'd Matter and Form because he is Incorporeal and Pure Actuality Nor can this Pure Actuality of Being call'd Self-Existence be compounded Metaphysically for even our low Created Existence is Indivisible and can have no Metaphysical Parts and therefore can have no Metaphysical Divisibility or Composition in it Wherefore all the Distinction of GOD's Essential Attributes does spring wholly from the Shortness and Imperfection of our Understanding which is not able to reach or fathom the Whole Extent of his every-way-Infinitely-Perfect Essence but is forc'd to conceive them by diverse Acts of ours 36. Wherefore GOD's Duration has nothing in it of Preterit and Future but is one Present Indivisible on his And his Duration Eternal part and therefore He is ETERNAL For since it is the highest of Impossibility that Self-existence should not exist his Essence equally includes nay speaks or formally signifies and expresses to have been formerly and to be futurely as it does to be now Wherefore since 't is not possible to imagine any Instant in which GOD has not his whole Essence and this as far as is on his part Indivisibly it follows that in every Instant only which is Present in our Time he has his to-have-been and tobe-hereafter as much as he has to be-at-present But this kind of ever-present ever-standing and unchangeably-Steady Duration includes in it self all the Differences of our Time as was now prov'd and therefore oomprehends all Time even tho' it were Infinite Indivisibly or without Succession of any thing in GOD that is it is one Eâ—er-permanent Present Now Wherefore since this manner of Enduring is infinitely above that of our â—â—â—e which is part after part Fleeting and Divisible and we call that sort of Duration which infinitely exceeds our Time Eternity and GOD has this Duration it follows evidently that GOD is ETERNAL 37. Coroll III. Wherefore 't is highly Derogatory from GOD's Attribute of Eternity to make it consist And therefore not to be Explicated by a Correspondency to our Time in a kind of Correspondency to our Time For this puts his Duration which is Essential to Him to have Parts or a Capacity to be Longer or Shorter Whereas we ought to reflect that there can be no possible Proportion between Being and Moving especially a Being so Actual and Permanent as is the Divine Existenee the one being essentially Divisible the other essentially and in every regard indivisible All Comparison and consequently Proportion can only be conceiv'd between those things which are of the same Kind or have the same Common Notion Whereas Being and Moving do diffet toto Genere the one being the last Formality in the Line of Ens the other only an Accident or Modus Entis and are fo far from being of the same Kind or More and Less of it and therefore capable of bearing any Proportion to one another that the one as was said being most Divisible the other most Indivisible they are Contradictories that is beyond all Degrees only which ground Proportion Opposite to one another 38. Hence also GOD's Essence is IMMENSE or beyond all possibility of being Measurable Which Attribute Hence GOD is also Immense consists in this that His Unlimited and Indivisible Existence comprizes or resumes in it's self and this after an Indivisible manner or in a Way beyond the the Nature of Quantity the whole Nature of Bodily Extension and Space even tho' it were suppos'd Infinite as his Duration which is the same Indivisible Existence comprehends all Corporeal Motion or Time even tho' Time were Infinite Again as Angels are no otherwise in Place but by Operating on Bodies which are in Place so GOD is no otherwise in his Creatures at least Immediately but by Giving and Conserving them in Being which is his peculiar and immediate Operation and every way Indivisible Whence GOD being in each of his Creatures and in the very least of them and this wholly and Indivisibly by giving them this Soveraign Indivisible Effect Being and of his own Nature able to communicate Being to them even in case they could be suppos'd to be Infinite is neither as in Himself nor as in them after a Divisible Quantitative Extended Coextended or Measurable manner and therefore He is absolutely IMMENSE or beyond all Possibility of being subject to be measur'd 39. Whence 't is no less Derogatory from GOD's Attribute of Whence 't is Derogatory to that Attribute to explicate it by Commensuration to an Infinite Space IMMENSITY to explicate it so as to consist in a kind of Commensuration to an Infinite Incomâ—â—bensible Inanc for this makes GOD's Essence Diffus'd and conâ—â—quently of a Quantitative Nature which makes acute Readers apt to suspect that 't is meant to be no better than a more subâ—â—le sort of Body or at least some Act or Form of a Body and therefore but a Compart with it Fancy is but a Bad Adviser even in Ordinary Points of Philosophy but incredibly worse when we are to explicase his Nature and Essential Attributes whose Essence is Self-Existence and most Pure Actuality of Being Existence even amongst us abstracts from all Motion Time Quantity and all other Considerations belonging to Corporeal and even Spiritual Natures and being Indivisible and signifying meer Actuality of Being is Inexplicable by any of them much less GOD's Existence which is infinitely above Ours We will close this Discourse concerning GOD's Attributes by adding one more which I have not observ'd to have been mention'd by Metaâ—hysicians or Divines either 40. From what 's deduced above 't is Demonstrated That the Divine Essence is Infinitely Intelligible or of it 's Lastly The Divine Essence is of it 's own Nature Infinitely Intellible own Nature Easie to be known or seen For since we experience that the Unknowableness or Obscurity of any Object springs from the Nature of Potentiality or some kind of Power in it which it being Indeterminate breeds Confusion and all the Distinct and Clear Knowableness it has arises from it's Act which by Determining the Power renders that Object Distinct from all others and therefore Clearly Perceptible or Intelligible It follows that since the Divine Nature is infinitely more Actual than any thing found in Creatures
it being a most Pure Actuality and it 's Essence being Existence it self the Notion of which is so Self-evident to all Mankind that 't is impossible to be Defin'd or made Clearer by any Explication imaginable it must necessarily be of it 's own Nature Infinitely Intelligible or most capable to be seen or known even by the rudest Understanding of the Silliest Soul when Separate whose Will when it leaves this World is duly Dispos'd for it 41. Coroll IV. This last Thesis will to a great Degree comfort the Theological Virtue of HOPE which is What Comfort this is to Pious Humble and weak Souls to Erect our Souls to Heaven For doubtless some Virtuous Humble Souls when they come to consider and seriously reflect on the Sublime and Infinitely Glorious Majesty of our Great GOD who in altis habitat humilia respicit in Coelo in Terrâ in comparison of whose Exalted Height all the whole World nay all the Greatest Angels and Purest Saints in Heaven are as nothing may be apt to admit the Temptation of some Despondency and fear that 't is above the Capacity of any Created Intellect ever to behold his dazlingly Bright Essence Nay even some Great Divines seem to have had the same Apprehensions when they invented a Quality call'd Lumen Gloriae to dispose and Elevate the Eye of the Mind and fit it for the Beatifical Vision by which Glory being the Sight of GOD and the End or Summum Bonum of our Nature they make the Light of Glory which is the End the Means to it self and withal to no purpose GOD has made our Soul Intellective and capable to see Infinite Truth that is Himself and Sanctifying Grace or the Love of GOD above all things has already elevated that Natural Faculty above what meer Nature could have rais'd it to and GOD's Essence is Infinitely Intelligible And can any Power and Object be more fitted to one another Can there be any difficulty that Essential Truth which is so luminously and radiantly Bright and Clear should be seen by a Power which was made to see Truth But most especially when an over-powering and ardent Affection and Love of it has directed apply'd and addicted the Eye of the Soul to behold that Object Let not then such an Irrational Sollicitude trouble any pious Soul 'T is unworthy Infinite Goodness to be backwards to communicate Himself to his Creatures when they are thus fitly dispos'd to receive his ever-ready Influence Let our only Care be to purifie our Intellectual Eye and purge our Soul from hankering Affections after Unworthy Objects which draw our squinting Sight awry and dim and darken it This once secur'd nothing is more Evident than that GOD will not hide his Blissful Face from us one moment when we are arriv'd into the Region of Light Nor is there any other Eye-bright requisite for the Beatifical Vision but this Purity of Heart if we may believe the Promise of our Good Saviour Beati mundi corde quoniam ipsi Deum videbunt Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see GOD Mat. 5. 42. Innumerable are the Demonstrations which may be brought from divers That the Author confines himself here to Metaphysical Mediums Sciences to prove the Existence of a DEITY and most of the Divine Attributes on which I do not here insist or mention them 'T is a Subject Copious enough to fill whole Volumes Nor is any Scientifical Conclusion in all Nature half so Evident or voucht by so many Pregnant and Unanswerable Arguments Against which the Atheist as far as I have observ'd offers not to alledge any one Demonstration but only raises Difficulties and Objections not from Connected Reason but Roving Fancy Yet I judg'd it sufficient for me here that I might keep within the Bounds of my own Province to produce only such Metaphysical Mediums as follow out of the forelaid Doctrine For besides that such Arguments as are fetcht from the most Common and therefore most Evident Notions which we use to call Altissimae Causae are more Cogent to gain Assent a Few Proofs nay any one Demonstration such Proofs being evidently Conclusive is as Convictive as Thousands especially if it be pursu'd to First Principles and maintain'd against the Objections and Evasions of the adverse Party by showing their Vanity and Insignificancy That those I have brought here are such and thus maintain'd I shall not be afraid to affirm nor civilly to challenge the Atheists to show they are Inconclusive or Defective 43. From the former Doctrine assisted by â—…ght Logick 't is Demonstrable 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 〈…〉 no Notion nor consequentâ—… Word we have can be Uniâ—…cably spoken of GOD as He is 〈…〉 Himself and of Creatures For â—…ce all Distinct Notions which constitute any Nature This and consequently all such Denomination come from the Form or the Act it would follow that some such Act is Univocally Common to God and Creatures which has been â—â—own to be most absurd the former being the Highest and Purest Actuality of Being or Self-Existence the later having no Existence at all in it's Nature or Notion Again were there any such Notion Common to GOD and Creatures that Common Notion would be restrain'd by it's Proper Difference to particularize or constitute the DEITY which puts in GOD the Composition of Genus and Difference and withall some Potentiality which is essentially annext to every Geneâ—â—cal or Common Notion Wherefore no Notion or Word we have can be Univocally predicated of GOD and Creatures 44. Wherefore all the Notions we have of GOD and the Words we use when we speak of Him are Metaphorical Wherefore all the Words we use when we speak of GOD are in some sort Metaphorical For since no word spoken of GOD and Creatures are Univocal or spoken in the same Sense they must when said of Him and them be meant in different Senses Wherefore since when spoken of Creatures they express our Natural Notions which we had from the Creatures themselves and therefore are Proper it follows that the Sense they are taken in when they are transferr'd thence to GOD is in some sort Improper or Metaphorical 45. This is farther confirm'd Because GOD consider'd as in Himself is a Pure Actuality of Being eminently Because each of them signifies some one Perfection or Notion whereas GOD is the Plenitude of All Being and All Perfections center'd in one most Simple Formality including in it self the whole Plenitude of Ens and consequently the Objects of All our Notions and Infinitely more whereas we have no Word that signifies more than some one Notion Again since the word Existence which of all our Natural Notions seems most Proper does signifie only such a Formality or Act but does not signifie that that Act subsists much less that it is Self-subsistent as GOD is it cannot properly signifie
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
to the Effect it produces Distinct Essences have Distinct Powers and those Powers when pusht forwards by Motion must actually work on their Immediate Patients and this according to the Nature of their several Essences Every Thing except the First Cause is an Effect and as no Effect can be without Something to effect it so no Determinate or such an Effect can be without a Determinate or Proper Cause Thus is the Course of GOD's Providence in administring the World shown to be aâ— becomes the All-wise Contriver of it Orderly Steady Coherent and all of a piece From these Footsteps of the Divine Wisdom imprinted on Creatures we gain all our Science either proceeding a priori from Proper Causes to their Proper Effects or a posteriori from Proper Effects to their Proper Causes only which ways of Discoursing can beget True Science Whence the Cartesians who decline that Method and contrary to all Logick and Common Sense which oblige us to argue from what 's better known to what 's Unknown or less known instead of proving their Theses from the Nature of Things do introduce Arbitrary and Voluntary Reasons for Effects and to palliate their Ignorance pretend that GOD Wills such or such an Effect should follow which Will of his they neither prove nor can prove nor go about to prove And when their Arguments are Destitute of Connexion they put GOD to Annex one thing to another as their Necessity when they are at a Non-plus requires such Men I say who affect this way frequently and advance many Wild and Unprov'd Suppositions at their pleasure gratis are hence convicted to be no Philosophers but to obstruct the Common Road to Science and seem to bid Defiance to all Principles Connexion and Common Logick sham all Philosophy and Science too and set up in their stead a Gentile Farce of Witty Groundless and Unconnected Talk But to leave them and return to our own Doctrine and the consequences of it Hence with an easie Reflexion may be gather'd how all Truths are necessarily in one another as links in the same Chain of Causes and therefore may all be seen at once by the Soul when she comes to enjoy the Priviledge of a Pure Act is above Time and no longer ty'd to the slow Motion of Corporeal Phantasms in performing â—er Operations Having thus laid open the Deviations of other Mistaking Speculaters let us my Soul recommended to our Self and to our The Application of this Doctrine to ouâ— own Duties Readers to take heed lest we run counter in our Practice to the Truth we which have Evinced and Establisht Since then all Nature and Evident Reason consent to tell us that every Essence has such an Operation as is Peculiar and Propâ—r to it 's Nature and our Essence is Rationality let not us be guilty of that worst Singularity to act contrary to our Essence and degenerate from our Nature by acting Irrationally and this in the Highest Degrce The Chief Powers of our Rational Being are our Understanding and our Will The Primary Operation of the First is to see or know TRUTH and that of the later is to pursue GOOD And Metaphysicks has Demonstrated to us clearly that nothing but the Knowledge of an Infinite Truth can satisfie the One and the Possession of an Infinite Good satiate the other as also that neither of these can possibly be had save only in the Unveiled Sight of the First-Being the Glorious and Glorifying DEITY Let it then be our not only Principal but in Comparison Only care to cultivate those Dispositions of our Will which we have Demonstrated to be the only Steps by which we may ascend to Eternal Happiness and to râ—â—t out thâ—se Inordinate Affections for Creatures which indispose us for Heaven and consequently after they have turmoil'd and vext us here must render us after this short life Eternally most miserable To this end let us make that use of our Understanding as by due consideration to advance these Speculative Knowledges we â—…ve gain'd here into conformable Practical Iudgments or Virtuous Affections Which as it was the Chief Intention of the Author so it shall be â—â—s Prayer it may work that Best Effect upon his Readers A Rational Explication OF THE MYSTERY OF THE MOST BLESSED TRINITY The PREFACE 1. HAVING as I hop't settled the Way of Exact Reasoning in my METHOD to Science and reduced the Notions of which we make use in more Sublime Subjects to a Distinctness in my METAPHYSICKS I cast about to find out some Particular Point to which as a Proper Instance I might apply my Speculative Productions and thence manifest that they were not high-flown Fancies as some incompetent Readers may imagine but Solid and Useful Truths Nor could there need any Long Enquiry to make my Thoughts come to a Determination I had to my great trouble observ'd how rudely the Mystery of the most B. Trinity had been attackt of late by some Witty and Fanciful Gentlemen and had received Information also that the Boasts of their wonderful Performances by the way of Reason had given great Advantages to Deists and Atheists who siding with them did thence take occasion to ridicule Christianity whose prime Fundamental was as they pretended a piece of Pure Nonsense I saw very clearly that all their Objections proceeded upon most gross Mistakes and which I am loath to say from Unskillfulness in Logick or the Rules of Right Reasoning and from perfect Ignorance in Metaphysicks The former of which by Distinguishing exactly our several Notions or Respects is to give us Light to know what is truly a Contradiction what not and the other instructs us how we are to discourse of the First Being and his Attributes The Principles and Deductions in which Sciences being in so high a Degree Evident I could not but discover clearly and therefore the weight of the Circumstance requiring it I dare confidently declare and offer to maintain that all their Objections against that Mystery are not only perfectly Groundless but when they come to be sifted and examin'd by those Tests of True Reason extreamly Weak even to Childishness 2. And indeed they deliver those Objections of theirs in so sleight a Manner as if themselves made account they writ to none but half-witted Readers who stand ready to give up their Assent upon every Pretty and Plausible Saying that surprizes their Ignorance or pleases their Fancy â—or not so much as One Principle do they lay â—or observe any steady Tenour in Deducing any Determinate Conclusion Nay they do not so much as Distinguish exactly those Notions which belong to the Subject in Dispute much less Define them nor state the Question liquidly and clearly but fall to work hastily propose the Point crudely and descant upon it superficially confusedly and â—amblingly only they take care to use some little Wit in the Expression As if they presum'd that either there are no Praecognoscenda requisite to explicate or Determine such a Sublime Point or else that
him pretending no Skill or Knowledge more than to understand the bare signification of the words in which Faith is conceiv'd But an Explicater is to use all the Skill and Art he has to show the Points of Faith Agreeable to such Other Truths as indifferent Mankind admits at least such as he can by Dint of Reason force his Adversary to grant that so he may comfort and strengthen Faith and make it more Lively and Operative in the Hearts of the more Intelligent Believers and withall Defend it from being Opposite to Right Reason against the Cavils of Unbelievers who impugn it upon that score But the main Advantage which an Explicater of Faith who follows the Principles of True Reason or True Philosophy will gain by this Exact way of Discoursing is this that Let him settle his Principles first and show them to be Evident Let him state the Question clearly and explain the Meaning of the Terms or Words which concern that Question or are made use of in Discoursing of it and then applying them to the Point in hand show it's Consonancy to those Principles all which I shall here endeavour and when he has done this let him peremptorily Challenge his Adversary to take the same Decisive Method to prove his Negative Tenet and it will quickly appear that the Maintainer of Falshood his Cause not bearing such a Test will either decline this only-satisfactory Manner of Discourse in which case he will in effect plainly confess that what he maintains is not True Or if he happens to be so Adventurous as to Attempt it his Principles will easily be seen to be so Unlike what they pretended to be and so Unworthy that Name that all Men of Sense will quickly discern that his Cause has only Superficial Fancy and not True and Solid Reason to support it SECT I. Preliminaries Fore-lay'd as Principles to the Explication of this Mystery § 1. Prâ—â— I. CLearness being the most necessary Qualification of all others for an Explication we are first to reflect that All our Clear and Distinct Knowledges of any thing whatever depend on this Principle that Our Soul works by Abstracted or Inadequate Conceptions which she frames or â—as of the whole Thing This is granted I think by all Men of Learning and is in a manner Self-Evident For let us take any Whole Thing v. g. an Orange and we may find that we make many Several Conceptions of it viz. That it is Round Yellow Heavy Juicy c. which tho' they all belong Intrinsecally to that one Thing and therefore we mean them all Confusedly when we name That Thing yet we cannot discourse Clearly and Distinctly of any one of them while we conceive them as Ioyn'd with great Multitudes of others no not so much as with one of those Others For how can we know that Object Distinctly which is not Distinct it self as being not yet Distinguisht Now 't is only our Understanding that Distinguishes it into those Distinct Parts or Inadequate Conceptions of it Wherefore we cannot Discourse of any Thing Clearly or Distinctly until we have first represented it to our Minds with such a Distinction by making many Distinct Abstracted or Inadequate Notions of it 2. Prel II. Having found or made those Inadequate Conceptions we are next to Discourse consequently of each of those Considerations of the Thing without mingling them with Others For to what end should we Distinguish our Notions in order to discourse Clearly if we do not keep them Distinct but by Confounding them afterwards Distract our Thoughts and draw them in despite both of Nature and Art into Different Considerations at once which must needs hinder us from seeing any one of them Clearly Whence all the most Exact Discoursers do carefully observe and follow this Rule For the Mathematicians treat of Bodies as Long or of Lines without considering them at the same time as Broad and of their Breadth without considering them as Deep or according to all the Three Dimensions tho' in Nature no One of them is found without all the rest And in case they did otherwise their Discourses could never proceed endways nor be Clear and Evident being indeed in that case nothing but a meer Ramble from one Question to another while they speak sometimes of one sometimes of Another Notion or Subject 3. Prel III. Therefore when we Affirm and Deny according to Different Abstract Notions there can be no show of a Contradiction For these Abstract Notions being Different Respects according to which we conceive the Thing diversely and the weakest Logician and every Man of Common Sense being so wise as to know that there cannot possibly be any Contradiction unless we Affirm and Deny according to the Same Respect â—…hing can be more Weak than to pretend 〈…〉 in such a case there is the least show of a â—…tradiction 4. Prel IV. Hence one of those Respects or Consiâ—â—â—ations of the Thing may be Deny'd of the other 〈…〉 which is Equivalent all our Predications when we speak True being of the Thing the Thing â—â— consider'd according to One of those Respects â—ay be Deny'd of it self consider'd according to Another Respect V. G. The Same Man may be both a Father and a Son but that Same Man as â—â— is a Father is not that Man as he is a Son Otherwise the Abstractive Particle as cutting â—â— that precise Respect from all Others it would â—â—llow that the Notions of Father and Son are the â—ry Self-same Notion or Respect Whence we â—â—e oblig'd to affirm that That Man as he is a Father is some way Different from Himself as he â—â—â— Son or according to some Notion or Respect viz. That of Relation Tho' he be still the same according to the Notion of Ens or Thing that is the same Man 5. Prel V. Tho' the Truth of the Propositions or Points of Faith are made known to us by Supernatural Means or by Revelation yet each single word in which they were deliver'd or Preacht at first must be such as was in use then and there to signifie our Natural Notions This is very Evident Because unless Faith had been deliver'd oâ— Preacht to the First Faithful in such Language aâ— every one understood or as suted with their Natural Notions the Hearers having as yet no Notions but what were Natural could not have understood what had been told them nor could have known what it was they were to believe By Natural Notions I mean those which we have by Direct Impressions on the Senses or by such Reflexion as the Generality of Mankind naturally have Tho' this be True and Faith was thus deâ—â—ver'd at first yet it does not follow that an Explicater may not be allow'd to use some words of Art since he writes to Learned Men. 6. Prel VI. Hence those words being Proper to express Men's Natural Notions which they had from Creatures to signifie which they were Agreed on and Us'd by Mankind in that place it follows that
when we apply them to the Divine Nature they must be in some sort Metaphorical or Transferr'd thence to GOD. This is equally Evident as the Former For since their Sense and Meaning which Men impos'd on them at first and in which they Us'd them all along was some Created Being or Perfection 't is manifest that That was their First or Proper Signification and consequently if they Apply'd them to GOD afterwards without which as was shown we could not speak of GOD at all nor know any thing of Him they must necessarily be Transferr'd from Creatures to GOD which is to be Metaphorical 7. Prel VII Yet when Divines apply such Words to GOD whom they hold to be Infinitely Perfect they cannot be thought to Intend to Transfer them to Him together with the Imperfection found in Creatures which is annext to their First Signification and consequently Intention and Meaning being the same Sense they cannot mean to apply them otherwise than as devested of their Imperfections So that the Meaning or Signification of those Words thus Apply'd debars all those Imperfections from being any â—art of our Notion when we thus apply them â—uch are the Imperfections of Corporeity and 〈…〉 Notions which arise from Matter or belong 〈…〉 it As also all Limitedness which tho' Essenâ—ial to Creatures is Repugnant to the Divine Nature 8. Prelim. VIII Hence all such Words thus understood notwithstanding their Metaphoricalness are Truly said of GOD. For since by § 7. we do not Intend to Transfer to GOD what is Imperfect in the Notion or Meaning of these Words but only what signifies some Perfection â—nd All Perfection must be Truly attributed to Him who is Infinitely Perfect it follows that all such words thus understood are Truely Apply'd to the Divine Nature Thus when our Saviour CHRIST â—â— call'd The Lamb of GOD or The Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah we do not take or understand those Words under any other Notion signify'd by Lamb or Lion than under those of Meekness and Fortitude Thus when Metaphysicians apply to GOD Mercy Justice Power Wisdom c. which as found in our Understanding are Distinct Formalities of which One is not the other they being well aware that the Divine Nature is One most Simple Formality which includes and verifâ—es all those Attributes do therefore strip them of that Limitation or Imperfection when they apply them to GOD and do not intend to signifie they are thus distinct in GOD as they are in our Understanding but they only mean that such Effects do proceed from GOD as do proceed from a Just Merâ—iful Powerful or Wise Man which is most cerâ—ainly True Which Rule and Reason obtains in all other Metaphorical Expressions or in all our Words whatever us'd by us when we speak of GOD. 9. Prel IX For the same Reason all Words which amongst us connoâ—ate Motion as all Active Verbs and Verbals do must be understood of the Action formally as Terminated or of the Terminus of an Action and must be explicated and understood to mean is For since GOD is a Pure Actuality of Being and his Essence is Self-Existence nothing can be more Opposite to His very Essence than is the Notion of Motion which essentially imports both Potentiality and Change as consequently does our Natural Notion of Action that goes along with it Wherefore all Notions that import that a Thing is in fieri must be remov'd from GOD as far as is possible and only those Notions that signifie it is in facto esse can with any Sense be apply'd to that Sovereign Being Now this Abstraction from Motion can mean nothing but Being one way or other or it cannot be transferr'd to GOD by Prelim. VII Wherefore when we say the Son proceeds from the Father it can only in rigour mean Est a Patre The properest meaning of which word is that GOD is in His Divine Knowledge as His own Object And for the same Reason all Verbs signifying the Time Past or Future are to be remov'd from GOD and only those which signifie the present Time can be apply'd to Him For since whatever is in Divinis or is Intrinsecal to GOD is Eternally such we shall put Past and Future which are Differences of Time in Eternity But above all those words that import or hiâ—t Efficiency are the most Unfit to be Transferr'd to GOD For since Efficiency is impossible to be conceiv'd without an Effect it puts something in GOD which is Effected or Caus'd nor can such a Word 〈…〉 Notion be depur'd from it's most Gross Imperfection as other Notions may Nor will that weak Distinction of Formal and Virtual Efficiency in Diâ—inis serve the turn for this is the same as to say GOD is virtually Imperfect or that some Notion we have of GOD and is verify'd by Him is virtually an Effect that is virtually Not Self Existent and consequently virtually not GOD but a Creature Indeed our homely Language and Low Notions do oblige us to use such words as amongst us do signifie Action but they are all to be understood cum grano salis as is here declar'd Nor ought it to be objected That these Active words cannot signifie a Terminus put or that the thing is done â—â—stantaneously which some may think is against the Notion of Action for Creation is granted to be an Action yet it is never for so much as for one Instant in fieri or a doing being in one Instant in fecto esse or done 10. Prel X. For which Reason that we may avoid all hint of Agency which since whatever Acts must act or do Something which is it's Effect does necessarily induce Efficiency a word or Notion directly Opposite to whatever is in GOD who is Self Existent we shall in our Explication make use of the Inexistency of the Divine Nature Known in it's self as a Knower of it after the manner of a Form as it were which is both peculiar to a Spiritual Nature and has nothing in it of that Gross Imperfection to which our Natural Notion of Action is liable which amongst us is always accompanied with Motion Whereas the Other implies no Imperfection at all either in the Knower or the Thing Known For even amongst us the Object v. g. an Animal loses nothing nor is less Perfect for being Known by us but is in it's self the same Unchang'd Being it was Or rather Intelligibility being one of the Properties of Ens by being Naturally Known or understood it becomes by this means in some Sense Actual whereas before it was only Intelligible that is Potential in that respect Nor are we the worse by Knowing it or having the Object thus in our Knowing Power but evidently Better in regard all Actual Knowledge is our Natural Perfection Add that this way of Inexisting does not necessarily induce any Passiveness in the Subject in which the Object thus Inexists For Angels and Souls Separate have as has been demonstrated all Created Being in them Intellectually and yet
to which that Common Notion is Apply'd Secondly Whether these Particulars are not Three and no more Thirdly Whether those Three Particulars are not most fitly call'd Persons Fourthly Whether those Three Persons be not most fitly to be call'd Father Son and H. Spirit Fifthly and Lastly Whether the Divine Nature notwithstanding this Plurality of Persons is not still Perfectly and Equally One in Nature or rather more that is under more Respects One in it's self than it would have been in case this Plurality of Persons had been secluded Now if it shall appear by our Explication that the Affirmative of all these is Consonant to Reason working upon our Natural Notions stript of their Imperfections and as such Transferr'd to GOD I hope it will satisfie Dissenters comfort the Faith of those who Believe already and convince every Intelligent Reader that nothing can with true Reason be objected against this Divine Mystery SECT III. The Terms or Words of which we make use in this Explication clear'd from Ambiguity 1. BY the word GOD is meant a most Actual and Self-Subsistent Being Infinite in His Nature and all it's Attributes 2. By the words Divine Nature we understand the same Infinitely Perfect Being But we are to mind the Reader once more of that which cannot be too often inculcated viz. That in all Creatures for Example in Man there is found what answers to diverse Notions in the Line of Substance of which one is more Perfect or Imperfect than Another For an Individual Man conceiv'd precisely under the Superiour Notions of Ens Corpus Mixtum Vivens Animal and Homo signifies only some Common and Inadequate Notion of Him whence nothing in Common being able to Exist but only Singulars as Peter Paul c. hence all those Former are Imperfect in the Line of Ens which signifies Capable of Existing Yet even these Singular or Individual Entities tho' we should allow them in some sort to Exist have not thence all the Completion or Perfection imaginable in that Line for a Thing may be Capable to Exist and yet not Capable to exist Alone or without the Support of Another which we call Subsisting To be Subsistent then which in Intelligent Things we call to be a PERSON being the most Perfect Notion of Ens must be attributed to the Divine Essence or Nature tho' the word Essence does not express it but rather signifies aâ—ter the manner of a kind of meer Form Otherwise the Divine Nature would be conceiv'd to want something which according to our Natural Notions is the utmost Perfection in the Line of Being which is impossible to be thought or said of GOD. who is Infinitely Perfect in Being 3. By the word Father I mean one Particular who communicates the Nature of which Himself is to Another Particular And by Son Him to whom that Nature is thus Communicated but that he does or does not Communicate the same Individual Nature or that he is Before his Son in Time and other Considerations arising from Matter spring from the Imperfection and Limitedness of Creatures and therefore they are not to be Transferr'd to GOD Nor are they Essential to the Notions of Father and Son as will be plain to any Man who reflects that if per impossible a Man did communicate his Individual Nature to Another and that Other had it thus Communicated from him and this Instantaneously he would not in that Supposition be therefore less a Father but more perfectly such because the Nature Communicated is more perfectly the Same Nor do Sooner or Later Instantaneous or Not-Instantaneous enter into the precise Notion of Father and Son as appears from the Definition of Generation which abstracts from all those Considerations Moreover 't is most Evident that in such a case the Person who Communicates his Individual Nature and He to whom 't is Communicated would have hence some very neer Relation to one another and what imaginable Relation could it be but that of Father and Son 4. I take the word Generation in the Sense of that Exact and Received Definition viz. Processio Viventis a Vivente tanquam a Principio Conjuncto in Similitudinem Naturae which I shall show is perfectly Verify'd in the Procession of the Eternal Word All other Considerations are Extrinsecal and Forrein to the Notion of Generation as may be gather'd from § 3. and therefore do not belong to it's precise Notion but spring from the Imperfection of Creatures nor consequently as such ought they be Transferr'd to GOD. 5. The word Person signifies Perseity as some Schoolmen explicate it or what 's so Subsistent of it self or by the merits of it's own Notion or Expression that it needs no other Formal Notion to compleat it nor Word to express it better The Etymology of that word if such a Consideration and not rather the Common Use of it only be much to be regarded seems to be this that as we say a Speech is Dissona when it varies from another in Sense and Consona when it agrees to it So a Thing is call'd Persona when it thorowly or perfectly sounds or speaks the Notion of Ens or expresses the utmost Completion of a Thing under the Notion of an Intelligent Being See § 2. 6. Subsistent and Suppositum signifie the same and are appliable to all Beings whatever whether they be Intelligent that is Persons or no and express their last Completion in the Line of Ens in their several Kinds The Notion of the former seems more to respect it's self or it 's own Absoluteness in the Line of Being The Notion of the Later regards the Nature or the Accidents â—hich it sustains in our Mind or as conceiv'd by â—… The Literal meaning of which kind of Sayâ—ng is That we making diverse Conceptions of â—he same Thing the Formal Conception of the â—â—ture or of it's Modes is not that Formal Conception of a Thing Existing Alone without needing any other farther Notion in our Mind or any other Word to mean or signifie it's standing thus Alone or without Dependency on any other Created Notiâ—â— to compleat or make out that Full Sense Notwithstanding that the Notions of Subsistent â—nd Suppositum do bear such a nice Distinction â—â—â— in regard that which sustains another must 〈…〉 supposed able to subsist of it self hence they â—… not without reason promiscuously used The Explication of the rest of those words of which we shall have occasion to make use will I conceive come in more seasonably in their â—roper Places SECT IV. That the Divine Nature does Verifie some One Notion that is some way Common and some Others that are Particulars 1. SInce all Explications as well as Arguments are to be taken from the Nature of the Thing 〈…〉 from the Subject to be Explicated as being in â—â—ality nothing else but the Unfolding that Nature and the laying open what with a Deep Inspection we discover to be included in it or to belong to it Intrinsecally and since the Nature
us does essentially signifie that the Thing Known is in our Knowledge as Another or as Distinct from the Soul as knowing it as is shown in the Book now cited Prelim. II. §§ 22. 23. and particularly § 26. And Reason gives it must be so since when I know a Tree the Nature of a Tree which is in my Mind intellectually is not there as either my Essence nor as any Intrinsecal Mode of me as is manifest it must therefore necessarily be there as Distinct from me or as Another Nay when our Soul knows her self she must some way or other be Distinct from her self by that Knowledge for it cannot with any Sense be deny'd but that she is in that case her own Object and that therefore for that very regard she must be distinguisht some way from her self as Knowing that Object as is shown Prelim. IV. Nor is this any Imperfection in a Created Spirit to have her Objects in her when she knows them as Other or as Distinct from her For 't is the very Notion or Nature of Knowledge which if we take away from her we must at the same time take away her Knowing Power and her Spirituality and put her to be made of Matter it being the Property of Matter and of Material Things to have nothing in them but such Modes which are Intrinsecal to their Subject and Determine it's Potentiality Nay more 't is the highest Perfection of a Spiritual Nature to have things in it which are different from it as is demonstrated in my Metaphysicks Book II. Ch. 2. §§ 6 7 8 9. Whence there being no Imperfection in this Notion but rather it being the best Perfection of a Spiritual Nature we ought with far better Reason than any other Transfer it to GOD and to say that GOD by Knowing Himself is in some Sense or other in Himself as Another or that He is Distinct from Himself as he is a Knower as is seen Prel IV. 14. To finish this Point we may reflect that we may more easily be Mis-led by fancying those other Attributes to be Distinct in GOD because according to our manner of Conceiving they are Diverse from one another and very Many of them But in our case there are but Two single Attributes viz. Self-Knowing and Self-Loving and yet each of those single Attributes imports Distinction and Aliety if I may use that word in it 's own Particular Notion Which shows plainly that the Distinction here spoken of does not arise out of the Number of those Diverse Attributes or from our Distinct Acts of Conceiving them Abstractedly but from each of those Single and Intrinsecal Natures or Notions of Self-Knowing and of Self-Loving which unless we should impiously degrade the Divine Nature from being Spiritual we must be forced to Attribute to Him and consequently some Distinction as these words do most evidently import 15. Hence is farther manifested that since GOD Knows and Loves Himself there is in the Divine Nature some One Notion that is Common and some Others that are Particulars For it is Evident that Knower and Known Lover and Loved are all distinct Notions from one another and therefore Particulars as also that the word GOD is Predicated and Verify'd of each of them For since all True Predication or Verification is made by the Identifying Particle Est 't is consequent that the Divine Nature is in them all and really Them And therefore since the single word GOD is but one Notion and truly said of them All it must be granted to be COMMON to them all 16. And because this Common Notion GOD cannot but most properly signifie the Divine Being which is Infinite in Perfection and to be a Suppositum by Sect. 3. § 6. is to be Compleat or Perfect in the Notion of Ens Therefore the Notion of a Suppositum cannot but be attributed to that Common Notion GOD. Wherefore that Notion is not only Common but also a Suppositum there is then a Common Suppositum in GOD which is predicated of the Particulars truly attributed to Him and as has been prov'd Identify'd with Him 17. In this Notion of the Common Suppositum the Generality of the Jews the Wiser Heathens and all those who deny a Trinity understood the word GOD and perhaps our selves too when there is not in our Prayers or Discourse any Particular Reference to any of the Persons 18. Wherefore this Common Suppositum may not unfitly be call'd the Absolute Notion of GOD and those Particulars the Relative Notions of the same Divine Essence because they meerly spring from those Relations 19. Whence because the Common Suppositum exprest by the word GOD is held by all who use that Word to be Infinite in all those Attributes which we have Demonstrated in the Third Book of our Metaphysicks to belong to the First Being viz. Infinitely Wise Just Good Powerful c. as also Eternal and Self-Existent it follows that all or each of those Particulars which are Predicated of the Word GOD and therefore are Identify'd with Him must also be granted to have all those Infinite Perfections in them which are attributed to Him since GOD who includes all those Attributes is Predicated or Identify'd with them all as is deliver'd accordingly in the Creed of St. Athanasius 20. The Difficulty is how we can with Truth and our due Regard to GOD who is essentially a most Pure Actuality of Being make Him a Genus or a Species Common to more which have the Notion of Inferiours in respect of Him For true Metaphysicks admits no Composition in GOD of Genus and Difference as is seen Book III. § 35. To clear this we are to consider all those several Manners of Predicating given us by Porphyrius and allow'd by all the Learned World call'd the Five Predicables Now the Notions of Genus and Species which are made by Logical Abstraction are Indeterminate and Potential in respect of the Inferiour Notions and the Things that is they as thus consider'd are Substantiae Secundae which reach not to the Notion of Individuum or Substantia Prima only which are properly Entia or Capable of Existing much less do they reach to the Notion of Existence or Actual Being This being so it would be most absurd to Transfer such Notions to GOD who is Pure Existence Nor can we Predicate any thing of Him as a Difference which determines the foresaid Potentiality of the others for in that which is essentially Pure Actual Being there can be no farther Determination made since this is done by the Act and nothing can be more Actual than Pure Actuality of Being it self 21. Wherefore setting these Three Predicables aside there remain those Manners of Predicating call'd Proprium and Accidens Now I conceive that it argues no Imperfection for the Common Suppositum to be Predicated of those Particulars according to this Last manner For first This is not Abstracted from Inferiours or Common to them as a Potential Notion Determin'd by Differences Again To
be thus Predicated it is not requir'd that the Predicate be an Accident it self or found in any of the Heads of those Modes which are Contrâ—â—istinguisht from Substance but the Predicate here may it self be a Substante provided it does not per se or essentially and formally belong to the Subject V. g. When we say a Cup is Golden or which is the same Gold a Spoon is Gold a Ring is Gold the Predicate Gold apply'd to the Cup Spoon and Ring is a Substance and in some Sense Common to them all not as a Potential Notion Determin'd by Differences is common to it's Inferiours and Essential to them but because it does not Essentially belong to Gold to be apply'd to such a Figure therefore it is Accidental or not Essential to it and hence it is said to be Predicated of them Accidentally Now in this manner the Common Suppositum GOD is Predicated of Knowing Known and the other Particulars without any show of Imperfection I do not say that Knowing c. are Accidental to GOD as it is to things of the said Figures to be Gold I abstract from the Matter and take only the bare Manner of Predicating which is not to be said or predicated as a Superiour of Inferiours to which it's Potentiality is Determin'd by Differences but as one Substantial Notion determin'd already as to it 's own Nature is Predicated of another which is either according to it's Notion Substantial or formally belonging to Another Head as those Figures are in respect of Gold and the Absolute Notion of the Divine Essence according to the Distinction of our Natural Notions is to that of Relation in Common 22. Or if we invert the Order of those Propositions and say GOD is Known Knowing c. and so make the Notion of GOD the Common Subject in those speeches in which the Relative ones are Predicated then they may be truly said to be Predicated of him according to the Predicable of Proprium Which soever of those ways we take no Imperfection will be refunded upon GOD nor any Potentiality transfer'd to His most Pure Actuality which is the chief danger to be avoided in our Predications concerning the Divine Nature SECT V. That these Particulars are THREE and no more 1. SInce then this Common or Absolute Suppositum call'd GOD is justly held to be Infinite in Being it follows that He has all the Positive Perfections in the Line of Ens or Substance that can be imagin'd and possesses them all Indivisibly in One most Actual Formality of Being whence 't is impossible to apprehend there should be any Distinction or Plurality at all in GOD as he is thus conceiv'd or under that precise Notion of meerly Being since under that Notion He is Indivisibly One which farther appears hence that even our ordinary Notion of Existence is Indivisible much more must it be such when it is Infinite Wherefore it being no less evidently shown Sect. 4. that there are some Particular Notions or some sort of Plurality Truly and Rightly Transferr'd to GOD and Verify'd of Him This must necessarily spring from our Conceiving GOD under some Other Notion or some Notion that belongs to Another Head or Predicament than that of Substance or meer Being and withall from such a one as does not carry along with it when 't is Transferr'd to Him any Imperfection to the Divine Nature 2. Nor need we look far to find what kind of Notion this is We can no sooner consider that GOD Knows and Loves Himself which is the Ground of all our Explication and as it were the Text on which our Reason descants but we must forcibly and immediately discover that this Distinction in GOD must be taken from that Head of our Notions call'd RELATION For the Knower cannot be a Knower of Nothing but of some Thing or some Object which is Known by him Nor can that Thing or Object be actually Known but there must be some Thing which is a Knower of it which shows those Notions are perfectly Relative to one another 3. Wherefore all the Distinction and Operation which as has been shown is Verify'd to be in the Divine Nature and all the Distinction of the Particulars we lately spoke of must be taken from the Relations according to which the Divine Nature is Referr'd to its self and not formally and immediately from GOD ' s Essence which belongs formally to the Line of Substance 4. Nor need we fear to attribute Distinct and some way Opposite Predicates to GOD and consequently affirm that there is some kind of Distinction and Opposition in Him since the Distinction necessarily imply'd in that Natural Notion we transfer to Him does attribute to Him the Highest Perfection of His Nature as 't is Spiritual and is not Apply'd to Him according to the Notion of Ens or Being but according to Another Respect or Notion which is Different from it and as is shown Prel X. and XI does not induce or require any Distinction formally of the Essence it self Nay when as will be shown Sect. VIII § 7. that very Opposition notwithstanding it forces some kind of Plurality does no less necessarily infer a more perfect Unity if possible in the Divine Nature at least an Unity in more respects than could have been Conceiv'd had there not been that kind of Distinction and Opposition Nor yet can any doubt of the Truth of this Thesis which puts Distinct and Opposite Notions in GOD since His Nature verifies those Distinct Notions and Obliges us to Affirm them of Him or Attribute them to Him 5. Since then these Particulars which as is shown §§ 2. and 3 we truly attribute to GOD must entirely be taken from the foresaid Relations 't is consequent that the Number of them also must be taken from the Number of those Relations 6. And 't is clearly Agreeable to Reason that in those of the Former sort there must be Relation on both sides which must consequently constitute or rather Infers Two Particulars For 't is very Evident from § 2. and indeed is obvious to Common Sense that in our case there is a Mutual Relation between the Knower and Thing Known as is exprest by those very Words nor can we Express them otherwise while we must affirm that GOD Knows Himself As will yet better appear Sect. VII § 9. 7. Which is hence confirm'd because as GOD is essentially Infinitely Intellective or rather Intelligent so He must also be Infinitely Intelligible or rather actually Known otherwise there would want an Adequate Object of the Divine Understanding which would also infer He is not Infinitely Intelligent 8. These Relations are grounded materially and â—eally on the Divine Essence it self consider'd according to it 's own Notion or as it is conceiv'd â—o be Absolute since 't is His Essence it self exprest by the word GOD which Knows and is Known conceiv'd as apt to ground those Relations as it evidently is and not His Essence as it is conceiv'd
proper to it's self nor Act unless it have a Will the Notion of which is to be the Principle of Acting nor can an Infinitely perfect Being act without Knowing What and How to Act both the Eternal Father Son and Spirit must all concur to every such Action But 't is otherwise in that which passes ad intra or within the Deity it self because of their Relative Distinction and Opposition to one another For if I may be allow'd to repeat so oft what is of most Importance GOD precisely as the Divine Object or as Known begets Divine Knowledge and the Divine Essence in the Divine Knowledge which is Essential Truth and the most Proper and Best Perfection or Good of a Spiritual Nature is that Adequate Object from which Divine Love proceeds Hence it is that since God's Essence is Self-Existence which is Infinitely Actual and Infinitely Intelligible or rather Infinitely Known it is Proper to say that the GODHEAD Self-Exists by the Father Knows it Self by the Son who is Divine Knowledge and Loves it Self by the Holy Ghost who is Divine Love Nor can any thing be more Agreeable to Reason than that it should be so in case as we ought we will exalt GOD Infinitely above His Creatures For since Creatures do Exist by an Existence which is Accidental to them whence it comes that their Powers by which they operate are in the Line of Quality or are Accidents It is therefore most Fitting that GOD in whom there is nothing that is Accidental but the most refined or sublim'd Notion of Substance should exercise his own Essence upon Himself and therefore should have a Substantial Notion that is a Person by and in which that Particular to which is specially appropriated Divine Essence should Exist and instead of Powers which are Accidents should have particular Substances or Persons by which He Knows and Loves Himself And therefore as is said above GOD Self-exists or is by the Person of the Father Knows Himself by the Person of the Son and Loves Himself by the Person of the Holy Ghost SECT VIII That notwithstanding this Plurality of Persons the Divine Essence is not less perfectly Simple in it's self or rather 't is more or in more Respects ONE than it would have been had there not been this Plurality of Persons 1. WHat the Opposers of the B. Trinity most pretend to fear is That this Tenet does prejudice the UNITY of the GODHEAD Now tho' it has been already sufficiently prov'd that this has not the least show of Difficulty to a Considering Man yet it were not amiss for their farther Satisfaction to give this Point a farther Clearing tho' it wrong the Method of Discoursing by making Repetitions in which I sometimes indulge my self to inculcate it better to my Readers by their seeing the Coherence of this Doctrine in divers and several occasions For 't is not every Man's Talent to carry along with him every Link in the Chain of a Connected Discourse without needing to be re-minded of it 2. But first I complain that these Objecters confound themselves by not Distinguishing clearly their own Conceptions and therefore neither We nor Themselves know well what it is they would be at Let us try then if we can unravel their Thoughts which they have taken such pains to perplex Can they deny that GOD Knows and Loves Himself 'T is certain they will not for this makes GOD less Perfect than a Creature Tho' as far as I see they never think of it or what Consequences follow from it notwithstanding as was shown this is the Ground-work on which all true Explication of this Mystery is built Can they deny that this granted as it must be we are forced to affirm that GOD is the Knower and Object Known as also the Lover and Thing Loved The very words fly in their Faces and tell them they deny that which is perfectly Equivalent to what they have granted Will they deny that the GODHEAD is One and the Same under all the Notions whatever they are which is signifi'd by all those Relative and Contradistinct Names or Words 'T is equally against Common Sense unless they will say that by the word Himself is not meant GOD which is Self-evident Can they say that Knower and Known Lover and Loved are not Distinct and in some sort Opposite Notions All Mankind will laugh at them and every Junior Sophister who ever heard of the Predicament of Relation will hiss them Can they say that the Deity does not Verifie those Distinct Notions or that we say False when we attribute them to GOD Themselves will not affirm it Can they say That tho' GOD Verifies them yet there is no Distinction at all in GOD This is pure Nonsense For First These Distinct Notions or Attributes are not Extrinsecal Denominations but most Intrinsecal and even Essential to GOD to Know and Love Himself being the Perfection of His Spiritual Nature and one of His Chiefest Attributes Next If those Notions do most formally import Distinction and there be in GOD that which verifies them there is what verifies Distinction in GOD. May they not then with equal reason say that Gold verifies the Notions of Yellow and Heavy yet there is no Yellowness or Weightiness in Gold Can they say That tho' there be Distinction in GOD yet it does not any way or under any Respect make GOD Distinct This were to call Self Evidence in question and arraign First Principles For is it not Self-Known that a Form or Abstract Notion cannot be in any thing but it must make and denominate it such as it self is and may they not as well say that Whiteness may be in a Wall and yet not make it White or Humanity in a thing and not make it a Man as that Distinction is in a thing and yet not make it Distinct Can they find any thing in GOD besides Substance to Distinguish that is will they put any thing in GOD that â—s an Accident or which is the same that is Not-Self-Existent 'T is impâ—â—â—ble to pretend it Can they say That Distinction of the Substance does not Particularize it or â—ake Distinct Substances How can they Distinction whereever it is must make something or other Distinct and this according to the Nature of the Thing it distinguishes And therefore if there be only Substance for it to affect it must put Distinct or Particular Substances and this as evidently as if a Quantitative Thing be Distinguisht it must make Distinct or more Quanta Will they say these Distinct Substances they being Spiritual or Intelligent are not to be â—all'd PERSONS They would do well to let us know their Reason and withal to assign us some Other Name by which Three such Substances ought more properly be called I wish then we knew where their Difficulty pinches For otherwise it would half persuade an uncharitable Man that their Reason ails nothing when it knows not whereabouts it is hurt whence would follow that
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
catching at little Expressions snatcht out of Authors here and here and improving them dexterously to his Advantage but otherwise he seem'd quite destitute of Logick or any other Philosophical Science Hence he was a very Weak Reasoner a Rash Concluder and incapable of Arguing from any Principles which he quite disregarded and sleighted What concerns my purpose is that he show'd me divers Citations which he had pickt up out of Heathen Authors in which they own'd a Trinity and would needs pretend that the Christian Church had borrow'd forsooth that Tenet among other Superstitions from the Heathens I told him that this made against himself and rather arguâ—d that all Mankind who reflected deeply upon the Essence of a Spiritual Nature especially if they held it to be Infinite had some rude Sentiments of a Trinity or perhaps that some few Iews might have it from some Persons that were Englighten'd after a special manner and that the Heathens had it â—â—om Them I wish my Recommendation might prevail with some Learned Man of our Universities where they have plentiful Libraries to confute that Book of his in compiling which I could discern by his Discourse he had been assisted by his whole Party inspecting Libraries in divers Countries and picking out what they could find to their Advantage I believe they will find it wants no Insincerity a judicious Friend of mine whom I intreated to peruse it having as he told me discover'd much foul Play in divers Places 13. The same Unlearned Readers may also be admonisht that they ought not to read or at least heed such Books lest wading too rashly out of their Depth they come to Sink For since such Books pretend to show that the Tenet of the Trinity is full of Contradictions and such Readers are not skill'd nor are able to know how many Requisites do go to a Contradiction it is manifest they wrong their Reason by over-weening or taking upon them to judge of a Point of which they are Ignorant what the very Terms mean 14. Yet if they have good Mother-Wits they may be made to a great degree capable of Discerning the Folly and False Reasoning of such sleight Discoursers It will not be hard to make such Men see there can be no Contradiction unless we Affirm and Deny in the same Respect V. g. That there is no Contradiction to say that a Table is Three according to the Notion or Respect of such a Figure call'd a Corner or Three-corner'd and yet is but One according to that Respect call'd a Table or but One Table Or that a Man who is a Father a Son and a Husband may be Three according to that Respect or Notion call'd Relation or have Three Relations in him and yet be but One according to the Notion of Thing or but One Man Which done let but the several Notions or Respects that belong to this Mystery be Distinguish'd by Confounding which those Men do pretend to show it Contradictious and a little Instruction will let them see plainly that at least many of their Objections if not all are merely Frivolous and Insignificant 15. To make this sink better into their Apprehension it were not amiss to Instance in some one Paragraph of the aforesaid Letter concerning the Trinity and Athanasian Creed Wee 'll take one of the shortest but withall the Pithiest and Shrewdest in their way of Arguing 'T is found p. 7. Col. 2. in these Words If the Father is an Infinite All-perfect Being and if the Son is Distinct from the Father he must if he be a GOD be a Distinct Infinite All-perfect Being for the same Being can be no way Distinct from its self And certainly two Distinct All-perfect Beings are two Distinct GODS How currently and smoothly this glides over the Fancy Yet when examin'd and brought to the Test it will appear by and by that 't is so incomparably Weak and Silly that 't is scarce possible to croud more Nonsence into so narrow a Room Which I show thus 16. 'T is acknowledg'd the Father is an Infinite All-perfect Being for he has the Divine Nature in Him which is Infinitely Perfect or truly GOD. He Proceeds and if the Son is Distinct from the Father In what Sense I beseech him or according to what Notion or Respect do we hold He is Distinct In that of Being Not one Man in GOD's Church ever said it What we hold and maintain is that He is only Distinct from Him according to that Notion or Respect calld Relation And what Man so stupid as not to see that what differs only in Relation may be the same Many or the same Being still A Man is Marry'd and has never a Child and then he is a Man but is not a Father Afterwards he has a Son and then he is a Father and yet he is the same Man or the same Being he was though to be a Father and not to be a Father abstractedly conceiv'd be Contradictories It follows and therefore he must if he be a GOD be a Distinct All perfect Being And why must this follow when the Distinction affects the GODHEAD only according to that Respect called Relation and not according to that Respect called Essence or according to the GODHEAD it self or the Divine Nature 'T is strange that these Men cannot Reflect that when we say God knows Himself or which is the same GOD â—i known by Himself what 's mean't by Knower and Known do formally signifie the Relation and the word GOD and which is the same Himself do signifie the GODHEAD or the same Infinite All-perfect Being in Both. But the Reason he gives for this Consequence exprest in the words For the same Being can be no ways Distinct from it self is such a most Profound piece of Ignorance that 't is Unparallell'd Indeed a being can be no ways Distinct from it self under the Notion of Being for this were to be the same Being and not to be the same Being but that it can be no ways as he says Distinct from it self but it must have a Different Being is against our Common Notions the Common Language and the Common Sense of all Mankind A Child is the same THING or the same BEING when it is grown up to be a Man wherefore this same Being which is now a Perfect or â—ipe Man is now Distinct from its self according to its Quantity which is One Way of being Distinct from its former self The same Man was yesterday in Health and now is Sick and therefore he is Distinct or Different from himself according to those Qualities which is Another Way He was before no Father and now is a Father therefore he is Distnct from his former self according to the Notion or Respect of RELATION which is a Third Way and yet all this while he is the self-same in respect of his Beâ—ng Innumerable are the particular Ways Endless are the Instances that might be given how the same Thing or Being might differ from its self