to be Spiritually Unitive of the Lover to the Thing Loved Our Common Unstudy'd Thoughts and Language gives this to be True If two Friends Love one another dearly all Mankind uses to say They are all One and our B. Saviour prays to His Heavenly Father that He and His Disciples may be One as Himself and his Father are One that is by Mutual Love it being impossible those Words can there bear any other Signification 13. We have seen above That Divine Love which is the Third Person proceeds from the Goodness of the Divine Object or from the Divine Essence Known that is the Father in His own Divine Knowledge in which consists Essential Truth that this Truth is therefore GOD's Greatest Good because this Infinite Truth is the Best Perfection of His Nature as it is Intelligent or Spiritual That because it does thus proceed from the Divine Object in the Divine Knowledge this Third Person does therefore proceed from the Father and the Son immediately and formally according to their Distinct Personalities or Relations and that therefore because no Relation can be grounded on Another Relation but can only Refer what 's Absolute there can be no Reciprocal Opposite or Distinct Relation of the Divine Object-Known to the Lover nor consequently any occasion of conceiving a Fourth Person It remains now to show that since Love by § 12. imports a Spiritual Union or Conjunction of the Lover with that which it Loves therefore from the very Notion of the word Conjoyn'd there must be some Distinction between those which are thus Ioyn'd-together Since what 's in Every Respect One and the Same cannot without Injury to Common Sense be said to be Conjoyn'd with it self in Any Respect that is Conjoyn'd at all But in what manner does this Third Person proceed from the other Two Not according to Likeness or Identity of Nature as did the Son but it presupposes this Likeness Conformity Agreeableness or Identity of Nature in the Object as Known and in the Knower as Knowing it for in this consists that Greatest Good call'd Truth which is the Object of Love and 't is against all our Natural Notions to conceive Actual Love of a thing not Suppos'd to bee Wherefore this Similitude of Nature is not the Formal Motive nor the Manner by which Divine Love proceeds but only this that the other two Persons according to their Distinction of Knower and Known in which consists Divine Truth do integrate as it were that Bonum Dei or Good which is the Adequate Object of the Divine Will The Son therefore proceeds from His Father by having Communicated to Him the same Form as it were or the Divine Nature as an Object which formally constitutes Him a Knower of it and thence a Son The B. Spirit proceeds from the two other Persons as they are a Good to the Divine Nature which it Affects Spiritually clings to or embraces and so becomes or is Actually United or One with it The Former according to our weak manner of Conceiving proceeds as coming from the Object Communicating it self to it the Later by it's being drawn as it were by the Object and â—…oving it self forwards to or rather in reality haâ—ing actually an Union with it The Former by â—ay of Informing or being in the Divine Underâ—â—anding The Later by enamouring the Divine Will to pursue what is conceiv'd to be out of the Lover as such or rather in our case to enjoy it actually Which expression tho' most beseeming a Pure Actuality of Being yet it debars not the Distinction between the Good Enjoy'd and the Enjoyer of it but obliges us to conceive them as thus Distinct. 14. Having thus declar'd the Particularity or Distinction of the Three Divine Persons in order to one another it is seasonable to manifest in the â—ext place what Names and what Effects are peculiarly to be Attributed to each of them as they relate to us Whence it may appear that as our Explication is Agreeable to Right Reason so it is no less Consonant to Holy Scripture and to the Sense and Language of the Christian Church To mention a few Chief ones will hint to us the â—est 15. Since then Being is the First in Order of all our Natural Notions so that we cannot conceive any thing to be Communicated or to deserve Love unless it is Hence the Notion of the Divine Being is justly conceiv'd to be Appropriated to the First Person who is the Beginning and Origin of the rest and communicates it to the Son whence proceeds as was now said the B. Spirit who is Divine Love Hence also since Every thing Acts as it Is He is said to be Author and Cause of all Created Being or the Creatour of all things Hence also He is said to be the Father of all his Creatures in a Natural but less Proper Sense because He gives us our Being and in a more especial manner since His Only Son by taking our Nature upon Him made Himself in some sort our Brother As also in a Civil Sense because it belongs to Fathers to provide for their Children as His Heavenly Providence does for all His Creatures Not to speak how He is a Father in a Spiritual Sense as we are Re-generated by His Grace given us freely for the Merits and by the Means of His Eternal Son whom he sent amongst us to that end 16. What peculiar Attributes are appropriated to the Son is declard above § 10. I only remark here that when he is call'd Verbum the WORD by a Metaphor taken from our Verbum Mentis that is our Conception or Notion of an Object in our Knowing Power we must take heed we do not understand by those words that Imperfect Form of speaking Truth interiourly which is found in Mental Propositions which Affirm or Deny for even in Angels and Separated Souls as has been demonstrated Knowledge is above all Composition of several Notions of which Propositions are made but it must be meant that the Divine Object in which is Essentially all the Metaphysical Verity both of GOD and of all Creatures is most Expressly in Him as He is the Knower of it that is indeed in the very Divine Essence in which the most Actual that is the most Bright and most Universal Truth is Communicated to Him from the Father and is most exactly in Him We must take heed also that when He is call'd Imago Patris and such like some Cartesian or other Ideist catching at the word do not make â—im a meer Picture or Similitude of His Father â—…d that He has not therefore the very Divine created Essence or the Divine Nature in Him â—…t only some Created Similitude of it I must â—…nfess this sutes well enough with the Doctrine Ideas in our Mind which are Spiritual Pourâ—…itures or Resemblances of the Things we know â—…d not the Things themselves But that it sutes â—…ither with Reason or Faith they can never show â—…s for how can meer Fancies agree
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
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
other way nor any other Notion according to which it can be conceiv'd to be Particulariz'd or Distinguisht but that of Relation the formal Notion of which is Ad Aliquid or some way or other Ad Aliud by which too we have seen GOD's Knowing and Loving Himself obliges us to distinguish Him whence follows that the Divine Nature is Distinguisht Relatiuely Nor does this Notion multiply the Common Nature Essentially as did the former way which distinguisht the Common Notion by Essential Differences Both because the Relation by Prelim. X. and XI is not Distinguisht from the Divine Essence it self which is the Reason and Ground of Referring it diversely as also because it springs from a most High Perfection in GOD as He is a Spirit I add and terminates also in a High Perfection under the Notion of Being viz. in that of Personality or Person In a word 't is the Divine Essence which is Distinguisht or Particulariz'd there being nothing else in GOD to be Distinguisht Yet it is not Distinguisht Essentially or according to the precise Notion of Essence or Being but Relatively because it is Infinite in Being and so can be in that Absolute Reâ—â—ct but One. 8. For the same Reason I avoid using the word â—â—dividuum tho' I do not blame others that do â—erhaps I am too scrupulous in it yet I cannot â—â—t think 't is something liable to exception at â—ast comparatively My Reasons are First 'T is â—â—o Logical and Artificial and consequently tho' it has got I know not how out of the Schools into the Language of some well-bred Men to say 't is the same Individual Man yet for all that it is not the Vulgar Speech nor so Natural Secondly Because it is made Particularly such by it's Difference too viz. by the Complexion of it's Accidents and subsuming under the Specifick Notion 't is only a Negation of the Superiour Notions and signifies the same as Ungenerical or Unspecifical Whereas the Word Person has a Positive Signification nor has any reference to the Genus and Species as is seen in Angels And moreover it directly imports the highest Perfection in the Line of Substance and therefore it is fitly Transferrible to GOD. Again the word Individuum being a Logical Term is more subject to wrangle For Artists being the Imposers and as it were Creators of the Words which themselves use and such Men seldom Agreeing in their Thoughts and Meanings nor consenting universally that such a word shall stand for such a Meaning or Notion it happens that some of them do take the Word in one Sense others in another and very frequently ampliate or restrain the Signification of it at pleasure Hence perpetual and if this Inconvenience be not remedy'd by Clear Definitions of such Words Eternal Dissentions must needs ensue And indeed most of the Liâ—igâ—â—â— Disputes and Controversies among Learned Mâ—â— in case the Contesters be Sincere and Disintereâ—â—ed do arise from this Defect now mention'd Froâ— which mischief the Words us'd by the Generalâ—â— to express our Natural Notions are Free for we find by Experience that the Vulgar understand one another very well and easily nor are subject to perpetual Word-skirmishes in their Common Conversation as the Others are 9. Nor can it be inferr'd from this Explication that by the same reason there would be a Trinity of Persons in Angels and Souls Separated when they Know and Love themselves For Self-Knowledge formally consisting in this that the Thing known does Inexist in it's own Knowing Power as an Object or after an Intellectual manner and the Existence and consequently Inexistence of all Creatures being Extrinsecal oâ— Acoidental to them as being given them by Another and not Essential to them or their very Essence as it is in GOD it being one of his Peculiar Attributes Hence iâ— follows that the Relation of Knower and Known is in them Accidental to them as being Grounded on what 's Accidental to their Essences and consequently by Prelim. X. is Identify'd with the Object accidentally only Whence it can make only an Accidental Distinction in them and not a Distinction in their Substance or a Distinction of that most perfect Substantial Notion Person as for the contrary reason it must make in GOD. Add that GOD's Self-Knowledge is properly and perfectly Essential to Him as He is an Infinite Spirit and as it were his Primary Operation by which according to our manner of Conceiving he is Constituted such or rather 〈…〉 Eâ—â—ence as He is a Spirit does consist in it â—â—ereas in Angels and Souls the Knowing the â—…le Extent of Entity and even GOD Himself 〈…〉 the Primary Operation for which Nature inâ—â—nded them and to Know themselves was only 〈◊〉 Means or First-Step to bring them to the â—nowledge of all other Things and thence of GOD And therefore Self-Knowledge is far from being their Primary Operation or that by respect â—o which their Essence was Constituted nor consequently can it distinguish their Substance as it does and must in GOD. 10. Nor lastly can it be thought that the Common Suppositum having all Perfections that can â—â— in the Line of Being and therefore amongst the rest Personality in it does constitute a Fourth Person for since GOD or the Common Suppositum as has been shown is Common to the three Relative Persons or in them all it carries along with it all the Perfections of the Divinity and among the rest the Personality too and communicates it to the Relative Persons as it does all the other Positive or Absolute Perfections in the Godhead Whence they have all of them to subsist or Absolutely to be Persons from the Godhead or the Common Suppositum and that they are Different Persons comes wholly and solely from their Distinct Relations as was prov'd above So that there is no show that the Common Suppositum can make a Fourth or Distinct Person since what 's Common to All or each cannot be Particular or Contradistinguisht to any Nor is there any Opposition of the Common Person to the Relative ones both because it has an Absolute and not a Relative Notion as also because it is so far from being Opposite that it is coincident with them all or with each of them SECT VII That this Distinction of Three Persons puts no Imperfection in the Divine Nature and that they are most-â—itly call'd the Father Son and Holy Spirit 1. GOD being the Author of Order and not of Confusion 't is most worthy His Divine Nature and most Consonant to True Reason that there should be some Order amongst those Threâ— Divine Persons and some Solid Ground for that Order And since all Order amongst More must begin from some One or some First it follows that there must be some One amongst them which is the First or Beginning of that Order and that therefore the Notion of the word Beginning must be Transferr'd to GOD or be Peculiar to some One of those Persons who is GOD provided it can be done
Imperfection or Dependence in Being and all the â—orts of other Priorities but that of Origin 't is impossible to conceive that either of them should be Imperfect or Dependent on the other Again since it is equally Essential to GOD to be Known as it is to Know and GOD cannot be Known without a Knower if this Method of Objecting were Allowable where both are Infinite we might with Equal Reason say That the First Person who is the Divine Object Known depends on the Second as that the Second who is Divine Knowledge depends on the First 'T is a Common Maxim That Relationes mutuo se ponunt auferunt and yet neither of them is said to be Dependent on the Other since Mutual Dependence as to the Same Common Notion is direct Nonsence But the main point is that this Principiation or Origination does not formally respect the DEITY it self or the Common Suppositum any more in One than in the Other but only the DEITY as Related that is the Divine Personalities wherefore the Relation by Prelim. X. XI not being really Distinguisht from but Identify'd with the Ground of Referring cannot out of their formal Notion add any New Perfection unto it especially since the Common Suppositum exprest by the Absolute word GOD which is the Ground of all the Divine Relations has in it the whole Perfection of them All. 8. From this Discourse we see how the Trinity is in the Unity because the Ground of all these Relations that is the Relations themselves and consequently all the Three Persons which are constituted by those Relations are in that One Deity or in the Unity of the Godhead and withall how the Unity of the GODHEAD is in the Trinity of Persons because one and the same Divine Nature is in them all as is evident from these very Terms GOD Knows and Loves Himself Which tho' Mysterious to the Rude and Unelevated Conceptions of Vulgar Discoursers is notwithstanding as has been shown if we take each single consideration of it asunder by our Abstractive or Natural way of conceiving and discourse upon each of them distinctly or as thus aparted is perfectly Consonant to Reason working upon our Natural Notions 9. We come next to consider by what Names this First and Second Person the Divine Nature Known and Knower are to be call'd In order to which we lay these Positions viz. That GOD who is in them both is Living or rather Essentially Life and consequently those two Persons in whom the Godhead is must be Living also Next Knowledge cannot be otherwise conceiv'd but to come or as we use to say prâ—ceed from the Object and therefore the Second Person must proceed from the First Thirdly The Divinity communicates it's own Nature to the Knower as appears by the words Knows himself and also by Reason for otherwise we could not say It is Known if It were not in the Knowledge or Câ—njoyn'd with it Spiritually or intellectually Now if we spell these necessary Truths together all which are imply'd in these words GOD Knows Himself we shall find they compound and not barely imply but fully express that the Definition of a SON is appropriated to the Second Person viz. That He is a Living Person Proceeding from a Living Person whose Nature is of the same Kind as the others and is Conjoyn'd with him or remains in him whence follows that His Correlate must properly and necessarily be call'd a FATHER and lastly that the Procession of Him from His Father can therefore have no other Notion or Word which we have that can â—it it but that of GENERATION 10. Hence it is that Knowledge is Appropriated to the Second Person the SON for which reason He particularly took our Flesh upon Him and came to be our Master and to instruct us in His Holy Law Hence He is call'd Sapientia Patris or Verbum because Knowing does intellectually speak or express the Divine Nature Known by Him as our Conception or Verbum Mentis does the Thing or Truth we conceive Hence He is truly said to be Deus de Deo Lumen de Lumine Deus verus de Deo vero Because the Common Suppositum the GODHEAD is in both and the Divine Nature as He is precisely a Knower is Originiz'd from it self as it 's own Object Hence lastly Because of the Common Nature in both and the Proceeding of One from the Other He is call'd Imago Patris Figura Substantiae ejus c. All which and many other such Expressions are exactly verify'd by the Principles here laid and our Consonant Deductions from them 11. Since then the Notion of Father and Son aâ—e truly attributed to the Common Suppositum exprest by the Absolute word GOD it is not only Fitting but Necessary that those Notions should be the most perfectly such as is Possible to be imagin'd Wherefore since Sons amongst us do proceed from their Fathers according to Specifical Likeness in Nature it is most becoming GOD's Infinite Perfection and His most ultimately Determih'd Essence that is indeed the most Perfect Unity of the GODHEAD it self that His Coeternal Son should proceed from His Eternal Father according to the most Perfect IDENTITY of Nature that can be conceiv'd that is according to the self-same Numerical Nature Wherefore this Divine Procession ought not to be explicated by Analogy to the Specifical Nature of Man and it 's being Common to more Individuals For the Species does necessarily imply some Potentiality tho' the Genus does more and is Determinable as was said by Differences which are Intrinâ—â—cal in the Line of Ens and therefore as was prov'd do constitute formally more Entia that is more Things which have diverse Essences all which is Inconsistent with the Divine Nature Nor ought any Composition of such Superiour or Potential Notions be Transferr'd to GOD. And much less since the Common Suppositum however it be predicated of more Particulars in the Manner explicated above has in it self by virtue of it's own Infinite Self-Existence the utmost Perfection in the Line of Substance and is by reason of it's Purest Actuality more perfectly One Singular Absolute Being than any Suppositum or Individuum is or can be amongst us Creatures 12. And the same partly for the same reason is Mutatis Mutandis to be said of the Third Particular verify'd of GOD or of the Third Person of the most B. Trinity For since it must be granted that GOD Loves Himself and the word Himself in the Predicate of that Proposition signifies the same as the word GOD which is the Subject of it 't is as Evident that the Divine Nature Loving is the same with the Divine Nature Loved as it is that GOD is GOD. But besides that this is Evident from the very Terms or the plain Sense of Words there is Another very Peculiar Reason springing out of the particular Nature of LOVE which according to our Natural and Vulgar Notions by which we are here to guide our selves signifies
a just Title and Appropriation to this Present of mine 'T is This that can best satisfy the World as it does mee that your Thoughts are Truly Great and not detain'd in Insignificant Trifles as too many of your Rank are nor consequently are your Affections plac'd on Low and Contemptible Objects 'T is This that double-guilds Your other Heroical Qualities and sets you on the Highest Pinnacle of Honour There is nothing which more shocks a true-bred Gentleman than a Ly tho' it be but in puntilio's of ordinary Conversation But how exceedingly does a Hearty Lover of Truth refine upon this Common Genius of a Man of Honour Such a Person bids Defiance to the whole Tribe of Errours which are Lies in their several wayes A Falshood in Natural Philosophy gives the Ly to Nature A Falshood or Paralogism in Logick gives the Ly to Human Reason which is the true Nature of all Mankind A Falshood in Metaphysicks gives the Ly to the whole Nature of Being that is to the whole Creation and to the First Being who by his Flat Establisht those Natures You have not yet my Ld. taken the Full Dimensions of the Grandeur to which this High Title A Lover of Truth has rais'd you You may please to reflect that this Mistress whom You affect and court is very neerly Ally'd to Heaven by the Father's side and if You espouse her for You may be sure of her chast Consent if You sincerely affect her You dignity and ennoble your Extraction by a Relation transcendently above what Sublunary Marriages could have given it 'T is then to one of those Greatest of Men or rather one of those Paragons of Mankind that is to a Sincere Lover of TRUTH I dedicate my Book I doubt not but I might have found diverse of those whom the Populace of Scribblers call Patrons or Mecoenasses who out of a vain Consideration â—f being Prais'd in Print would have gratefully accepted it had I been willing out of a Mercenary Humour to prostitute TRUTH to Unqualify'd Persons But how would it have sham'd my Choice and brought my Prudence and Sincerity into Question to make a Present of Pearls to those whose Thoughts are digging in the Dunghil of Worldly Riches and value the Barly-corns of their Opulent Estates above the best Ornament of their Mind Knowledge Such Gifts to those Little-Great Men had been as Improper as to present an Atheist with a Prayer-book who would out of Exteriour Civility or some other Respect seem to accept it kindly but afterward burn the Book and laugh at the Writer Yet all this while I do not pretend to lay any Obligation at all on your Lordship by this Dedication for had this Book been publish'd without it You would presently have made it your own by Perusing it To do which intelligently both your own Natural Genius and your running thorow the Course of your Studies in Learned Company with such Applause has more effectually enabled You than it would some of our old School term-Doctors Such Maturity of Judgment in such Youthful and Green Years would easily enable your Vigorous Understanding to take in and digest the most Elevated Conceptions You see then my Lord I only give you what I could not keep from you and Forced Kindnesses deserve no Thanks tho' I have some Title to your Pardon because it was Your own Worth that layd this Force upon me I had I say just reason to apprehend Your Lordship would have made this Book your own when you had once got it into your hands seeing how sedulously You made a strict Search for every Trifle I had written and never desisted till you had found them â—ll and Purchast them at a dear rate To do which nothing but the Love of Truth could move You since there was neither in them any Affectation of Rhetorick nor Melodious Gingle of Words nor the Diverting Conceits of Romances with which those Gentlemen who dwell in the Middle-story do so contentedly entertain and please their Fancies And if Your Lordship was so intently inquisitive after those Pieces of mine which were less Valuable I had all the reason in the World to think You would not let my Metaphysicks scape your Perusal Which if I may be allow'd to be a Competent Judge of my own Productions is worth them all But I do not altogether blame Your Lordship for your Over-value of my poor Labours because You have it partly Ex Traduce 'T is Hereditary to Your Lordship to have too good an Opinion of my Writings Your Lordship 's Noble Father who is justly accounted the most Universal Scholler of your Nation did formerly tho' perfectly unknown to me give so High and Undeserved a Character of them as would make a Man tho' but indifferently Modest Blush and tempt me to admit some thoughts of vain Self complaisance had I not been provided before hand with an Antidote which is a most clear Demonstration in the Cloze of my Metaphysicks that all the Good we have even to the least tittle does entirely spring from the Inexhausted Bounty of the World 's Great Governour who works every thing in us and by us And why may not this be a second Excuse to the World for making your Lordship this Present upon the Score of Gratitude since the Greatest Honour I can by this Address confer on your Lordship is but a poor Requital of what your Lordships Noble Father was pleas'd to bestow on me I shall add one word more which tho' it may be some Comfort and an especial Honour to Your Lordship yet it is a very great Trouble to me Which is that those High and most Due Encomiums I give Your Lordship as a Zealous Unprecedented Lover of Truth tho this be in reality one of the Highest Commendations Rational Nature is Capable of will not yet draw upon you the least Envy from any No my Lord never fear it let your Pretensions to that Title be never so High You will have but Few Rivals and Competitours This Darling of Heaven TRUTH tho' the most Generous Universal Benefactress to Mankind is in such Disreputâ— with the Generality of our Great Ones except some Few whom I do as highly Honour for their True Worth and Rarity as I contomn the rest that they fancy they should stoop themselves below their Dignity if they maliâ— Her the least part of their Concern And Knowledge tho' imploy'd in Defence of the most Fundamental Article of Christianity is so Unpalatable to their Depraved Tast that it becomes Nauseous To talk to such Men of Establishing any Truth or Explicating Faith by Rational Principles sounds to them like Gibberish They look upon Manly Reason as a kind of Madness as least as Foppish and so strangely are their Brains turn'd that they judge those Discourses which are Solid and go to the bottom to be Aiery Superficial Not considering how this slight Opinion they have taken of TRUTH leaves them wholly to the Conduct of Fancy makes
those Proper Express Similitudes disappear and the Ideists must either bid farewell to their Ideas or Resemblances which will be very Uncomfortable to them or they will find themselves at a great loss For example I would ask them what kind of Thing is this Pourtraiture or Idea of Existence Has it Being or has it none If none 't is Nothing If it be such a Thing as has Being in it it cannot be known without Another Idea nor That without Another Idea and so Endlesly If it be such a Thing as can be in the Mind and known there without any Idea of it why may not Other Things be there too and known by themselves or without any Idea as well as it What even Answer is given I am confident it will be precarious alledg'd gratis Again is the Essence or Nature of this Idea of Existence such that it is Essentially Existent or not If the Former 't is a GOD whose sole Perogative it is to be Essential Existence If the Later then ' its Nature is onely Potential to Existence and not Actual Existence and then how should that which is onely Potential to Existence or onely a Power to Bee be a Resemblance or Similitude of Existence it self that is of Actual Being Many such Exceptions might be brought against such Ideas which are onely Similitudes of Things in our Minds and not the Things themselves Now in our way how impossible is it to oppose any such Difficulties We conceive the Thing Inadequately and make many Abstracted Notions of it and amongst the rest since the Thing does Exist we abstract or cut off This from other Notions of it by considering it precisely according to This Respect and thence we come to have in our Mind the true Notion or Nature of Existence XXII And hence it comes that since amongst our Natural Abstracted Notions which we have from Bodies with which onely we converse either by Direct Impressions or Obvious Reflexion there are some that are very Imperfect Potential and clogg'd with Matter and Others that are more Universal and Defaecated from Matter such as are Act Ens Essence Existent Subsistent Person c. Those who proceed upon the way of Abstracted Notions of the Thing can by discoursing upon those Notions of the Later sort not onely demonstrate those Beings which are of a Superiour Nature to which such Notions stript of their Imperfections do agree as we have done in our Metaphysicks but moreover they become hence enabled to explicate the Mysteries of Christian Faith and shew their Conformity to our Natural Notions as we have shewn in our Appendix that Highest Mystery of the B. Trinity is which makes the Principles of Nature and Art too bear a kind of Secondary Testimony to their Truth Now I would gladly know what Assistance the Way of Ideas can afford us in such a case Similitudes of Angels and of GOD and generally of all Spiritual Natures would be strange Language and the applying them to such Subjects would look very Extravagant 'T is this Way then I much fear which has given occasion to many either to deny Spiritual Natures as do the Atheists or else to apply the worst of Corporeal Attributes to them Rather indeed I may complain that a right Understanding of Spiritual Nature is so stifled and depraved that if care be not taken it will quickly be lost to Mankind 'T is a strange step to it or rather the utmost Attempt of quite destroying and Effacing it out of Men's Minds when we see it openly maintain'd that GOD himself is Spatium reale which is the Notion of Quantity For which reason I have exerted my self in my Metaphysicks to demonstrate explicate the Nature of a Spirit even to force the right Conception of it in despite of the Reluctancy of Fancy XXIII In a word since Ideas are both Unintelligible and altogether Useless I fear ill Use is made of them contrary to the Intention of their Authors it seems but fitting that the Way of Ideas should be lay'd aside nay that the very Word Idea which has got such a Vogue should be no longer heard of unless a good reason may be given why we should use such Words as no Man understands Your Faithful Servant I. S. THE CONTENTS BOOK I. Of the ESSENCES of Compound Entities CHAP. I. Of POWER and ACT. § 1. POWER and ACT are Natural or Common Notions 2. There are Three Sorts of each 3. The First Sort of Power belongs to all Things but the First Being 4. And is Essential to them 5. Hence the Definition of Created Ens is That which is Capable of Being 6. This Power consists in it's Possibility or Non-Repugnance to Bee 7. What Metaphysical UNITY is 8. The Essences of Things Antecedently to their Existence are only in the Divine Intellect 9. How the Cartesian Doctrine leaves no Ens in the World 10. How the Essences of Things are in the Divine Understanding 11. And how they are said to be Eternal 13. In what consists Metaphysical VERITY 14. Hence the First Formal Truths are Identical Propositions 15. Of which there are only Two Sorts 16. Why some Propositions are said to be Aeternae Veritatis 17. The Second sort of Power respects not the Notion of Existence but the Notion of THING 18. In what Sense Bodies are said to be Compounded of This Power and Act. 19. This Second Power MATTER is the Sole Ground of all Mutability 20. Hence Pure Acts are Immutable 21. The Third sort of Power respects Modes or Accidental Acts. 22. Which tho' not Properly Things have yet Analogical Essences 23. What Metaphysical Divisibility and Composition are which give the Ground to all Logick 24. Hence there is not the least Show of Contradiction in the Doctrine of the TRINITY 25. Nor in that of the INCARNATION or other Mysteries of Reveal'd Religion 26. The Difference between Logical and Metaphysical ABSTRACTION 27. That Excellent and most Useful Maxim That There are no Actual Parts in any Compound whatever Demonstrated and Explicated 28. The Ground and Reason of that Solid Maxim Actiones Passiones sunt Suppositorum 29. Hence the Cartesians destroy the Notions of Unum and Ens. 39. The Proper Metaphysical Parts of BODY are the Second sort of Power and Act call'd in Physicks MATTER and FORM. 31. The Possibility or Essence of a BODY consists in the Agreeableness of it's Matter and Form 32. That there is no Real or Actual Distinction in any Ens whatever 33. How many Sorts or Common Kinds of Entities are Possible to be Created 34. Existence is the Ultimate Act of Ens. 35. Wherefore it ought rather to be call'd Actuality than an Act. 36. Hence is Demonstrated that There is a GOD. Advertisement In what Sense we take all the words we use throughout our whole Philosophy MEDITATION The Method how GOD's Providence gave us our Elements of Knowledge and ripen'd our Knowledge afterwards What great Encouragement our Present Acquests have given us and
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
distinctly understood will be signally Useful to defeat almost all the Arguments drawn from Reason by the Deists and if well reflected on clears many Objectionâ— brought against the B. Trinity by the Sociâ—ians and other Anti-Trinitarians opposing the Christian Tenet of the Unity of the Divine Nature in Three Persons and to confute as far as it impugns that Tenet it self that Treatise Entituled A Letter to the Reverend the Clergy of both Universities concerning the Trinity and the Athanasian Creed Which tho' it seems to be the utmost Effort of those Parties and has a very plausible Appearance to those who either are not well skill'd in or do not well reflect on the Laws of Predication and the Use of Humane Language in parallel Cases yet it is easie to show that that piece of Wit and Fancy is utterly void of Art and good Sense and that the Christian Thesis it self if rightly represented is perfectly consonant to the Nature of the Subject the DEITY and to Right Reason and that there is no more show of Contradiction that that most Simple Being should verifie Sending and being Sent Generating and being Generated and such like tho' they be Opposites than it is that the same Infinite Being when GOD knows himself which themselves grant should notwithstanding it 's most perfect Simplicity verifie that he is the Knower and thing Known which are as much Relatively Opposite as are any of the Others Lastly it may be shown very evidently that all the while they oppose the Doctrine of the Trinity those witty Gentlemen do quite mistake the whole Question by confounding what the Deity is in it's self abstracting from any order to our Conceptions or rather as it is above our Conceptions according to which consideration we cannot think or speak of it at all with what GOD is as conceiv'd by us or what as He is the Object of our Understanding His Infinite Essence obliges us truly to conceive and affirm of Him All which may perhaps particularly and at large be shown hereafter 25. Corol. VI. The same Doctrine clears the Mystery of the Incarnation Which clears Objections against the B. Trinity and against the Mystery of the Incarnation also from the least semblance of Contradiction and shows how not only Possible but consonant to right Reason it is that the Humanity of our B. Saviour may be Assum'd by the Second Person of the B. Trinity and yet not be Assum'd by either of the other Persons As also how that Person may supply to it or be united to it immediately according to the Subsistence or Personality and yet not be thus United to it formally according to it's Nature or Essence And the same may be said of the same Doctrine in order to some other Revealed Mysteries of Christian Faith which I here forbear to mention 26. Corollary VI. Hence is clearly discern'd what is the Difference between Logical and Metaphysical ABSTRACTION The Difference between Logical and Metaphysical Abstraction and that Logical Abstraction is of the Generical or Specifical that is of more Common Notions from the Inferioâ—â— ones which is done by taking from these later that precise Consideration iu which they Agree leaving out those in which they Disagree that is by taking meerly what belongs to the Genus or Generical Notion and leaving out or Abstracting from the Differences Whereas Metaphysical Abstraction regards only this that the Notion Nature or Essence of the One is not the precise Notion Nature or Essence of the Other or that both the One and the Other are different Respects or Considerations of the Thing tho' they do both of them stand upon the same Level and neither of them be Higher or Lower in the way of Predication or in the Extent of their Notion than the other In which later Sense of the word Abstraction we use to say that our Soul works or knows things by Abstract or Inadequate Notions 27. From what is said above 't is manifest that there can be no Actual Parts in any Ens whatever whether we conceive That Excellent and Useful Maxim That There are no Actual Parts in any Compound whatever Defended and Explicated it under the Notion of Ens or of such an Ens call'd Body or as affected with such an Intrinsecal Mode or Accident v. g. Quantity or any of the rest For since to Distinguish cannot belong to the Power it being of it self or of it's own nature utterly Indistinct or Indetermiâ—â—te it follows that to Distinguish must properly and only belong to the Act. Wherefore in case those Parts were Distinct Actually they must have Distinct Acts and by consequence the Power or Subject must be made Distinct by having those Distinct Acts in it that is the Subjects must be More under that Notion Therefore Unum being the Property of Ens in what Sense soever the word Ens be taken as is shown § 22. there would in that case be no Unity nor consequently Entity under any Notion left in the World To explicate this more â—…y and show it particularly In case the First â—â—rt of Power call'd Ens and it's Act Existence â—â—d each of them it 's Proper Act which constitutes a Thing and so were Two Things nothing in the World that Exists would be One Thing â—or consequently Unum being the Property of Ens A Thing or Any Thing Also if the Second fort of Power Matter and it 's Act or Form that constitutes Body were Two Things there would be no One Thing of that Sort or no one Body and consequently there would be No Body in Nature And since as will be prov'd hereafter L. 2. § 16. the Complexion of Accidents is the Essential Form which constitutes Body were those Accidents Distinct Things from the Matter and the Matter from them or were they Distinct Things from one another and therefore each of them were Capable of Existing alone or properly Entia there would be no One or No Individual Body in the World but every such Thing would be a Multitude or Many and perhaps Innumerable Or were the Parts that compound Quantity or which is the same the Parts of Body as precisely having Quantity in them Actually Distinct as many Schoolmen hold then each of them as was lately prov'd must have a Distinct Act of that sort to make them Distinct Actually whence they would be in that case Diverse Quanta or Things having divers Quantities in them Wherefore it being Demonstrable that Quantitas est Divisibilis in semper Divisibilia there could be no Quantum or Thing of that Kind in the World but would contain many Lesser Quantums in it and therefore there could be no One or No Quantum and consequently No Thing that had Quantity in it found in Nature Add that those pretended Distinct Actual Parts must be distinguisht by § 17. from others by some Act and yet most of them could have no Act iâ— them to Distinguish them from their Comparts For the Second Power
〈…〉 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
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
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-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
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
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
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
next Consideration that occurs to us in the Order of our Natural Notions is the Act of that Power viz. Existence or Actual Being whence we denominate it Existent of which State as it were of Ens we can only say this for to define Existence is impossible that 't is then put Extra Causas meaning by those words Causa Naturales For while the Operation of these Causes was yet Determining or as we may say Molding or Shaping the Matter so long the Ens or Individuum was Potential in fieri or within the Power of those Causes but when they had once brought that Determination to Perfection by Distinguishing it from all others or making it This and had by that means Fitted it for Existence they having now done their best had no more to do but the First Being puts the last hand to â—…ir Imperfect Workmanship and gives it to 〈…〉 or be Actually whence it is now said to be â—…ra causas Naturales and only under GOD's â—â—wer who as the First Ens and a Pure Actuaâ—…y of Being gives and conserves to all his Creatures their Existence or makes them be Actually But still the bare Notion of Existent does not express or signifie that that Thing does Exist Alone or without the Assistance of Another For the Quantitative Parts in an Element the Natural Parts in a Mixt the Metaphysical Parts or as we call them Secundae Substantiae in an Individual Brute or Man lastly the Modes or Accidents do all of them some way or other Exist For who can say that the whole Exists and yet the Parts of which that whole consists do not at â—â—â— Exist 'T is most Evident then that we do still want Another Notion and Another Word to Conceive and Express a farther Perfection in the Line of Substance than meer Existence affords us viz. the Notion of Existing Alone which none of the other tho' some way Existent had for Parts cannot exist but in the Whole nor Accidents but in the Substance Now this more-perfect Notion which is yet wanting to couceive it Existing Alone we call Subsistence with which Formality when the Thing is once endow'd it is justly conceiv'd to have all the Perfection in the Line of Being which our Natural Notions can attribure to it And hence it is truly conceiv'd to have a Power to make others whether Parts or Modes to Exist which otherwise or without Dependence on this SUBSISTER or Reference to it that is meerly by virtue of their own Notion could not be conceiv'd to be at all Now the Thing as it is Subsistent is that which Learned Men agree to câ—â—â— a Suppositum and which if it be an Intelligeâ—â— Being our Common Language in correspondency to our Natural Notion calls a PERSON That the Natural Notion of Subsistent and Person are distinct from that of Existent is evident from the Vulgar and Unanimous Use of those Words For let an honest Country-Fellow be ask'd how many Things or how many Persons are in such à Room he will not reckon Parts or the Model but the whole Things and the Intelligent Animals which only do properly Exist of themselves or Alone that is which subsist And yet they will if put to it acknowledge that both those Parts and those Modes do some way Exist Wherefore 't is Evident that he meant to reckon only those which Subsist or Exist Alone and not what he thought did exist by means of Another So that 't is plain he has naturally in his Mind the Distinction of Existent and Subsistent tho' if you ask him to give an account of this Distinction between them he will be at a plunge as he would be also were he put to give an account of the Distinction of Moist Dry Hard c. For Reflexion on his Natural Notions or Distinguishing them formally is not his Talent And yet he knows after his rude manner what he means by those Words and that there is a Distinction between those Qualities Of what exceeding Use this Distinguishing our Notions exactly is in Philosophy both to Discourse clearly and to bring the Mystical and less-intelligible Language of the Schools to a Literal and Natural Sense is left to the Judgment and Reflexion of Learned Men What use we shall make of it in this present Appendix will be â—… hereafter In the mean time applying this â—…scourse to Prelim. II III and IV. it is hence â—…ident that if the Notion of Subsistent be Diffeâ—â—nt from the Notions or Respects of Ens Essence â—â—d Existence there can be no show of Contraâ—â—ction that the same thing is One according to 〈…〉 Nature or it's Existence and yet be Not-onâ— â—â—t Three according to the Notion or Respect of â—…sistence or Personality because the Respect is Dâ—â—…erse as also why the Second Person may â—e United or One in Respect of the Personality and â—â—t Not-one but Two according the Respect of â—â—'s Nature or Essence 12. Prelim. XII As for our Natural Notion of Relation it adds no New Perfection to the Thing â—elated and what 's in it but 't is the very Thing it self in our Understanding as it gives our â—ind the Reason or Ground of Relating it or Reâ—â—â—â—ing it to Another For Example The Relation of Likeness between two Things that are White is nothing but those very Things as they have Whiteness in them which our Mind comâ—aring according to that precise Respect and Conâ—â—dering One of them in order to the Other apprehends there is such a Relation between them â—â—d accordingly denominates them Alike Thus the Relation of Equality between two things each â—â— which is a Yard Long is nothing but the Things which have that Quantity in them Common to â—oth which our Referring Power comparing One of them to the Other gains thence a Relative Notion of Equality between them and denominates them Equal Thus the Relation of Identity in Nature between Two Men is nothing but those very Natures Compar'd as aforesaid whence we truly conceive there is a Relation of Identity between them Which will better appear by this that if we ask what is the Formal Reason why one of those Things are said to be Alike Equal or the Same with the Other the Proper and Natural Answer would be because they are both of them White a Yard Long or a Man which shows that the Ratio as the Schools call it or Essence of Relation is Intrinsecal to the Thing it self and in reality It. 13. Prel XIII Hence tho' the Act of our Understanding is Necessary to the Referring those Correlates actually yet the Formal Notion or Ratio of those Relations themselves is entirely taken from what 's in those Subjects that are Related nor does that Act of ours enter into the Relation it self or bear any part in it This is very Evident because 't is not the Act of the Understanding Comparing those Things which is Denominated Alike Equal or the Same but the Things themselves which are Compar'd or are the Objects
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
of GOD is at present the Subject of our Discourse or that which we are to explicate our Question being Whether GOD is not Truly One in Nature or Essence and Three according to the Notion of Person Hence 't is most fittirg we should take our Rise and Ground our Discourse from the Divine Nature it self consider'd as it is conceiv'd by us according to our Natural Notions as is declar'd above 2. And because many Attributes are held to belong to the Divine Nature therefore to make our Explication more facil and succinct we will pitch upon One or Two Attributes or Predicates which are granted by all to belong to GOD's Nature viz. That it is Spiritual or that GOD is an Infinitely Perfect Spirit 3. Moreover seeing all we know of Spiritual Natures or the First and most Obvious and withall the most True Conception we have of them is that they are such Beings as have Understanding and Will and therefore that they do Know and Love such Objects as are proportion'd to their pitch or Agreeable to their Natures we are thereupon to build our Explication on these Two Operations Proper to our Soul and to other Created Spiritual Natures and thence Transfer â—hem to GOD which we may safely do without danger of putting any Imperfection in GOD in regard those Attributes are the Greatest Perfection of Spiritual Natures and even Essential to them so that we need no more but only abstract from them the Limitedness or Finiteness necessarily annexâ— to all Creatures and conceive GOD to be Infinite under these Considerations as is declar'd Prel VII 4. Farther because that Knowledge and Love are Imperfect which are exercis'd about Unworthy Objects and those are most Perfect which are employ'd about the Best and Noblest Objects that can be imagin'd and only the Divine Nature is the most Excellent Object It follows that since no Notion that is Imperfect is to be Attributed to GOD Therefore the Knowledge and Love which we attribute to Him must be the Knowledge and Love of the Best of all Objects Himself and thence we must affirm without the least fear of Injuring the Divine Nature that GOD Knows and Loves Himself because to deny Him this would make the Divine Nature most highly Imperfect nay more Imperfect than Created Spiritual Natures are especially if they are Pure Acts. 5. Moreover this Knowledge and Love of Himself is as it were the Primary Operation of the Deity as it is a Spirit Wherefore since the Primary Operation of all Creatures we converse with has been prov'd to be That which constitutes their Essences we cannot but judge that considering GOD according to our Natural Notions this Knowledge and Love of Himself is in that regard most Essential to GOD as He is a Spirit 6. This Fundamental Principle then being laid as the Groundwork of all our ensuing Explication since by Prelim. II. and as plain Reason tells us we are to discourse consequently of those True Notions we have of GOD so they imply no Imperfection we are to consider next what Genuine Consequences do follow from this Position 7. It follows then hence immediately that the Divine Nature does Verifie the Notions of Knower and Thing Known Lover and Thing Loved and that there is in the Divine Nature that which answers to those Distinct Notions nay which obliges us to say they are Distinct. For 8. 'T is impossible to conceive that the Notions of Knower and Thing Known and the same is to said of Lover and Thing Loved should be the same Notion and not Contradistinct and some way Opposite to one another First Because plain Sense manifests they are counterpos'd Next the Art of Logick which is entirely Grounded on our Natural Notions and perfectly Distinguishes them informs us certainly that there is a Relative Opposition and consequently an unavoidable Distinction between them Thirdly The Thing Known and Lov'd do evidently import the Object of Knowledge and Love and what 's Objected cannot but be Distinct or some way Other from That to which 't is Objected Fourthly they being clearly Relatives the very meaning of the word Ad which formally expresses all Relation must forcibly signifie there is some sort of Distinction between them Lastly They are Correlatives which can have no Sense but this that they mutually respect one another Now that Knower and Thing Known should mutually respect one another and yet there should not be in some Sense One and Another is perfect Nonsense and meer Contradiction 9. Hence follows that there must be some kind of Distinction in the Divine Nature it self since Predicates that do necessarily bear Distinction in their very Notion are truly verify'd of it Nor can Distinction be in any thing but it must make it some way or other Distinct. 10. Nor can this Distinction proceed from the Imperfection of our Understanding as it does when we distinguish other Divine Attributes but it proceeds from the Soveraign Perfection of the Divine Nature it self which is to Know and Love Himself Nor does our Understanding in conceiving this deform our True Conception of the Deity but the true Conception of the Deity it self does thus Inform our Understanding and obliges us to affirm thus of it 11. Hence this Distinction which those words God Knows and Loves Himself do put in the Divine Nature is Real Not only because the Divine Self-Knowledge does Verifie it but also because it is not grounded on our weak manner of Conceiving it but as was shown §§ 4. 5. on the Perfection of GOD's Essence 12. Hence as we transfer to GOD the Notions of Justice Mercy Power Wisdom c. which we find in Creatures by observing such Effects proceeding from Him as use to proceed from such like Perfections in us or among us so with the same and far better Reason we may transfer to Him the Notions of Knowing and Loving Himself and consequently of Distinction between those Relative Notions of Knower and Known which are in Him and objectively Him by Priel 10. 11. 13. To understand this more clearly we may reflect that the Names of those Virtues which we Transfer to GOD do not in their Notion import that one of them is not another nor hinder but they may all be compriz'd in one Eminently Perfect Attribute I believe that I have shown Solid Philosophy Asserted Reflection XV. that all Virtues even amongst us are comprehended in that one Notion Right Reason working on such or such Objects in such and such Occasions Much more easily may they all be center'd in that one most Perfect Formality of GOD's Essence Whence all the Distinction of those Attributes as they are in GOD must necessarily be refunded into our manner of conceiving them by diverse Acts or Abstracted Conceptions But now when we conceive that GOD Knows Himself and the same may be said of his Loving Himself the business is quite otherwise For the very Notion of Self-Knowledge does essentially import Distinction of Knower and Known Even Knowledge amongst
Relatively For a Relation cannot be the immediate Reason or Ground of Another Relation otherwise there might be processiâ—s in infinitum But the main Reason why this cannot be is because it is not the Relation it self which is Referr'd but the Thing and Relation must necessarily be in thâ—se things which are Related 9. Wherefore however the Divine Lover when GOD Loves himself cannot but have a Relation to the Thing Loved because Love proceeds from the Goodness of the Object and it's Agreeableness to it 's that is to GOD's Nature yet there is no Mutual Relation from the Thing Loved to the Lover or to the Love of it For the Greatest Good and Perfection of an Intelligent or Knowing Nature is Truth and Truth does formally consist in this that the Object is so in the Understanding as it is in it's self which is in our case that the Divine Object Known is in the Divine Knowledge or truly conceiv'd by it Whence Love proceeds formally properly and immediately from both according to their Relative Notions by which they are Distinguisht and not from the Absolute Notion which is Common to them both Wherefore since by § 9. no Relation can be grounded on another Relation and in case there were a Mutual Relation to the Lover it must proceed or be grounded on the Relations of Knower and Known it follows that there can only be Three Relations and consequently by §§ 4. and 5. as will be shown but Three Particulars in the Deity nor can any more be attributed to it according to our best Reason directed by True Principles and proceeding upon our Natural Notions That the Common Suppositum does not infer a Fourth Particular will be seen Sect. VI. § 10. Corollary Since Divine Love proceeds from this that the Object is so in the Knower as it is in it self which is the Formal Notion of TRUTH Hence 't is seen how much our Love ought to be set on Truth which is the Natural Perfection of our Mind how Like GOD those Noble Souls are whose Chief Affection is addicted to Truth especially Divine Truths On the other side how Ignoble and Unlike GOD those Mean and Depraved Souls are who disregard TRUTH and think the care of Promoting it is below their Empty Temporary Greatness SECT VI. That these Three Particulars are most fitly called PERSONS 1. THE next Question is What Natural Notion of ours does most properly fit those Three Particulars which we have been obliged to put in the Divine Nature and what Word of ours does most fitly and in the Common Usage of it express that Notion For since we have granted in our Fifth Preliminary that Christian Faith was Deliver'd at first in such Language as exprest our Natural Notions that is in such as was Usual in those Times and Places and Intelligible by the Generality in their respective Circumstances it cannot be deny'd but that we stand engag'd to show that our Explication must likewise observe the same Rule as to those Words which we pretend do signifie the Point of Faith it self as exprest in our Catechisms and Creeds 2. To perform this as we ought we will consider first of what Notion or Nature those Particulars must be conceiv'd to be and because we have no Natural Notion but either of Substance or it 's Modes it follows that those Three Particulars we speak of must either be Particular according to the first sort of Notion Substance or else according to some of the Later Wherefore to clear this Point and determine under which of these Notions they are Particulariz'd we are to consider what it is that is thus Particulariz'd and our former Discourse shows that it is the Common Suppositum or that which is that Absolute Notion we call GOD which is here Particulariz'd or has these Particulars in it And indeed there needs no more but these words God Knows and Loves Himself to evince this For it is hence as Evident as plain Words can make any thing that 't is GOD who is the Knower Thing Known and Lover which Notions give us or rather are those very Particulars we speak of Now since the word GOD cannot be thought to belong to or be with any Sense referr'd to any other of those Heads then that of Substance or Being whence as consider'd in an Absolute and not in a Relative Sense he is call'd the First Being hence 't is GOD conceiv'd under the Notion of Being or Substance which is Particulariz'd And though GOD be not particulariz'd Substantially or according to the Manner Substances are particulariz'd amongst us which is that the Common Abstracted Indeterminate or Potential Notions of the Genus or Species be Divided and Determin'd under the Notion of Ens by means of Essential or Intrinsecal Differences and so make more Entia for this as was said lately cannot be said of the Pure Actuality and Unity of the Divine Nature Yet he may be particulariz'd by reason of the Relative Conceptions verify'd of Him which we have shown do not induce any Imperfection at all Yet as it is only the Common Suppositum or GOD taking that word in an Absolute Sense which is Related so it is only what 's signify'd by GOD or the Primum Ens which is the Thing Particulariz'd This being then manifest and Particulars under the Notion of Substance being most necessarily held to be Particular Supposita and if they be Intelligent PERSONS it follows that these Three Particulars or Suppositums in GOD are fitly and properly to be call'd Three Divine PERSONS And he who will deny any part of this Discourse stands obliged to show either that there are not Three Particulars in the Divine Nature or that it is not the Divine Nature under the Notion of Substance which is the Thing Related and thence Particulariz'd or that Particulars under the Notion of Substance are not to be call'd in true Speech Suppositums and if they be Intelligent in a vulgar word PERSONS He must also assign some other Notion under which we are to conceive them and invent some other Name suteing with our Natural Notions by which we may call them And lastly he stands bound to answer the Reasons I have brought in my foregoing Explication for each of those Points None of which if he pleases to go to work like a Scholler and not Act a Banterer and Droll he can I am sure ever be able to perform 3. This being so plain I am sorry I must declare that I am much dissatisfy'd that any Christian Writer speaking of the B. Trinity should assert that the word PERSON is now become a Term of Art Whereas we have no word more Proper or more Usual to express a Particular Subsistent Being that is withall Intelligent than the word Person is For let us ask all Mankind and even the rudest Vulgar how many Persons there are in such a Place They will candidly reckon up to us only the Men and Women and not the Stools Chairs or Irrational
with such Sublime Realities or Erroneous Foundations support the Truth of Faith in the Opinion of Doubâ—…ers by giving Consonant and Genuine Explications of it 17. The Third Person Divine Love is call'd 〈…〉 Comforter or Strengthener because nothing more gives our Souls such Strength to resist the Assaults of our Spiritual Enemies break thorow â—ll Difficulties and press forwards vigorously to atâ—ain our True End Eternal Happiness which is â—he Sight of GOD than does an Ardent Love of â—im which Every thing acting as it is is the â—â—culiar Gift of the Holy Ghost who is not only by His Common Essence as are also the rest but also by the Particularity of his Person DIVINE LOVE For the same reason He is call'd a Spiâ—itual Unction because it was customary to Anoint â—hose with Oil who were to exert their Strength 〈…〉 any Encounter or Exercise to give their Limbs greater Force and Agility For the same reason He is call'd Fire which in an Ordinary Metaphor is apply'd to an Ardent Love and thence he came down in Tongues of Fire because Fire is the most Active and Purest Body we have and in regard Love does enflame the Spirits to pursue the Good we affectionately long for For this reason also He is call'd our Spiritual Life because Life consists in Self-moving and nothing moves us so efficaciously as Love which is the proper Act of the Will that Faculty that sets all our Inferiour Powers on work And for the same reason He is called particularly the Spirit because as the Animal Spirits in the Body give us all our Natural Motion so Divine Love his peculiar Name and Nature gives us all our Supernatural Tendency to Heaven so that no External or Interiour Actions we perform do avail us or bring us the least Step nearer our True End Eternal Happiness unless either out of an Immediate or Remote Intention it be done out of that Regard or Intuitus Another reason why He is call'd Spirit which properly signifies Breath is Because Breath and Life are in common speech Equivalent While I breath and while I live having the same signification as have also to Expire and to Die Lastly since Heavenly Love which Divines call Sanctifying Grace is our Supernatural Life which as was said the Peculiar Influence of the Third Person does as it were inspire or breath into our Souls hence He is from this Effect by a Specifical Appellation call'd the HOLY GHOST or Holy Spirit For none can think He is call'd Spirit meerly because He is of a Spiritual Nature since this is an Attribute of the GODHEAD and therefore Common to all the Three Persons nor because He proceeds from the Father and the Son by a kind of Imaginary Action call'd Spiration of which I must for my part confess I can make no Conception nor how it comes to be Transferr'd to GOD. 18. I may perhaps incurr some Censure for denying the Procession of the Holy Ghost is to be explicated by Spiration of which Word many Great Men have made use The best way to clear my self from affecting Singularity is to give my Reasons why I dislike it and submit them to the Judgment of our Peers First Faith as was shewn Preliminary V. must have been deliver'd in such Language as is apt to signify our Natural Notions Secondly Hence tho' it may be allowed to Learned Men in Explicating this Mystery to make use upon occasion of some Term of Art which is current in Schools yet is it utterly Disallowable to use any which has not for its Sense some Natural Notion of Mankind otherwise it will Blunder the Explication instead of Clearing it Thirdly It is agreed and most Consonant to Reason that no Notion taken from Material Beings ought to be Transferr'd to GOD but by the Intervention of Spiritual ones to which they are Metaphosically apply'd in regard He is of a Spiritual and not of a Corporeal Nature Fourthly There can be no Spiritual Notion that respects the Internal Nature of a Spirit but Being Knowledge Will and the Objects of these too last which determin their Internal Operations Fifthly There is none of all these that seems Proper to signify the Procession of Divine Love by Spiration Not Being for That if Compleat Stayes in its self as being the most Absolute Notion nor can it respect any other Notion conceivable in GOD otherwise than as an Object Not Knowledge for that is an Immanent Act and is compleated in this that the Object be such in the Knower as it is in its self whereas Spiration has a Notion of something Transitive to Another Sixthly It has too much of Action in it's Formal Notion which may hazard to breed a Conceit of Efficiency and Effect And lastly Because as apply'd here to signifie a Procession from Father and Son it can have no one Notion in it and therefore it has None For since the Holy Ghost does proceed from them according to their Personalities that is from the Divine Essence as Known and as the Knower of it and there can be no one Notion Common to Thing Known and Knower which are so widely Different being toto genere Disparate and Contradistinct but Being my Dulness cannot comprehend what one Notion the word Spiration can signifie since it cannot be Univocally Apply'd to both nor how it sutes with our Natural Notions we have of Spiritual Natures nor in what manner or for what reason it is Transferr'd to GOD which makes me doubt that meerly the word Spiritus apply'd particularly to the Holy Ghost was the best Ground of this recourse to Spiration and not the Notion of any Virtue or Operation which Nature has given us of a Spiritual Being Notwithstanding I doubt not but these Great Divines had some good meaning in it tho' it colours not with my Thoughts Nay that they meant the same in substance which I do tho' perhaps I do more nicely â—ift the Propriety of Words in handling such a Delicate Point than they did And the same I doubt not may be said of all those Learned Writers who have of late Explicated this Mystery variously of which the Anti-Trinitarians do very frivolously make great Brags and hope to get some Advantage by it I say very frivolously For the Article of Faith it self Abstracts from all Explications and stands Firm on it's own Grounds Divine Revelation tho' both They I and Others should all of us fall short in Explicating it right in every particular Thus much concerning the Names and peculiar Attributes of the Three Persons and the Congruous Reasons why we apply such Attributes to each 19. Notwithstanding all that is said above concerning these Appropriations in the performing Different Effects belonging to the Particular Notion and as it were Genius of each Person as such whenever GOD does any thing ad extra or produces any Effect in His Creatures the Whole Trinity concurs to that Action For since nothing can work but it must have the Being or Essence
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
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
which Self-Knowledge and Self-Love makes in them and which is the Immediate Ground of those Relations cannot make Distinction in their Substance Whereas in GOD in whose Essence there can be no Accidents nor any thing Accidental but purely Substance Self-Knowledge and Self-Love must necessarily Distinguish and consequently Particularize the Substance and hence Particulars of a Substance which is Intelligent being in proper Speech call'd Persons it obliges us to put a TRINITY of PERSONS in the same Divine Nature or in the UNITY of the GODHEAD 6. Perhaps it may be Objected That I am inconsistent with my self while I say that there are no Accidents in GOD and therefore only His Substance is Particulariz'd whence we infer Plurality of Persons and yet we put Relation in GOD which is an Accident I answer that as appears by our State of the Question we do not put Relations in GOD as He is in Himself but only as He is Conceiv'd by us and that as we conceive Him according to our Natural Notions it is impossible to conceive or speak of Him otherwise To the Objection 't is Reply'd that we do not Transfer the Notion of Relation to GOD without stripping it first of its Imperfection which is to inhere in GOD as in its Subject or as a Mode of it which implies Potentiality in the Subject and Dependence on it in the Form We have already shown that Relation meerly as Relation does add no Perfection or Imperfection to that on which 't is Grounded and which has an Absolute Notion As Likeness between two Things that are White adds in neither of them the least Perfection or Imperfection to their Absolute Notion that is it makes neither of them more or less White Wherefore the Relations in GOD are as Essential to Him as is the Knowing and Loving Himself which Grounds these Relations Nor is this Peculiar in the Relative Notions we apply to GOD for Mercy Justice Goodness c. and the rest of such Attributes are Qualities in us and exprest as such and yet they are Essential to the DEITY and have their Natures which they had as Accidents Dignify'd to be several Inadequate Conceptions of the Divine Essence it self SECT X. Of what vast Importance and most Efficacious Influence the Belief of the Blessed TRINITY is to Christian Life and to the raising our Thoughts and Affections towards Heaven 1. I Doubt not but the Anti-Trinitarians will complain sadly of the Christian Church as barbarously Uncharitable for cutting off from the Body of their Society Excommunicating and delivering over to Satan so many well-meaning Persons who embrace their Sentiment They will ask why the Denying a Tenet which is meerly Speculative should be so hainously taken and severely resented They will be apt to liken Church-Governours to those hot-headed School-Divines who all-to-be-Heretick those who will not allow their Opinion They will pretend that as long as Men do sincerely Worship the only True GOD and keep His Commandments which they will profess they do from their Hearts hold and intend no more can in reason be requir'd Is not this enough will they say for Salvation Must the Seamless Coat of Christ be torn and shatter'd to pieces Charity and Church-Communion be violated in the height for the sake of a Speculative Tenet which however it may please some can sute with the Fancies of very Few perhaps None if they would but lay aside their Customary Belief which Education and not Judgment has given them and set themselves seriously to reflect how Uncouth it is to their Reason and how utterly Unuseful Ineffectual and of no Influence at all it is to Good Life Piety and Virtuous Action Thus they will plead for their Impious Doctrine and Schismatical Fact and their Apology will be receiv'd with Applause by all the Latitudinarian Party For nothing is so Cheap and Costs so little and withal is so Necessary for those who are destitute of Solid Reasons as 't is to Affect and have Recourse to Godly Cant 2. In Answer First we will speak to the Persons and their Guilt or Innocence then to the Point it self We ask then those Rabbies of the Anti-Trinitarians Who taught them that piece of Doctrine which they proceed upon as if it were a a Self-evident Principle that the way to determine what we are to Believe what not is to begin our Enquiry by scanning the Articles of Faith themselves by our Common and Obvious Reason and to make This the Test of what we are to Accept what to Reject For First they cannot but see â—hat this takes away the very Notion of Faith out â—f the Hearts of Mankind I suppose by Reason â—hey mean Evident Reason for otherwise they â—ust grant that this Rule of theirs is Uncertain â—nd therefore can be no Rule at all And if they will not believe but upon Evident Reason then 't is Science and so farwell all Faith Secondly If they say they intend only to Evidence the Opposite Tenet to be False and not any Point of Faith to be True we are but where we were For where the Tenets in Question are Contradictories as 't is here he that Evidences the Trinity of Persons in the GODHEAD to be False does with the same Labour and at the same time Evidence the Unity of Person in the same GODHEAD to be True Since then this later is a Point of Faith with them they must still grant that by Evidencing this they turn Faith into Science Thirdly This Tenet amongst others was held by themselves e're they renounc'd it to have come to them by Divine Revelation wherefore they are convinced by recurring to this New Rule of Humane Reason to bid adieu to all Divine Revelation and so they fall in with the Deists For why should one Point of Faith be received upon their Rule of Humane Reason and not All. Fourthly They are False to their own Rule and their own Pretence and therefore are not to be Credited nor without some straining of Charity to be excus'd as to their having Sincere Intentions An Evident Proof can be no other but a clear Demonstration and to this I have not observ'd they ever so much as pretended 'T is easie to call any pretty probable Proof an Evidence so it be but sutable to Fancy But Demonstration carries something that is Manly Decisive and Victorious in its Notion to which therefore 't is dangerous for Plausible and Probable Discoursers to pretend A True Demonstration must be built on Principles that are Evident and finally reducible to Self-Evidence So must the Consequence of it too and the Medium must be such as is most necessarily Connected with the two Extremes What I affirm then is that they have not Produc'd so much as One Demonstration however they would have it â—hought they have though they cautiously mince it in the Expression If they have any such let us see it let us hear of it I will grant them that any One which is truly such will
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