Inanimate, and found their Essence confined in _Corporeity_ and in some,
one thing, or more superadded to it. And thus he attain'd a Notion of
the Forms of Bodies, according to their differences. These were the
first things he found out, belonging to the Spiritual World; for these
Forms are not the objects of Sense, but are apprehended by Intellectual
Speculation. Now among other things of this kind which he discover'd, it
appear'd to him that the _Animal Spirit_, which is Seal'd in the Heart
(as we have mention'd before) must necessarily have some _Quality_
superadded to its _Corporeity,_ which rendred it capable of those
wonderful Actions, different Sensations and Ways of apprehending Things,
and various sorts of Motions; and that this _Quality_ must be its
_Form_, by which it is distinguish'd from other Bodies (which is the
same that the Philosophers call the Sensitive Soul) and so in Plants,
that which was in them the same that radical Moisture was in Beasts, was
something proper to them, which, was their _Form_, which the
Philosophers call the Vegetative Soul. And that there was also in
inanimate things, (_viz_. all Bodies, besides Plants and Animals, which
are in this sublunary World) something peculiar to them, by the Power of
which, every one of them perform'd such _Actions_ as were proper to it;
namely, various sorts of Motion, and different kinds of sensible
Qualities, and that thing was the Form of every one of them, and this is
the same which the Philosophers call _Nature_.
§ 43. And when by this Contemplation it appear'd to him plainly, that
the true Essence of that _Animal Spirit_, which he had been so intent,
was compounded of Corporeity, and some other Quality superadded to that
Corporeity, and that it had its Corporeity in common with other Bodies;
but that this other Quality which was superadded, was peculiar to it
self: Immediately he slighted and despis'd the Notion of Corporeity, and
applied himself wholly to that other superadded Quality (which is the
same that we call the _Soul_) the Nature of which he earnestly desired
to know. Therefore he fix'd all his Thoughts upon it, and began his
Contemplation with considering all Bodies, not as Bodies, but as endu'd
with _Forms_, from whence necessarily flow these Properties, by which
they are distinguish'd one from another.
§ 44. Now by following up this Notion, and comprehending it in his Mind,
he perceiv'd that all Bodies had one _Form_ in common, from whence one
or more Actions did proceed. And that there were some of these, which
tho' they agreed with all the rest in that one common Form, had another
Form besides superadded to it, from whence some Actions proceeded. And
further, that there was another sort, which agreeing with the rest in
those two Forms which they had, was still distinguish'd from them by a
third Form, superadded to those other two, from whence also proceeded
some Actions. For instance, all Terrestrial Bodies, as Earth, Stones,
Minerals, Plants, Animals, and all other heavy Bodies, do make up one in
Number, which agree in the same _Form_, from whence flows the Property
of_descending_ continually, whilst there is nothing to hinder their
Descent: And whensoever they are forc'd to move upwards, if they are
left to themselves, they immediately, by the Power of their _Form_, tend
downwards again. Now, some part of this Number, _viz_. Plants and
Animals, tho' they do agree with all that Multitude before mention'd, in
that _Form_; yet still have another _Form_ superadded to it, from whence
flow _Nutrition_ and _Accretion._ Now the meaning of _Nutrition_ is,
when the Body that is nourish'd, substitutes in the room of that which
is consum'd and wasted from it self, something of the like kind, which
it draws to it self, and then converts into its own Substance.
_Accretion_, or Growing, is a Motion according to the three Dimensions,
_viz. Length, Breadth,_ and _Thickness_, in a due Proportion. And these
two Actions are common to Plants and Animals, and do without doubt
spring from that Form which is common to them both, which is what we
call the _Vegetative Soul_. Now part of this Multitude, _viz._ Animals,
tho' they have the first and second Forms in common with the rest, have
still a third Form superadded, from which arise Sensation and Local
Motion, Besides, he perceiv'd that every particular _Species_ of
Animals, had some Property which, distinguish'd it, and made it quite
different from the rest, and he knew that this Difference must arise
from some Form peculiar to that _Species_, which was superadded to the
Notion of that Form which it had in common with the rest of Animals. And
the like he saw happen'd to the several kinds of Plants.
§ 45. And it was evident to him, that the Essences of those sensible
Bodies, which are in this sublunary World, had some of them more
Qualities superadded to their _Corporeity_, and others, fewer. Now he
knew that the Understanding of the fewer, must needs be more easie to
him, than the Understanding of those which were more in number. And
therefore, he endeavour'd to get a true Notion of the Form of some one
thing, whose Essence was the most simple and uncompounded. Now he
perceiv'd that the Essence of Animals and Plants consisted of a great
many Properties, because of the great variety of their Operations; for
which reason, he deferr'd the enquiring into their Forms. As for the
Parts of the _Earth_, he saw that some of them were more simple than
others, and therefore resolv'd to begin his Enquiry with the most simple
of all. So he perceiv'd that _Water_, was a thing, whose Essence was not
compounded of many Qualities, which appear'd from the Paucity of those
Actions which arise from its Form. The same he likewise observ'd in the
_Fire_, and _Air_.
§ 46. Now he had a Notion before, that all these four might be chang'd
one into another; and therefore there must be some one thing which they
jointly participated of, and that this thing was Corporeity. Now 'twas
necessary, that this one thing which was common them all, should be
altogether free from those _Qualities_, by which these four were
distinguish'd one from the other; and be neither _heavy_ nor _light_;
_hot_ nor _cold; moist_ nor _dry_; because none of these Qualities were
common to all Bodies, and therefore could not appertain to _Body_ as
such. And that if it were possible to find any such Body, in which there
was no other Form superadded to _Corporeity_, it would have none, of
these Qualities, nor indeed any other but what were common to all
Bodies, with what Form soever endu'd. He consider'd therefore with
himself, to see if he could find any one Adjunct or Property which was
common to all Bodies, both animate and inanimate; but he found nothing
of that Nature, but only the Notion of _Extension,_ and that he
perceiv'd was common to all Bodies, _viz_. That they had all of them
_length, breadth_, and _thickness_. Whence he gather'd, that this
Property belong'd to Body, as Body. However, his Sense could not
represent to him any Body existent in Nature, which had this only
Adjunct, and was void of all other Forms: For he saw that every one of
them had some other Quality superadded to the said _Extension_.
§ 47. Then he consider'd further, whether this Three-fold _Extension_,
was the very Essence of Body or not; and quickly found, that besides
this _Extension_, there was another, in which this Extension did exist,
and that this Extension could not subsist by it self, as also the Body
which was extended, could not subsist by it self without Extension. This
he experimented in some of those sensible Bodies which are endu'd with
Forms; for Example, in Clay: Which he perceiv'd, when moulded into any
Figure, (Spherical suppose) had in it a certain Proportion, Length,
Breadth, and Thickness. But then if you took that very same Ball, and
reduc'd it into a Cubical or Oval Figure, the Dimensions were chang'd,
and did not retain the same Proportion which they had before, and yet
the Clay still remain'd the same, without any Change, only that it was
necessary for it to be extended into Length, Breadth, and Thickness, in
some Proportion or other, and not be depriv'd of its Dimensions: Yet it
was plain to him from the successive Alterations of them in the same
Body, that they were distinct from the Clay itself; as also, that
because the Clay could not be altogether without them, it appear'd to
him that it belong'd to its Essence. And thus from this Experiment it
appear'd to him, that Body consider'd as Body, was compounded of two
Properties: The one of which represents the _Clay_, of which the Sphere
was made; The other, the _Threefold Expression_ of it, when form'd into
a Sphere, Cube, or what other Figure soever. Nor was it possible to
conceive _Body_, but as consisting of these two Properties, neither of
which could subsist without the other. But that one (namely, that of
Extension) which was liable to Change, and could successively put on
different Figures, did represent the Form in all those Bodies which had
Forms. And that other which still abode in the same State, (which was
the _Clay_, in our last Instance) did represent _Corporeity,_ which is
in all Bodies, of what Forms soever. Now that which we call _Clay_ in
the foregoing Instance, is the same which the Philosophers call _Materia
prima_ [the first Matter] and [Greek: Hylè], which is wholly destitute of all
manner of Forms.
§. 48. When his Contemplation had proceeded thus far, and he was got to
some distance from sensible Objects, and was now just upon the Confines
of the intellectual World, he dissident, and inclin'd rather to the
sensible World, which he was more used to. Therefore he retir'd from the
Consideration of abstracted _Body_,(since he found that his Senses could
by no means reach it, neither could he comprehend it) and applied
himself to the Consideration of the most simple sensible Bodies he could
find, which were those four, about which he had been exercis'd. And
first of all he consider'd the _Water_, which he found, if let alone in
that Condition which its Form requir'd, had these two things in it,
_viz_. Sensible Cold, and a Propension to move downwards; But if heated
by the Fire or the Sun, its Coldness was remov'd, but its Propension to
move downwards still remain'd: But afterwards, when it came to be more
vehemently heated, it lost its tendency downwards, and mounted upwards;
and so it was wholly depriv'd of both those Properties which us'd
constantly to proceed from it, and from its Form: Nor did he know any
thing more of its Form, but only that these two Actions proceeded from
thence; and when these two ceas'd, the Nature of the Form was alter'd,
and the watry Form was remov'd from that Body, since there appear'd in
it Actions, which must needs owe their Origin to another Form. Therefore
it must have receiv'd another Form which had not been there before,from
which arose those Actions, which never us'd to appear in it whilst it
had the other Form.
§ 49. Now he knew that every thing that was produc'd anew, must needs
have some Producer. And from this Contemplation, there arose in his Mind
a sort of Impression of the Maker of that Form, tho' his Notion of him
as yet was general and indistinct. Then he paus'd on the examining of
these Forms which he knew before, one by one, and found that they were
produc'd anew, and that they must of necessity be beholden to some
efficient Cause. Then he consider'd the Essences of Forms, and found
that they were nothing else, but only a Disposition of _Body_ to produce
such or such Actions. For instance, Water, when very much heated, is
dispos'd to rise upwards, and that Disposition is its Form. For there is
nothing present in this Motion, but _Body_, and some things which are
observ'd to arise from it, which were not in it before (such as
Qualities and Motions) and the Efficients which produce them. Now the
fitness of Body for one Motion rather than another, is its _Disposition_
and _Form_. The same he concluded of all other Forms, and it appear'd to
him, that those Actions which arose from them, were not in reality owing
to them, but to the efficient Cause, who made use of these Forms to
produce those Actions which are attributed to them, [_i.e_, the Forms].
Which Notion of his is exactly the same with what God's Apostle
[_Mahomet_] says; _I am his Hearing by which he hears, and his Seeing by
which he sees._ And in the _Alcoran; You did not kill them, but God
kill'd them; when thou threwest the Darts, it was not thou that threwest
them, but God_.
§ 50. Now, when he had attain'd thus far, so as to have a general and
indistinct Motion of this _Agent_, he had a most earnest Desire to know
him distinctly. And because he had not as yet withdrawn himself from the
sensible World, he began to look for this _voluntary Agent_ among
sensible Things; nor did he as yet know, whether it was one Agent or
many. Therefore he enquir'd strictly into all such Bodies as he had
about him, _viz_. those which he had been employ'd about all along, and
he found that they were all liable to _Generation_ and _Corruption_: And
if there were any which did not suffer a total Corruption, yet they were
liable to a partial one, as _Water_ and _Earth_, the parts of which are
consum'd by Fire. Likewise he perceiv'd, that the _Air_ was by extremity
of Cold chang'd into Snow, and then again into Water; and among all the
rest of the Bodies which he was conversant with, he could find none
which had not its Existence anew, and required some _voluntary Agent_ to
give it a Being. Upon which account he laid them all aside, and
transferr'd his Thoughts to the Consideration of the Heavenly Bodies.
And thus far he reach'd in his Contemplations, about the end of the
fourth Septenary of his Age, _viz_. when he now eight and twenty Years
old.
§ 51. Now he knew very well, that the Heavens, and all the Luminaries in
them, were Bodies, because they were all extended according to the three
Dimensions Length, Breadth and Thickness, without any exception; and
that every thing that was so extended, was Body; _ergo_, they were all
Bodies. Then, he consider'd next, whether they were extended infinitely,
as to stretch themselves to an endless Length, Breadth and Thickness;
or, whether they were circumscrib'd by any Limits, and terminated by
some certain Bounds, beyond which there could be no Extension. But here
he stopp'd a while, as in a kind of Amazement.
§ 52. At last, by the strength of his Apprehension, and Sagacity of his
Understanding, he perceiv'd that the Notion of infinite Body was absurd
and impossible, and a Notion wholly intelligible. He confirm'd himself
in this Judgment of his, by a great many Arguments which occurr'd to
him, when he thus argued with himself. _That this heavenly Body is
terminated on this side which is next to me, is evident to my sight: And
that it cannot be infinitely extended on that opposite side, which
rais'd this Scruple in me; I prove thus: Suppose two Lines drawn from
the Extremity of this Heavenly Body, on that terminated Side which is
next to me, which Lines should be produc'd quite through this Body_, in
infinitum, _according to the Extension of the Body; then suppose a long
part of one of these Lines, cut off at this End which is next to me;
then take the Remainder of what was cut off, and draw down that end of
it where it was cut off; And lay it even with the end of the other Line
from which there was nothing cut off; and let that Line which was
shortned, lye parallel with the other; then suppose them through this
Body, till you come to that side which we suppos'd to be infinite:
Either you will find both these Lines infinitely extended, and then one
of them cannot be shorter than the other, but that which had a part of
it cut off, will be as long as that which was not, which is absurd: Or
else the Line which was cut will not be so long as that other, and
consequently finite: Therefore if you add that part to it which was cut
off from it at first, which was finite, the whole will be finite; and
then it will be no longer or shorter than that Line which had nothing
cut off from it, therefore equal to it; But this is finite, therefore
the other is finite. Therefore the Body in which such Lines are drawn is
finite; And all Bodies in which such Lines may be drawn, are finite: But
such Lines may be drawn in all Bodies. Therefore if we suppose an
infinite Body, we suppose an Absurdity and Impossibility._
* * * * *
[Illustration 6]
* * * * *
§ 52b. When by the singular strength of his Genius, (which he exerted in
the finding out such a Demonstration) he had satisfied himself that the
Body of Heaven was finite; he desired, in the next place, to know what
Figure it was of, and how it was limited by the circumambient
Superficies. And first he observ'd the Sun, Moon and Stars, and saw that
they all rose in the East, and set in the West; and those which went
right over his Head describ'd a great Circle, but those at at greater
distance from the Vertical Point, either Northward or Southward,
describ'd a lesser Circle. So that the least Circles which were
describ'd by any of the Stars, were those two which went round the two
Poles, the one North, the other South; the last of which is the Circle
of _Sohail_ or _Canopus_; the first, the Circle of those two Stars which
are called in _Arabick Alpherkadâni_. Now because he liv'd under the
Equinoctial Line, (as we shew'd before) all those Circles did cut the
Horizon at right Angles, and both North and South were alike to him, and
he could see both the Pole-Stars: He observ'd, that if a Star arose at
any time in a great Circle, and another Star at the same in a lesser
Circle, yet nevertheless, as they rose together, so they set together:
and he observ'd it of all the Stars, and at all times. From whence he
concluded, that the Heaven was of a Spherical Figure; in which Opinion
he was confirm'd, by observing the Return of the Sun, Moon and Stars to
the East, after their Setting; and also, because they always appear'd to
him of the same bigness, both when they rose, and when they were in the
midst of Heaven, and at the time of their Setting; whereas, if their
Motions had not been Circular, they must have been nearer to sight, at
some times than others; and consequently their Dimensions would have
appear'd proportionably greater or lesser; but since there was no such
Appearance, he concluded that their Motions were Circular. Then he
consider'd the Motion of the Moon and the Planets from West to East,
till at last he understood a great part of Astronomy. Besides, he
apprehended that their Motions were in different Spheres, all which were
comprehended in another which was above them all, and which turn'd about
all the rest in the space of a Day and a Night. But it were too tedious
to explain particularly how he advanc'd in this Science; besides, 'tis
taught in other Books; and what we have already said, is as much as is
requisite for our present purpose.
§ 53. When he had attain'd to this degree of Knowledge, he found that
the whole Orb of the Heavens, and whatsoever was contained in it, was as
one Thing compacted and join'd together; and that all those Bodies which
he us'd to consider before as Earth, Water, Air, Plants, Animals and the
like, were all of them so contain'd in it, as never to go out of its
Bounds: And that the whole was like One Animal, in which the Luminaries
represented the Senses; The Spheres so join'd and compacted together,
answer'd to the Limbs; and the Sublunary World, to the Belly, in which
the Excrements and Humors are contain'd, and which oftentimes breeds
Animals, as the Greater World.
§ 54. Now when it appear'd to him, that the whole World was only One
Substance, depending upon a Voluntary Agent, and he had united all the
Parts of it, by the same way of thinking which he had before made use of
in considering the Sublunary World; he proposed to his Consideration the
World in General, and debated with himself, whether it did exist in
_Time_,after it had been; and came to _Be_, out of nothing; or whether
it had been from Eternity, without any Privation preceeding it.
Concerning this Matter, he had very many and great Doubts; so that
neither of these two Opinions did prevail over the other. For when he
propos'd to himself the Belief of its Eternity, there arose a great many
Objections in his Mind; because he thought that the Notion of Infinite
Existence was press'd with no less Difficulties, than that of Infinite
Extension: And that such a Being as was not free from Accidents produc'd
anew, must also it self be produc'd anew, because it cannot be said to
be more ancient than those Accidents: And that which cannot exist before
Accidents produc'd in Time, must needs itself be produc'd in Time. Then
on the other hand, when he propos'd to himself the Belief of its being
produc'd a-new, other Objections occur'd to him; for he perceiv'd that
it was impossible to conceive any Notion of its being produc'd a-new,
unless it was suppos'd that there was Time before it; whereas Time was
one of those things which belong'd to the World, and was inseparable
from it; and therefore the World could not be suppos'd to be later than
Time. Then he consider'd, that a Thing Created must needs have a
Creator: And if so, Why did this Creator make the World now, and not as
well before? Was it because of any new Chance which happen'd to him?
That could not be; for there was nothing existent besides himself. Was
it then upon the Account of any Change in his own Nature? But what
should cause that Change? Thus he continued for several Years, arguing
_pro_ and _con_ about this Matter; and a great many Arguments offer'd
themselves on both sides, so that neither of these two Opinions in his
Judgment over-balanc'd the other.
§ 55. This put him to a great deal of trouble, which made him begin to
consider with himself, what were the Consequences which did follow from
each of these Opinions, and that perhaps they might be both alike. And
he perceiv'd, that if he held that the World was created in Time, and
existed after a total Privation, it would necessarily follow from
thence, that it could not exist of it self, without the help of some
Agent to produce it. And that this Agent must needs be such an one as
cannot be apprehended by our Senses; for if he should be the Object of
Sense, he must: be _Body_, and if _Body_, then a Part of the World, and
consequently a Created Being; such an one, as would have stood in need
of some other Cause to create him: and if that second Creator was
_Body_, he would depend upon a, third, and that third upon upon a
fourth, and so _ad infinitum_, which is absurd. Since therefore the
World stands in need of an incorporeal Creator: And since the Creator
thereof is really incorporeal, 'tis impossible for us to apprehend him
by any of our Senses; for we perceive nothing by the help of them, but
_Body_, or such Accidents as adhere to _Bodies_: And because he cannot
be perceiv'd by the Senses, it is impossible he should be apprehended by
the Imagination; for the Imagination does only represent to us the Forms
of things in their absence, which we have before learn'd by our Senses.
And since he is not _Body_, we must not attribute to him any of the
Properties of _Body_; the first of which is Extension, from which he is
free, as also from all those Properties of Bodies which flow from it.
And seeing that he is the Maker of the World, doubtless he has the
Sovereign Command over it. _Shall not he know it, that created it? He is
wise, Omniscient!_