World, and that it always was as it now is, without any Privation before
it; then it would follow, that its Motion must be Eternal too; because
there could be no Rest before it, from whence it might commence its
Motion. Now all Motion necessarily requires a Mover; and this Mover must
be either a Power diffus'd through the Body mov'd, or else through some
other Body without it, or else a certain Power, not diffus'd or
dispers'd through any Body at all. Now every Power which passeth, or is
diffus'd, through any Body, is divided or doubled. For Instance; The
_Gravity_ in a Stone, by which it tends downwards, if you divide the
Stone into two parts, is divided into two parts also; and if you add to
it another like it, the Gravity is doubled. And if it were possible to
add Stones _in infinitum,_ the Gravity would increase _in infinitum_
too. And if it were possible, that that Stone should grow still bigger,
till it reach'd to an infinite Extension, the Weight would increase also
in the same proportion; and if on the other side, a Stone should grow to
a certain size, and stop there, the Gravity would also increase to such
a pitch, and no farther. Now it is demonstrated, that all Body must
necessarily be finite; and consequently, that Power which is in Body is
finite too. If therefore we can find any Power, which produces an
Infinite Effect, 'tis plain that it is not in Body. Now we find, that
the Heav'n is mov'd about with a Perpetual Motion, without any
Cessation. Therefore if we affirm the Eternity of the World, it
necessarily follows that the Power which moves it, is not in its own
Body, nor in the other Exterior Body; but proceeds from something
altogether abstracted from Body, and which cannot be describ'd by
Corporeal Adjuncts or Properties. Now he had learn'd from his first
Contemplation of the Sublunary World, that the true Essence of Body
consisted in its _Form,_ which is its Disposition to several sorts of
Motion; but that Part of its Essence which consisted in _Matter_ was
very mean, and scarce possible to be conceiv'd; therefore the Existence
of the whole World consists in its Disposition to be mov'd by this
Mover, who is free from Matter, and the Properties of Body; abstracted
from every thing which we can either perceive by our Senses, or reach by
our Imagination. And since he is the Efficient Cause of the Motions of
the Heavens, in which (notwithstanding their several kinds) there is no
difference, no Confusion, no Cessation; without doubt he has a Power
over it, and a perfect Knowledge of it.
§ 57. Thus his Contemplation this Way, brought him to the same
Conclusion it did the other Way. So that doubting concerning the
Eternity of the World, and its Existence _de novo_, did him no harm at
all. For it was plain to him both ways, that there was a Being, which
was not Body, nor join'd to Body, nor separated from it; nor within it,
nor without it; because Conjunction and Separation, and being within any
thing, or without it, are all properties of Body, from which that Being
is altogether abstracted. And because all Bodies stand in need of a Form
to be added to their Matter, as not being able to subsist without it,
nor exist really; and the Form it self cannot exist, but by this
Voluntary Agent, it appear'd to him that all things ow'd their Existence
to this Agent; and that none of them could subsist, but through him: and
consequently, that he was the Cause, and they the Effects, (whether they
were newly created after a Privation, or whether they had no Beginning,
in respect of him, 'twas all one) and Creatures whose Existence depended
upon that Being; and that without his Continuance they could not
continue, nor exist without his Existing, nor have been eternal without
his being Eternal; but that he was essentially independent of them, and
free from them. And how should it be otherwise, when it is demonstrated,
that his Power and Might are infinite, and that all Bodies, and
whatsoever belongs to them are finite? Consequently, that the whole
World, and whatsoever was in it, the Heavens, the Earth, the Stars, and
whatsoever was between them above them, or beneath them, was all his
Work and Creation, and posterior to him in Nature, if not in Time. As,
if you take any Body whatsoever in your Hand, and then move your Hand,
the Body will without doubt follow the Motion of your Hand, with such a
Motion as shall be posterior to it in Nature, tho' not in Time, because
they both began together: So all this World is caus'd and created by
this Agent out of Time, _Whose Command is, when he would have any thing
done, BE, and it is_.
§ 58. And when he perceiv'd that all things which did exist were his
Workmanship, he look'd them over again, considering attentively the
Power of the Efficient, and admiring the Wonderfulness of the
Workmanship, and such accurate Wisdom, and subtil Knowledge. And there
appear'd to him in the most minute Creatures (much more in the greater)
such Footsteps of Wisdom, and Wonders of the Work of Creation, that he
was swallow'd up with Admiration, and fully assur'd that these things
could not proceed from any other, than a Voluntary Agent of infinite
Perfection, nay, that was above all Perfection; such an one, to whom the
Weight of the least Atom was not unknown, whether in Heaven or Earth;
no, nor any other thing, whether lesser or greater than it.
§. 59. Then he consider'd all the kinds of Animals, and how this Agent
had given such a Fabrick of Body to every one of them, and then taught
them how to use it. For if he had not directed them to apply those Limbs
which he had given them, to those respective Uses for which they were
design'd, they would have been so far from being of any Service that
they would rather have been a Burden. From whence he knew, that the
Creator of the World was supereminently Bountiful, and exceedingly
Gracious. And then when he perceiv'd among the Creatures, any that had
Beauty, Perfection, Strength, or Excellency of any kind whatever, he
consider'd with himself, and knew that it all flow'd from that Voluntary
Agent, (whose Name be praised) and from his Essence and Operation. And
he knew, that what the Agent had in his own Nature, was greater than
that, [which he saw in the Creatures,] more perfect and compleat, more
beautiful and glorious, and more lasting; and that there was no
proportion between the one and the other. Neither did he cease to
prosecute this Search, till he had run through all the Attributes of
Perfection, and found that they were all in this Agent, and all flow'd
from him; and that he was most worthy to have them all ascrib'd to him,
above all the Creatures which were describ'd by them.
§ 60. In like manner he enquir'd into all the Attributes of
Imperfection, and perceiv'd that the Maker of the World was free from
them all: And how was it possible for him to be otherwise, since the
Notion of _Imperfection_ is nothing but _mere Privation,_ or what
depends upon it? And how can he any way partake of _Privation_, who is
_very Essence_, and cannot but exist; who gives Being to every thing
that exists, and besides whom there is no Existence? But HE is the
Being, HE is the Absoluteness, HE the Beauty, HE the Glory, HE the
Power, HE the Knowledge, _HE is HE, and besides Him all things are
subject to perishing_[19].
§ 61. Thus far his Knowledge had brought him towards the end of the
fifth Septenary from his Birth, _viz._ when he was 35 Years old. And the
Consideration of this Supream Agent was then so rooted in his Heart,
that it diverted him from thinking upon any thing else: and he so far
forgot the Consideration of the Creatures, and the Enquiring into their
Natures, that as soon as e'er he cast his Eyes upon any thing of what
kind soever, he immediately perceiv'd in it the Footsteps of this Agent;
and in an instant his Thoughts were taken off from the Creature, and and
transferred to the Creator. So that he was inflam'd with the desire of
him, and his Heart was altogether withdrawn from thinking upon this
inferior World, which contains the Objects of Sense, and wholly taken up
with the Contemplation of the upper, Intellectual World.
§ 62. Having now attain'd to the Knowledge of this Supream Being, of
Permanent Existence, which has no Cause of his own Existence, but is the
Cause why all things else exist; he was desirous to know by what Means
he had attain'd this Knowledge, and by which of his Faculties he had
apprehended this Being. And first he examin'd all his Senses, _viz_. his
Hearing, Sight, Smelling, Tasting and Feeling, and perceiv'd that all
these apprehended nothing but Body, or what was in Body. For the Hearing
apprehended nothing but Sounds, and these came from the Undulation of
the Air, when Bodies are struck one against another. The Sight,
apprehends Colours. The Smelling, Odours. The Taste, Savours. And the
Touch, the Temperatures and Dispositions of Bodies, such as Hardness
Softness, Roughness ad Smoothness. Nor does the Imagination apprehend
any thing, but as it has Length, Breadth and Thickness. Now all these
things which are thus apprehended, are the Adjuncts of Bodies; nor can
these Senses apprehend any thing else, because they are Faculties
diffus'd through Bodies, and divided according to the division of
Bodies, and for that reason cannot apprehend any thing else but
divisible Body. For since this Faculty is diffus'd through the visible
Body, 'tis impossible, but that when it apprehends any thing whatsoever,
that thing so apprehended, must be divided as the Faculty is divided.
For which Reason, no Faculty which is seated in Body, can apprehend any
thing but what is Body, or in it. Now we have already demonstrated, that
this necessarily Existent Being is free in every respect from all
Properties of Body; and consequently not to be apprehended, but by
something which is neither Body, nor any Faculty inherent in Body, nor
has any manner of dependance upon it, nor is either within it, or
without it, nor join'd to it, nor separated from it. From whence it
appear'd to him, that he had apprehended this Being by that which was
his Essence, and gain'd a certain Knowledge of him. And from hence he
concluded, that this Essence was Incorporeal, and free from all the
Properties of Body. And that all his External Part which he saw, was not
in reality his Essence; by that his true Essence was _That_, by which he
apprehended that Absolute Being of necessary Existence.
§ 63. Having thus learn'd, that this Essence was not that Corporeal Mass
which he perceiv'd with his Senses, and was cloath'd with his Skin, he
began to entertain mean Thoughts of his Body, and set himself to
contemplate that Noble Being, by which he had reach'd the Knowledge of
that Superexcellent, and Necessarily existent Being; and began to
consider with himself, by means of that Noble Essence of his, whether
this Noble Essence of his could possibly be dissolv'd, or dye, or be
annihilated; or whether it were of perpetual duration. Now he knew that
Corruption and Dissolution were Properties of Body, and consisted in the
putting off one Form, and putting on another. As for Instance: when
Water is chang'd into Air, and Air into Water; or when Plants are turn'd
into Earth or Ashes, and Earth again into Plants; (for this is the true
Notion of Corruption.) But an Incorporeal Being, which has no dependance
upon Body, but is altogether free from the Accidents proper to Body,
cannot be suppos'd to be liable to Corruption.
§ 64. Having thus secur'd himself in this Belief, that his _Real
Essence_ could not be dissolv'd, he had a mind to know what Condition it
should be in, when he had laid aside the Body, and was separated from
it; which he persuaded himself would not be, till the Body ceas'd to
continue a fit Instrument for its use. Therefore he consider'd all his
Apprehensive Faculties, and perceiv'd that every one of them did
sometimes apprehend _Potentially_, and sometimes _Actually_; as the Eye
when it is shut, or turn'd away from the Object, sees _Potentially_.(For
the meaning of apprehending _Potentially_ is, when it does not apprehend
_now_, yet can do it for _the time to come_.) And when the Eye is open,
and turn'd toward the Object, it sees _Actually_ (for that is call'd
Actual, which, is present,) and so every one of these Faculties is some
times in _Power_, and sometimes in _Act_: And if any of them did never
actually apprehend its Proper Object, so long as it remains in Power, it
has no desire to any Particular Object; because it knows nothing of any,
(as a Man that is born blind.) But if it did ever actually Apprehend,
and then be reduc'd to the Power only: so long as it remains in that
condition, it will desire to apprehend in Act; because it has been
acquainted with the Object, and is intent upon it, and lingers after it;
as a Man who could once see, and after is blind, continually desires
Visible Objects: And according as the Object which he has seen, is more
perfect, and glorious, and beautiful, his Desire towards it is
proportionably increased, and his Grief for the Loss of it so much the
greater. Hence it is that the Grief of him who is depriv'd of that Sight
he once had, is greater than his who is depriv'd of Smelling; because
she Objects of Sight are more perfect and beautiful than those of
Smelling. And if there be any thing of boundless Perfection, infinite
Beauty, Glory and Splendor, that is above all Splendor and Beauty; so
that there is no Perfection, Beauty, Brightness, or Comliness, but flows
from it. Then certainly he that shall be depriv'd of the Sight and
Knowledge of that Thing, after he has once been acquainted with it, must
necessarily, so long as he continues in that State, suffer inexpressible
Anguish; as on the contrary, he that continually has it present to him,
must needs enjoy uninterrupted Delight, perpetual Felicity, and infinite
Joy and Gladness.
§ 65. Now it had been already made plain to him, that all the Attributes
of Perfection belonged to that Being which did necessarily self-exist,
and that he was far from all manner of Imperfection. He was certain
withal, that the Faculty by which he attain'd to the Apprehension of
this Being, was not like to Bodies, nor subject to Corruption, as they
are. And from hence it appear'd to him, that whosoever had such an
Essence as was capable of apprehending this _Noble Being,_ must, when he
put off the Body at the time of his Death, have been formerly, during
his Conversation in the Body, first, either one who was not acquainted
with this necessarily self-existent Essence, nor ever was join'd to him,
nor ever heard any thing of him; and so would, at the separating with
the Body, never to be join'd to him, nor to be concern'd at the want of
him. Because all the Corporeal Faculties cease when the Body dies, nor
do they any longer desire or linger after their proper Objects; nor are
in any trouble or pain for their absence; (which is the Condition of all
Brutes, of what shape soever they are.) Or else, secondly, such an one,
who while he continu'd in the Body, did converse with this Being, and
had a sense of his Perfection, Greatness, Dominion, and Power; but
afterwards declin'd from him, and follow'd his vicious Inclinations,
till at length Death overtook him whilst in this State; he shall be
depriv'd of that Vision, and yet be afflicted with the Desire of
Enjoying it, and so remain in lasting Punishment and inexpressible
Torture; whether he be to be delivered from his Misery after a long
time, and enjoy that Vision which he so earnestly desires; or,
everlastingly to abide in the same Torments, according as he was fitted
and dispos'd for either of these two, during his continuance in the
Body. Or lastly, were such an one, who convers'd with this necessarily
self-existent Being, and apply'd himself to it, with the utmost of his
Ability, and has all his Thoughts continually intent upon his Glory,
Beauty, and Splendor, and never turns from him, nor forsakes him, till
Death seizes him in the Act of Contemplation and Intuition: Such a Man
as this shall, when separated from Body, remain in everlasting Pleasure,
and Delight, and Joy and Gladness, by reason of the uninterrupted Vision
of that self-existent Being, and its intire freedom from all Impurity
and Mixture; and because all those Sensible Things shall be remov'd from
him, which are the proper Objects of the Corporeal Faculties, and which,
in regard of his present State, are no better than Torments, Evils and
Hinderances.
§ 66. Being thus satisfied, that the Perfection and Happiness of his own
Being consisted in the actually beholding that necessarily self-existent
Being perpetually, so as not to be diverted from it so much as the
twinkling of an Eye, that Death might find him actually employ'd in that
Vision, and so his Pleasure might be continu'd, without being
interrupted by any Pain; (which _Ab-Jonaid_ a Doctor, and _Imaam_, of
the Sect of the _Suphians_, alluded to; when at the point of Death he
said to his Friends about him, _This is the Time when Men ought to
Glorify GOD, and be instant in their Prayers,_) he began to consider
with himself, by what Means this Vision might actually be continu'd,
without Interruption. So he was very intent for a time upon that
_Being_; but he could not stay there long, before some sensible Object
or other would present itself, either the Voice of some wild Beast would
reach his Ears, or some Phantasy affected his Imagination; or he was
touch'd with some Pain in some Part or other; or he was hungry, or dry,
or too cold, or too hot, or was forc'd to rise to ease Nature. So that
his Contemplation was interrupted, and he remov'd from that State of
Mind: And then he could not, without a great deal of difficulty, recover
himself to that State he was in before; and he was afraid that Death
should overtake him at such a Time as his Thoughts were diverted from
the Vision, and so should fall into everlasting Misery, and the Pain of
Separation.
§ 67. This put him into a great deal of Anxiety, and when he could find
no Remedy, he began to consider all the several Sorts of Animals, and
observe their Actions, and what they were employ'd about; in hopes of
finding some of them that might possibly have a Notion of this Being,
and endeavour after him; that so he might learn of them which way to be
sav'd. But he was altogether disappointed in his Search; for he found
that they were all wholly taken up in getting their Provision, and
satisfying their Desires of Eating, and Drinking, and Copulation, and
chusing the shady places in hot Weather, and the sunny ones in cold: And
that all their life-time, both day and night, till they died, was spent
after this manner, without any variation, or minding any thing else at
any time. From whence it appear'd to him, that they knew nothing of this
Being, nor had any desire towards it, nor became acquainted with it by
any Means whatsoever; and that they all went into a State of Privation,
or something very near a-kin to it. Having pass'd this Judgment upon the
Animals, he knew that it was much more reasonable to conclude so of
Vegetables, which had but few of those Apprehensions which the Animals
had; and if that whose Apprehension was more perfect did not attain to
this Knowledge, much less could it be expected from that whose
Apprehension was less perfect; especially when he saw that all the
Actions of Plants reach'd no farther than Nutrition and Generation.
§ 68. He next consider'd the Stars and Spheres, and saw, that they had
all regular Motions, and went round in a due Order; and that they were
pellucid and shining, and remote from any approach to Change or
Dissolution: which made him have a strong suspicion, that they had
_Essences_ distinct from their Bodies, which were acquainted with this
_necessarily self-existent Essence._ And that these understanding
Essences,were like his understanding Essence. And why might it not be
suppos'd that they might have incorporeal Essences, when he himself had,
notwithstanding his Weakness and extream want of sensible Things? That
he consisted of a corruptible Body, and yet nevertheless, all these
Defects did not hinder him from having an incorporeal incorruptible
Essence: From whence he concluded, that the Celestial Bodies were much
more likely to have it; and he perceived that they had a Knowledge of
the _necessarily self-existent Being_, and did actually behold it at all
times; because they were not at all incumbred with those Hinderances,
arising from the Intervention of sensible Things, which debarr'd him
from enjoying the _Vision_, without Interruption.
§ 69. Then he began to consider with himself, what should be the reason
why he alone, above all the rest of living Creatures, should be endu'd
with such an Essence, as made him like the Heavenly Bodies. Now he
understood before the Nature of the Elements, and how one of them us'd
to be chang'd into another, and that there was nothing upon the Face of
the Earth, which always remain'd in the same Form, but that Generation
and Corruption follow'd one another perpetually in a mutual Succession;
and that the greatest part of these Bodies were mix'd and compounded of
contrary Things, and were for that reason the more dispos'd to
Dissolution: And that there could not be found among them all, any thing
pure and free from Mixture, but that such Bodies as came nearest to it,
and had least mixture, as Gold and Jacinth are of longest Duration, and
less subject to Dissolution; and that the Heavenly Bodies were most
simple and pure, and for that reason more free from Dissolution, and not
subject to a Succession of Forms. And here it appear'd to him, that the
real Essence of those Bodies, which are in this sublunary World,
consisted in some, of one simple Notion added to Corporeity, as the four
Elements; in others of more, as Animals and Plants. And that those,
whose Essence consisted of the fewest Forms, had fewest Actions, and
were farther distant from Life. And that if there were any body to be
found, that was destitute of all Form, it was impossible that it should
live, but was next to nothing at all; also that those things which were
endu'd with most Forms, had the most Operations, and had more ready and
easie entrance to the State of Life. And if this Form were so dispos'd,
that there were no way of separating it from the Matter to which it
properly belong'd, then the life of it, would be manifest, permanent and
vigorous to the utmost degree. But on the contrary, whatsoever Body was
altogether destitute of a Form, was [Greek: Hylè], Matter without Life, and near
a-kin to nothing. And that the four Elements subsisted with one single
Form only, and are of the first Rank of Beings in the sublunary World,
out of which, other things endu'd with more Forms are compounded: And
that the Life of these Elements is very weak, both because they have no
variety of Motion, but always tend the same way; and because every one
of them has an Adversary which manifestly opposes the Tendency of its
Nature, and endeavours to deprive it of its Form; and therefore its
Essence is of short Continuance, and its Life weak: But that Plants had
a stronger Life, and Animals a Life more manifest than the Plants. The
reason of which is, because that whenever it happen'd, that in any of
these compound Bodies, the Nature of one Element prevail'd, that
predominant Element would overcome the Natures of the rest, and destroy
their Power; so that the compounded Body would be of the same Nature
with that prevailing Element, and consequently partake but of a small
Portion of Life, because the Element it self does so.