Life, connectedly—contains in itself bodies; but of this, soul is the
cause. Harmony comprehends, connectedly, the world; but of this, God
is the cause. Concord binds together families and cities; and of this,
law is the cause. Hence, there is a certain cause and nature which
perpetually adapts the parts of the world to each other, and never
suffers them to be disorderly and without connection. Cities, however,
and families, continue only for a short time; the progeny of which,
and the mortal nature of the matter of which they consist, contain in
themselves the cause of dissolution; for they derive their subsistence
from a mutable and perpetually passive nature. For the destruction[23]
of things which are generated, is the salvation of the matter from which
they are generated. That nature, however, which is perpetually moved[24]
governs, but that which is always passive[25] is governed; and the one
is in capacity prior, but the other posterior. The one also is divine,
and possesses reason and intellect, but the other is generated, and is
irrational and mutable.