Nature more near unto them and yet because he is more excellent than all other Productions which we call Creatures and that too in his own Nature Hence it is he is deservedly called the First Begotten of all Creatures and the Son of God rather than a Creature of God and his Production is rather a Generation or Emanation from God than Creation if the Word be taken in a strict sence although according to the larger sence and use of this Word he may be said to be created or formed as the Scripture somewhere speaketh of him But if the thing it self be duly understood 't is needless to contend about Words Yet nevertheless a Man's Son is rather said to be begotten of him than made or created by him Of an House or a Ship built or made by a Man we do not say it is his Son but his Work because his Son is the Living Image and Similitude of himself which cannot be said of an House or a Ship So this first Production of God ad extra or to without is more fitly and properly term'd his Son than a Creature because this is the Living Image of himself and is greater and more excellent than all Creatures Now it follows that the Son himself must be immediately present in all these that he may bless and benefit them And seeing he is that true Medium between God and the Creatures he must needs exist within them that so by his Operation he may stir them up to a Union with him And seeing he is the most excellent Production of God made ad extra or to without and the most perfect and express Image of him he must needs be like unto God in all his Attributes which without contradiction may be said to be communicated to him and so by consequence he must necessarily be Omnipresent Besides if he were not present in all Creatures there would wholly remain a Chasma or wide Gap between God and the Creatures where he was not which is absurd § 5. MOREOVER as he is Partaker of the Immutability of God and the Mutability of Creatures and so a Medium between that which is altogether unchangeable and that which is altogether changeable as partaking of both so also he may be said to be a Partaker of Eternity which is proper to God and Time which is proper to Creatures and albeit it be said in the precedent Chapters that nothing interceded between Eternity and Time or between the Creatures and the Will of God which created them Time and Creatures are there to be taken in a larger sence viz. with respect to all the Productions of God made ad extra So that this Middle Being is as well there comprehended as the rest Neither can we conceive this Middle Being to be before Creatures in Time but only in the order of Nature so that indeed nothing of Time strictly taken hapned between the Creatures and the All-Creating Power and Will of God that created them § 6. BUT if by Time according to the common signification of the Word we understand a succedaneous increase or decrease of Things according to which they grow and increase unto a certain pitch or period and then again fail from it until they die or are changed into another State or Condition of Life in this sence it may be positively affirmed that neither this Middle Being or any Creature perfectly united with the same are subject to Time or the Laws thereof for the Laws of Time reach but unto a certain Period or Age and when that Period is compleated then those things which are subject to Time decay and are consumed and so die and are changed into quite another Species of Things according to that old Saying of the Poet. Tempus edax rerum tuque invidiosa vetustas Omnia destruis Which may be thus Englished Thus spiteful Age and Time that eats up Things All Things consumes and to Destruction brings And for this Reason Time is divided into Four Parts according to the Age of a Man living in this World which is Infancy Youth Manhood and Old Age even until Death so that all things which are bounded with Time are subject unto Death and Corruption or are changed into another Species of things as we see Water changed into Stones Stones into Earth and Earth into Trees and Trees into Animals or Living Creatures But in this most excellent Middle Being is neither Decay or Corruption nor to speak properly hath Death any place in him He is a most powerful and effectual Balsam which can preserve all things from Death and Corruption which are joined to him or united with him so that here all things are perpetually new springing up fresh and green here is perpetual Youth without Old Age and here is the Perfection of Old Age to wit great increase of Wisdom and Experience without any imperfection of Age. But when Christ came in the Flesh and in that Body which he bare with him from Heaven for every created Spirit hath a certain Vehicle either Terrestrial Aereal or Aethereal as this was He took upon him somewhat of our Nature and by consequence the Nature of all Things because the Nature of Man hath in it the Nature of all Creatures whence also he is called the Microcosm which Nature having assumed in Flesh and Blood he sanctified that by that he might sanctifie all Things and so was as that little Leaven that changed the whole Lump He descended then within Time and for a certain space or period of his own accord subjected himself to the Laws of Time so as to endure great Torments even Death it self but Death did not long detain him for the Third Day he rose again and this was the end of all his Sufferings even of his Death and Burial viz. that he might Heal Cure and Redeem his Creatures from Death and Corruption which came upon them by the Fall and so at length hereby put an end to Times and elevate the Creatures above Times to himself where he abideth who is the same yesterday today henceforth and for ever without Decay Death or Corruption In like manner in his Spiritual and Internal Appearance in Man whereby he purposeth to Save Heal and Redeem the Soul he doth as it were after a certain manner subject himself to a kind of Death and Passion and so for a certain space submits himself to the Laws of Time that he might elevate the Souls of Men above Time and Corruptibility to himself wherein they receive Blessing and grow from one degree of Goodness and Vertue unto another in insinitum § 7. BY the same Reason those who are come unto a perfect Union with Christ are mounted up into a Region or Sphere of perfect Tranquility where nothing is seen or perceived to move or compel for although there exist the most swift and vehement Motions yet nevertheless because the same do so uniformly so equally and harmoniously move without the least contrariety or disorder they
THE PRINCIPLES Of the most Ancient and Modern PHILOSOPHY CONCERNING God Christ and the Creatures viz. of Spirit and Matter in general whereby may be resolved all those Problems or Difficulties which neither by the School nor Common Modern Philosophy nor by the Cartesian Hobbesian or Spinosian could be discussed BEING A little Treatise published since the Author's Death translated out of the English into Latin with Annotations taken from the Ancient Philosophy of the Hebrews and now again made English By J. C. Medicinae Professor Printed in Latin at Amsterdam by M. Brown 1690. And Reprinted at London 1692. ADVERTISEMENT HAving the care of the Publication of this Piece committed to my Charge I thought for the Good of the Publick to give them the knowledge of the following Elixir c. THE Elixir Proprietatis so highly commended by the Renowned Paracelsus and Helmont it resisteth all Putrefaction of the Blood strengtheneth the Digestive Faculty It s Excellent Virtues are prevalent in Curing of continual Fevers Quotidian and Tertian Agues Small Pox and Measles or Swine Pox with other Pestilential Distempers as also the Palsy Apoplexy Falling-Sickness Asthma's Tabes or Consumption of the Lungs Its Dose is from 10 to 20 30 or 40 drops in a Glass of Sack This Noble Elixir is Philosophically prepared by John Spire Chymico Medicus at four Shillings the Ounce Who hath by his Labour and Study in the Chymical Art attained unto several secret Arcanums not vulgarly known particularly a Soveraign Remedy for the Gout If any one is desirous thereof or the aforesaid Elixir Proprietatis Let them apply themselves to my Friend Mr. Dorman Newman at the King's Arms in the Poultry and the Author at his House in Horsty-down-Fairstreet Southwark or at his Country House at the upper end of Twitnam near the Sign of the White-Hart in Middlesex TO THE READER Courteous Reader WE have for thy sake published this little Treatise which was written not many Years ago by a certain English Countess a Woman learned beyond her Sex being very well skill'd in the Latin and Greek Tongues and excellently well vers'd in all kind of Philosophy who when she had first taken in the Principles of Cartes and seeing its defects afterwards by reading certain Writings of very Ancient Philosophy she observed so many things that she wrote these few Chapters for her own use but in a very dull and small Character which being found after her Death is partly transcribed for the rest could scarcely be read and published in Eatin that thereby the whole World might be in some sort benefitted and so the same become of Publick Good to the end that whosoever he be that worthily Esteems the Author may acknowledge true Philosophy and so the more easily shun those Errors which are now alas too common Quibus tu fruere vale THE TRANSLATOR TO THE READER Judicious Reader THOU may'st peradventure no less wonder at the strangeness of the Paradox than at the publication hereof in an English Dialect and the rather because it is no vulgar Theme and consequently above the reach of vulgar Capacities whom lest it should be more apt to distract than instruct I should rather advise to rest satisfied with what for the present they know than either to covet or condemn more than they do or are capable to apprehend Yet by the way let me advise thee to suspend thy censures which at first view 't is probable thou may'st be subject to entertain as supposing the Doctrine herein asserted more easily oppugnable than indeed it is till thou hast passed a serious examination on all the particulars herein insisted upon For Aliquando mens cogitat quae ratio non probat As to the Translation it self as I hope none but envious Criticks will be offended thereat so I shall endeavour though briefly yet fully to satisfie every impartial and unprejudiced Reader both as to the Circumstance and principal Reason inducing me hereunto which is as follows Being some time since in Holland and in Conference with the renowned F. M. B. van Helmont then resident at Amsterdam it so hapned that I demanded of the said Helmont if he had published or did intend to publish any new Books of his own or others Works who presently directed we where I might procure certain Books published by his Order which accordingly I did two whereof were extant in Latin the other in Nether-Dutch this being the Works of an English Countess after a brief perusal I have endeavoured to render into an English Stile as familiar as the Language would conveniently admit without some abuse to the Author One Reason that led me to it was the earnest request of a Friend the other was that I did not doubt but this little Treatise might happen into the Hands of some ingenious and well-disposed Persons who though not furnished with those artificial Helps and Advantages that Learning usually affords yet nevertheless being qualified by a natural pregnancy of parts by many serious Studies and deliberate Thoughts of this or the like Nature might be competent Judges of such Mysteries or that it might fortunately light into the Hands of such whose eminency of Learning and maturity of Judgment might render them either willing to approve it or able to refute it and that too with a better Salvo of Divine Attributes than is done in this Treatise Now wishing thee the compleat enjoyment of all Temporal Blessings here and the full fruition and possession of Eternal Happiness hereafter I conclude this present Epistle and subscribe myself Thine in all real Service J. C. The Principles of the Ancient and Modern Philosophy Concerning God Christ and the Creature that is concerning Spirit and Matter in General CHAP. I. Concerning GOD and his Attributes § 1 2 3 4 5. Of God and his Divine Attributes § 6 7. How a Trinity may be conceived to be in God according to the Scriptures and yet without Offence to Turks Jews or any other People though we should omit the Terms of Three distinct Persons which are neither built upon Scripture or sound Reason § 1. GOD is a Spirit Light and Life infinitely Wise Good Just Mighty Omniscient Omnipresent Omnipotent Creator and Maker of all things visible and invisible See Adumbratio Kabbalae Christianae Chap. 2. § 2. 7. Kabbal denud Tom. 2. Part 3. § 2. IN God there is neither Time nor Change nor Composition nor Division of Parts He is wholly and universally one in himself and of himself without any manner of Variety or Mixture He hath no manner of Darkness or Corporiety in him and so consequently no kind of Form or Figure whatsoever See Philosoph Kabbalistic dissertatio ch 3. in Kabbal denud Tom. 1. Part 3. § 3. HE is also in a proper and real sence a Substance or Essence distinct from his Creatures although he is not divided or separated from them but most strictly and in the highest degree intimately present in them all yet so as they are not parts
of him nor can be changed into him nor he into them He is also in a true and proper sence a Creator of all Things who doth not only give them their Form and Figure but also Being Life Body and whatsoever else of Good they have See Kabbal denud Tom. 1. Part 2. Pag. 30. 332. § 4. SEEING then that in him there is no Time nor any Mutability hence it is that in him there can exist no new Knowledge or Will but his Knowledge and Will are Eternal and without or above time See Philosoph Kabbalistic Dissertatio 3. Ch. 1. in Kabbal denudat Tom. 1. Part. 3. ibid. Ch. 6. § 5. LIKEWISE in God there can exist no Passion which to speak properly comes from his Creatures For every Passion is something Temporal and hath its Beginning and end with Time § 6. IN God is an Idea which is the Image of himself or a Word existing within him which in Substance or Essence is one and the same with him by which he knows not only himself but all other things and according to which yea by which Idea or Word all things were made and created § 7. BY the like Reason in God is a Spirit or Will which proceeds from him and yet as to Substance or Essence is something one with him by which Creatures receive their Being and Activity For Creatures have their Being and Existence simply and alone from him because God would have them to be whose Will is according to Knowledge most infinite And thus Wisdom and Will in God are not a certain Substance or Being distinct from him but only distinct Manners or Properties of one and the same Substance and seeing this is that which some of the Wisest and most Judicious Christians understand by the Word Trinity If now we should neglect that Phrase of Three distinct Persons which is a Stone of Offence to Jews as well as Turks and other People and indeed in it self hath no sound Reason nor can be any where found in Scripture yet all would easily agree in this point For they cannot deny that God hath Wisdom and an Essential Idea and such a Word in himself by which he knows all things and when they grant he giveth all Things their Being they will be necessarily forced to acknowledge that there is a Will in him by which he can accomplish and bring that into Act which was hid in the Idea that is can produce it and from thence make a distinct Essential Substance and this alone is to create viz. the Essence of a Creature Nevertheless the Idea alone doth not give being to the Creature but the Will join'd with the Idea as when a Master-Builder conceives in his Mind the Idea of an House he doth not build that House by the Idea alone but the Will is joined with the Idea and co-operates therewith Annotations on this first Chapter THE Ancient Hypothesis of the Hebrews as to what pertains to the latter Contents of this Chapter is this 1. Seeing God was of all the most exceeding great and infinite Light and yet the chiefest Good For this Reason he would make Creatures to whom he might communicate himself But these could in no wise bear the exceeding greatness of his Light And hereunto belong those Scripture sayings God dwelleth in an inapproachable Light No Man hath seen God at any Time c. 2. He diminished therefore for the sake of his Creatures the highest Degree of his most intense Light that there might be room for his Creatures from whence Place immediately arose as it were a certain Circular Vacuity or Space of Worlds 3. This Vacuum was not a mere Privation or Non ens but a certain real Position of Light diminutively which was the Soul of the Messias called by the Hebrews Adam Kadmon which filled all that whole Space 4. This Soul of the Messias was united with that whole Light of the Divinity which remained within that Vacuum in a more mild degree that could be born and with it made up one Subject 5. This Messias called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Word or First Begotten Son of God having made a new Diminution of his Light for the benefit of his Creatures framed or made within himself the whole Series or Orders of all Creatures 6. To whom he might farther communicate the Light or Rays of his Divine Nature as the Objects of Contemplation and Love which were the unitive Acts of the Creator and Creatures in which Union the Happiness of the Creatures did consist 7. Here therefore occurs the Trinity of Divine Representation And the first Conception is that God is infinite to be considered without and above Production Secondly God is the same as in the Messias Thirdly That God is the same as when with the Messias in the Creatures fitted by the least degree of Light to the perception of his Creatures Hitherto belongs that Scripture saying No â—lan hath seen God at any time the Son who is in the Bosom of the Father hath revealed him to us 8. But it is common with the Hebrews to use the Term of Persons yet so as that by it they do not mean a singular Suppositum but a Conception only or kind of Representation or Method of Consideration See Adumbratio Kabbal Christian Chap. 23. CHAP. II. § 1. Although Creatures are not Co-eternal with God yet they had infinite Times from the Beginning § 2. So that no Number of Years no not the greatest that any created Intellect can conceive can reach to their Beginning § 3. Creatures were in one sence from Eternity and in another sence not from Eternity § 4. Infinity of Times is proved from the infinite Goodness of God § 5. It is an Essential Attribute of God to be a Creator § 6. What Time is and how the same cannot be in God § 1. FORASMUCH as all Creatures are and do exist simply or alone from him because God willed them to be whose Will is infinitely powerful and whose Commandment without any Instrument or Instrumental Cause is the only Efficient to give Being unto his Creatures Hence it necessarily follows seeing the Will of God is Eternal or from Eternity that Creation must immediately follow the said Will without any Interposition of Time And though it cannot be said that Creatures considered in themselves are Co-eternal with God because after this rate Eternity and Time would be confounded together yet nevertheless the Creatures and that Will which created then are so mutually present and so immediately happen one after another that nothing can be said to come in between even as if two Circles should immediately touch each other Neither can we assign any other Beginning to Creatures but God himself and his Eternal Will which is according to his Eternal Idea or Wisdom Hence it follows by Natural Consequence that Times from the Creation are Infinite and without all Number which no created Intellect can conceive How then can this be Finite or Measured which had no
reason as that there is a God § 4. That God is immediately present as well in Christ as in all Creatures § 5. That Christ is unchangeable unto Evil and changeable unto Good and so partakes both of Divinity and Creaturality and also of Eternity and Time § 6. That neither Christ nor those that are perfectly united with him are Subject to the Laws of Time inasmuch as it denotes the Destruction of Things § 7. In what sence we are said to depart out of Time and to climb above it into a higher Region ALTHOUGH we have already in the aforegoing Chapter spoken a few things concerning the Son of God who is the First Begotten of all Creatures yet more remains to be said of this matter very necessary for the right understanding of what follows to which purpose we have here designed a peculiar Chapter § 1. BY the Son of God the First Begotten of all Creatures whom we Christians do call by the Name of Jesus Christ according to the Scriptures as is above declared not only is meant his Divinity but also his Humanity in Eternal Union with the Divinity that is as his Heavenly Humanity was united with the Divinity before the World was and so by consequence before he came in the Flesh Of whom the Ancient Cabbalists have delivered many things viz. concerning the Son of God how he was created and of his Existence in the Order of Nature before all Creatures also that all receive Benediction and Sanctification in him and by him whom also in their Writings they call the Heavenly Adam Adam Kadmon or First Man the Great Priest Husband or Spouse of the Church as Philo Judaeus calls the First Begotten Son of God § 2. THIS Son of God the First Begotten of all Creatures to wit this Heavenly Adam and Great Priest as the Jewish Doctors call him is properly a Medium between God and the Creatures And that there is such a Middle Being is as â—â—â—onstrable as that there is a God whâ—râ— is meant such a Being which in its own Nature is indeed less than God and yet greater and more excellent than all other Creatures whence also for his Excellency he is properly called the Son of God Concerning this Son of God who is called by the Jews Adam Kadmon more may be seen in Kabbal denudat Tom. 1. Part. 1. p. 28 30. Part. 2. p. 33. following 37 following Part 3. p. 31. unto the 64. p. 37 78 c. And Kabb. denud Tom. 2. Part 2. p. 244. And Tract ult p. 6 7. 26. § 3. IN order to this Demonstration we must first consider the Nature or Being of God the chiesest Being and then the Nature and Essence of Creatures which are to be compared one with another whence this middle Nature will immediately discover it self to us The Nature and Essence of God as is shown in the preceeding Chapters is altogether unchangeable which not only the Holy Scriptures but also the Strength of Reason which God hath indued our Minds with sufficiently declares For if there should be any Mutability in God it must needs tend to some higher degree or measure of Goodness and then he would not be the Chiefest Good which is contradictory for if any thing advances to a greater degree of Goodness this wholly comes to pass by reason of some greater Being of whose Vertue and Influence it doth participate But there is no greater Being than God and so by consequence he is no way meliorated nor can become better than he is much less decrease which would argue an Imperfection therefore it is manifest that God or the Chiefest Being is altogether unchangeable Now seeing the Nature of Creatures is really distinct from the Nature of God so that there are some Attributes of God which are incommunicable to Creatures among which is reckoned Immutability Hence it necessarily follows that Creatures are changeable or else they would be God himself Moreover also daily experience teaches us that Creatures are changeable and do continually vary from one State unto another But there is a two-fold Mutability the one whereof hath a Power in it of changing it self either unto Good or Evil and this is common to all Creatures but not to the First Begotten of all Creatures the other is only a Power to proceed from Goodness to Goodness Here is therefore a three-fold Classis or rank of Beings The First whereof is that which is wholly unchangeable The Second changeable only to Good so that that which in its own Nature is Good may become yet better The Third is that which though it was in its own Nature indeed Good yet could be indifferently changed as well into Good as from Good into Evil. The first and last of these are Extreams and the second is a Natural Medium between them by which the Extreams are united and this Medium partakes of both Extreams and therefore is the most convenient and proper Medium for it partakes of the one Extream viz. Mutability to wit from Good to a greater degree or measure of Goodness and of the other Extream viz. that it is altogether unchangeable from Good into Evil and such a Medium was necessarily required in the very Nature of Things for otherwise there would remain a Chasm or Gap and one Extream would be united with another without a Medium which is impossible and repugnant to the Nature of Things as appears in the whole Course of the Universe By the Immutability of the Messias here we must understand that which is Moral not that which is Natural There be some who object Christ was tempted in vain if he was naturally unchangeable See Matth. 4. 3. 17 18. Chap. 4. 15. There are also more Arguments merely Philosophical of which in Philosophia Kabbal Kabbal denud Tom. 1. Part 3. Dissert 2. Chap. 1. 13. are urged to prove that from the First Beginning there slowed forth only one thing begun and perfected which is also confirmed by the Authority of Ancient and Modern Philosophers together with an Answer to the Objections made on the contrary § 4. THIS Middle Being is not to be understood in so gross a manner as if it stood in a Middle Place between two Extreams as the Trunk of the Body is between the Head and Feet but is a Medium in respect of its Nature as Silver is between Tinn and Gold or Water between Air and Earth which are but gross Comparisons in regard of the thing it self neither can any one suppose the Son to be such a Medium between God and the Creatures as though God was not immediately present in all his Creatures and immediately filled all things for he immediately operates in all things in a proper sence But this is to be understood of that Union and Communion which Creatures have with God so that although God immediately operates in all things yet he uses this Medium as an Instrument by which he co-operates in his Creatures because it is in regard of its
and Body and although they are thus united yet they still remain different in Nature one from another and so cannot be changed one into another To this I Answer if every Body even the least hath in it the Spirits of all Animals and other Things even as matter is said to have in it all Forms Now I demand Whether a Body hath actually all those Spirits in it or potentially only If actually How is it possible that so many Spirits essentially distinct from Body can actually exist in their distinct Essences in so small a Body even in the least that can be conceived unless it be by intrinseck Presence which is not communicable to any Creature as is already proved For if all kinds of Spirits are in any even the least Body How comes it to pass that such an Animal is produced of this Body and not another Yea how comes it to pass that all kind of Animals are not immediately produced out of one and the same Body which experience denies for we see that Nature keeps her order in all her Operations whence one Animal is formed of another and one Species proceeds from another as well when it ascends to a farther Perfection as when it descends to a viler State and Condition But if they say all Spirits are contained in any Body not actually in their distinct Essences but only potentially as they term it then it must be granted that the Body and all those Spirits are one and the same thing that is that a Body may be turned into them as when we say Wood is potentially Fire that is can be turned into Fire Water is potentially Air that is may be changed into Air. Moreover if Spirits and Bodies are so inseparably united that no Body can be without a Spirit yea not without many Spirits this is certainly a great Argument that they are of one Original Nature and Substance otherwise we could not conceive why in so various and wonderful dissolutions and separation of Things they should not at length be separted one from another as we see the subtiler Things may be separated from the grosser But whence is it that when a Body is at length corrupted out of this Corruption another Species of Things is generated So out of Earth and Water corrupted proceed Animals yea Stones if they putrefie or rot pass into Animals So Dung or other putrefied Matter generates Animals all which have Spirits But how doth Corruption or Dissolution of Body tend to a new Generation and that indeed of Animals If it be said the Spirits of those Animals are as it were loosed from their Bonds and set at Liberty by this dissolution and that then they can form or fashion to themselves a new Body out of the aforesaid Matter by virtue of their Plastick Faculty Unto this I reply How did the Primitive Body so hold it Captive Was it because it was so hard and thick If so it will be manifest that those Spirits are nothing else but subtile Bodies because hardness and density of Body could imprison them that they could not pass out for if a Spirit could as easily penetrate the hardest Body as the softest and most fluid it could as easily pass out of the one as the other nor would there be need of Death and Corruption to a new Life or Generation therefore this kind of Captivity of Spirits in some kind of hard Bodies and their deliverance therefrom when the Bodies become soft affords us a manifest Argument that Spirit and Body are originally of one Nature and Substance and that a Body is nothing but a fixed and condensed Spirit and a Spirit nothing but a subtile and volatile Body And here is to be noted that in all hard Bodies as in Stones whether common or precious and so also in Metals Herbs Trees and Animals yea in all Humane Bodies there don't only exist many Spirits which are as it were imprisoned in those gross Bodies and united with them and therefore cannot flow forth or fly out into other Bodies until they have passed Death or Dissolution but also many other very subtile Spirits which continually flow from them and which by reason of their subtilty the hardness of the Body in which they lay hid cannot detain and these Spirits are the more subtile Productions or the Sutures of the grosser Spirits detained in the Body for although these are detained therein yet they are not idle in their Prison but their Bodies are as it were Shops for them to work out those subtiler Spirits which afterwards flow out in colours sounds odours tastes and divers other Powers and Vertues whence the gross Body and the Spirits therein contained are as it were the Mother of those subtiler Spirits who take the place of Children for Nature still works to a farther perfection of subtilty and spirituality even as this is the most natural Property of all Motion and Operation For all Motion wears and divides and so renders a Thing subtile and spiritual Even thus in Man's Body the Meat and Drink is first changed into Chyle then into Blood afterwards into Spirits which are nothing else but Blood brought to perfection and these Spirits whether good or bad still advance to a greater subtilty or spirituality and by those Spirits which come from the Blood we see hear smell taste feel and think yea meditate love hate and do all things whatsoever we do and from hence also cometh the Seed by which Humane Kind is propagated and hence especially proceeds the Voice and Speech of Man which is full of Spirits form'd in the Heart either Good or Evil as Christ hath taught That out of the Plenty of the Heart the Mouth speaketh and that a Good Man out of the Good Treasure of his Heart bringeth forth Good Things c. Also that which goeth into a Man doth not defile him but that which proceeds out of him for in like manner as they proceed from him so shall they again return into him § 6. AND these are the proper Angels or Ministring Spirits of a Man although there are other Angels also as well Good as Evil which come unto Men Of which Angels Christ speaketh where he speaketh of those little Ones that believe on him Their Angels saith he always behold the Face of my Heavenly Father Which are the Angels of those Believers who become as it were like little Infants § 7. MY sixth and last Argument I shall deduce from certain Texts of Scripture as well of the Old as New Testament which do prove in plain and express Words that all Things have Life and do really live in some degree or measure Acts 17. 27. It is said He giveth Life to all Things Again 1 Tim. 6. 13. of God it is said That he quickens all Things And Luk. 20. 38. he is not called The God of the Dead but of the Living which though principally meant of Men yet it is generally to be understood of all other Creatures viz.