The Court of the Gentiles Part 2, Book 3 · Chapter 9

The Court of the Gentiles Part 2 · Book 3 · Chapter 9

p. 312CHAP. IX. Of Plato's Phyſicks, and their Traduction from Sacred Storie.

Plato's Storie of the Origine of the Univerſe, from Gen. 1.1. &c. Plato aſſerted the Eternitie of the world, only in regard to Divine Idea's. Plato own's God as the firſt efficient, according to Gen. 1.1. Gods Ideal efficiencie.. Plato's intelligible World. God's energetick efficiencie. Of Plato's Univerſal Spirit, or Spirit of the Univerſe, from …en. 1.2. [Spirit.] It's various regards. The bodie of the Univerſe, and its firſt matter, from Gen. 1.2. The Parallel 'twixt Moſes, and Plato's firſt matter in Six particulars. Of the Four Elements which immediately conſtitute the Ʋniverſe, and their traduction from Moſes. Gen. 1.1. with it's analyſis. Plato's Forme of the Univerſe conſiſts in Harmonie, and Order. Plato's foreign of the Univerſe. 1. Perfection, from Gen. 1.31. How Plato calls the Univerſe the Image of God, from Gen. 1.27. 2. The Unitie of the Univerſe. 3. Finitenes. 4. Figure, Round. 5. Colour. 6. Time. 7. Mobilitie. 8. Generations. 9. Duration, &c. 2. Of the Parts of the Univerſe 1. Angels. 2. The Heavens their ſubſtance: Fire, or Air, or Water. That the Sun, and Stars are fire, from Gen. 1.3. foreign ſignifies Fire, as well as Light. Arguments proving the Sun to be Fire. Of Light, and Darknes. 3. Of the inferiour world, Wind, Air, Water. Gen. 1.9. Meteors, &c. Of Active Phyſicks, Plants, Animals, &c. Of man's Original, and Formation according to the Image of God, Gen. 1.26.27. Of the humane Soul, it's Original, Nature, …apacitie, Jmmortalitie, Perfection, and Faculties; the Underſtanding, &c. Medicinal Canons. 1. foreign. 1. For conſervation of health. 1. The cauſes of diſeaſes. 2. The exerciſes of Nature. 3. Rules for Diet. 2. foreign, or curative Medicine, with Plato's Canons, and Character of a Phyſician.

p. 313§. 1.Plato's Phyſicks, a ſtorie of the worlds Origine. The firſt great piece of Philoſophie in vogue amongſt the Ancient Grecians, eſpecially ſuch as were of the Ionick ſect, was Phyſicks, or Phyſiologie, commonly called Natural Philoſophie. For Thales and his Succeſſors wholly buſied themſelves in Natural Inquiſitions, and Diſputes. Though Socrates perceiving the vanitie of ſuch Phyſiologick ſpeculations, wholly addicts himſelf to Morals; Plato affecting an univerſal perfection in Philoſophie joyns both Contemplatives, and Actives together. And thence his Phyſicks may be diſtributed into Contemplative, and Active. Plato's Contemplative Phyſick, or Phyſiologie is nothing elſe, but a Natural Hiſtorie, or Hiſtorical account of Nature, i. e. the Vniverſe, it's Origine, Principles, Constitution, Affections, and parts; of all which he diſcourſeth moſt amply, and Philoſophically in his Timaeus (the chief ſeat of his Phyſiologick Philoſophiſings) and that in imitation of, and by tradition from Moſes's Hiſtorical Narration of the Creation, as we no way doubt it will manifeſtly appear by theſe following Demonſtrations, as well artificial, as inartificial.

§. 2. That Plato derived his Phyſiologick Philoſophizings,That Plato had his Storie concerning the Origine of the Univerſe from Moſes's Hiſtorie of the Creation Gen. 1.Gen 1 touching the Worlds Origine, &c. from Moſes's Hiſtorie of the Creati…n ſeem very probable by his own confeſſion: for in Timaeus, fol. 29. being about to treat of the Worlds Origine &c. he makes this Prologue, It is meet (ſaies he) that we remember that both I who diſcourſe, and ye, who judge foreign, That we have human nature, ſo that having received ſome probable Fable, or Tradition concerning theſe things, it becomes us not to enquire farther. Here Plato acknowledgeth, that concerning the Origine of the Ʋniverſe, all the Notices they had were but ſome probable Fables, or Traditions; which without all peradventure were derived to them, if not immediately, yet originally from the Sacred Hiſtorie. This is farther confirmed by what we find in Johannes Grammaticus, alias Philoponus, of the Worlds Creat. lib. 1. cap. 2. pag. 4. It is no wonder (ſaies he) that Moſes, who was moſt ancient being about to draw men to the knowledge of God, inſtitutes a diſcourſe touching the Creation of the World, in this manner. foreign, whereas Plato diſcourſing concerning the production of the Univerſe by God, imitates him in this, as alſo in many other things, &c. Thus Philoponus: who frequently p. 314inculcates the ſame, as hereafter. Thus alſo Ludovicus Vives, de Ves rita…e fid. pag. 157. The Geneſis, or production of the world (ſaies he) is ſo deſcribed by Moſes, that thence the greateſt wits have both admired the profunditie thereof, and alſo embraced the truth of the Narration. The Pythagoreans, and their follower Plato in his Timaeus have imitated that Moſaick Deſcription of the Worlds procreation, ſometimes almoſt in the ſame words. So in like manner that great French Divine Meſtrezat in his excellent Treatiſe de la vertu, de la foy on Heb. 11.3. [Through faith we underſtand that the worlds were made] obſerves thus, Thoſe extravagancies of the Philoſophers, even of the principal of them, Ariſtotle, and the Stoicks concerning an eternal firſt matter, give us ſufficiently to underſtand, that they, who have ſpoken more Orthodoxly of the Creation, as Plato did, took what they knew thereof from thoſe raies, which Divine Revelation had ſcattered in the world, by the Children of Noah, or by Abraham, and his poſteritie, amongſt the Syrians, and Egyptians. Thus Meſtrezat; where he alſo gives us ſome artificial Dem…ſtration of the foreign, or manner how Plato received theſe his traditions of the Worlds Origine from Sacred Revelation; to which we may adde thoſe Notices Plato received hereof from the Pythagoreans; eſpecially Timaeus the Locrian, who writ of the Origine of the Ʋniverſe; from whom we need no way doubt, Plato received many of his Philoſophick traditions delivered in his Timaeus, as before chap. 3. §. 3. Now the Pythagoreans were generally foreign ▪ affecters of Oriental, Jewiſh traditions. The ſame may be ſaid for ſuch Phyſiologick traditions, as Plato derived from Heraclitus, who was alſo foreign, as before chap. 6. §. 1. Yea 'tis not without probabilitie, that Plato might have a ſight of Moſes's own Hiſtorie, and read the ſame by vertue of his skill in the Egyptian, or Phenician tongue, or at leaſt that he might underſtand the ſame by an Enterpreter as before, chap. 3. §. 4. That Plato's Phyſiologick diſcourſes touching the Ʋniverſe, it's Principles, Affections, and Parts, were really deductions from, and imitations of Moſes's Hiſtorie of the Creation, will more evidently appear from the following enumeration, and explication of particulars, and the parallel 'twixt the one and the other reſulting thence.

Plato follows Moſes, Gen. 1.1 in aſſerting the Worlds begining.Gen 1:1§. 3. Firſt that Plato followed Moſes, Gen. 1.1. [In the Beginning] in aſſerting the beginning of the World, &c. is moſt evident to any that reads his Timaeus, fol. 28. &c. where he, (according to the Socratick mode of diſputing by Interrogations) puts this queſtion, whether p. 315the World had foreign a beginning of Geneſis, or creation, yea or no? To which he reply's that the World foreign was made; and he gives the reaſon thereof, foreign, for it is Viſible, tangible, and Corporeal. And he afterwards ſaies more Categorically, that the World was made by God, &c. And that this was Plato's mind is evident by Ariſtotle (who knew well his maſters ſenſe in this particular) his warme diſputes againſt him, for the Eternitie of matter. I am not ignorant, that many of the New Platoniſts, namely Plotinus, Porphyrie, Iamblichus, Apuleius, Alcinous, and more particularly Taurus, and Proclus in their Commentaries on Plato's Timaeus, did all endeavour to prove with Ariſtotle, an Eternitie of Matter, thereby to diſprove the Chriſtians Hiſtorie of the Creation. And being urged with theſe, and ſuch like expreſſe quotations out of Plato for the Origine of the Univerſe; they replie, that when Plato diſcourſeth of the Worlds foreign Geneſis, or beginning, he meant it not of a Principle of Duration, but of cauſalitie. So that the world though eternal, might be ſaid to be from God by Emanation, as light from the Sun. Thus they endeavour to reconcile Plato with Ariſtotle, for the defence of the worlds Eternitie, wherein they are learnedly refuted by Johannes Grammaticus in his defence for the Chriſtians againſt Proclus; as alſo in his Book of the Worlds Creation. And whereas Voſſius de Philoſoph. ſect. c. 12. §. 7. blames Plato for aſſerting, that the World was made by God out of a coeternal matter, it ſeems evident, that Plato by his Eternal Matter, or World underſtands only that eternal foreign Exemplar, Idea, or Platforme in the Divine Decrees, How Plato affirmes the world to be eternal.which he calls foreign, the intelligible world, which he oppoſeth to the foreign, ſenſible. So in his Timaeus, fol. 97. Plato tells us, that this Senſible Univerſe was created according to the patterne of the Intelligible, as time according to the exemplar of Eternitie. By which it's evident that he calls the world eternal only foreign according to ſome proportion, or relation to the Divine exemplar, or Decrees, not abſolutely, and ſimply, as hereafter. Yea it ſeems evident by Ariſtotle's own confeſſion, that all the Philoſophers before him held the world to have had a beginning; his words are, foreign, they all ſay, that it was made. Johannes Grammaticus of the Creation peremptorily aſſerts, that all the Philoſophers before Ariſtotle held the beginning, and framing of all things to be from God. Mr. Bochart aſſerted the ſame in a Sermon at Caen, March 2. 1664. That which made Ariſtotle oppoſe this generally received tradition p. 316was his Philoſophick humour of oppoſing everie thing, that would not lye level with his Reaſon.

God the firſt cauſe of all.§. 4. Hence Plato aſſerted God to be the firſt Effector, Compoſer, or Creator of the Vniverſe, according to Moſes's deſcription, Gen. 1, 1. God Created. So in his Timaeus, fol. 28. foreign. We ſay, that whatever is made, muſt neceſſarily have ſome cauſe: but here lies the difficultie to find out, who this Creator, and Father of the Univerſe is; and having found him out, to diſcover him to vulgar capacities, is altogether impoſſible. So in his Sophiſta, fol. 215. he ſaies, that natural things could not ſpring up of themſelves, but that they were foreign, The products of Gods efficiencie, whence he makes God to be foreign, the moſt Sovereign cauſe, and foreign, the cauſe of cauſes. But to treat ſomewhat more diſtinctly of this Divine Efficiencie; which according to Plato's mind may be diſtributed into Ideal, or immanent, and executive, … …a…ſient. As for

Gods Ideal Efficiencie.1. Gods Ideal efficiencie, it's well known, that none treats more profeſſedly, and fully thereof then Plato. I ſhall not enter into a diſcourſe of Platonick Idea's in general, becauſe they properly appertain to Metaphyſicks, and are therefore more amplie treated or by Plato in his Parmenides, which is the ſeat of his Metaphyſick Philoſophizings. I ſhall at preſent diſcourſe of theſe Idea's, only as they relate unto Divine Efficiencie, exerting it ſelf in the worlds Creation, according to what I find of them in Plato's Timaeus, where he diſcourſeth more particularly of theſe Idea's, as they are the great exemplar, according to which God framed the Univerſe. So Plato in his Timaeus, fol. 49. Having diſcourſed of the Univerſe, he diſtributes it thus: foreign, There are two ſorts of Worlds; one that has the forme of a Paradeigme, or Exemplar, which is an intelligible ſubject, and alwaies the ſame in Being. But the ſecond, which is the imitate of the exemplar had a Geneſis, or beginning, and is viſible: where it's evident, Plato diſtinguiſheth the Intelligible world, which he calls the exemplar ſubſiſting in the Divine mind,Of Plato's Intelligible World. from the ſenſible, which is but the imitate of the former. And it ſeems evident that Plato by his foreign Intelligible World, which he here calls foreign an Exemplar, as elſe where foreign, the Ideal, ſelf-living, p. 317alwaies-living world (I ſay by theſe he) meant no other, than that Divine Idea, Image, or Exemplar inherent in the Divine Eſſence, according to which the whole Univerſe was delineated, and faſhioned. For the more full underſtanding whereof, take theſe propoſitions.

1. Plato ſuppoſeth, that God, who is the moſt wiſe Agent, acted not raſhly, but as a skilful Artificer, had foreign ſome moſt beautiful End, or Deſign, which was the meaſure, rule, or ſquare in this great work of Creating the World.

2. Hence the infinite Wiſdome of God, which the Scholes call His Simple Intelligence, having a full comprehenſion of all poſſible meanes, which might any way conduce to the promotion of Divine Glorie, the ſupreme end of this undertaking, and the Divine Sovereign Will, or Pleaſure Decreeing what it judged moſt expedient in order hereto, ſeems to paſs according to Plato's mind, under the Forme, or Notion of Divine Ideas, which he makes to be foreign, immaterial, Eternal, Immixed, and the original Prototype of the Univerſe.

3. Theſe original Idea's which comprehend the Divine Wiſdome, The Difference 'twixt Plato's Ideas, and Exemplar.and Decrees, Plato makes to be productive of a Secondarie Idea (yet ſtill immanent in the Divine Eſſence) which he calls ſometimes foreign, an Exemplar, ſometimes foreign, an Image. The original Idea he ſuppoſeth to be foreign, the ſelf-ſubſistent, indiviſible, and eternal efficient of the Second Idea, or Exemplar, which he makes to be the more immediate Delineation, or Image of the whole work. For thus his words run, foreign, making uſe of this Exemplar he frames the Idea, and Power, i. e. the ſenſible World. So that 'tis evident he diſtinguiſheth his original Idea from his Exemplar, making the forme… to be firſt more Noble, and Cauſative of the l…tter: this ſeems to be much the ſame with that, which the Scholes call Gods Science of Viſion, whereby he contemplates things Future, which is the reſult of his Decrees, and ſo differing from his Simple Intelligence, whereby he contemplates things Poſſible. I find all this excellently explicated to us by Learned Serranus in his Comment on Plato's Timaeus, fol. 12. whence, ſaies he, the firſt, and foreign Sovereign cauſe of this whole worke, which exiſted in the Divine mind, was his ſupreme End. For the effecting this end, there was an Idea, i. e. an Eternal Decree: This Idea delineated to it ſelf p. 318foreign, an Exemplar of the future work, which was various according to the varietie of the work. Or elſe we may, if we pleaſe refer this Original Idea of Plato to Gods Simple Intelligence, and his Exemplar to Gods Science of Viſion, of which ſee Book 2. chap. 8. §. 8. of Pythagorick Idea's. This gives us a more full account what Plato meant by his Intelligible, Ideal, and Eternal World, which he ſo ſtiled analogically only with relation to Divine Decrees. The foundation of theſe Divine Idea's Plato ſeems to have taken from Moſes, Gen. 1.31. And God ſaw every thing, that he had made, and behold it was very good.] i. e. anſwerable to his own Divine Exemplar, or Platforme. Plato in his Timaeus, fol. 37. ſpeaks almoſt in Moſes's words, thus. After the Father of the Univerſe had beheld his workmanſhip, the framed image of the Eternal Gods, he recreated himſelf, and rejoyced therein. That Plato herein imitated Moſes, ſee Joannes Grammaticus of Creation, lib. 7. cap. 11, 12. of which more hereafter. This gives to underſtand how unjuſtly Ariſtotle, and his followers, have with ſo great heat contended againſt Plato's Univerſal Idea's, as though they were but Brain-ſick figments, no where exiſting, but in Plato's vain imagination: whereas it ſeems evident that Plato by theſe Ʋniverſal Idea's, underſtood no other (though more darkly) than what our Divines generally underſtand by the Ʋniverſal Idea's inherent in the mind of God as the Exemplar of all things created. Thus much for Gods Ideal Efficiencie.

Gods Energetick Efformative Efficiencie.2. As for Gods Executive, or Productive Efficiencie; according to Plato's Philoſophizing, he is in general ſtiled foreign, the ſupreme Fabricator, Perfecter, and Eſſentializer of things. The notions, by which Plato ſets forth this Divine Efficiencie, are theſe, foreign, He adorned, ordered, figured, conſtituted, framed all things, &c. And more particularly as to the mode, or manner how God framed all things, we are told foreign, ev'ry thing was Eſſentialized by certain Prolifick, or Efformative words. This ſeems exactly to anſwer to that of the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 33.6. By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made, and all the Hoſt of them by the breath of his Mouth: which the Author to the Hebrews, chap. 11.3. more fully explains [The worlds were framed by the Word of God] i. e. Gods Fiat, or word was the Seminal prolifick principle of all beings, as Gen. 1.3. So the Stoicks reducing the whole of the Univerſe to two p. 319principles foreign the efficient, and foreign the matter: as to the former, they ſay foreign, this being the Spermatick, or Seminal Word of the Univerſe, which formes, and ſhapes it, as the Seed the Faetus. Which ſuits well with the Scripture account hereof: or elſe we may reduce this foreign Spermatick Word, which the Platonists, and Stoicks ſpeak ſo much of, to Chriſt, who is by Solomon ſtiled Wiſdom, Prov. 8.27, 28. and by John 1.1. foreign. The Eſſential word, and made Coeffector with God the Father in the Creation of the Univerſe, though the former ſeems more adequate to the Platonick mind.

§. 5. We may reduce alſo to the foregoing Divine Efficiencie, Of Plato's Anima Mundi or Univerſal Spirit.that which Plato ſtiles foreign the ſoul of the Ʋniverſe, or the Ʋniverſal ſpirit, which is ſo much ſpoken of, but as little underſtood in the Scholes. For the full underſtanding whereof, we muſt remember that Plato, according to his Allegorick humour, fancies the Univerſe to be foreign a living, and intelligent creature, compoſed of bodie, and ſoul. As for the bodie of the Ʋniverſe, what he means thereby is evident, for he calls it foreign the viſible, Nunquam futurus eſt Platonicus, qui allegoricè Platonem non putat intelligendum: niſi forte Ariſtotelico more in Platonis verba, non in ſenſum opertum, & profundiorem figna inferre velit. Cael. Rhodig. l. 9. c. 12.and tractable matter. All the difficultie lies in ſtating what he intends by the ſoul of the World. For the underſtanding whereof we are to remember (which is a general Clavis to Plato's Philoſophie) that Plato affected an Allegorick mode of Philoſophizing; wherefore his ſenſe is more to be attended, than his words, as Caelius Rhodig. l. 9. c. 40. hath well obſerved. And this diſcovers the great injuſtice of Ariſtotle, and his Adherents in their Diſputes againſt Plato in that quarelling with, and triumphing over his words, they regard not his ſenſe, or mind wrapped up under thoſe Symbolick, and Metaphorick Notions. Thus here when Plato Philoſophizeth of the ſoul of the Univerſe, or the Univerſal ſpirit, that animates this Univerſe, no… minding his hidden ſenſe they cavil againſt his Notion, as if he did indeed make the Univerſe a Monſtre. But to come to the right underſtanding of this Notion: We ſhall endeavour to draw forth Plato's mind in theſe Propoſitions.

1. The original, and primarie notion,Plato's Univerſal Spirit exactly anſwers to the Spirit's Efformative Virtue, Gen. 1.2. Moved, &c.Gen 1:2 or mind of Plato's foreign Ʋniverſal ſpirit, or ſoul of the Univerſe, ſeems to be but a broken Tradition from Gen. 1.2. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the Waters; and ſo an imperfect reference to the third perſon in the Trinitie, whom Moſes makes to be the more immediate fomenter, and influencer of all things. Hence the Platoniſts in their foreign, Trinitie, make foreign their Univerſal ſpirit to be the third foreign, or p. 320perſon. That Plato by his Spirit of the Ʋniverſe, or Ʋniverſal ſpirit, meant the Spirit of God, or God, is evident by his deſcription thereof in his de Legib. lib. 10. fol. 896. foreign, The Soul, or Spirit of all things is moſt ancient, and the principle of motion, and of all good: this Soul alſo is the cauſe of all things, honeſt, and evil, of all things juſt, and unjuſt; and of all contraries. This is a full deſcription of the ſpirit's operation, and influx on all things both good and evil materially conſidered. But Plato diſcourſeth more fully, & particularly concerning this Univerſal Divine Spirit, his Prolifick Seminal Efformation of the Univerſe in what precedes, fol. 395. foreign. The Soul or Spirit perme…ting, and enhabiting all things, &c. Plato here proves, that God is the Soul of the World, from the Analogie, or Proportion he bears to the living Soul. For look as the Senſitive Soul conveighed from the Pa…ent, together with, and in the Seed, does by its Prolifick Efformative Virtue forme, and ſhape the faetus, till it be perfected: So God, whom he here ſtiles the Ʋniverſal ſoul permeating, and enhabiting all things, is the foreign, and (as before) foreign, and foreign, the firſt faſhi…ner, or the Efformative, and Spermatick principle of the Ʋniverſe. Or look as the humane ſpirit, though precedent to, and no way depending on the bodie, is notwithſtanding foreign (as Ariſtotle phraſeth it) the perfection, or perfective principle of the man; ſo Plato's Univerſal Spirit, or Spirit of the Ʋniverſe, though it be precedent to, and independent on the ſaid Univerſe, yet is it foreign the Efformative, and perfective principle thereof. This Plato's indwelling ſoul of the Univerſe is the ſame with that foreign, Plaſtick, Efformative, Power, Spirit, or Principle, which our Chymiſts take to be the Ʋniverſal ſpirit, informing all things. And that all theſe Platonick …otions of this Soul, or Spirit of the Ʋniverſe were but broken traditions derived originally from Gen. 1.2. The Spirit of God moved, &c. will I think, be evident to any, that ſhall conſider, how parallel they are. For whereas 'tis ſaid Gen. 1.2. the Spirit moved; ſome will have the Hebrew foreign to imply ſuch a motion, or agitation as carries with it an Efformative fomentation, like to that of a Broodie Hen, fomenting her Egges; The Spirit of God as it were (to ſpeake with Reverence) ſet abrood upon the Waters, till it be Hat…hed, and brought forth the Ʋ niverſe. To which Plato's Spermatick, Efformativs ſpirit of the Univerſe exactly anſwers, as alſo to that Pſal. 33.6. By the breath of his mouth… Hebrew foreign, by the Spirit of his Mouth. Neither is this only a Novel Obſervation: for Ludovicus Vives, who was well veri… in Plato, is fully of this perſuaſion, as he layes it down in his Comment on Auguſt. Civit. lib. 10. cap. 23. If we will (ſaies he) more exactly follow Plato, its eaſie to defend, that the Soul of the world is that ſpirit which moved upon the Waters, Gen. 1.2. which they ſeem to make imparting life, and eſſence to all things through the maſſe of the Univerſe. Thus he; who gives us a good explication of Plato's foreign, &c.

2.Plato's Univerſal ſpirit refers to the ſpirit's preſervation, and Providence. Plato's Soul of the Univerſe ſeems to refer ſometimes to the Divine Spirit, his Providential influence on, and concurſe with all things. This indeed follows upon, and differs not really from the foregoing notion of Plato's Univerſal ſpirit. For look as the ſpirit of God was the firſt Fomenter, Framer, and Perfectioner of the Univerſe, ſo does he ſtill continue the ſupreme Governour, Orderer, and Influencer of it, and of all its motions, &c. Parallel hereto does Plato make his Univerſal ſpirit to be not only the firſt Compoſer, but alſo the Diſpoſer, and Orderer of the Univerſe, and all its Motions: ſo in his de Legib. lib. 10. fol. 897. foreign; It's manifeſt, that we muſt confeſſe, the ſupreme ſoul provides for the whole world, and acts it, &c. This is another reaſon, why Plato ſtiles the Univerſe a living Creature, as he himſelf acquaints us in his Timaeus, fol. 30. foreign, we ought to ſay, that this world is truly a Living, and Intelligent Creature, becauſe it comes under the Providence of God. Hence Plato ſtiles this Univerſal Divine ſpirit, foreign, for that he does moſt wiſely, and methodically diſpoſe, and order all Providential occurrences, and natural affairs. So in his Phileb. foreign. All wiſe men agree that foreign the Divine mind is King to us, both of Heaven and Earth. So agen Phaedo, fol. 97. foreign: And we judge, if it be ſo, that the Divine Mind adorning adorneth all things, and placeth ev'ry thing in the beſt forme, and ſtation that may be, which is more briefly, yet fully, in the Platonick Definitions thus, foreign, The Divine Mind is that, which adornes, and is the cauſe p. 322of all things: we have all this fully expreſſed by the Stoicks according to the relation of Laertius in Zeno, thus, foreign; The world is enhabited by the foreign, Divine Mind, and Providence; the Mind diſpenſing, adminiſtrating, or ordering every part thereof, as the Soul in you, which is a full Explication of Plato's Univerſal ſpirit, and doth exactly anſwer to the Scripture's relation of the Spirit of God, his preſervation of, and providence over all things, as Pſal. 104.30. Thou ſendeſt forth thy ſpirit, &c. So that we need no way doubt, but that Plato traduced this ſecond Notion of his Univerſal ſpirit from the Sacred fountain.

3. Plato' Soul of the world taken for its Harmonie, and Order.3. Plato ſeems alſo ſometimes under the Notion of his Univerſal ſpirit, or Soul, to comprehend that Univerſal Symmetrie, Harmonie, Order, Beautie, and Form… which appears in the Univerſe. So in his Timaeus, fol. 32. foreign, &c. The bodie of the Vniverſe is framed by proportion, and friendſhip of the Four Elements, &c. where he makes foreign, analogie, or foreign ſymmetrie, the bond of Union, Univerſal ſpirit, or forme by which all the parts of the Ʋniverſe, in themſelves oppoſite, & contrarie, by a friendly kind of diſcord are conjoyned, and agree together. This piece of Plato's Ʋniverſal Spirit is but the reſult of the former. For the Spirit of God having at firſt framed, and ſtill ordering the Ʋniverſe, and all its parts according to Eternal Wiſdome, Law, and Contrivement, hence flows the moſt exact Order, Beautie, and Harmonie, of all parts (though never ſo contrarie) mutually conſpiring, and moving according to that Law of Nature impreſt upon their beings, and the particular conduct, or diſpoſition of the Divine Providence to their appointed ends; ſo that Plato here puts the Effect for the Cauſe, namely Order for the Divine Spirit who is the great foreign, Orderer, Collector, and Conjoyner of all theſe parts in the Ʋniverſe. But of this more, when we come to Plato's Forme of the Ʋniverſe.

4. Plato's ignifick virtue how far it may be …ited the Univerſal ſpirit.4. Some by Plato's Univerſal Spirit underſtand that Ignifick virtue, or Vivifick natural heat, which in the firſt Creation was infuſed into the Chaos, and afterward diffuſed through ev'ry part of the Univerſe for the fomenting, and nouriſhing thereof. This ſay they, Plato cals foreign, Fire, or an Ignifick Spirit, which faſhioneth p. 323divers Effects, which Moſes calls the Spirit of God, Gen, 1.2. Thus Beza, and out of him Serranus on Plato's Timaeus, fol. 10. But though Plato ſeems to own ſuch a prolifick fire, or ignifick ſpirit diffuſed through the Ʋniverſe, yet his Univerſal ſpirit, or chief Soul of the Univerſe ſeems diſtinct here-from, as much as the cauſe from its effect. Of this more hereafter.

§. 6. Having endeavoured to explicate Plato's Univerſal Spirit, The Bodie of the Univerſe, and its original matter.or the Spirit of the Univerſe, we are now to proceed to its bodie, and material Principle. The proper bodie of the Univerſe, according to the mind of Plato, is compoſed of the Four Elements, Fire, Water, Earth, Air: but the original matter of theſe Elements he makes to be the Chaos, which being firſt in order of Nature, and exiſtence, ought firſtly to be diſcourſed of. It was a foreign, or principle univerſally granted by all the Ancient Philoſophers before Ariſtotle, that the Univerſe had an origine; and that this Origine was from God: So that the great foreign, or queſtion was, what the material principle, or firſt matter of the Univerſe was? We find the ſeveral perſuaſions touching this matter diſtinctly, though conciſely, given us by Clemens Romanus Recognitionum lib 8^o Pythagoras ſaid, that the Elements, or principles of all things were Numbers; Calliſtratus Qualities; Alcmaeon Contrarieties; Anaximandrus Immenſitie; Anaxagoras Similarie of parts; Epicurus Atomes; Diodorus foreign, i. e. Impartibles, or Indiviſibles; Aſclepias foreign, which we call Tumors, or Elations; Geometers Fines, i. e. Bounds; Democritus Idea's; Thales Water; Parmenides Earth; Plato Fire, Water, Air, Earth; Ariſtotle alſo a fifth Element, which he named foreign, Unnameable. Thus Voſſius de Philoſ. part. 1. cap. 5. §. 13. Although this relation needs ſome emendation, yet 'tis the beſt I have met with in this kind, and therefore it muſt paſſe. Only as to Plato, we muſt know, that though he made the Four Elements before named, the compleat bodie, yet he made them not the firſt original matter of the Univerſe. For Plato in his Timaeus deſcribes his foreign, or firſt matter thus: It is, ſaies he, foreign, or foreign, The Genus, or Species out of which ev'ry thing is compoſed; and he expreſly ſaies that it is neither Fire, nor Water, nor Earth, nor Air, but the Common Mother, and Nurſe of all theſe, which effuſeth its ſeed, and virtue foreign, Watrie, Firie, and receptive of the formes of Air, and Earth. And indeed this Plato's foreign firſt matter, p. 324or foreign, Chaos ſeems exactly the ſame with, and we need no way doubt but was originally traduced from that of Moſes, Gen. 1.2. And the Earth was without forme, and void. Thus Richardſon in the Expoſition on his Divinitie Tables, Table 5. MSS. Materia] This the Philoſophers did find,The Parallel 'twixt Moſes and Plato in deſcription of the Firſt Matter of the Univerſe. ſtumbling upon it, but miſtaking it very much. Ariſtotle had it from Plato; he had it from the Egyptians, they from the Jews. This will eaſily appear by parallelizing the affections of the one and the other: which we ſhall endeavour in theſe following Propoſitions.

1. In it's Creation.1. Moſes makes Divine Creation the original of his Firſt Matter, or Chaos, Gen. 1.1. So does Plato, as before, §. 4. anſwerable to that of Heſiod, foreign, Firſt of all the Chaos was made, That Peripatetick dream of an Eternal firſt matter never came into Plato's head, though ſome impute it to him, as before §. 3.

1. Moſes's foreign the ſame with Plato's foreign.2. Moſes calls his Firſt Matter, Gen. 1.2. foreign without forme, which P. Fagius renders out of Kimchi foreign, the very ſame word, which Plato uſeth to expreſſe his Firſt Matter by; and little different in ſound, but leſſe, or nothing at all, in ſenſe from Sanchoniathon's foreign, ſlime, which Philo Byblius ſtiles foreign, as Great Bochart conceives from the Phenician, and Hebrew foreign Mod, which ſignifies Matter, as before, Book 1. chap. 3. §. 13, 14. Aquila on Deut. 32.10. renders this foreign by foreign confuſed, or without order, and Plato deſcribes his firſt matter by the ſame word, calling it foreign, confuſed, foreign, namely becauſe it was without any ſubſtantial forme, order, or perfection: yea Plato expreſly ſtiles his firſt matter foreign, without forme, as Moſes. Hence thoſe Peripatetick deſcriptions of this firſt matter, that it is nec quid, nec quale, nec quantum, indefinite, and informe, yet capable of any forme, which have cauſed ſo much diſpute in the Scholes.

Moſes's foreign the origine of Plato's foreign.3. Moſes makes his Firſt Matter to be Gen. 1.2. foreign and void, whence ſome conceive, that Plato with the reſt of the Greeks traduced their foreign: for by an uſual change of ב into ב, foreign is turned into foreign, which Bochart makes the original of foreign, Chaos. But if we cannot argue fully from the Names, yet as to Things we may draw an exact Parallel 'twixt Moſes, and Plato as to this particular. For Plato, as well as Moſes, makes his firſt Matter to be void of any Forme, or perfect principles, but yet the Seminarie, or Maſſe, out of which all things were framed: So Plato tells us, that this Chaos was foreign, The receptacle, and as it were the nurſe of all generations, though it were nothing perfectly. So again in the ſame Timaeus he acquaints us, that it was foreign, agen, foreign, i.e. that it was a kind of anomalous thing, not clothed with Eſſence, yea little better than nothing, yet the common ſubject out of which all things were formed. In ſumme, this firſt matter is according to Plato ſtiled foreign, The Seat, Receptacle, Mother, and Nurſe of the Univerſe, proportionable to that of Sanchoniathon (quoted by Euſebius) who treating of the Chaos, ſaies,Euſeb. l. 1. c. 10. foreign, out of this came all the ſeed of the Creation; and the Generation of the whole. So Plato in his Timaeus, fol. 95. ſaies foreign. Matter is as the Female, and Mother, and Nurſe; but the Forme, is as the Male, and Father of the Univerſe. Thus we ſee how Plato in imitation of Moſes deſcribes the firſt matter as void of all ſubſtantial forme, and perfection; yet the ſeed, and receptacle of all things. Hence alſo we learne, whence Ariſtotle had his Phyſical Privation, which he makes one of his Principles neceſſarily antecedent to the production of Bodies. Hence alſo he calls his firſt matter a paſſive power, or Principle void of all formes, but inclinable to, or receptive of any forme. Theſe Peripatetick notions, which make ſo great noiſe in our Scholes, were evidently but fragments of Plato's Moſaick traditions.

4. Moſes deſcribes his Firſt Matter, or Confuſed Maſſe to be,Plato's foreign from Moſes, Gen. 1.25.Gen 1:25 Gen. 1.2. Darkneſſe, &c. Hence Plato, in imitation of him, ſtiles his firſt Matter foreign, tenebrous, obſcuritie. The like we find mentioned in Heſiod, and by him applyed to the Chaos, foreign. From the Chaos ſprang the Erebo, and the dark night. And indeed both Plato, and Heſiod ſeeme to have traduced this affection of the Chaos from Sanchoniathon, who calls it foreign the tenebrous Chaos, which Learned Bochart ſuppoſeth to bave been in the Phenician tongue (in which Sanchoniathon writ) foreign, Evening darkneſſe, which he proves was taken from Gen. 1.2. but the word foreign from Gen. 1.5. foreign, and it was Eber, or Evening: this (ſaies he) Varro thus imitates; Erebo creata fuſcis crinibus nox te invoco: So Bochart Can. lib. 2. cap. 2. fol. 783.

p. 3265. Gen. 1.2. Face of the deep.Gen 1:25. Whereas Moſes ſaies Gen. 1.2. [Darkneſs was upon the face of deep] Plato alſo ſeems to comprehend the ſame under his foreign, or firſt matter, which, as we have before mentioned, is the ſame with Sanchoniathon's foreign waterie miſtion, or ſlime: ſo Orpheus foreign, Hilus, or ſlime was made out of water. This ſlime, or fluid watrie matter the ſeed of all Creatures, is the ſame with Thales's foreign, water, which he made the firſt principle, or matter of all things: and all but broken traditions of Moſes's deſcription, Gen. 1.2. as we have proved at large, Book 2. chap. 3. §. 4.

6. Gen. 1.2. Moved on the face of the waters.Gen 1:26. Laſtly, Moſes ſaies, Gen. 1.2. [The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the Waters] i. e. The Spirit of God by a Divine fomentation, agitation, or motion on this fluid matter, commonly called the Chaos, formed, and ſhaped every Creature, and brought it to that forme, and perfection as was appointed for it, by the Sovereign Eternal Idea, Wiſdome, and Pleaſure. And does not Plato alſo give us a deſcription hereof much to the ſame purpoſe? when he ſaies as in his Timaeus, foreign, that is (as ſome render it) by an importune motion fluctuating, and not quieſcing. This Divine fomentation, and agitation of the ſpirit on this fluid matter in order to the formation of every Creature, is by Sanchoniathon ſtiled foreign, the ſpirit of dark air, or a blustering wind. To conclude; Plato in his Timaeus tells us, that God out of this firſt matter foreign, diſorderly, and irregularly indigeſted, foreign, beautified, ordered, and configured, or formed the Univerſe. Yea he undertakes to expound the mode, or method, which the Divine Spirit took in thus faſhioning, and reducing every Creature to it's proper Forme. The matter, ſaies he, of all things being ſubſtracted, the mind of the Divine Opiſicer by a prudent kind of perſuaſion compelled the ſame, which otherwiſe was tenebrous, fluid, inordinate, and informe, to paſſe into light, and order, &c. of which ſee Serranus on Plato's Timaeus, fol. 12. By all which laid together, I think 'tis very probable, that Plato traduced theſe his Phyſiologick Philoſophiſings touching the Firſt Matter, or Material Principle of the Univerſe, The bodie of the Univerſe, and its conſtitutive parts the 4. Elemen.if not immediately, yet originally, from Moſes's deſcription of the Creation, Gen. 1.2.

§. 7. Having diſpatched the Original, and Firſt Matter of the Univerſe, we now proceed to it's compleat Bodie, which Plato ſtiles foreign the viſible, and tangible. This bodie of the world he p. 327makes to conſiſt of the four Elements, Fire, Water, Air, Earth conjoyned together by a friendly proportion, or harmonie. So in his Timaeus, fol. 32. ſaies Plato foreign [ſc. foreign] foreign. By theſe, and of theſe Four Elements the bodie of the Univerſe is compoſed with an harmonious proportionable friendſhip, &c. Yea Plato undertaketh to give us ſome account of the neceſſitie, and mutual combination of theſe four Elements. 1. He tells us, that the Earth is the moſt ponderous, leaſt mobile, and the moſt impertranſmutable of all the Elements, and therefore the baſis of the reſt. So in his Timaeus, fol. 98. foreign. The earth is moſt ponderous, and leaſtly mobile, & a bodie impertranſmutable into others, by reaſon of its being incommunicable, &c. Then he addes, foreign. Fire, by reaſon of its tenuitie, penetrates through every thing: Air through every thing ſave Fire: Water through the Earth: by means whereof all things being filled there is nothing left vacuous. Whence Plato in the ſame Timaeus, fol. 99. concludes foreign, Of theſe Elements God compoſed the world, which is tangible by reaſon of the Earth; but viſible by Fire; which two extreams are connected together by Air, and Water, with Proportion, that excellent bond. Tullie interprets Plato's words thus. It's neceſſarie, that the world ſhould be corporeal, and viſible, as alſo touchable: Moreover Fire penetrates all things, and nothing can be touched, which wants a ſolid baſis. Now nothing is ſolid but what partakes of Earth: wherefore God being about to make the world, firſt joyned Fire, and Earth together, &c. Lud. Vives in Auguſt. Civit. lib. 8. cap. 11. gives us Plato's mind touching the Combination, and Proportion betwixt theſe Elements thus. To make a coherence 'twixt Earth, and Fire there is neceſſarily required a Bond; wherefore they needed two other Elements, which of themſelves, and of the other Elements, they connected, might make up one Compoſite, or Bodie. Such are p. 328Air, and Water, 'twixt Fire, and Earth. For the ſame Analogie, or Proportion that Water has to Earth, Air has to Fire: the ſame alſo Water, and Air have amongſt themſelves; which as …onds doe ſo copulate the extreme Elements, Earth, and Fire, that by the almoſt imperceptible variations of Nature, either aſcendent, or deſcendent, there may be ſuppoſed to be one bodie, which waxeth hard in Earth, or is rarifyed in Fire. Plato alſo makes each of theſe Four Elements to have various …pecies, and properties. So Timaeus, fol. 99. he ſaies foreign, &c. Fire has flame, light, and ſplendor, by reaſon of the inequalitie of the Triangles which are in each of theſe. Air is partly pure and drie, partly humid, and cloudie. Water alſo is either fluid, or congeled, as Snow, Hail, Ice. Humor is either fluid, or compact: Fluid as Honey, Oil: Compact, as Pitch, Wax. Compact humor, is either fuſile, as Gold, Silver, Braſſe, Tinne, Led, Iron; or fragile, as Sulphur, Bitumen, Nitre, Salt, Alume, and [foreign] Stones Homogeneous. Alſo in the ſame Timaeus, fol. 99. Plato acquaints us that heat has foreign, a diſgregative faculty of the moſt tenuous parts, but foreign, frigid is conſtrictive, and complicative of the Pores. Laſtly Plato informes us that the more Noble parts of the Univerſe, as the Sun, &c. are compoſed of Fire, of which hereafter.

Plato received this diſtribution of the bodie of the Univerſe into 4. Elements from Moſes, Gen. 1.1. &c.Gen 1:1§. 8. That Plato received this diſtribution of the Ʋniverſe it's bodie compoſed of the 4. Elements from the Jewiſh Church, and particularly from Moſes's deſcription of the Creation, Gen. 1.1. &c. is acknowledged, both by Ancient, and Modern Writers. So Auſtin de Civit. Dei, lib. 8. cap. 11. Plato (ſaies he) in his Timaeus affirmes, that God in the firſt Creation, firſt joyned Fire, and earth together. It's manifeſt that he gives to Fire the place of Heaven. Therefore this opinion has ſimilitude with that, which is ſaid Gen. 1.1. that In the Beginning God made Heaven, and Earth. Thence thoſe two middle Elements by the interpoſure whereof theſe extremes are copulated, he calls Water, and Air: whereby he is conceived to underſtand what is written, Gen. 1.2. And the Spirit of God moved upon the Waters. For little heeding in what manner the Scripture ſtiled the Spirit of God, becauſe the Air is alſo called a Spirit, he imagined the Four Elements might he commemorated in that Place. Thus Auſtin. That Moſes in this Gen. 1.1, 2. deſcribes the Creation of the Four Elements, and that Plato ſpeaks conformable thereto, is affirmed p. 329by learned Serranus in his Notes on Plato his Timaeus, fol. 10. thus. This is the common opinion of our Divines, that Moſes in verſe 1. of Gen. 1. teacheth, that the firſt matter was created by God: and that in verſe 2. he deſcribeth the ſame by certain Notes.Serranus his Analyſis of Gen. 1.1, 2. out of Beza.Gen 1:1Gen 1:2 Yet as to the genuine, and plain interpretation of this place, the opinion of Theodore Beza my moſt Reverend Parent and Praeceptor doth moſtly pleaſe me, who ſuppoſeth, that Moſes in this place doth not treat of the firſt matter, but ſimply teacheth, that the Four Elements, viz. Earth, Water, Fire, Air, were in their order Created of God: and he gives theſe Reaſons of this his opinion: Firſt that Moſes was wont ſo to propoſe things Phyſical, that he might wholly accommodate his ſpeech to the Vulgar Capacitie: neither does he treat of them ſubtily, but foreign ſenſibly, that they might be more comprehended by the ruder ſort; wherefore the plain, and true ſenſe of this place ſeemed to him this. In verſe 1. Moſes propoſeth after this manner, a ſumme of the whole Hiſtorie of the Worlds Creation, and that in an Analytick order, which truly is a forme of Demonſtration moſt apt for the teaching of Sciences. Moſes therefore teacheth foreign ſummarily, that in the beginning God created the Heaven, and the Earth, i.e. Gen. 1.1. When yet nothing exiſted God created this Univerſe, and what ever is comprehended in its compaſſe: which according to the common manner of ſpeech is underſtood by the termes of Heaven, and Earth. Moſes having laid this ſummary Subſtratum of his whole diſcourſe, he then proceeds to perſue each part thereof, and Firſtly to treat of the Elements: becauſe they are the baſis of the Univerſe, and the Matter which the Vulgar might comprehend as being diſcovered by certain effects. Therefore he affirmes that Moſes in verſe 2. teacheth the Creation of the Elements Earth, Water, Fire: but the Creation of the Air in verſe 6. Theſe Elements he deſcribeth as Created foreign by themſelves, before their entering into the compoſition of Animants. Thus therefore Moſes explains thoſe firſt bodies, as that he firſt treats of the Earth; affirming that the Earth was informe, &c. Therefore there was not yet extant any certain Diſpoſition of things; neither was there any certain forme in that tenebrous Maſſe of the Elements: which notwithſtanding God conſerved by an infuſed natural heat, which was as it were the Seminarie of all things, and nothing elſe but the Element of Fire. For the Element p. 330of Fire in this firſt Creation was nothing elſe but that ignifick force, and efficacie, which is variouſly diffuſed in the ſymmetry of the Ʋniverſe for the fomenting, and nouriſhing of things according to their nature. This Natural, and Vivifick heat diſperſed in things after their mode, even in Animants themſelves, is by Moſes properly called the Spirit of God, Gen. 1.2. Truly Plato calls this Natural heat foreign, i. e. the Opificer of various effects. Thus, ſaies Beza, Moſes ſhews, how the Earth, Water, Fire, were Elements Created by God the firſt day. That therefore the Air was Created the ſecond day, which Moſes calls foreign Expanſion. Truly Plato makes mention of foreign expanſion, as I conceive, in the ſame ſenſe; which word is well accommodated to expreſs the nature of the Air which is moſt liquid, and expanſive, &c. thus Serranus. Which accurate Analyſis of the firſt Creation, though it has ſomething novel, and diſputable, yet it gives us a good account of the Cognation betwixt Moſes, and Plato, in their deſcription of the firſt Elements, which conſtitute the Syſteme or bodie of the Ʋniverſe.

§. 9. As Plato makes the bodie of the Univerſe to be compoſed of the Four Elements,The Forme of the Univerſe, its Harmonie, Order, and Beautie. ſo alſo the Forme thereof, according to his perſuaſion, is no other than the foreign, Analogie, and Symmetrie, or harmonious contexture, and friendly conjuncture of theſe Elements, whence reſults the Order, Beautie, and Perfection of the Univerſe. So in his Timaeus, fol. 32. Plato ſaies, that the Bodie of the Univerſe is conſtituted foreign, by the Friendſhip, and Analogie 'twixt theſe Elements, &c. Plato here in purſuit of his former Allegorie ſuppoſeth, the Univerſe to be foreign a living intelligent thing conſiſting of bodie and ſoul: the Bodie he calls foreign, the viſible, and tractable part, or the Elements themſelves; but the Soul he ſtiles foreign, that Analogie, and Symmetrie by which things in themſelves contrarie are friendly; and by a kind of agreeable diſcord conjoyned together in the maſſe of the Univerſe. This Harmonie, Proportion, and Conſent, which is found amongſt the parts of the Univerſe, Plato makes to be the effect of the Divine Spirit, his Diſpoſition, & Providence, which is by him on the ſame account, but in a more eminent manner ſtiled foreign, the Soul of the World (as before §. 5.) But here we are to take notice, that Plato make a twofold Forme of the Ʋniverſe, the firſt Intelligible, inhering in the Divine mind: the ſecond p. 331Senſible, infuſed into ſingulars conſiſting in their proportion, order, &c. So in his Timaeus, fol. 49. foreign. Plato here aſſerts a Twofold Forme of the Ʋniverſe; the One Intelligible, which is that Idea, or Paradeigme ſubſiſting in the Divine mind proportionable whereto all things were framed: the other, Senſible, conſiſting in that Proportion, Harmonie, and Order, which God has put into every Creature, and their mutual combinations. This he more fully expreſſeth in the ſame Timaeus, fol. 69. foreign. Theſe Elements lying confuſedly together, God inſpired into each of them, both in regard to themſelves, and to other things a Symmetrie, ſo that they are ſo far as 'tis poſſible Analogous, and Symmetrous. Theſe Platonick notions of the Forme of the Ʋniverſe ſeem very proportionable unto, and therefore but derivations from Gen. 1.31. where 'tis ſaid, that God ſaw all things that they were good, i. e. Harmonious, and proportionable amongſt themſelves, as alſo exactly proportionable to their Divine Idea, and Exemplar. So Austin de Civ. Dei, lib. 12. cap. 5. All Natures, ſaies he, becauſe they are, therefore alſo have they their Meaſure, Beautie, or Forme, and a certain peace amongſt themſelves, wherefore alſo they are good, &c. Hence the Ancients made Love to be the bond of the Ʋniverſe, namely becauſe it's Perfection, and Goodneſs proceeded from the Harmonie Order, and Beautie of the parts. All which is fully comprehended under Plato's Forme of the Ʋniverſe, whereby he underſtood no other, than the Harmonie, Beautie, Order, and Perfection of the Univerſe, and its parts, though never ſo contrarie amongſt themſelves, anſwerable to Gen. 1.31. which is alſo Eſſentially couched under the notion of Forme: for foreign, by an eaſie tranſpoſition of φ, and μ, is the ſame with foreign, which ſignifies Beautie, &c. Plato never dreamed of that eſſential Forme which Ariſtotle introduced as educible out of the paſſive power of the firſt matter, &c. No; he conforming himſelf to Moſes's ſtile by Forme underſtands nothing but that Beautie, Perfection, and Goodneſs, which was in things reſulting from their Order, Proportion, and Harmonie amongſt themſelves; as alſo from their conformitie to the Divine Exemplar, and original Idea.The Affections of the Univerſe

§. 10. Having diſcourſed of the Principles of Natural bodies, both p. 332Effective, and Conſtitutive; we now proceed to their Adjuncts, or Affections, which eſſentially, and naturally flow from their Principles And the firſt great foreign, or Affection which Plato attributes to the Univerſe, and it's parts, is Perfection, 1. Perfection.So in his Timaeus, fol. 32. diſcourſing of the foreign, Affections of the Univerſe he ſaies, foreign The firſt is that the whole Univerſe, becauſe it is an animal greatly perfect, conſiſts of perfect parts. This Perfection of the Ʋniverſe he had before given ſome intimation of under the notion of Goodneſs: So Timaeus, fol. 30. foreign. God would, that all things ſhould be good, and nothing evil: For 'twas never, neither is it now lawfull for him, who is the beſt Good, to make any thing but what is moſt beautiful, and perfect. Plato here ſheweth, how God of the firſt confuſed matter, and Elements efformed a moſt Beautiful World; the words he expreſſes this by is foreign, he beautifi'd, adorn'd the world; whence 'twas called by the Ancients foreign. Agen he ſaie… foreign, he ſhaped, configured, or conformed the Univerſe, i. e. made it conformable to the Eternal, and moſt perfect Exemplar of his own Decrees: whence we read 1. Cor. 7.31. of foreign, the Scene, Figure, or Forme of this World. Farther, Plato ſaies, that God did foreign accurately diſpoſe, order, or methodize the Ʋniverſe, placing each part in it's proper place, and rank, foreign, reducing every Creature from that Ataxie, or diſorder it lay under in the confuſed Chaos, unto an admirable order, and goodneſs, which he elſewhere ſtiles foreign, the good order, or right diſpoſition of every thing. Laſtly, he ſaies, that God foreign conſtituted, or gathered into one Syſteme each part of the Creation: whence Ariſtotle (his Scholar following his Maſter herein) defines the World foreign &c. a Syſteme, or ordinate compages of natural bodies, &c. By all theſe expreſſions Plato ſets forth to the life the incomparable Structure, and admirable perfection of the Univerſe, as it came forth of the hands of God, and that exactly conformable unto, and, as we have reaſon enough to judge, by traduction from Moſes's deſcription thereof, Gen. 1.31. And God ſaw every thing, that he had made, and behold it was very good: i. e. moſt perfect. Indeed Plato gives us an excellent comment on theſe words of Moſes, wherein we have Moſes his ſenſe fully, and that almoſt in his own words laid open to us: So in his Timaeus, fol. 37. Therefore (ſaies Plato) after the Father of the Univerſe had animadverted, p. 333or conſidered his work [foreign] the made image of the Eternal Gods (or Trinitie) he rejoyced, and recreated himſelf therein. Thus Plato, who does here, as the Learned conclude, ſpeak by tradition from Moſes. So Jo. Grammaticus Of Creation, lib. 7. cap. 11, 12. Rightly therefore does that great Moſes concluding the Creation of the world ſay Gen. 1.31. And God ſaw every thing, &c. And Plato here agen does imitate him, who ſpeaking of Gods making the Univerſe, ſaies, that when the Father beheld this Mobile Animal, the image of the Eternal Gods, which he had begotten, he rejoyced, and was recreated. foreign] and by ſo much the more, when he conſidered that it was made exactly conformable to it's Paradeigme, or Eternal exemplar. Thus Jo. Grammaticus touching the parallel betwixt Moſes, and Plato. Auſtin de Civit. Dei. lib. 11. cap. 21. enterprets Moſes in the ſame manner, that Plato does. In that (ſaies he) 'tis ſaid Gen. 1.31. God ſaw all things that they were good. We muſt underſtand the approbation of his work made according to Art, which is the Wiſdom of God, &c. God's ſeeing all things to be Good implies their Conformitie to that Original Idea, or Eternal Platforme of Divine Wiſdome, and Decrees: Whence alſo Plato ſtiles the Univerſe a viſible image of the inviſible God; namely by reaſon of it's exact conformitie to it's Original Forme, or Idea in Divine Decrees: So in his Timaeus, fol. 92. foreign [others, foreign] foreign. Taking Animals both Mortal, and Immortal, and commixing them together, this world, thus conſtituted, becomes a Viſible Animal comprehending things Viſible, a Senſible image of the Intelligible God the greateſt, and beſt, and moſt beautiful, and moſt perfect, &c. Plato here calls the Univerſe a Senſible Image of the Intelligible God, in that it was made exactly conformable to Gods Eternal Exemplar, which in his Timaeus, fol. 69. he calls foreign the Intelligible Forme, or Exemplar, as elſewhere foreign the Intelligible Ideal World: according to which Exemplar, or Platforme he reacheth this ſenſible world was made, whence it became a reflex image thereof, and ſo a ſenſible image of the inſenſible Deitie: Or elſe we may refer this Platonick deſcription of the Univerſe to Moſes's p. 334Character of Man, Gen. 1.27. And God created him in his own Image, &c. So Johan: Grammaticus of the Worlds Creation, lib. 6. cap. 21. pag. 249. foreign, &c. whereas Moſes ſpake properly of Man, that he was made after the Image of God, and according to his likeneſs: Plato tranſlates this to all things in the World. Thus Philoponus. And indeed it's evident, that Plato comprehendeth under his notion of the Univerſe, as well Rationals, as Senſibles; and therefore from Man its more noble part he ſtiles the whole, the Image of God according to, and in derivation from Moſes's deſcription, Gen. 1.27. We may take it either way, and yet no way doubt, but that Plato had this, as the former Notions touching the perfection, goodneſs, order, beautie, and exact proportion, or conformitie of the Univerſe, from the Moſaick deſcription. This perfection of the Univerſe Plato makes to be the immediate product, and firſt iſſue of its formal conſtitution; namely, the reſult of that friendly proportion, ſweet harmonie, and beautiful order, which is between all the parts of the Univerſe, though in themſelves never ſo diſagreeing. This is fully expounded by Auſtin, (who did moſtly Platonize) de Civit. lib. 11. c. 18. the Antitheta, or oppoſites (ſaies he) are accounted moſt decent in the ornaments of Elocution: as therefore thoſe Contraries do give a beautie to Speeches, ſo the Beautie of the Univerſe is compoſed of a certain Eloquence not of Words, but of Things reſulting from the oppoſition of Contraries. Thus much for the perfection of the Univerſe.

2. Affecti…n of the Univerſe is its Unitie.§. 11. The ſecond foreign, or affection, which Plato gives the Univerſe, is Unitie: So in his Timaeus, fol. 33. having diſcourſed of its perfection, he addes foreign. To theſe we may adde that 'tis one. So in his Parmenides, fol. 144. Plato having diſtinguiſhed foreign one, into infinite, and finite: As for finite unitie, he makes it to be a proper affection of his ſenſible Idea, whereby he means the Univerſe. And the reaſon he gives why the Univerſe ſhould be one, is this; becauſe foreign, the ſingulars conteined therein are all determinately reduced to their proper Claſſe. Ariſtotle alſo aſſerted the ſame.

3. Finitenes.3. Another foreign, or affection, which Plato gives the Univerſe is Finitenes; ſo in his Parmenides, fol. 145. having ſpoken of his ſenſible Idea, and its Unitie, he addes foreign p. 335foreign. Muſt not one be univerſally finite; or muſt not the parts be comprehended of the whole? Yes certainly. Therefore what is comprehended muſt be finite: (though infinite in multitude) and becauſe finite, therefore it has extremes: If it be a whole, it muſt have a beginning, and middle, and end, &c. Thus alſo Ariſtotle, &c.

4. Thence follows another affection of the Univerſe, 4. The Univerſe has a Figure round.which Plato calls Figure. So in his fore-cited Parmenides, fol. 145. foreign. And this one being ſuch, muſt alſo partake of Figure. And in his Timaeus, fol. 33. he ſpeaks more particularly, and fully, thus, foreign, &c. And he has given to it (i. e. the Univerſe) a Figure moſt becoming, and moſt congenial. For it is meet, that he ſhould ſhape it into ſuch a Forme, or Figure, as might comprehend all other Figures. For which c…uſe the World is made foreign, round, ſo that its whole circum…rence is touched with Rayes equally diſtant from the Centre: foreign. This being the moſt perfect, and moſt like to it ſelf, of all Figures. Thus Plato, wherein he fully informes us touching the Worlds Rotunditie, and the reaſons thereof: namely, becauſe it ought to comprehend all Animals. Now a round Figure is, (ſaies he) of all 1. moſt capacious, and perfect, 2. moſt like to it ſelf, or uniforme: 3. moſt content with it ſelf, and without need of other. Ariſtotle alſo follows him, in aſſerting the Worlds Rotunditie.

5. Another foreign, or attribute, which Plato gives natural Bodies, is Color, 5. Color.which in his Timaeus, fol. 67. he thus deſcribes, foreign. We call Colors a flame, diffuſing it ſelf from particular Bodies, having parts ſymmetrous to the ſenſe. By Flame he means Light, which he elſewhere termes a Flame: and ſo Plato is herein followed by the New Philoſophers, who make Colors to be nothing but the various mixture of Light, and Darkneſs. He does farther in his Timaeus, fol. 101. give ſome diſtribution of Colors, with their proper effects, thus, foreign. White Color diſgregates the ſight, whereas black does congregate it. To which the Peripateticks aſſent, &c.

p. 3366. Time, another Affection of Bodies.6. Plato alſo makes Time another ſpecial propertie, or Affection of the Univerſe, and all natural Bodies. So in his Parmenides, fol. 151. treating of the Univerſe under the notion of foreign, One, he ſaies, foreign, &c. One partakes of Time, and it is younger, and elder than it ſelf; and than other things, and it is, and it was, &c. His meaning is, that all natural Bodies admit of variations, and differences of time, &c. And in his Timaeus, fol. 13. he deſcribes time to be foreign, a moveable Image of Eternitie. Agen, foreign, the definition, or boundarie of day, and night. So agen in his Timaeus, fol. 97. he ſaies, foreign, &c. God has framed Time together with the World: for it is an Image of the ingenerable time called Eternitie: for look as this Univerſe is created according to the exemplar of the Intelligible Ideal World, ſo is this Time compoſed in ſome ſort according to the exemplar of Eternitie. Thus Plato. Laſtly, as to the formal meaſure, and product of Time, we find a good deſcription thereof in the Platonick Definitions, fol. 411. thus, foreign, Time is the motion of the Sun, and the meaſure of motion; which agrees well with Moſes's deſcription in Gen. 1.14 for ſeaſons, and for days, and years, &c.

7. Mobilitie.7. Hence follows another Affection, which Plato attributes to the Univerſe, and natural Bodies, namely Mobilitie. So in his Parmenides, fol. 145. foreign. Thus therefore is it not neceſſarie, that One (i. e. the Univerſe) be capable both of Motion, and Reſt, &c. Herein alſo Ariſtotle follows him, making Motion, and Reſt, affections of natural Bodies.

8. Generation.8. Hence alſo follows Generation, which may be ranked amongſt the Affections, which Plato gives to natural Bodies, and is thus deſcribed, Platon. definit. fol. 411. foreign. Generation is a motion to Eſſence. Agen 'tis called, foreign, a participation of Eſſence, &c.

9. Daration.9. Whence laſtly follows Duration, which Plato makes another foreign, or affection of the Univerſe. So in his Timaeus, fol. 32. having ſpoken of the Worlds perfection, and unitie, he addes, foreign. It muſt alſo continue without old age, and ſickneſs, &c. He perſues his Allegorie, wherein he ſtiles the World a Living Creature, p. 337which (ſaies he) muſt continue in youthful vigor, and healthie. His meaning is, that though Individuals, and Singulars decay daily, yet the Species, and whole of the Ʋniverſe is continued durable, and vigorous, by means of ſucceſſive generations. For they are Individuals only, not the Species, that dye: thus according to Ariſtotle's Maxime, the Corruption of one is but the Generation of another. Thus much of the affections of the Ʋniverſe.

§. 12. The parts of Phyſiologie are either General, or Particular:Second part of Phyſiologie, of the parts of the Univerſe. the General part of Phyſiologie treats of the firſt Principles, and Affections of Nature, which we have diſpatched. Phyſiologie in particular diſcourſeth of the Severals, or Particulars of the Ʋniverſe, which make up the whole of Nature. Now of theſe in their order, ſo far as they come under Plato's Philoſophizings. 1. The Creation of the Angels.And here we may begin with Angelick Beings, who are called the firſt-born Sons of God, and are indeed the moſt noble Pieces of the Univerſe, which Plato makes the firſt-fruits of Gods Creation. So Lud. Vives, in Auguſt. Civit. Dei, lib. 11. c. 9. The Greek Divines (ſaies he) will, that Spiritual Beings precede Corporeal, and that the great Parent of the Ʋniverſe uſed them, i. e. Angels, as Miniſters for the procreation of other things: which Opinion Plato follows in his Origine of the Univerſe. So Sanchoniathon ſets forth the Creation of the Angels under the foreign Contemplators of the Heavens. Whence alſo Ariſtotle's conceit of the Heavens being moved by Intelligences, ſeems to have had its origination. All which Contemplations about Angelick natures, and their production, ſeem to have been but corrupt Derivations from Job 38.7. When the morning Stars ſang together, &c. But, becauſe the Diſcourſe of Angels belongs not properly to Phyſicks, but to Metaphyſicks, we ſhall engage no farther on it at preſent.2. The Creation of the Heavens, their matter Fire. To deſcend therefore to the material, and more natural parts of the Univerſe: and firſt to the Heavens, which Plato in his Timaeus, fol. 36. deſcribes after his Metaphorick mode, thus, foreign. The Bodie of the Heavens is viſible, but the Soul of theſe Intelligences partakes of inviſible reaſon, and harmonie. Thus Plato: whence, I preſume, Ariſtotle derived his Celeſtial Intelligences, which he preſumed to be the firſt movers of the Celeſtial Spheres. But as to the Matter, and Nature of the Heavens what Plato's Opinion was, is ſomewhat difficult to conjecture. Auſtin affirmes p. 338peremptorily, that Plato made the Heavens to be of an ignifick, or fierie nature, and that herein he followed Moſes, Gen. 1.1. So Auſt. de Civit. Dei, lib. 8. c. 11. Plato in his Timaeus affirmes, (ſaith he) that God in the firſt Creation joyned the Earth, and Fire together. It's manifeſt that he attributes to Fire the place of Heaven. This Opinion therefore has ſome ſimilitude with what is ſaid Gen. 1.1. In the beginning God made heaven, and earth. Thus Auſtin. And Ludo. Vives on theſe Words addes, that Plato thought the Heavens to be fierie, (though the Stars to be compoſed of the four Elements, becauſe they ſeemed more ſolid) Not that the Heavens were of the ſame nature with our Culinarie fire, for he ſuppoſeth there are ſeveral ſorts of Fire. So Lud. Vives. And indeed that theſe Celeſtial Bodies (at leaſt the more lightſome, and glorious, namely the Sun, &c.) are of an ignite, or fierie nature, ſeems probable from the very origination of the name foreign, Heaven, which is apparently derived from the Hebrew foreign Our, or Ur, which ſignifies both Light, and Fire, as hereafter. I am not ignorant, that ſome make the Heavens to be of a fluid, waterie (as others of an aerial) nature. So Paulus Fagius on Gen. 1. tells us, that amongſt the Hebrews the Heaven is called from its extenſion, foreign the Firmament, and from its Waterie matter, foreign Waters there, which he alſo gathers from Gen. 1.6. a Firmament in the midst of the Waters, &c. But this being granted, that the Firmament is of a waterie, or fluid matter ſee Wendeline, de Coelo; (which is alſo the Opinion of ſome New Philoſophers) yet it followeth not hence, but that the Sun, and thoſe other more lightſome, and glorious Celeſtial Bodies; may be compoſed of a fierie ſubſtance; which ſeemeth to have been the Opinion of the Jews, whence Plato, and other of the Greeks derived the ſame, and that on theſe Probabilities.

That the Sun and Stars are Fire, Gen. 1.3. foreign, Fire as well as Light.Gen 1:31. That the Sun, and Stars are compoſed of Fire, appears firſt from the very Text, Gen. 1.3. Let there be Light: where the Hebrew foreign Our, whereby the Sun is expreſſed, Job 31.26. ſignifies as well Fire, as Light. This we have proved at large out of Richardſon, and others, in our former part of Philologie, Book 3. C. 3. §. 9. So Ameſius, in his Medulla Theol. lib. 1. cap. 8. Theſ. 50. treating of the Creation of this Light, ſaies that Light, namely lightſome Fire, was made out of the moſt ſubtile part of this Maſs taken up, &c, So Grotius in his Annotations on 2 Pet. 3.7. The Fire (ſaies he) was not in that p. 339firſt humid Maſs, but afterward created by God, which Moſes calls Light, becauſe Light, and Heat are one, and the ſame. Out of this Light compacted were the Stars compoſed, whence they diffuſe Fires upon the Earth, whence alſo Fires are generated under the Earth. From theſe Celeſtial, and ſubterraneous Fires meeting together, ſhall that great, and laſt fatal conflagration of the World ariſe, as the former Deluge from the conjunction of the Celeſtial Waters with thoſe of the deep. Caecilius in Minutius Foelix affirmes, that theſe Fires threaten conflagration to the whole World, yea to the Stars themſelves. Thus Grotius, who in what precedes, tells us, that beſides the Sibylles, Sophocles, Seneca, and Lucanus; the Aſtrologers (particularly Copernicus, Revolut. lib. 3. cap. 16.) have obſerved the ſame, and that from the daily appropinquation, or nearer approaches of the Sun towards the Earth. Indeed I find this to have been the firme perſwaſion of the Pythagoreans, as before in the Pythagorean Philoſophie, Ch. 7. §. 10. Heraclitus alſo received the ſame by Tradition from the Pythagoreans, affirming, that the World, as it was made of Fire, ſo it ſhould again foreign, be burnt by fire. It was the common perſwaſion of the Platoniſts, that the more noble parts of the Univerſe, namely the Sun, and Stars, were Celeſtial Fires; whence alſo they aſſerted the laſt conflagration of the World by fire, which they called foreign. Plato's own Words are, foreign. In a ſhort time there ſhall be a deſtruction of all things on the Earth by much fire. The Stoicks held the ſame, calling it foreign. And Grotius in the fore-cited place, on 2 Pet. 3.7. ſaies, That theſe Traditions came originally from the Jews. For there is mention made hereof in the Book called Cedrus Libani, that as God in times paſt let looſe the reins to the Waters, ſo he ſhall again to the Fire, &c. But to returne to our Argument.

2. That the Hebrew foreign Gen. 1.3.Gen. 1.3. foreign, the ſame with Ur, Gen. 11.28.Gen 1:3Gen 11:28 may be rendred Fire as well as Light, is evident from the uſe of the word elſe where. So in Gen. 11.28, 31. we read of Ʋr of the Chaldees, which is of the ſame origination, and ſignification: this place being (as 'tis conceived by the Learned) called Ʋr, from their Sacred Fire [foreign] worſhipt here, as a Symbol of the Sun: of which ſee more of the Chaldee Philoſophie, Book 1. Chap. 4. §. 6. Hence alſo we may adde.

p. 340foreign, Fire, the ſame with foreign, Gen. 1.3.Gen 1:33. That the Greek foreign, which ſignifies Fire, owes its origination to the Hebrew foreign Ʋr; for caſt away only π, and foreign (or as it was perhaps at firſt foreign) is the ſame with foreign. And indeed, I find Plato making uſe of the Word foreign promiſcuouſly to expreſs Light as well Fire by; ſo in his Timaeus he ſaies, the World was foreign, viſible, or lightſome by fire, or light: and in what follows he expreſly ſaies, that foreign, Fire has flame, and light, and ſplendor, which is every way as applicable to the Celeſtial, as Terreſtrial Fires; eſpecially if that be true which ſome New Philoſophers, and thoſe of greateſt repute, affirme, that Light is but a flame, &c. yea indeed Plato calls the Sun in expreſs termes foreign, Fire (as hereafter.)

4. The Greek foreign, Heaven, ſeems alſo to owe its derivation to the Hebrew foreign Our, whence foreign, as before.

5. Whereas 'tis ſaid Pſal. 104.2. God covered himſelf with Light, foreign, 'tis elſewhere expreſſed by Fire.

6. But to argue not only from Names, but from the thing it ſelf, we find frequent mention in Scripture of Fire coming down from Heaven. So in the burning of Sodom, but more particularly in that ſaying of the Diſciples, Luke 9.54. That we command fire from heaven: which though it implie a Miracle, yet it argues they conceived the heavens to be the proper ſeat of fire, the like Revel. 20.6. fire out of heaven. It ſeems to have been a fixed opinion amongſt the Jews, that the heavens were the Seat of fire.

7. Yea, Mark 14.54. Fire is expreſly termed foreign, which properly ſignifies Light of the Sun, whereby it ſeems evident that Mark, with the reſt of the Jews (as well as the ancient Grecians) judged Fire, and Light equipollent, or convertible, and therefore promiſcuouſly uſed thoſe termes.

8. Farther the Scripture, and Hebrews call the Sun foreign which properly ſignifies Fire, whence we read, Lev. 26.30. of foreign which properly denotes thoſe Hearths whereon theſe Idolaters preſerved their Sacred Fire as a Symbol of the Sun, which they worſhipped after the Zabian mode: whence the Greek foreign, and the Latin Caminus, a Chimney, or Hearth: as before, Book 1. cap. 4. §. 8.

9. That Plato held the Sun to be a Celeſtial Fire is evident from his Definitions (Collected by his Succeſſor) where we find the Sun thus defined, foreign, &c. The Sun is an Heavenly Fire. p. 341So alſo Xenophanes (the Founder of the Eleatick ſect) held the Sun to be a collection of little Fires: the like was aſſerted by Heraclitus, who both had theſe traditions from the Pythagoreans, as theſe derived them from the Jews, according to Grotius, &c. Neither are there wanting ſome of great vogue amongſt the New Philoſophers, who defend this Platonick perſuaſion; that the Sun is Fire, &c. So Dr. Willis in his Treatiſe de Febribus ſaies, Light ſeems nothing elſe but a flame kindled into a greater dimenſion, &c. And Comenius in his Phyſicks makes the firſt Light, Gen. 1.3. to be no other than Fire.

10. That the Sun, and the Stars are of a fierie nature was the common perſuaſion of the Ancient Philoſophers, ſo Stobaeus Eclog. Phyſ. lib. 1. cap. 25. gives us a large account, touching the Ignite nature of the Stars. He ſaies, foreign, Thales ſuppoſed the Stars to be Terrene, but Ignite. And he addes the ſame of Empedocles, foreign, Empedocles alſo held the Stars to be Ignite, &c. Empedocles alſo affirmed that the Heaven was compacted of Air, and Fire, i. e. Air in regard of the Firmament, and of Fire, as to the Celeſtial Lights, as Stobaeus Eclog. Phyſ. p. 52, 53. foreign, &c. The like is ſaid of Anaximander, foreign, Anaximander ſaid, that the Stars were Globes of Air full of Fire, breathing out flames on one ſide; and that the Sun was ſeated in the ſupreme place; The ſame is ſaid of Parmenides, and Heraclitus, foreign, &c. And Poſidonius defined a Star foreign, a Bodie Divine, Ethereous, Splendid, and Ignite, &c. But more particularly touching the Ignite Nature of the Sun, Anaximenes affirmed foreign, that the Sun is Ignite, or Fierie. Anaxagoras, foreign, that the Sun was an Ignite Iron, or Stone. The ſame was affirmed by Democritus. Zeno alſo held, foreign, that the Sun, and Moon, and each of the Stars were an Intelligent, Wiſe, and Ignite Fire. The like Chryſippus aſſerted. Neither was this the perſuaſion only of the Wiſer Philoſophers, but alſo of many of the Ancient Greek Poets; Euripides, in Phaeniſſis ſaies,

p. 342foreign

foreign

And Homer though he ſaies not poſitively that the Sun is Fire, yet he makes it to be of like nature, as Stobaus Eclog. Phyſ. fol. 57.

11. Thus alſo Shepherd in his parable of the Ten Virgins, chap. 8. §. 2. It is (ſaies he) a queſtion whether the beams of the Sun are Fire which ſome demonſtrate thus. Take a Glaſſe, and gather together the beams and it burnes: and indeed this argument from the Ignifick virtue of Beams contracted in a Burning-glaſſe gives us a great probabilitie of the Ignite nature of the Sun: at leaſt, it may ſuffice to ballance all the ſeeming probabilities of other opinions. Neither may we expect in matters of this nature more than conjectures, and probabilities. But to return to, and conclude this with Plato; he frequently calls Light, Of Light, and Darkneſs, Gen. 1.5.Gen 1:5Fire. So in his de Repub. 6. ſpeaking of the Natural Cognation which is 'twixt the Eye and Light, he addes, that when the Eye comes into darkneſs it looſeth, or falls from foreign, it's cognate Fire, Light. Hence Night is defined in the Platonick definitions thus, foreign, Night is darkneſs, contrarie to the day: the privation of the Sun. As alſo Light is defined foreign. Light is contrarie to darkneſs, which anſwers unto Moſes's deſcription, Gen. 1.5. And God called the Light Day, and Darkneſs Night.

Of the Lower World.§. 13. As for Plato's ſentiments touching this Lower World I find little therein but what is common, and therefore not worthie of any particular remark, only he ſeems ſomewhat to differ from the commonly received opinion about the Nature of the Wind, Wind.which in the Platonick Definitions, fol. 411. is thus deſcribed, foreign. The Wind is a motion of the Air round about the Earth. As for the Air,Air. Serranus (on Plato's Timaeus, fol. 10.) ſuppoſeth, that Plato made it the ſame with Moſes's foreign Firmament, Gen. 1.6. which he expreſſed by foreign, a word moſt proper to expreſſe the Nature of the Air by, which is moſt liquid, and expanſive. Plato's contemplations about the Waters, Water.and Sea, with thoſe miraculous bounds given thereto by Divine Providence, I no way doubt, had their original from the Sacred Storie ▪ This we find well ſet forth by Paulus Fagius on Gen. 1.9. foreign Let the Waters be gathered. The Ancients (ſaies he) have derived this word from the Noun foreign which ſignifies a Perpendicule, Square, or Rule uſed by Maſons, &c. As if God ſhould have ſaid p. 343Let the Waters be gathered together unto one certain place, as by Meaſure, and Rule, according to the manner of Architects, who in the building of Houſes, to the intent that they may bring the parts to a cloſe, and firme conſiſtence, and uniformitie, meaſure all by their Perpendicule, or Directorie. Therefore Moſes ſeems not without great Emphaſis to make uſe of this word, thereby to expreſſe the Infinite power of God, whereby he compels that fluid, and boundleſſe Element, poſſeſſing the whole ſuperficies of the Earth, even as it were by a Meaſure, or Rule into one place. This the Scripture alludes unto Job. 26.10. He hath compaſſed the Waters with bounds, &c. Pſal. 104.5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Thou haſt ſet a bound. Pſal. 33.7. He gathereth the Waters as an he…p, &c. ſo Job 12.15. Behold he withholdeth the Waters, &c. which certainly is matter of infinite admiration, that an Element ſo ponderous, and boundleſſe, ſhould be confined againſt its proper Nature, within ſuch exact bounds, and meaſures. Farther what Plato's apprehenſions were about Exhalations, ſuch as received ſome accidental impreſſion, or Forme, are commonly called Meteors, Of Meteors.namely concerning Comets, Thunder, Lightening, Clouds, Rain, Snow, Hail Earthquakes, &c. is uncertain; yet we need no way doubt he might have (if he had not) the beſt information, he could expect, concerning theſe Myſteries of Nature, from Job, or Solomon, or ſuch like Jewiſh Philoſophers.

§. 14. Another, and indeed the moſt Noble,Of Active Phyſiologie touching Plants, and Animals. becauſe moſt experimental, part of Phyſiologie, or Natural Philoſophie regardeth Plants and Animals, wherein Plato ſeemeth to have had very good skill, which we have reaſon enough to induce us to believe he received, by tradition from the Jewiſh Church, eſpecially from Solomon's Writings. For its very evident by Sacred Relation, that Solomon was the prime, and beſt Philoſopher, after Adam's fall, that engaged in thoſe Philoſophick contemplations, as before in the Jewiſh Philoſophie, book …. chap. 1. §. 11. And I think it is alſo evident that the choiceſt parts of Democritus's Natural Experiments: of Hippocrates's Medicinal Aphoriſmes, and Obſervations; together with Plato's Phyſiologick Experiments: Ariſtotle's Historie of Animals, and Theophraſtus his Scholar's of Plants, owe their original, and firſt Idea's to Solomon his Natural Experiments, and Philoſophizings on Plants, Animals, and Humane Nature. And becauſe this is the moſt noble, and uſeful part of Natural Philoſophie, we ſhall endeavour to produce ſome of the choicer Experiments, Obſervations, and Principles laid down by Plato, with others, for the Conſervation p. 344of Humane Nature in health, & vigour; which indeed is the main end, and emprovement of Phyſiologie commonly called Phyſick, or Medicine: But before we engage herein we ſhall give ſome Hiſtorical account of Mans Original, & that according to Plato's traditions originally Jewiſh.

Of Man's Original & Formation according to the Image of God.§. 15. The Chiefeſt, though laſt part of Natural Philoſophie reſpects Man his two conſtitutive parts, Bodie, and Soul. Plato Philoſophizeth on both, and that as well apart, as in Compoſition, and Conjunction. As for the Original of Man, Plato tells us in poſitive termes, That he made Man after the Image of God. So in his lib. 7. de Legib. Plato ſaith, foreign, Man is a kind of imitation of God, and his master-piece. So in his Timaeus what he mentions in general of the whole Ʋniverſe, he, without doubt, more properly underſtood of Man, namely that he was foreign, the beſt, and greateſt image of the intelligible God, which deſcription of Man, without all peradventure, was originally traduced from Gen. 1.26. Let us make man after our Image, &c. v. 27. Yea Plato ſeems to have had ſome Scriptural notices of Adam's firſt Creation, and Eves formation out of his ſide; which in his Sympoſiack Dialogue he expreſſeth under his Cabaliſtick foreign, or Man woman, which anſwereth unto Gen. 2.21, 22, 23. Yea farther Plato ſeems to have had very conſiderable hints, and traductions touching Adams happie ſtate in Innocencie, which he deſcribes under his Mythologick Cabale of the Golden Age, and Saturne's Reign therein: thus in his Politicus, fol. 272. where he ſaies our Firſt Parents lived in the Golden Age partaking of the fruits of the Earth without toyl, or labour, or Apparel, having conference with the beaſts, &c. All which were but Fables, or traditions he had received from the Ancients, whereby he means the Jews, or their neighbours the Phenicians, &c. For ſo Sanchoniathon expreſſeth the Creation of mankind to be, foreign, i. e. ſaith Bochart according to the Phenician, and Hebrew expreſſion, foreign Col-ri-jah the breath of Gods mouth, as 'tis expreſſely ment…oned Gen. 1.7. breath of life. As Plato had theſe great traditions or notices touching man's Creation, and happie Eſtate in general, ſo particularly touching the Soul of man its Divine original, immaterial, infinite capacitie, activitie, immortalitie, and perfection. As to the ſouls Divine original, &c. he ſaies in his Phaedrus, fol. 245 foreign, &c. the Soul is ingenerable, immortal and living, &c. becauſe it is a ſelf-moving principle. In his p. 345Phaedo, he calls the ſoul foreign, immortal. In his lib. 10. de Repub. he ſaies, the ſoul is foreign incompoſite, or ſimple; and in his Epinom▪ he calls it, foreign incorporeal. As to the ſouls capacitie, Plato proves in h… Phaedo, fol. 79. That it was infinite, or boundleſ…, never ſatisfied with any thing but the firſt Truth, and chiefeſt good. The ſoul, ſaith he, contends towards that which is …ure, and alwaies the ſame, & moſt akin unto it: ſo in his Protag. fol 322. he makes the ſoul to be nearly allyed to God, the like in his Phaedo fol. 80. Plato ſaith, It becomes the body to ſerve, but the ſoul to rule, becauſe it is moſt like unto the Divine, Immortal, Intelligible, moſt uniform and firſt Being; he alſo proves the immortality of the ſoul, from its 1. incorruptibilitie, 2. ſollicitude, 3. innate appetite, 4. uniform ſelf motion, 5. connate Idea of God. Thus Plato in his Phaedo fol. 55.81. ſpeaking of the ſouls diſunion with,The Souls perfection. and diſlodging from the body, ſaies, That it returns to that original foreign idea to which it is akin, i. e. to God, as elſewhere. Hence Plato concludes the dignitie and perfection of the ſoul; ſo in his Phaedo fol. 55. he gathers up this concluſion, That the ſoul is foreign, akin & homogeneous, or alike in nature to God, and that it does in a ſober ſenſe participate of a ſelf-goodneſs, and ſelf-beautie with God. So again fol. 56. he ſaies, That the ſoul being allyed to God, becomes foreign, a partner of the Divine Nature, whence it is, in its manner, and according to its capacity, as God, foreign, incompoſite, infinite, incorruptible, immortal; and thence de Leg. 5. fol. 726. Plato concludes, that of all poſſeſſions next to God, the ſoul is foreign moſt Divine and peculiar: Plato gives us alſo a good account of the Faculties of the Rational Soul: 1.The underſtanding. he treats accurately of the humane underſtanding, which he ſtiles our foreign Daemon, whereby we are elevated from earth, to an heavenly alliance and converſation. He makes the mind to be foreign, a plant of the ſupream Being, not earthly but heavenly. The proper object of the mind Plato makes to be Truth, which he calls the life, and food of the mind: ſo de Repub. 6. fol. 490. foreign, by truth the mind truly lives, and is nouriſhed. As for the manner, how truth is conveighed to the underſtanding, Plato tells us, 'tis by aſſimilation, i. e. there are certain Ideas, images, or notions impreſt upon the underſtanding, conformable to thoſe natural Ideas, which exiſt in the things themſelves which we know. He p. 346gives us alſo a particular account of the ſeveral ſorts of knowledge. 1. foreign Wiſdom is by him defined foreign a knowledge of Beings Eternal, &c. 2. Intelligence is a knowledge of firſt principles. 3. Science is foreign a demonſtrative knowledge. 4. Opinion is intermedious 'twixt Science, and Ignorance; or a conjectural aſſent. 5. Imitation is an image-framing Art. 6. Faith is an aſſent grounded on Authority, &c. 7. foreign, Prudence is a power effective of happineſs, …he parts whereof are foreign. 8. Conſcience he ſtiles foreign Fame. 9. foreign Art is foreign, &c. 2. Plato alſo diſcourſeth of the Will which Definit. Platon. fol. 413.The will. is thus defined: foreign. a rational deſire, &c. That theſe Platonick contemplations about the Soul, its original, immortalitie, &c. were derived originally from the Scriptures, or Jewiſh Church, Plato's notions about the Soul from Scripture.ſeems probable by Plato's own words in his Phaedo fol. 85. where having proved the Souls immortalitie by many demonſtrative arguments, he concludes foreign, that we might proceed herein by a more firm & Divine word: what this more firm and Divine word ſhould be, if not ſacred Divine Scriptures traduced to him, we cannot imagine. Thus Plato received theſe, and ſuch like divine contemplations, touching the Soul, by ſome Oriental tradition derived originally from the ſacred Fountain, as he himſelf ſeems to acknowledge; and I conceive it cannot rationally be denyed; or if it ſhould, 'twill not be difficult to prove the ſame in its proper place, when we come to treat of Plato's Metaphyſicks, whereunto theſe ſpeculations about the Soul, its original, &c. belong.

Phyſical Aphoriſms for the conſervation of mans body in health.§. 16. Having given theſe brief touches of mans original, & main conſtitutive part, his ſoul; its nature, &c. we now proceed to the humane bodies, to lay down ſuch phyſick or medicinal Aphoriſms and praeſcripts, as are given us by Plato and others, for the conſervation thereof in an foreign, a good temperament, and habitude of health and vigour. That the Ancients reduced Medicine to Phyſicks or Natural Philoſophie, is evident both from name, and thing. Hippocrates the great Maſter of Medicinal Wiſdom, ſtiles Medicine foreign the natural Science. And indeed there ſeems ſuch an eſſential connexion 'twixt Medicine and Natural Philoſophy, as that they cannot without violence offered to both, be disjoyned each from other, which Ariſtotle and others acknowledge. Whence p. 347it is, that thoſe great Philoſophers, Plato, Ariſtotle, & Theophraſtus, with others, mix ſo many Medicinal Aphoriſms with their Natural Philoſophizings. Hence alſo, ſaies Apuleius in Apol. Let men ceaſe to wonder, if the Philoſophers have in their very Doctrine, diſcourſed of the cauſes and remedies of diſeaſes. To ſpeak a little of Medicine in General; which is uſually deſcribed a practick Art of conſerving, or reſtoring health; whence it is diſtributed by ſome into foreign, & foreign, others add to theſe parts foreign: but I ſhould rather cloſe with that common diſtribution of Medicine in…o foreign conſervative, and foreign curative. As for Prophylactick, or conſervative Medicine, we have many excellent Praeſcripts and Rules given us by Plato, Hippocrates, and others, for the right management and improvement thereof.The advantages of a good habitude of body. Plato informs us, that an foreign, a good habitude and Craſis of bodie, is extreamly advantagious for the due motions and exerciſes, both of body and ſoul: So in his Timaeus fol. 88. he tells us, foreign, There is one preſervation to both: for neither is the ſoul moved without the body, nor yet the bodie without the ſoul. So again in his Timaeus fol. 103. Plato aſſures us, That the beginnings of all evils, are from inordinate Pleaſures, Griefs, Deſires, and Fears, which are kindled from the ill habitude and temperature of the bodie, foreign, &c. the ill Craſes of the bodie produce theſe, &c. but to deſcend to particulars.

1. One Rule given us for the conſervation of health,1. The cauſes of diſeaſes to be avoided. 1. Diſproportion of firſt qualities. is to conſider well, and diligently, to avoid the cauſes of diſeaſes. Plato in his Timaeus, fol. 102. tells us, what are the principal cauſes of all diſeaſes. Firſt, ſaies he, The primarie and principal cauſe of all diſeaſes is foreign, an aſſymmetrie or diſproportion of the firſt qualities; namely, if they are either redundant, or defective: This others term foreign, &c.

2. Hence follows another cauſe of diſeaſes, which Plato calls, The mutations, or alterations of the blood,2. Alterations by reaſon of ſome corruption, or preternatural fermentation: for hence, ſaies he, ſprings bile, and pituite or flegme, as all other ſick humours.

3. The laſt cauſe of diſeaſes he here mentions, is foreign, an Ataxie, 3. Ataxie of humours.or diſorder of humours; namely, when choler or bile, flegme or melancholie, admit any extravaſaſion, or flowing forth from their proper p. 348ſeats, into any other parts of the body, where fixing their ſeat, they cauſe a ſolution, and diſſolution. To theſe cauſes of diſeaſes, mentioned by Plato, we may add others, as

4. That of Hippocrates, Aphoriſm. 51. foreign, all exceſs is deſtructive to nature. This regards all exceſſes in repletions, or evacuations; ſleep, or watchings, &c.

5. Sudden mutations are apt to produce diſeaſes. This is im…lyed in that Canon of Hippocrates, Aphoriſ. 51. Sect. 2. Nature makes no ſudden changes, and every ſudden change is dangerous.

6. Another cauſe of diſeaſes, is an ill ſtomack, or concoction, accord…ng to that Canon, an errour in the first concoction, is never cured in the reſt.

Cruditie the Mother of diſeaſes.7. Whence alſo follows another pregnant cauſe of diſeaſes, namely cruditie, according to that great Aphoriſme, Cruditie is the Mother of all diſeaſes. For indeed almoſt all diſeaſes, under which men labour, ordinarily ſpring from repletion, and indigeſtion; when more food is taken in than nature requires, or the ſtomack can digeſt: Yea, Phyſitians ſay, That a Plethora, or full eſtate of bodie, even though it be without impurity of blood, is dangerous as to health, becauſe nature, if weak, cannot weild it. But they make cruditie the ſeminarie of all diſeaſes. For, ſay they, health conſiſts in two things. 1. In the due proportion of the humours, as well in quantitie as qualitie. 2. In a certain ſpongious habitude of the whole body free from all obſtructions, that ſo the ſpirits and blood, may have a free circulation throughout all parts. Now cruditie obſtructs both of theſe.

8. Hence follows Obſtruction, which is reputed another ſeminal parent, or cauſe of Diſeaſes; eſpecially if the obſtruction be ſeated in any principal part, as the head, heart, liver, ſpleen; whence flow Convulſions, Apoplexies, & Epilepſies, if the obſtruction be in the head, Jandiſe, if in the liver, &c.

9. Catarrhes alſo are judged another fountain of diſeaſes, &c.

10. A diſlocation, or ſolution of parts, tends much to the impairment and affliction of the whole: according to that Phyſical Canon; all grief ariſeth from the ſolution of the Continuum.

11. Laſtly, the weakneſs of any part tendeth greatly to the decay of the whole: for as Phyſicians obſerve the ſtronger parts thruſt their ſuperfluities on the weaker. Thus much for the cauſes of Diſeaſes.

p. 349§. 17.Nature is to be maintained in her due offices and motions. Natura eſt morborum medicatrix: medicus naturae miniſter eam que recte agentem imitari debet Sennert. med. 1 Excretion. A ſecond great Prophylactick Canon for the conſervation of health, is this, To maintain nature in her due functions, exerciſes, and operations. This is laid down by Plato in his Timaeus fol. 90. where he tells us, that Medicine chiefly conſiſts in this, foreign, to render all their due operations. This is more fully expreſt by Hippocrates 6. Epid. Comm. 5. Tit. 1. foreign, Natures are the Phyſicians of diſeaſes: whence Phyſitians are ſtued the Miniſters of Nature, id eſt, to aſſiſt her in the exerting her proper offices, and exerciſes; which are theſe.

1. One great and proper exerciſe of Nature, is a natural excretion of humours, which is uſually accompliſhed by perfective fermentation, or ebullition of the blood, whereby the excrementitious parts are ſevered, and the whole maſſe of blood purified: beſides natural fl…xes of the haemorrhoides, and haemorrhages, &c.

2. Another great office, or exerciſe of Nature is Perſpiration, 2 Perſpiration(inſenſible, or ſenſible) which requires a ſpongious habitude of body, free from all obſtructions. And indeed no one can duly apprehend the ſovereign influence natural perſpiration has, for the conſervation of health, as alſo for the expelling all noxious humours and malignant vapours. That which aſſiſts nature herein, is the keeping the bodie under exerciſes, & motion in the open air, whereby the pores are kept open, &c.

3. Another office of Nature, is to keep the ſpirits,3 Spirits. both natural, vital, and animal, in their due vigour, activity, and exerciſes. For it's well known, that the ſpirits are the great fabricators, and opificers of whatever is tranſacted in the bodie. Now the ſpirits are fed, and conſerved by a regular commixture of radical moiſture, and congenial heat: for bodies frigid, have but a jejune and ſlender ſpirit; whereas things moderately hot, are ſpirituous. Alſo things grateful to the ſpirits, do moſt foment and emprove them.

4. Another exerciſe of Nature, conſiſts in the due evacuation of excrements, which requires that the body be ſoluble, and laxe, not coſtive; for coſtiveneſs of bodie breeds many diſeaſes, &c.

5. Another office of Nature, is to keep the bodie, and all parts thereof permeable, which is neceſſarie, in order to a due circulation of the blood.Bene vivere eſt, bene aſpirare, reſpirare, & perſpirare.

6. Another office of Nature, is to keep the Lungs in their due craſis and exerciſe; whence that Canon, to live well, is to breath well.

p. 350§. 18. A third Canon for the conſervation of health regards the Non-naturalls, as they call them, namely Aliment, Air, Exerciſe, &c.

Rules for Aliment.1. As for Aliment or food, Plato (as Pythagoras before him) layes much ſtreſſe on a good regiment, or government in diet. Plato ſeems to make the whole of Medicine to conſiſt in allowing foreign proper or due food. For the ordering whereof he tels us: 1. that by how much the more ſimple diet is by ſo much the better: ſo in his de Repub. 3. fol. 404. he ſaies foreign diet muſt be foreign ſimple, not of differing ſorts. So agen he ſaies foreign ſimple diet, & Exerciſe are of great moment, as to the conſervation of health.

2. In the ordering of diet there muſt be due regard had both to the quantitie and qualitie thereof, for ſaies Plato, many diſeaſes, which are inſtigated, and provoked by Medicaments, are cured by orderly diet.

Bene vivere eſt bene ingerere, digerere; & egerere.3. In all alimentation, and nutrition there is required a due attraction, concoction, and Extruſion. For all aliment moving from the center to the circumference, requires a regular courſe in all theſe regards, Eſpecially as to the firſt, viz. concoction; for as Sir Francis Bacon obſerves, the head (which is the ſource of animal ſpirits) is under the tuition of the ſtomack having a great Sympathie there with, and all crudities have their riſe uſually from too much repletion. Secondly, as for Air, and Exerciſe they greatly conduce to the conſervation of health.

§. 19. 2 Plato alſo diſcourſeth well of Therapeutick Phyſick in theſe particulars.Therapeutick Phyſick. 1 He makes a Phyſician to be but foreign a Miniſter of Nature to aſſiſt her in her proper offices, and operations. 2 Hence alſo he aſſerts that foreign Medicine by how much the more ſimple, and Connatural it tis, by ſo much the better and more commodious: For thoſe are the beſt Medicaments, which work with, not againſt Nature; we are religiouſly to obſerve the footſteps of Nature. And therefore mild Catharticks, which relieve, are more eligible than violent. 3. Hence addes Plato (Timaeus 89.) foreign. The beſt purgation is by Gymnaſtick exerciſe. 4. Hence alſo in the ſame Timaeus fol. 89. Plato addes that Purgation by pharmaceutick, or purgative medicaments is only then Expedient, when neceſſarie, foreign p. 351foreign. Diſeaſes are not to be irritated by Pharmaceutick medicaments, unleſs they are very dangerous; for all conſtitution of diſeaſes is ſomewhat like to nature. So Hippocrates Sect. 2. Aphoriſm. 50. diſeaſes contracted by long cuſtome are oft better kept, than cured. 5. Whence alſo follows another excellent preſcript of Plato wherein he Praefers a good diet, and exact regiment of the diſeaſed, before all Cathartick or purgative medicaments. So in his Timaeus fol. 89. If any (ſaies Plato) ſhall contend to haſten the cure of diſeaſes before they have had their fatal courſe, there uſually follows of ſmall, great, and of few, many diſeaſes: foreign. Wherefore all ſuch diſeaſes muſt be gently corrected by diet, neither muſt an infeſt ill be inſtigated or Exaſperated by purging medicaments. Thus Plato. Hence that of Seneca. In diſeaſes nothing more dangerous, and pernicious then an unſeaſonable Medicine.

6. But Plato's great and main Canon, which takes in the ſumme both of his Prophylactick, and Therapeutick medicine is laid down in his Timaeus fol. 90. thus foreign all medicine for every diſeaſe is one, to render to every one his proper diet, and motions. Hippocrates in his Aphoriſmes expreſſeth this medicinal canon thus, foreign, healthfull exerciſe, moderation of diet, activity of labours. This great Phyſick Canon of Plato and Hippocrates is comprehenſive of all other medicinal Rules: but particularly of theſe. 1. That the beſt purgation is by exercitation, or natural motion. 2. That ſimple medicaments (which we call kitchin Phyſick) are beſt. 3. That ſtrong, and violent catharticks or purging medicaments are ſeldome or never to be uſed, but in caſes of abſolute neceſſitie. 4. That diſeaſes acquired by repletion or fulneſſe are to be cured by evacuation. Hippocrates. Sect. 2. Aphor. 22. i. e. by faſting, perſpiration, Sweating, &c. All this is comprized in the advice of Sir Theodore Myron a great French Phyſician on his death-bed to a Noble friend who demanded his advice for the preſervation of health, to whom he replyed Be moderate in your diet, uſe much Exerciſe, and but little Phyſick.

§. 20.The character of a good Phyſician. Laſtly becauſe the cure of the patient depends much on the qualitie of the Phyſician, we ſhall give a brief character of an able, faithful phyſician, and that according to Plato's mind, with others.

p. 3521. Plato requires in a Phyſician great ſkill both ſpeculative, and Experimental: and the reaſon hereof, he gives us in his Gorgias fol. 464. Some (ſaies he) ſeem to have an foreign good habitude of bodie, who indeed have not. Which infirmitie none foreign, but a ſkillful experienced Phyſician can diſcerne. He alſo Suppoſeth a great meaſure of ſkill as requiſite to ſever noxious humours from what are good: ſo in his lib. 8. de repub. fol, 567. foreign. Phyſicians purging out what is worſt leave what is beſt behind.

2. Beſides habitual Skill Plato requires an actual application of the ſame to particular caſes with an univerſal circumſpection, and inſpection into all accidents though never ſo inconſiderable: ſo in his de Legib. lib. 10. fol. 902. what (ſaies he) when a Phyſician is both able and willing to cure the whole bodie; if he only conſiders greater matters, but neglects ſmaller, will there be an happie ſucceſſe of that cure? No, &c. This rule of Plato regards not only skill but alſo faithfulneſs, and diligence, which implies. 1. That Phyſicians uſe not unknown remedies, when known and approved are a… hand; which is too common amongſt many, thereby to make new experiments, or for ſome other ill end. 2. That Phyſicians may not cure one diſeaſe by cauſing a greater, which is too frequent. 3. That Phyſicians are to endeavour the removal of the cauſe, and not only the curing of a ſymptom of the diſeaſe: not to imitate him who in an hectick bodie endeavoured to cure the itch. 4. A faithfull Phyſician will endeavour to cure a diſeaſe, not to deferre it only: as many.

3. Another quality eminently requiſite in a good Phyſician is meekneſs, tenderneſs, and condeſcenſion to the patients condition. So Seneca ſpeaking of a good Phyſician ſaies, that he will not refuſe the moſt ſervile offices, nor yet be moved at the impatience of his patient for his good, i. e. he will not make his own humour or will, but his patients good the meaſure of his practice.

4. Laſtly; every man of judgment, and experience might be his own beſt Phyſician would he heed it; for there are but 3 things made eſſentially requiſite to a good Phyſician, that is, 1. Judgement 2. Inſtitution. 3▪ Experience, &c.