[XXI.]
MADAM,
Your Author endeavours very much to prove the existency of a Natural Immaterial Spirit, whom he defines to be an Incorporeal substance, Indivisible, that can move it self, can penetrate, contract and dilate it self, and can also move and alter the matter. Whereof, if you will have my opinion, I confess freely to you, that in my sense and reason I cannot conceive it to be possible, that these is any such thing in Nature; for all that is a substance in Nature, is a body, and what has a body, is corporeal; for though there be several degrees of matter, as in purity, rarity, subtilty, activity; yet there is no degree so pure, rare and subtil, that can go beyond its nature, and change from corporeal to incorporeal, except it could change from being something to nothing, which is impossible in Nature. Next, there is no substance in Nature that is not divisible; for all that is a body, or a bodily substance, hath extension, and all extension hath parts, and what has parts, is divisible. As for self-motion, contraction and dilation, these are actions onely of Natural Matter; for Matter by the Power of God is self-moving, and all sorts of motions, as contraction, dilation, alteration, penetration, &c. do properly belong to Matter; so that natural Matter stands in no need to have some Immaterial or Incorporeal substance to move, rule, guide and govern her; but she is able enough to do it all her self, by the free Gift of the Omnipotent God; for why should we trouble our selves to invent or frame other unconceivable substances, when there is no need for it, but Matter can act, and move as well without them and of it self? Is not God able to give such power to Matter, as to an other Incorporeal substance? But I suppose this opinion of natural Immaterial Spirits doth proceed from Chymistry, where the extracts are vulgarly called Spirits; and from that degree of Matter, which by reason of its purity, subtilty and activity, is not subject to our grosser senses; However, these are not Incorporeal, be they never so pure and subtil. And I wonder much that men endeavour to prove Immaterial Spirits by corporeal Arts, when as Art is not able to demonstrate Nature and her actions; for Art is but the effect of Nature, and expresses rather the variety, then the truth of natural motions; and if Art cannot do this, much less will it be able to express what is not in Nature, or what is beyond Nature; as to trace the Visible (or rather Invisible) footsteps of the divine Councel and Providence,[1] or to demonstrate things supernatural, and which go beyond mans reach and capacity. But to return to Immaterial Spirits, that they should rule and govern infinite corporeal matter, like so many demy-Gods, by a dilating nod, and a contracting frown, and cause so many kinds and sorts of Corporeal Figures to arise, being Incorporeal themselves, is Impossible for me to conceive; for how can an Immaterial substance cause a Material corporeal substance, which has no motion in it self, to form so many several and various figures and creatures, and make so many alterations, and continue their kinds and sorts by perpetual successions of Particulars? But perchance the Immaterial substance gives corporeal matter motion. I answer, My sense and reason cannot understand, how it can give motion, unless motion be different, distinct and separable from it; nay, if it were, yet being no substance or body it self, according to your Authors and others opinion, the question is, how it can be transmitted or given away to corporeal matter? Your Author may say, That his Immaterial and Incorporeal spirit of Nature, having self-motion, doth form Matter into several Figures: I answer, Then that Immaterial substance must be transformed and metamorphosed into as many several figures as there are figures in Matter; or there must be as many spirits, as there are figures; but when the figures change, what doth become of the spirits? Neither can I imagine, that an Immaterial substance, being without body, can have such a great strength, as to grapple with gross, heavy, dull, and dead Matter; Certainly, in my opinion, no Angel, nor Devil, except God Impower him, would be able to move corporeal Matter, were it not self-moving, much less any Natural Spirit. But God is a Spirit, and Immovable; and if created natural Immaterial participate of that Nature, as they do of the Name, then they must be Immovable also. Your Author, Madam, may make many several degrees of Spirits; but certainly not I, nor I think any natural Creature else, will be able naturally to conceive them. He may say, perchance, There is such a close conjunction betwixt Body and Spirit, as I make betwixt rational, sensitive, and inanimate Matter. I answer, That these degrees are all but one Matter, and of one and the same Nature as meer Matter, different onely in degrees of purity, subtilty, and activity, whereas Spirit and Body are things of contrary Natures. In fine, I cannot conceive, how a Spirit should fill up a place or space, having no body, nor how it can have the effects of a body, being none it self; for the effects flow from the cause; and as the cause is, so are its effects: And so confessing my ignorance, I can say no more, but rest,
Madam,
Your Faithful Friend
and Servant.
[1] Antid. lib. 2. ch. 2.