Him: GOD alone is He, who needs no other to his Existence; but all Creatures stand in need of the Divine Concourse for their Existence, neither can they without it be conceived to exist in the Nature of Things.
III. The same exprest in other words. Or otherwise thus: The Idea of Substance, is the conception of a Being subsisting of, or by it self; but there is no Creature so exists by it self, as to be sufficient for its own Existence, or so Powerful, as to be able to keep and preserve it self: Wherefore the Name of Substance cannot Univocally agree to God and the Creature.
IV. A Being from him∣self and from ano∣ther, are absolute Differences. And if with more attention we consider the Matter, we shall find that God and the Creature do not agree in the Idea of any Genus whatso∣ever; and that the word Being, Ens, which is commonly by Logicians attributed to God and the Creature, is perfectly Equivocal; and that the Equivocation is not more plain in the word Dog, when attributed to a Constellation in Heaven, and to a Beast on Earth; or in the Latin word Jus, which signifies Law or Right, and Broth, than in the word Ens, or Being, when given to a Being which is of it self, and to one that is from another and altogether dependent. For to exist of ones self, or to be made by another are meer Differences, which do not admit any common Genus; and as God is distinguished by the former, so are all Crea∣tures by the latter: God being a purely Self∣existent and Independent Being, and the Crea∣tures purely dependent Beings, and existing from another.
V. God is above Substance. Wherefore S. Denys calls GOD Super-substantia, and Super-ens, (Above-substance, and Above-entity) because he is raised above all Substances, and sepa∣rate and distinct from all other Things whatsoever. Accordingly he that would make a true Scheme of the Predicaments, must set down Ens à se, or a Self∣existent Being by it self, and distinct from the Series of other things; and afterwards Ens ab alio, or a Being that is from another, as the Original of Dif∣ferences, placing at the Right hand of it Intelle∣ctual, and on the Left Corporeal, and then put the next Division of Things. Because the Name of Entity, or Being, only agrees with the Being, which is of it self, and can only Equivocally be assigned to Creatures, that have their Being from another.
VI. An Obje∣ction an∣swer'd. If any one say, that the word Substance agrees in common both to God and the Creatures, and that all the Inequality that is found in them doth arise only from the Differences of it? I answer, That this is not true, forasmuch as Dependency is invol∣ved in the Essential Conception of a Creature. Now it is required to the Nature of Univocal Words, that they be equally communicable to all, and not to one Primarily and to the other Secon∣darily, or with dependance on the First.
VII. The Idea or Notion of Sub∣stance is Univocally competent to Crea∣tures. I say in the Second place, that the word Sub∣stance doth Univocally agree to all Creatures. For all Creatures are conceived under this Common Notion, that all of them stand in need of the Di∣vine Concourse for their Existence. Now that Name which is attributed to many for the same Reason, and equally participated by them, is Uni∣vocal; therefore the Name of Substance is di∣stinctly understood to be Common to all Creatures, according to the property of Univocals.
VIII. Why the Genealogy of Things and Modes is here annexed. Having thus explained these Things, I think I have with one and the same labour explained all Metaphysicks, concerning Entity and its Affe∣ctions; yet that no Body may complain, that the same has been left out in this Institution, seeing the consideration of it doth indeed belong to Lo∣gick, I shall subjoyn here such a Genealogy of Things and Modes, by means of which the Student of Philosophy may, as it were at one View, con∣template the whole University of Things.
The Fifth Rule of Truth.
It avails much to the clear and distinct Percep∣tion of Truth, to retain in ones Mind an accurate Genealogy of Things and Modes, that with one cast of an Eye we may be able to take a view of the whole Universe of Things, beginning from the most General, and ending in the most Special.
IX. The Use of the fore∣going Rule. The Reason is, because this will be a great Help towards the thorough Knowledge of Things, as pointing us to what Tribe they do belong, what Affinity they have with some, and what Difference from other Things; neither will it be of less Use to us in the defining, describing, and distributing of Things. And to the end you may have a short Compendium at hand, of all those Things in gene∣ral, which fall under the Perception of our Mind, and consequently also of those Idea's, which the Mind forms to it self, whilst it beholds them: Be∣hold I here furnish you with such a Genealogy, as contains all and every one of the Genera of Things and Modes, each in its proper order and degree.
The Genealogy of Things and Modes.
Whatsoever falls under the clear and distinct Perception of our Mind, is somewhat.
And that Somewhat, is either
- A Thing, A or,
- The Mode of a Thing, B
[A.] I. A Thing, (or an Entity or Substance, for they are Synonymous) is something which hath an Es∣sence and Existence distinct from all other Things. Essence is the Natural and Invariable Constitution of the Thing, by which it is that which it is. Existence is a Consequent upon the Essence of a Thing, by which it now actually is, or is the Essence it self now existing in the University of Things. The Consideration whereof belongs to 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, by some called First Philosophy, and by others Metaphysicks, which treats of Things Universally, and therefore also is called Catholi••k, or Uni∣versal.
A Thing or Substance in Gene∣ral, is twofold
- Thinking, a or,
- Extended, b
Thinking, or a Mind is either
- [a.] 1. Infinite, as GOD, whence is Natu∣ral Theology.
- 2. Finite, as the Mind of
- an Angel, whence is Angelography.
- a Man; whence Psy∣chology.
This part of the Genealogy of a Thinking Sub∣stance is handled in Noetica, that is, Pneumatica, as others term it; the Parts whereof I have just now mentioned.
[b.] A Thing Extended, or a Body, is twofold.
I. An Element; that is, a Principle whence other mix'd Bodies have their Original, and into which they are resolved again at last. Which again is Threefold.