IV. Quantity cannot be attributed to Angels We may also perceive with how little Reason some do attribute Quantity to Angels and Human Souls, and conceive one part of them to be with∣out another, as if they were Material. Whereas if a Man consider a Corporeal and Intellectual▪ ••••∣stance, he will find them to be distinguisht by Pro∣perties and Attributes, and to have no affinity at all with each other. For what Similitude can there be supposed between a thing extended, and a Being devoid of all Extension? Or what agreement is there, between a Substance that understands, wills, and imagins, and that which is divisible into parts, and is diversified by Figures, and which is com∣mensurate to a certain space and Place?
V. Substance is wrongly divided by some into immaterial and Bodily. Others divide created substance into Immaterial and Corporeal; but this Division doth not seem to be exact, or made according to the Rules of a right Division: because Immaterial and Incorpo∣real being Negative Terms, can represent no po∣sitive Idea to our Mind, such as is desir'd by all, where it may be had. For Negative Words re∣present no Properties or Attributes to our percep∣tion, and rather tell us what the thing is not, than what it is. True it is, that this Diviston is set down by many Philosophers of great note: but foras∣much as a Privative or Contradictory opposition (which those words do import) cannot have place in a lawful Division, this is not to be admitted. Moreover this Division seems to be grounded on this Childish mistake, that the Substance of Mate∣rial things is more real, than that of Spiritual; and that therefore the former, as more perfect, are exprest by Positive words, but the latter, as more Imperfect, by Negative.
VI. It better divided in∣to Thinking and Ex∣tended. Wherefore Created Substance is more fitly di∣vided into Thinking and extended, or into Intel∣lectual and Corporeal; because then the Dividing parts, are apprehended by Positive conceptions, and exprest by Positive Terms. For without doubt, we shall have a more clear notion of an Angel by conceiving him Intelligent, Willing and Powerful, than by apprehending him Imma∣terial, Incorporeal and Invisible: Forasmuch as these Negative Attributes, as I said, rather declare what an Angel is not, than what he is. Besides, he that perceives the Positive Properties of a thing, does by consequence understand the Negative; but not on the contrary: For he that knows an Angel to be Intelligent, doth at the same time know him to be Incorporeal and Invisible; but tho' he understand him to be Incorporeal and In∣visible, he does not therefore understand him to be Intelligent; for the Air is Invisible, and yet is neither Intelligent nor Incorporeal. Wherefore created Beings are very properly divided into In∣tellectual and Corporeal or Material, for no sub∣stance can be conceiv'd by us, which is not either Thinking or Extended, or in other words, which is not Active or Passive. Hence St. AUSTIN saith, Amongst things, some thing is acted, and not Acting, as a Body; another is Acting, and not Acted, as is God; and a third Acting and Acted, as are all Spiritual Substances.
VII. The Distri∣bution of Science Universally consider'd. As all created substance is divided into Material and Intellectual, so the knowledge of that Sub∣stance is distinguish't into SOMATICA, or the Sci∣ence of Bodies, and PNEUMATICA, or the Sci∣ence of Spirits: Which may again be subdivided into other Species, according to the various no∣tions
under which a Body or Spirit may be consider∣ed. For as a Body is conceived by us, either as Na∣tural, or as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or as having Quantity, and being Figur'd, or as subject to Sickness and reco∣verable; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 accordingly divers Species of Sciences are constituted. Natural ••hilosophy considers a Body as Natural, and explains its Essence and Pro∣perties. Mechanical Science Minds the outward frame and structure of the Body, and the figures it obtains by workmanship and Art. Mathematicks take to task the various Modes of a Body, as the figures which bound it; the situation of one part with reference to others; the Motion or change of situation; and Rest or continuance in one place: Lastly, Physick or Medicine considers the Body as subject to Diseases and recovery, and endeavours to maintain the health, or to restore it when lost.
VIII. The Divi∣sion of Pneuma∣tica, or the Science of Spirits. In like manner as Intellectual Substances are di∣vided into God, Angels, and the Souls of Men; so Pneumatica is divided according to the Diversity of the objects it contemplates into Natural Theo∣logy, Geniography or the science of Angels, and Psychology, or the Doctrin of the Soul. Natu∣ral Theology considers the Essence of God and his Attributes; Geniography the nature of Angels and Intelligences, and Psychology examines the con∣stitution of the Mind of Man, its Faculties and Passions. So that Pneumatica is nothing else but the science of Spirits, which admits of divers names, as it Considers God, the Angels, or the Soul of Man.
IX. The cer∣tainty of the Science of Spirits. The certainty of this science is very clear from its Definition, because it treats of Incorporeal things, and such as are not subject to change: For if Natu∣ral Philosophy which treats of a Natural Body, and Mathematicks which handles the Modes that fol∣low it, deserve the name of Science, because they are founded on Axioms of Eternal Truth, much more doth the Doctrin of Spirits deserve the name of True Science, forasmuch as it is not only grounded on General Propositions, but likewise borrows its certainty from the Object it considers, and deduceth clearer Conclusions thence, than Natural Philosophy doth from a Body or extended Substance. For tho' the vulgar sort of Mankind is apt to be mistaken, and doubtful about Immaterial Substances, whether they do really exist, and think that the name of Thing ought only to be attributed to Bodies; yet the Lovers of Wisdom do own Thinking substances, to be much truer, and much more real than any Bodily or Material Beings.