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Lin. 10. the divine light pierced the bosome of the matter, &c. This compared with what is at the bottome of the fourth page, wee see that this rare philosopher tells us, that the matter is an horrible emptie darknesse. And me thinks his description is an hide∣ous empty phansie, and conveys not so much to the understanding as Aristotles de∣scription of the Matter, which hee would
describe to be, The first subject out of which every thing is. This latter is more cleane and sober, the other more slabby and phan∣tasticall. And to call it Primitive waters 〈…〉〈…〉s but yet metaphors and poetry. For you doe not mean waters such as we wash our hands in. But they must be waters and dark, that you may bring in the conceit of the light shining in them that like rivers and pooles the images of trees and birds, and clouds and stars, and what not, may bee seen in them. And this must help us coconceive, that upon the breaking through of the light, the divine idea's shone in the waters, and that the holy Spirit, not being able to see till then, by looking then upon those images, framed the matter into form. But I pray you tell mee, Mr. Anthro∣posophus! that would be so wise as if you stood by while God made the world, doe not you think that God can now see in the dark or behold his own idea's in the depth of the Earth? You'll say you doe not mean this naturall light but a divine light. If so, was ever the matter so stiff and clammy dark, as to be able to keepe it out? So that the divine idea's shone in the water so soon as God was, and the Spiritus Opifex could see to begin his work
ab cmni retro aeternitate. And it could never be dark in your blind sense. Is it not so Anthroposophus?
Lin. 25. Si plantam quasi momento nasci, &c. If Anthroposophus had such a device a〈…〉〈…〉 this in a glasse, what a fine gew-gaw would it be for the lad? What fine sport would he make with his companions? He would make them beleeve then that he was a Conjurer indeed. But what other use there would be of it, Anthroposophus! truly I doe not know. For it would not state one controversie in Philosophy more then what may be done without it. For whe∣ther there be any such things as rationes seminales, or whether these forms visible arise from heat, which is motion, and the conspiracy of fitted particles, is as well and safely determined from your experiments of one spring, as from this strange whim∣wham in a glasse. But weak stomachs and weak wits long most after rarities.