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Chap. 45. Of Matter, Motion, and Knowledge, or Understanding.
VVHatsoever hath an innate motion, hath knowledge; and what matter soever hath this innate motion, is knowing,: but according to the several motions, are several knowledges made; for knowledge lives in motion, as motion lives in matter: for though the kind of matter never alters, yet the manner of motions alters in that matter: and as motions alter, so knowledge differs, which makes the several motions in several figures to give several knowledge. And where there is a like∣nesse of motion, there is a likenesse of knowledge: As the Appetite of Sensitive spirits, and the desire of rational spi∣rits are alike motions in several degrees of matter. And the touch in the heel, or any part of the body else, is the like mo∣tion, as the thought thereof in the head; the one is the motion of the sensitive spirits, the other in the rational spirits, as touch from the sensitive spirits, for thought is onely a strong touch, and touch a weak thought. So sense is a weak knowledge, and knowledge a strong sense, made by the degrees of the spirits: for Animal spirits are stronger (as I said before) being of an high∣er extract (as I may say) in the Chymistry of Nature, which makes the different degrees in knowledge, by the difference in strengths and finenesse, or subtlety of matter.