Chap. XII. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 167 



Now, I think I have proved, in a moft fatisfadory manner, that their 

 operations are altogether different. 



Here, therefore, we have, in every man, a trinity y as myfterious, 

 but not lefs certain and real, than that higher Trinity which ftumbles 

 unbelievers fo much ; but which I fhall fliow afterwards, is as much a 

 dodtrine of philofophy as of religion. For we have a hypojlaiic and 

 confuhftantial union of three diftin^l fubftances, all joined together to 

 make one individual intellectual beings where we may conceive, as I 

 find fome of Ariftotle's commentators * did, one principle fuperemi- 

 nent over the reft, pure and unmixed altogether with body ; that is, 

 the N«vf, or pure intelleSl^ from which, by a wonderful prcceflion, 

 come the other two ; the one participating little of the divine'part of 

 us, but a great deal more of matter ; the other contrariwife, partaking 

 more of the firft principle, and lefs of the material part. 



That Ariftotle believed in this trinity, as well as his commentators, I 

 think, is evident ; for, as to the animal and vegetable mind being diftindt, 

 he appears to have had no doubt: And that he believed the intelle<ftual 

 to be diftindt from the animal, I think is clear from feveral paiTages of 

 his works f. And here we have difcovered, in this moft extraordi- 

 nary compound, mmu > for fo he appears to the philofopher), a numeri- 

 cal ivhoky gonfifting of three diftmdl fubftances, joined together in a 



won- 



* See Simpliclus in his commentary upon the 3d book Dc ^nimUf page 6g. and 

 alfo feveral other pail'ages. 



t One of thefe I quoted before, p. 140. lib. 3. cap 6. De ^^nima. Another may be feen 

 in the ^d book of the lame work, cap. i. where, fpeaking »•£§< row rov, nxt rm hu^irt- 

 KTSf ^vDxutucy in comp:^ir:ron with the animal life, he fays, ioixt ^vxyii yi*oi eti^sv eitm. kui 

 rovTo fiivot iyh}(^iTut ^u^tl^if^x. KxietTrs^ to uthtv tov (pIx^Tov. And, in the next chapter of 

 the fame book, towards the '.nd, he diftinguiihes betwixt >^oyiir^oi. which, it is plain, 

 he afcribcs to other animals as well as man, and the »«V5 C.<v^sr<x»sj for, fays he, -rt^i 



