282 ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book IV. 



lofopliy from Egypt. As therefore mind has not only produced the 

 imiverle and formed a fyftem of it, but alio performs every thing in 

 that fyftem (a fyftem which is always in motion), it muft be of the 

 greateft importance, both in the philofophy of nature and in theolo- 

 gy, to know perfectly the nature of a being which produces fuch 

 wonderful effeds. Upon this fubjed I have faid a great deal in dif- 

 ferent parts of this work, of which I am perfuaded the reader will 

 not be difpleafed that I give here a Ihort fummary, enumerating all 

 the various kinds cf mind in the univerfe, and mentioning what 

 operations they perform. 



The firft and principal mind, from which all the others proceed, 

 is the Supreme Mind, that is God. His nature I have endeavoured 

 to explain, having fiiown tliat he confifts of three fubftances, in 

 the fame manner as man does, who is the image of God here be- 

 low, and who confifts of the intelledtual, the animal, and the vege- 

 table minds, making all three but one Being. The fupreme mind 

 in like manner confifts of three fubftances, or Perfons as they are 

 called, God the Father, from whom has proceeded God the Son, 

 that is the principle of intelligence, and who is faid in the language 

 ef our fcripture to be the only begotten of the father^ or, \\\ the 

 language of philofophy, the only immediate produdlion from the 

 father or firft caufe of all things, and by whom the whole fyftem 

 of the univerfe was formed ; and from him, that is from intelli- 

 gence, was produced the Holy Spirit, or third p erf on of the Trinity. 

 From the hrft perfon therefore every thing in the univerfe proceeds ; 

 firft Intelligence, by which every thing in the univerfe has been formed 

 into a fvftem of the greateft perfe£lion that it is poftlble to imagine ; 

 and from intelligence the Holy Spirit, which has given life and ani- 

 mation to the whole fyftem. From the principle of intelligence, the 

 fecond perfon of the trinity, have proceeded all the intelligences of 

 the univerfe, fome of greater excellency, fome oflefs; and among 



ihefe 



