OF MANS SOULE. Chap.V. 61 



large our felves any further upon it, but will paflc on to the next 

 line of operations proper unto our mind. 



Only we may not omit taking notice of the expreffions which 

 our mind maketh of**tH*fjM as Logitians terme it, of Negati- 

 ons and Privations: which doe argue an admirable power in the 

 fouk-,and of a quite different ftraine from all corporcall things; 

 and doe evidently com incc the immateriality of it : for it can- 

 not be doubted , but that thefoule knoweth what (he meaneth, 

 when fhe di r courftth of Nothing. Now if all her knowledge, 

 were not hingtlfc but corporeall phantafmes, or pictures made 

 by corporcall things, how (houldlhe come to have a notion of 

 Nothing ? for fince it is moft cleare, that fomcthing cannot be like 

 Nothing, and that there cannet be a participation of what is not; 

 how can we cor. cave that thtre fhould be a fimilitude made of 

 Nothing ? 



The way therefore that the foule takcth in this operation, is, 

 that comparing wo things together, and findingthat the one of 

 them is not the other ; flic rtflccleth upon her owne aftion, and 

 dividing in it the thing faid,froia the laying, (he taketh the thing 

 faid for a quality, or property, or predicate (as Logitians call it) 

 of that thing which (he denyeth to be the other thing; and then 

 fnegivethit apofitivenarr.e, after ihehathfiift madeapofitive 

 notion, unto which the name may agree: as for example, when 

 the foul confidereth a man that hath not the power to fee,as fbon 

 as fhehath to her fclfe pronounced,that he hath not fuch a power, 

 fhe takcth the not fewer to fee, for a quality of that man ; and then 

 giveth the name ot blindnefie to l hat not power of feeing which 

 though of it fdfc it be nothing, yet by being that which fatisfy- 

 ethheracl, when (heiaith that he hath not the power of feeing, 

 itfeemeth to be rank.d among thofe things, ur.to which names 

 are due: for it hath a netion j ad the having a notion, is the 

 clay me, or merit, or dignity, in vertuc whereof things are prefer- 

 tedtonamesi . 



Now thenjet us enquire how the power of rarity and dcnfity, 

 or the multiplication and order of parts, can be raifed and re- 

 fined to the tlate of being like nothing, or effacing the firniiitude 

 of a negation-, or whatoperatien of rarity or denfity,can forge out 

 this notion Qtblindnefte, which we have explicated : and when 

 we find, it is beyond their retch to compaflc, we muft acknow- 



ledge. 



