Gleanings of antiquities / By John Beaumont, Gent.

  • Beaumont, John, -1731.
Date:
1724
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Gleanings of antiquities / By John Beaumont, Gent. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    138/226 (page 126)
    the Ideas of Things; that is, the Forms, and as I may fay, Seals (for the Idea is the original Species of Things) are perpetual. And to be more clear, let us give an Example ; among a Hundred thoufand Hor- ies, or Bullocks, or of other Species, if we will find the Beginning and Origin, by going back from this laft Horfe to his Sire, and from this Sire to another Sire, and fo on, we muff neceffarily come to one Horfe im¬ mortal and perpetual, begotten of none, which made the others ; and fo concerning Bullocks, &c. therefore that increated and immortal Horfe, being as the Seal of the others, is nothing, to fpeak as a Chriftian, but the Equine Form and Idea in the Divine Mind ; for Aquinas manifeftly declares that the Ideas of all things are in the Divine Mind, and that they aie the Divine Effence, by which God fees and knows all things. Antiquity therefore called the Idea of the Earth, in the Divine Mind, Pluto, Fellus, Ceres, Cybele, under differing Refpedts : The Idea, that is, the Form of the Water, Neptune, Oceanus, Nereus, of the Air, Juno and Pallas', of the Fire, Vulcan and Vefta; all which Things they often called alio by other Names, by reafon of divers Effects ; for the Goddefs Pomona is the Virtue and Idea given Trees, procreating the Fruits on the Branches ; therefore in Pliny fhe fpeaks thus *. I generate the Juice of PVine, and the Liquor of Oil• I, Branches and Fruits, Sic. They accounted therefore the Eternal and Immortal Forms in the Divine Mind for Gods, and worfhipped them, and that rightly ; becaufe nothing is in God, but God. Now they underfiood thefe Ideas and forms of all Things in the Divine Simplicity, after various Ways : Some interpret the Words of Plato, as if he would fay, that thofe Ideas are Angels, who, by the Divine Command, had the care of creating Things, God s Majefty being at Reft. The Mathematicians differ in this Matter; fome fay the Heavens are animated, creating all Things by the Images fealed in them ; for there