A26976:215
Of the immortality of mans soul, and the nature of it and other spirits.…
Of the immortality of mans soul, and the nature of it and other spirits. Two discourses, one in a letter to an unknown doubter, the other in a reply to Dr. Henry Moore's Animadversions on a private letter to him, which he published in his second edition of Mr. Joseph Glanvil's Sadducismus triumphatus, or, History of apparitions by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for B. Simons, 1682
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Ans. If you may say Quidvis de quovis, lay not too great stress on words. Ens quatenus Ens hath no Form, nor proper Matter. Ens is that terminus incomplexus, to whose Conception all other are resolved. Therefore every other conception incomplex or complex, must add somewhat to it. It can be no Genus, or Species: If it have any kind of Matter and Form it is more than Ens quatenus Ens: And sure that which is [prescinded from all particular kinds of Being, is prescinded from Material and Immaterial, unless the word [particular] ⟨p. 92⟩be a Cothurnus. To say that Ens hath Matter and Form, is to say more than Ens, a most general notion, as you call it.
Ans. If you may say Quidvis de quovis, lay not too great stress on words. Ens quatenus Ens hath no Form, nor proper Matter. Ens is that terminus incomplexus, to whose Conception all other are resolved. Therefore every other conception incomplex or complex, must add somwhat to it. It can be no Genu•, or Species: If it have any kind of Matter and Form it is more than Ens quatenus Ens: And sure that which is [prescinded from all particular kinds of Being, is prescinded from Material and Immaterial, unless the word [particular] ⟨p. 92⟩be a Cothurnus. To say that Ens hath Matter and Form, is to say more than Ens, a most general notion, as you call it.
But if Ens as the most general notion, have Matter and Form, then so hath Spirits, and every subordinate; for the general is in them all.
§ 3. But you say, [It's only materia & forma logica.] To which I answered before. That's but to say, It is notio secunda, which if it be not fitted ad primam, or ut signum ad rem significandam, it is false. And we suppose you to mean to speak truly and aptly. If you should mean neither materia ex qua, nor in qua, but circa quam, so Form may be Matter.