A27054:109
The true and only way of concord of all the Christian churches the desirableness…
The true and only way of concord of all the Christian churches the desirableness of it, and the detection of false dividing terms / opened by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for John Hancock, 1680
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.
18. But we see in Passive matter, that the parts have a natural propensity to Union, and the aggregative inclination is so strong, as that thence the Learned Dr. Glisson (Lib. de Vitâ Naturae) copiously maintaineth that all Matter hath Life or a Natural Vital self-moving Virtue, not as a compounding part, but as a formal inadequate conception: In which though I consent not, yet the Aggregative Inclination is not to be denied▪ All heavy terrene bodies hasten to the earth by descent, and all the parts of Water would unite; and Air much more.
18. But we see in Passive matter, that the parts have a natural propensity to Vnion, and the aggregative inclination is so strong, as that thence the Learned Dr. Glisson (Lib. de Vitâ Naturae) copiously maintaineth that all Matter hath Life or a Natural Vital self-moving Vertue, not as a compounding part, but as a formal inadequate conception: In which though I consent not, yet the Aggregative Inclination is not to be denyed▪ All heavy terrene bodies hasten to the earth by descent, and all the parts of Water would unite; and Air much more.
19. The grosser and more terrene any Body is, the easilier the parts of it continue in a local separation; you may keep them easily divided from one another, though they incline to the whole: But liquids more hasten to a closure; and Air yet much more.
20. Whether this their strong inclination to Unity be a natural Principle in the passive Elements themselves, or be caused by the Igneous Active part which is ever mixed with them, and whose Unity in it self is more perfect; or whether it principally proceed from any spiritual substance which animateth all things, and is above the Igneous substance, I think, is too hard for man to determine.