in which, some parts were better and more equally Temper'd than
others,and consequently fitter for Generation; the middle part
especially, which came nearest to the Temper of Man's Body. This Matter
being in a fermentation, there arose some Bubbles by reason of its
viscousness, and it chanc'd that in the midst of it there was a viscous
Substance with a very little bubble in it, which was divided into two
with a thin partition, full of Spirituous and Aerial Substance, and of
the most exact Temperature imaginable. That the Matter being thus
dispos'd, there was, by the Command of God, a Spirit infus'd into it;
which was join'd so closely to it, that it can scarce be separated from
it even so much as in thought; which did as constantly influence this
Mass of matter as the Sun do's the World. Now there are some Bodies from
whence we perceive no Reflection of Light, as the thin Air: others from
which we do but imperfectly; such are thick Bodies which are not smooth
(but there is a difference in these, and the difference of their Colours
arises from the different manner of their Reception of the Rays); and
from others we receive the Reflection in the highest degree, as from
Bodies which are smooth and polish'd, as Looking-Glasses and the like;
so that those Glasses when ground after a particular manner will Collect
so much Light as to kindle a Fire. So that Spirit which comes by the
Command of God, do's at all times act upon all Creatures, in some of
which notwithstanding, there appears no Impression of it, but the reason
of that is, because of their Incapacity into whom it is infus'd; of
which kind are things inanimate which are fitly represented in this
similitude, by the thin Air. There are another sort again; in which
there does appear something of it, as Vegetables and the like, which are
represented by the thick Bodies we mention'd, which are not polish'd.
And then lastly, there are others, (represented by those Glasses, in our
last comparison) in which the impressions of this Spirit are visible,
and such we reckon all sorts of Animals. But then, as these smooth and