wherein all the reason and philosophy of atheism is confuted, and

164 Nature aBs fatally and magically. Book 31-To' xaT« ^u'fl-iv i'iu.oi^f/.{vov, both that which is done fatally is done naturally^ andalfo whatever is done naturally is done fatally : but that, which we aflert inthis place, is only this, that the plaftick nature may be faid to be the trueand proper fate of matter, or the corporeal world. Now, that which a£tsnot by any knowledge or fancy, will or appetite of its own, but only fatallyaccording to laws and imprefTes made upon it, (but differently in differentcafes) may be faid alfo to act magically and fympathetically. 'H aXiSiw[AoiyeU (faith the philofopher ' ) ri ij tu Trxvr] (pi\!x xj viTy.o;, The true magickis the friendfhip and difcord^ that is in the univerfe. And again, magick isfaid to be founded, tv t-? a-iiJi.Trxhta x, t« tuv Jlva^/tsav rm ttoXXuj 7roi!4iAi« tt^sj£11 ^uoj (rjvTsXovvruv, in the fympathy and variety of diverfe powers confpiringtogether into one animal. Of which pafTages though the principal meaningfeem to be this, that the ground of magical fiilcinations is one vitalunitive principle in the univerfe •, yet they imply alfo, that there is a certainvital energy, not in the way of knowledge and fancy, will and animalappetite, but fatally fympathetical and magical. As indeed that mutualfympathy, which we have conffanc experience of, betwixt our foul and ourbody, (being not a material and mechanical, but vital thing) may be caUled alfo magical.19. From what hath been hitherto declared concerning the plaftick na-^ture, it may appeir, that though it be a thing, that afts for ends artificiallyiand which may be alfo called the divine art, and the fite of the corporealworld J yet for all that it is neither god nor goddtfs, but a low and imperfcftcreature. Forafmuch asit is not mafter of that reafon and wifdom,according to which it afts,. nor does it properly, intend thofe end.s, which itafts for ; nor indeed is it exprefly confcious of what it doth,, it not knowing,but only doing, according to commands and laws impreft upon it.Neither of which things ought to feem ftrange or incredible, fince naturemay as well adl regularly and artificially, without any. knowledge and confcioufnefsof its own, as forms of letters compounded together may printcoherent philofophick fcnfe, though they underftand nothing at all : and itmay alfo acT: for the Hike of thofe ends, that are not intended by itfelf butfome higher being, as well as the fiw or hatchet in the hand of the architedlSimfUc. in A- or mtchiMCK. doth, ro (Tx.iTr(xp-jov ivsxx tv ttcXixZ, dxx' oj TrzoXoyi^Ofj^fjcv, oiXXxrip.Phyf. I.z.^a -rrcoXoyi^ofxin) uTrr,3iTo~v ; the ax cuts foT the fake of fomcthings though itfelfLf 33:^ " does not ratiocinate, nor intend or defign any thing, but is only fuhfervient tothat which does fo. It is true, that our human aftions are not governedby fuch exaft reafon, art, and wifdom, nor carried on with fuch conftancy,cvennefs and uniformity, as the aftions of nature are; notwithftandingwhich, fince we adt according to a knowledge of our own, and are mafterso\ that wifdom, by which our actions are direfted, fince we do not adt fatallyonly, but eleffiveJy and intendingly, with confcioufnefs and felf-perception,the rational life that is in us ought to be accounted a much higherand more noble perfection than that plaftick life of nature. Nay, this plafticknature is fo far from being the firft and higheft life, that it is indeedthelaft and loweft of all lives, it being really the fame thing with the vegetative,..'Plotin. Lib, II, dedubit, Animse, Ennfad. IV. Lib. V. Cap XL, p 454.,