Wesley Corpus

But how is this grand account of nature consistent with what you say elsewhere? “Nature, and darkness, and self, are but three different expressions for one and the same thing.” (Page 18l.) “Nature has all evil and no evil in it.” (Page 192.) Yea, “Nature, self, or darkness, has not only no evil in it, but is the only ground of all good.” (Ibid.) O rare darkness | “Nature has seven chief properties, and can have neither more nor less, because it is a birth from the Deity in nature.” Is nature a birth from the Deity in nature? Is this sense? If it be, what kind of proof is it? Is it not ignotum per ceque ignotum ?* “For God is tri-une, and nature is tri-une.” “Nature is tri-une !” Is not this flat begging the question? “And hence arise properties, three and three.” Nay, why not nine and nine? “And that which brings these three and three into union is another property.” (Spirit of Love, Part II., p. 64.) Why so? Why may it not be two, or five, or nine? Is it not rather the will and power of God? “The three first properties of nature are the whole essence of that desire which is, and is called, nature.” (Page 69.) How? Are the properties of a thing the same as the essence of it? What confusion is this ! But if they were, can a part of its properties be the whole essence of it? “The three first properties of nature are attraction, resist ance, and whirling. In these three properties of the desire, you see the reason of the three great laws of matter and motion, and need not be told that Sir Isaac ploughed with Jacob Behmen’s heifer.” (Page 37.) Just as much as Milton ploughed with Francis Quarles's heifer. How does it appear, that these are any of the properties of nature, if you mean by nature anything distinct from matter? And how are they the properties of desire? What a jumbling of dissonant notions is here ! “The fourth property” (you affirm, not prove) “is called fire: The fifth, the form of light and love.” What do you mean by the form of love? Are light and love one and the * To prove an unknown proposition by one equally unknown.--EDIT. same thing?