Experience is that which in this part we
must depend on. And it were to be wished that it were more improved.
We find the advantages some men's generous pains have this way brought
to the stock of natural knowledge. And if others, especially the
philosophers by fire, who pretend to it, had been so wary in their
observations, and sincere in their reports as those who call
themselves philosophers ought to have been, our acquaintance with
the bodies here about us, and our insight into their powers and
operations had been yet much greater.
17. Of the powers that co-exist in spirits yet narrower. If we are
at a loss in respect of the powers and operations of bodies, I think
it is easy to conclude we are much more in the dark in reference to
spirits; whereof we naturally have no ideas but what we draw from that
of our own, by reflecting on the operations of our own souls within
us, as far as they can come within our observation. But how
inconsiderable a rank the spirits that inhabit our bodies hold amongst
those various and possibly innumerable kinds of nobler beings; and how
far short they come of the endowments and perfections of cherubim
and seraphim, and infinite sorts of spirits above us, is what by a
transient hint in another place I have offered to my reader's
consideration.
18. Of relations between abstracted ideas it is not easy to say
how far our knowledge extends.
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