ssence, distinct from that _true_
Essence was in reality nothing at all, and that there was nothing in him
but this _true Essence_. And that this was like the Light of the Sun,
which, when it falls upon solid Bodies, shines there; and though it be
attributed, or may seem to belong to that Body upon which it appears,
yet it is nothing else in reality, but the Light of the Sun. And if that
Body be remov'd, its Light also is remov'd; but the Light of the Sun
remains still after the same manner, and is neither increas'd by the
Presence of that Body, nor diminish'd by its Absence. Now when there
happens to be a Body which is fitted for such a Reception of Light, it
receives it; if such a Body be absent, then there is no such Reception,
and it signifies nothing at all.

Sec. 87. He was the more confirm'd in this Opinion, because it appeared to
him before, that this _TRUE Powerful_ and _Glorious Being_, was not by
any means capable of _Multiplicity_, and that his Knowledge of his
Essence, was his very Essence, from whence he argued thus:

_He that has the Knowledge of this Essence has the Essence itself;
hut I have the knowledge of this Essence._ Ergo, _I have the
Essence itself_.

Now this Essence can be present no where but with itself, and its very
Presence is Essence; and therefore he concluded that he was that very
Essence. And to all other Essences which were separate from Matter,
which had the Knowledge of that _true Essence_, though before he had
looked upon them as _many,_ by this way of thinking, appear'd to him to
be only one thing. And this misgrounded Conceit of his, had like to have
firmly rooted itself in his Mind, unless God had pursu'd him with his
Mercy, and directed him by his gracious Guidance; and then he perceiv'd
that it arose from the Relicks of that Obscurity which is natural to
Body, and the Dregs of sensible Objects. Because that _Much_ and
_Little, Unity_ and _Multiplicity_, _Collection_ and _Separation_, are
all of them Properties of Body. But we cannot say of these separate
Essences, which know this _TRUE Being_ (whose Name be prais'd) that they
are _many_ or _one_, because they are immaterial. Now, _Multiplicity_ is
because of the Difference of one Being from another, and there can be no
_Unity_ but by _Conjunction_, and none of these can be understood
without Compound Notions which are mix'd with Matter. Besides, that the
Explication of Things in this place is very straight and