it. Now we have already demonstrated, that
this necessarily Existent Being is free in every respect from all
Properties of Body; and consequently not to be apprehended, but by
something which is neither Body, nor any Faculty inherent in Body, nor
has any manner of dependance upon it, nor is either within it, or
without it, nor join'd to it, nor separated from it. From whence it
appear'd to him, that he had apprehended this Being by that which was
his Essence, and gain'd a certain Knowledge of him. And from hence he
concluded, that this Essence was Incorporeal, and free from all the
Properties of Body. And that all his External Part which he saw, was not
in reality his Essence; by that his true Essence was _That_, by which he
apprehended that Absolute Being of necessary Existence.

Sec. 63. Having thus learn'd, that this Essence was not that Corporeal Mass
which he perceiv'd with his Senses, and was cloath'd with his Skin, he
began to entertain mean Thoughts of his Body, and set himself to
contemplate that Noble Being, by which he had reach'd the Knowledge of
that Superexcellent, and Necessarily existent Being; and began to
consider with himself, by means of that Noble Essence of his, whether
this Noble Essence of his could possibly be dissolv'd, or dye, or be
annihilated; or whether it were of perpetual duration. Now he knew that
Corruption and Dissolution were Properties of Body, and consisted in the
putting off one Form, and putting on another. As for Instance: when
Water is chang'd into Air, and Air into Water; or when Plants are turn'd
into Earth or Ashes, and Earth again into Plants; (for this is the true
Notion of Corruption.) But an Incorporeal Being, which has no dependance
upon Body, but is altogether free from the Accidents proper to Body,
cannot be suppos'd to be liable to Corruption.

Sec. 64. Having thus secur'd himself in this Belief, that his _Real
Essence_ could not be dissolv'd, he had a mind to know what Condition it
should be in, when he had laid aside the Body, and was separated from
it; which he persuaded himself would not be, till the Body ceas'd to
continue a fit Instrument for its use. Therefore he consider'd all his
Apprehensive Faculties, and perceiv'd that every one of them did
sometimes apprehend _Potentially_, and sometimes _Actually_; as the Eye
when it is shut, or turn'd away from the Object, sees _Potentially_.(For
the meaning of apprehending _Potentially_ is, when it does not apprehend